A Tour De France Preview
A Tour De France Preview
From an Amateur Journalist
With no future in writing.
Its that time of the year again. Time when amateur sports fans turn their attention toward the foreign sport of cycling, to pay attentiion to the only race that they know of. Despite the accomplishments of the year, like Ivan Basso winning the Giro D'Italia, Tom Boonen's early season dominance, Alejandro Valverde taking La Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, most of the amateur enthusiasts pick Jan Ullrich as the favorite, because besides Lance Armstrong, hes the only guy they've ever heard of. But we all know the truth. 189 guys are toeing up the line in Strasbourg. Without further adieu, I will take the tour stage by stage, and present my predictions, for anyone who may care. Keep in mind, I don't have a start list handy. So, we'll see how I do.
Prologue: 7 KM ITT
A dead flat time trial, custom made for the prologue specialists.
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. David Zabriske
3. Levi Leipheimer
Stage 1: 184 KM Flat
A pretty flat course with a few bumps, should be a classic sprinter stage.
1. Tom Boonen
2. Oscar Feirere
3. Robbie McEwen
Stage 2: 228 KM Flat
This one has a few bumps at the end. I expect to see some oppurtunists take their turn.
1. Juan Antonio Flecha
2. Fabian Wegman
3. Robbie McEwen
Stage 3: 216 KM Flat
This stage ends uphill on a Cat 3 climb. Not the usual sprint I don't think. I expect oppurtunists to take their turn but a few sprinters hanging around.
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Fabian Wegman
Stage 4: 207 KM Flat
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Tom Boonen
3. Allesandro Pettachi
Stage 5: 225 KM Flat
1. Tom Boonen
2. Robbie McEwen
3. Thor Hushovd
Stage 6: 189 KM Flat
Another sprinters stage. No breakaways working quite yet.
1. Tom Boonen
2. Olaf Pollack
3. Robbie McEwen
Stage 7: 52 KM ITT
Finally, the gauntlet. The tour starts in earnest today. Who will show their stuff to take an early lead in the tour de france.
1. Jan Ullrich
2. Ivan Basso
3. Alejandro Valverde
Stage 8: 181 KM Flat
Sprinters again.
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Tom Boonen
3. Olaf Pollack
Stage 9: 170 KM Flat
1. Tom Boonen
2. Robbie McEwen
3. Thor Hushovd
Stage 10: 190 KM Mountain
Oh my heavens, a mountain. Three of them. Now we got some breakaways. I don't think the GC riders will be overly worried, so I expect a Virenquesque breakaway.
1. Michael Rasmussen
2. Axel Mercxx
3. Alejandro Valverde
Stage 11: 207 KM Mountain
Now the GC riders will take interest. Not many will survive this stage, featuring a large uphill finish at Pla de Beret. I expect to see Jan Ullrich shelled and left behind.
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Ivan Basso
3. Iban Mayo
Stage 12: 211 KM Flat
A breakaway will survive this stage.
1. Thor Hushovd
2. Thomas Voekler
3. Sylvan Chavanel
Stage 13: 230 KM Flat
Another breakaway day.
1. Magnus Backstedt
2. Sandy Casar
3. Jens Voight
Stage 14: 180 KM Flat
GC riders will take interest I think, but still a bunch sprint at the end.
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Stuart O'Grady
Stage 15: 187 KM Mountain
We go up. To L'alp D'Huez. I expect some big attacks. Some people getting dropped, left by the wayside. And the winner.
1. Iban Mayo
2. Ivan Basso
3. Alejandro Valverde
Stage 16: 182 KM Mountain
Iban Mayo already won this stage this year. Lets see if he can do it again?
1. Iban Mayo
2. Ivan Basso
3. Jan Ullrich
Stage 17: 200 KM Mountain
Last chance for the climbers. I expect the same results.
1. Yaroslav Popavych
2. Iban Mayo
3. Ivan Basso
Stage 18: 197 KM Flat
Very long run-in to Macon. Sprinters day
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Tom Boonen
Stage 19: 57 KM ITT
I expect to see Iban Mayo in yellow, hanging on for dear life.
1. Ivan Basso
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Jan Ullrich
Stage 20: 154 KM Flat
The Champs'Elyeese
1. Tom Boonen
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Robbie McEwen
Final GC Classification
1. Iban Mayo
2. Ivan Basso +Small Change
3. Alejandro Valverde + a Bit More
Mountains Classification
1. Micahel Rasmussen
2. Iban Mayo
3. Ivan Basso
Sprinters Classification
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Tom Boonen
3. Thor Hushovd
there you have it.
lets see how i do.
