"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Tdf 2003

Who do YOU think will be the main contenders for the overall, and points?

Yes I know its early. Very early.

Make your predictions/guesses.

For the yellow jersey: I'd say Lance again. I think Ullrich will be closer than ever before if he gets his act together. But, Lance will still ride away with it.

For the polkadot jersey: I don't know. Maybe one of the other big climbers. Maybe Botero?

For the green jersey: McEwen? If Cipo is picked to ride, it would be a great thing for him to go for. I think Zabel is out of gas for it this year.

For the white jersey: Who know?!? Does anybody ever predict this one correctly?

I pretty much agree with Velo,
I think the real race once again will be the green.
Lets see a duel between McEwan, O'Grady, Cipo, and Zabel.
now that would be classic (although I agree that Zabel is
about done).
White? would Cadel Evans qualify? is he too old?
He could make a run for the Polka Dot.
I say watch for Tyler too as a serious Yellow Contender

Marty

How about Aitor or Beloki for the yellow? Is Beloki expected to show good form?

Ohh BTW...

I don't think Cipo would win the points. He ain't gonna wanna ride up all those mountains. Too much work.

:D

well I'm guessing Beloki will try again,
the Once team seems to have survived fairly
intact this year, could be a major factor.
Kelme? not a threat this year, too many riders
bailed during the off season.
I sure hope Aitor just sort of blows up. I don't like him,
I don't like his tactics, nor his loyalty to teammates.
Granted he is a brialliant rider, but I just don't like him.
Cassagrande? I don't think he has the stomach for it.
Marty

Originally posted by lotek
I sure hope Aitor just sort of blows up. I don't like him,
I don't like his tactics, nor his loyalty to teammates.
Granted he is a brialliant rider, but I just don't like him.

Yup - I hear you loud and clear. What he did to Oscar Sevilla shows his lack of class and lack of respect for his team and fellow riders. It will, however, be interesting to see what kind of form he has @ this year's TdF. Is he a legitimate contender or just a pretender? I guess we shall see! :D

Originally posted by lotek
I sure hope Aitor just sort of blows up.


:lol:

I feel the same.

Of all the non-Lances, Gonzalez looks to be the strongest, based on his performance in the Vuelta. And that, coupled with his arrogant attitude, makes me think it unlikely that he'd burn it up in the Giro, or save it for the Vuelta. 32 mph average for 30 miles, y'all. It ain't a popularity contest. Can he win? I dunno. Can he make it interesting? I hope so.

Meantime, here's something to make you drool (lust or exertion... your choice.)
http://grenoblecycling.free.fr/ (http://grenoblecycling.free.fr/index.htm)

It will probably be LA, but since I'm not american I don't have to root for him LOL. I would like to see Ullrich give him a run for his money. And even LA will admit nothing is a given, but he has the best chance if ullrich isn't back in form. I also like Simoni but he'll have done the Giro so he'll probably aim for KOM.

KOM could also be Garzelli or Botero, Casagrande,possibly Evans. There are others like Steve Zampieri of Phonak, if they're selected, and French champ Nicolas Vogondy, who is a great climber. Evans may be too old for the white jersey, so that could be anyone.

Green could be McEwen and of course Zabel, but Cipo is probably going to do the tour and if he isn't fried from the giro and finishes the tour, he could get the green.

Originally posted by wabbit
I would like to see Ullrich give him a run for his money. And even LA will admit nothing is a given, but he has the best chance if ullrich isn't back in form...

Green could be McEwen and of course Zabel, but Cipo is probably going to do the tour and if he isn't fried from the giro and finishes the tour, he could get the green.

Ullrich was in fine form in '01 and Lance rode away from him with apparent ease. Ullrich is Armstrong's only serious competition, and unless there has been a miraculous transformation in Jan, Lance will wear yellow in Paris for a fifth consecutive Tour.

I favor McEwen for the green. As for Cipo, he's a great flatland sprinter, no doubt of it. But there are two serious questions: will the Societe let him compete this year? Will he even reach Paris? For that matter has he ever completed a Tour?

I would say that the Green will come down to a Cipo-Zabel battle. McEwen's arrogance and trash-talking mouth is going to get him ridden off the road. Okay, so the latter might not actually happen, in which case, he'll remain a strong contender.

But, I have in front of me a picture of the the World Championship podium. It shows Cipo in the middle with McEwen and Zabel flanking him on left and right. Zabel and Cipo have their arms around each other. McEwen looks rather forelorn for someone who just won a silver medal.

