Professional Cycling - The Future of the TdF...

Who do you guys think will win the next TdF if Lance doesn't enter? anyone currently in the euro peloton who might win GC multiple years in a row? Is it possible for Jan Ulrich to make a comeback? Is Thomas Voekler (sp?) a GC contender in the future? more doping scandals?

i'd like to see Ivan Basso win GC in the near future...i feel like Armstrong was at his peak this year and will start going downhill quickly...sort of like a thouroghbred horse...usually when they peak, the fall quickly...

opinions, thoughts?

melloboy

Basso, Ulrich, Cunego. There's your big 3 if Lance is a no-show. I'd like to see Vinkourov return to his 2003 form and be in the mix.

Voekler doesn't strike me as a real future GC contender, but maybe with time, he'll improve.

You can count on Basso and Cunego being in the mix for a few years though.

hm...
you don't think Andreas Kloden will be a GC contender?

Cunego might be able to win the giro again but not the tour or even the vuelta unless they heavily favor climbers with just a single flat time trial. Basso is one to watch out for, again TT'ing needs a little improvement. Kloden I think is the biggest one to watch out for if he has another year like this one. I don't think it's entirely unreasonable to see a T-Mobile podium with Ullrich and Kloden, who is in front of the other is anyone's guess. Personally I would like to see Ullrich take another. Voeckler is not a threat in the immediate future and I don't know if he ever will be. He lost, what, 20 minutes to Lance/Basso/Kloden in just two or three days in the mountains? No one has mentioned ValVerde, he young too and with last year's vuelta he got a taste of a grand tour where he was a factor. MAncebo finally got on the podium as well and I think he could do really well in any GT.

I think given this year's TdF profile, Cunego is definite threat if he's healthy and in good form.

Speaking of Kloden, Ullrich, and T-Mobile, I think Mattias Kessler could enjoy a solid 2005 campaign if he's not too busy fetching bottles. I hope they give him some opportunities to shine this year.

Don't know that Cunego's quite ready yet for the TDF. I'd like to see him do the Giro and Vuelta next year and then go to France.

Valvarde's the next big TDF star. Also watch for Menchov, Karpets and my dark horse, Philippe Gilbert.

I will go out on a limb and bet Voekler. I do not think it is a sure thing for 2005, thinking he is young, his team is average, but that's my bet. I loved him last year- I'll see him this summer!!!

I will go out on a limb and bet Voekler. I do not think it is a sure thing for 2005, thinking he is young, his team is average, but that's my bet. I loved him last year- I'll see him this summer!!!

I'd bet a million that he will never win the Tour

Don't know that Cunego's quite ready yet for the TDF. I'd like to see him do the Giro and Vuelta next year and then go to France.

Valvarde's the next big TDF star. Also watch for Menchov, Karpets and my dark horse, Philippe Gilbert.

What he said. Karpets, within a few years I think Karpets will be able to make it on the Podium.

I personally wouldn’t put much stock in Voeckler unless he dramatically improves.
He lost 7+ min in the Alp D’Huez TT and almost 10 min in the final Besancon ITT. Stage 15 to Villard-de-Lans he lost almost 10 minutes also.

I'd bet a million that he will never win the Tour

I wouldn't say that... I think with time, he will be an excellent cyclist, and win it.

Voekler is a whopping 25 years old..... he finishes high... he had less than average team.. and well frankly he's 25.... Saying he will never win the tour is crazy- he has 7 strong years to do just that-- before.. people start saying...well he's getting older now....

Voekler is a whopping 25 years old..... he finishes high... he had less than average team.. and well frankly he's 25.... Saying he will never win the tour is crazy- he has 7 strong years to do just that-- before.. people start saying...well he's getting older now....
Seriously though, the only reason we know about Voekler is that he got in a break that finished 15 min ahead of the peloton. if he had not made that break, I highly doubt we would even be talking about him, or have mentioned his name once over the course of the race.

Valverde is a contender for sure. I'd like to see Karpets have a couple more good Tours before saying he is or isn't "the future" of the Tour.

Seriously though, the only reason we know about Voekler is that he got in a break that finished 15 min ahead of the peloton. if he had not made that break, I highly doubt we would even be talking about him, or have mentioned his name once over the course of the race.

Yep. He got in that break and then through sheer determination and grit he managed to hold on to the yellow for a few days. He rode way way above the rider he really is. There are several riders who could have done the same thing.

I'd like to see him prove me wrong.

I'd like to see him prove me wrong.[/QUOTE]


Same here..he seems like a good kid. It would be kinda kewl to have a Frenchie win the tour again.

Do you really think the Tour might die or might get ?
It will definately not. There are many young great riders to come.
The Tour survived all big champions - Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain and even the doping-scandal in 1998 - and so it will survive Armstrong. The "post-Armstrong-era" will be interesting and exciting...

Basso, Ulrich, Cunego. There's your big 3 if Lance is a no-show. I'd like to see Vinkourov return to his 2003 form and be in the mix.

Voekler doesn't strike me as a real future GC contender, but maybe with time, he'll improve.

You can count on Basso and Cunego being in the mix for a few years though.

Yah what happened to Vinkourov, that guy was a beast!!

Without the psychological weight of Lance competing in this TDF, I think Jan Ulrich might have a chance, more than Basso. To win the TDF you need to TT very good as well as be good in the mountains. Ulrich has both skills, Basso not so, unless he worked / improved on his TT skills for this year's TDF.
Corsaire

I'm going with Basso. CSC is hungry. arf. arf.