"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - World Masters Games 2010 - commentary, spoilers, opinions etc

here it is.

I will start by saying that my first prediction was that AC would not win. I am thinking that is unlikely, as he seems to have no credible rival, although A Schleck might be faster uphill this year.

I must say that I am looking forward to this Tour only because I am hoping for surprises and lead changes a'la Giro 2010.

I also wonder if the NL stage(s) are going to be as crashy as the Giro stages? I hope not. I am not a crash-watcher.

217.

i'm more excited than i have been since flandis ruined my enthusiasm for the tour in 06. theres so many good stories to follow and such a great course.

i think the cobbles could be a big deal, and i'm looking forward to watching the green jersey fight too.

saxo is such a killer team, on paper, i think they'll have a good tour.

217.

ok now that we have that out of the way...

Holland will be crashy. The cobbles will take out a climber or two. But I think AC will survive, he has some good meat on Astana to protect him.

It seems both of the Schlecks have been working on their TT's, but nobody's going to beat AC in the long one.

Still looks like AC all the way to me, barring unfortunate incidents of course.

I'd like to take Cadel, but i don't think he has the team around him. Contador is the clear favorite, but it's a long race and shlit happens. Anybody thinks there's a chance Liquigas works for Nibali?

I'd like to take Cadel, but i don't think he has the team around him. Contador is the clear favorite, but it's a long race and shlit happens. Anybody thinks there's a chance Liquigas works for Nibali?

Nibali isn't riding the Tour this year, so, probably not.

Overall, all things being equal (meaning nobody crashes or gets sick) the top 10 should look like this:

AC
Frank Schleck
Evans
Basso
Kreuziger
Andy Schleck
Vandevelde
Rogers
Wiggins
Armstrong

I'll be honest I'm not real confident on Armstrong making the top ten.

Overall, all things being equal (meaning nobody crashes or gets sick) the top 10 should look like this:

AC
Frank Schleck
Evans
Basso
Kreuziger
Andy Schleck
Vandevelde
Rogers
Wiggins
Armstrong

I'll be honest I'm not real confident on Armstrong making the top ten.

no ****ing way. he will waste too much energy literally ***** slapping the peloton/media. ****ing evans.

Nibali isn't riding the Tour this year, so, probably not.

Oops. :rolleyes:

Barring the unforeseen on the cobbles (crash or split in the field), I can't see ayone being even close to Contador. For a prediction that's a bit out on a limb, I say that Armstrong will withdraw in the Pyrenees.

Okay lets have some fun. The 33 fantasy TdF. Pick your top ten riders in order of finishing position.
1st=10 points
2nd=9 points
10th=1 point

If you pick AC to win and he finishes third you still get 8points but if you pick AC to win and he does then you get an additional 5 points. This is true for every rider that places where you picked him to place, so if you pick Evans to be 5th and he finishes 5th you get 6 points + 5 points. Got it?

No country for old men. (read: Lance will fail)

Overall, all things being equal (meaning nobody crashes or gets sick) the top 10 should look like this:

AC
Frank Schleck
Evans
Basso
Kreuziger
Andy Schleck
Vandevelde
Rogers
Wiggins
Armstrong

I'll be honest I'm not real confident on Armstrong making the top ten.

that's quite a bit to ask for those two, especially the older schleck


no ****ing way. he will waste too much energy literally ***** slapping the peloton/media. ****ing evans.

would you stop drinking the hatorade?


Okay lets have some fun. The 33 fantasy TdF. Pick your top ten riders in order of finishing position.
1st=10 points
2nd=9 points
10th=1 point

If you pick AC to win and he finishes third you still get 8points but if you pick AC to win and he does then you get an additional 5 points. This is true for every rider that places where you picked him to place, so if you pick Evans to be 5th and he finishes 5th you get 6 points + 5 points. Got it?

damn, this is gonna get me addicted to fantasy sports in addition to my addiction of BF.

Okay lets have some fun. The 33 fantasy TdF. Pick your top ten riders in order of finishing position.
1st=10 points
2nd=9 points
10th=1 point

If you pick AC to win and he finishes third you still get 8points but if you pick AC to win and he does then you get an additional 5 points. This is true for every rider that places where you picked him to place, so if you pick Evans to be 5th and he finishes 5th you get 6 points + 5 points. Got it?

Are we just posting them in this thread?

no ****ing way. he will waste too much energy literally ***** slapping the peloton/media. ****ing evans.

hahahahahahahahaha. That gave me a good chuckle.

