# Who will win the NEW TDF 2006?



## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Prognostications??


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## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

I'm still on the Floyd bandwagon, but I have to say I feel a lot less like a Bears fan about it now.

Would love to see Georgie do something nuts, and I think Levi's totally open for a podium.

I like Disco for the team comp all the sudden.

Vino is a risk if he's allowed to race--he can do it without a team, as he proved when he raced AGAINST T-Mobile last year.

I'm wondering who's the leader for CSC now. Sastre? Julich? Jens (I wish)? Do they still have a shot at the overall? Team classification?


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## dontimberline (Apr 20, 2006)

Oh boy - if another Yank wins the TDF this year, the French will be steaming to no end!!


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## rash (Mar 3, 2005)

I think you have 2 of the three podium spots in your poll.....I am pulling for Landis, but for the record I would say:
1. Evans
2. Landis
3. Valverde

Rash


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

Same as the old poll. Landis


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## ChilliConCarnage (Jun 1, 2006)

Landis wins in a landslide... (This poll anyways!)

I can feel it now... Floyd-o-mania sweeping the nation!

Although, with Vino now gone, the highest ranking finisher from last year is... LEVI!


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## indianabob (Dec 22, 2001)

*Kid Rock*

1. Kid Rock
2. Levi
3. The Chicken (is he riding?), if not, Hincapie.

A 1,2,3 American sweep, wouldn't that make up for the World Cup Arse kicking the U.S. took?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Salvodelli wins. George and Levi in the top ten. George closer to tenth because he will have to ride in support of Salvo. Cadel could be a hope, but the probability of his collarbone spontaneously fracturing is astronomical.


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## cityeast (Sep 16, 2004)

*New poster out?*

I think they had to modify it given recent events


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

So what's this I hear about Valverde being KINDA implicated in Puerto?

I think it's the Floyd. I think there's a damned good chance of at least 2 Americans on the podium, too.

WTF is CSC going to do? Is Bjarne Riis going to ride again or something? I mean they've all been training, focusing, to the point where ... who's gonna be the leader? Sastre? 
Julich? 

Wouldn't it be weird, if, say, they went with Bobby J, and he pulled out a 3rd place, and then he'd have podiumed twice in the tour, both when like half the teams pulled out. What a way to go, eh?


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

francois said:


> Prognostications??


Not so easy now, huh?

1. Landis
2. Evans
3. Leipheimer
4. Popo
5. Julich
6. Valverde
7. Menchov
8. Karpets
9. Hincapie
10. Azevedo

Rassie and Moreau go for the mountain jersey. Moreau gets it easily.

Boonen gets green. McEwen talks trash about Boonen and drops out in one of the last 3 days. Hushovd gets second. Zabel tries every time but he is not even close.

anyone else?.


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## Redtail A-4 (Aug 7, 2004)

1.Landis
2.Hincapie
3.Levi
4.Rasmussen
5.Menchov
6.Valverde
7.Salvodelli
8.Dave Z
9.Evans
10. Mayo


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Argentius said:


> WTF is CSC going to do? Is Bjarne Riis going to ride again or something?


Not enough time to for him to get his doping regiment going like he did in 96. Was that out loud?


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

*Francois!!*

Francois will! Busted wing, stitches and all. Besides, he has a medical release for all those pain killers. We should be so lucky...


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## rssljhnsn (Jul 5, 2003)

*Out on a limb*

I am going out on a limb and plugging Zabriske. Yes, I am ducking as I type this. I don't see any of the new favorites being explosive climbers so the time gains in the mountains are not going to be drastic. Zabriske may well be a better time trialist than Ulrich and he has 3 opportunities to gain quite possibly a lot of time. If CSC doesn't implode with the loss of Basso they have a team that can control the race. But, regardless of who wins I see this as being a great Tour. Anyone remember how good the Giro was the year Salvodelli first won? All the favorites removed early on and a great group of essentially default leaders putting on a great show. Let's hope the last week sees a new guy in Yellow everyday and a final sprint for the overall win on the Champs.


