Who will win 2012 Tour de France v2.0

[Jakob747]

Does anyone know what's up with Jeannesson? Why did he DNS stage 6 of Critérium de Dauphiné? Is he still doing the Tour and if so, what can be expected from him?

Also, does anyone expect Taaramäe to be in form once the Tour starts?

After his crash in Volta Catalunya, where he had to take two weeks of the bike as a consequence, his bad luck continued at the Dauphine where he fell ill on stage four and after two days with fewer decided not to start on stage six.

At Route de Sud he was already four minutes down on the Tourmalet and said he felt incredible weak. He could not do any form of assistance to Kenny Elissonde and decided to abandon 150kilometers into the stage.

About the Tour he sounds anything, but optimistic. I'm not even sure he will be on the start line.

Regarding Taaramäe im not sure at all. He is a warrior and defiantly he won't go down without a fight though. His threshold of pain is second to none. Will it be enough to content for the white jersey again for example? I seriously doubt it. But maybe that's just because I have a very, very good gut feeling about Wout Poels putting on a show throughout all of July.

 

[Panda Claws]

Wiggins hype seems to be wearing off as Cadel is gaining ground now... fast.

20/06: 43,53% Wiggins vs 27,65% Evans

Now: 40,68% Wiggins vs 32,63% Evans

 

[Froome19]

Anton gave up after winning the Zoncolan stage.

He didnt have it in him to contest the next mountain stage as he had given his all on the Zoncolan.
Once again it seems to demonstrate how Anton doesnt seem to be suited to being a GC rider and would probably do better as a classics rider. Yet his single mindedness to win the Vuelta is probably harming his career.

They always have done, which is how Wiggo, VDV and Hesjedal got their GC top 10s in the first place.

Also Danielson last year as Ryder and VDV were the most likely leaders going into it.

 

[dlwssonic]

Igor anton can make it as a GT rider.
He was amazing in the 2010 vuelta before his crash.
He was more as less assured the win before he crashed out.

 

[Froome19]

Igor anton can make it as a GT rider.
He was amazing in the 2010 vuelta before his crash.
He was more as less assured the win before he crashed out.

Has he ever showed he can last a whole 3 weeks contending for the win in a GT?

 

[Nick C.]

Igor anton can make it as a GT rider.
He was amazing in the 2010 vuelta before his crash.
He was more as less assured the win before he crashed out.

I have seen this stated elsewhere and I don't really follow. IIRC it was halfway thru and there were really only Purito/Gilbert stages so far for the uphill finishes. Did he have more than 1-1:30 lead and I have forgotten. What am I missing?

 

[dlwssonic]

Has he ever showed he can last a whole 3 weeks contending for the win in a GT?

In 2010 vuelta.
He was really flying for the two weeks until he crashed out on stage 14.
I believe he would have been strong in the third week too.
This year's vuelta will really prove if he is a GT rider.

 

[dlwssonic]

I have seen this stated elsewhere and I don't really follow. IIRC it was halfway thru and there were really only Purito/Gilbert stages so far for the uphill finishes. Did he have more than 1-1:30 lead and I have forgotten. What am I missing?

He crashed out on stage 14 and he had quite a comfortable gap on the others.
He was very strong on arcarlis, and was great at xorret del cati and valdepenas jaen.
He had already won two stages.
I seem to remember that he was the huge favourite for the win and he was really very strong in the mountains.
That's why some people didn't really appreciate nibali's victory as they believed it belonged to anton.

 

[Froome19]

In 2010 vuelta.
He was really flying for the two weeks until he crashed out on stage 14.
I believe he would have been strong in the third week too.
This year's vuelta will really prove if he is a GT rider.

The 3rd week is an entirely different proposition and it requires a level of recovery which cant be identified in any other races asides from GTs.

 

[roundabout]

I have seen this stated elsewhere and I don't really follow. IIRC it was halfway thru and there were really only Purito/Gilbert stages so far for the uphill finishes. Did he have more than 1-1:30 lead and I have forgotten. What am I missing?

Seems about right.

 

[dlwssonic]

The 3rd week is an entirely different proposition and it requires a level of recovery which cant be identified in any other races asides from GTs.

well he looked great in those two weeks and he looked like he was gonna continue his great form to win the vuelta.
But he couldn't find any form close to this in 2011.
this year's vuelta will probably prove if he has it for GTs.

 

[Froome19]

well he looked great in those two weeks and he looked like he was gonna continue his great form to win the vuelta.
But he couldn't find any form close to this in 2011.
this year's vuelta will probably prove if he has it for GTs.

Indeed, but to end off I dont think it is possible to conclude he is certainle capable of winning a GT from his GT perfomances so far.

 

[dlwssonic]

Indeed, but to end off I dont think it is possible to conclude he is certainle capable of winning a GT from his GT perfomances so far.

Of course not but he is a contender for GTs like the vuelta or the giro which have weaker fields and more mountainous routes.

 

[icefire]

I have seen this stated elsewhere and I don't really follow. IIRC it was halfway thru and there were really only Purito/Gilbert stages so far for the uphill finishes. Did he have more than 1-1:30 lead and I have forgotten. What am I missing?

Apart from the finish on Peña Cabarga the day he crashed out of that Vuelta, the remaining mountain stages were MTFs at Lagos de Covadonga, Cotobello and Bola del Mundo. Yes, those were Gilbert stages

 

[Parrulo]

Apart from the finish on Peña Cabarga the day he crashed out of that Vuelta, the remaining mountain stages were MTFs at Lagos de Covadonga, Cotobello and Bola del Mundo. Yes, those were Gilbert stages

he obviously meant till that point in the race. the toughest finish till stage 14 was xorret the cati which is a purito stage and andorra which is a laughable climb

 

[will10]

Waiting to see The Hitch's reaction to the CN feature

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-general-classification-contenders

 

[dlwssonic]

Waiting to see The Hitch's reaction to the CN feature

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-general-classification-contenders

LOL samu not included??

Criterium international, cadel's career highlight??????

WTF menchov not included too?? that's like worst than samu not being included.

 

[theyoungest]

Waiting to see The Hitch's reaction to the CN feature

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-general-classification-contenders

Winning Pais Vasco and getting 2nd in Catalunya is nothing. The Tour of California is where it's at.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Waiting to see The Hitch's reaction to the CN feature

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-general-classification-contenders

Haha, after all the years of ignoring Gesink all it took was winning the Tour of California for CN to include him. So typical

 

[LaFlorecita]

Waiting to see The Hitch's reaction to the CN feature

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-general-classification-contenders

What.

Fränk over Samu and Menchov.. I think I'm going insane.. my head is about to explode..

 

[K-0tic]

Well it's the author's personal thoughts. Maybe he prefers good form but then Samu should have been included.

 

[roundabout]

I think the biggest mistake is limiting the number to 5. Sure, Wiggins and Evans are kinda obvious, but after that there are many people that can do well.

 

[dlwssonic]

I think the biggest mistake is limiting the number to 5. Sure, Wiggins and Evans are kinda obvious, but after that there are many people that can do well.

That's what I was thinking to. 10 would have been better
sanchez
menchov
VDB

are all missing.

 

[Havetts]

Gesink left out of the official Tour guide but Taaramae included there and here Samu left out and Gesink in.. Oh lawdy lawd..

Gesink came away from California on a high but arrived at the Dauphine seemingly behind expectations.

Cycling media.

 

[The Hitch]

Waiting to see The Hitch's reaction to the CN feature

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-general-classification-contenders

Is that any different to when ligett said the 5 contenders for the tour were the schleck brothers vdb Evans and richie porte ?