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Tour de Suisse Discussion Thread
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| roturn |
Posted on 22-03-2012 17:27
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Welcome to the Tour de Suisse 2012. In general the race should be decided on the 4 mountain stages with the highlight being the steep mountain top finish on the 6th stage. But also the time trial on the last day should be interesting, especially when the time gaps aren`t that big after the mountains.
Also the sprinters will get their chance. In between the mountain stages they have 2 chances and a last one on the 8th day. So some strong sprinters take part in this race hoping for some stage wins.
No podium finisher of the last 5 years is starting in Switzerland and with Devolder (6.) and Keijzer (7.) we just see two top 10 finisher of 2011 on the startlist. But still the startlist is extremely strong and could also belong to a GT.
 Pluchkin is surely the big favourite in this race. He combines great climbing and time trial skills and was already successful in Oman and Catalunya in 2012. He is the man to beat.
Last year he finished 14th here but as this season shows, he improved a lot.
 Fothen could be his biggest opponent. The former Tour de France winner crashed out in the Giro and so you don`t really have an impression of his performance this season. After Festina`s great Vuelta they surely hope to turn the season around now.
 Popovych is another rider with hopes to win the race. He couldn`t convince his manager so far in this season being 10th in La Vuelta and surely wants to show his full potential. He was 7th in Suisse in 2007 and still belongs to the best.
 Tenorio was part of the Santander squad in the Vuelta around race winner Madrazo and at the same time finishing as 9th in the overall. Here he can go on his own showing his own qualities belonging to the big favourites.
 Pozzovivo starts for Wildcard team Vespa. He was twice in the top 10 here and surely wants another time. He surely fight for the top5 or even more.
 Intxausti had a good Vuelta finishing on the podium. Seeing the guys behind him there show how high the 3rd must be counted.
 Abal hopes for a high finish for the Colombia squad. Top 10 is possible but maybe even the top5? In La Vuelta he beat Tenorio and Popovych so why not doing it again?
 Henao Montoya finished 4th in 2010 and showed his strength this year as 6th in the Giro. Being one of the pure climbers he needs to perform well on the uphill sections to stand a chance in the time trial.
 Denifl is in a similar situation than Henao. 8th in the Giro and 11th in La Vuelta show that he is riding constantly on a high level. The Austrian belongs in the same area also in this race.
 Gomez Marchante and Marquez lead the Suisse team in this race. A strong duo and so they surely expect a lot here. Both also started in La Vuelta finishing 7th and 20th.
And also the other climbers impress.  Daniel Martin,  Velits,  Keijzer, former TdF winner  Devolder,  Kohl,  Ardila,  Suaza,  Ghisalberti and  Mai are all good to do well here. Especially first of them could even fight for a top 10, while last are more fighting for stage wins.
The sprinter competition is not as hard but still some big names here.
Swift and Van Heerden surely being the biggest names. Will it be a fight between them on the 3 stages or will we get other sprinters being faster? Such as Granjel Cabrera, Steegmans, Pedersen or Duque.
Full startlist
Spoiler B&O
1. A. Pluchkin
2. A. Grivko
3. M. Hacecký
4. C. Jørgensen
5. K. Nielsen
6. J. Sagan
7. S. Stenersen
8. K. Vanoverschelde
Festina
11. M. Fothen
12. T. Dees
13. D. Drapac
14. O. Kaisen
15. V. Reynès
16. R. RodrÃguez Segarra
17. R. Sentjens
18. P. Voss
Wiggle
21. J. Popovych
22. L. Bertagnolli
23. C. Grippo
24. B. Jarc
25. R. Nocentini
26. D. Ratto
27. M. Rowe
28. P. Scarponi
Santander
31. J. Tenorio
32. A. Durán
33. I. Erviti
34. J. Gallego Martin
35. A. Hernández Gutierrez
36. J. Moreno
37. D. Ortega
38. J. Rienda Segura
Vespa
41. D. Pozzovivo
42. M. Bono
43. G. Bosisio
44. M. Carrara
45. M. Cattaneo
46. D. Garbelli
47. F. Ginanni
48. A. Passalacqua
Vesuvio
51. B. Intxausti
52. J. Cabreira
53. D. Claerebout
54. M. Ford
55. D. Medvedev
56. N. Schinker
57. B. Swift
58. J. Wallays
Colombia
61. D. Abal
62. J. Arango
63. A. Brea
64. J. Castañeda
65. L. Duque
66. M. Rubiano Chavez
67. C. Sarmiento
68. J. Tendero
Milka
71. S. Henao Montoya
72. A. Honkisz
73. L. König
74. A. Malori
75. Y. Nepomnyachsniy
76. A. Nepomnyachsniy
