Le Tour Surprises

timoid.

Every year there are a couple of riders that surprise in the Tour and finish higher than anyone expected, but in retrospect it makes sense. Given that this years course looks like a 1980s Giro prep'd for Moser I will keep my eye on Cancellara, Tony Martin and Vandevelde.

Anyone else you think might step out of the supporting cast on to centre stage?

cycling5280

Are you talking about the overall? Cancellara and Martin will do well and most likely win the TTs but over the course of three weeks neither of them will be near the top 15 overall. Vande Velde is no surprise given that he has been going to the Tour since he was 21. I wouldn't be surprised if he podiums given his proven TT abilities and climbing abilities. He just needs to come to the Tour with the form of his life and he looked good in the Giro so we'll see.

Again not much of a surprise but I think he might improve even more is Pierre Rolland.

RichN95.

If selected, these are my half dozen to watch:

Kern
Westra
Porte
Talansky
Clarke
Taaramae

josame

Linus Gerdemann

OBVS...

cogidubnus

One of the Schlecks to ride well in a time trial...

Sorry couldn't resist

cycling5280

Cogidubnus wrote:

One of the Schlecks to ride well in a time trial...

Sorry couldn't resist

hahaha...nice

rick_chasey

The bigger surprises won't be TTer guys doing well, but the odd climber (like a Rolland) doing well in a TT...

tailwindhome

I hoping that the big suprise is an exciting Tour, to be lit up by Schleck attacking mercilessly in the Mountains and a nail biting final TT.

I'm also hoping for a battle between Gilbert and Sagan for the Green Jersey to go down to the wire in Paris.

RichN95.

TailWindHome wrote:

I'm also hoping for a battle between Gilbert and Sagan for the Green Jersey to go down to the wire in Paris.

I don't think Gilbert will figure this year. Any stage Gilbert can win Sagan won't be far behind, but Phil will haemorrhage points to Pete in any bunch sprint.

tailwindhome

RichN95 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

I'm also hoping for a battle between Gilbert and Sagan for the Green Jersey to go down to the wire in Paris.

I don't think Gilbert will figure this year. Any stage Gilbert can win Sagan won't be far behind, but Phil will haemorrhage points to Pete in any bunch sprint.

In a bunch sprint how does Sagan rank compared to Kittel, Farrar and Greipel?

blazing_saddles

RichN95 wrote:

If selected, these are my half dozen to watch:

Kern
Westra
Porte
Talansky
Clarke
Taaramae

Having read the OP, but not this post, I would have typed at least 4 of these 6.
Reckon Rich is pretty much on the money.
I'd add:
Peter Velits
S Spilak
B Mollema
and if Mollema isn't quite dark horse enough, Kruijswijk.
T Pinot (no form as of yet, this season)
and as the darkest horse: Mikel Landa.

Oooh, errr and what about Cobo...................anyone? :oops:

cycling5280

TailWindHome wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

I'm also hoping for a battle between Gilbert and Sagan for the Green Jersey to go down to the wire in Paris.

I don't think Gilbert will figure this year. Any stage Gilbert can win Sagan won't be far behind, but Phil will haemorrhage points to Pete in any bunch sprint.

In a bunch sprint how does Sagan rank compared to Kittel, Farrar and Greipel?

He looked good at ToC (4 wins) but when Haussler takes 2nd 3x in a row you know the competition wasn't that great. A flat run in to the finish I don't think his chances are that great compared to Kittle, Farrar and Greipel. You give Sagan a slight uphill sprint with no real leadout from any one team and every man for himself I'd take Sagan.

knedlicky

Blazing Saddles wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

If selected, these are my half dozen to watch:
Kern, Westra, Porte, Talansky, Clarke, Taaramae

Having read the OP, but not this post, I would have typed at least 4 of these 6.
Reckon Rich is pretty much on the money.
I'd add:
Peter Velits, S Spilak, B Mollema
and if Mollema isn't quite dark horse enough, Kruijswijk.
T Pinot (no form as of yet, this season) and as the darkest horse: Mikel Landa.
Oooh, errr and what about Cobo...................anyone? :oops:

I agree about Kern (especially) and Porte, Velits and one of the Rabobank younger riders.

And I think Tony Martin may be up to more than the TTs, although probably not a podium place.

Of the other French (Kern’s French isn’t he?) I hope Peraud does well, and I think Dupont a better bet than Gadret for a stage win (if Gadtret will allow it!)

It’s also time Albasini showed himself more (maybe in a Chavenal way, although I doubt he will) and about time Brajkovic showed himself again too.

Iglinsky? Or a Euskatel rider at last?

Menchov doing well would be a big surprise! (in the other direction)

richard wants a baum

RichN95 wrote:

If selected, these are my half dozen to watch:

Kern
Westra
Porte
Talansky
Clarke
Taaramae

Might be missing the obivious but which Clarke are you talking about?

