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sput·nik · 07-03-2008, 06:48 AM

there'll be bodies all over the road by the time they hit the middle slopes of d'Huez.. if Cadel or Valverde don't have what it takes to split up the remaining leaders, the Schleck bros. & Carlos Sastre (watch out for CSC in the mountains...) or maybe Damiano Cunego, will.
after stages 15 (mountaintop finish) and 16 (2 x HC passes) the differences between the boys & the men will be well defined..

Cadel definitely has a great man in Popo, but I was really surprised that Lotto didn't make more of an effort to keep Chris Horner from going over to Astana after a couple solid, perhaps underappreciated, TdF performances in a row. Not unreasonable that they thought they had the better man in Popo... both amazing domestiques.
Valverde is riding as well this year as he did 2 years ago, when he almost surely would have trounced Landis if not for crashing out.. his only question is longevity as he remains unproven in 3 week tours aside from '06 in Spain when he was only beaten by Vino and Kaschekin, who were both probably riding soaked to the tits in bagged blood.
Cunego is the same, having had a great time in Italy years back, but faltering since. After a good early season, he wants to challenge this year too, but I'm not sure he has the team to do it.

This year looks like it'll take efforts across the board, as there just aren't that many spectacular stages for lone riders to really get away & effectively make any time.
CSC is the only team with real depth in the climbs, and it's hard to imagine the quiet Evans getting antsy before the time is right.. so we'll just have to wait and see who rides the smarter first 2 weeks,whether a few early efforts shake the field up or if it all stays together until the final few days.
despite making for some slow watching early on, i am hoping for the latter as I'd really like to see some good battles in the Alps rather than someone dominating & the rest of them packing it in & saving the guns for Beijing & España

anyways, just secured my coverage beginning on the 8th.

pumped is an understatement.

07-03-2008, 06:48 AM	#7 (permalink)
sput·nik denizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: the blackest lodge Posts: 3,659 Thanks: 142 Thanked 137 Times in 102 Posts	there'll be bodies all over the road by the time they hit the middle slopes of d'Huez.. if Cadel or Valverde don't have what it takes to split up the remaining leaders, the Schleck bros. & Carlos Sastre (watch out for CSC in the mountains...) or maybe Damiano Cunego, will. after stages 15 (mountaintop finish) and 16 (2 x HC passes) the differences between the boys & the men will be well defined.. Cadel definitely has a great man in Popo, but I was really surprised that Lotto didn't make more of an effort to keep Chris Horner from going over to Astana after a couple solid, perhaps underappreciated, TdF performances in a row. Not unreasonable that they thought they had the better man in Popo... both amazing domestiques. Valverde is riding as well this year as he did 2 years ago, when he almost surely would have trounced Landis if not for crashing out.. his only question is longevity as he remains unproven in 3 week tours aside from '06 in Spain when he was only beaten by Vino and Kaschekin, who were both probably riding soaked to the tits in bagged blood. Cunego is the same, having had a great time in Italy years back, but faltering since. After a good early season, he wants to challenge this year too, but I'm not sure he has the team to do it. This year looks like it'll take efforts across the board, as there just aren't that many spectacular stages for lone riders to really get away & effectively make any time. CSC is the only team with real depth in the climbs, and it's hard to imagine the quiet Evans getting antsy before the time is right.. so we'll just have to wait and see who rides the smarter first 2 weeks,whether a few early efforts shake the field up or if it all stays together until the final few days. despite making for some slow watching early on, i am hoping for the latter as I'd really like to see some good battles in the Alps rather than someone dominating & the rest of them packing it in & saving the guns for Beijing & España anyways, just secured my coverage beginning on the 8th. pumped is an understatement. __________________ and those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music . . .