77. R. Porte
78. M. Vanderaerden
Nestlé
81. S. Denifl
82. H. Broco
83. S. Caldeira
84. M. Durán
85. S. Lay
86. D. Loosli
87. J. Maillet
88. D. Vitoria
UBS
91. J. Gomez Marchante
92. R. Chtioui
93. T. Frei
94. F. Marquez
95. C. Sinelobov
96. J. Tschopp
97. S. Zahner
98. O. Zaugg
Bacardi
101. M. Keizer
102. I. Abakoumov
103. M. Burghardt
104. D. Grabovski
105. J. Kocjan
106. M. Mugerli
107. E. Sokolov
108. G. Steegmans
Pendleton's
111. D. Martin
112. B. Bozic
113. P. Deignan
114. R. Downing
115. J. Ji
116. T. Kennaugh
117. R. Margaliot
118. B. Wiggins
Pearl
121. P. Velits
122. M. Cardoso
123. W. De Vocht
124. C. Ji
125. T. Kangert
126. T. Leezer
127. L. Mondory
128. M. Richeze
Spyker
131. S. Devolder
132. N. Edet
133. A. Geniez
134. B. Kadri
135. M. Pedersen
136. M. Reimer
137. P. Sinkewitz
138. A. Vichot
Sony
141. B. Kohl
142. J. Danacik
143. L. Fernández Oliveira
144. K. Fouquet
145. R. Granjel Cabrera
146. P. Grillo
147. F. Johansson
148. M. Öste-Macdonald
Jack Wolfskin
151. M. Ardila
152. J. Donald
153. X. Florencio
154. M. Kreder
155. P. Martens
156. K. Sys
157. L. Ten Dam
158. H. Zubeldia
Carmeuse
161. J. Suaza
162. T. Bos
163. JF. Camier
164. P. Jacobs
165. M. Kneisky
166. C. Lhotellerie
167. K. Peeters
168. S. Vandousselaere
Webeffect
171. S. Ghisalberti
172. G. Brizuela
173. T. Danielson
174. G. Gazvoda
175. A. Gilanipoor
176. B. Khalilikhosroshani
177. V. Rodrigues
178. R. Zingle
Wikipedia
181. C. Mai
182. D. Atapuma
183. C. Barton
184. J. Decouttere
185. R. Janse van Rensburg
186. G. Lejman
187. A. Semple
188. J. Van Heerden
Not sure when I start the reports. I might wait for Guatemala and Capo to be finished or until the Dauphinee starts. I also might post sooner.  |
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| Kami |
Posted on 22-03-2012 17:46
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A stage win and a top 10 would be nice, although i honestly doubt that top 10. Keizer seems to be performing way worse then last season.
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 22-03-2012 22:07
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Hope for Abal to do well - stages are fairly short so hopefully he'll have the stamina to climb better on some of theses Mountain stages.
Anything for Vespa is a bonus and we have a strong squad so should be quite visible, which is more that can be said in most CT races we're in..... |
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 22-03-2012 22:11
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Hopefully Dan can make the top 10, I reckon he should have the class. But you always need a bit of luck in these short stage races...
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| rjc_43 |
Posted on 22-03-2012 22:19
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If Popovych doesn't crash, this race will be a success for me.
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| CountArach |
Posted on 23-03-2012 13:15
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roturn wrote:
Not sure when I start the reports. I might wait for Guatemala and Capo to be finished or until the Dauphinee starts. I also might post sooner.
Don't wait for me, I haven't been feeling well today so Capo has been delayed for a day or two.
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| Kami |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:15
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Keizer doing perfectly, managing to hide himself behind 17 worse time-trialists!
In all honesty, i don't even know if i want the guy next year. I knew i would have to train him to achieve something, but not even managing one good result in a TT so far this season, is just plain bad. He's among the 10 best time-trialists in the game ffs. I can understand he won't win hilly time-trials with his 71 hill, but this was a flat prologue ...
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:19
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Great start, good news that the hill had a big effect despite the flat rating.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:20
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No expectations from this race really. Should do a little bit better in Dauphine though, where Plaza is leading the team.
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| roturn |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:21
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Kami wrote:
Keizer doing perfectly, managing to hide himself behind 17 worse time-trialists!
