Too early for a Tour thread?

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  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Isn't that from his win at Paris Roubaix in 2006?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    No idea!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    50b2ed7c873e02f62bf699091167dca4-ge.jpg
    3751816686_feb2db8a09_b.jpg
    610x-10-2.jpg
    3761810050_0952dbd321_o.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    5 days to go.

    I can feel the big circus revving up now.


    Can't see beyond Gilbert for stage 1 after Sunday.
    _
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    I think Stage 1 will be a clusterf*%k. No yellow jersey, no team in control, nearly 200 guys who all think they have a shot at the yellow. Sitting out the finale mightn't be a bad idea.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    LangerDan wrote:
    I think Stage 1 will be a clusterf*%k. No yellow jersey, no team in control, nearly 200 guys who all think they have a shot at the yellow. Sitting out the finale mightn't be a bad idea.

    Sounds like a One dayer then ;)
    _
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Want to know what some of the non-participating ‘experts’ tip?

    Prudhomme:
    1-3 between Contador, A. Schleck and Gesink

    Boyer (team manager Confidis):
    1. Contador
    2. F. Schleck
    3. Basso
    and no Frenchman in Top-10
    Points: Cavendish

    Laurent Jalabert :
    1-2. Contador or A. Schleck
    3. Evans or Gesink
    Mountains: Voeckler or Chavanel

    Hinault:
    Gesink on podium
    Evans best-placed over-30s rider

    Virenque:
    1. Contador
    2. Evans
    3. Not stated
    4-5 Wiggins and Van den Broeck
    Not in top 5 - Gesink, Basso
    Points: Hushovd or Gilbert
    Mountains: Moncoutie, Gadret or Contador

    Sastre:
    1. Contador
    2-3. Martin and Brajkovic

    And who the participating riders see as their main rivals:

    Contador:
    A. Schleck, then van den Broeck, then Evans, Basso and Gesink
    Basso:
    Contador, then A. Schleck and Evans, then Gesink and Samuel Sanchez
    Cavendish:
    Petacchi and Swift

    And who Cunego sees as the Top-6:
    1. Contador
    2. A. Schleck
    3. Basso
    4-6 Leipheimer, Horner, van Garderen
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Thanks pretty interesting.


    Some quotes from Andy:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... uz-ardiden
    This one is pretty funny:
    Don’t worry Andy, if there are echelons, we’ll be there
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Wuyts, with his rainman wisdom, is predicting, like last year, a duel between Contador and Schleck, and feels Contador's Giro + Schleck's improvement will make it mildly closer (though he says he never really felt Contador went very deep in the Giro)

    He also doesn't rate saxo-bank's Tour team at all....
    _
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    I See Andy Schleck is banging on about how weak Saxobank are and how Cancellara & O`Grady are always by his side .....Correct me if am wrong but he lost about 50 secs to Contador in the prologue last year then the peleton decided to wait (well Cancellara) did...He says the tour starts on Luz Ardiden ??? well if this was the case last year he would have been 10 minutes behind after stage 3. Maybe Andy Pandy should concentrate on using his brain rather than his brother and getting his time trials in order.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Some quotes from Andy:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... uz-ardiden
    This one is pretty funny:
    Don’t worry Andy, if there are echelons, we’ll be there

    Team Sky get personalised matresses. Andy gets a security blanket.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    knedlicky wrote:
    Want to know what some of the non-participating ‘experts’ tip?

    Virenque:
    1. Contador

    A fine double act.
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Thanks pretty interesting.


    Some quotes from Andy:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... uz-ardiden
    This one is pretty funny:
    Don’t worry Andy, if there are echelons, we’ll be there

    Mr Schlecklette would do to remember that Contador won in 2009 with 'his' team not offering full cooperation.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Wiggins, by his own admission, is in the form of his life.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-w ... -de-france
    Contador is the Greatest
  • StefanP
    StefanP Posts: 429
    There is now a full start list up comprising of...

    1 Argentine
    7 Australians
    1 Austrian
    15 Belgians
    2 Belarussians
    1 Canadian
    2 Columbians
    1 Czech
    4 Danes
    25 Spaniards
    1 Estonian
    45 French
    5 Brits
    12 Germans
    1 Irish
    19 Italians
    5 Kazakhs
    2 Lithuanians
    2 Luxemburgers?
    11 Dutch
    2 Norwegians
    1 New Zealander
    6 Poles
    2 Portugeuse
    9 Russians
    5 Slovenians
    4 Swiss
    1 Slovakians
    3 Ukranians
    10 Americans
    1 Uzbekistanian

    More boring stats here
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    http://walrusmagazine.com/print/2011.07 ... principle/

    Some fun chat from across the ocean.
    _
  • cogidubnus
    cogidubnus Posts: 860
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Wiggins, by his own admission, is in the form of his life.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-w ... -de-france

    An interesting and pretty honest interview
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Inner ring seems to think it's going to be close between Contador and Schleck, Wuyts seems to think so, Rick Chasey seems to think so.

    It'll be close.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Inner ring seems to think it's going to be close between Contador and Schleck, Wuyts seems to think so, Rick Chasey seems to think so.

    It'll be close.

