Predictions 2013

ddraver

Ok, so we ve seen some big calls coming out already for 2013. It's time to start the Predictions thread.

For the newbies this is where to stake your claims to any wacky, wild, outrageous or even serious, thoughtful predictions for 2013. You may ask for clarification, but this is not the place for disagreements or discussion. everyone is entitled to their prediction.

For example:-

OCDuPalais wrote:

Get a load of this:
A Sky rider will podium/win one of the cobbled classics.
JTL will podium/win one of the Ardennes classics.
A Sky rider will podium at all 3 GT's (Wiggo and Fenton. Don't know who the 3rd will be - what am psychic?)

ddraver wrote:

The national press will have forgotten about Sky/wiggins/Froome by the start of the next season

Vino will not last the season as manager of Astana

e.g. Rick Chasey wrote:

Boonen will win everything, EVERYTHING I tells ya!

salsiccia1

I'm not predicting EVERYTHING, but here are some of the biggies (and note: these are not what I want to happen)

Tiernan-Locke to win something decent
Chinny to win P-R and the Ronde
Nibali to win the Giro
Contador for the Tour/Vuelta double, Froome not coming close
An Italian to win the Worlds

MrTapir

I think Cancellara and BOonen will mark each other out during Roubaix, miss a move by a less well known rider and end up racing for second place.

TheStone

I predict the season doesn't really finish.

Drugs, fighting, bankruptcy, legal cases etc .... most of the teams and the UCI as we know it disband around August.

Richmond Racer

I likes this thread

Guardini to win every stage of Tour of Langkawi..too easy? oh ok...

(apologies for following being Sky-tastic, need more coffee to be more imaginative):

Hushovd to return but no one really notices
Boonen to win MSR - Cav spat over team not supporting him enough and loving Boonen the bestest
Fabs to win La Ronde, Sagan to podium, G to make top 6 (I'm trying to encourage him)
Boonen to win P-R again, EBH to podium
Phil Gil to win one of the Ardennes, Uran to win one, JTL to podium in one
Wiggo to win Giro, Uran FINALLY too old to contest white jersey
Sagan to dominate at Tour of Cali again
Froome to podium at Tour but not win, amidst accusations that Sky werent really trying hard enough to support him for the win and really love Wiggo the bestest
Cav to wear yellow and win green at the Tour but only after ding dong battle with Sagan and at least one controversy
Uran or Henao to podium Vuelta, Henao to win white jersey
EBH to win the Worlds RR, Wiggo to win TT
Matt Goss will have another season just winning one race - oh hell, make it two
Joe Dombrowski to be aclaimed as brightest new talent on World Tour
Quintana to win a biggie

frenchfighter

Salsiccia1 wrote:

I'm not predicting EVERYTHING, but here are some of the biggies (and note: these are not what I want to happen)

Tiernan-Locke to win something decent
Chinny to win P-R and the Ronde
Nibali to win the Giro
Contador for the Tour/Vuelta double, Froome not coming close
An Italian to win the Worlds

If the above happened it would be brilliant!

greasedscotsman

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Tiernan-Locke to win something decent

I'm pulling out the clarification card on that one!

pb21

Going out on a limb with this, Gilbert to win LBL.

greasedscotsman

Richmond Racer wrote:

Quintana to win a biggie

What's a biggie, please clarify!

shinyhelmut

I'm going to go for the easy one;

Marianne Vos to win (almost) everything.

MrTapir

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Quintana to win a biggie

What's a biggie, please clarify!

World ports classic?

greasedscotsman

MrTapir wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Quintana to win a biggie

What's a biggie, please clarify!

World ports classic?

Stage or GC?

gmb

I predict a book will be released about Armstrong. How easy is this?

salsiccia1

greasedscotsman wrote:

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Tiernan-Locke to win something decent

I'm pulling out the clarification card on that one!

Em, err...

Fleche Wallonne. Or maybe a lesser one-dayer, like Dwars van Vlaanderen.

MrTapir

greasedscotsman wrote:

MrTapir wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Quintana to win a biggie

What's a biggie, please clarify!

World ports classic?

Stage or GC?

Its almost the same isnt it?

EKIMIKE

Sagan will win a monument (MSR or Flanders, not Roubaix)

Terpstra podium at Flanders and win a semi-classic convincingly (E3, H-N, G-W, Dwars)

And... don't laugh... Thor Hushovd for Paris - Roubaix.

greasedscotsman

MrTapir wrote:

Its almost the same isnt it?

You could just say he's going to win both?