In all honesty, i don't even know if i want the guy next year. I knew i would have to train him to achieve something, but not even managing one good result in a TT so far this season, is just plain bad. He's among the 10 best time-trialists in the game ffs. I can understand he won't win hilly time-trials with his 71 hill, but this was a flat prologue ...
It was ranked as flat prologue. Still the hill in the middle of the stage was far steeper than it`s looking like.
So stronger puncheurs got an advantage.
Pluchkin and Fothen for example have less hill than Tenorio or Popovych, so they are behind.
The same counts for Sinkewitz and Ginanni.
Only big surprise was Ford, who must have had a +5, while Keizer was probably having a bad day plus his weak hill stat. |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:21
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roturn wrote:
Kami wrote:
Keizer doing perfectly, managing to hide himself behind 17 worse time-trialists!
In all honesty, i don't even know if i want the guy next year. I knew i would have to train him to achieve something, but not even managing one good result in a TT so far this season, is just plain bad. He's among the 10 best time-trialists in the game ffs. I can understand he won't win hilly time-trials with his 71 hill, but this was a flat prologue ...
It was ranked as flat prologue. Still the hill in the middle of the stage was far steeper than it`s looking like.
So stronger puncheurs got an advantage.
Pluchkin and Fothen for example have less hill than Tenorio or Popovych, so they are behind.
The same counts for Sinkewitz and Ginanni.
Only big surprise was Ford, who must have had a +5, while Keizer was probably having a bad day plus his weak hill stat.
Too bad Ford couldnt have a +5 on a completely flat day!
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:31
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World Champion
Posts: 13561
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Kami wrote:
Keizer doing perfectly, managing to hide himself behind 17 worse time-trialists!
In all honesty, i don't even know if i want the guy next year. I knew i would have to train him to achieve something, but not even managing one good result in a TT so far this season, is just plain bad. He's among the 10 best time-trialists in the game ffs. I can understand he won't win hilly time-trials with his 71 hill, but this was a flat prologue ...
Make sure he was a lower wage next season and you already have a possible buyer 
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| Kami |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:47
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alexkr00 wrote:
Kami wrote:
Keizer doing perfectly, managing to hide himself behind 17 worse time-trialists!
In all honesty, i don't even know if i want the guy next year. I knew i would have to train him to achieve something, but not even managing one good result in a TT so far this season, is just plain bad. He's among the 10 best time-trialists in the game ffs. I can understand he won't win hilly time-trials with his 71 hill, but this was a flat prologue ...
Make sure he was a lower wage next season and you already have a possible buyer
That lower wage won't be a problem .
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| SotD |
Posted on 23-03-2012 17:49
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That has got to be the strangest TT result ever in the Man-Game.
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| rjc_43 |
Posted on 23-03-2012 18:58
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Happy with Popo in second. About time he showed his class. Especially as I think he's only doing three races, and this is his second...
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 23-03-2012 19:27
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Tenorio has messed up his last two races, so hopefully it will all come together.
I was hoping he would go well in the TT, especially as I expected all the best TTers to be in the Dauphine, as turned out to be the case. If tomorrow is raced softly he could hang on to yellow for 5 days.
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 23-03-2012 22:02
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Abal's TT stat fairly meaningless again for him.
Good start for the Vespa boys - Pozzo might very well sneak a podium. |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-03-2012 22:31
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Kami wrote:
alexkr00 wrote:
Kami wrote:
Keizer doing perfectly, managing to hide himself behind 17 worse time-trialists!
In all honesty, i don't even know if i want the guy next year. I knew i would have to train him to achieve something, but not even managing one good result in a TT so far this season, is just plain bad. He's among the 10 best time-trialists in the game ffs. I can understand he won't win hilly time-trials with his 71 hill, but this was a flat prologue ...
Make sure he was a lower wage next season and you already have a possible buyer
That lower wage won't be a problem .
Don't be so sure. He has an average of 78. Even if his results are not the best, he could still ask for a wage close to what he has now.
Edited by alexkr00 on 23-03-2012 22:32
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| Smowz |
Posted on 24-03-2012 06:37
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Stage two and three look quite interesting - stage three is fairly short and methinks a few riders may be struggling to make the time cut!
I suspect Pluichkin is simply too good for his rivals here - not sure Tenorio, Popovich, Intxausti, Pozzovivo or Fothen can stick with the Moldovan on that stage six climb.
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| SotD |
Posted on 24-03-2012 09:43
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It's starting to look like a bad idea to send Fothen here, and Contador to the Dauphine. Seems it would have given a better result to switch it. Contador would have been the best climber here. Still don't know what to expect from Fothen as this is his first small Tour.
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