Time to pick your TDF winner!

[Lifesgreat]

Who is going dig into his suitcase of courage, make the cheeky moves and win the TOUR DAY FRANTS (as Bob Roll pronounces it ;) )?

Here is a link to a PDF file with OLN's (www.olntv.com) broadcast schedule: http://www.olntv.com/img/Tour%20Schedule%203%2029%2006.pdf

Ivan Basso would be my pick for GC. I will be rooting for fellow Utahn Dave Zabriskie on the time trial stages.

[emily_in_nc]

Who I want to win: Hincapie
Who I think will win: Basso
Who might surprise us all: Ullrich :eek:

~Emily

[Triskeliongirl]

Basso all the way.
Ullrich no way.

[Trek420]

don't forget the contest right here

http://www.teamestrogen.com/tdf/

[maillotpois]

I just want Levi on the podium. Is that too much to ask? :rolleyes:

[Nanci]

Who I want to win: Basso

Who I think will win: Basso

Who will be on the podium: Ulrich

(Had to edit- I can't believe Landis isn't riding! What happened??)

[Kalidurga]

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Floyd's not riding??? As of 5 days ago, according to Floyd's own website, he was announced as the Tour leader for Phonak. I've been googling since reading Nanci's post and can't find anything saying he's not riding, and no one's posted anything at the bicycling.com forum. Floyd was my dark horse pic for #1, please say it ain't so!

[maillotpois]

I haven't seen anything to that effect (that Floyd's not riding), and I have been following the news regularly.

Where did you see that???

[Nanci]

Nevermind- I'm not even going to tell you what I was thinking...

Who I want to win: Landis or Basso

Who I think will win: Acevedo or Basso

Who will be on the podium:

[maillotpois]

Nevermind- I'm not even going to tell you what I was thinking...

Who I want to win: Landis or Basso

Who I think will win: Acevedo or Basso

Who will be on the podium:


C'mon, what were you thinking? Hey, even the under-40 set get senior moments!!

[Nanci]

(he was still with Discovery)

[maillotpois]

Aha - well, sometimes we just forget things. Good call on Acevedo, though. I do expect him to be right up there.

[Nanci]

(oops, forgot I wasn't under 40, too!)

[maillotpois]

(oops, forgot I wasn't under 40, too!)


I was referring to myself. And it's only good for another 6 months anyway. Then I will be in the over-40 senior moment phase.

[Kalidurga]

Well, that got my adrenalin pumping. Ok, here goes-

Who I want to win: Landis (Just cause he's fun and, man, can he ride) or Hincapie (Just cause I'd like to see him shine the way Floyd has after coming out from behind Lance's shadow).

Who I think will win: Basso?

I'd like to see Ullrich or Vino on the podium, though it's hard to tell whether either will make it. And, of course, I'd love to see Dave Z smoke 'em on the time trials.

Regardless, it's going to be one damned exciting race (as if that hasn't been said 200 times already...).

[jobob]

Make it 201 ! This is gonna be goooood.

I'm really glad to see that Vinokourov's team (Astana-Würth, formerly Liberty Seguros-Würth) is participating, that was up in the air for a bit.

So here's Jobob Soothsayer's predictions for the finishing order:

Basso

Ullrich (he'll smoke everyone in the TTs but when all is said & done Basso will get him in the mountains)

Landis

Vinokourov

Leipheimer (but I'd love to see him finish higher)

Hincapie (or Popovych)

Valverde

Mayo

Cunego

Evans

bitter little man Simoni


I'll no doubt be eating my CSC cap by the time this is over :D

[aka_kim]

It's going to be so fun this year! My top five ...

Ullrich (because his suitcase of courage is deeper than Basso's)
Basso
Floyd!!! (well, only if he's on form, otherwise he's my pick to DNF)
Azevedo
Levi!!!

[Susan Otcenas]

Dont' forget....TE is running a TdF contest. One grand prize of a $250 TE shopping spree AND daily prizes for each stage.

Enter for the grand prize (and get on our mailing list for the daily contest entries) here:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/tdf/

Susan (rooting for George, but sure to be disappointed...)

[margo49]

Robbie McEwen for a few stage wins
Ullrich or Basso for the Yellow

Counting down the days...

[chickwhorips]

who i want to win: basso

who will win: basso

on the podium: ulrich

can't wait to see a good race this year!

does oln have daily coverage again this year?

[chickwhorips]

nevermind.... looked on the websight and answered my own question. i'm a little slow today....

here is the link for the tv schedule: http://www.olntv.com/tdf/article/view/758/?ss=tv&tf=Body.tpl

my sister is coming to visit and isnt a cycling fan (i know gasp! :eek: ) by the time she leaves she will be or will have to find something else to do while bf and i watch the race.

