The professional cycling thread

[Equilibrium25]

Not sure if we 'do' predictions on this thread, but I thought I would put mine down so I can come back and laugh in 3 and a bit weeks' time.

Really looking forward to this Tour, a lot of climbing and all the big names competing. So, here goes, a heart-led choice...

1. Froome
2. Quintana
3. Contador
4. Pinot
5. Nibali

Hoping Bertie is tired after his Giro exploits...

[anonymous-user]

1. Contador
2. Quintana
3. Froome
4. Majka (and KoM)
5. Pinot

Green jersey will be a good fight between Sagan, Kristoff, Cav, Degenkolb...

[Granfondo]

pablo said:

1. Contador
2. Quintana
3. Froome
4. Majka (and KoM)
5. Pinot

Green jersey will be a good fight between Sagan, Kristoff, Cav, Degenkolb...

Not even a top 5 place for Nibali?

[central]

58 teeth for Tony Martin tomorrow -

[IroningMan]

Is that front wheel on back-to-front?

[mcelliott]

My predictions are going to be:

Quintana
Contador
Froome
Nibali

I think the fact there's no long individual TT will help Quintana, but a decent length TTT should help him regain any lost time in the short opening TT, as Movistar are probably the most complete well drilled squad in the Tour. All depends on how well Contador has recovered from the Giro, but Froome and Nibali are there to pick up the pieces. Of course all that could go tits up on stage 4. I'm in Alpe d'huez in the week leading up to the penultimate stage and I'm actually staying on the Alpe itself so thoroughly looking forward to that. I hope it stays close up to that point just to add to the excitement.

Edited by mcelliott on Friday 3rd July 16:51

[johnxjsc1985]

central said:

58 teeth for Tony Martin tomorrow -

a proper tester wonder if he is using 180mm cranks too!

[anonymous-user]

Granfondo said:

pablo said:

1. Contador
2. Quintana
3. Froome
4. Majka (and KoM)
5. Pinot

Green jersey will be a good fight between Sagan, Kristoff, Cav, Degenkolb...

Not even a top 5 place for Nibali?

Lets see if Astana make it to Paris first....

[johnxjsc1985]

Steve Cummings fastest british rider and a great lad too.
Well here we go best three weeks of the year coming up. when I was about 12 I saw Barry Hoban win a stage I think it was into Bordeaux and it was on World of Sport with Dickie Davis and I was hooked.
Froome does look very good and he does have the best team but with 4 ,5 or even 6 riders who can do real damage this could be a real classic

[JuniorD]

Fastest ITT in tour history they say.

Makes me feel rather melancholy that.

Edited by JuniorD on Saturday 4th July 21:53

[anonymous-user]

Phil Leggett really is a dick isn't he, Dennis is apparently "Only the second Australian to wear yellow...."

[Magic919]

He said seventh on my version.

[JuniorD]

Liggett's a . Said he'd quit if LA was found to be a doper but didn't quit.

[Gargamel]

Any reason no one is backing Nibali to win it again

[spikeyhead]

Gargamel said:

Any reason no one is backing Nibali to win it again

because this year Froome and Bertie won't both fall off

[johnxjsc1985]

JuniorD said:

Liggett's a . Said he'd quit if LA was found to be a doper but didn't quit.

Really I just thought like millions of people around the world he was conned by Armstrong. He is 72 now and been a fantastic commentator for many many years.

[mcelliott]

Weather could be major factor today, echelons anyone?!

[Highway Star]

As the Dutch would say 'for shure'. Conditions look atrocious at the finish.

[Jonnny]

Cav went too early, leading Greipel out wasn't a good idea!

[spikeyhead]

Jonnny said:

Cav went too early, leading Greipel out wasn't a good idea!

I'm not sure that Cav went too early, more that Renshaw ran out of steam early. There's very little he could have done about Greipel following unless he had another of his team on his own tail.