From an Amateur Journalist
With no future in writing.
Its that time of the year again. Time when amateur sports fans turn their attention toward the foreign sport of cycling, to pay attentiion to the only race that they know of. Despite the accomplishments of the year, like Ivan Basso winning the Giro D'Italia, Tom Boonen's early season dominance, Alejandro Valverde taking La Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, most of the amateur enthusiasts pick Jan Ullrich as the favorite, because besides Lance Armstrong, hes the only guy they've ever heard of. But we all know the truth. 189 guys are toeing up the line in Strasbourg. Without further adieu, I will take the tour stage by stage, and present my predictions, for anyone who may care. Keep in mind, I don't have a start list handy. So, we'll see how I do.
Prologue: 7 KM ITT
A dead flat time trial, custom made for the prologue specialists.
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. David Zabriske
3. Levi Leipheimer
Stage 1: 184 KM Flat
A pretty flat course with a few bumps, should be a classic sprinter stage.
1. Tom Boonen
2. Oscar Feirere
3. Robbie McEwen
Stage 2: 228 KM Flat
This one has a few bumps at the end. I expect to see some oppurtunists take their turn.
1. Juan Antonio Flecha
2. Fabian Wegman
3. Robbie McEwen
Stage 3: 216 KM Flat
This stage ends uphill on a Cat 3 climb. Not the usual sprint I don't think. I expect oppurtunists to take their turn but a few sprinters hanging around.
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Fabian Wegman
Stage 4: 207 KM Flat
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Tom Boonen
3. Allesandro Pettachi
Stage 5: 225 KM Flat
1. Tom Boonen
2. Robbie McEwen
3. Thor Hushovd
Stage 6: 189 KM Flat
Another sprinters stage. No breakaways working quite yet.
1. Tom Boonen
2. Olaf Pollack
3. Robbie McEwen
Stage 7: 52 KM ITT
Finally, the gauntlet. The tour starts in earnest today. Who will show their stuff to take an early lead in the tour de france.
1. Jan Ullrich
2. Ivan Basso
3. Alejandro Valverde
Stage 8: 181 KM Flat
Sprinters again.
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Tom Boonen
3. Olaf Pollack
Stage 9: 170 KM Flat
1. Tom Boonen
2. Robbie McEwen
3. Thor Hushovd
Stage 10: 190 KM Mountain
Oh my heavens, a mountain. Three of them. Now we got some breakaways. I don't think the GC riders will be overly worried, so I expect a Virenquesque breakaway.
1. Michael Rasmussen
2. Axel Mercxx
3. Alejandro Valverde
Stage 11: 207 KM Mountain
Now the GC riders will take interest. Not many will survive this stage, featuring a large uphill finish at Pla de Beret. I expect to see Jan Ullrich shelled and left behind.
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Ivan Basso
3. Iban Mayo
Stage 12: 211 KM Flat
A breakaway will survive this stage.
1. Thor Hushovd
2. Thomas Voekler
3. Sylvan Chavanel
Stage 13: 230 KM Flat
Another breakaway day.
1. Magnus Backstedt
2. Sandy Casar
3. Jens Voight
Stage 14: 180 KM Flat
GC riders will take interest I think, but still a bunch sprint at the end.
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Stuart O'Grady
Stage 15: 187 KM Mountain
We go up. To L'alp D'Huez. I expect some big attacks. Some people getting dropped, left by the wayside. And the winner.
1. Iban Mayo
2. Ivan Basso
3. Alejandro Valverde
Stage 16: 182 KM Mountain
Iban Mayo already won this stage this year. Lets see if he can do it again?
1. Iban Mayo
2. Ivan Basso
3. Jan Ullrich
Stage 17: 200 KM Mountain
Last chance for the climbers. I expect the same results.
1. Yaroslav Popavych
2. Iban Mayo
3. Ivan Basso
Stage 18: 197 KM Flat
Very long run-in to Macon. Sprinters day
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Tom Boonen
Stage 19: 57 KM ITT
I expect to see Iban Mayo in yellow, hanging on for dear life.
1. Ivan Basso
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Jan Ullrich
Stage 20: 154 KM Flat
The Champs'Elyeese
1. Tom Boonen
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Robbie McEwen
Final GC Classification
1. Iban Mayo
2. Ivan Basso +Small Change
3. Alejandro Valverde + a Bit More
Mountains Classification
1. Micahel Rasmussen
2. Iban Mayo
3. Ivan Basso
Sprinters Classification
1. Robbie McEwen
2. Tom Boonen
3. Thor Hushovd
there you have it.
lets see how i do.