[margo49]

my sister is coming to visit and isnt a cycling fan (i know gasp! :eek: ) by the time she leaves she will be or will have to find something else to do while bf and i watch the race.

Yeah, the kids can't believe that the parent who complains about them watching too much tv is now glued to the box for hours on end and that is perfectly fine.
My response is that it is cheaper than a psychologist

[kelownagirl]

Only US residents though eh? :(

b

[cusepack]

Here's my prediction:

Landis
Ullrich
Basso

I see Landis as a big surprise for the Tour. Ullrich, he'll do well in the TTs, but not sure his posse will support him the entire Tour, and Basso, I just don't know if he's got the strength after his Giro win.

My friend just left yesterday for France and is staying for the entire Tour. He's a photographer, so he brought along a ton of gear and I'm sure will have some great shots. I'll post his photo page once he returns.

[jeannierides]

I love Hincapie, 'cuz he's a *hometown boy (sort of)*, and would love him to be on the podium.:rolleyes: I'm afraid Basso left too much behind in the Giro. :( I'd really love to see Ulrich in yellow (sentimental fav.), but not sure he'll be supported enough... Zabriskie is adorable, and Landis (has a strong team) is growing on me... anyone read the article in Bicycling Mag.? Lance called them Dumb and Dumber...;)

Landis
Ulrich
Hincapie
Basso
Vinocourov

[traveller_62]

Can't wait for the TDF. My Tivo is primed and ready to record!

I predict...

1. Ullrich - if he keeps his focus
2. Basso - if he stays healthy
3. Lepheimer - if he has the Tour of his life

Levi is my sentimental favorite. Landis, if he can avoid getting stressed out, will do really well. I like Hincapie and he is an awesome cyclist but I think that he isn't quite ready to make that transition from major team player to team leader...I think the stress of that transition might get to him. Vino could be the spoiler for everyone.

Does anyone else watch the tour coverage while they are riding on their indoor trainer? :)

-traveller

[Susan Otcenas]

Only US residents though eh? :(

b

Sorry, Kelownagirl, but every country has different rules regulating contests and sweepstakes. It's too easy to run afoul. :(

Susan

[Susan Otcenas]

The first of our daily Tour contests is now open!

To enter your educated guesses on the Prologue, please visit here: http://www.teamestrogen.com/tdf/enter_stage0.asp

The winner of the Prologue Contest will receive a TdF Cap Sleeve Tee. (see it here: http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=15576)

PLUS, there's still time to enter for the GRAND prize of a $250 TE shopping spree! Enter here: http://www.teamestrogen.com/tdf/enter_overall.asp

Good luck!

Susan

[jobob]

Hi Jeff or Susan -

There's a mistake on the entry form for the Prologue contest - the 2004 prologue winner, Fabian Cancellara, will not be riding in the Tour this year.

He wasn't named to CSC's TdF team. Alas. :(

[Susan Otcenas]

Well, bummer. Shows you what I get for reading VeloNews. I'm at home now - I'll have to change it in the morning...

Susan

[Dok-torr]

Who I want to win : Ivan the Lovely
Who I think will win : Ivan the lovely
Who simply must win and get a place in the history books for taking the Giro/ Tour double : Ivan the Lovely

Winner of the Green jersey : Tommy Boonen
Winner of the Polka dots : Mickael Rasmussen

Podium places for: Alejandro Valverde
Alexandre Vinokourov

I am so excited....

[Denise223]

Winners might be.......... Landis, Hincapie, Azevedo.... I'd thought perhaps Basso, too --- but, he won't be participating....

Denise.

[Duck on Wheels]

Well ... with several of the big favorites (and a whole bunch of wannabes) suspended, it's pretty wide open. I'm not even sure if I know any names of those who are left, except for Thor Hushovd. So I'll guess Hushovd. Not that he has much of a chance. He's not a climber. But if he does win I'll get outsiders' odds.

[betagirl]

Even though he's not one of my favs, Landis. Yesterday I would have said Basso.

On an aside did you guys read the Dave Z. interview of Floyd in this month's bicycling? Pretty entertaining.

[jeannierides]

Betagirl, I got the magazine yesterday & started reading it... got some funny looks from co-workers when I started giggling... Dumb and Dumber indeed! :D

[Lifesgreat]

I am going to have to say Vino or Landis now.

Yesterday, I read that article in Bicycling. It was entertaining and interesting.

[Kalidurga]

I am going to have to say Vino or Landis now.

Unfortunately, you're going to have to narrow that choice, Lifesgreat. Astana-Wurth seems to be out entirely. Even though Vino's not implicated, Astana (Liberty-Seguros) apparently had more riders connected to this mess than any other team. Unless he can skip teams overnight, Vino's out of contention, which means we miss the drama of his great attacks.