General Cycling Discussion - Who will you root for in next year's TDF?

With Lance retiring this year, who are you going to root for in next year's tour?

Ullrich for me. I'd like to see him win another one now that he's out of Lance's shadow.

popo or basso

Rasmussen. Who knows...?

But I won't have a TV then.

Vinokourov - that guy plain showed spunk!

I'm betting on whoever Discovery's designated race winner is next year. It looks to me like Johan has a training template for winning the tour that's working.

Jan, he just deserves another win for all his hard work, I feel his pain

George Hincapie if he's in the tour or Bobby Julich. Watching the latter was just amazing. Pay special attention to how CLEAN he came off the start of the ITT on the 2nd last stage of this, the 2005 tour. Poetic.

Hincapie because he's been such a *huge* team player, "taking one of the team" a zillion times.

Getting a stage win this tour was well earned but seeing him take a podeum spot would be meaningful to me. GO GEORGE! YEAH! (personal note: I've done a lot of "taking one for the team" in the last few years ;)

Chris

Hincapie!

Jan- he really worked to pull himself up the ranks this year and showed some fight in the last week and a half.

Koffee

Hincapie or Popovych, Big George deserves a win

Jan- he really worked to pull himself up the ranks this year and showed some fight in the last week and a half.

Koffee
Ditto.....the way he came back was amazing....and nobody makes "those faces" as good as Ullrich...not even Lance.

I would like to see Jan win one again. He had one heck of a comeback after breaking a window out of a support vehicle. Hincapie and Vini both look promising.

Be interesting to see how the teams shake out. Mucho behind-the-scenes manuevering!

I'd like to see Ullrich take another before he retires; if he can stay in shape he may well.

Vinokurov will be a sought-after rider for sure, the man won't quit.

Vinokourov - that guy plain showed spunk!

I'm with you, Red. The guy has that never-say-die tenacity.

It depends who shows up. But any American will have my support. And all the Aussies. They're such crazy Bustards.

pereiro.. watching climbers is fun
vinokourov 2nd

Lance! Lance! Lance! Lance! Lance! Lance! Lance! Oh wait he retired. :rolleyes:

Give me a chance to come down off the Lance high, It could be a week or two. :D

Johnny step away from the tv.


For real vinokourov!

David Z!!!!!

Ok, I suppose that's a long shot but I like the guy.

Dave Z is the man, but since he wasn't on the poll, I voted for Jan. It would be nice to see him get a second win. The others (Dave Z, Basso) have a lot of time.

Ulle! If he wins next year, some people will say, "Yeah but he couldn't beat Lance." Okay, Jan and the rest of the peloton couldn't beat Lance for 7 years. It's not all Ullrich's fault; besides, he's coming into form again after finishing fourth in 2004 and 3rd in 2005. He'd like nothing more than to reaffirm his legacy as a great cyclist with a second Tour win in 2006.

I can't pick just one!

Whoever's attacking. So I'd imagine Vino and Periero will be included, but Flecha, Comesso, 'the usual suspects.' I'd like to see Pil back in next year, too. Hopefully the Euskady guys can get it together and get a good ride in, too, even if they do want to concentrate on the Vuelta.

What about that guy that won that stage when everyone crashed at the corner with a couple of kms to go, I think it was raining or the road was wet..... what's his name?

I remember at the time the callers said something like "EVERYONE HAS GONE DOWN!!! and it looks like the stage will be taken by this rider whose name we don't know, but he is going to win himself a stage in the Tour De France!" I laughed and cheered so hard, I love it when luck hands it to an outsider on a silver platter, they really savor the win, it's like winning the lottery. I hope he's in the tour next year.