Richmond Racer

EKIMIKE wrote:

Sagan will win a monument (MSR or Flanders, not Roubaix)

Terpstra podium at Flanders and win a semi-classic convincingly (E3, H-N, G-W, Dwars)

And... don't laugh... Thor Hushovd for Paris - Roubaix.

Cant. Help. Myself.

Richmond Racer

greasedscotsman wrote:

MrTapir wrote:

Its almost the same isnt it?

You could just say he's going to win both?

OK. I'm going bold...Quintana to win Calaluyna

rebs

Stannard will get a top 5 in P-R

twotyred

Bruyneel will cave in and spill his guts at his USDA hearing taking Steak-Boy down with him.

DeadCalm

Here goes:

Despite valiant efforts stage 15 (Bastille day) of the TDF will not be won be a Frenchman.
Stage 18 of the TDF (double ascent of Alpe D'Huez) will be won by Thibaut Pinot.
Romain Bardet will win the combativity prize on at least one stage of the TDF.
There will be three Frenchmen in the top 10 of the TDF but none on the podium.
Tejay Van Garderen will be on the podium at the TDF and will retain the white jersey.

Philippe Gilbert will win at least one of the Ardennes clasics.
Tom Boonen will not win Flanders or Roubaix.
Alberto Contador will not win the TDF or the Vuelta.

chrisday

Stannard to win G-W, and come close in either P-R or RVV
Wiggins 2nd @ Giro to his Nibs
Depressingly extra-terrestrial wins for Contador @ Tour and Vuelta
Hein and Pat still in place at end of season
I finally get off my fat @rse and cycle commute regularly

bigmat

twotyred wrote:

Bruyneel will cave in and spill his guts at his USDA hearing taking Steak-Boy down with him.

Oh please, please, please....

Abdoujaparov

Talansky to finish top five in the Giro

Turfle

Sagan to not dominate the world.
Henao to win a lot. Including FW.
JRod-Contador-Henao for the GTs.
Degenkolb to almost do the Roubaix-Flanders double.
Moser to win LBL.

And for the Brits:
JTL to get a number of decent top 10s, but no big wins.
Wiggins to struggle with motivation.
Thomas to still end up riding for others.
Fenn to win Omloop.
Luke Rowe to win Tour of Britain, and a number of stages of small races.

greasedscotsman

Turfle wrote:

Sagan to not dominate the world.
Henao to win a lot. Including FW.
JRod-Contador-Henao for the GTs.
Degenkolb to almost do the Roubaix-Flanders double.
Moser to win LBL.

And for the Brits:
JTL to get a number of decent top 10s, but no big wins.
Wiggins to struggle with motivation.
Thomas to still end up riding for others.
Fenn to win Omloop.
Luke Rowe to win Tour of Britain, and a number of stages of small races.

Hmm, all a bit vague...

EKIMIKE

Richmond Racer wrote:

EKIMIKE wrote:

And... don't laugh... Thor Hushovd for Paris - Roubaix.

Cant. Help. Myself.

It would be nice though... He's got the desire and passion and he's been the unfortunate victim of circumstance a few times, denying at least a decent chance of glory (nothing is ever certain!). It's easy to forget how strong he was the day van Summeren won and his general class as a rider after such a dire season.

Hushovd cannot be compared to Boonen, but in a similar vein how many people would have pegged Boonen for a monument this time last year? Let alone G-W, E3, Flanders and Roubaix. Just like people easily forgot how good he was this time last year, it's easy to forget how much doubt there was about his last year considering what he did in the spring!

Quintana is a good shout! Mighty impressive this year. Talking of Colombians, Betancur will be interesting to watch in the Ardennes.

resaRider

Sky to come close but not win anything all season!

chadders81

Degenkolb to tear it up in the monuments.

Sagan to win zero stages at the TdF.

Tejay van Garderen to be allowed to lead BMC at one of the grand tours and finish on the podium.

Lance to admit to being a liar.

Nairo Quintana to scare the sh!t out of people with his climbing.

iainf72

Everyone who watches the womans worlds race will say how amazing it was and suggest they showed real passion and sportsmanship. It will also be suggested that the mens race will not live up to the womans. On the Sunday, the mens race will be awesome and no one will remember what was said day before.

Sky will suffer more scandal when more people in management are exposed as ex-dopers. The sponsor will make public noises about looking at their investment in the sport.

The breakaway league will gain some steam, but then everyone will realise it's mostly a bunch of races no one really cares about and can we go back to watching the races with history.

Phinney will win a big one day race.

Cavendish will be written off by critics (in his head, no one elses) but will come back and "show everyone"