Professional Cycling For the Fans - Where will your loyalties fall for next year's TOUR?

My heart is with Basso because:

--He's Italian (like me)
--He's good looking and total OCP material (like me..ha)
--I love the story of the bond with Lance over the death of Ivan's mom due to cancer.

But I tell ya...I've become a VINO fan. The dude is like a pitbull on a bike. He's always stirring something up. And he got the greatest looking quads on the pro circuit!

I hear he might come to DC team?
That would be cool.

I for one will be watching just as much as if LA were still in it.

The same person it's been with for 10 years.. George!

The same person it's been with for 10 years.. George!

He IS a stud!
Tell me...is there any way HE would become the team leader next? I'm pretty new to this whole concept...just following it this year.

I think that I'll still follow Discovery, I think that the Pro Tour concept is great, and they have a well rounded team with a lot of riders I've come to like.

In terms of TdF, I'd have to see who ends up leading Discovery, but outside of them I would like to see Ullrich go out with one more win, like him or not, he's a great cyclist who's lived in the shadow of one of the great TdF riders ever, and I think he could possibly have another TdF win in him.

I also like Basso a lot, and I'm somewhat down on Vino after being a big fan of his coming into the tour (can't really put my finger on exactly what caused my turn), can't think of anyone really have a strong negative opinion of. Looking forward to a wide open tour next year, it'll be a whole different vibe.

Christophe Mengin, Ivan Basso, Dave Zabriskie, Michael Rasmussen, and Robbie McEwen.
I say Basso wins and Rasmussen comes back for the KOM. I liked Basso going in anyway. I like Z because he's funny and has a certain style. Robbie is my favorite. That dude has panaché! And who doesn't like panaché? Mengin for heart.

My favorite rider this year was Basso and will be next year also. I'm gonna love seeing Jan finish behind another rider he can't beat. I really just lost patience with Jan as he came to the Tour year after year overweight and undertrained.

Basso is really the only guy who can excell in the high mountains and TT well (not well enough to beat Jan but he'll put enough time in him in the mountains). Valverde is a big question mark as he has yet to finish a race as daunting as the TdF. He can climb with the best of them and has a pretty wicked sprint but he needs to TT better to be a real contender. Also CSC has the team to get the job done and the second best DS in the business.

Of course Salvadelli could focus on the TdF next year and if Johan can motivate these guys to support him the way they've supported Lance then all bets are off. My guess? The 2006 TdF is going to be epic!

I'll follow Disco, I'm American after all.

I'll be pulling for Jan in the Tour, though. It's his last shot, and I want him to bury this stigma of being a loser despite being on the podium of the Tour de France 7 times.

I'll also be watching for Landis to improve and show that he can be on the Podium in a couple of years.

Lance comes out of retirement to direct Basso and the CSC team to the TdF win!

Floyd Landis. I shall watch Zabriskie with interest. Also, I know what he did, but I'd LOOOOVE to see Tyler Hamilton come out of his suspension kicking a$$ and taking names.

Valverde

I am intrigued by Ullrich. I think he'll make a comeback next year. Tom Danielson if he rides the tour next year I would like to see do well. Vino's wild ride this year made Landis and Liephiemer seem absolutely boring.

I'm just going to watch and see what happens. I'm another one of those new fans the regulars love to hate. I'm just looking forward to paying attention to other races besides the Tour de France--who knew they had other bicycle races?

;)

I'll bet therell be a new kid on the block. One who no one knows about, and will make Lance look like a sissy.....

FDJ, Valverde, Cunego, Gilbert, Pineau.

I think Basso and Ullrich are a cut above the rest, and I really don't see anyone being able to hang with them, although Mancebo is a possibility. He improves every year. He took 4th this year and not many people seem to have noticed.

Podium:

Ullrich
Basso
Mancebo

I'll be rooting for Ullrich, Basso, Cunego, Boonen, and Vino.

In interested in seeing Cadel Evans make further progress.

He IS a stud!
Tell me...is there any way HE would become the team leader next? I'm pretty new to this whole concept...just following it this year.

Lance has said if he prepared right, he could do it. But that would mean sacrificing the one-day classics and riding purely to prepare for the tour like Lance does.. remember George is beefy in the spring and only slims for the tour. So, I'd say it depends on him and whether they can sign Vino. If they don't, it's a two-man battle between George and Popo and whichever one is in better shape will get the nod.

Ullrich and Cunego. It's just a shame Cunego wasn't here this year- I get the feeling things would have been very different.

Boonan too- I'd like to see him win the green jersey.

