I've always loved how Bobke pronounces tour DAY france - too funny.
So, I haven't heard from the faithful forum tour followers in a while. I have been out of touch with the usual OLN coverage - but with a little catching up seems like a few things have changed - I'm out of touch, and so it's news that Ulrichs team mate vinicourof (sp?) is out with injury, and at the brew pub sunday PK mentioned David Millar was caught doping - and also out.
So have the stakes changed? I expect a good race - but am really looking for the uphill time trial (L'Alp Duez) to really be the contest to watch...climbers battle for sure...anyone know how tyler's team is looking?
Dude, VeloNews.com for the latest on racing and the tour DAY france.
This is all from memory, so don't take it as entirely truthful.
Tyler's team is looking good, took 1st place at the Tour de Swisse (? can't remember) last week, or so.
Jan-He could set a record this year as well, 6 runner up finishes
Iban Mayo- awesome climber, just beat Lance by 2 minutes at the Duphine Liberie climb of Ventoux, I think he beat Lance here in last years tour. He can time trial as well.
But his team is all Basque region riders (not good at TT, very good climbers), but a rule change this year has something about only a 2 minute loss on the TTT. This will help them.
Let's not forget Roberto Heras, ooh!!! Good climber, weak team.
Millar-yup, admitted after 2 days of interogation, funny, he has never tested positive for EPO, and has said all along that he never used drugs. I don't know if this is going to make Lance look bad, as he has always denied it, and never tested positive.
USPS-did not pick Victor Hugo Pena for the tour roster, hmmm?
The sprints should be exciting, with Super Mario, Zabel, Cooke, o'Grady, Pettachi, etc.
Armstrong ~ U.S. Postal (also watch Americans Hincape and Floyd Landis)
Hamilton ~ Phonak (probably the strongest overall team; also watch Oscar Sevilla and Jose Enrique Gutierrez)
Leipheimer ~ Rabbobank (another American team leader; team not so strong for overall but should win stages; also watch Michael Boogerd, Erik Dekker, Michael Rasmussen, Marc Wauters, and Robert Hunter. All can win stages)
Julich ~ CSC (4th American team leader and a VERY strong team; also watch Carlos Sastre, Ivan Basso, Jens Voigt, Nicki Sørensen, Jakob Piil)
Roberto Heras Hernandez ~ Liberty Seguros (It will be interesting to see how Lance's former 'Lefttennant' will push his former leader in the mountains. Heras could wind up in yellow in Paris. Team is built to win overall and protect Heras. American Christian Vandevelde is on board)
Iban Mayo ~ Euskaltel - Euskadi (with no Beloki . . . Mayo will be the best Basque climber this year)
Ullrich ~ T-Mobile (Should be a top GC contender again; Zabel will contest the sprints with leadout man Nardello)
Pettachi ~ Fassa Bortolo (Top sprinter in the world and he has his A game this year. Broke the all time stage win record in the Giro this year winning 9 of 21 stages and getting pipped at the line in 2 others. Virtually unbeatable. Should win 3 or 4 stages the first week)
Cippolini ~ Domina Vacanze (The Lion King. This will be that last Tour and I think the last race of one of the greatest bike racers of the past 15 years. I predict Cippolini will win 1 and maybe 2 stages but, he will not make it to Paris and will retire from cycling before August)
Other names to watch for stage wins, mountains, or personal glory:
Magnus Backstedt ~ Alessio-Bianchi
Stuart O'Grady ~ Cofidis - Le Crédit Par Téléphone
Patrice Halgand, Thor Hushovd ~ Crédit Agricole
Aitor Gonzalez Jimenez ~ Fassa Bortolo
Baden Cooke, Bradley McGee ~ Fdjeux.com
Robbie McEwen, Axel Merckx, Rik Verbrugghe ~ Lotto-Domo
Juan Miguel Mercado, Michael Rogers, Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen, Richard Virenque ~ Quick Step-Davitamon (VERY strong group of individual riders any could win stages. Boonen is one of my favorites and I would love to see him take a stage in his maiden tour.)
Gilberto Simoni, Stefano Casagrande, Salvatore Commesso ~ Saeco (I would have included Simoni with the big guns up top but I've been less than impressed this year. No Cunego for the tour after his Goiro win. Simoni may be bluffing about his form and could be a huge suprise in Paris should win a mountain stage.)
Those are all the names to watch. Also, ON DEMAND!! All stages will be available through On Demand starting the day after the stage. So if you miss it you can watch at your lesiure.
[quote author=ArmOnFire link=board=15;threadid=4232;start=0#27534 date=1088534064]
Tyler's team is looking good, took 1st place at the Tour de Swisse (? can't remember) last week, or so.
[/quote]
Actually, i don't think Phonak raced the Tour de Suisse, but they did finish first in the Dauphine Libere, with Tyler finishing second behind Mayo and before Lance.....
Actually, i don't think Phonak raced the Tour de Suisse, but they did finish first in the Dauphine Libere, with Tyler finishing second behind Mayo and before Lance.....
Yes, Phonak DID race the Tour de Suisse and they DID win the team classification. I beleive that Phonak is the best overall team in this years tour followed by CSC then Postal.
And . . . I am no 'NEW' Tyler fan.
I predict 4 Americans will be in the top 10 following the Prologue.
Armstrong
Hamilton
Leipheimer
Julich
With Floyd Landis and George Hincape also inside the top 20.
My two buzz words for this tour are 'Americans' and 'Austrailians'.
Le Tour DE France Baby!
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