The next Tour winner

[AgilisMerlin]

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/07cinterSt2/$file/14.jpg

[saab2000]

Valverde

[Elefantino]

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/07cinterSt2/$file/14.jpg

No way. A bad a**, to be sure, but not a Tour winner. By his own admission.

[pdxmech13]

disco dosn't get to start
valverde crashes out on a pyrenean stage
cadel breaks collerbone 1 month prior
the french mark eachother to death early in the race
vinokourov makes one hell of a fun stage and takes the race by 56sec.

[Simon Q]

I would be very happy with that outcome but I would also be very happy if it is Valverde, as it well could be. I am certain that chap will have a quite a palmares after he does his thing over the next 6-8 years, not that it is too shabby now. I can't say why I like Valverde so much but I just do.

[Simon Q]

disco dosn't get to start
valverde crashes out on a pyrenean stage
cadel breaks collerbone 1 month prior
the french mark eachother to death early in the race
vinokourov makes one hell of a fun stage and takes the race by 56sec.

Don't know why but I can't see Vino winning it. Doesn't make sense given that he won the Vuelta but I could see Valverde going closer - if he stays in the race.

Would not be surprised to see Cadel on the podium.

[pdxmech13]

Would not be surprised to see Cadel on the podium. could see Valverde going closer

i said they wouldn't be there ! :D

[yeehawfactor]

disco will start, though minus their star from varese

jens voigt ♥

[KJMUNC]

Contador will give Valverde a run for his money and they'll both watch Vino attack himself all the way to 3rd place.

[Ti Designs]

I still don't know who the last tour winner was...

[BBB]

Lance Armstrong?

[AgilisMerlin]

I still don't know who the last tour winner was...


i just spit my coffee on my lap on that one :D



fyi : it is down between the two guys who were positive for drugs last year.

[yim]

I still don't know who the last tour winner was...

Is the trophy still kept by Landis?

[soulspinner]

Cunego, mr 54 hemocrit...

[edouard]

the rider that gets the specialized angel to pee in their cup

[AgilisMerlin]

Cunego, mr 54 hemocrit...


don't be busting on my future wunderkid' prodigy. :D

[zap]

Kloden.

[petitelilpettit]

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/07cinterSt2/$file/14.jpg

JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS

In case you can't tell, I heart Jens Voigt. Woud love to see him win a Grand Tour. He has a better chance at leading CSC than Frank Schleck (can't time trial because he has nothing on him!). See him lay the pace down in the flat stages and get into breakaways in the mountains.

However, I'd love to see Vino do well, because he should have a team to back him up (unless Kloden is the team captain, which judging by his riding, he seems to be the one in top form early in the season)

Pettit

[dauwhe]

There's no way Voigt wins the TdF (unless he gains 40min in a break the first week). He will lose big time in the mountains.

Great rider, just not a grand tour contender...

Dave, who doesn't really know anything about this...

[jthurow]

JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS

In case you can't tell, I heart Jens Voigt...

Pettit
+1, Jens Voight you're my hero...

jimi

[obtuse]

JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS JENS

In case you can't tell, I heart Jens Voigt. Woud love to see him win a Grand Tour. He has a better chance at leading CSC than Frank Schleck (can't time trial because he has nothing on him!). See him lay the pace down in the flat stages and get into breakaways in the mountains.

However, I'd love to see Vino do well, because he should have a team to back him up (unless Kloden is the team captain, which judging by his riding, he seems to be the one in top form early in the season)

Pettit


you don't win the tour by getting into "breakaways in the mountains." jens voigt is not a grand tour team leader. the only rider on csc who could potentially win the tour is carlos sastre. where would you ever get the idea that a rider like voigt could win a grand tour? tom boonen has a better chance.

obtuse

[petitelilpettit]

you don't win the tour by getting into "breakaways in the mountains." jens voigt is not a grand tour team leader. the only rider on csc who could potentially win the tour is carlos sastre. where would you ever get the idea that a rider like voigt could win a grand tour? tom boonen has a better chance.

obtuse

Oh, well. Dreaming is free.

Pettit

[bostondrunk]

three words:
Michael Barry

Either that or disco is forced to give Basso the boot, they recruit Spinelli as a last minute replacement, he gets a 'Steve Bauer' 10 minute break on the first stage, and holds it to the finish.

