2012 CUF Tour de France Contest

[mtnbiker]

Well, the Tour starts on Saturday. Who are the favorites? With Alberto Contador sitting out due to suspension and Andy Schleck out due to a broken bone in his back and a generally lackluster season, the race seems wide open.

Here are my suggestions for contest categories. Pick your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of the following categories. (I hope my spreadsheet from last year is still on the computer for quick entry and calculations.) Overall jersey picks are due before the race starts; individual stage picks are due by midnight MDT the night before the stage.

Yellow Jersey (overall winner)

Green Jersey (top sprinter)

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time)

Good luck! The fabulous CUF TdF trophy rides on this, so think carefully before submitting your answers. Will bluegoose retain the trophy, or will someone with superior prophetic skills (or plain dumb luck) wrest it from him?

[PaloAltoCougar]

I'm really bad at this, but I'll participate if only to take my rightful place as the CUF Lanterne Rouge in all things cycling. I assume picks need to be submitted by midnight Friday.

[BigPiney]

Well, the Tour starts on Saturday. Who are the favorites? With Alberto Contador sitting out due to suspension and Andy Schleck out due to a broken bone in his back and a generally lackluster season, the race seems wide open.

Here are my suggestions for contest categories. Pick your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of the following categories. (I hope my spreadsheet from last year is still on the computer for quick entry and calculations.) Overall jersey picks are due before the race starts; individual stage picks are due by midnight MDT the night before the stage.

Yellow Jersey (overall winner)

Green Jersey (top sprinter)

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time)

Good luck! The fabulous CUF TdF trophy rides on this, so think carefully before submitting your answers. Will bluegoose retain the trophy, or will someone with superior prophetic skills (or plain dumb luck) wrest it from him?

I will be there!!!! Going to the start and hopefully can make the finish.

I really wish I followed cycling besides the tour, because I really have no idea. I'll get picks in later this week.

[bluegoose]

Thanks for getting this started mtnbiker. I've followed a bit of the Pro Tour this spring and summer, but with all of the recent changes in team rosters I still have some research to do before getting my picks together.

I'm really looking forward to the race this year. It is the most wide open tour in recent memory with no clear cut favorite at all.

[RC Vikings]

Yellow Jersey (overall winner)

Wiggins
Evans
Hesjedal

Green Jersey (top sprinter)

Sagan
Greipel
Petacchi

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)

Costa
Nibali
Schleck

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial

Wiggins
Martin
Cancellara

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains

Cavendish
Sagan
Farrar

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire

Martinez
Nibali
Van Garderan

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.

Horner
Kroden
Costa

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial

Wiggins
Evans
Leipheimer

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time)

Casar

[Coach McGuirk]

Yellow Jersey (overall winner) -

Bradley Wiggins
Ryder Hesjedal
Robert Gesink

Green Jersey (top sprinter)

Cavendish
Jose Joaquin Rojas
Andre Greipel

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber) -
Sammy Sanchez
Robert Gesink
Chris Anker Sorensen

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial -

Tony Martin
Sparticus
Wiggins

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains -

Cavendish
Jose Joaquin Rojas
Andre Greipel

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire -

Sammy sanchez
Wiggins
Evans

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes -

Bradley Wiggins
Ryder Hesjedal
Robert Gesink

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial -

Tony Martin
Sparticus


Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time) -

Jerome Coppel
Tommy Voekler
Sandy Casar

[bluegoose]

Yellow Jersey (overall winner) -
1. Cadel Evans - for the repeat. I still won't like the guy, but he will be hard to deny another podium finish.
2. Bradley Wiggins - a close second, but unable to make up enough time on the ITT which was lost in the mountains.
3. Denis Menchov - A perennial contender, but quite possible the most boring, non-attacking rider in the lead group

Green Jersey (top sprinter)
1. Mark Renshaw - Finally escapes from his former teammates shadow. mainly because I don't think Cav makes it to Paris due to the upcoming Olympics road race.
2. Peter Sagan - After an incredible spring of sprinting, he will make things interesting by winning the final stage in Paris.
3. Matt Goss - No stage wins for Mattie, but will rack up a number of top 5 finishes