In any case, I'll be rooting for Herr Zabel, not just because I live in Zabelland, but because he is the most gracious guy on two wheels at the moment.

Cheers,
Jamie

Originally posted by jmlee
I would say that the Green will come down to a Cipo-Zabel battle.
:confused:
I would assume that, when a rider abandons, they loose eligibility for any jersey. Cipo will not be a factor for the green.


[i]In any case, I'll be rooting for Herr Zabel [...] because he is the most gracious guy on two wheels at the moment.[/B]
Hear, Hear!!!

I doubt it would happen, but it would be very interesting to watch Zabel against Cipo. :(

I agree about Zabel. I was very disapointed to see him not get a stage in the Vuelta.

Yes, I'm a big Zabel fan too and hope he gets the green. I am not a big fan of Robbie McEwen- the guy has no class at all. ANd I don't think Zabel is at the end of his career- Cipo is older and look at him! However if Cipo does the Giro and then the tour, I wonder if he'll finish the tour. He won't leave the giro barring injury until he breaks Binda's record, which means he may bail out of the tour if he's fried. But who knows, he's Cipo! There are also some other hot sprinters like O'Grady (who didn't have a great tour last year). Also, Gerolsteiner has some very good sprinters like Olaf Pollack, but I don't think he's ever done the TDF. But he's very fast and could get a stage win.

Originally posted by velo
For the yellow jersey: I'd say Lance again. I think Ullrich will be closer than ever before if he gets his act together. But, Lance will still ride away with it.

For the polkadot jersey: I don't know. Maybe one of the other big climbers. Maybe Botero?

For the green jersey: McEwen? If Cipo is picked to ride, it would be a great thing for him to go for. I think Zabel is out of gas for it this year.

For the white jersey: Who know?!? Does anybody ever predict this one correctly?

Velo, if Cipploini had a rabid dog running behind him the whole way, he STILL could not finish the TdF. I am kind of wondering, given the heavy climbing the Giro has introduced this year if he can finish that.

Green will go to Robbie, Lance in yellow and the battle might really be the climbers jersey. But it won't be a GC contender, like Beloki for example.:beer:

Originally posted by wabbit
However if Cipo does the Giro and then the tour, I wonder if he'll finish the tour.

I don't think Cipo ever finished a Tour - but he's always good for a few stages before the mountains. Since Ulrich signed with Coast we'll have to see if Coast even makes the cut for the Tour - I don't think that's been determined yet. I also think if JU is in the Tour he'll be more of a contender. That is - if he doesn't screw up and runs over bikes with his Porsche again :D Lance, I think really want's to go for six - so his spirit of determination will be tough to crack. Mountains seems wide open... And I would like to see Zabel in Green - he is a true professional with a lot of class and a heart of gold.

~Michael~

Team Coast is going to be in the tour this year, they're on the list, so yep, Ullrich should be there. As for McEwen who knows, with his knee giving HIM trouble maybe Zabel will beat him and win the green again!

Originally posted by wabbit
Team Coast is going to be in the tour this year, they're on the list, so yep, Ullrich should be there. As for McEwen who knows, with his knee giving HIM trouble maybe Zabel will beat him and win the green again!

Yep - forgot to look - right here it is:

http://www.letour.fr/2003/presentationfr/actualites.html

Plus some additional teams - announced today:

"The organizers of the Turn of France announced, Wednesday January 29, 2003, the name of the four new teams selected for the Turn of France 2003: - Quick Step-Davitamon (Beautiful) - Agricultural credit (FRA) - FDJ.com (FRA) - Saeco Macchine per Caffè-Longoni Sport (Ita) "

~Michael~

Nobody mentions gilberto, I think he will win the giro and maybe second in the tdf after last year debacle. I hope cipo gets invited and rides the whole race to win the green. Polkas will go to someone not gunning for yellow. Aito gets a lotta crap for the vuelta but the kid (oscar) flat out could not keep up and then Aito gets blamed for dropping him. Had Aitor waited like a good teamate another rider and team (Roberto USPS) would have won the race.

Originally posted by dws5b
Nobody mentions gilberto
His focus will be the Giro, no? Or at least up until the point that the Italian police turn it into a circus (should we start a pool? The night before which stage, and what time?). But he's talking smack about Armstrong and the TdF.