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Things have now changed greatly...*

Things have changed a lot over night.

Now, I think we have to think about Floyd actually winning this thing, now. Before, he was podium at best I think. Anyway, he'll be in the running.

Another overlooked person, well, sometimes, is one Mr. Julich. He can climb, he can TT, his team leader is not riding now, and well, CSC as someone else mentioned, is a strong assed team who can still control the race. Also Julich has a history of doing well in dope plagued Tour de France's (1998 anyone??). Levi also just shot up the rankings, as did Cadel, Valverde, and a few others. I still don't think George is going to podium, he'll still lose some in the mountains, and on the TTs. 

One thing is for sure, this is going to be the most exciting race in years. The big guns have all been sent home, or well, the biggest favorites, and now things are very wide open. I expect to see lots of attacking, lots of hard riding, and just seeing an old fashioned shoot out. 

It's going to be fun to watch methinks.


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## ChilliConCarnage (Jun 1, 2006)

Wow! FLOYD-O-MANIA is really cooking now, with nearly 60% of the vote.


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## svend (Jul 18, 2003)

francois said:


> Prognostications??


Landis
Il falco
Levi
Valverde
GH

Americans are going to be the dominant force in the top ten

T-Mobile and CSC huge morale blow, will not place a rider in the top 10, cept maybe Dave Z as a dark horse after winning all the TT's


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## jeffreyg (Nov 23, 2005)

*Levi Leipheimer*

Given the same results as last year, with no lance and all the others who got kicked out, Levi already won it.


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## Phat&SlowVelo (Nov 27, 2004)

*I think Levi over Floyd*

Levi has improved each year, and would have been 5th iffin it werent for crazy attacker Vino. Floyd was 9th? Take a look @ this years Dauphine' it was Levi trowing down the gaunlet, not Floyd. Valverde and some pretty good climbers were in that race. IMHO the Dauphine is a much tougher race than the tour de georgia, and covers much of the same routes in this years tour. Levi will be up against the same group of riders in the Tour as he was up against in the Dauphine, minus Basso, Ulle, Mancebo, etc. I don't buy into all the floyd hype. However, an american podium would be nice.


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## sako (Dec 28, 2005)

Can't see Floyd winning.


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## bodinp (Jul 1, 2006)

*MTB domination*

I was tipping Valverde even before the disqualifications, so I don't think I'll be changing that now, given the circumstances, but with regards to the podium, I'd like to see Cadel and Rasmussen showing the way forward. :thumbsup:


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*you need a team...like disco*

you need a team...like disco.
they still have the communications, planning, etc. that made it a cakewalk for lance last yr.All that advantage goes to Hincapie.


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## rensho (Aug 5, 2003)

Floyd
Levi
Hincapie


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## CrashDang (Nov 25, 2005)

*First One to Pick*

Andreas Kloden.

He has shown that he can climb and TT with anyone. And with JU out, he is now the clear leader on T-Mobile. Even when he was ahead of JU the last couple years, he raced for his leader. Not this year.


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## mootinator (Apr 4, 2003)

*All american baby!*

1. Floyd (if he isn't tardy every day)
2. Hincapie
3. Leipheimer
4. Valverde
5. Evans


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## Mattman (Jan 28, 2005)

rensho said:


> Floyd
> Levi
> Hincapie


I think this is a distinct possibilty, imagine how the French and all the other Euros would feel about an American podium.:thumbsup:


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## magicant (Apr 22, 2006)

I'm pulling for George. Landis's lateness to the start of the Prologue to me is a bad sign. That kind of mistake is not something you should make if you are mentally and strategically prepared.


