Professional Cycling - So Levi's the guy now...can Disco deliver?

With Basso now stepping aside and evrybody saying how great Levi looked while climbing at TdGeorgia, Is Levi now Disco's guy at TdF and can they as a team rally around him enough to deliver him to the podium?

i think levi is capable. i think his team is not.... i would have loved to see levi work for basso at teh tour this year. i had been looking forward to it since basso signed with disco. could have been great. but i had it in the back of my head ivan wouldnt be making it to france this year.... im pissed

We will see when Levi tries to red line it with Vino, Sastre, Kloden, Valverde. Rasmussen, and possibly some riders from his own team like Contador. Georgia hills are vastly different from French high mountains. And I think his team will be plenty strong.

I suspect Vino will be the main animator this year, so everyone will be playing off him. I also suspect this is Vino's year to finally get it.

I'm just not seeing it. Levi's a good rider, he's dedicated, he's working his ass off, having a good season, did very well in last year's tour despite some issues. And unless something comes up, he will have Disco behind him.

But has he ever won a single stage at the Tour de France?

I hate to say it, but it seems to me that Levi 2007 = Hincapie 2006.

Of course, I wouldn't mind being proven wrong. ;)

This may be his best/last shot at ending up on the podium. It seems to be a relatively wide-open Tour again this year, though I would think Valverde would probably be the leading contender. With a stronger field, I don't think Levi's much more than a top 10 rider (not that there's anything wrong with that!). I think he's better suited to shorter tours, like Georgia, Romandie and Germany.

I don't think a top 5 is out of the question, but I don't think he'll win it.

I don't thnk a top 5 is out of the question, but I don't think he'll win it.


Agreed. What's the guy best finish in the TdF? 11th? Can't remember, but I recall the noise that phil and paul were making about him a couple of years ago.....Deafening.

This may be his best/last shot at ending up on the podium. It seems to be a relatively wide-open Tour again this year, though I would think Valverde would probably be the leading contender. With a stronger field, I don't think Levi's much more than a top 10 rider (not that there's anything wrong with that!). I think he's better suited to shorter tours, like Georgia, Romandie and Germany.


This is probably true, but if he has a good race he will probably finish in the top five. So the way I see it he has a shot if he has a good race and some luck.

Actually, he is just the type of rider to do well if there are not any superstars that blow everyone away. Because all he has to do is turn in consistently good race times and then let it go on the mountain stages where he can gain a lot of ground. Though boring, he does not have to win any stages to win the GC.

Levi finished 9th in 2004, 6th in 2005.

17th in 2007, doing well in a 1 week tour is not the same as doing well in the TdF. We've all seen him prepare well in previous years and still end up short. I even will go so far as to say a frenchman will finish higher than Levi.

17th in 2007, doing well in a 1 week tour is not the same as doing well in the TdF. We've all seen him prepare well in previous years and still end up short. I even will go so far as to say a frenchman will finish higher than Levi.

I think if Disco goes in with a Levi is the man attitude he will do better than he has ever done before. I don't think he'll win, but I wouldn't be shocked with top 5 or even a podium....unless his drug routine is discovered and he is banned. ;)

I'm thinking Vino this year...if they let the rest of his team ride.

I think if Disco goes in with a Levi is the man attitude he will do better than he has ever done before. I don't think he'll win, but I wouldn't be shocked with top 5 or even a podium....unless his drug routine is discovered and he is banned. ;)

I'm thinking Vino this year...if they let the rest of his team ride.
If Astana gets to ride I wouldn't be suprised if they had 3 guys in the top 10 overall.

Last year Levi went into the race pretty much the man for Gerolsteiner, and he came apart when it counted. But he didn't have as strong a team as he will with Discovery which should help. In the TDF, he has a 5th overall, an 8th, a 9th, a 13th, and a 17th. That's a pretty enviable record even among Grand Tour contenders.

Hey may have better "support" this year (in all senses of that word) but I don't believe he can take on the three or four guys that are the true race animators in the mountains (Vino, Kloden, Valverde, possibly Pereiro and Sastre as well). I think he will finish between 5th and 10th.

Last year Levi has major GI issues for the first half of the race. His form was there, otherwise, but if you can't get your caloric intake down, that's the end.

So if he stays healthy, he can win it - I have no doubt.

Last year Levi has major GI issues for the first half of the race. His form was there, otherwise, but if you can't get your caloric intake down, that's the end.

So if he stays healthy, he can win it - I have no doubt.
I have a tremendous amount of doubt. He won't be within 8 mins of the winner.

I don't expect Levi to win. He did finish 5 or 6th in 2005 behind riders like Lance, Basso, Jan who are not riding this year. He could reach the podium, but I would bet on the not. I think Levi had some sort of problem last year. He rode pretty well, but had a couple of really bad days. Maybe he was sick. At least he has shown he can finish the ride.

Again with Valverde. Everyone say Levi can't win, at least he has finished the tour. I agree Valverde is a talent, but let's see him finish the tour before he is proclaimed the next king of cycling.

It will be a wide open tour. It should be as exciting as last year's tour. I can't wait.

Richard

This all depends on how much of a secret Bruyneel can keep the private consultations with Dr. Ferrari or another dope doctor. The paper trail is what chases the riders, not the other riders. So long as they keep it to 2nd and 3rd hand passing of info and drugs, then they'll win it.