[soulspinner]

don't be busting on my future wunderkid' prodigy. :D


No busting- hes a card carrying uci 54 naturally. If the kids tt continues to improve and he gets the right guidance(whatever that means in todays cycling world) he can win it.

[fstrthnu]

If Michael or I don't win the Tour it will be Valverde. I think Vino and Kloden will be dangerous and one will finish on the podium. Cunego has a ways to go but could do it someday as he has all the natural gifts plus the talent and support system. Cadel is an top 5 at best. Disco might get the jersey with Contador or even Brajkovic early on but I don't think either of those guys can hold on for three weeks. Basso might or might not start... I don't follow that story so can't really comment on him. There are always a couple guys that surprise everyone by having fantastic rides or catching some amazing luck... IMHO this is another wide open Tour with no clear favourite.

Who am I forgetting?

[Grant McLean]

Who am I forgetting?

Óscar Pereiro ?

-g

[AgilisMerlin]

Jens is the new Indurain.


he can time trial and he seems to be quite a climber.

Bjarne, you gonna take the chance.

problem with jens is his ADD, can he focus ?

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/06tdfSt13/$file/1.jpg

[stevep]

i cannot foresee any way that spinelli will not win the tour*.
but thats just me.

he does have a better chance than jens voight.

* tour of the hilltowns. unless brumble thrashes him in the sprint.

[saab2000]

As much as Jens Voigt is a stud, it will not be him on the top step at the Tour. It will be either me or Spinelli or Valverde and my dollar bet goes to Valverde. Real talent.

And the reason others have a good ride is a bit odd. Pereiro has no chance to repeat, as good a rider as he is and as nice a guy as he is.

Speaking of the Tour, why is it coming up on a year with still no word on Floyd Landis? Who is stalling? That should tell everyone all they need to know.

I still want Floyd to win, but at this point it is all but "who cares?"

[fstrthnu]

Óscar Pereiro ?

-g

That was a fluke imho. Sorry to say it. He did a great job to come in second but getting 40 minutes in a breakaway is not the norm.

[fstrthnu]

i cannot foresee any way that spinelli will not win the tour*.
but thats just me.

he does have a better chance than jens voight.

* tour of the hilltowns. unless brumble thrashes him in the sprint.

I own (http://www.bikereg.com/Results/2006/06/18-Housatonic-Hills-Road-Race.asp) Brumble imho.

[J.Greene]

I'm sorry to say that it will be Vino. Basso will not race for the obvious reasons and that will leave Vino as the only guy who actually will do something to win the race. The Lance years just taught these guys to race for second atmo.

JG

[BBB]

Speaking of the Tour, why is it coming up on a year with still no word on Floyd Landis? Who is stalling? That should tell everyone all they need to know.

I still want Floyd to win, but at this point it is all but "who cares?"

Landis' hearing is in May some time. Figure that a result won't come out until late June or into July. The loser will probably appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and in that case the final result won't be known until late 2007 or into 2008.

[Simon Q]

Jens is the new Indurain.


he can time trial and he seems to be quite a climber.

Bjarne, you gonna take the chance.

problem with jens is his ADD, can he focus ?

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/06tdfSt13/$file/1.jpg

How the heck can he ride all day in a break with that sort of aggression, just totally on the rivet the whole way? The others are trying to relax, not Jens. He pulled the peleton for what seemed like an eternity in LBL last year before he recovered on the Redoute, it was just off the chart. Legend.

[stevep]

I own (http://www.bikereg.com/Results/2006/06/18-Housatonic-Hills-Road-Race.asp) Brumble imho.

watch your back.
the stiletto that you see may be one of mine.

[Elefantino]

I'm sorry to say that it will be Vino. Basso will not race for the obvious reasons and that will leave Vino as the only guy who actually will do something to win the race. The Lance years just taught these guys to race for second atmo.

JG

Sorry? Vino is cool.

[stevep]

wipe the blood off and return it fstrnu.
ill need it later this year.

http://www.usacycling.org/nrc/2006_nrc_men_team.pdf

[sspielman]

Samuel Sanchez. Euskaltel has a real winner in him. He is alot like Valverde in that he has all around talent....climbs, sprints....and is better against the clock than Alejandro.

[J.Greene]

Sorry? Vino is cool.

My gut does not like Vino. My head admires him. He is one of the few grand tour guys who who will attack the race. In last year's tour, it looked to me that except for floyd, everyone was racing for the second step he on the podium. I know that is harsh, but it was like the armstrong years, but with no armstrong.

JG