    I think so too. I'm not even convinced that the two of them will be that far ahead of the others either.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • cogidubnus
    cogidubnus Posts: 860
    when do we get the Tour PTP? :)
  • lucybears
    lucybears Posts: 366
    knedlicky wrote:
    Want to know what some of the non-participating ‘experts’ tip?

    what the directeurs sportif say - only John Lelangue has faith in his own team to deliver the yellow

    AG2R-La Mondiale - Vicent Lavenu:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Evans

    Astana - Giuseppe Martinelli:
    1. Contador

    BMC - John Lelangue:
    1. Evans; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Gesink

    Cofidis - Eric Boyer:
    1. Contador; 2. Frank Schleck; 3. Basso

    Europcar - Jean René Bernaudeau:
    1. Contador; 2. Evans; 3. Kern

    Euskaltel-Euskadi - Igor González de Galdeano
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Samuel Sánchez

    FDJ - Thierry Bricaut:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Evans

    Garmin-Cervélo - Lionel Marie:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Evans

    HTC-Highroad - Valerio Piva:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Van den Broeck

    Katusha - Andrei Tchmil:
    1 Andy Schleck; 2. Contador; 3. Vinokourov

    Lampre-ISD - Orlando Maini:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Evans

    Leopard-Trek - Kim Andersen:
    1 Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Frank Schleck

    Liquigas-Cannondale - Stefano Zanatta:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Basso

    Movistar - Yvon Ledanois:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck: 3. Samuel Sánchez o Kloden

    Omega Pharma-Lotto - Marc Sergeant:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Van den Broeck

    Quick Step - Patrick Lefevere:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck: 3. Gesink

    Rabobank - Erik Breukink:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Gesink

    RadioShack - Alain Gallopin:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Gesink

    Saur-Sojasun - Stephane Heulot:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Shcleck; 3. Gesink

    Saxo Bank-SunGard - Bradley McGee:
    1. Contador

    Sky - Dave Brailsford:
    1. Contador; 2. Andy Schleck

    Vacansoleil - Michel Cornelisse:
    1. Andy Schleck; 2. Contador; 3. Gesink

    (l'Equipe)
    interview.cyclingfever.com
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,653
    lucybears wrote:
    knedlicky wrote:
    Want to know what some of the non-participating ‘experts’ tip?

    what the directeurs sportif say - only John Lelangue has faith in his own team to deliver the yellow


    BMC - John Lelangue:
    1. Evans; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Gesink


    (l'Equipe)

    With all due respect, Lelanque is clearly a complete loony. He doesn't even give Contador a podium!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • lucybears
    lucybears Posts: 366
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    With all due respect, Lelanque is clearly a complete loony. He doesn't even give Contador a podium!
    almost has me waiting for an accidental incident involving AC and a BMC rider
    interview.cyclingfever.com
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    No tA Doctor wrote:

    With all due respect, Lelanque is clearly a complete loony. He doesn't even give Contador a podium!

    Maybe he'll turn out to be a genius. Only time will tell.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • dave milne
    dave milne Posts: 703
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    lucybears wrote:
    knedlicky wrote:
    Want to know what some of the non-participating ‘experts’ tip?

    what the directeurs sportif say - only John Lelangue has faith in his own team to deliver the yellow


    BMC - John Lelangue:
    1. Evans; 2. Andy Schleck; 3. Gesink


    (l'Equipe)

    With all due respect, Lelanque is clearly a complete loony. He doesn't even give Contador a podium!

    was thinking this - maybe he did that when he thought contador wasn't riding or it's his rewritten podium :)
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    Contador wasn't expecting to ride the Tour, so his training was geared towards peaking for the Giro. He's had limited time to recover and then try and peak again, so I think Lelangue is right to express doubts about Contador's ability to win this Tour.

    The fact that he shouldn't even be on the start line seems to have passed a lot of people by. I can't believe ASO haven't got the balls to tell him he's not welcome.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,653
    andyp wrote:
    Contador wasn't expecting to ride the Tour, so his training was geared towards peaking for the Giro. He's had limited time to recover and then try and peak again, so I think Lelangue is right to express doubts about Contador's ability to win this Tour.

    The fact that he shouldn't even be on the start line seems to have passed a lot of people by. I can't believe ASO haven't got the balls to tell him he's not welcome.

    I think we all agree that his prep hasn't been optimal, but lets face it, he pretty much coasted the Giro and he's far from the only rider that will be riding both the Giro and Tour.

    Whatever the rights and wrongs of him riding (wrong, massively so, imo) the fact remains that as a GC he's a class apart. Only Andy Schleck comes close.

    So yes, given the above it's far from a foregone conclusion that he'll win, but to be beaten by not one but three riders, as Lelangue predicts? That would take him being not just off par but massively out of form.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    andyp wrote:
    Contador wasn't expecting to ride the Tour, so his training was geared towards peaking for the Giro. He's had limited time to recover and then try and peak again, so I think Lelangue is right to express doubts about Contador's ability to win this Tour.

    The fact that he shouldn't even be on the start line seems to have passed a lot of people by. I can't believe ASO haven't got the balls to tell him he's not welcome.

    Didnt Conty state at the start of the season that he was aiming to win all three of the Giro, Tour and Vuelta? He basically coasted that Giro after winning on Etna, choosing what stages he did and didn't win.
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • Richrd2205
    Richrd2205 Posts: 1,267
    andyp wrote:
    Contador wasn't expecting to ride the Tour, so his training was geared towards peaking for the Giro. He's had limited time to recover and then try and peak again, so I think Lelangue is right to express doubts about Contador's ability to win this Tour.

    The fact that he shouldn't even be on the start line seems to have passed a lot of people by. I can't believe ASO haven't got the balls to tell him he's not welcome.
    Fair enough, but he wasn't expecting to ride the Giro a couple of years ago & reportedly came off the beach to trounce a field containing quite a few folk who've been banned since.
    In addition, the delay has come from his lawyers & he'd have been stupid to ignore the possibility of riding the tour. It seems to me that the possibility of Contador being under/over cooked is being overstated to create some interest in the race.
    Agreed on ASO though...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Speaking of Millar (elsewhere), are we to expect more Millar sneaking off the front with 2km to go, and being reeled in with 800m to go?

    Or will he be busy trying to muscle out the HTC train for Farrarrrrrr and Hushovd?
    _

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