Are we just posting them in this thread?

Thats what I was thinking but should we start another thread? I'm okay with just posting here..it's not like you win anything but bragging rights..of course around here that's currency!

I'll be honest I'm not real confident on Armstrong making the top ten.

Lance should be stronger than last year, and we know he has the preparation plan down 100%... and a very good team. Seems silly to discount him. Contador is faster though, and should win baring disaster.

My top 10:

Contador
Armstrong
Menchov
Basso
Evans
A Schleck
Kreuziger
Leipheimer
Vandevelde
F Schleck

Edit: I forgot the Schlecks!

My top ten:

Contador
ASchleck
Kreuziger
Evans
Basso
Armstrong
VdV
F Schleck
Leipheimer
Soler

here it is.

I will start by saying that my first prediction was that AC would not win. I am thinking that is unlikely, as he seems to have no credible rival, although A Schleck might be faster uphill this year.

I must say that I am looking forward to this Tour only because I am hoping for surprises and lead changes a'la Giro 2010.

I also wonder if the NL stage(s) are going to be as crashy as the Giro stages? I hope not. I am not a crash-watcher.

Contador will crash out on the cobbles.

Pcad has seen it.

(read: Lance will fail)

Define 'fail'.

I figure if he keeps his bike upright for one or two stages, he succeeds. If he finishes the Tour bonus. If he podiums, amazing + bonus.

I'll take

1 Contador
2 A. Schleck
3 Basso
4 Evans
5 Lance
6 Vande Velde
7 Wiggins
8 Michael Rogers
9 Cunego
10 Joaquin Rodriguez

1 contador
2 a schleck
3 louis leon sanchez
4 menchov
5 basso
6 nocentini
7 samu sanchez
8 evans
9 leipheimer
10 armstrong

Because I've seen a bunch of names who aren't actually racing, take a gander:
Start List (http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/06/news/provisional-start-list-2010-tour-de-france_123741)

1. Contador
2. Armstrong
3. A Schleck
4. Basso
5. Menchov
6. Wiggins
7. Van de Velde
8. Leipheimer
9. F Schleck
10. Sastre

Lance should be stronger than last year, and we know he has the preparation plan down 100%... and a very good team. Seems silly to discount him. Contador is faster though, and should win baring disaster.



He hasn't won or had a podium in a TT all year...he won't beat any of the contenders who can climb and he can't beat the contenders that can TT and he can't beat the contenders that can TT and climb...not silly at all really.

and now for a dissenting opinion:

Alberto Contador- This is how he gets beaten
http://www.versus.com/blogs/the-experts-opinion/alberto-contador--this-is-how-he-gets-beaten/in-stream/blog/the-experts-opinion/sort/most-recent/i/3/

age notwithstanding, I don't think LA trains like he used to.

1. Contador
2. Evans
3. A. Schleck
4. Basso
5. Rogers
6. Wiggins
7. Van de Velde
8. Menchov
9. Nocentini
10. Leipheimer

and now for a dissenting opinion:

Alberto Contador- This is how he gets beaten
http://www.versus.com/blogs/the-experts-opinion/alberto-contador--this-is-how-he-gets-beaten/in-stream/blog/the-experts-opinion/sort/most-recent/i/3/

Average age of the 'big guns' (Lance/Kloden/Leiphimer/Horner) from Radio shack is 37.5 years...not exactly young and that will show in this last week scenario.

Again in the last two years show me one TT that had some fire power in it that Lance was a top 5? Even in the TdS he was 11th.

contador

andy

basso

wiggo

armstrong

frank

klodie

kreuziger

rogers

Van Den Broeck

and now for a dissenting opinion:

Alberto Contador- This is how he gets beaten
http://www.versus.com/blogs/the-experts-opinion/alberto-contador--this-is-how-he-gets-beaten/in-stream/blog/the-experts-opinion/sort/most-recent/i/3/

no, THIS is how he gets beaten:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WfD7lYkKqA
(TV2 is great fun to watch, if you ever get the chance watch their news/sportscasts)

Average age of the 'big guns' (Lance/Kloden/Leiphimer/Horner) from Radio shack is 37.5 years...not exactly young and that will show in this last week scenario.

Again in the last two years show me one TT that had some fire power in it that Lance was a top 5? Even in the TdS he was 11th.

Much as I'd like to see him have one last great run, he didn't even finish in the top two on his own team, in the TdS, finishing behind Levi and Kloden.

