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Tour de France 2012: Pre-Race thread
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| Squire |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:25
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How nice of you all to be forgetting Valverde, who won the last GT he entered, and is building some serious form in Switzerland as we speak 
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| kumazan |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:32
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Valverde comes from a 18 months ban, and is still yet to show he's back to his old level. Even if he was, the lack of time bonuses and the route won't help him either.
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| Gulvplanke |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:44
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Stagiare
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ruben wrote:
Gesink
Mollema
Kruijswijk
Poels
Westra
Hagen
Hagen
Hagen
Hagen
Hesjedal
How hard can it be?
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| chris01 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:08
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Leipheimer.
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:10
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chris01 wrote:
Leipheimer.
I think he could do well, in partnership with Velits, i can see them lurking somewhere at the end of top 10.
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| chris01 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:20
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
chris01 wrote:
Leipheimer.
I think he could do well, in partnership with Velits, i can see them lurking somewhere at the end of top 10.
I actually think Leipheimer can sneak into the top 5 because, if he is on good form, he is a very good TT rider and he is just as good a climber as Wiggins is imo. Plus the other GC contenders might not see him as a huge threat so he could put in a nice attack on a mountain stage and gain some time.
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:49
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kumazan wrote:
Valverde comes from a 18 months ban, and is still yet to show he's back to his old level. Even if he was, the lack of time bonuses and the route won't help him either.
But he did situps every 3 seconds during his time off. He will probably win by more than 5 minutes.
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:53
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I'm Cheering for the guy nobody picks. 
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| chris01 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 16:31
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carmelobymelo wrote:
Isaychev takes the stage, Oss had no legs.
Wrong thread.
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
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| carmelobymelo |
Posted on 13-06-2012 16:32
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Domestique
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chris01 wrote:
carmelobymelo wrote:
Isaychev takes the stage, Oss had no legs.
Wrong thread.
yup, just edited, my bad.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 06-12-2025 20:11
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 13-06-2012 17:38
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valverde321 wrote:
kumazan wrote:
Valverde comes from a 18 months ban, and is still yet to show he's back to his old level. Even if he was, the lack of time bonuses and the route won't help him either.
But he did situps every 3 seconds during his time off. He will probably win by more than 5 minutes.
So many sit-ups he forgot to ride his bike...
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 13-06-2012 17:50
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wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
valverde321 wrote:
kumazan wrote:
Valverde comes from a 18 months ban, and is still yet to show he's back to his old level. Even if he was, the lack of time bonuses and the route won't help him either.
But he did situps every 3 seconds during his time off. He will probably win by more than 5 minutes.
So many sit-ups he forgot to ride his bike...
True story
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| BrokenShards |
Posted on 13-06-2012 18:14
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But he does have some killer abs now, so worth it in the long run.
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| Mr_Monk |
Posted on 13-06-2012 19:29
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Personaly, I think that Andy not riding the Tour will turn out better for Frank.
Frank has shown decent form all year:
In the classics he finished 12th in Amstel and I think he would have done better in FW and LBL if the weather had been better (the Schlecks cannot ride in the rain  )
In the Giro he was looking good until he crashed... then freakin Andy convinced him to abandon 
In Suisse he showed good form in his attack with 5 km to go in stage 2 (which made for a much more entertaining stage then all the stages in the Giro). In the end of the stage Frank got passed in the final few hundred meters by Costa. I think that his form will get even better when he peaks in the Tour.
Plus, don't forget that Frank would have finished 2nd in last year's Tour if Andy hadn't attacked so far from the finish in stage 18. I have always thought that the Schlecks would be better off not riding as equals, but individually, with no pressure about worrying about brother Frandy.
So, I think that Frank has a good chance of finishing 3rd behind Wiggo and Cadel in this year's Tour.
Edited by Mr_Monk on 13-06-2012 19:30
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| Abelbaba |
Posted on 13-06-2012 19:37
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Mr_Monk wrote:
So, I think that Frank has a good chance of finishing 3rd behind Wiggo and Cadel in this year's Tour.
always number 3... |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:48
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Frank was born, always number 3
Andy was born, always number 2
Why did their parents stop there? |
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| Vien |
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:49
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Ian Butler wrote:
Frank was born, always number 3
Andy was born, always number 2
Why did their parents stop there?
They had an older brother who had to quit cycling because of an injury IIRC.
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| felix_29 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:51
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They have another brother, but i don´t know his age. I think he´s older than Frank but stopped racing when he couldn´t ride with the juniors any longer.
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 14-06-2012 08:49
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I am back on earth..
Andy boy is out of tour ..what a drama year for Leopard Trek. This all can not be accident anymore.
Some conspiracy theory? |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 14-06-2012 09:38
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Guido Mukk wrote:
I am back on earth..
Andy boy is out of tour ..what a drama year for Leopard Trek. This all can not be accident anymore.
Some conspiracy theory?
Yes, I think JB killed Michael Jackson and JFK, now he's aiming at Andy Schleck. |
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