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)
1. Johnny Hoogerland - This is his chance to reclaim what was stolen from him last year by the moron team driver who sideswiped him while trying to pass and nearly ended his life
2. Nibali - solid climber with GC aspirations, he will have to settle for gunning for the polka dot once reality sets in and the podium pulls away from him on a big climb
3. Frank Schleck - Big brother continues to play the role of undertrained little brother. Too many side stories for Radio Shack to allow them to actually work together as a team to propel any of their riders to the podium.

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial
1. Cancellara - Until someone beats him a short ITT I will have to continue to pick him.
2. Tony Martin - Powerful legs, but this one is not quite long enough for him to take down the Suisse miss(ile).
3. Z - DZ is going to go nutz on this stage, surprising many with a crazy fast ride.

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains
1. Cav - He should still be interested in the race by this point before shutting it down in the mountains. Fast man on 2 wheels - just ask him.
2. Peter Sagan - Shows some serious speed, but gets beat by half a bike length.
3. Greipel - The mammoth of a rider is as strong as an ox, but still cant beat Cav the last 200m.

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire
1. Nibali - rides away from the leaders, but they let him go, assuming he is not a serious threat
2. Schleck - A nice ride for Frank, but in the end it shouldn't matter as he likely finish the long ITT about 3 weeks after Wiggins and Evans.

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.
1. Sammy Sanchez - The reigning Olympic champ rides a punishing pace up one of the tougher Tour stages.
2. Ryder Hesjedal - The Canadian Sensation shows why he will be a Tour favorite next year by finishing within 10 seconds of the stage winner.
3. Alejandro Valverde - Could have possibly won the stage, if he didn't have to stop halfway up to transfuse a liter of pack red blood cells.

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial
1. Wiggins - Wins the stage by a comfortable, but is too far back for it to matter.
2. Evans - Rides out of his mind after destroying his legs in the mountains. Does just enough to hold onto the lead.
3. Tony Martin - I love watching this guy ride an ITT. Always in the mix at the finish.

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time) -
Tommy "The Tongue" Voeckler - Not quite as impressive a ride as last year, but we still have to throw the Frenchies a bone by giving him a long solo breakaway win early on.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I'll post the stage races one day or more before they start, by amending this post. Wiggins and Evans are apparently the obvious choices, but for I'll pick only one

Yellow Jersey (overall winner)

Hesjedal
Nibali
Wiggins


Green Jersey (top sprinter)

Kittel
Sagan
Rojas


Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)

Sanchez (Sammy)
Hoogerland
Sorenson (Chris Anker)

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial

Cancellara
Boasson Hagen
Vinokourov

Stage 6 (added 7/5)
Cavendish
Sagan
Greipl

Stage 11 (added 7/11)

Nibali
Froome
Van Den Broek

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time)

Casar
Peraud
Voekler

[Bellavela]

Well, the Tour starts on Saturday. Who are the favorites? With Alberto Contador sitting out due to suspension and Andy Schleck out due to a broken bone in his back and a generally lackluster season, the race seems wide open.

Here are my suggestions for contest categories. Pick your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of the following categories. (I hope my spreadsheet from last year is still on the computer for quick entry and calculations.) Overall jersey picks are due before the race starts; individual stage picks are due by midnight MDT the night before the stage.

Yellow Jersey (overall winner)

Green Jersey (top sprinter)

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time)

Good luck! The fabulous CUF TdF trophy rides on this, so think carefully before submitting your answers. Will bluegoose retain the trophy, or will someone with superior prophetic skills (or plain dumb luck) wrest it from him?

