Post by Bundy on Jun 25, 2012 22:50:59 GMT 10
2012 Tour de France
This is the event that I thoroughly enjoy every year…run between June 30 and July 22 this year…it was memorable for more than just Cadel’s win last year as I was also in London at the time when he won…still remember that sunny Saturday afternoon when I trudged into a London pub and preceded to celebrate there for the next two days…haha…good times
This year they are saying and I agree that it is really a race in two between Cadel Evans and Brit Bradley Wiggins. Usual favourite Contador is out while Andy Schleck is also out with injury and his brother Frank just isn’t the same rider without his brother there...I guess one wildcard would be Robert Gesink from Rabobank…he is a pretty decent climber.
After years and years of various people trying and wanting this to happen, we finally have an Aussie team to cheer on called Orica Greenedge and whilst they won’t really be in it for overall honours, they are a good chance for a few stage wins.
Here are the teams (and the riders I’ve highlighted) who will be the ones to watch:
BMC Racing
Rider Nationality Team Age
Cadel Evans
Australia
BMC Racing Team
35
Marcus Burghardt
Germany
BMC Racing Team
29
Steve Cummings
United Kingdom
BMC Racing Team
31
Philippe Gilbert
Belgium
BMC Racing Team
29
George Hincapie
United States
BMC Racing Team
39
Amaël Moinard
France
BMC Racing Team
30
Manuel Quinziato
Italy
BMC Racing Team
32
Michael Schär
Switzerland
BMC Racing Team
25
Tejay van Garderen
United States
BMC Racing Team
23*
Team Sky
Rider Nationality Team Age
Kanstantsin Sivtsov
Belarus
Team Sky
29
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Norway
Team Sky
25*
Bradley Wiggins
United Kingdom
Team Sky
32
Bernhard Eisel
Austria
Team Sky
31
Christian Knees
Germany
Team Sky
31
Chris Froome
United Kingdom
Team Sky
27
Michael Rogers
Australia
Team Sky
32
Mark Cavendish
United Kingdom
Team Sky
27
Richie Porte
Australia
Team Sky
27
Liquigas-Cannondale
Federico Canuti
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
26
Ivan Basso
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
34
Alessandro Vanotti
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
31
Daniel Oss
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
26
Peter Sagan
Slovakia
Liquigas-Cannondale
23*
Kristjan Koren
Slovenia
Liquigas-Cannondale
25
Maciej Paterski
Poland
Liquigas-Cannondale
25
Sylwester Szmyd
Poland
Liquigas-Cannondale
35
Vincenzo Nibali
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
27
Astana
Janez Brajkoviè
Slovenia
Astana
28
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Sweden
Astana
32
Dmitry Fofonov
Kazakhstan
Astana
35
Alexander Vinokourov
Kazakhstan
Astana
38
Andriy Hryvko
Ukraine
Astana
28
Borut Božiè
Slovenia
Astana
31
Andrey Kashechkin
Kazakhstan
Astana
32
Robert Kišerlovski
Croatia
Astana
25
Valentin Iglinsky
Kazakhstan
Astana
28
Omege Pharma-Quick Step
Kevin De Weert
Belgium
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
30
Jérôme Pineau
France
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
32
Dries Devenyns
Belgium
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
28
Bert Grabsch
Germany
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
37
Peter Velits
Slovakia
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
27
Levi Leipheimer
United States
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
38
Sylvain Chavanel
France
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
33
Stijn Vandenbergh
Belgium
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
28
Tony Martin
Germany
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
27
Movistar Team
Juan José Cobo
Spain
Movistar Team
32
José Joaquín Rojas
Spain
Movistar Team
28
Iván Gutiérrez
Spain
Movistar Team
33
Alejandro Valverde
Spain
Movistar Team
33
David Arroyo
Spain
Movistar Team
32
Rui Costa
Portugal
Movistar Team
25
Rubén Plaza
Spain
Movistar Team
33
Vladimir Karpets
Russia
Movistar Team
31
Vasil Kiryienka
Belarus
Movistar Team
31
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
Jens Voigt
Germany
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
40
Fränk Schleck
Luxembourg
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
32
Fabian Cancellara
Switzerland
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
31
Haimar Zubeldia
Spain
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
35
Andreas Klöden
Germany
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
37
Chris Horner
United States
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
40
Maxime Monfort
Belgium
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
29
Tony Gallopin
France
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
24*
Yaroslav Popovych
Ukraine
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
32
5 of the most not-to-be-missed stages [/u]
Stage 7 - Tomblaine - La Planche des Belles Filles 199km
The first of the mountain stages...the first chance to see who really has what it takes to be champion !
www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-7
Stage 10: Mâcon - Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194km
First mountain stage after the first rest day...it will be tough to get those bodies going again !
www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-10
Stage 11 - Albertville – La Toussuire-Les Sybelles
May be a short one but boy is it a killer !
www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-11
And stage 18 and 19...but I can’t put the stage details up there as cyclingnews have none! ;D
Stage 18 is really the penultimate stage and the last big mountain stage where we would definitely get a show down between the 2 or 3 riders that are competing for overall GC and stage 19; even though if you saw the stage details you wouldn’t think much of it as it looked relatively flat, it is the time trial where it could provide the ultimate test for Cadel Evans as his greatest Bradley Wiggins is arguably one of the best at it.
