Who will be this season's Radioshack GT GC Leader

[The Hitch]

DITO but not for the reason you said. I just don't think too heavily of them. To Dekker Tiffosi's credit he did not even state Gesink would win a Tour this year in another thread this past week. Other people did but he didn't...I think he said Gesink would get 5th.

Dekker T has a bet that Gesink will both make the podium and beat Cadel Evans by 3 minutes. If either fails he will take a ACF avatar for a year.

Hence why I immediately changed my Giro top 5 predictions. I don't even think Nibali will make the top 5...Scarponi I don't see not making the top 5. .

Wise choice

 

[gregrowlerson]

Just had a look back on the TT's from '09 Tour. Didn't realise how much stronger AK was to LA - 18 seconds over 15 kms and 36 seconds over 41 kms. So maybe Klodi could have podiumed that tour without Armstrong being there. What if Lance had to make the pace up Arcalis (where Kloden lost time) and Verbier rather than Andreas?

And even up some of Venteoux! I can remember that even when Kloden got back on (after AS and AC slowed) he had to go back to the front for domestique duties!

So Galic Ho; I am starting to lean towards your way of thinking on this one.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Just had a look back on the TT's from '09 Tour. Didn't realise how much stronger AK was to LA - 18 seconds over 15 kms and 36 seconds over 41 kms. So maybe Klodi could have podiumed that tour without Armstrong being there. What if Lance had to make the pace up Arcalis (where Kloden lost time) and Verbier rather than Andreas?

And even up some of Venteoux! I can remember that even when Kloden got back on (after AS and AC slowed) he had to go back to the front for domestique duties!

So Galic Ho; I am starting to lean towards your way of thinking on this one.

dude, these discussions are as boring and as tired as radio discussions.

Of course you can discuss anything, but just for you again:
If Mr. Klöden wants to win or podium at a GT, he has to be a leader in his own team and take FULL responsibility.
I never saw HIM complaining about anything. And that makes perfect sense in all this could have/would have.

So just stop complaining about Lance or Alberto ruining Hilde's chances as a domestique.

 

[Parrulo]

dude, these discussions are as boring and as tired as radio discussions.

Of course you can discuss anything, but just for you again:
If Mr. Klöden wants to win or podium at a GT, he has to be a leader in his own team and take FULL responsibility.
I never saw HIM complaining about anything. And that makes perfect sense in all this could have/would have.

So just stop complaining about Lance or Alberto ruining Hilde's chances as a domestique.

lol true, is he the same user who made the thread pretty much saying kloden could still win the tour?

btw for the purpose of this thread, RS only team leaders should be janez and tiago, and thats it. the old people should either retire or admit they can't win anymore so they should just help the young guns.

 

[Galic Ho]

Dekker T has a bet that Gesink will both make the podium and beat Cadel Evans by 3 minutes. If either fails he will take a ACF avatar for a year.

I paid attention to what he said in the Giro winners thread for this year. He'd been saying a lot about Gesink. I'll give the guy kudos, he supports Gesink but doesn't expect a bloomin miracle from the young guy.

I assume by avatar, you mean one with a picture of Evans. I was reading that thread for a few pages and couldn't stomach anymore. Too many weird Gesink pictures for my liking. If I am not mistaken, we have you (or was it Francois?) to thank for the profile headshot of Gesink embossed within a love heart plagueing my screen as ACF94's avatar logo for the next few months. Thanks dude!

I cannot believe what I just read in the news columns. Levi thinks he and the Shack can win the ToC! I don't see Garmin not winning this year. I'd be happy to bet Farrar, Hushovd and Zabriskie can win almost every stage this year between themselves if they all race. If Rogers and Sky turn up they could easily get overall honours. That answers one thing as far as I am concerned...Levi won't be doing anything at the Tour. Good to get that out of the way. Watching him in the ToC last season was depressing. Dull and boring. If only someone could find a way to get him to shut up about how great the ToC is. Take Sagan, Rogers, Tony Martin and Zabriskie last season and it was kind of pathetic. Shack might actually want to try this year rather than dive for the bomb shelter, god knows the sponsors deserve some exposure.

 

[jaylew]

I'd be happy to bet Farrar, Hushovd and Zabriskie can win almost every stage this year between themselves if they all race. If Rogers and Sky turn up they could easily get overall honours.

None of those guys have a chance of winning stage 4 or 7, that's for sure.

 

[Nikoloz]

I am happy 2 see klodi fans here...

