Can Discovery Sweep the 3 Grand Tours this year?

renoster

I think Popo is the Disco man. He did not race much in the early part of the season and this may have been to have him in form in the later part of the season. He has shown he can race well in Spain (victory in the Tour of Catalunya). Also, with the advent of the Pro Tour, Salvodelli was obviously recruited for the Giro, and Popo may have been specifically recruited for the Vuelta in addition to perhaps being the future Tour GC guy.

The spaniards are always supremely motivated for the Vuelta. (When was the last victory by a non-Spaniard?) Watch out for Heras, Mancebo, Valverde, Mayo (he also seems to have started his season later this year).

After a slow start to the season, the Grand Tour Grand Slam would be fantastic for Discovery. If they back Popo and he is on form, their chances are as good as anybody else's of winning the Vuelta.

Chechu, Beltran, Ace...... I don't think any of them could do it.

sonicman

I´d say Azevedo since he´s from Portugal, close to Spain, and since he raced for a while for ONCE.

Popo is another possibility.

They´ll have 2 or 3 guys that may have a chance.

musette

This is something I wrote about shortly after Savoldelli's Giro win, in another thread. Bruyneel is definitely targeting a sweep of the Grand Tours. I think he will have Ace and Popo co-lead, with Danielson given some flexibility to not be a total support rider, in some mountains stages. Noval, Rubiera, Beltran will ride support, and if Eki has recovered, he will of course have a position. Barry and Joachim are likely to be the final people chosen, unless George wants to take a stab, in which case he will be co-lead with Popo and Barry will likely be omitted.

whiteboytrash

Popo didn't ride early in the season because he's EU working visa had not been approved........ it took a downfall of the Ukrainian government for it to happen...

musette

Here may be the DC Veulta line-up, reflecting recent tidbits of info on some riders on paceline:

Joachim
van Heeswijk
Devolder (an interesting choice)
Hoste

Beltran
Chechu
Noval
Ace
Popo

patch70

Then why did this guy not even get a start? Was it because they gave his position to Savoldelli instead? Are the two related in any way?

musette

Popo was not recruited to lead DC in the Giro; that is Savoldelli's role, or at least assuming (as happened) LA rides the Tour in 05. The two recruits' roles are very different:

-- Popo is seen as very important to the future of the team. Bruyneel hopes to build him up to contend for the top GC spot one day. Popo is young enough to be eligible for, and win, the white jersey. Savoldelli is more than six years older. He is a more experienced rider, with already a Giro win and a second place under his belt when he joined DC. He is considered a team leader, but not for the TdF. He is viewed as a person who is no longer young, but who has a good amount of experience.

-- Savoldelli has his weaknesses, including possibly not being able to stay with the best on the highest climbs in the TdF even if he participates. Popo is seen as having that potential, although he may not be able to do that yet. Savoldelli has acknowledged on several occasions that Popo is the future of the team and that Savoldelli is going to focus on the Giro.

-- Savoldelli's experience and ability to place high, if not win, the Giro next year will give Popo some breathing room and a little bit more time to develop.

musette

"But [Savoldelli] doesn't see himself as Discovery Channel's Tour contender after Armstrong retires. "They hired me because they have seen me win a Giro without a team and they needed someone who could give a good showing for Discovery [in Italy]," he said. "But they have designated Popovych as Armstrong's successor. They see in him the talent to win the Tour. As for me, I like [the Tour] a lot, but I am Italian and love the Giro.""

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php...may05/may31news

hombredesubaru

Interestingly, all the Spaniards on Lance's team were INVISIBLE this year.
Think about the awesome lead-outs he has had in the past from
Rubiera, Azevedo, Beltran.
Not one this year.
In part because of T-Mobile tactics, but I suspect other factors at play.
In any event, remember the former Vuelta winner, Aitor Gonzalez is back in form.
and how is Valverde going?


Ideas?

iBanesto

Definitely its going to be a Spanish rider....LOL

Maybe Mancebo after his solid 4th in TDF, Valverde or a more motivated Roberto Heras going for his 4th Vuelta.

Anything could happen really...............

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