Who will win the Tour 2013 - Wiggins or Contador?

[The Hitch]

A warning to me? Do you know absolutely anything about cycling,i suspect not.A whole bunch of people who have just discovered the sport think all there is out there is Sky and their train.A guy i talk to bet me a not insignificant amount of money Froome would demolish Contador at this Vuelta,i am counting my cash on that one as we speak.The strongest team at next year's Tour in my view will be Saxo,Sky had a one-off TDF this year, route suited TT's like Wiggins/Froome and the competition was minus some of the top boys,anyone thinks that's going to happen every year is deluded and that's without even mentioning anything i cannot post in here.Contador has never been dropped by Sky EVER, nor will he be.He cramped up at Jaca as has already been said.I am not even an AC fanboy, merely a realist.Wake up.

Well at least that friend of yours watched the vuelta and can potentially become a new fan of the sport.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Seems that people ignore some things around Sky Team. They have made Rogers the best version ever, better than the T-Mobile guy. They have made Porte come back in a superhigh level. They transformed Froome, a guy with a bit of talent like Nicolas Roche or Thomas De Gendt, in a perfect Gt rider machine. I think Sky has a m. advantage. But people are blind. Dont want to see it. A Bradley Wiggins who has made one of the bests seasons in the history of cycling. A Wiggins who has developed massively in a arc of time of one year. As i say this reminds me the 99 year when some fans didnt want to see the reality. This guys will run into the fact of cycling.

 

[webvan]

The Sky train is not going to drop Contador. In fact, if they try that tactic the chances are they will burn their riders and help out Saxo and Alberto.

Dunno...if they pull at 450 watts like this year what do you think is going to happen to Bertie's attacks? There has been nowhere that intensity in the Vuelta (no one bothered to post any VAM numbers let alone watts in the dedicated thread).

Sky will need Froome to follow Bertie's attacks though as Wiggo can't do that and they can have Uran, Henao or Suitsu (sp?) to be the last to pace him.

Two ITTs will be fine, that should be the norm for a modern tour (there were three or four in the 70s and 80s). If there is only one it should be in the middle like in the Vuelta because there are fewer differences to be made after three weeks when everyone is tired...but Prudhomme will never do that so I'm thinking there will be a mountain one in the middle, Alpe ?

 

[Bexon30]

Dunno...if they pull at 450 watts like this year what do you think is going to happen to Bertie's attacks? There has been nowhere that intensity in the Vuelta (no one bothered to post any VAM numbers let alone watts in the dedicated thread).

Sky will need Froome to follow Bertie's attacks though as Wiggo can't do that and they can have Uran, Henao or Suitsu (sp?) to be the last to pace him.

Two ITTs will be fine, that should be the norm for a modern tour (there were three or four in the 70s and 80s). If there is only one it should be in the middle like in the Vuelta because there are fewer differences to be made after three weeks when everyone is tired...but Prudhomme will never do that so I'm thinking there will be a mountain one in the middle, Alpe ?

Yea an uphill ITT. Sounds good to me.
I'll have a stab at podium
1st Contador
2nd Froome
3rd SchlekA
4th Pinot
5th Wiggins

 

[Telmisartan new]

Well at least that friend of yours watched the vuelta and can potentially become a new fan of the sport.

Yes,and i am glad to have a guy to talk to about something i feel passionate about when previously the only sport he liked was football.The only problem is that he has now come back to me after Fuente De to say he didn't realise how good Contador was, so obviously he doesnt yet understand the history of the sport,which to my mind means its senseless of him to get into arguments/bets without the knowledge to hold his own.Ditto some of the posters here.But yes,previously he was only a TDF watcher but now he's watching the Vuelta so that's definitely a good thing.

 

[Bushranger]

Yea an uphill ITT. Sounds good to me.
I'll have a stab at podium
1st Contador
2nd Froome
3rd SchlekA
4th Pinot
5th Wiggins

Agreed. One and two look solid. These battle for the next 3-4 spots will come down to whoever can hang in on the climbs and rt their butts off.

 

[No_Balls]

Yes,and i am glad to have a guy to talk to about something i feel passionate about when previously the only sport he liked was football.The only problem is that he has now come back to me after Fuente De to say he didn't realise how good Contador was, so obviously he doesnt yet understand the history of the sport,which to my mind means its senseless of him to get into arguments/bets without the knowledge to hold his own.Ditto some of the posters here.But yes,previously only a TDF watcher now watching the Vuelta so that's definitely a good thing.