 

[gregrowlerson]

lol true, is he the same user who made the thread pretty much saying kloden could still win the tour?

btw for the purpose of this thread, RS only team leaders should be janez and tiago, and thats it. the old people should either retire or admit they can't win anymore so they should just help the young guns.

Yep, Kloden thread creator alright. BIG Klodi fan; though obviously not the biggest.

kloden kloden kloden........lol

 

[Parrulo]

Yep, Kloden thread creator alright. BIG Klodi fan; though obviously not the biggest.

kloden kloden kloden........lol

fyi i am also a big kloden fan. . . but i am realistic

 

[flicker]

I paid attention to what he said in the Giro winners thread for this year. He'd been saying a lot about Gesink. I'll give the guy kudos, he supports Gesink but doesn't expect a bloomin miracle from the young guy.

I assume by avatar, you mean one with a picture of Evans. I was reading that thread for a few pages and couldn't stomach anymore. Too many weird Gesink pictures for my liking. If I am not mistaken, we have you (or was it Francois?) to thank for the profile headshot of Gesink embossed within a love heart plagueing my screen as ACF94's avatar logo for the next few months. Thanks dude!

I cannot believe what I just read in the news columns. Levi thinks he and the Shack can win the ToC! I don't see Garmin not winning this year. I'd be happy to bet Farrar, Hushovd and Zabriskie can win almost every stage this year between themselves if they all race. If Rogers and Sky turn up they could easily get overall honours. That answers one thing as far as I am concerned...Levi won't be doing anything at the Tour. Good to get that out of the way. Watching him in the ToC last season was depressing. Dull and boring. If only someone could find a way to get him to shut up about how great the ToC is. Take Sagan, Rogers, Tony Martin and Zabriskie last season and it was kind of pathetic. Shack might actually want to try this year rather than dive for the bomb shelter, god knows the sponsors deserve some exposure.

If you read Levis' commentary today he says he is not the guy for the Shack at the ToC. Also, when he said that he was the guy at the Tour of Ute, I think again Levi is saying he is not the guy in the Tour of California.
He does want Mt. Baldy in the ToC. I think he is gunning for France or Spain, myself.

 

[jaylew]

If you read Levis' commentary today he says he is not the guy for the Shack at the ToC. Also, when he said that he was the guy at the Tour of Ute, I think again Levi is saying he is not the guy in the Tour of California.

Link, please?

 

[flicker]

Link, please?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lei...ack-can-win-a-fourth-amgen-tour-of-california

Title, Radioshack win. In reality, no way that Levi will smoke the field on the Mt. Baldy stage. To short a race, on a hard stage like that, there will be to many young guys who are fresh to challange Levi. What is it day 6?
I hope Kloeden races to win the ToC. I like him better as a rider and he is a classy guy. Levi would also be a good decoy and it would be fun to see him go for a win in a breakaway on Baldy, all or nothing for Levi, show his mettle.
Levi needs to win big or not at all. It would be great to see Levi try that, while the peloton chases with Andreas pacing the chasers!

 

[jaylew]

I've read that article but where's the part where he says he's not Radioshack's guy for ToC?

 

[Angliru]

If you read Levis' commentary today he says he is not the guy for the Shack at the ToC. Also, when he said that he was the guy at the Tour of Ute, I think again Levi is saying he is not the guy in the Tour of California.
He does want Mt. Baldy in the ToC. I think he is gunning for France or Spain, myself.

How you can surmise that he's insinuating that "he is not the guy in the Tour of California"? He talks up how his 3 wins are the most important marks on his palmares and stresses the importance of the race in America. He plainly states that Shack will field a strong team and as such I really can't see who else would be the team's leader and biggest hope for the overall. He's American, a 3 time winner who finished on the podium last year. Plus they have 2 actual MTF's. If he's not motivated to win it this year as you imply then he just oughta hang up his shoes.

 

[flicker]

How you can surmise that he's insinuating that "he is not the guy in the Tour of California"? He talks up how his 3 wins are the most important marks on his palmares and stresses the importance of the race in America. He plainly states that Shack will field a strong team and as such I really can't see who else would be the team's leader and biggest hope for the overall. He's American, a 3 time winner who finished on the podium last year. Plus they have 2 actual MTF's. If he's not motivated to win it this year as you imply then he just oughta hang up his shoes.

I think that the motivation is there for Levi, but he was beaten by Mick Rogers last year. I would like to see another Shack guy go for the biggest race in the USA, specifically Kloeden.
Also it would be nice if Levi had larger goals like the Vuelta and the Tour, it would great to see him in full glory there. Levi should just stay away from Leadville and ride some real races!

