Who will win 2012 Tour de France

[The Hitch]

When's the last time Samu did anything other than softpedal the Dauphine? Or Menchov for that matter.

Dauphine? I thought we were talking about the Grandady of them all, not the Giro trentino of june.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

From PCM

The real joke is, it's true.

 

[ElChingon]

Nibbles almost certainly podium?

I just hope he's not in some contract issue or team hate because of his contract at le Tour, where he tanks just not to please his sponsor or ex-sponsor.

 

[diorgen]

Jani Brajkovic

 

[will10]

Dauphine? I thought we were talking about the Grandady of them all, not the Giro trentino of june.

Woops, thought I was on the Dauphine thread! Apologies.

In that respect I agree with your post #132.

 

[norwegian]

A bit early, but I voted for Andy for the GT. Else; Evans, Wiggins. Or maybe Frank S..?

 

[guncha]

BTW, according to TDF time schedule Belfort - Porrentruy stage has 1st cat. climb 16km before the finish. However, this Col de la Croix (3.7km at 9.2%) is over categorized and is typical 2nd cat. climb - what a joke! Does ASO really think this will be GC stage and that's why there are such a few GC stages in high mountains?

I pick Andy to win for a simple reason: when climbers are in top form their ITT is suddenly very good. Could someone predict Rodriguez will have such a decent ITT?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tony Martin
Bavarianrider
1

yeah sure

 

[maltiv]

Where is the myth coming from that Nibali is a good TTler actually?

Well, he was 2nd in the Tour de San Luis TT and 9th in the ITT at T-A He's by no means a TT specialist, but he certainly won't lose too much time to anyone.

 

[norwegian]

And I have to admit that I hope for a stagewin for EBH

 

[burning]

And I have to admit that I hope for a stagewin for EBH

He will probably get one bunch sprint and one in breakaway like last year

 

[iZnoGouD]

Wiggins won't win Tour because he will be overtrained ^^

 

[staubsauger]

what if levi will arrive in top shape in france (like vuelta 08)? shall the nightmare of this forum become reality?

 

[burning]

what if levi will arrive in top shape in france (like vuelta 08)? shall the nightmare of this forum become reality?

I'd love to see it just to see whole forum going into rage

 

[SafeBet]

Where is the myth coming from that Nibali is a good TTler actually?

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=21293

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20330

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=19358

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=17397


Never out of the top20.
Yeah, clearly a myth.

 

[norwegian]

He will probably get one bunch sprint and one in breakaway like last year

That would be awesome. He is a good guy.

 

[Gloin22]

That would be awesome. He is a good guy.

Stage 2 actually should suit him well with the hilly finish. Might be a little bit hilly though. With a good prologue he might be even in yellow if split happen on stage 2, which I doubt though.

 

[Bavarianrider]

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=21293

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20330

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=19358

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=17397


Never out of the top20.
Yeah, clearly a myth.

15th + 2:24 beaten by Fuglsang, Kessiakoff, O'Grady, Olivera
15 th + 1:54 beaten by Gilbert, Sastre, Sanchez luis Leon, Hoste,Tondo

This are not really results which proof a good TT in my opinion.
If anything, they prove that Nibali is mediocere in long TT

 

[Panda Claws]

Nibali is better at TT than most GC men, but just barely.

 

[airstream]

BTW, according to TDF time schedule Belfort - Porrentruy stage has 1st cat. climb 16km before the finish. However, this Col de la Croix (3.7km at 9.2%) is over categorized and is typical 2nd cat. climb - what a joke! Does ASO really think this will be GC stage and that's why there are such a few GC stages in high mountains?

I pick Andy to win for a simple reason: when climbers are in top form their ITT is suddenly very good. Could someone predict Rodriguez will have such a decent ITT?

That is a really demanding climb by this Tour standarts. I'm more surprised they were not lavish enough to award Peyragudes with HC. Prudomme boasted of a 20m sector at up to 18%, so everything can happen.

Moreover, everyone who makes fun of Andy's chances treat a state of things in TT too one-sidedly taking into consideration Wiggins' WC TT, Evans' Andy's Grenoble ones and thinking all the things will be the same again or even worse for Andy. In reality, the contention in TT is doomed to be tighter. Probably, fear makes people tick.

 

[maltiv]

He will probably get one bunch sprint and one in breakaway like last year

Sky won't let him join breakaways as long as Wiggins has any chance whatsoever of winning the yellow.

 

[Bavarianrider]

It will be really interesting to see what happens at Sky?
A litlle Wiggins-Cavendish clash of interest team beef might be fun to observe, wouldn'T it?

 

[norwegian]

Sky won't let him join breakaways as long as Wiggins has any chance whatsoever of winning the yellow.

Yes, this is probably Edvalds biggest problem. AND to get his timing sortet out. But with the new trainer team, I am optimistic about Edvald beeing a winner again.

 

[SafeBet]

15th + 2:24 beaten by Fuglsang, Kessiakoff, O'Grady, Olivera
15 th + 1:54 beaten by Gilbert, Sastre, Sanchez luis Leon, Hoste,Tondo

This are not really results which proof a good TT in my opinion.
If anything, they prove that Nibali is mediocere in long TT

Mediocre means below average.
How can a guy who finishes behind 14 riders and ahead of 150 (let's assume two third of them didn't bother riding because they didn't have motivation, it's still 50) be below average?

He's not great, but capable of limiting his losses.
I'd be surprised if he loses more than 4 minutes to the best GC riders in the TTs.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Mediocre means below average.
How can a guy who finishes behind 14 riders and ahead of 150 (let's assume two third of them didn't bother riding because they didn't have motivation, it's still 50) be below average?

He's not great, but capable of limiting his losses.
I'd be surprised if he loses more than 4 minutes to the best GC riders in the TTs.

You do realize that in a long TT at a grand Tour there are maybe 30 or max 40 riders who actually go 100% and care about their result?