Without OP And Retirements, Who Wins The 2007 Tour De France?

[gregrowlerson]

Discuss all the possibilities. Even include non injuries, team changes, etc.

 

[jens_attacks]

let's wait for the cloning thing,i feel bahamontes would be the favourite i don't know why

 

[Zam_Olyas]

It could have been a great tour..i want to say Ivan but i think Chicken.

 

[Ferminal]

Armstrong or Landis. Maybe Basso if he did the TTs like the last one at the 2005 Giro.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I suppose that the other options would be Mancebo, Sastre, Menchov, Simoni...

Feel free to add in anyone I've missed to the discussion.

I have voted for Basso. The post Lance years are a tough call, but I lean towards Ullrich in '06 (he had great form in the Tour De Swiss lead up, there was a lot of ITT, a couple of the MTF's were not that hard, and we know how strong T-Mobile were), partly on the theory that even Robo would have been a little exhausted backing up from that Giro. In '07 Jan is another year older and possibly a little fatter again after being too satisfied with his second Tour title! Although then again, I believe that Rasmussen should have won the actual '07 race that took place. But would Michael have been afforded such freedom on that early mountain stage by super strong CSC and T-Mobile squads?

I know that the time produced by AC and MR on PDB is very impressive, but I just find it hard to see a Basso in peak form being worse. Would most agree that Basso's climbing in '06 defeats the exploits of the other two?

 

[airstream]

Rasmussen could have had a chance to win if we assume that the other contenders had let him gain such a big allowance as he really did on the Tignes. LA or Basso could win, probably Evans. I suppose Cadel was stronger then than on this year Tour.

 

[meat puppet]

Rasmussen could have had a chance to win if we assume that the other contenders had let him gain such a big allowance as he really did on the Tignes. LA or Basso could win, probably Evans. I suppose Cadel was stronger then than on this year Tour.

This is indeed the key question. If we go counterfactual proper, then the likelihood of this scenario and its alternativs should also be put onto the table.

If Rasmussen is let go, then I think he wins too. If not, the race is open. However, I think that him and Contador would have dominated the mountains nonetheless. It all boils down to ITTing.

 

[Zoncolan]

I think ET.
I somehow doubt Ullrich would find the motivation to be fully prepared.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Armstrong could have won in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

 

[nobilis]

I don't get why riders who actually did the 2007 tour anddidn't win it, are included in that list. (cadel, levi, etc) What would have changed if convicted and retired riders had participated?

 

[Cimber]

Basso for sure

 

[roundabout]

Maybe there would have been someone able to chase on the Peyresourde?

Ever thought of that?

 

[Ferminal]

Well if the race is re-run you have to assume that everything that did happen wouldn't necessarily happen again. e.g. Contador may not have had mechanicals to Tignes, Vino may not have crashed and gone positive etc.

 

[roundabout]

Yeah, but with 2 riders finishing 30 seconds back from Contador it's not unreasonable to include them as I don't think that in the actual Tour they have already done everything they could.

 

[Ferminal]

Yeah, but with 2 riders finishing 30 seconds back from Contador it's not unreasonable to include them as I don't think that in the actual Tour they have already done everything they could.

Yes agreed, but at the same time the make up of teams would be completely different so who knows. Contador wouldn't even be leading Postal.

 

[nobilis]

yeah i think there are too many parameters to be taken into account. And are we assuming that OP riders are all racing clean?

 

[roundabout]

Another hypothetical is where they would have been riding

Contador at Liberty Seguros?

Evans - Lotto

Leipheimer - still at Gerolsteiner?

Rasmussen - Rabo

Basso - CSC?

Ullrich - T-Mobile?

Armstrong - Discovery?

Vinokourov - Liberty?

Klöden - T-Mobile?

Landis-Phonak?

 

[El Pistolero]

Another hypothetical is where they would have been riding

Contador at Liberty Seguros?

Evans - Lotto

Leipheimer - still at Gerolsteiner?

Rasmussen - Rabo

Basso - CSC?

Ullrich - T-Mobile?

Armstrong - Discovery?

Vinokourov - Liberty?

Klöden - T-Mobile?

Landis-Phonak?

Basso and Contador would be riding for the same team still: Discovery

 

[nobilis]

Basso was already at Discovery back then.

 

[roundabout]

I am assuming that OP didn't happen as stated in the title of this thread

 

[auscyclefan94]

I don't get this thread tbh, the concept of it seems stupid so I don't think I will vote.

 

[Ferminal]

I don't get this thread tbh, the concept of it seems stupid so I don't think I will vote.

Who voted for Evans then?

 

[scullster46]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5thkVSPc_k
If Basso had this form...

 

[The Hitch]

I think Armstrong. I think Contador could beat him in the mountains maybe, but he wasnt as good a tter back then, so Armstrong would take it.

Last Tour he could win though.

Ullrich and Vino both good shouts as well.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Who voted for Evans then?

He just can't help himself.