Simoni, from CyclingNews
"The Passo Pordoi means a lot to me, it's not just another mountain or another climb to go over during a race," said Simoni. "It's the source of inspiration that will help me try and win another Giro d'Italia. What happened last year is one of my biggest defeats but I know it's all behind me. For me the Pordoi means energy. It fills me with energy and gives me the conviction to promise everybody who came here that I'm ready to face the new season. I've got an important objective: race as much as possible, starting from the Tour of Qatar, then the Trofeo Laigueglia and Paris-Nice especially the stage to Mont Faron."

"I've changed my training this year," Simoni added. "I've got an extra 2000 kilometres of training in my legs compared to last year and I'm already in pretty good shape. I'm already looking ahead to the Giro d'Italia. Like Lance Armstrong does for the Tour de France, I've already checked out most of the important climbs of the Giro route and I already know when to attack. I'm not looking for an immediate revenge to forget about last year, I'm willing to wait for the Giro. Of course any results before then would be good for my morale."

Simoni is also looking forward to the Tour de France, as Saeco has received a wild card invitation to race in it. "When I think about the Tour, I don't just hope to do well. I want to make Lance Armstrong suffer. I should have done it last year, so will definitely try this year."

Originally posted by dasher

Can't understand why the French anti-doping group is suspending Galdeano, and so long after the TdF last year.

And Pantani.... ?


Hate to be harsh but Galdeano is out because he was cheating and got caught. Far more medication in his system than for any medical purpose. He had the chance to produce his papers indicating that he had medical clearance and he failed to. Several times. The wheels of justice just turn slowly sometimes.

Pantani won't be in the Tour without making a team change. His team is now Division II and the Tour only invites Div. I teams. Besides, I think that we may find that he is far more talk than substance here in the waning minutes of his career.

I'm not sure who'll win but hope it's someone who rides the other classics rather than just concentrate on the tour.

I admire Lance, but I'd admire him more if he didn't specialise so much and it would justify him being compared to Mercx and Anquetil etc.

What about Hamilton for the yellow? After his performance in the Giro last year and his outstanding start this year, I would say he has about the strongest team, or at least the best team tactics, this year. He should be considered a strong threat.

Based on the L-B-L win, it appears that Postal is not on good form. However, with Lance being Lance (regardless of Daddy Merckx stupid rant) I don't see anyone beating him this year. IMHO, all the rest of the jersey's are just fluff. There is only one winner.

Forgot to mention that Coast is suspended. Again. If Ullrich is to ride in the TdF he may have to switch teams.

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/3876.0.html

My vote is for Hamilton...would like to see him make some waves and would also possibly be a further boost to US cycling. I believe that some champions make it because of inner turmoil...something to prove (Lance). Then sometimes you get someone who seems to just love competition...has a mellower approach, many times considered an underdog. I love when that inner strength pops through and takes people by surprise...I hope that Hamiltons ride while injured last year was a picture of things to come. I still admire Lance and wish him well...but with all candor he is no Eddy Mercyx who was quite possibly the greatest athlete ever.

It is all about who and what teams will time their peak for the Tour.

I hope Lance wins, I'd like to see another green for Zabel, Heras would look good in polka dots but I am sure his role will be to just get Lance out front.

I'd love to see Tyler in yellow also but I think he will peak before the tour and be on a downstroke or plateu.

My picks are:
yellow: Armstrong (or any surprises ?)
green: McEwen or one of these young Italians (but not Zabel, it looks like he lost his acceleration-booster)
red dots: ??? (no guess, a lot of guys can win this jersey)
white: no idea

Ullrich will finish in the top ten.

Cheers,
Marcus

I vote for an all USA podium for the GC.

1st - Lance Armstrong (USPS)
2nd - Tyler Hamilton (CSC)
3rd - Levi Leipheimer (Rab)

While a long-shot, this has a finite possibility of happening. The weakest link is Leipheimer's team. If Rabo is on good form then he could move up to the podium.

I will be cheering for Lance, though. But, seems there are more strong riders on good form early in the season this year than the last few. Especially Tyler and Simoni. Won't be long now.

LA for the yellow, but I'd keep a eye on Tyler... he has been really strong lately...

I've never followed cycling before (new bike owner), and hate the swaggering arrogant attitude exibited by some texans in the press (e.g. the president), but after reading Lance Armstrong's biography, I can't follow anyone else but "da man".

Respect to him.

Armstrong probably will win again, and if Ullrich is in the tour, he'll finish high up if he keeps his form. Hamilton is really strong, hopefully he won't fry before then. He could get KOM, but that could also go to Simoni. Keep an eye on some other hot climbers like Botcharov, who finished 2nd on the Ventoux last year.