He is what we call a Julyposter. Although i must admit it is strange to see them lurking around this late of the year. They were introduced to the sport when The Sun revealed that a guy with sideburns called Bradley Wiggins was leading a big stage race in France.

 

[Telmisartan new]

He is what we call a Julyposter. Although i must admit it is strange to see them lurking around this late of the year. They were introduced to the sport when The Sun revealed that a guy with sideburns called Bradley Wiggins was leading a big stage race in France.

I think you have completely misread the discussion my friend.The guy doesn't go on forums.If your referring to me, i have been watching the sport longer than you i would imagine and if you had bothered to read any of my posts you would quickly realise i am no Wiggins fan,quite the reverse.If you want a serious chat to test my cycling knowledge then i am all ears?

 

[HiCadence]

I'm a fan of both riders but probably more Contador because he impressed me so much a few years back when i just started watching and getting into the sport.

Should be interesting to see whats going to happen in next years race with Contadors brutal attacks and Sky's neutralising train in the mountains i wonder how much leash Froome is going to get i'd expect alot more this time round i think Contador will explore a multitude of tactics like he has done with Purito in this years vuelta if he can't break sky's train from outright attacks i'm sure he and riis will come up with something to dazzle the fans of cycling on the other hand though can Contador Isolate Wiggins like the contenders this year should have done? it's going to be interesting next year i really can't wait for it.

 

[movingtarget]

I'm a fan of both riders but probably more Contador because he impressed me so much a few years back when i just started watching and getting into the sport.

Should be interesting to see whats going to happen in next years race with Contadors brutal attacks and Sky's neutralising train in the mountains i wonder how much leash Froome is going to get i'd expect alot more this time round i think Contador will explore a multitude of tactics like he has done with Purito in this years vuelta if he can't break sky's train from outright attacks i'm sure he and riis will come up with something to dazzle the fans of cycling on the other hand though can Contador Isolate Wiggins like the contenders this year should have done? it's going to be interesting next year i really can't wait for it.

Yes I think potentially, next year's Tour could be a classic. I have also enjoyed the Vuelta much more over the last two years. I always like the Giro but this year I think the Vuelta has topped it. I thought all three grand tours this year were interesting in their own way. Even though Sky dominated the Tour I still admired their performance even though the writing was on the wall a long way from the finish like last year's Giro and the Giro had riders on the podium not many people would have expected. I think it's been a good year for the grand tours all in all.

 

[veganrob]

I am not prepared to put Froome on any pedestal or podium for next year. It is possible his star may fall as fast as it has risen.

 

[ILovecycling]

Saxo train (for big mountains):
Hernandez,Zaugg,Majka,Roche,Kreuziger,Contador
Sky train:
EBH,Siutsou,Kirienka,Rogers,Wiggins,Froome

Who is better?I guess you say Sky,but you forget that Alberto doesnt need a train,but Froome does

btw.Porte,Henao and Uran for Giro and Vuelta.If Sky want to win another GT,they need to do that.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Saxo train (for big mountains):
Hernandez,Zaugg,Majka,Roche,Kreuziger,Contador
Sky train:
EBH,Siutsou,Kirienka,Rogers,Wiggins,Froome

Who is better?I guess you say Sky,but you forget that Alberto doesnt need a train,but Froome does

btw.Porte,Henao and Uran for Giro and Vuelta.If Sky want to win another GT,they need to do that.

I say Saxo

 

[Parrulo]

Seems that people ignore some things around Sky Team. They have made Rogers the best version ever, better than the T-Mobile guy. They have made Porte come back in a superhigh level. They transformed Froome, a guy with a bit of talent like Nicolas Roche or Thomas De Gendt, in a perfect Gt rider machine. I think Sky has a m. advantage. But people are blind. Dont want to see it. A Bradley Wiggins who has made one of the bests seasons in the history of cycling. A Wiggins who has developed massively in a arc of time of one year. As i say this reminds me the 99 year when some fans didnt want to see the reality. This guys will run into the fact of cycling.

now that's some clinic material right there.

 

[Telmisartan new]

clinic material definitely.I think he intends the post to be a compliment but he ends up totally character assassinating Sky without even realising he's done it or does he? I am confused,headache coming on.

 

[argyllflyer]

I am not prepared to put Froome on any pedestal or podium for next year. It is possible his star may fall as fast as it has risen.

And it's possible it won't. 3 GTs in a row likely to be 3 successive top 5s, including two podiums. If every rider had the same development curve, then raised eyebrows would perhaps be justified. But few past or present GT contenders come out of full-time education in their 20s as mountain bike riders. From Africa. The guy's a grafter and unlikely to lose much from mental weakness. Good feature on him in Pro Cycling this month, with Dan Craven suggesting his slow adjustment to riding in Europe being because South African races are far shorter with sprint finishes. Then fast forward to Sky, add in the Bilharzia which affected him for months, to the point of over-training to compensate before diagnosis. He was totally naive when it came to actually racing, according to his coach Bobby Julich.

