Pick The Podium - 2013 Tour

LeicesterLad
LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
edited June 2013 in Pro race
I'm on a Tour binge this morning - so as a side thread to the Tour chat one, I want you all to pick your Tour de France Top 5 (makes it harder than top 3) and also Young Rider, Points and Mountain Class winners...
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Comments

  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    1. Froome
    2. Contador
    3. J Rod
    4. Valverde
    5. Evans

    Mountains: Voeckler

    Points: Sagan

    Young Rider: Quintana
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    Difficult with no confirmed startlist but:-

    1. Froome
    2. Contador
    3. Tempted to go with TJVG but will opt for Evans
    4. Porte
    5. Rogers

    Mountains: Tommy

    Points: Got to be Sagan with this parcours

    Young rider: Quintana
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    1. Froome
    2. Contador
    3. Quintana (also White Jersey)
    4. Van Garderen
    5. Van den Broeck

    Mountains: Casar
    Points: Cavendish
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    1. Froome
    2. Contador
    3. Quintana (& Young Rider)
    4. Mollema
    5. Evans

    Mountains; Rolland
    Green: Sagan
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Ok, I'll say

    1. Contador
    2. Froome
    3. Quintana
    4. Rolland
    5. Porte

    White - Quintana
    Green - Sagan
    Mountains - Voeckler
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    So nobody else, so far, thinks that J Rod is going to be anywhere near the podium then? Interesting.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    So nobody else, so far, thinks that J Rod is going to be anywhere near the podium then? Interesting.

    I forgot all about J-Rod. :shock:

    I'll take Rolland out and have him finish 4th.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    So nobody else, so far, thinks that J Rod is going to be anywhere near the podium then? Interesting.
    A flat TT along the Normandy coast is going to hurt him and he's still more prone to off days than most. And no time bonuses. You can't discount him but I feel there are others better equiped.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    what is Valverde's time-trialling like please?

    and I take it there are no bonus-seconds on offer at the Tour?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Crozza wrote:
    what is Valverde's time-trialling like please?

    and I take it there are no bonus-seconds on offer at the Tour?
    Decent but inconsistent
    No. Not since 2007.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Crozza wrote:
    what is Valverde's time-trialling like please?

    and I take it there are no bonus-seconds on offer at the Tour?

    1. Sh*t
    2. No.

    :D
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    The lack of time bonuses hurts the racing, especially in terms of the SKY GT race model ... Ride tempo, lose 4-8 seconds, repeat until TT, then repeat again ... But I trust my picks for 1st/2nd will light it up along with J-Rod (who sadly will blow it in the TT) ...

    1. Contador
    2. Quintana
    3-6. Froome/J-Rod/Evans/Porte in any order you like

    Polka. Random Vaconsoleil Rider

    Green. Sagan by end of week 2

    White. Quintana
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    1. Froome
    2. Quintana
    3. Contador
    4. Pinot
    5. Valverde

    White - Quintana
    Green - Cav
    Mountains - I'll come back to it
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    The best stage racer to surprise a few on here and take the top spot.
    contador_zps5c3aaff9.jpg

    Rounding off the podium will be Sky Rider 1 and Sky Rider 2.

    There will be a big gap from 2nd to 3rd then another big gap to 4th. 4-10 will be close.

    Quintana to impress but not cope for three full weeks.

    A good GC rider loses a packet and realises there is more fun and exposure racing for the KOM.

    If Contador crashes or has a mechanical and loses a huge packet of time he will do get a legendary stage win.

    Sagan takes green based on intermediate points and consistency but Cavendish to get more wins.

    Pinot to find some form and take the white jersey.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    RichN95 wrote:
    So nobody else, so far, thinks that J Rod is going to be anywhere near the podium then? Interesting.
    A flat TT along the Normandy coast is going to hurt him and he's still more prone to off days than most. And no time bonuses. You can't discount him but I feel there are others better equiped.

    Yes, the TT is going to be hard for him and lack of time bonuses too, but he's become quite consistent in GTs in recent years and was the best climber in the race in the Vuelta last year. I very much doubt he'll win, but I reckon he'll be top 5, and probably a more consistent bet than the likes of Rolland, Quintana, TJVG or Van den Broeck.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    1. Froome
    2. Van Garderen
    3. Van den Broeck

    Skinny guys ftw.

    Reckon Quintana will bomb.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Quintana is really the only one other than Froome who can climb and TT. I think he's the best bet of expecting a challenge (unless Contador improves tremendously/Froome implodes).

    edit: and TJVG as just mentioned, but I think he won't climb nearly well enough.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Never seen that photo of Contador LL. Where did you find it?
    Contador is the Greatest
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Never seen that photo of Contador LL. Where did you find it?

    Was trying to find some pictures of Contador as a junior and came accross it - was just a google image search
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Turfle wrote:
    Quintana is really the only one other than Froome who can climb and TT. I think he's the best bet of expecting a challenge (unless Contador improves tremendously/Froome implodes).

    He did well in the uphill TT at Paris-Nice and won the hilly TT in Pais Vasco, but i'll be amazed if he's within a couple of minutes of Froome in the flat TT.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    The best stage racer to surprise a few on here and take the top spot.
    I don't think Nibali's doing the Tour, Wiggins definitely isn't and plenty have picked Froome. The fourth best stage racer may possibly do something.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Turfle wrote:
    Quintana is really the only one other than Froome who can climb and TT. I think he's the best bet of expecting a challenge (unless Contador improves tremendously/Froome implodes).

    He did well in the uphill TT at Paris-Nice and won the hilly TT in Pais Vasco, but i'll be amazed if he's within a couple of minutes of Froome in the flat TT.

    I don't think we've seen him do a mostly flat TT as a pro in anger yet. Froome, as good as he's been going, hasn't exactly been monstering time trials this year - certainly not in the way Wiggins did last year. I could see Quintana within a minute of him.

    The 2nd TT should suit him very well.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited June 2013
    1. Froome
    2. Porte
    3. Contador
    4. Van Garderen
    5. Quintana

    White - Van Garderen
    Polka - Tommy V
    Green - Cavendish
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    RonB wrote:
    1. Froome
    2. Porte
    3. Contador
    4. Van Garderen
    5. Quintana

    White - Quintana
    Polka - Tommy V
    Green - Cavendish

    Come on Ron - you have chosen Quintana for white but placed Van Garderen above him in GC. It's impossible. :lol:
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    1. Froome
    2. Porte
    3. Evans
    4. Contador
    5. Quintana

    Green: Cav
    Polka: Tommy V
    White: Quintana

    Having said that though I am predicting a DNF for Froome. Just got a feeling in my water. Hope not of course.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    I know I picked Quintana for the white jersey, but I think he'll probably get that by default having worked for Valverde.

    He had his fun in Catalunya and Pais Vasco I reckon.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    RonB wrote:
    Come on Ron - you have chosen Quintana for white but placed Van Garderen above him in GC. It's impossible. :lol:

    I forgot he is still only 24 and therefore still illegible :D
    Duly edited, thanks
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    That bloke off last years Halfords ads must have built some form by now, although I didn't see much of him in the Classics...
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    1. Froome
    2. Contador
    3. Porte

    Young: Te Jay
    Green: Cav
    Mountains: De Genht (or a team mate as they desperately need a sponsor for next year)

    I'm imagining that Contador will have found some form (medium rare?) but Froome will just keep with him the whole way.