Who wins the Tour 2017?

[Robert5091]

Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.

How would a GC contender get yellow on stage 2? It's a sprint stage.

 

[deValtos]

Re: Re:

Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.

How would a GC contender get yellow on stage 2? It's a sprint stage.

Froome usually unveils a new talent each year. This time I think he will be showcasing a sprint the likes of Cav and Kittel have never seen before.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re:

Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.

Maybe, but if it means they put 10-30 secs into their rivals, I'm sure they'd put up with it!

 

[LaFlorecita]

If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.

How would a GC contender get yellow on stage 2? It's a sprint stage.

It's happened a few times before that a GC contender has got in the break on an early supposed sprint stage. Froome in the echelons to Zuyder Zee, Nibali over the steep sharp climbs in Yorkshire, Lemond and half the PDM team on the first road stage in 91, etc. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it puts added stress on the team. The favourites are usually more than happy to offload the responsibility of controlling the race to some Belgian sprint train for a few days.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.

Vamos!

 

[Valv.Piti]

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

 

[DFA123]

Re:

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.

This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

The entire package - he's lean fit and ready to fight for the victory with a strong and LOYAL team

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.

This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?

Don't worry, he puts more pressure on himself than all his fans together could manage. He'll cope.

 

[Tonton]

I can't blame LaFlo for such a bold prediction. Fans are fans. Yes, it may be setting unrealistic expectations, but I'd rather see fans like LaFlo rather than bandwagon hoppers.

Contador's chances are slim, very slim. His fans, and himself believe that he has one last big race in him. What a story it would be.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.

Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I can't blame LaFlo for such a bold prediction. Fans are fans. Yes, it may be setting unrealistic expectations, but I'd rather see fans like LaFlo rather than bandwagon hoppers.

Contador's chances are slim, very slim. His fans, and himself believe that he has one last big race in him. What a story it would be.

You got it Tonton

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.

Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.

75% chance he crashes I'm being kind to Berto, after all he crashed 9 times in his last 6 GTs

 

[Valv.Piti]

I don't think very slim chances equals a 25% chance of winning...

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.

This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?

Don't worry, he puts more pressure on himself than all his fans together could manage. He'll cope.

Sure, I don't doubt that. But I do feel sorry for him that, in addition to putting pressure on himself to win, he also has pressure of an international fan base to win. So, even finishing 2nd or 3rd (which objectively, I'm sure most would agree, would be a good result), he will not only feel his own disappointment, but also the disappoinment of letting his fans down.

I guess that's just the way it goes though when you've already got seven (or nine ) wins on your palmares.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re: Re:

If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.

Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.

75% chance he crashes I'm being kind to Berto, after all he crashed 9 times in his last 6 GTs

It's not funny if you have to explain it!!

I got it though! Nice one.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re: Re:

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.

This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?

Don't worry, he puts more pressure on himself than all his fans together could manage. He'll cope.

Sure, I don't doubt that. But I do feel sorry for him that, in addition to putting pressure on himself to win, he also has pressure of an international fan base to win. So, even finishing 2nd or 3rd (which objectively, I'm sure most would agree, would be a good result), he will not only feel his own disappointment, but also the disappoinment of letting his fans down.

I guess that's just the way it goes though when you've already got seven (or nine ) wins on your palmares.

Maybe the pressure has contributed to all these crashes? I hope he has a good race, but a podium would be be a fantastic result for him this year.

 

[Escarabajo]

I agree with DFA about the pressure by fans. You see it here that people actually start talking about Contador in a legend type character that does not give a rat a$$ about 2nd or 3rd. Well maybe he does.

 

[kingjr]

Watching the team presentation I have spontaneously decided that I want Chaves to win the Tour.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I agree with DFA about the pressure by fans. You see it here that people actually start talking about Contador in a legend type character that does not give a rat a$$ about 2nd or 3rd. Well maybe he does.

Well we can only go by what he himself says

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.

Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.

75% chance he crashes I'm being kind to Berto, after all he crashed 9 times in his last 6 GTs

Ouch...didn't realize that.

 

[RattaKuningas]

I think that Quintana will win the Tour.

 

[Katabatic]

Re: Re:

What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?

Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.

This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?

Wait, is LaFlo menacing Contador and sending him threatening fanmail saying he has to win? Getting in his face and trying to intimidate Contador with win-or-you-suck aggression? What?

Fans are going to root for their favorite riders. Taken literally, by this same logic, almost all of the contenders can be tossed out and all of their fans are unfair and disrespectful for hoping they win.

Porte? He's never even podiumed at a GT, what suggests he can win a 3 week GC?

Aru? He's never finished higher than Froome or even Contador at any GT. What suggests he can win the tour?

Valverde? He hasn't finished higher than 3rd at a grand tour in 5 years. What suggests he can win?

Fuglsang? Hasn't had a top ten at a GT since 2013.

Bardet? When's the last time he's won a GC?

I guess everyone should heap their expectations on Froome because being a fan of anyone else for the Tour is disrespectful.