Koffee

Lance has said if he prepared right, he could do it. But that would mean sacrificing the one-day classics and riding purely to prepare for the tour like Lance does.. remember George is beefy in the spring and only slims for the tour. So, I'd say it depends on him and whether they can sign Vino. If they don't, it's a two-man battle between George and Popo and whichever one is in better shape will get the nod.

I think people are jumping on the Hincapie bandwagon a bit too much just because he is American. (what else is new) Dirk De Dol even said that he didn’t think that Hincapie could handle a 3 week stage race.

Discovery didn’t bring Popo onboard to play second fiddle to an aging mediocre classics rider turned unproven GC rider.
Don’t forget Azevedo, the guy finished 5th last year.

On Topic:
I would like to see Emanuele Sella get on a protour team and come to the bigger races.
It almost seems as if Eisel is close to challenging Cooke for top sprinting prowess at FDJ.

I'll be rooting for Jan. If he can beat Ivan in the TT's and stay with him in the mountains (he'll need to be better than this year) I think he has a good shot. However, I think if anything holds him back, it will be his team. Tmobile just doesn't seem to do a good job supporting anyone really. But at least with Vino gone, there is one less 'captain' on the team to worry about.

Ullrich for Yellow... Basso, Vino, Zabriskie, Valverde and wildcard... Karpets..

If you are looking at Discovery, don't forget Salvodelli. I have a feeling that if they don't get Vino, then Disco will be riding for either Popo (if they think he is ready) or Salvodelli.

I like Geroge a lot, but Salvodelli is more of a GC contender in my opinion.


I think Ullrich has another good year in him. I think it's funny when people talk about him having a comeback though...As if he has ever been worse than 4th place.

Basso will definitely be there next year as will Vino (regardless of his team).

I wonder if Rasmussen will be one to watch...I mean if it weren't for the final TT, he was a top 4 finisher...

Basso, no question about it for me. Love his personality.

I said this in another post. I like someone who doesn't have to be a mouthpiece to show how good he is. Someone with quiet confidence who lets their ability speak for itself. That's Basso to a T, IMO. No chest pounding, just quite preparation and give your full effort on race day. Jerome Bettis, Heinz Ward in football, Jerome Iginla, Gretzky in hockey. I'd like to believe the nice guy can finish first.

When I was a kid an expression that stuck with me was 'If you have to tell someone how good you really are, then you really aren't that good'. i.e. let your actions do the talking. Thats what I like about Basso.
f

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Yaroslav Popovych yet - he's only 25, and has a lot of potential. I'd also like to see Ekimov healed up from his crash and riding in the tour again next year. Maybe he can win a stage before retiring...

Popo is mentioned above?? I think I will cheer for Ras. I mean I still cant believe what I saw him do in the ITT. Over the freakin handlebars, three bikes, what the heck. later.

Basso

I want Basso or Ullrich to take it.

I am intrigued by Ullrich. I think he'll make a comeback next year. Tom Danielson if he rides the tour next year I would like to see do well. Vino's wild ride this year made Landis and Liephiemer seem absolutely boring.

Totally Jan! In fact I was blown away by his Catholic(?) signing off the cross when he was in the
stage house (ITT) ...where did that come from? The guy is from the old USSR. (albeit Germany) Screw Vinokourov!!!!!! What kind of loser quits his team 5 days before the end! What a cry baby!
Hoping to see alot more of Alejandro Valverde! And Robbie don't head butt you competiton and end
up screwing only yourself!

In this order...
Hincapie
Ullrich
Z
Vino

Heart: Cadel and Vino
Brain: Basso

KoNG, the Voice of Reason.

I think we'll see Ulrich and Basso battle it out. I can't imagine the top 10 being much different than it was this year. So much of the race depends on how your team is structured and how well you do in the time trials. Riders that can climb and TT will do well, that's what i reckon the key to the TdF is.

Totally Jan! In fact I was blown away by his Catholic(?) signing off the cross when he was in the
stage house (ITT) ...where did that come from? The guy is from the old USSR. (albeit Germany) Screw Vinokourov!!!!!! What kind of loser quits his team 5 days before the end! What a cry baby!
Hoping to see alot more of Alejandro Valverde! And Robbie don't head butt you competiton and end
up screwing only yourself!

Ulle blesses himself everytime before an ITT. In '98 he only had time to do the vertical motion because he didn't have enough time. Look for it on the '98 DVD. :)

It was Basso last year, this year and next year. Fore and I are on the same page with our thoughts.

