TdF Predictions...

[Moosedryvr]

I have to admit that with all of the doping news this year I have been much less interested in pro cycling this year. I paid attention to Roubaix and the Ronde, and kept one eye on the Giro (I'm still a little skeptical of the performances of some good riders who were "great" in May), but all in all my interest has waned.
That being said, I thought it might be fun to get a thread started to get our predictions out there for the upcoming Tour de France. Here are mine:


Maillot Jaune:
1. Kasheschkin (Vino rides an amazing race with his dutiful lieutenant by his side, right up to the point where he explodes on one of the final mtn stages, handing the win to the junior Kazakh)
2. Menchov (sorry, I confused my Russians)
3. Leipheimer

Maillot Vert:
1. McEwen

Maillot Pois:
1. Some Saunier Duval rider

Maillot Blanc:
1. Dekker



Shawn G.

[csm]

oh yeah and someone will get caught doping.

[soulspinner]

Id love to see :crap: Leipheimer win butI know better.

[Kevan]

there'll be one.

[Russell]

AIGCP: No Tour for ethics violators
The International Association of Professional Cycling teams (AIGCP) met yesterday in Anneyron, the site of stage three of the Dauphiné Libéré, and re-stated the necessity to adhere to the Code of Ethics put in place in 2005.

The meeting started with all 19 ProTour teams (Unibet.com was not invited). Discussions were lively according to LePoint.fr, and Bouygues Telecom (Jean-René Bernaudeau) and Cofidis (Eric Boyer) left the meeting before it concluded. The remaining representatives voted unanimously that any of the teams who have not respected the Code of Ethics would not be allowed to race in the Tour de France.

The French paper went on to report that if by next Tuesday, when the UCI will meet with AIGCP, Caisse d'Epargne, Saunier Duval and Discovery Channel (due to their riders being allegedly involved Operación Puerto) do not uphold the ethics agreed upon, the other teams will quit the AIGCP and create a parallel association.

Three riders implicated in Operación Puerto are said to be collaborating and will provide more details on the Eufemiano Fuentes network.

[J.Greene]

there'll be one.

sounds like an easy bet, but these days you never know.

JG

[J.Greene]

That being said, I thought it might be fun to get a thread started to get our predictions out there for the upcoming Tour de France.


Vino is the only guy who has the cajones to attack for the win. If for some unlikely reason Vino is not on top form this years race will look like PBP atmo. My personal feeling is they should not have a winner. Just start the standings at second place.

JG

[David Kirk]

I'm not saying but just saying...........Vino looks good in yellow.

Dave

[Delpo]

We should start first the predictions on who will get to start the Tour.

Delpo

[Moosedryvr]

We should start first the predictions on who will get to start the Tour.

Delpo

Notice the conspicuous lack of Valverde on my list.

Shawn G

[Longdaddy]

I'm not saying but just saying...........Vino looks good in yellow.

Dave


...but he just lost 7 minutes on Mount Ventoux today....hmmmm

Nope....my pick.....Cadel Evans

[72gmc]

Thomas Voeckler wins. And inspires a wave of humpbacked wanna-bes with overly pained facial expressions.

[old_school]

Does anyone know who won last year?

[benb]

I really want to root for Vino.. remember a few years ago when he was attacking like mad making for super exciting stages?

However the only prediction I feel is "safe" is that there will be some doping scandal. :confused:

[David Kirk]

...but he just lost 7 minutes on Mount Ventoux today....hmmmm

Nope....my pick.....Cadel Evans

Hmmmmmm? Time to change horses me thinks.

Dave

[paczki]

Vino's stated goal in the Dauphine was to help Kaschechkin win, not to win himself. He's not going to kill himself on Ventoux, and Kaschechkin still has the lead. Vino will be fine come Tour time. And doesn't Vino have Kloden for help as well? I wouldn't switch horses yet.

[EDS]

...but he just lost 7 minutes on Mount Ventoux today....hmmmm

Nope....my pick.....Cadel Evans

If you believe what he said yesterday and today he purposefully was not did not push it on Ventoux as Astana's stated goal is to have Kascheckin (sp) win.

[RIHans]

Vino impresses me as a tough, hard nosed, attacking rider. Skinny enough to climb,too. I can see him in yellow in Paris.
My personal fav is the hard as nails Robbie McEwen....No chance for yellow, but don't get in his way!

