Road Bike Racing - Valverde v Evans

I am working on an upcoming post regarding top 20 selections for the 2006 TDF. Although I had been touting Cadel last year I still couldn' t bring myself to suggest him over Valverde for this year. My question is...since he wupped Valverde in the TT @ Romandie should I change that position. I see the top 5 as being Ullrich, Basso, Landis, Vino, ( order tbd) and now either Valverde or Evans. What are your thoughts?

Valverde is a better climber and sprinter. Cadel is better a the TT. This years TdF is, on paper, better suited to a time trialist than a climber. This is a tough one but I think Lotto has a better team for the this course so I'd pick Evans.

Cadel Evans is one of THE best cyclists in the world.












at least in the mind of Cadel Evans. :rolleyes:


can't stand the guy if truth be told. he's got this wierd mix of whiney arrogance. i think the best he could hope to finish is 4th or 5th, if the others you listed manage not to a. have bad days b. crash/get sick. Have you forgotten the baby-man Levi L, or do you not rate him?




I am working on an upcoming post regarding top 20 selections for the 2006 TDF. Although I had been touting Cadel last year I still couldn' t bring myself to suggest him over Valverde for this year. My question is...since he wupped Valverde in the TT @ Romandie should I change that position. I see the top 5 as being Ullrich, Basso, Landis, Vino, ( order tbd) and now either Valverde or Evans. What are your thoughts?

I am working on an upcoming post regarding top 20 selections for the 2006 TDF. Although I had been touting Cadel last year I still couldn' t bring myself to suggest him over Valverde for this year. My question is...since he wupped Valverde in the TT @ Romandie should I change that position. I see the top 5 as being Ullrich, Basso, Landis, Vino, ( order tbd) and now either Valverde or Evans. What are your thoughts?

Evans name was not on the tip of many tongues when talking podium at the TdF, but he was top ten on GC last year.

With Evans there is a question of who is D-Lotto working for and what are their goals? Is their goal to chase down breaks in the early stages to give Robbie McEwen a shot at the Green Jersey? Or will their goal be to build a team that can help Evans through the mountains? I guess they could target both, but would hate to see Cadel lose steam because his team were focused on another goal.

Another name for your top five consideration.... Paolo Salvodelli..... if Disco works for Il Falco, then he is a threat. But Disco may have something else brewing by the time July rolls around.

Have you forgotten the baby-man Levi L, or do you not rate him?

Apparently you and I are the only two BF members who rate Levi at all. I think he's in with a shout for a top 5 or higher position this July.

Apparently you and I are the only two BF members who rate Levi at all. I think he's in with a shout for a top 5 or higher position this July.

Well, he is a pretty boring grand tour GC rider, only following moves, but not really making any.

As he says himself 'i'm a diesel, i don't have the snap to jump like the others'. I think he'll have a shot (let's not forget that he was 6th last year). He'll just do it by following, and putting in respectable top 10 TTs.

Salvodelli? What about Popovych? Won't he be the leader for Disco this year? Or is it going to be George?

Let's just say there are way more than 5 who will obviously be in the top 5. Uh oh...

I was one of the few to list Cadel last year and it paid off, also one of those who left out Rasmussen. I did and still do consider Levi...I just put Cadel and Valverde slightly ahead although I may live to regret it. It gets very hard to place these second tier TDF riders...Salvodelli is a great example....I consider it a toss up between him, George, Danielson, and Popo for the TDF but I actually placed him lower as I feel the team may ask him to sacrafice for others as they do in the Giro for him.
I am also looking for a little more riding from "the Jan "to decide on my placing of him...if he is on form by then I would "probably" say 1-5 = Jan,Landis,Vino,Basso,Evans...lowering Basso due to delayed fatigued setting in because of his winning the Giro. However I have not chosen yet, and the next ...6-15 get even more interesting

Is Basso truly trying to pull off a double win? I know that he has had plans to ride both from the beginning, but is he going to put 100% into both? Voight says he can do it, and Basso is talented, but I doubt he will try to win both the Giro and the TDF. I think he will be there in the Giro, have some great TTs and just be razor sharp for the TDF. Basso will rise to the top of the podium this year, but only in the TDF.