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## the embalmer (Sep 23, 2005)

mootinator said:


> 1. Floyd (if he isn't tardy every day)
> 2. Hincapie
> 3. Leipheimer
> 4. Valverde
> 5. Evans


I would like to see an all american podium also.it would be better with Hincapie winnning it all. That would really piss the french and Le Equipe off if the tour and Le Equipe so sure that armstong was doping with the help of disco to see them win it again it would be priceless


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

It's not an American winning that pissed off the French, it was the way Armstrong went about it.

Does stuff all in the run up to July, then wins the Tour, and buggers off to the Beach in August.

When he turned pro in 92 he came in as the big "I am" and puta few noses out of joint his talent was there for all to see, but his brashness didn't seem to go down too well.

His predecessors, Lemond, Hampsten, and the 7-11 team, were different. Still Ameican, but they seemed to be better received. Maybe it was because they all paid their dues and, in Lemond and Hampsten's cases, rode for European teams. Who knows? One thing is clear though, Lemnd was apprecited by the French, inspite of his spat with Hinault.

The funny thig is that without Lemond Armstrong would not have earned the amount he did. Lemond opened the door to million dollar contracts and having your lawyer helping your contract negotiations. That was very avant garde in the 80's, yet he didn't get any real grief for it.

If Levi or Floyd podium, cool. Hincapie, wouldn't be funny. He's a great domestique deluxe but not a Tour winner.


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## Armchair Spaceman (Jun 21, 2003)

Evans 1, Rogers 2, Gerrans 3. Green to McEwen. Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
;-) HEhehehehehehehehe


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## GarbanzoBeanSnafu (Jun 27, 2005)

As much as I love Landis, I have to say Valverde has a great shot.


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## big wheel4300 (Mar 31, 2003)

I would like to see levi win it , but i think it will be Valverde .


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## cyclodawg (Jul 1, 2003)

*it's a tactical race this year...*

Long TT's and relatively little climbing favors the better teams and the better tacticians. With T-Mobile and CSC both losing their leaders, you've gotta like whoever is leading Discovery. So...

1. Hincapie (his TT appears to be the best in the peloton right now, and he can hold serve in the mountains). 
2. Leipheimer (appears to have taken the rest of June off, but plenty of time in the first week to ride into form on flat stages; he'll give Hincapie a run in the mountains, but he's already down a half minute to George and will lose more time in the first TT). 
3. Evans (long TT's...). 
4. Valverde or Kloden (Valverde has to prove he can actually finish the race and TT well, but with the favorites gone...). 

I think Landis has clearly peaked too early in the season, and he'll fall back in the mountains. Leipheimer has timed his form perfectly, but he doesn't have the team to protect the yellow in the high mountains. If he were still with Disco, he'd win this Tour by 7 minutes.


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## DeaconBlues (Jan 2, 2003)

I voted for Hincapie because he is a veteran Tour rider who can keep a cool head in the early parts knowing that it is a three week race and he is surrounded by one of the better teams out there.

Yes, there are other veterans and other good teams, but I think the above combination will pay off for GH overall.

Deek


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

cyclodawg said:


> Long TT's and relatively little climbing favors the better teams and the better tacticians. With T-Mobile and CSC both losing their leaders, you've gotta like whoever is leading Discovery. So...
> 
> 1. Hincapie (his TT appears to be the best in the peloton right now, and he can hold serve in the mountains).
> 2. Leipheimer (appears to have taken the rest of June off, but plenty of time in the first week to ride into form on flat stages; he'll give Hincapie a run in the mountains, but he's already down a half minute to George and will lose more time in the first TT).
> ...



Sorry but how is replacing climbing stages and team time trial with INDIVIDUAL time trials favors better teams? If anything, it favors strong time trialists with not so solid teams. Like Landis.

Also, what makes you think Hincapie is leading Discovery?


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Why Voeckler or course...
followed by Moncoutie
and then Moreau

 :wink5:


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

il sogno said:


> Why Voeckler or course...
> followed by Moncoutie
> and then Moreau
> 
> :wink5:


Okay, okay...