Much as I'd like to see him have one last great run, he didn't even finish in the top two on his own team, in the TdS, finishing behind Levi and Kloden.

It's an issue that can't be ignored. Look I think what LA has achieved in his comeback is freak'n amazing but he's not the LA of 2001 anymore and that's okay...I just don't understand why people can't accept that.

no, THIS is how he gets beaten:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WfD7lYkKqA
(TV2 is great fun to watch, if you ever get the chance watch their news/sportscasts)

That was hilarious. Literally :lol:

So I guess Radio Shack has ordered the Bear suits...Lance is Papa Bear Klodie is Momma Bear and Levi is Baby bear...

i'll go with the dark horses. If i win this thing, do i get to tack on 15W to my FTP ewang?

1. Evans (b/c i like him; realistically, i say 4th)
2. Basso
3. AC
4. Samuel Sanchez
5. A. Schleck
6. Kreuziger
7. Menchov
8. Lance
9. Vino
10. Rogers

It's an issue that can't be ignored. Look I think what LA has achieved in his comeback is freak'n amazing but he's not the LA of 2001 anymore and that's okay...I just don't understand why people can't accept that.

Eh, it's something to get excited about, especially if you're 40 or older, and want to see that someone your age can still show the kids how it's done. Personally, I'll be happy if he can beat Wiggins.

And I'll admit, I can be a bit of a homer with stuff like this - I want to see an American in contention, and Van Garderen and Phinney are still years away, if they even are the guys that can be in contention someday. So for now, Lance is all I got, unless VdV can pull off a miracle.

I think every Lance fan is looking at the cobbles, wondering if that can be a great, momentary equalizer...although I'm sure that Contador will have learned after getting caught out last year, in the crosswinds.

I'm just hoping that Lance stays in the race so that the Versus coverage doesn't get preempted by professional bull riding.

That was hilarious. Literally :lol:

+1 love it.

That was hilarious. Literally :lol:


+1 love it.

you know JB has a couple of these on order... (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/5715.shtml)
http://www.toymania.com/news/images/1004_lancebear.jpg

you know, "...then we just smoking, *exhale* go easy all the way to paris!" ;)

How about for the Sprinters - Who will take stage victories?

Cavendish (durr..) - good bet for a stage win or two
Thor - decent money
Mcewen - long shot
Oscar Freire
Tyler - purely jingoistic for me to root for him
Petacchi -
Ciolek -

and now for a dissenting opinion:

Alberto Contador- This is how he gets beaten
http://www.versus.com/blogs/the-experts-opinion/alberto-contador--this-is-how-he-gets-beaten/in-stream/blog/the-experts-opinion/sort/most-recent/i/3/

"Contador, while having an impressive Grand Tour record, doesn't have the years of trench warfare experience."

This is like saying "Royce Gracie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Gracie), despite having an impressive MMA record, has never had to box against a female".

Drivel of the highest order.

"Contador, while having an impressive Grand Tour record, doesn't have the years of trench warfare experience."

This is like saying "Royce Gracie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Gracie), despite having an impressive MMA record, has never had to box against a female".

Drivel of the highest order.

This also assumes that LA won't already be minutes down to AC after the other mountain stages and if Shack can isolate AC that any of them could drop him.

How about for the Sprinters - Who will take stage victories?

Cavendish (durr..) - good bet for a stage win or two
Thor - decent money
Mcewen - long shot
Oscar Freire
Tyler - purely jingoistic for me to root for him
Petacchi -
Ciolek -

maybe not...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVkpKjacIZs&feature=player_embedded#!

It's probably on a downhill.

;)

SERIOUSLY...48mph?

My official entry, for S's and G's, based on little more than anything can happen.

1. Evans
2. Contador
3. Basso
4. A. Schleck
5. Armstrong
6. Rogers
7. Kreuziger
8. Vinokourov
9. Menchov
10. Karpets

Amazing how many of you don't have LA in the top 3. The guy is definitely in better shape than last yr (did we already forget the dude got 3rd?). His training is rampped up, he is leaner than I think he was in 04, and he has a good team and director to back him up. LA will definitely be in the top 3.

I would love to see Wiggo break into the top 3, but I think last yr was his yr. We will see.

I don't know why, but I like Basso. It would be cool to see him do well.

No love for Sastre? No one even has him on their top 10!

A Schleck
Contador
Armstrong
Evans
Basso
Wiggins
F. Schleck
Kreuzinger
Menchov
Rogers