 

[steelciocc]

Wait 'til next year...

Levi will make a great domestic pro next year. His ToC palmares might help California Giant Berrys, or some other team, gain entry into bigger races than they would otherwise be considered for...

 

[mwbyrd]

serious? horner top 5 last year? do you really believe that he was stronger then any of last year's top 5? that were:
1st-contador
2nd-shleck
3rd-menchov
4th-sanchez
5th-jurgen

hell even 6th- gesink and 7th - rodriguez.

you really believe that the guy could top 5? imo the only reason he got into the top 10 was cus of the breakaways. . . . and thats it. besides he will be 39 or 40 next year. . . i don't think there is a need to explain this part

the hog will be much better off by takings his chances with some fresh blood, no pun intended

btw i think horner is getting the same kind of hype canc did but smaller ofc. canc dominated last years cobble classics therefore many people say he is the best this year. and boonen will just be second again. but if you look at previous years canc doesn't even makes the selection every year(not cus he lacks the skill to do so but its not only bad luck), while boonen does.


the same thing happened to horner. he top 10'd a tour a bit out of luck and for some reason some people start to believe that he can actually win the tour even tho he is over 9000 years old.

sorry for going a bit off topic. i just don't really get the horner hypewagon

Sorry man...just my opinion and wish.

 

[flicker]

Levi will make a great domestic pro next year. His ToC palmares might help California Giant Berrys, or some other team, gain entry into bigger races than they would otherwise be considered for...

I know that you jest but truly for some of the US pros to come and mentor domestic teams would be outstanding.

 

[mwbyrd]

Last year RS's GC chances were mostly over after the cobblestones, so the LA falling over deliberately thing is not completely out of the question. And clearly after the cobblestones (a stage where the team had planned to dominate) the team morale was not there, which may go into more clinic related issues. It's partly why I think that the TTT is so important to some riders this year, particularly at RS. If they do well there then Kloden could look to finish a lot higher than 14th.

HA HA - Nobody falls down intentionally going 30mph on the pavement. That's a BIG reach.....

 

[greatking88]

I see Machado and Deignan are RC's GC guys for the Giro.

 

[sky forever]

Brajkovic
Leipheimer
Horner
Kloden?

Will Ben King ride any of the big 3?

I think KIng will probably do la Vuelta

 

[Oldman]

I know that you jest but truly for some of the US pros to come and mentor domestic teams would be outstanding.

Levi likes money and being the King of Santa Rosa. I could totally see it.

 

[flicker]

Levi doesn't have the rugged character of Hermann Van Springel, the debonair, and humorous life outlook of Rik Van Looy nor the deep and sexy belgian voice of Axel Merckx.
However this being Merica, Levi does a lot for the sport, he and his wife do charity work and rides. Levi is probably the hottest thing in Santa Rosa since Luther Burbank.
As a cycling advocate in Sonoma county he pumps cycling. Parts of the county are really hostile to cyclists and are a red neck community. For Levi and Odessa to be ambassadors there and have cycling recognized as a sport there in Sonoma county is epic.
Levis' riding for Giant or any team would be really really good for cycling in the USA. (This is coming from someone who is not a fan or friend of Levi.) Despite negative reviews from the posters here, Levi is a really good guy and spokesman for USA Cycling.

 

[Oldman]

Levi doesn't have the rugged character of Hermann Van Springel, the debonair, and humorous life outlook of Rik Van Looy nor the deep and sexy belgian voice of Axel Merckx.
However this being Merica, Levi does a lot for the sport, he and his wife do charity work and rides. Levi is probably the hottest thing in Santa Rosa since Luther Burbank.
As a cycling advocate in Sonoma county he pumps cycling. Parts of the county are really hostile to cyclists and are a red neck community. For Levi and Odessa to be ambassadors there and have cycling recognized as a sport there in Sonoma county is epic.
Levis' riding for Giant or any team would be really really good for cycling in the USA. (This is coming from someone who is not a fan or friend of Levi.) Despite negative reviews from the posters here, Levi is a really good guy and spokesman for USA Cycling.

He might consider this a graceful and orderly way to end his career. Like real soon.

 

[flicker]

[/B]

He might consider this a graceful and orderly way to end his career. Like real soon.

Very few athletes retire gracefully. Sad thing is Ullrich did retire gracefully. Then guys came around his house jabbing microphones in Jans' face, while he was waiting for his gate to open.