Tour any one want to predict?

**brazland** · May 8th, 2006, 06:01 AM

I know the Giro is on and I don't want to be disrespectful to the Giro but does anyone have a prediction for this years Tour?
I feel if Basso goes after the Giro win he won't have anything left for the Tour. Does anyone rate George Hincapie's chances? Or will Jan have one last crack at it?
Let me Know waht you all think

cyclopop · May 8th, 2006, 04:10 PM

I believe Basso can do the double (Giro/TdF). Ullrich is wasting his talent, I don't see him on the podium. Hincapie might win a stage or two but I don't expect to see him on the podium because he's not a climber. Here's my prediction for the top 5:
1-Ivan Basso
2-Alexandre Vinokourov
3-Alejandro Valverde
4-Jan Ullrich
5-Floyd Landis

We'll see at the end of july...

**Brock Samson** · May 8th, 2006, 05:00 PM

The route

Running from Saturday July 1st to Sunday July 23th 2006, the 93rd Tour de France will be made up of a prologue and 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,600 kilometres.

These 20 stages have the following profiles:
* 9 flat stages,
* 4 medium mountain stages,
* 5 mountain stages,
* 2 individual time-trial stages,

Distinctive aspects of the race
* 3 mountain finishes,
* 2 rest days,
* 116 kilometres of individual time-trials (including the prologue)
* 22 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes will be climbed

Seeing this yrs profile, I wouldn't count Georgie out but I think Ivan Basso will win the Giro and the Tour.

**brazland** · May 8th, 2006, 06:07 PM

Now that Lance is nolonger riding I feel the double can be done, but I can't get a comment of Lance's out of my head. He has said in a few interviews that he felt George can win. If you remember in the last two Tours George did do alot of the pace setting in the early and middle parts of climbs. With someone riding tempo for him I'd like to see him have a go, that would shake the event up.
Brock I do like your predition Vino will be strong this year now that he isn't riding under Jan.
One more name for a Podium finish Cadel Evans he may be able to ride higher in the GC this year.

**TNT1** · May 9th, 2006, 02:37 AM

Salvoldelli will take the Giro, and I know it is a long shot, but I'd like to see Vino or Popovych take the Tour

**Brock Samson** · May 9th, 2006, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNT1

Salvoldelli will take the Giro, and I know it is a long shot, but I'd like to see Vino or Popovych take the Tour

Discovery definitely tried to defend his lead by launching Rubiera in the finale but Gerolsteiner now has the burden and the GC contenders really haven't started racing yet. http://eurosport.com/cycling/giro-d-...to881333.shtml

Meanwhile, Robbie McEwen is doing what he does best, win the sprints.

Allesandro is out of the Giro w/ a fractured kneecap.

**Dial_tone** · May 9th, 2006, 03:55 PM

I'm going to go out on a limb and put Danielson in the Giro top 8; not sure I see Il Falco winning with this much climbing. I love Basso for the Tour; Jan's face still looks huge and if he finishes the Giro more than 20-25 minutes down he's toast in July.
On a side note my homeboy finished 5th in La Vuelta de Bisbee

Quote:

1 Phil Zajicek (Navigators Ins) 7.33.07
2 Drew Miller (Successful Liv) 0.38
3 Jason Donald (Team Einstein's) 1.22
4 Jonathan Garcia (Team Einstein's) 1.26
5 Curtis Gunn (Successful Liv) 1.31

**brazland** · May 9th, 2006, 07:44 PM

I'm not a big McEwen fan but he will probably get the points this year again.
Does any one feel that Cadel Evans may finish higher in the GC this year, or that he may even be a contender?

**TNT1** · May 10th, 2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brazland

I'm not a big McEwen fan but he will probably get the points this year again.
Does any one feel that Cadel Evans may finish higher in the GC this year, or that he may even be a contender?

I would love to see Cadel step up and make an impact. I reckon he can make the top three this year.

**brazland** · May 10th, 2006, 05:45 AM

I hope so I met him at the Tour Down Under 2 years ago and he seems like a really nice guy.

**Brock Samson** · May 10th, 2006, 10:36 AM

Who will win the TTT tomorrow?

The Giro d'Italia has a rest day on Wednesday as the riders leave Belgium for Italy ahead of Thursday's 38km team time trial from Piacenza to Cremona. The team time trial makes its long awaited return to the Giro since being dropped in 1989.

Two of the hot favourites for the stage would have to be powerhouse outfits CSC and the Discovery Channel.

A Discovery Channel victory could see Paolo Savoldelli - 13 seconds off the pace - finish the day re-donning the Pink Jersey at the top of the general classifications.

While Jens Voigt is the highest-placed rider in the overall standings for CSC - only 38 seconds behind overall leader Gerolsteiner's Stefan Schumacher - and could find himself closing the gap at the top with a team win.

But with this said, all eyes will be on team leader Ivan Basso who has declared this season he will be going for both the Giro and the Tour de France titles.

CSC sporting director Alain Gallopin - despite confirming no special preparation has been carried out by the Danish outfit for Thursday - remains optimistic and will be relying on an experienced team to see them through.

"We have not prepared especially for the time trial because we are always ready for this kind of effort.

"It's the combined work of a few years that wins it for you. The team is a well oiled machine, it knows how to function," says Gallopin.

"In our Giro team, six riders were present on the Tour last year - Ivan Basso, Bobby Julich, Giovanni Lombardi, Carlos Sastre, Nicki Sorensen and Jens Voigt." concluded the CSC sporting director.

Seven-time winner of the Tour de France Lance Armstrong was in Belgium on Wednesday for the start of stage four and was in a positive frame of mind concerning his former team's odds for the team time trial.

"The guys have a good chance to win it." said Armstrong

With Savoldelli in with a shout to regain the leader's jersey on Thursday Armstrong remains realistic about his chances for the overall title.

"He's fit. His victory on Saturday was a surprise for everyone, but it won't be easy to win the Giro, it's hard."

dovebar · May 17th, 2006, 01:13 AM

How has Rasmussen been doing this year. Will he be able to bounce back from the disastrous time trial?

**mavgrad99** · May 17th, 2006, 01:53 AM

a frenchman will win this year, I just have to go with that feeling, I dont know any of the riders but someone from the native land will win. Im going to vegas.

**Dial_tone** · May 17th, 2006, 12:28 PM

I have a better shot than any Frenchman. Their best shot is Christophe Moreau who, at 34, is way past his prime. His best finish was 4th in 2000.

**Dial_tone** · May 18th, 2006, 04:52 PM

I suppose I shouldn't be shocked Jan won a pancake flat time trial but I am.

dovebar · May 18th, 2006, 10:57 PM

Perhaps Jan should concentrate on the hour record! He is such a bad man..

**TNT1** · May 19th, 2006, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dial_tone

I suppose I shouldn't be shocked Jan won a pancake flat time trial but I am.

I'm not suprised that he won, but I am surprised that in his first real test of the season he was able to go so well. To put that kind of time into some of the other Tour contenders means he must have been in the red, and that's an ominious sign for Basso et al...

**Dial_tone** · May 19th, 2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNT1

I'm not suprised that he won, but I am surprised that in his first real test of the season he was able to go so well. To put that kind of time into some of the other Tour contenders means he must have been in the red, and that's an ominious sign for Basso et al...

None of the usual Giro contenders are known for their time trialing ability. Even Basso pretty much sucked at it til the past year. They're all pretty tiny guys compared to Jan. I still think he will be 45 minutes behind the winner in Milan.