TDF climbers

Gavin Cook

Hi
Who do you think will be the strong riders in the mountains this year at the TDF ?
We have a bet going on at work and it seems a bit dificult to choose the climbers for my team this year.

Thanks
Gavin

rick_chasey

Given most of the climbers crashed ( unsurprisingly) today I'd go for Nibs

ms_tree

Kloden? Menchov? Def Horner! They'll be getting on the podium with their zimmer frames.

timoid.

Nibs is the likely candidate. He's talking the talk. Let's see if he can back it up. Evans is not what you'd call and elegant mountain goat, but he's indestructible on climbs. Sanchez, Menchov, Valverde, Schleck should all be there or thereabouts. Gesink too, if he's not too banged up. And if they can see their back wheel, old Bottle will be there sucking away. I don't think Wiggins is the climber he thinks he is.

Of the lesser lights Dan Martin, Pierre Roland will give it a go.

And then there is the mystery that is Cobo. Mostly rides like a dog on a barge, but then occasionally lights it up a la Angliru last year.

oldwelshman

well annalysed, Mechov blew yesterday, valverde going crap and crahsed twice already, Sanchez struggled yesterday and unfortunately crrashed today and is out, Schlek blew yesterday Gesink blew a gasket yesterday and was crap previous day, Dan Martin blew also, oh and Wiggo climbed better than you though, I hope you dont tip me for track champs in august ! lol

timoid.

oldwelshman wrote:

well annalysed, Mechov blew yesterday, valverde going crap and crahsed twice already, Sanchez struggled yesterday and unfortunately crrashed today and is out, Schlek blew yesterday Gesink blew a gasket yesterday and was crap previous day, Dan Martin blew also, oh and Wiggo climbed better than you though, I hope you dont tip me for track champs in august ! lol

Its one hill climb, not the overall mountains. You suggesting we evaluate the whole thing based on yesterday's climb?Evans and Nibs were the two I called and both were top 4. Menchov was less than a minute down and the longer shallower climbs suit his diesel engine much better - lets reserve judgement. Valverde slipped a chain at a bad moment and it was costly. Schleck and Sanchez were very disappointing, but even Sanchez himself predicted no big gaps. Htf am I supposed to know Sanchez better than himself. Bottle sucked rather than wheel-sucked. Must be trying to ride clean for a change.

Martin did have a go, he just didn't have the legs and Roland has a mountain stage in him. To finish less than a minute down carrying his bruises means he's not in bad nick. Gesink was provisional on him being not too banged up. He was too banged up.

I'm wrong on lot's of things, but let's see Wiggo in the really long stuff. I think he'll be dropped by Nibs, Evans and maybe even Menchov, Roland and (if he's allowed) Froome. Let's see what happens over the course of the next two weeks.

rick_chasey

Circle of death will decide who's a good climber in this year's Tour and who isn't.

Le Commentateur

Weather forecast currently suggests rain on Grand Colombier and Richemond during Wednesday afternoon.

Pross

Timoid. wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

well annalysed, Mechov blew yesterday, valverde going crap and crahsed twice already, Sanchez struggled yesterday and unfortunately crrashed today and is out, Schlek blew yesterday Gesink blew a gasket yesterday and was crap previous day, Dan Martin blew also, oh and Wiggo climbed better than you though, I hope you dont tip me for track champs in august ! lol

Its one hill climb, not the overall mountains.

Backed up in the second mountain stage now though. Of course they were only medium mountain stages so the real test will come on proper mountain stages