RichN95.

richard wants a baum wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

If selected, these are my half dozen to watch:

Kern
Westra
Porte
Talansky
Clarke
Taaramae

Might be missing the obivious but which Clarke are you talking about?

Simon Clarke of Orica. Not as a GC rider, but I think he's ready for breakout performance as sort of an LL Sanchez type.

richard wants a baum

Thats who i thought but seeing as it was mainly about GC guys i was kind of wondering if i was not missing something. Agree Clarke is due to do something and considering GreenEdge should be giving some of there riders a free hand to go for some personal glory he might be free to do just that.

To shore up my claim as #1 GreenEdge Fanboi claim i personally think Cam Meyer will do quite well if his picked for the Tour team, especially with the amount of TT km's in this years edition

ocdupalais

richard wants a baum wrote:

To shore up my claim as #1 GreenEdge Fanboi claim i personally think Cam Meyer will do quite well if his picked for the Tour team, especially with the amount of TT km's in this years edition

Talking of Aussie talent, Matt Lloyd at Lampre will be feeling the need to step up more than most. Not sure that he was ever up to much as a TT'er, but when it gets climby, he can hang with the best on his day. Reckon we'll see him give it a go at Dauphiné...

timoid.

OCDuPalais wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

To shore up my claim as #1 GreenEdge Fanboi claim i personally think Cam Meyer will do quite well if his picked for the Tour team, especially with the amount of TT km's in this years edition

Talking of Aussie talent, Matt Lloyd at Lampre will be feeling the need to step up more than most. Not sure that he was ever up to much as a TT'er, but when it gets climby, he can hang with the best on his day. Reckon we'll see him give it a go at Dauphiné...

Always looked on him more as a potential medium mountain strongman/breakaway artist. A bit of a potential Tommy V.

Before Tommy V became a GT monster.

ocdupalais

Timoid. wrote:

OCDuPalais wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

To shore up my claim as #1 GreenEdge Fanboi claim i personally think Cam Meyer will do quite well if his picked for the Tour team, especially with the amount of TT km's in this years edition

Talking of Aussie talent, Matt Lloyd at Lampre will be feeling the need to step up more than most. Not sure that he was ever up to much as a TT'er, but when it gets climby, he can hang with the best on his day. Reckon we'll see him give it a go at Dauphiné...

Always looked on him more as a potential medium mountain strongman/breakaway artist. A bit of a potential Tommy V.

Before Tommy V became a GT monster.

Mmm... Maybe - although he did win the mountains jumper in 2010 Giro, before being sacked last year by OPL for "behavioural reasons". As they state that this was not about "banned substances", I can only assume it's along the lines of him showing them his bum while over-refreshed?

Moomaloid

richard wants a baum wrote:

Thats who i thought but seeing as it was mainly about GC guys i was kind of wondering if i was not missing something. Agree Clarke is due to do something and considering GreenEdge should be giving some of there riders a free hand to go for some personal glory he might be free to do just that.

To shore up my claim as #1 GreenEdge Fanboi claim i personally think Cam Meyer will do quite well if his picked for the Tour team, especially with the amount of TT km's in this years edition

I always think the Meyer's have so far failed to live up to all the hype they had around them... yes i know they are young...

richard wants a baum

OCDuPalais wrote:

Timoid. wrote:

OCDuPalais wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

To shore up my claim as #1 GreenEdge Fanboi claim i personally think Cam Meyer will do quite well if his picked for the Tour team, especially with the amount of TT km's in this years edition

Talking of Aussie talent, Matt Lloyd at Lampre will be feeling the need to step up more than most. Not sure that he was ever up to much as a TT'er, but when it gets climby, he can hang with the best on his day. Reckon we'll see him give it a go at Dauphiné...

Always looked on him more as a potential medium mountain strongman/breakaway artist. A bit of a potential Tommy V.

Before Tommy V became a GT monster.

Mmm... Maybe - although he did win the mountains jumper in 2010 Giro, before being sacked last year by OPL for "behavioural reasons". As they state that this was not about "banned substances", I can only assume it's along the lines of him showing them his bum while over-refreshed?

I saw an article (can't find it now) that had Matty basically admit that he had been lying to the Team about injuries and not looking after himself properly.

As far as the Meyer goes i think that like Bobridge he has sacrificed his road racing for the track, seeing as his not named for the Olympics and has said that his done with Track i think you will start to see a bit more. Didn't he come 10th in TA. Thats pretty decent considering he was still looking at doing the Madison at the World Champs in Melbourne not long after that.

ms_tree

I'd add Kreutswig (Rabo) to the list - he did well in last year's Giro. Gesink looked impressive at California.

ms_tree

Just thought of Jeannesson as well.

rick_chasey

Ms Tree wrote:

I'd add Kreutswig (Rabo) to the list - he did well in last year's Giro. Gesink looked impressive at California.

Kruiswijk?