[jhcakilmer]

1. Velverde (sp?)
2. Vino
3. Levi

Cadel is just too injury prone, I think he'll crash out, or eith get sick......he's just not durable enough for long Grand Tours, but maybe he'll prove me wrong.

The way Moreau is going, maybe we could have a frenchman in the top 10, or maybe 5.......oh who am I kidding...... ;)

[Kines]

I'm still working on my prediction for last years' winner. I think I've settled on Dessel. Now, predictions for the 2007 tour? I agree with whoever said: there will be one.

[William]

Note the "Mixed Blood" heading (I didn't make it up).

William
************************************************** **
The Teams Form Guide
Banesto
Four-time defending champion Miguel Indurain makes the Banesto squad an undeniable favorite. The team represents one of the principal Spanish banks. But do not expect Indurain or his Banesto teammates to go for stage wins. Their objective instead is consistency: to finish high enough in most stages in order to let Indurain wipe out his opposition in the mountains and on the individual time trials. In the mountains, Banesto teammates will take particular care to protect their leader.

Mapei-GB
Tony Rominger, the world's number one ranked rider and recent Tour of Italy winner, will provide Indurain's primary challenge for the yellow jersey. His Mapai-GP team looks like the tour's most complete formation, strong in both the mountains and the flat sprint stages. Yet its ranks have been decimated by sickness and injury this past month. The first 10 days will be telling. How has Rominger recovered from his strenuous efforts during the Tour of Italy and how his team has recovered from it's pre-Tour setbacks? If so, Indurain will have its hands full.

Gewiss-Ballan
Gewiss boast one of the other top challengers for the Tour Russian Evgeni Berzin. Although the team's leading Russian, Piotr Ugrumov, runner-up of last year's Tour, pulled out of the race because of illness, Berzin remains one of the world's top single stage riders. He blasted on the scene last year to win the Tour of Italy. With Ugrumov's departure, Berzin now will benefit from receiving full attention from his partners. Even if his quest for overall victory fails, Berzin and other members of this squad have consistently proven that they each are capable of stage wins.

ONCE
ONCE may be the tour's most balanced teams. Each rider has his particular strengths, and they work together well. When it is one rider's day to shine, his teammates rally behind. Traditionally Swiss rider Alex Zülle has been the team leader and his recent runner-up position at the Tour of Switzerland shows he is progressing well. But ONCE also boasts French standout Laurent Jalabert. During the first half of the season, this one-time sprint specialist has proven to be a complete rider, confirming his form with a stunning win in the week long Tour of Catalonia. Interestingly, the team's Spanish sponsor is the national organization for the blind.

Carrera
Carrera is led by two punchy climbers, veteran Claudio Chiappucci and up and coming Marco Pantani, and will be strong in the mountains. Although the winner's yellow jersey appears out of reach, Carrera will fix its sights on the red polka dot jersey designating the best climber. Chiappucci has already won this award twice before in 1991 and 1992. But he figures not even to try and contest the stages on flat terrain.

Festina
Festina was last year's surprise team. Luc Leblanc and Richard Virenque won two of the climbing stages. While World Champion Leblanc has left the squad, Virenque has remained. In preparation races the Midi-Libre, Dauphiné-Libéré and the Route du Sud, the Festina squad has show even greater maturity, and Virenque has become even faster on the climbs. He is the favorite for the polka dot jersey of the best climber. Meanwhile, he also has shown steady improvement in his weakness, the time trial.

MG-Technogym
MG-Technogym is one of the world's best teams for the one-day races and it will be looking to snag single stage wins. The team is managed by legendary director Giancarlo Ferretti. But it lacks a star rider, somebody who could win the entire race. So instead Feretti will have his riders shoot for daily success, particularly in the team time trials. In the past, his boys have already won this award on several occasions.

Lampre
Team leader Maurizio Fondriest originally planned to by-pass the Tour to concentrate on the Tour of Italy. But sickness forced him to abandon his home country's tour, so he decided to ride the Tour de France. He will certainly be looking to win an impressive stage. He will also take pride in chaperoning up and coming Russian teammate Pavel Tonkov. At the prime age of 26, Tonkov is maturing nicely, recently winning the Tour of Switzerland.

Motorola
America's premier cycling team is led by 1993 World Champion Lance Armstrong. Although Armstrong was often frustrated in 1994, he has returned with renewed vigor this year. He stifled his opponents in America's Tour DuPont and is admittedly hungry to confirm his good form in Europe. Still only 23, Armstrong seems a bit young to contest the overall classification. He would be satisfied with a spectacular stage win.

