Year-Long VDS Le Tour Smack Talk, Anyone?

by huy on Jul 7, 2007 1:44 AM EDT

I'm excited about the TdF-only VDS comp, but heart is with my year-long team. Like Mr Van P, I hedged and picked different riders for my Tour-only team (except for Thor as a last minute sub for Freire.) My boys had a great Giro, then didn't show their Tour cards by pretty much DNS/DNF'ing the Dauphine and Suisse. After a 30 postion freefall in the standings, I'm rolling out this 13 rider-strong Le Tour startlist for the fabulous Thunder Crickets (sans Cricket):

Sastre
Hushovd
Zubeldia
Valjavec
Flecha
Calzati (Seul homme)
Cioni
Vandevelde
De La Fuente
Ventoso
Millar
Vaitkus
Merckx
Magnus (in spirit/driving the team Peugeot)

Total in Tour-only points = 61

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14 Steelers hunting DZI

Scleck Boonen Lövkvist Kirchen Fothen Förster Haussler Isasi Gadret Millar Vaitkus Grivko Nuyens Di Grégorio DZI shouldn't be to hard to catch with such a loaded team Especially since I've heard that Wodans Wanderers are testing their patented dutch clipless clogs during the Tour.

by Jens on Jul 7, 2007 2:51 AM EDT reply actions

Cold, wet, dogs just trying to get home.

Kashechin, Bennati, Contador, Eisel, Patxi, Gusev, Dessel, Gerdemann, Zubeldia, Kohl, Forster, Fothen, Cioni, Fast Freddy, Isasi.

When 15 wet dogs start shaking the water off you're all going to get soaked. Then we'll track mud onto your carpet. Just some of the simple joys in life. Being a Rain Dog has it's rewards.

The S. Obedient Flying Dog Boy

by flying dog on Jul 7, 2007 8:07 AM EDT reply actions

At least I have an excuse now...

Now that Petacchi is suspended, Brooklyn Chewing Gum's hopes have gone downhill faster than Ivan Quananta Free-wheeling.

But, we do have a bunch of folks participating, so I may snag a stage win or something:

Frank Schleck
Stefan Schumacher
Leif Hoste
Linus Gerdemann
Bernhard Kohl
Igor Anton
John Gadret
Chris Horner
Markus Fothen
Axel Merckx
Dario Cioni
Peter Weening
David Millar

13 not too bad riders, but nobody likely to make the podium or win the sprints or mountains competition. We'll do all right in the white jersey contest: with Kohl, Anton, and Gerdemann.

I think we could poach a stage or three, but will be far down the rankings on overall points.

Brooklyn Chewing Gum: Vlaanderens Mooiste

by Koppenberg on Jul 7, 2007 2:18 PM EDT reply actions

Let's see what Rolling Thunder brings...

Levi Leipheimer
Frank Schleck
Thomas Dekker
Nick Nuyens
Vladimir Gusev
David Zabriskie
Christopher Horner
Michael Rasmussen
David Millar
Markus Fothen
Fred Rodriguez
Ivan Parra
Sergio Paulinho
Heinrich Haussler
14 riders all totaled... not bad

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Jul 7, 2007 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

60.51 points

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Jul 7, 2007 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

You guys are toast:.

Team Fahrradrenner:
Valverde
"Tony" Cancellara
Jens
Gusev
Danilo Napolitano
Dave Z
Egoi Martinez
Christian Vande Velde
Gerald Ciolek
David de la Fuente
Ivan Parra
Markus Fothen
Sergio Paulinho
Tadej Valjavec
Tomas Vaitkus

Well, I'm old school. So my motivation isn't just to win, but to be good. -Jens Voigt, Philosopher

by Ruthann on Jul 7, 2007 4:32 PM EDT reply actions

Is Ciolek in there?

I got him too.

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Jul 7, 2007 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Oops, nope. No Ciolek. Damn.

Well, I'm old school. So my motivation isn't just to win, but to be good. -Jens Voigt, Philosopher

by Ruthann on Jul 7, 2007 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Watch out

for the Fighting Cocks

Vino
Karpets
Popo
Little Tommy Voeckler
Egoi Martinez
Axel "gimme a vowel" Merckx
Fofonov
Paulhino
M. Fothen
Bram Tankink
Matteo Tosatto
David Millar
Chris Horner
David De la Fuente

If ya'll get lost, you can find your way by looking for the ad for the Kasakh railroad.

Yearlong VDS Team: The Fighting Cocks - Tour only VDS Team: The Super Domestiques - Rah!

by bethie on Jul 7, 2007 5:05 PM EDT reply actions

You got Little Tommy

Give it up.

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Jul 7, 2007 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Hah!

Little Tommy is my secret weapon, he'll be battling chicken for the KOM. A jersey is worth points, even if it is the least of points....points is points.

Yearlong VDS Team: The Fighting Cocks - Tour only VDS Team: The Super Domestiques - Rah!

by bethie on Jul 7, 2007 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Hah!

I meant David Millar is my secret weapon, chasing the KOM points. That's what I meant.

Yearlong VDS Team: The Fighting Cocks - Tour only VDS Team: The Super Domestiques - Rah!

by bethie on Jul 8, 2007 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

lol

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Jul 8, 2007 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Portadores del Agua

are ready to get back into the Top 10 with these fine 15:
Boonen
Schleck
Schumi
Napolitano
Anton
Grivko
Calzati
Ventoso
Chicken
Millar
Cavendish
De La Fuente
Cioni
Isasi
Righi

Portadores del Agua: Hardest of the hard men

by Jiggs on Jul 7, 2007 9:25 PM EDT reply actions

I picked Petacchi

hoping for a dominant Giro, but expecting a lackluster Tour. Mission accomplished. I like my current year Long VDS guys that are still there like Boonen, Forster, Kirchen, Steegmans, Florencio et al. My TDF VDS was built with all GC/TT guys. My one throw-in Frenchman was Sebastien Chavenal who picked up a rather nice 4th today.

Vlaenderen die Leu