Ok, I don't think I will be "wresting" the trophy from bluegoose but I can always hope for dumb luck to smile on me.
Yellow: Bradley Wiggins, Cadel Evans and Menchov
Green:Renshaw, Cavendish, Goss
Polka Dot: Schleck, Gesink, Sammy Sanchez
Prologue:Cancellara, Leipheimer, Wiggins
Stage 6: Goss, Cavendish, Renshaw
Stage 11:Schleck
Stage 17:Nibali, Gesink
Stage 19:Wiggins
Best French Finisher:Pierre Rolland

[mtnbiker]

Yellow Jersey (overall winner)
1. Bradley Wiggins 2. Cadel Evans 3. Jurgen Van den Broeck

Green Jersey (top sprinter)
1. Peter Sagan 2. Andre Greipel 3. Alessandro Petacchi
(figuring Cavendish will drop out to prepare for Olympics)

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber)
1. Samuel Sanchez 2. Cadel Evans 3. Pierre Rolland

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial
1. Fabian Cancellara 2. David Zabriskie 3. Bradley Wiggins

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains
1. Mark Cavendish 2. Peter Sagan 3. Andre Greipel

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire
1. Oscar Freire 2. Brice Feillu 3. Jean-Christophe Péraud
(too early to push for yellow? thinking of breakaway here)

Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.
1. Cadel Evans 2. Ryder Hesjedal 3. Vincenzo Nibali

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial
1. Fabian Cancellara 2. Tony Martin 3. Bradley Wiggins

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time)
1. Jérémy Roy 2. Jérôme Coppel 3. Jérôme Pineau
(just for kicks - notice a trend?)

[BigPiney]

Yellow Jersey (overall winner) = Wiggins, Evans, Ryder Hesjedal

Green Jersey (top sprinter) = Cav, GILBERT, Farrar

Polka Dot Jersey (top climber) - Sanchez, Schleck, CASAR

Prologue, short 6.4k individual time trial = Levi, Thor, Cunego

Stage 6, last relatively flat stage before heading into the mountains
Greipel, Cav, Farrar (he is pissed)

Stage 11, very tough set of climbs up the Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Col du Mollard before tackling the climb towards the resort of La Toussuire
Jurgen Van Den Broeck
Vincenzo Nibali
Maxine Monfort
Stage 17, last mountaintop finish, 142k including the hors categorie Port de Balès, Col de Peresourde, and finishing in Peyragudes.
The real winner is me, cause I'll be there, but I think
Wiggins, Evans, Nibali

Stage 19, flat, 53k individual time trial
Wiggins, Froome, Van Gardren

Tie-breaker: best-placed French rider (in overall time) = Voeckler, Dupont, Casar

[mtnbiker]

Ok, I've got everything entered into my spreadsheet.

Several of you just put last names for riders where there are multiple riders with that last name. Or names that don't match riders. Or the rider is not in the tour this year. If you make corrections for these specific cases by midnight tonight, I'll enter in the names, otherwise you get an 'x' for incorrect entry. Or maybe I should just throw those out now. There are rules to this game, you know.

BigPiney: Thor and Cunego are not in the tour.
Bellavela: there is more than one Sanchez. Sammy, or Luis Leon?
PAC: there is more than one Sanchez. Sammy, or Luis Leon?
there is also more than one Sorensen. Chris Anker, or Nicki?
RC Vikings: who is Kroden?

I think that's all. Please make changes via new post, so I will notice it.
Thanks!

Standings after the prologue:
mtnbiker 7
bellavela 7
bluegoose 5
PAC 5
RC Vikings 4
Coach McGuirk 4
BigPiney 0

[PaloAltoCougar]

PAC: there is more than one Sanchez. Sammy, or Luis Leon?
there is also more than one Sorensen. Chris Anker, or Nicki?

I fixed my predictions (Sammy and Chris).

[BigPiney]

BigPiney: Thor and Cunego are not in the tour.

LOL, I actually was thinking of Cancellara when I put Thor. You know, big strong fast guy that has a huge motor. This is what I get for making picks late at night.

[RC Vikings]

RC Vikings: who is Kroden?



Standings after the prologue:
mtnbiker 7
bellavela 7
bluegoose 5
PAC 5
RC Vikings 4
Coach McGuirk 4
BigPiney 0

Andreas Klöden