Maillot Merde:Who Will be the Biggest Tour Failure?

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited July 2008 in Pro race
Might as well start a thread on this.
I wonder who will fail miserably, to live up to their expectation?
Will someone who has been tipped for the top, end up this year's big flop?

I have a feeling that Mr Armstrong's numero uno, Stijn Devolder may crack in the Alps, big time. He's not got the strongest team support for the mountains and is tactically one dimensional. (I'm being polite, here :oops: )

Now, I'll wait for Ricco's name to appear..............
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Evans I'd imagine, he'll bottle it.
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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Ricco.

    I can't see him coping with it to be honest.

    I also expect a lot of carnage is Team Garmin.

    As long as Hincapie wins another mountain stage I'll be happy and my faith restored.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • alanmcn1
    alanmcn1 Posts: 531
    Evans
    Robert Millar for knighthood
  • ricadus
    ricadus Posts: 2,379
    I'd say Ricco rather than Evans. Evans has been there before, been highly placed and so knows exactly what to expect for the 3 weeks; for Ricco it's going to be a new experience for him.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    ricadus wrote:
    I'd say Ricco rather than Evans. Evans has been there before, been highly placed and so knows exactly what to expect for the 3 weeks; for Ricco it's going to be a new experience for him.
    He's ridden the Tour before, as a neo-pro back in 2006. He finished 98th overall, some 3 hours back.

    Anyway, he's said very clearly that he is not going for the GC. Whilst that may be a ploy to take the pressure off him, it also means he has a ready made excuse should he not do well on GC.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    I'll say Cunego - 8th place at best
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  • campagchris
    campagchris Posts: 773
    Carlos Sastre,I dont think he will be in front of either Schleck brother.Saying that I dont think he's lived up to expectations in any tour,which is a shame as I like him.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Cunego
  • Salsiccia
    Salsiccia Posts: 405
    Menchov
    I was only joking when I said
    by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed
  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    Zabel for me. I think the curtains will come down on his career before the end of this years tour. He should have quit at the top IMO.
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  • JC.152
    JC.152 Posts: 645
    I reckon Evans,
    if he rides like last year than he'll just burn himself out on the climbs while the climbers just accelarate for fun.
    He lost loads more time than levi last year on the mountain stages by trying to keep up instead of just riding at his own pace like leipheimer.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Andy Schleck. Too much pressure and the last time we actually saw him at the front of a race was 14 months ago. [Edit: ooh, I forgot about LBL, but I still think he'll fail to impress.]

    Ricco will do the usual Italian thing and be waaaaay off the yellow jersey, but still win a big mountain stage.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Surely this honour has already been snaffled by Tommy D?
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  • stueyc
    stueyc Posts: 518
    evans....i hope!
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    I think Cunego and A Schleck will do OK, Sastre will disappoint those who expect a lot IMO (he'll probably win now!!)

    It's Evans' tour to lose in many people's eyes, but i think he may struggle to assert any sort of authority on the race, there also doesn't seem to be enough TTing for him to overcome time losses in the Mountains.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    I disliked Evans or at least the persona he projected in the recent interview with him in the montly mag-Pro Cycling or Cycle sport...whichever...made out he was the loner on a mission...trains alone always blah blah blah...Basso interview trash from 2 years ago-and Evans also seems uncooperative with the journos from what they wrote of the intiialy frosty response. I would like a win by a French rider
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    Won't be Ricco. He's already said he's not going for GC, but one stage win. I think he's got it in him to do one.

    My bet would be on Valverde, because isn't that what he always does in the TDF?
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    easy. Danielson. He won't be in good enough shape to even start, so he'll be doing the super-exciting program of the Cascade Classic and Tour of Utah instead.

    If that doesn't qualify as soul-crushing, I don't know what does.
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    surely its who has our highest expectation will decide who will be the biggest failure?
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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    If Cav doesn't win a stage would he be classified as a failure?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    I think there will be a certain amount of disappointment in the UK, if Cav doesn't take a Tour stage, especially after his Giro successes.

    Maybe there's a call for a new jersey, for this catagory?
    I'm inclined to suggest the Maillot.........erm...........Brown. :oops:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ACMadone
    ACMadone Posts: 300
    donrhummy wrote:
    Won't be Ricco. He's already said he's not going for GC, but one stage win. I think he's got it in him to do one.

    My bet would be on Valverde, because isn't that what he always does in the TDF?

    Well hasn't Valverde bottled it in the last 2 tours? 2006 DNF and last year was supposed to be up with the favourites and was 11.37 down.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Broken collarbone = bottling it?!
  • ACMadone
    ACMadone Posts: 300
    Had forgotten about that... Ooops.
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    I'm with CampagChris on this one. Sastre, never actually has lived up to his billing has he.... dunno what all the fuss is about...
  • nick hanson
    nick hanson Posts: 1,655
    Valverde, I recon he may well have peaked too early
    so many cols,so little time!
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    edited June 2008
    Have to agree, Valv's performance in DL was very good. BUT that was a while ago now. I think he has peaked.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Jez mon wrote:
    Have to agree, Valv's performance in DL was very good. BUT that was a while ago now. I think he's peaked.

    looks like he peaked again yesterday :wink:
  • nick hanson
    nick hanson Posts: 1,655
    Yep,peaked for DL,still on a roll,may well see form disappearing by the middle of the TDF
    so many cols,so little time!