Go Cadel!!
This is the event that I thoroughly enjoy every year…run between June 30 and July 22 this year…it was memorable for more than just Cadel’s win last year as I was also in London at the time when he won…still remember that sunny Saturday afternoon when I trudged into a London pub and preceded to celebrate there for the next two days…haha…good times
This year they are saying and I agree that it is really a race in two between Cadel Evans and Brit Bradley Wiggins. Usual favourite Contador is out while Andy Schleck is also out with injury and his brother Frank just isn’t the same rider without his brother there...I guess one wildcard would be Robert Gesink from Rabobank…he is a pretty decent climber.
After years and years of various people trying and wanting this to happen, we finally have an Aussie team to cheer on called Orica Greenedge and whilst they won’t really be in it for overall honours, they are a good chance for a few stage wins.
Here are the teams (and the riders I’ve highlighted) who will be the ones to watch:
BMC Racing
Rider Nationality Team Age
Cadel Evans
Australia
BMC Racing Team
35
Marcus Burghardt
Germany
BMC Racing Team
29
Steve Cummings
United Kingdom
BMC Racing Team
31
Philippe Gilbert
Belgium
BMC Racing Team
29
George Hincapie
United States
BMC Racing Team
39
Amaël Moinard
France
BMC Racing Team
30
Manuel Quinziato
Italy
BMC Racing Team
32
Michael Schär
Switzerland
BMC Racing Team
25
Tejay van Garderen
United States
BMC Racing Team
23*
Team Sky
Rider Nationality Team Age
Kanstantsin Sivtsov
Belarus
Team Sky
29
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Norway
Team Sky
25*
Bradley Wiggins
United Kingdom
Team Sky
32
Bernhard Eisel
Austria
Team Sky
31
Christian Knees
Germany
Team Sky
31
Chris Froome
United Kingdom
Team Sky
27
Michael Rogers
Australia
Team Sky
32
Mark Cavendish
United Kingdom
Team Sky
27
Richie Porte
Australia
Team Sky
27
Liquigas-Cannondale
Federico Canuti
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
26
Ivan Basso
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
34
Alessandro Vanotti
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
31
Daniel Oss
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
26
Peter Sagan
Slovakia
Liquigas-Cannondale
23*
Kristjan Koren
Slovenia
Liquigas-Cannondale
25
Maciej Paterski
Poland
Liquigas-Cannondale
25
Sylwester Szmyd
Poland
Liquigas-Cannondale
35
Vincenzo Nibali
Italy
Liquigas-Cannondale
27
Astana
Janez Brajkoviè
Slovenia
Astana
28
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Sweden
Astana
32
Dmitry Fofonov
Kazakhstan
Astana
35
Alexander Vinokourov
Kazakhstan
Astana
38
Andriy Hryvko
Ukraine
Astana
28
Borut Božiè
Slovenia
Astana
31
Andrey Kashechkin
Kazakhstan
Astana
32
Robert Kišerlovski
Croatia
Astana
25
Valentin Iglinsky
Kazakhstan
Astana
28
Omege Pharma-Quick Step
Kevin De Weert
Belgium
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
30
Jérôme Pineau
France
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
32
Dries Devenyns
Belgium
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
28
Bert Grabsch
Germany
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
37
Peter Velits
Slovakia
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
27
Levi Leipheimer
United States
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
38
Sylvain Chavanel
France
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
33
Stijn Vandenbergh
Belgium
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
28
Tony Martin
Germany
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
27
Movistar Team
Juan José Cobo
Spain
Movistar Team
32
José Joaquín Rojas
Spain
Movistar Team
28
Iván Gutiérrez
Spain
Movistar Team
33
Alejandro Valverde
Spain
Movistar Team
33
David Arroyo
Spain
Movistar Team
32
Rui Costa
Portugal
Movistar Team
25
Rubén Plaza
Spain
Movistar Team
33
Vladimir Karpets
Russia
Movistar Team
31
Vasil Kiryienka
Belarus
Movistar Team
31
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
Jens Voigt
Germany
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
40
Fränk Schleck
Luxembourg
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
32
Fabian Cancellara
Switzerland
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
31
Haimar Zubeldia
Spain
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
35
Andreas Klöden
Germany
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
37
Chris Horner
United States
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
40
Maxime Monfort
Belgium
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
29
Tony Gallopin
France
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
24*
Yaroslav Popovych
Ukraine
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
32
5 of the most not-to-be-missed stages [/u]
Stage 7 - Tomblaine - La Planche des Belles Filles 199km
The first of the mountain stages...the first chance to see who really has what it takes to be champion !
www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-7
Stage 10: Mâcon - Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194km
First mountain stage after the first rest day...it will be tough to get those bodies going again !
www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-10
Stage 11 - Albertville – La Toussuire-Les Sybelles
May be a short one but boy is it a killer !
www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-11
And stage 18 and 19...but I can’t put the stage details up there as cyclingnews have none! ;D
Stage 18 is really the penultimate stage and the last big mountain stage where we would definitely get a show down between the 2 or 3 riders that are competing for overall GC and stage 19; even though if you saw the stage details you wouldn’t think much of it as it looked relatively flat, it is the time trial where it could provide the ultimate test for Cadel Evans as his greatest Bradley Wiggins is arguably one of the best at it.
Go Cadel!!