Power Poll: Teams!
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 11, 2008 2:15 PM EDT
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Because you can never get enough lists of vaguely factual-sounding tidbits...
1. Team Columbia ↑
Previous Ranking: 4
Super powers: sprinting, being everywhere
Weakness: high mountains
Sure, it can't last, but nobody has shown up every day with more cards to play than Columbia. And they've played them. Kirchen solidly in green...are you kidding? And yes, I will be writing valentine posts to them on a monthly basis.
2. Caisse d'Epargne ↔
Previous Ranking: 2
Super powers: everything with an incline
Weakness: experience?
The giant stirs... I fully expect them to take the top spot soon, based on what we've seen the last two days. Suddenly the slopes of the Massif Central are awash in frisky, black-clad Spaniards. Sanchez was awesome today. Pereiro looks like a podium challenger. [dear god...] Valverde's crash was the only onion in the ointment so far, but he should be OK in time to make his run.
3. CSC-Sexy Back ↓
Previous Ranking: 1
Super powers: hard work, intimidation
Weakness: probably can't contain Caisse d'Epargne in the mountains
It's tempting to ask, where's CSC? The answer, though, would be laying back, playing it smart. They tried applying a little pressure today, but quickly realized it wasn't going to work, and went back to laying low. Might resume the top spot before it's all over, but Sastre's helpers include far fewer mountain goats than Valverde's.
4. Euskaltel-Euskadi ↓
Previous Ranking: 3
Super powers: attacking
Weakness: powers increase and diminish according to distance from Spanish border.
Zubeldia has until Monday to justify his team leadership; otherwise the better-placed and better-looking (on the bike, ahem) Astarloza and Sammy Sanchez can start feeling around for possible results. Still, three guys in the mix, and they haven't expended their support resources at all yet.
5. Saunier Duval ↑
Previous Ranking: are you kidding?
Super powers: climbing, attacking
Weakness: until this week, everything; now, de la Fuente's descending
Better late than never. Riccardo Ricco's surprising post-Giro form has given their roster of great support climbers a reason to live. Suddenly, for every steady surge by Caisse d'Epargne, there are two Redbirds probing the front for a chance to escape. Great 1-2 punch by Piepoli and Ricco yesterday; great job launching de la Fuente and Jufre Pou today.
6. Liquigas ↑
Previous Ranking: n/a
Super powers: Little bit of this, little bit of that
Weakness: major results, hair jokes -- update: might be kicked out of Tour due to Beltran positive (see below)
They're certainly involved, for now, be it challenging for stages or towing Pippo back up to the peloton. Launching Nibali was a nice move; he was the white jersey on the road at one point, or close to it, as well as a solid stage win threat. Hopefully they'll get something for their troubles before it's over, i.e. a stage.
7. Rabobank ↓
Previous Ranking: 5
Super powers: depth, prizes to chase
Weakness: history?
We'll know more about the Orange Order soon enough, but they did a decent job rescuing Menchov from disaster on Stage 2, and have a lineup built to shepherd him around when the going gets tougher -- CSC Lite. But what was Menchov doing in the back? Bad idea. Freire has been a little disappointing.
8. Garmin-Chipotle ↑
Previous Ranking: n/a
Super powers: time trialing
Weakness: high mountains
Am I overrating them? Well, this poll is more backward-looking than anything else, and they've had a terrific week, wearing the yellow numbers for four days (though not tomorrow). Smartly went after stage 3, and showed great muscle in the ITT. Vandevelde is riding for a GC slot now.
9. Gerolsteiner ↑
Previous Ranking: n/a
Super powers: protecting Schumacher
Weakness: keeping Schumacher upright
For a team with no expectations, grabbing yellow for two days was good tonic. They get this slot partly by default, but also by virtue of their hard work on stage 5, defending Yellow on a day when they had little help and lots of KMs. If Schumacher weren't such a [fill in blank], he and they would be looking at more like five days in the lead... and a possible sponsorship lifeline. Ah well.
10. Credit Agricole ↑
Previous Ranking: n/a
Super powers: chasing... Smashing!
Weakness: Climbing
It's been a miserable week for sprinters' teams, but at least Credit Ag have gotten their man to the line a couple times -- once for the win -- which is more than the other sprint teams can say.
Dropping out: Silence! Lotto
No soup for you.
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*chuckle*
silence, so not looking like a tour contenders team right now.
it’s always intriguing when csc plays the waiting game. what are they going to do next?
fab riding from caisse so far. and surprisingly good from saunier – i didn’t expect that, but they’re riding great.
I agree to a point about Lotto
Their doesn’t really seem to be a difference between last year’s team and this year’s. The difference is of course that Cadel is undoubtedly the strongest rider in the race this year. But really, I think they are good enough to shepherd Cadel to the win. CdE is strong, but Valverde doesn’t seem particularly strong to me, so I don’t think he can win this even with a strong team. Same with Menchov. No, I think even with a weaker team, Cadel is still the clear cut favorite. He only really had Horner last year and really only has Popo this year. Other than that little difference, I agree with your picks.
If I just had one more gear, I...
CSC sits back and waits.
If you look at the top 20 of GC there are a lot of classic-type climbers but not a lot of pure climbers. The name that caught my eye was Sastre. He’s only 1:34 down.
Freire
Before e-goat goes postal (not in the doping sense…) I should point out that Oscar is currently in second in the green jersey comp, one point ahead of Thor. So while he may not have the stage win, he has definitely been consistently up there.
nah
he’s still 28 or so points behind Kirchen, but he moved ahead of Thor
He's wearing green though
Kim likes the other jumper better, I guess.
Brooklyn Chewing Gum: Vlaanderens Mooiste
CdE looking crazy strong for the mountains
Evans obviously needs to stay out of yellow for as long as possible if he’s going to have anyone there for him in an emergency. You don’t want to lose a once in a lifetime opportunity to win Yellow because you wasted yourself fetching bottles and rainjackets.
CSC are looking pretty good, three leaders who look like they will be up front in the mountains, Gustov also looking very strong, Jens! has let go pretty early on the climbs sofar but you know he has reserves for when it really matters. Nicki was supposed to be the second climbingdomestique but although his knee is improving I doubt he will be useful before the Alps.
VN
does its -a-status-report” >teams assessment - no major disagreements. But why must they keep stealing my ideas?
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 11, 2008 4:40 PM EDT reply actions
pfft
Flowcharts are more of a final week thing, where the number of possibilities shrinks to something that can be charted.
Anyway, at least I give detailed rankings. All they say is that CSC, Columbia and CDE are “among the best.” So much for guts.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 11, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
We love flowcharts!
Brooklyn Chewing Gum: Vlaanderens Mooiste
by Koppenberg on Jul 11, 2008 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
So beautiful
I could cry.
Alright, I’ll gin up a flowchart sometime next week. Maybe as part of my next book review.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 11, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Which is cool - if they'd pass along the credit.
At least Jered is good at giving kudo’s! :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
money quote
Even before Kirchen nabbed the yellow jersey this morning, Columbia Sportswear Co. chief executive Tim Boyle said the cycling team’s performance and resulting news coverage had exceeded his expectations. He said the team has drawn mention in 2,600 news stories worldwide, not counting blog entires.
Not counting blog entries??? That hurts. Didn’t you see my big puff piece yesterday?
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 11, 2008 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions
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