"Cancellara will be top five"

Stephen Roche has a little...different...view on the tour this year. It is a bit off-the-wall. I just don't get how Sastre "hasn't done that much this year" with that killer Giro he had with 2 stages and 4th.

over 2 years ago Vlaanderen90 18 comments 0 recs |

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I wouldn't mind at all

but I just don’t see it. I also don’t see Menchov finishing 2nd this year, especially with today’s ITT…

by Le Comte on Jul 5, 2009 2:31 AM EDT reply actions

Well he isn't the only one

Saying that kind of thing.

I am not going to venture an opinion. I reckon that it’s Tony who decides what he can and can’t do… not us mere mortals, LOL.

by Lou... on Jul 5, 2009 2:48 AM EDT reply actions

Apparently Sean Kelly tipped him for the GC too... Maybe they know something

but I just don’t see Ventoux and Tony playing nice.

by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 5, 2009 2:52 AM EDT up reply actions

If there's a big headwind at the top, that could help him out

Millar only lost 18 seconds on Evans on the Ventoux at the Dauphine, for example.

by William H on Jul 5, 2009 4:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Cancellara is such an underrated climber...

I’d say he’s probably among the 20 best guys in the peloton. I bet he does great in the mountains.

It’s such a pleasure to watch him because he’s basically a throwback – along with maybe Gilbert (But Cance is better), I’d say he’s the one guy in the peloton who could win all 5 monuments. People will laugh and say he’ll never win LBL, and that’s probably true, but that hasn’t stopped him from making it one of his goals, and I’d say that’s it’s unlikely but not unattainable.

by plinytheelder on Jul 5, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

He's steller up to a fairly high percentage grade, and for long distances.

considering his size, especially. But the steepest bits belong to contador. So we’ll be looking at the balance between the hills that are rated 2, 1, and even HC primarlily on length / elevation gain, vs. the ones that are insanely steep. I know a version of this has been posted here before, but it’s useful to remember that total altitude gain plays a large role in the rating system.

by JFS_PGH on Jul 5, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

That's a good point about Ventoux

I hadn’t considered that. We’ll see…

by Le Comte on Jul 5, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't see this

He’s probably more talented than George Hincapie, so the comparison may be a bit off based, but remember in 2006 people were talking up his chances for the GC as well? Some unnamed well known cycling photographer, who will go unnamed, even had the temerity to predict him as third in that year’s race?

George and Cance have similar builds, both are diesel engines that can’t accelerate, not a quality that will do either rider much good on a climb like Mont Ventoux. Frankly if Cance were to finish in the top 5 I would be shocked.

by La3000 on Jul 5, 2009 11:56 AM EDT reply actions

He actually has a ferocious finishing kick for an all-arounder / TT specialist.

But he goes totally anaerobic / red zone to do it. So I think you’re right, that he can’t use it reliably to “jump” on an uphill. But we’re not talking about him getting the polka dots, or winning mountain stages. For what he’d need to do to be top 5, I think that’s within reason (and doesn’t require him to jump contador for a mountain finish). Don’t forget his descending talent, either. He’s got amazing stability and maneuverability, plus enough weight (and the diesel butt) to really fly on a gentle descent.

by JFS_PGH on Jul 5, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

The yellow bike thing...?

I’ve gotta say that it has me baffled.

Best I can come up with is that Bajrne is f*cking with people’s heads. He really wants that jersey right up to the TTT…

by Lou... on Jul 5, 2009 7:45 PM EDT reply actions

Black shorts, though

That seems to be a consistent thing with Riis. When Basso won the Giro, he wore black shorts until the final day. Likewise Schleck in yellow last year (can’t remember about Sastre).

I like that. The yellow ‘suit’, yellow gloves, sunglasses, shoes, etc thing is a bit silly. Rasmussen used to polka-dot everything, by way of comparison. It’s understandable from the sponsor’s point of view, but it looks a bit dumb when, like Evans in the 2002 Giro, you have a bad jour sans. Then it’s like the kit is mocking you.

by Drongo on Jul 5, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions