We all have our favorites for victory come Sunday, but when you look at the teams that are coming loaded for bear it has all the makings of an instant classic.
Consider.....
QS
BOONEN
BETTINI
CRETSKENS
VAN PETEGEM
VAN IMPE
STEEGMANS
ROSSELER
HULSMANS
Not a punter in the bunch
Lotto
Hoste
Sentjens
Roesems
Not loaded but will be shadowing QS closely
CSC
O'Grady
Kroon
Tony
Michaelsen
A little more loaded than Lotto, with two real threats and the track record of performing well in big races
T Mob
Kirchen
Klier
Hammond
Eisel
Knaven
Burghardt
Almost as loaded as QS (on paper). How will they actually perform though?
Lampre
Ballan
Baldato
Bennati
Each a threat on their own. But will two ride for one if it comes down to it?
Liquigas
Pozzato
Paolini
Quinziato
Petito
You'd think Pippo automatically but Paolini's performance today says he's saving some bullets for Sunday
Milram
Ete
Grabsch
Lancaster
In the mold of Lotto but can definitely shadow QS and hope to make the winning break
Rabobank
Freire
Flecha
Boogieman
Posthuma
Van Bon
These guys are my dark horses. They are all individually riding well and have experience
Discovery
Devolder
Gusev
Vaitkus
White
Padernos
They will ride for whomever the DS tells them to (Devolder) and ride hard. Their handicap is Demol (if he's there DS for the day).
I think it's safe to say the winner will come from this group :-) But what a group it is. I can only hope the last 50K plays out like the last 50K of LBL last year. That would be fanastic.