Floyd
Valverde
Levi


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## pavedroad (May 3, 2004)

I've noticed that Discovery has got Ekimov looking after Hincapie near the front of the pack everyday.



55x11 said:


> Also, what makes you think Hincapie is leading Discovery?


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## Grampy (Apr 6, 2003)

George by 2:18


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Since Valverde is out... shouldn't we get yet another poll François? 

I still root for Cadel. After that, I say George. I didn't watch the whole stage but Levi and Floyd look like they are almost struggling already...


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## cyclodawg (Jul 1, 2003)

55x11 said:


> Sorry but how is replacing climbing stages and team time trial with INDIVIDUAL time trials favors better teams? If anything, it favors strong time trialists with not so solid teams. Like Landis.


There are no more individual TTs this year than usual, though they are a bit longer. The lack of brutal climbing stages makes it a tactical race--almost like a one-week race--in that it puts a premium on busting the TTs, protecting seconds in the mountains, and avoiding disaster in the flats. It's very conceivable that the rider who wins the TT on Sunday will win the Tour, if his team can protect him the rest of the way and he avoids disaster in the 2-3 brutal mountain stages. 

In other words, it's not a race this year that favors a guy like Mayo. 



> Also, what makes you think Hincapie is leading Discovery?


George is clearly Disco's leader. Bruyneel won't come out and say it because he wants to keep the pressure down in George and because he wants to wait and make sure the it is George--and not Paolo or Popo or Ace--who will give Disco the best chance to podium. I think it's clear that George is the best all-arounder on Disco right now, and everyone seems to acknowledge that. He'll have over a half minute on Paolo (likely more, with the length of the TT) and probably at least a minute on Popo after the first TT on Sunday.


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## euro-trash (May 1, 2004)

Here's my top 10:

1. Evans
2. Karpets
3. Popovych
4. Floyd
5. Levi
6. Rogers
7. Hincapie 
8.Simoni
9. Kloden
10. Salvodelli


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

1. Basso
2. Vino
3. Valverde

4. Ullrich

Valverde's out. Give us another poll Francois


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## SUPERLOPEZ (Jul 5, 2006)

I thing Levi or Floyd can win the race. But don't thing Georg Hincape could be in top 10 ..


> Here's my top 10:
> 
> 1. Evans
> 2. Karpets
> ...


You've lost :
Menchov
Oscar pereiro
Iban Mayo
Gomez Marchante
Damiano Cunego.

Not to be in top ten :

Karpets
Popovych
Rogers
Hincapie


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## Aussie Carl (Jan 11, 2006)

I gotta support the local boys! Considering that we have never had a boy from Downunder on the podium, this year is a great opportunity for us. Evans for yellow and Robbie for the green. 

Let's not forget what a fantastic job Michael Rogers is doing at T-Mobile considering the situation he has found himself in.

I'm flying over to France next Friday - so I'll be one of those crazy [email protected]@rds with an Aussie flag cheering them through the Alpes and onto the Champs Elysee. Jeez, I'm looking forward to it!


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## Armchair Spaceman (Jun 21, 2003)

*Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!*



Aussie Carl said:


> I Evans for yellow and Robbie for the green.
> 
> Let's not forget what a fantastic job Michael Rogers is doing at T-Mobile considering the situation he has found himself in.



Dead right Carl. This seppo-centric world of RBR has been strangely silent on the matter of our Mick at #2 in GC for the last few days. Thread on Robbie started with nasty name calling. So where exactly is this Floyd I keep hearing about? Might be a surprise in store for some of these folks, and no, Robbie, Mick, Stewie, Cadel and Simon are NOT from Austria.

Oui! Oui! Oui!

Enjoy your trip mate. I'm greener than Robbie's Jersey.