GAN
Even though three-time Tour winner Greg Lemond has retired, this French team has kept an anglophone twist in the name of Chris Boardman. Boardman is one of the world's best time trial specialists. He won last year's opening prologue and wore the yellow jersey for three days. But he must avoid wasting excessive energy in the first week. This year, Boardman aims for a strong overall finish. Towards that goal, he has made impressive improvement in the mountains.

Mercatone-Uno
This Italian team has proven one of the most consistently improving teams over the past three seasons. With ace sprinter Mario Cipollini, stage wins are a virtual given. Cipollini looks likely to win the green jersey for the best sprinter, if he can make it over the mountains to Paris. Up and coming hopeful Francesco Casagrande, will be looking to confirm his string of solid results so far this season.

Lotto
The first week of flat stages will be crucial for this Belgian-based team. For three days, it will be racing on native soil. One day specialist Andreï Tchmil and sprinter Wilfried Nelissen look to do well here. But the team sponsored by the Belgian national lottery will falter when the road starts to climb. Still, Nelissen will challenge Italian Cipollini for the green jersey of best sprinter.

Novell
The Dutch-based Novell team also hopes to compete for the green sprinter title, thanks to its ace from Uzbekistan, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov. Although the wily sprinter has won sprinter on three occasions, sickness has slowed his form, and aside from an overlooked stage win in the Tour DuPont, he has yet to pocket a victory this season. For a rider who usually counts his wins in the double digits, he is undoubtedly frustrated. Other experienced riders such as Viatcheslav Ekimov or Frans Maassen, also could capture some stage wins.

Mixed Blood
This year Germany's Telecom team and ZG-Mobili from Italy failed to qualify for the Tour de France. Telecom was solid throughout the season but failed to win any races, and while ZG did triumph, its victories were too early on. In a last-minute concession, organizers decided to let the best riders from Telecom and ZG take part in this combined team. Telecom's Erik Zabel was nominated the leader. The team could have some problems because the riders have not raced together before as a group. But the cyclists might try to make up for that by being super aggressive.

Banesto (Unzue) Numbers 1 to 9

Indurain (Spa)
Alonso (Spa)
Aparicio (Spa)
Davy (Fra)
Garmendia (Spa)
Gonzalez-Arrieta (Spa)
Miranda (Spa)
Rue (Fra)
Uriarte (Spa)

Gewiss (Bombini) 11 to 19
Berzin (Rus)
Bontempi (Ita)
Bottaro (Ita)
Cenghialta (Ita)
Colombo (Ita)
Frattini (Ita)
Gotti (Ita)
Riis (Den),
Volpi (Ita)

Carrera (Quintarelli) 21 to 29
Pantani (Ita)
Barbero (Ita)
Bertolini (Ita)
Chiappucci (Ita)
Chiesa (Ita)
Siboni (Ita)
Sierra (Ven)
Zaina (Ita)
Zberg (Zwi)

Mapei/GB
(Fernandez) 41 to 49
Rominger (Zwi)
Bomans (Bel)
Bortolami (Ita)
Escartin (Spa)
Gonzalez (Spa),
Mauleon (Spa)
Museeuw (Bel)
Peeters (Bel)
Tafi (Ita)

Festina (Roussel) 51 to 59
Virenque (Fra)
Boscardin (Fra)
Brochard (Fra)
Dufaux (Fra)
Herve (Fra)
Hodge (Aus)
Jeker (Zwi)
Michaelsen (Den)
Robin (Fra)

ONCE (Saiz) 61 t0 69
Jalabert (Fra)
Breukink (Hol)
Bruyneel (Bel)
Diaz Zabala (Spa)
Mauri (Spa)
Rincon (Col)
Rojas (Spa)
Stephens (Aus)
Zulle (Zwi)

Lampre (Algeri) 71 to 79
Fondriest (Ita)
Belli (Ita)
Conti (Ita)
Galleti (Ita)
Gontsjenkov (Oek)
Perona (Ita)
Serpellini (Ita)
Svorada (Slw)
Tonkov (Rus)

Gan (Legeay) 81 to 89
Boardman (GB)
Capelle (Fra)
Gouvenou (Fra)
Lance (Fra)
Ledanois (Fra)
Lemarchand (Fra)
Moreau (Fra)
Rous (Fra)
Seigneur (Fra)

