Team Disco Roster for TDF

[spiderlake]

Not to steal thunder from the T-Mobile post earlier today.....

Discovery Channel for the Tour De France
Lance Armstrong (USA)
Jose Azevedo (P)
Manuel Beltran (Sp)
George Hincapie (USA)
Benjamin Noval (Sp)
Pavel Padrnos (Cz)
Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr)
Jose Luis Rubiera (Sp)
Paolo Savoldelli (I)

Complete story at: http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/8259.0.html

[GoJavs]

That team looks hard to beat. Don't see too many others, with the exception of T-Mob & CSC, being able to stack up against those guys....

Wait...! I forgot! Maybe Paris Horner can take them on...! :fight:

[spiderlake]

They do look like a strong team. It's too bad Eki won't be there this year but at least the article stated he *might* be racing again by the end of the year. I don't know why but I thought Cruz might have made the roster this year. Maybe because he seemed to get some camera time on 'chasing lance' on FitTV?!?!?

[Dr. Doofus]

Obviously, this is an extraordinary talented group. However, Eki's absence raises an interesting question: who will take his role on the flats? There is not a lot of HC climbing in this Tour, and Beltran, Rubiera, and Azevedo are your mountain goats (although Azevedo is quite capable on the flat). Popovych can be a strong rouleur, as can Salvodelli, but niether would relish the role of towing the bunch for the first few hours of a flat or moyenne montagne stage...that's a tough job to swallow for one who has stood on the podium of a Grand Tour.

This looks like a good group if LA takes the jersey with a week to go, but not too much earlier...this group could defend the jersey and control the race over the Massif and through the Alps...enough rouleurs for the early going, but not a team to control two weeks of racing (of course, watch them prove the doof wrong)....LA takes number 7, but doesn't spend more than 8-9 days in yellow.

[Climb01742]

don't you reckon lance's bodyguards will be george and chechu? eki will be hard to replace but george is lance's homey.

[shinomaster]

I'm such a dork..I thought this thread was about disco dancing...

[csb]

anyone else notice you can stop the banana from dancing
by holding down the mouse clicker _ muybridge would be so,
so very proud.

[saab2000]

Lance Armstrong has a pretty good record in the TdF. Some say this is the year he will be beat.

He will take #7.

It is indeed too bad Ekimov is not present. He is one of the best at his job and since LA is leaving the Tour after this one he will not have much of a job left to do. I would not be surprised to see him hang it up too.

The T-Mobile team has one very conspicuous absence: Ralf Aldag. That guy can do similar work to Ekimov. He can go fast for hours. They should leave Kloeden at home because he is worthless anyway, IMHO.

[bcm119]

Why the jokes about Horner? He should have been in Europe years ago; he has one good tour and he's dirtier than Paris Hilton? He's rested and maybe peaked early. Simple as that.

Funny analogy but I'm not convinced. Look at his mugshot on the podium.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . because when he decides he wants something--especially his favorite podium--he has a record of absolute focus that gets it for him.

As for Horner, I think he’s hurt his rep several times with his big mouth. I wonder what it’s like to have one of those? ;)

BBDave

[sspielman]

I think that this is the year that Lance will finally be beaten. My wife is being so bold as to predict that he will not even finish the first week before he packs his bags and heads home. I have to admit to being unimpressed at the strength and form of many of the would be contenders. Only Botero and Ullrich seem to be on top of their game....Alot of riders seem to be banking alot on their form coming at just the right moment....

[saab2000]

This is Horner's second chance in Europe. Most don't get even one. He is talented to be sure, but an arrogant mofo to boot.

He could have carved out a decent career but must have stepped on some toes during his first time over there. He wondered why he couldn't get a contract. Well, surely he was good enough. But talent is not the only factor.

I have a friend who is Swiss and is, bar none, the most talented rider I ever rode with. He never got a decent contract, but had a number of smaller things. He blew them all, without exception due to his personality. Unless you have the talent of one of the top 10 in the world, there are other things that count.

Maybe Horner has figured that out finally.

[Elefantino]

I thought he looked awful on the TdS climbs. He can roll out of bed and win TTs, but he can't take slopes for granted.

I think he loses time early and the team turns to Vino.

Botero is the question mark.

Is it July yet?

[ClutchCargo]

However, Eki's absence raises an interesting question: who will take his role on the flats?

George and Padrnos are the big boys for the open road, and Noval (who probably beat out Joachim) will take on that role too. Il Falco and Popo can serve as necessary, too (after all, they may be princes, but there's only one king).

they probably won't make any great effort to protect the yellow jersey if they take it early, right? and the team can also conserve energy by relying on the sprinters' teams early on.

