Page 3 - Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

17-06.-2008, 10:10 PM

#31

lucybears

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Join Date: Feb 2006

Posts: 202

Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterlip

Anyone know when the start list will be announced?
Also, what's the story of no prologue (first time since 1967 according to letour.fr)? Will it change the race at all, or just give a few sprinter some time in the sun before the ITT at stage 4?

Shortlisted riders
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/s...tlijst&id=18888

no prologue as it's not a town but a region (Brittany) that is in charge of hosting the Grand Départ.

Stage one will be 170 kilometres long and it will take the riders to Plumelec and its famous uphill finish of Cadoudal, so perhaps not 'a few sprinters some time in the sun'

18-06.-2008, 01:28 PM	#32
beached whale Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 52	Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk Apparantly Rogers isnt riding the tour. Something to do with him not having the form to be able to handle a three week race. Shame cause i was looking forward to seeing him ride it.

18-06.-2008, 01:58 PM	#33
Grater Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 283	Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk High Road's aim is to have Kirchen finish top 5. If he finishes top 5, he wins. My main pick is Cunego and Kirchen to finish on the podium or win.

18-06.-2008, 03:21 PM	#34
Capt.Injury Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 256	Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk Since this seems the year for strange happenings and no real favorite, I kinda fancy Zubeldia. He seemed to have better form in the Dauphine then previous years, has always been a solid time trialist, routinely top 5-10 if i recall right, and has a good amount of support for the mountains. I think he can definately be TOp 3

18-06.-2008, 07:24 PM	#35
Jan the man Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 61	Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk Put some money on Menchov a while a go, even before Astana were thrown out. After his Giro and the fact this is his second GT of the season, I am pleased with my decision. A. Schleck could do well but I think he'll be shackled by CSC to protect Frank and Carlos in the Pyrenees. Evans is the solid bet and will likely win. Valverde is unpredictable over 3 weeks as is Cunego. Outside bets for top 5 or podium: S. Devolder, K. Kirchen or S. Sachez, and Zubeldia will always be there or there abouts.

19-06.-2008, 09:30 AM

#36

JAPANic

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Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: Japan

Posts: 495

Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by beached whale

Apparantly Rogers isnt riding the tour. Something to do with him not having the form to be able to handle a three week race. Shame cause i was looking forward to seeing him ride it.

Anyway of confirming this?

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19-06.-2008, 09:47 AM

#37

beached whale

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Join Date: Nov 2006

Posts: 52

Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAPANic

Anyway of confirming this?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jun08/jun18news

19-06.-2008, 09:56 AM

#38

Crankyfeet

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Join Date: Jun 2007

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Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by beached whale

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php...jun08/jun18news

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyclingnews.com June 18, 2008

Rogers out of Tour contention

Michael Rogers

Photo ©: Roberto Bettini

Australia's Michael Rogers will miss this year's Tour de France, as he slowly returns to racing after suffering from the Epstein Barr virus. Roger's Team High Road, which will ride the Tour as Team Columbia, will be missing two of its biggest stars. The revelation Rogers won't have recovered in time for the French race by team Sport Director Rolf Aldag follows the news that Linus Gerdemann's knee problems will also prevent him from riding.

Aldag said that the three-time World Time Trial Champion would not be in form for the Tour. "He can do well in one-day races now," Aldag told German magazine Radsport. "But we will have to wait for the difficult three-week tour."

Rogers recently finished 11th overall in the Dauphiné Libéré. Last year, Rogers was the virtual leader in the Tour when he had to drop out of the eighth stage following a crash.

Kim Kirchen, who finished seventh in last year's Tour, is expected to be Team Columbia's captain. Team manager Bob Stapleton indicated at the announcement of the team's new sponsor that sprinter Mark Cavendish is almost certain to be on the Tour team. The young Manxman recently won two stages of the Tour's Italian counterpart the Giro d'Italia.

...

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19-06.-2008, 11:42 AM

#39

confusedfan

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Location: Canada

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Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan the man

A. Schleck could do well but I think he'll be shackled by CSC to protect Frank and Carlos in the Pyrenees.

Wonder how beat up Frank is after today's crash - man that was scary! And, perhaps he needs to improve his descending skills a bit if he ever wants to be a real Tour contender...

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19-06.-2008, 01:28 PM

#40

mitosis

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Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crankyfeet

...

Its disappointing. I'd have put Rogers ahead of Evans to win this year if he had the same form as last year. I hope his team hasn't made a mistake (like the Germans did a few years ago when they left Evans out). Rogers is only 28 so he will hopefully have more opportunities.

I'm not sure Evans can survive the pressure of being marked closely as he seems to be the race favourite. I hope I am proven wrong.

19-06.-2008, 03:28 PM	#41
Grater Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 283	Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk For people who are interested - Kirchen is $76/$23

20-06.-2008, 03:26 AM

#42

Crankyfeet

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Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grater

For people who are interested - Kirchen is $76/$23

He's narrowed into 22-25/1 thanks to Rogers' withdrawal and his Tour of Suisse performance.

Those who picked him up at 65/1 less than a week ago have got a very good value bet at this stage.

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20-06.-2008, 03:46 AM

#43

confusedfan

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Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitosis

I'm not sure Evans can survive the pressure of being marked closely as he seems to be the race favourite. I hope I am proven wrong.

Read somewhere that Evans feels he has learned from prior MTB experiences where he'd been the favourite yet not come through eg. 2000 Olympics, prior elite MTB World Championships (he was I think several times the World Cup overall winner but never won the world champs).

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20-06.-2008, 02:10 PM

#44

Grater

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Join Date: Jan 2006

Posts: 283

Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crankyfeet

He's narrowed into 22-25/1 thanks to Rogers' withdrawal and his Tour of Suisse performance.

Those who picked him up at 65/1 less than a week ago have got a very good value bet at this stage.

He's still at those odds at sportingbet australia. I got them the other day. $20/$40 but going to put a further $60 - $150 on the place @ $23 as he's in some very good form and Hincapie and Loqkvist will be good allies to him.

25-06.-2008, 05:37 PM	#45
Rolfrae Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 838	Re: Tour de France 2008: Pre-race Talk Looking forward to seeing Piepoli and Ricco at the Tour. I'd be surprised if they don't come away a mountain stage win between them. Ricco for Alpe D'Huez?

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