Kelme (Pino) 101 t0 109
Cubino (Spa)
Aguirre (Col)
Buenahora (Col)
Cabello (Spa)
Camargo (Col)
Castano (Col)
Edo (Spa)
Munoz (Col)
Vidal (Spa)

Motorola (Ochowicz/Kuiper) 111 to 119
Mejia (Col)
Andreu (VS)
Armstrong (VS)
Bauer (Can)
Casartelli (Ita)
Ozers (Let)
Peron (Ita)
Swart (NZl)
Yates(GB)

TVM (CEES PRIEM) 121 to 129
Den Bakker (Hol)
Blijlevens (Hol)
Hamburger (Den)
Hoffman (Hol)
Nijdam (Hol)
Redant (Bel)
Skibby (Den)
Van de Laer (Bel)
Voskamp (Hol)

Lotto (Vandenbroucke) 131 to 139
Tchmil (Mol)
Mario de Clercq (Bel)
Peter de Clercq (Bel)
Farazijn (Bel
Frison (Bel)
Moreels (Bel)
Nelissen (Bel)
Sergeant (Bel)
Verdonck (Bel)

MG (Ferretti) 151 to 159
Bugno (Ita)
Baldato (Ita)
Cassani (Ita)
Elli (Ita)
Jarmann (Zwi)
Loda (Ita)
Sciandri (Ita)
Vanzella (Ita)
Vona (Ita)

Novell (JAN RAAS) 161 to 169
Abdoesjaparov (Oez)
Bouwmans(Hol)
Dekker (Hol)
Jekimov (Rus)
Maassen(Hol)
Frederic Moncassin (Fra)
Piziks (Let)
Van Bon (Hol)
Wauters (Bel)

Mercatone/UNO (Salutini) 171 to 179
Cipollini (Ita)
Donati (Ita)
Fagnini (Ita)
Fina (Ita)
Lelli (Ita)
Martinello (Ita)
Petito (Ita)
Poli (Ita)
Politano (Ita)

Telekom/ZG (Godefroot) 201 to 209
Aldag (Dui)
Bolts (Dui)
Colage (Ita
Ferrigato (Ita)
Heppner (Dui)
Ludwig (Dui)
Poelnikov (Oek)
Rodriguez (Col)
Zabel (Dui)

[Longdaddy]

If you believe what he said yesterday and today he purposefully was not did not push it on Ventoux as Astana's stated goal is to have Kascheckin (sp) win.


could be...trying to bluff, hide his form, help a team mate, etc. Here's to an honest run at the title this year.....

[stevep]

leipheimer needed help from the officials to win the freakin' tour of california.
wont be in the top 10.

vino.
he is riding the dauphine to finish off his training. no result desired.

[jhcakilmer]

leipheimer needed help from the officials to win the freakin' tour of california.
wont be in the top 10.

vino.
he is riding the dauphine to finish off his training. no result desired.


He didn't need any help on Brasstown Bald!! Don't count him out just yet, he didn't look very exerted on Ventoux....I wouldn't say he has the natural talent of Vino, or Velverde, but he's an increadibly hard worker, and very durable.

[stevep]

He didn't need any help on Brasstown Bald!! Don't count him out just yet, he didn't look very exerted on Ventoux....I wouldn't say he has the natural talent of Vino, or Velverde, but he's an increadibly hard worker, and very durable.

but remind me...he was out of the gc by then completely. it changes the race.
just not a fan i guess.
not in top 10.

[Avispa]

Maillot Jaune:
1. Kasheschkin (Vino rides an amazing race with his dutiful lieutenant by his side, right up to the point where he explodes on one of the final mtn stages, handing the win to the junior Kazakh)
2. Menchov (sorry, I confused my Russians)
3. Leipheimer


1. Valverde (sp? Corrected)
2. Vino
3. Levi


Some of you are putting Levi on the podium... I don't think he is going to make it even to 3rd place. As far as the Russians, unless they have been bluffing at the Dauphine, they are going to get chewed up by the Spaniards. Look at Vino's performance... It's been a yo-yo disaster!

By the way, I am very happy for Moreau after today! :D

Cheers! ;)

[harlond]

leipheimer needed help from the officials to win the freakin' tour of california.
wont be in the top 10.Levi's finished 6th, 8th, and 9th in the TdF against stronger competition (or at least less decimated competiton) than will take the start this year. Counting him out of the top ten seems unduly negative.