[Ti Designs]

I think it would be kinda funny if they showed up without Lance. Everybody who thinks they have a shot at winning has made Lance their target for the last year (some many years more than that). Lance has 6 wins (I'm told, haven't seen last years yet), what's the seventh gonna get him? I think he should hang out at home, then on the first day he can use the old Gong Show line "Ieyyyyyyy Gotcha!!!"

[sspielman]

*Lampre-Caffita: Simoni had a good ride in the Giro and has never ridden two decent grand tours in the same year....and Cunego is sick.
*Illes Balears: It is time for either Mancebo or Valverde to deliver on their promise....neither has shown spectacular form.
*Credit Agricole:Moreau will ride his normal defensive race to secure a spot as high as possible in the top 10....and Caucchioli left his best at the Giro. Halgand will win a hillier stage, though....
*CSC:the great question mark-what form will Basso bring to the Tour? Will he challenge or spectacularly implode leaving Sastre to ride defensively to preserve a top 10 for the team?
*Rabobank:Why is this team ranked so highly?Placing Menchov or Rasmussen on the podium at all could be considered a major victory....
*Davitamon-Lotto:Why is this team in the Tour? Cadel Evans will get his fifth second chance to prove himself as a grand tour contender...this time without a team as the rest will be concerned with McEwen's green jersey....
*Gerolsteiner:Leipheimer gets his big chance....He is on form, and he has a real team around him...
*Quick Step:Michael Rogers is definitely on good form, but he finds himself in the unenviable position of trying to contend for a grand tour with team of classics specialists supporting him...
*Saunier Duval-Prodir:There is alot of talent on this team, but it is hard to picture anyone as a real contender for the overall. Maybe Horner will surprise for a stage victory or a top 10...a top 5 for Garate would be a big showing. At least they are a guarantee on being a factor in the racing.
*T Mobile:Ullrich seems to be arriving on form, but one has to question the strategy of creating a team almost exclusively of potential top 5 contenders....Seems like a guarantee of getting a top 5...and not much more
*Liquigas-Bianchi:Three question marks-Garzelli, Pelizotti, Cioni if any or all come on form, this team could challenge.....
*Euskaltel:After a spring spent getting kicked around, they seem to be pulling it all together just at the right time. They have alot riding on Mayo, though, and it is hard to figure why they are leaving Aitor at home when he is on winning form....They will figure prominently in the mountains this year....
*Bouygues Telecom: This team will once again figure out a way to play a big part in the race. They field a number of talented young riders (and a couple of wily vets) and one of them could surprise for a top 5 finish. They will most likely get a stage or two and putting somebody in yellow for a few days wouldn't hurt, either.
*Liberty Seguros:Alot of talent, but the form is unknown. Heras has not shown anything and Beloki has not yet admitted that he will NEVER regain his old form. Contador will win a stage and could be a surprise for the overall.
*Fassa Bortolo: Why is this team in the Tour? They are the prototype points-whore team. Stage victories only while Frigo may show some GC form if he can avoid his bad day in the mountains.
*Cofidis:Another team that would do well to chase stage victories with O'Grady, Chavanel, and Moncoutie...while O'Grady could challenge for the green jersey...
*Francaise des Jeux: Brad McGee gets his big chance this year with a decent team built around him....how is the form, mate?
*Domina Vacanze: Why is this team in the Tour? There is talent, but it is hard to imagine that they have much interest in France...The Pro Tour is at work!
*Phonak: This team will figure prominently. Botero seems to be on great form, with a solid team behind him. Botero's great form seems a bit of a rough break for Landis....
*AG2R: Out gunned completely.....a stage victory would be a major coup.

* I would like to thank my head office for placing me on "hold" for so long so that I could make this lengthy post....

[BigMac]

I would tend to agree with most of the above. My personal favorites for podium places alongside the 7-time champion is Sastre and Botero. Good balanced teams with experienced and skillful directors. Unfortunately I don't think anybody will pose too close of a challenge to Lance, that team will gain 90 seconds at very least in TTT, and that's to Phonak, the T-Mobile guys may also keep it that close. Bjarne's kids lose 2:30 minimum. The addition of Salvodelli was huge, its completely reasonable to think Lance will have 1 bad day given his age and difficulty of TdF. The leadership, experience and talent of Team Disco is so overwhelming that his losses will be minimal while on a good day he's still better than basically any other rider on their best day. It should be highly entertaining and given the relative dearth of real GC contenders I suspect we should witness some great breakaway attempts which always creates interesting fodder around the water cooler.

At this point my fondest wish is for the race to be about the race and only the race w/o any discussion of doping, gamesmanship or other nonsense.

Ride on! :banana: :banana: :banana: