Astana tour team

jim one

From http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/news_ ... tdf09.html

The following 6 riders will be on the final roster, and includes 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, and 3-time Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador. Joining them will be Andreas Klöden, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia.

Of the remaining 7 riders on the pre-selection list, 3 will make the final squad. These riders are: Jani Brajkovic, Chris Horner, Benjamín Noval, Dmitriy Muravyev, Sergio Paulinho, Gregory Rast & Tomas Vaitkus.

Nice amount of Kazaks....

rockmount

jim one wrote:

Nice amount of Kazaks....

What about Garmin ?

http://www.tourtoto.net/tourteams.php?id=75

Nice amount of Garmins....

calvjones

I wonder how long it will be before JB wakes up to find a Yak's head in his bed?

micron

Bet we don't see Noval or Paulhino in the team as they are the two riders Contador specifically named as being 'loyal' to him

redddraggon

I reckon both Brajkovic and Horner will be in the team assuming they are fit.

ACMadone

redddraggon wrote:

I reckon both Brajkovic and Horner will be in the team assuming they are fit.

+1

andyp

Any team that has yellow jersey aspirations needs a couple of big strong rouleurs, i.e. like Voigt or Hincapie, who are happy sitting on the front of a peleton for kilometre after kilometre, day in, day out.

The six names announced are all able to climb so I wouldn't be surprised if riders like Rast or Noval get picked. I'd be surprised to see Brajkovic in the team as he doesn't offer you anything than you'll not get from Kloeden or Popovych.

Pokerface

redddraggon wrote:

I reckon both Brajkovic and Horner will be in the team assuming they are fit.

I'm betting Rast will be the third.

Quite Frankly

andyp wrote:

Any team that has yellow jersey aspirations needs a couple of big strong rouleurs, i.e. like Voigt or Hincapie, who are happy sitting on the front of a peloton for kilometre after kilometre, day in, day out.

The six names announced are all able to climb so I wouldn't be surprised if riders like Rast or Noval get picked. I'd be surprised to see Brajkovic in the team as he doesn't offer you anything than you'll not get from Kloeden or Popovych.

I think Brajkovic is worth having in there for his time trialing ability alone. Horner, if fit, will definitely be in there leaving one of Rast or Noval for the last spot. You've then got Popo, Noval/Rast and Brajkovic for the donkey work on the flat and Kloden, Zubeldia and Horner for the mountain work.

Moomaloid

gonna be interesting i think. They don't look as strong as i thought they might do, unless of course Levi and Kloden are happy to pull uphill for the whole race.. Horner looked good for some of the Giro and Brajkovic is a real talent...

secretsqirrel

calvjones wrote:

I wonder how long it will be before JB wakes up to find a Yak's head in his bed?

He does seem to be intent on winding up the sponsors after all the money they have shelled out.

The team website has a poll to vote for the most deserving of the short list, I guess this is designed to back up JB's explanation for no Kazakh representation. Blame the fans. :roll:

For what it's worth I voted Muravyev.

paulcuthbert

calvjones wrote:

I wonder how long it will be before JB wakes up to find a Yak's head in his bed?

Bruyneel or Brájkovič???