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## cityeast (Sep 16, 2004)

Armchair Spaceman said:


> Dead right Carl. This seppo-centric world of RBR has been strangely silent on the matter of our Mick at #2 in GC for the last few days. Thread on Robbie started with nasty name calling. So where exactly is this Floyd I keep hearing about? Might be a surprise in store for some of these folks, and no, Robbie, Mick, Stewie, Cadel and Simon are NOT from Austria.
> 
> Oui! Oui! Oui!
> 
> Enjoy your trip mate. I'm greener than Robbie's Jersey.


So long as their aren't any Italian "Divers" around at the finish line they'll do fine.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Well, there goes Levi and maybe George too... Go Cadel!


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## nwilkes (Jun 21, 2004)

1. Menchov - too strong uphill and in TTs
2. Landis - loses 1st due to mechanicals
3. Kloden - his contract isn't expiring so he'll do well then falter


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## Aussie Carl (Jan 11, 2006)

Armchair Spaceman said:


> Dead right Carl. This seppo-centric world of RBR has been strangely silent on the matter of our Mick at #2 in GC for the last few days. Thread on Robbie started with nasty name calling. So where exactly is this Floyd I keep hearing about? Might be a surprise in store for some of these folks, and no, Robbie, Mick, Stewie, Cadel and Simon are NOT from Austria.
> 
> Oui! Oui! Oui!
> 
> Enjoy your trip mate. I'm greener than Robbie's Jersey.


seppo-centric - love it! 

Actually I know one of the reporters currently doing rider interviews for SBS over there so I'm hoping that I might get to meet one or two of the boys from Davitamon. I can but dream!


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## fringale37 (Feb 6, 2005)

1. Popo, 2. Evans 3. Ace


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## slowdave (Nov 29, 2005)

Have a great trip to france and cheer the little aussies all the way to the podium Green andf Gold (yellow) the aussie way.


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## ChilliConCarnage (Jun 1, 2006)

Floyd had a commanding lead in this poll until after the prologue, where Hincapie's numbers went way up.

To all those people who jumped on the Hincapie bandwagon:

What were you thinking?!?!??!?


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*playing to disco's hand...*

now they hit the mountains, and now may be playing into disco's strengths.
it is cool to see landis doing well.
if luck is needed, he sure has it: an awesome tt that could have been a disaster if his tire problem were not discovered just before start time, and a quick recovery from handlebar probs in the other tt. super lucky. but might indicate weakness in support team.
I voted for Hincapie at the start, so at least for that reason I will stick with my vote for Hinc. BUT, despite the absolute lead, the game really changed today, and it may be good for Hincapie/Disco -- Now, Disco can work to control the race the way it has done for the past 3 years: if a group breaks away with Landis, chase him down; if a group breaks away without Landis, either 1. let them go, or 2. hang on their wheel and pick up that time difference.

Landis could be peaking well and could manage to stay in yellow. Can he do it alone? Or will he need to depend on his team, and can his team stave off the Disco teamwork?

Disco still seems to be on one page and has great coordination: their handlebars aren't slipping off, and their tires don't have cuts on them, etc. and they have years together. I think that is still a big factor, and the mountains just started.


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## cyclodawg (Jul 1, 2003)

ChilliConCarnage said:


> Floyd had a commanding lead in this poll until after the prologue, where Hincapie's numbers went way up.
> 
> To all those people who jumped on the Hincapie bandwagon:
> 
> What were you thinking?!?!??!?


I was thinking that he was the leader of the team that had just won seven straight Tours, that he was a good time trialist, that Floyd had bombed in the Dauphine and the race was without the top 5 finishers from last year, that he finished about 15th last year while supporting Armstrong, and that he had taken the climbs in the Dauphine with relative ease. 

I thought it would come down to Levi and George.

The Hincapie "bandwagon" was fairly large. He was Bob Roll's pick to win the Tour, and that was before Ullrich and Basso were gone.


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## kcd (Feb 4, 2002)

After watching Landis get the yellow jersey today, I think he has the making of a champion...GO LANDIS!!!


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