TdF Team

[beelzebabette]

RadioShack announced their team today.

Team director Johan Bruyneel says Tuesday that seven-time Tour winner Armstrong will be joined by Andreas Kloeden of Germany, Americans Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner, and Janez Brajkovic of Slovenia.

Also racing for RadioShack will be Portugal's Sergio Paulinho, Yaroslav Popovych of Ukraine, Swiss rider Gregory Rast and Dmitriy Muravyev of Kazakhstan.

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=5314774"]Team RadioShack confirms Lance Armstrong for Tour de France - ESPN[/ame]

[beelzebabette]

Saxobank:

* Fabian Cancellara (Swi)
* Andy Schleck (Lux)
* Fränk Schleck (Lux)
* Jens Voigt (Ger)
* Stuart O’Grady (Aus)
* Matti Breschel (Den)
* Chris Anker Sørensen (Den)
* Jakob Fuglsang (Den)
* Nicki Sørensen (Den)
(Notable absence: Gustav Larsson, as noted in the article)
http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...#ixzz0rcIrLOPn

Rabobank;

* Denis Menchov (RUS)
* Robert Gesink (NED)
* Óscar Freire (SPA)
* Lars Boom (NED)
* Grischa Niermann (GER)
* Koos Moerenhout (NED)
* Maarten Tjallinigii (NED)
* Bram Tankink (NED)
* Juanma Garate (SPA)

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...#ixzz0rcJJcODy

[beelzebabette]

So, I can just chatter to myself, I'll comment that it looks like Rabobank is set up for maybe a few stage wins and perhaps a top 10 for Menchov but not really to win the Tour. Can someone who has any idea what he's talking about comment?

How about Saxobank? I assume they'll ride for Frank instead of Andy this year?

[creekster]

Saxo will defintietly ride for Frank and not Andy this year. Andy has had a pretty average year, fallingshort of expectations. I thought he would be the clearly better brother this year (proving I am not someone who knows anything) but he isn't.

Rabobank (did you know there are rabobanks in california now? weird) has a good top three by name recongition, and Menchov has shown some good form here and htere, but I doubt he is capable of pulling off a big surprise. I suspet they will ride for him but they may really want to see what thye can do to season Gersink for hte future. This is my specultaion.

TRS looks pretty good. That is a great lineup and even the kazakh kid has great promise. Too bad LA is 38 and not 32.

And why isnt bluegoose commenting?

Thanks for posting abotu this. I look forward to your TdF contest!

[beelzebabette]

Thanks for posting abotu this. I look forward to your TdF contest!

But, I don't have a trophy!

[creekster]

But, I don't have a trophy!

SUre you do; last year's winner is obligated to allow it to travel. I do have a second place trophy that was never delivered, and I would be happy to give thqat tyo you too.

You run contests so well (seriously) that I would love to see you do it. Plus, I seem to be low energy this year.

[bluegoose]

And why isnt bluegoose commenting?

Thanks for posting abotu this. I look forward to your TdF contest!

Don't worry, creekster. I haven't given up cycling yet and really enjoy reading your and BBBs comments in the forum. I check in everyday.

[creekster]

Don't worry, creekster. I haven't given up cycling yet and really enjoy reading your and BBBs comments in the forum. I check in everyday.

I see. So you accept the approach and find it legitmate? Excellent. I am glad you approve.

[bluegoose]

I just scanned the net and couldn't find any other team rosters, other than Milram and Euskadel (sp?).

It looks like VandeVelde is planning to ride and claims that he is in top shape, but i have my doubts, simply based on the fact that that he hasn't been able to race hard this summer yet due to injuries. I would love to see how he could do with a whole season without injuries.

I think that the Shack is bringing a solid team, but I tend to agree with creekster's comments from yesterday that LA is not really poised for a podium finish based on his 2010 results. He has said in the past that to win a tour that he had to win a mountain stage and he had to win the ITT. I don't see either of those two things happening.

It looks like it is Contadors race to lose again this year, despite bringing a very average team. Schleck is the only real threat as I far as I can tell. Cadel may make some noise and Basso seems to be in top form, but neither of those guys are going to drop a fit AC in the mountains and he is developing into a solid ITT guy.

[beelzebabette]

HTC-Columbia

* Mark Cavendish (GBR)
* Bernhard Eisel (AUT)
* Bert Grabsch (GER)
* Adam Hansen (AUS)
* Tony Martin (GER)
* Maxime Monfort (BEL)
* Mark Renshaw (AUS)
* Michael Rogers (AUS)
* Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BEL)

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...#ixzz0rhDWHbCA

Quick Step for Tour de France

* Tom Boonen (Bel)
* Carlos Barredo (Spa)
* Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)
* Dries Devenys (Bel)
* Kevin De Weert (Bel)
* Jerome Pineau (Fra)
* Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel)
* Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel)
* Martin Wynants (Bel)

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...#ixzz0rhDlYwfe
I'd love to see Boonen take stage 3. We'll see what his competition looks like that day.

As for HTC-Columbia, throwing so much power at the green jersey, I don't see Rogers doing that well.

[bluegoose]

As for HTC-Columbia, throwing so much power at the green jersey, I don't see Rogers doing that well.

Thats a good, good team there. I'm curious what their strategy will be. While they will certainly be going for multiple stage wins with Cav, Mick Rogers and Tony Martin are both riding extremely well. Mick is a possible podium guy and Martin appears to be the new king of the ITT.

[beelzebabette]

Thats a good, good team there. I'm curious what their strategy will be. While they will certainly be going for multiple stage wins with Cav, Mick Rogers and Tony Martin are both riding extremely well. Mick is a possible podium guy and Martin appears to be the new king of the ITT.

They do both look good, and I think it helps that there's a flat stage after the Col du Tourmalet, but I still don't see Martin working that hard if he's targeting the final time trial. Probably premature since it'll depend what Rogers is doing at the time. I'm just not sure Monfort is enough support, and my very limited observation is that Rogers doesn't do well solo. (I don't think Rogers would have won ToC were it not for Langeveld pulling him back up to Leipheimer & Zabriskie.)

[bluegoose]

Here's an interesting little article about Bruneel that I'm sure many of you have already read, but I still found a couple of things interesting that he said.

I'm not sure if I believe anything that he says here.

First, whether he is playing possum or not, but he states publicly in this piece that he would be okay with not winning the tour.

He also says that Andy is the stronger of the Schleck bros this year.

Finally, he says that Astana is Vino's team (which I believe), but that Vino will be at the full service of Contador at the tour (which I don't for a second believe). Watching the power struggle between he and Jan Ulrich back on TMobile, I'm not sure that Vino is capable of riding support for anyone. His ego is far too big to do so.

[RC Vikings]

Where are all the young Americans? Other then Farrar I don't see any on any roster.

[creekster]

Where are all the young Americans? Other then Farrar I don't see any on any roster.

Phinney is going to be a stagaire (or however you spell that) for TRS for the rest of the season.