Had Froome started racing in Europe as a teenager, there's no way the snide accusations that follow him would have surfaced. Because of geography, he's a late developer and has not been brought up in the cycling culture that surrounds most other riders from a young age.

 

[marioni]

I am not prepared to put Froome on any pedestal or podium for next year. It is possible his star may fall as fast as it has risen.

Dont be so quick to write him off. He exhausted himself and had nothing left for Vuelta. Tour 2012, we'll see the real Froome again.

 

[hiero2]

It's like, way early for this kind of forecasting, but:

In order of who I think will win:

1. Vino
2. Sagan
3. Sorry, let me get serious. Pinot.



Ooops. Sorry again. I seriously would LIKE to see Pinot win - but no, I think not.

4. Talansky? Nah, I think we have another "not quite prime time" there.
5. I've been avoiding this. Contador. Especially if he demonstrates the tactical smarts he did in this Vuelta.

Seriously, tho, we could see somebody who is "under the radar", more or less, take the crown next year. But, if it gets down to Contador, the Schlecks, Wiggins, and Froome, I think Contador will take the top spot. I agree that Evans is past it now, and what other contenders do we have?

I will be more interested in the Giro and the Vuelta.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

It's like, way early for this kind of forecasting, but:

In order of who I think will win:

1. Vino
2. Sagan
3. Sorry, let me get serious. Pinot.



Ooops. Sorry again. I seriously would LIKE to see Pinot win - but no, I think not.

4. Talansky? Nah, I think we have another "not quite prime time" there.
5. I've been avoiding this. Contador. Especially if he demonstrates the tactical smarts he did in this Vuelta.

Seriously, tho, we could see somebody who is "under the radar", more or less, take the crown next year. But, if it gets down to Contador, the Schlecks, Wiggins, and Froome, I think Contador will take the top spot. I agree that Evans is past it now, and what other contenders do we have?

I will be more interested in the Giro and the Vuelta.

What is not serious by thinking Vino takes another year and wins the tour

 

[Pricey_sky]

Dont be so quick to write him off. He exhausted himself and had nothing left for Vuelta. Tour 2012, we'll see the real Froome again.

+1 I hope Froome and Contador arrive in top shape to the Tour, would be a great race. Add to that A.Schleck, Pinot, Rolland, VDB, Nibali who are all capable of a top performance on their day it should be a great GT.

 

[airstream]

i totally agree with jason mercier's stance. very hilarious that one of the mods decided to burst out with wittiness and send non-content ones to the clinic. i clearly know what stands behind that: rooting for one rider that allegedly was suffered for years and whose perspective is under attack, blind hatred and hostility towards sky as one more gt power and so on. but know guys, you lie to yourself.

 

[The Hitch]

+1 I hope Froome and Contador arrive in top shape to the Tour, would be a great race. Add to that A.Schleck, Pinot, Rolland, VDB, Nibali who are all capable of a top performance on their day it should be a great GT.

Other than a schkeck who can go.with them for real, none of those other guys could stick with 1 contador acceleration. Pinot cos he is still young, nibali though a great fighter would struggle, and vdb and rolland because they just aren't good enough. Neither is particularly good at tt either. Id rate the chance of gesink far higher than Roland or vdb

 

[Pricey_sky]

Other than a schkeck who can go.with them for real, none of those other guys could stick with 1 contador acceleration. Pinot cos he is still young, nibali though a great fighter would struggle, and vdb and rolland because they just aren't good enough. Neither is particularly good at tt either. Id rate the chance of gesink far higher than Roland or vdb

I didn't mean the likes of Rolland, Pinot ect were big GC contenders just that on a big mountain stage they can create good racing and win a stage. Depending on the parcours I cant see past a Froome/Contador battle unless A.Schleck can put his injuries behind him and reach top form again. He would also obviously need a very tiny amount of ITT km's.

 

[webvan]

It seems the middle ITT will be a mountain ITT up the Alpe...Schleckett will probably still lose time to Wiggins but less than on a 50km flat ITT.

 

[Pricey_sky]

It seems the middle ITT will be a mountain ITT up the Alpe...Schleckett will probably still lose time to Wiggins but less than on a 50km flat ITT.

That would be much better for him. I do hope he gets back to full form next summer as I liked watching him race the last few seasons