|
Tour de France 2012: Pre-Race thread
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:19
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
valverde321 wrote:
Honestly, I think this will be a very exciting Tour! Just like 08 when Contador wasn't allowed to ride, which made for a pretty good race, atleast imo.
Roche would be an outside favourite too, and what about Rolland, Vanendert, heck maybe even Valverde if they are riding?
I still see a lack of attacking riders though, but hopefully I'm proven wrong.
Vanendert isn't a real threat to GC, but he could go for a stage win!
Rolland isn't the greatest TT rider, but I see him riding top 10-15
EDIT: Ruben, wtf is that  All good riders, but I don't see them riding top 5, altogether 
Edited by Ian Butler on 13-06-2012 14:21
|
| |
|
|
| Squire |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:25
|
Protected Rider
Posts: 1404
Joined: 24-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
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 
|
| |
|
|
| kumazan |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:32
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6662
Joined: 02-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Valverde comes from a 18 months ban, and is still yet to show he's back to his old level. Even if he was, the lack of time bonuses and the route won't help him either.
|
| |
|
|
| Gulvplanke |
Posted on 13-06-2012 14:44
|
Stagiare
Posts: 229
Joined: 30-12-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
ruben wrote:
Gesink
Mollema
Kruijswijk
Poels
Westra
Hagen
Hagen
Hagen
Hagen
Hesjedal
How hard can it be?
|
| |
|
|
| chris01 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:08
|
Neo-Pro
Posts: 358
Joined: 12-09-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Leipheimer.
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
|
| |
|
|
| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:10
|
World Champion
Posts: 14236
Joined: 20-06-2011
PCM$: 300.00
|
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.
|
| |
|
|
| chris01 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:20
|
Neo-Pro
Posts: 358
Joined: 12-09-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
chris01 wrote:
Leipheimer.
I think he could do well, in partnership with Velits, i can see them lurking somewhere at the end of top 10.
I actually think Leipheimer can sneak into the top 5 because, if he is on good form, he is a very good TT rider and he is just as good a climber as Wiggins is imo. Plus the other GC contenders might not see him as a huge threat so he could put in a nice attack on a mountain stage and gain some time.
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.
|
| |
|
|
| valverde321 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:49
|
World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
|
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.
|
| |
|
|
| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:53
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8058
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
|
I'm Cheering for the guy nobody picks. 
|
| |
|
|
| chris01 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 16:31
|
Neo-Pro
Posts: 358
Joined: 12-09-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
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.
|
| |
|
|
| carmelobymelo |
Posted on 13-06-2012 16:32
|
Domestique
Posts: 551
Joined: 08-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
chris01 wrote:
carmelobymelo wrote:
Isaychev takes the stage, Oss had no legs.
Wrong thread.
yup, just edited, my bad.
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 22:08
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 13-06-2012 17:38
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7681
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
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...
|
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 13-06-2012 17:50
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
valverde321 wrote:
kumazan wrote:
Valverde comes from a 18 months ban, and is still yet to show he's back to his old level. Even if he was, the lack of time bonuses and the route won't help him either.
But he did situps every 3 seconds during his time off. He will probably win by more than 5 minutes.
So many sit-ups he forgot to ride his bike...
True story
|
| |
|
|
| BrokenShards |
Posted on 13-06-2012 18:14
|
Under 23
Posts: 61
Joined: 22-05-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
But he does have some killer abs now, so worth it in the long run.
|
| |
|
|
| Mr_Monk |
Posted on 13-06-2012 19:29
|
Domestique
Posts: 718
Joined: 02-08-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Personaly, I think that Andy not riding the Tour will turn out better for Frank.
Frank has shown decent form all year:
In the classics he finished 12th in Amstel and I think he would have done better in FW and LBL if the weather had been better (the Schlecks cannot ride in the rain  )
In the Giro he was looking good until he crashed... then freakin Andy convinced him to abandon 
In Suisse he showed good form in his attack with 5 km to go in stage 2 (which made for a much more entertaining stage then all the stages in the Giro). In the end of the stage Frank got passed in the final few hundred meters by Costa. I think that his form will get even better when he peaks in the Tour.
Plus, don't forget that Frank would have finished 2nd in last year's Tour if Andy hadn't attacked so far from the finish in stage 18. I have always thought that the Schlecks would be better off not riding as equals, but individually, with no pressure about worrying about brother Frandy.
So, I think that Frank has a good chance of finishing 3rd behind Wiggo and Cadel in this year's Tour.
Edited by Mr_Monk on 13-06-2012 19:30
|
| |
|
|
| Abelbaba |
Posted on 13-06-2012 19:37
|
Domestique
Posts: 537
Joined: 13-12-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
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... |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:48
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Frank was born, always number 3
Andy was born, always number 2
Why did their parents stop there? |
| |
|
|
| Vien |
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:49
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2322
Joined: 16-06-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
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.
|
| |
|
|
| felix_29 |
Posted on 13-06-2012 21:51
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3054
Joined: 08-08-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
They have another brother, but i don´t know his age. I think he´s older than Frank but stopped racing when he couldn´t ride with the juniors any longer.
|
| |
|
|
| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 14-06-2012 08:49
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15830
Joined: 08-02-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
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? |
| |
|