Besides Basso, I am curious to see how Valverde does and I really like what i saw from Mancebo this year, although I think he climbed to fourth in somewhat of a sleath mode. I think next year will be tougher for him. Let's see how he responds.

In closing, Basso will be a multiple winner before his career ends. Hopefully, he will have the opprotunity to win the Giro and Vuelta a couple times also. But I think he needs to focus next year on the Tour, to complete his assension up the standings in the tour.

I'll be rooting for Jan. If he can beat Ivan in the TT's and stay with him in the mountains (he'll need to be better than this year) I think he has a good shot. However, I think if anything holds him back, it will be his team. Tmobile just doesn't seem to do a good job supporting anyone really. But at least with Vino gone, there is one less 'captain' on the team to worry about.

I agree. If Jan had not crashed twice this year, he probably would have edged Basso in the GC for second place by benefit of his first time trial, which would have been more of a scorcher. With that in mind, if Ulle can perform well in the ITTs and the TTT next year AND stay close to Basso in the mountains, then Jan should win. It will be interesting to see how well Cunego and Valverde perform next year.

Rasmussen! Go Denmark!

Ullrich

Basso and the rest of CSC.

CSC
S
C

The addition of Cancellara makes that team a virtual lock in the TTT.

As much as I take sadistic pleasure in the annual Telekom soap opera, I'm really hoping they get it together next year and Jan wins one more before he hangs it up. Despite all the criticisms of his offseason training, for me he's always been the classiest rider in the peloton. With Vino and Zabel gone next year, they should be able to focus on supporting Ullrich completely (instead of just paying lip service to the idea in the press).

I think Popo is still a couple years away. But I think Valverde is ready to jump onto the podium next year, behind Ullrich and Basso.

mine is a house divided.

me:

GC: Basso (CSC, awesome, aggressive)
Points: McEwen (bad ass sprinter)
KoM: Rasmussen (How can you not cheer for a guy called The Chicken!?)

fiancee:
GC: Ullrich (i hear her yelling 'Der Kaiser!' 'Desiel power, baby!' and 'Beast of a man!' in my sleep)
Points: Petachi (she lovers her Fassa Bortolo cycling hat and is even more excited the Domina Vecanze hat hs palm trees)
KoM: Voeckler (wants him to win something after the 2004 gut showing he had)

Ullrich in '06 because it would be just plain great to see him up there on the podium again. I would like to see Hincapie up there too.

Vino and Basso...and maybe Popovych

Next year the tour for GC, points, and KOM has the chance to be wide open. Lots of contenders and teams competing. Maybe one of the best ever, or maybe a transitional year before a multi-year champion emerges again. Should be a great year to go to France or watch OLN (if they will brodcast the event)

I'll be rooting for Basso and any Discovery Team members.

I like Geroge a lot, but Salvodelli is more of a GC contender in my opinion.

Savoldelli is one of my favorite riders, but he does not seem to have the sheer climbing skill needed to win the TdF. Basso, Valverde, even Ullrich, and others, are better climbers. Note how il Falcone won the Giro this year on his descending skills, not his climbing prowess.

...another Jan fan here, but his clock is ticking and Basso's younger & seemingly hitting his career peak, so I expect the worst. If Ullrich *does* win next year, it'll be no less impressive to me than Bartali's 10-year stretch between TdF wins (1938, 1948), because I truly believe Ullrich was strong enough to have beaten Riis in '96, but had to play waterboy to the great Dane instead.

Hrmm...who else?

I really liked Savoldelli's poise in the Giro this year, and he's another seemingly humble winner.

I also like Zabriskie because of his sense of humor. Cycling needs more personalities like that.

I dig Vino too; he races like he's got a pair.

...and a final nod to young Karpets.

Christophe Mengin, Ivan Basso, Dave Zabriskie, Michael Rasmussen, and Robbie McEwen.


Christophe Mengin is an interesting choice. Care to explain? He rode his last tour this year though. His directeur sportive crying on national TV after his fall at the finish was a touching moment.

Basso will get his soon enough, so I would like to see Jan get another one. However, being American I would like to see Levi or someone do well to keep the interest up.

I'm rooting for Basso next year too. He reminds me of Fausto Coppi

i want to see Ullrich win, but i also want to see Levi, Floyd, Botero, and Valverde do well, and of course, our hometown boy Hincapie :) . I hope Rassmussen has a better finish than this year, i mean he worked so hard and then lost that top 5 spot. As far as KOM, i would kind of like to see Voeckler or Rassmussen get it. Green jersey: Petachi, booner, or Thor. Not a big McCewen fan.