As far as the Russians, unless they have been bluffing at the Dauphine, they are going to get chewed up by the Spaniards. Look at Vino's performance... It's been a yo-yo disaster!Kidding, right?

[stevep]

Levi's finished 6th, 8th, and 9th in the TdF against stronger competition (or at least less decimated competiton) than will take the start this year. Counting him out of the top ten seems unduly negative.


harlond.
throw down.
i bet you $.75 that levi will not finish in the single digits in the tour.
you in?

[manet]

leipheimer needed help from the officials to win the freakin' tour of california.
wont be in the top 10.


i shallnt get mad at another genius stealin my thoughts

[Avispa]

Kidding, right?

I said:

...As far as the Russians, unless they have been bluffing at the Dauphine, they are going to get chewed up by the Spaniards...

Will see... ;) I wasn't too far off with my Giro picks... :D

[SoCalSteve]

Does anyone know who won last year?

Quote of the week!

[harlond]

harlond.
throw down.
i bet you $.75 that levi will not finish in the single digits in the tour.
you in?For sure. Well, I know he crashed in a roundabout in the Dauphine today, but if he's not injured, I'm all in.

[97CSI]

I'm still working on my prediction for last years' winner. I think I've settled on Dessel. Now, predictions for the 2007 tour? I agree with whoever said: there will be one.Yes........but will it be the one with the lowest time in Paris or the one selected after all the testing, publicity (good and bad), etc., etc. :confused:

[harlond]

harlond.
throw down.
i bet you $.75 that levi will not finish in the single digits in the tour.
you in?
I win!

[97CSI]

Cadel Evans complains continuously about one of the stages. Which one and why? IMHO, he is a very lucky person. LL should have been second but for the ridiculous 10 sec penalty he was given when his bike broke down. If you watch the replay you can see that he is pedaling continuously during the time they penalized him, and not getting a free ride.

[Ray]

Cadel Evans complains continuously about one of the stages. Which one and why? IMHO, he is a very lucky person. LL should have been second but for the ridiculous 10 sec penalty he was given when his bike broke down. If you watch the replay you can see that he is pedaling continuously during the time they penalized him, and not getting a free ride.
They were pushing him down the road at about 40 mph or more - I don't care if he was pedalling, he got a MAJOR assist. Sometimes you get caught, sometimes you don't. He did and he probably should have been penalized MORE than ten seconds because without that push, he may not get back into the group at all. And if he did, he'd have been too spent to do anything on the climb.

-Ray

[stevep]

I win!

harlond,
upon further examination i realize that sports betting is illegal in my state.


no,
pm me yr address...i'm sending it out.
good bet by you.
you get bragging rights with it.
i hardly ever lose bike race bets.

[harlond]

harlond,
upon further examination i realize that sports betting is illegal in my state.


no,
pm me yr address...i'm sending it out.
good bet by you.
you get bragging rights with it.
i hardly ever lose bike race bets.Ah, many thanks, but no need to send anything, I'm satisfied with the thrill, as it were, of victory. Or I'll go you double or nothing on Devolder finishing top 5 at the Vuelta.

[gary135r]

I have to admit that with all of the doping news this year I have been much less interested in pro cycling this year. I paid attention to Roubaix and the Ronde, and kept one eye on the Giro (I'm still a little skeptical of the performances of some good riders who were "great" in May), but all in all my interest has waned.
That being said, I thought it might be fun to get a thread started to get our predictions out there for the upcoming Tour de France. Here are mine:


Maillot Jaune:
1. Kasheschkin (Vino rides an amazing race with his dutiful lieutenant by his side, right up to the point where he explodes on one of the final mtn stages, handing the win to the junior Kazakh)
2. Menchov (sorry, I confused my Russians)
3. Leipheimer

Maillot Vert:
1. McEwen

Maillot Pois:
1. Some Saunier Duval rider

Maillot Blanc:
1. Dekker



Shawn G.

Contador
Evans
Leipheimer

Just a Guess :rolleyes:

[Fixed]

bro evans reminds me of Joe" Frazier but joe smiled more imho
cheers :beer:

[gary135r]

bro evans reminds me of Joe" Frazier but joe smiled more imho
cheers :beer:
"Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!" one of the great sports calls of all time.