Comments on: Skyfall?

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:53:40 +0000

Boedi, you need to get his shoes: http://www.gaerneshoes.com/product-p/chrono-carbon-usa.htm

#mericapro

By: Boedi

Boedi — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:45:48 +0000

Seriously bummed that Chris Horner isn’t racing this year. Between him and JV, post race analysis were always entertaining. Dudes I’d love to ride with and drink beers with.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:21:13 +0000

I’m with you, Stu. Partly for nationalistic reasons, but I’m also getting on the Froome Wagon because he’s still a bit of an establishment outsider. If he wins, he’ll be the first Grand Tour winner born in Africa. He looks all wrong, but can climb with the best of them, and he’s got a wicked TT to back it up.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:18:02 +0000

I think you’re right. It will be a doozy. I think the Froome-Porte combo is pretty exciting in the mountains. Yes, Froome looks completely awkward, but that just makes him so hard for his opponents to read. Porte, on the other hand, never looks like he’s suffering. Having both of them to counter Bertie’s explosive bursts should make for some great climbing stages.

Even an off-form Bertie is going to be terrific in the Alpes. He’s got a strong lieutenant in Mick Rogers, too.

I think Schleck will be interesting to watch. I’m seeing him go all in to grab that double Alpe d’Huez stage with a break on the first ascent. I doubt he’ll pull it off, but I think he’s probably not thinking of GC, but will play a more Voeckler like role. All the better.

Garmin could definitely use the Ryder-Martin slingshot on a couple of stages, and they could end up with a couple of guys in the top ten. I don’t see them on the podium, though.

Unfortunately Gaudin didn’t make the cut this year. Roland will be good to watch, though.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:07:42 +0000

Degenkolb could snatch a sprint stage for Germany, too. Although the presence of Cav, Greipel and Sagan will make it tricky for him.

By: Stu

Stu — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 11:31:40 +0000

Good write-up, mate. I’m a Wiggo fan, first and foremost. I like his style, cockiness, and foul-mouthness. Secondly, the Sky Train is an amazing team. Insert any business reference you want to the teamwork that accrued in 2012. So, next in line is Froome—the quieter, riveter of climbing, and helluva fun to watch. I’ll be pulling for the same (less Wiggo). And still looking forward to Voekler facial impression and Mr. Shut-Up-Legs’ likely last Tour.

By: Townsend

Townsend — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:23:34 +0000

Wonderful article, by the way, Mr. Kyte!

By: Townsend

Townsend — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:19:15 +0000

Froome certainly looks to be the odds-on favorite, and I am certainly no Sky hater (though I have enough of Rapha’s other over-priced kits that I will not be ordering from the team store), but I would love for someone to put a stick of dynamite in the race this year and find a way to blow up the Skytrain. My most likely contenders to do that – maybe not to win GC, but at least to ensure that this year doesn’t follow the 2012 model where it’s several isolated contenders vs. a 4-man sky team 4k to the end of a mountain finish:

1) Contador – how I’d love to see a return of the man who quite literally dances on his pedals up mountains. Was it just the juice, or does he still have it in him? He such a pretty rider, and such a contrast to the aesthetically challenged boys at Sky (sorry, Froome may be strong, but he looks like a goon on a bike).

2) Team Garmin. Well, half their team at least. Who knows what they might do. Probably a longshot for any GC hopes, but it looks like their plan is to play fast and loose and see what happens. They have the talent to make Sky work harder that they might be expecting to work. The right guys in the right breaks on the right stages could create some fun scenarios.

3) Thomas Voeckler and anyone else from Europcar. Fuck it. Just the grimace alone for three weeks is more exciting than Sky’s entire team. Add the second (currently unidentified) Europcar rider whose talent/personality is surely going to blow our minds for at least one memorable stage, and you’ve got a recipie for spicy cycling gumbo.

Methinks this will be a doozy of a Tour. I cannot wait.

By: Boedi

Boedi — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 03:22:01 +0000

Certainly not Sky! Bring on the Americans! And Voeckler pulling faces. And as a German, kind of, the big monkey Greipel.