Who will win the Tour de France this year?

[nvpacchi]

no, because he already has a couple of wins. Although, admittedly you do have to go back a few years.

The only win Jurgen actually has is Zellik-Galmaarden in 2003 (his first year as a professional). It was constituted as a 1.5 race (whatever that means), so I guess it is debatable whether this would be considered high enough competition to be counted as a win.

 

[Moondance]

no, because he already has a couple of wins. Although, admittedly you do have to go back a few years.

He has no professional wins.

 

[DenisMenchov]

He was junior TT World Champion, does that counts?

 

[inri2000]

Strange list: why would Evans and Basso be there?

Strange question, I see Contador, Andy and Basso as the main favourites. Did you miss the important fact that he is skipping the Giro this year?

 

[Moondance]

He was junior TT World Champion, does that counts?

As the 'junior' in the name of the race suggests, it was not a professional victory.

 

[Marcus135]

Baby Schleck, even if Contador is there, i dont think Schlecks chain will slip two years in a row.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Baby Schleck, even if Contador is there, i dont think Schlecks chain will slip two years in a row.

Are you suggesting that Schleck would have won in 2010 if he had been able to change gears?

 

[superconfex]

Baby Schleck, even if Contador is there, i dont think Schlecks chain will slip two years in a row.

Baby Schleck for me too...I don't think he'll be wear these shoes up the mountain this year

 

[luckyboy]

Anyone but Schleck. Contador most likely.

 

[jobiwan]

I'm gonna be rooting for Schleck, but I hope Contador is right there with him.
If Andy wins his first Tour without Contador, IMO there would be a little (or a lot) of what-ifs.

 

[movingtarget]

If Contador starts he will be very hard to beat. He is doing it comfortably in the Giro and he has five weeks to rest. If anyone can do the double it is him. Now that the appeal won't be decided before the TDF, you would assume he will start ?

 

[El Pistolero]

To say it with the words of Anquetil:

Andy Schleck can win the Tour, but only if Contador is there. And he'll never beat Contador.

 

[phanatic]

Andy Schleck is overrated at this forum. Remember in his best performance at the Tour last year he was 1` 22`` ahead of Denis Menchov, but he was all but beaten by Menchev there. If Tourmalet stage was neutralised because of rain like the one where AS fell, Menchov would have won the Tour, he also made a 50 second gap when his brother blocked the field, so Andy is far from being superior.

I was hoping to see Menchov at this Giro looking like he did in the last week of the 2010 Tour. Maybe the Giro 2009 he was stronger, but that was about the strongest I remember seeing him. I had forgotten how close Menchov came, but he was also helped a bit by the track stand stage where he gained time on Bertie and Schleck. That Tour would have really been incredible if Spartacus had not been able to neutralize the oil slick stage.

 

[DenisMenchov]

I was hoping to see Menchov at this Giro looking like he did in the last week of the 2010 Tour. Maybe the Giro 2009 he was stronger, but that was about the strongest I remember seeing him. I had forgotten how close Menchov came, but he was also helped a bit by the track stand stage where he gained time on Bertie and Schleck. That Tour would have really been incredible if Spartacus had not been able to neutralize the oil slick stage.

OK, yes he got 14 seconds because of their standstill, but no matter what, i still can`t believe that the stage was neutralized, I mean Denis would probably finish 3+ minutes before Andy.

 

[Ryaguas]

Contador will make the double and We will have an EPIC party here at the forum!

 

[DenisMenchov]

Contador will make the double and We will have an EPIC party here at the forum!

What is going on with that avatar betting???

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Provided he stays upright it has to be Contador all the way, the way he is riding he's untouchable.

This giro surely takes too much out of him, especially the way he is riding.
He should keep it low key and avoid the tour imo.

I mean seriously... the guy will have to rest a lot between now and the tour, and at best case scenario should be out of form and/or under trained.

a schleck will win.
samu 2nd
gesink 3rd
evans 4th



or hesj and horner will own everyone

Are you suggesting that Schleck would have won in 2010 if he had been able to change gears?

to be fair the difference on the stage was 39 secs. I think by the look of things ac would have had trouble dropping him.

Andy was his match there.

Contador will make the double and We will have an EPIC party here at the forum!

ehh. I'd seriously hate seeing ac win. I have no problem seeing him destroy the giro, but the double would be a depressing thing imo.

 

[inri2000]

This giro surely takes too much out of him, especially the way he is riding.
He should keep it low key and avoid the tour imo.

I mean seriously... the guy will have to rest a lot between now and the tour, and at best case scenario should be out of form and/or under trained.

a schleck will win.
samu 2nd
gesink 3rd
evans 4th



or hesj and horner will own everyone



to be fair the difference on the stage was 39 secs. I think by the look of things ac would have had trouble dropping him.

Andy was his match there.



ehh. I'd seriously hate seeing ac win. I have no problem seeing him destroy the giro, but the double would be a depressing thing imo.

Get ready for a depressing summer then

 

[Bavarianrider]

Schleck without Riis juice won't win ****

 

[Angliru]

I don`t see why that would be a nightmare, VdB is a great cyclist, and Wiggins is super good at TTing.

It would mean that every other contender that rated above them had to have pulled out due to injury or some other malady, not because either of them was the best because certainly they are not even in the same conversation. That sounds like a bad dream to me.

 

[taiwan]

To say it with the words of Anquetil:

Andy Schleck can win the Tour, but only if Contador is there. And he'll never beat Contador.

Who did Anquetil say that about?

 

[jens_attacks]

there is only one name...the champion of the people straight outta fuccin kazakhstan.
THE KAZAKH COMEEEEEEEEETT!!!!!!

ALLLEEEEEZ VINO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Schleck without Riis juice won't win ****

Uh, based on what?

For example in LBL Schleck was exactly as fast up the climbs as when he won it in 2009. Only problem was Gilbert being super ofcourse.

His level doesn't seem to be diminished compared to the Saxo Bank era. In fact, Andy Schleck performed better in most other races then he did before.

 

[icefire]

ehh. I'd seriously hate seeing ac win. I have no problem seeing him destroy the giro, but the double would be a depressing thing imo.

Should you have lived in the years of Merckx or Hinault you would have shot yourself in your head

There were 4 Giro-Tour doubles in the 70's and 3 in the 80's and in the 90's. It can't be that bad if it happens once after more than 10 years.

 

[El Pistolero]

Who did Anquetil say that about?

Poulidor of course