Stage 15 predictions

Chips Lovell

The Alps start tomorrow. Mountain top finish on a Cat 1 climb. Given that the stage finishes in Italy, the Italians will definitely be going for it. Cunego has said before that he wants to win this one, but hasn't shown an ounce of form yet. Valverde might try and salvage his pride. And this is the first opportunity for Frank Schleck to get that second back from Evans. I wonder too if Nibali will try and cement the white jersey for himself in front of a home crowd. Tough one to call anyway. With a few more days in the Alps its hard to see the big favourites burning all their matches on this one.

Brian?

Hmmmm, there's a good 60K between the 2 climbs of the day, so it looks to me like its set up for a long early to stay away. I doubt Schleck will do much more than track Evans and wait for the next 2 days in the alps to have a go at him. I can see Evans breaking on Tuesday on the EMBRUN > L'ALPE-D'HUEZ stage. Its whether anyone is good enough to take advantage.

I was thinking maybe Cunego or Valverde, but neither are completly out of contention on GC meaning if they break away the rest of the leaders would would chase them down straight away.

Jaysus I don't know at all.

Oscar Pereiro it is

Chips Lovell

briankeating wrote: »

Oscar Pereiro it is

Funny, I ended up putting him in my fantasy team last night to replace Ricco. He's been looking a bit restless of late and you could see him going for one in the Alps.

Triple A

Because the big climb is so early i doubt anyone in the top 20 will be allowed to get away. CSC will do what they have done all tour and set a very high pace stopping breakaways and trying to break the likes of Evans at the same time.

Look for a half decent climber way down GC like Haimar Zubeldia or Thomas Voeckler to try and get away early.

TinyExplosions

For me it's Pereiro or Frank Schleck (see, I can choose someone other than Cav:) )

Today will be good so see who does well, as Alpe D'Huez is my bonus stage.

Think Cunego's lost it now and won't come anywhere

smithslist

Triple A wrote: »

CSC will do what they have done all tour and set a very high pace stopping breakaways and trying to break the likes of Evans at the same time.

think CSC wil do the same as they did on stage 10 up the finish at Hautacam, where they sent Cancellara (or someone else) up the road, they wil play the same tatic today or hav something similar up their sleeve....

if you seen the yesterday, j.voigt and Cancellara finished many mins behind the bunch (wit cavendish group), so maybe containing themselves for today

smithslist

Cavendish out of Tour tdf

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/7515986.stm

Chips Lovell

smithslist wrote: »

think CSC wil do the same as they did on stage 10 up the finish at Hautacam...

They might try again, but it's very hard to engineer this situations, especially when everyone is watching you. A break containing Cancellara and Voigt might get chased down.

smithslist wrote: »

Cavendish out of Tour tdf]

Not surprising. He's gunning for the Olympics this year. I noticed he was really struggling on some of the mountain stages, so it would take a lot out of him to finish the Tour.

niceonetom

i'd love voigt to go on a mad one but he might not be allowed, and even if he did he'd be taken back. a long range breakaway with with less high profile (italian?) riders could be a possibility though. i'm hoping that there's some action today between schlek and evans. that 1 sec is so tantalising, so i hope they at least test each other - enough of this cagey bastard stuff.

smithslist

niceonetom wrote: »

i'd love voigt to go on a mad one but he might not be allowed, and even if he did he'd be taken back. a long range breakaway with with less high profile (italian?) riders could be a possibility though. i'm hoping that there's some action today between schlek and evans. that 1 sec is so tantalising, so i hope they at least test each other - enough of this cagey bastard stuff.

maybe not Cancellara and Voigt, but possible o'Grady or Arvesen, really dont see Cancellara gettin over HC climb in a breakaway, but really it depends how slow the bunch is goin

el tonto wrote: »

They might try again, but it's very hard to engineer this situations, especially when everyone is watching you. A break containing Cancellara and Voigt might get chased down.

its is hard, but wat team is strong enough to chase them down, alot of the teams would want to contain themsleves for the final climb.

Funkyzeit

Reckon Valverde myself - climb probably not tough enough for him to loose touch and he's an explosive finish...

mind you I did back him at the start of the tour....:o