Who is going to win 'Le Tour de France' 2006?

[Drisos]

Titel explains the poll. I think this is highly intresting. Now Lance stops, who will win the next time? I think it'll be a very exciting tour next year. (this year everybody knew the winner from the beginning)

Well, who?

I voted for 'Basso', as he is the one who seems to be the best man after lance.
he also has good m8's as Julich and Sastre, so I think he'll win.



(I actually want Vinokourov to win, but don't think he'll do)

[Brutus]

Interesting, but absolutely impossible to say righ now, I think. Probably it will not be "der Jan". I'd like to see Rasmussen win, but I'd also like to see what Boonen will make of it in those new circumstances.

Just to vote (by the way, Hincapie is missing) I voted Basso as well, as he has been good for years.

[Drisos]

Interesting, but absolutely impossible to say righ now, I think. Probably it will not be "der Jan". I'd like to see Rasmussen win, but I'd also like to see what Boonen will make of it in those new circumstances.

Just to vote (by the way, Hincapie is missing) I voted Basso as well, as he has been good for years.

I heard Popovytch is going to be the new 'lance' at the discovery team, so hincapie will be working for him and not watching his own pretations, so...

I also hope rasmussen wins, but I am yet to see his qualities in timetravel. I hope he does well and stays at the 3rd place. if not I hope ullrich also defeats basso (and lance, but that's impossible )

[Brutus]

I heard Popovytch is going to be the new 'lance' at the discovery team, so hincapie will be working for him and not watching his own pretations, so...

I also hope rasmussen wins, but I am yet to see his qualities in timetravel. I hope he does well and stays at the 3rd place. if not I hope ullrich also defeats basso (and lance, but that's impossible )

Ah, well, no Hincapie in first line then. Pity though. But really, almost everybody could win next year. Since most of them do indeed also ride other courses (is that the right translation of "koersen"? Strange to talk about Cycling i English terms), unlike Lance, lots of things might happen in spring before the Tour starts. I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't decided before the Champs Elysees. And I absolutely look forward to that!

[Drisos]

No Lance?

In two days lance is going to quit his career, and since the tour of 2006 isn't included in those days he cannot be in it.

he's quitting in other words. (luckily)

and brutus, yes hard to talk about 'de toer' in english. I also think many have a chance to win, and I look forward to it.

[The Wizard]

Rasmussen? Never. He can't do a time trial and he lacks the nerve to attack when he's high in the ranking.

I want Vinokske to win! Man, always great to see a cyclist of the Old School

And Ullrich... dear God no. Nominated for "most boring cyclist ever" together with Roger Walkowiak (go search that one up, boys). In '97 he won not by attacking, but by making sure Virenque didn't get too far ahead. Yawn. No wonder Pantani owned his ass in '98.

[JAG]

Ullrich will. Basso isn't as good in the vital time trials and with no Lance, I am sure Ullrich will match Basso in the mountains.

Vino, just isn't good enough over the real touch mountains, how many times was he dropped by the 'big three' over le tour?!

[Moros]

who will win difficult question...
Perhaps basso or Rasmussen but I think Ulrich would be better because he has a lot of experience and could handle the pressure better.
The thing I'm wandering more about is what bonen will do and if Merckx (axel not eddy ofcourse tough I'd like to see him in Le tour again ) will win something this time.
anyway I'm going for Ulrich

[The Wizard]

Ullrich will. Basso isn't as good in the vital time trials and with no Lance, I am sure Ullrich will match Basso in the mountains.

Vino, just isn't good enough over the real touch mountains, how many times was he dropped by the 'big three' over le tour?!

I don't think so. You see, Basso is a better climber. Ullrich couldn't keep up with Basso and Armstrong in the mountains this year, and he couldn't do so last year. Ride him into oblivion in the mountains, and time trials won't be a problem. If Basso is that smart -- 2006 will be a great tour, real oldskool!

And Vinokske, he doesn't divide his powers well. Take the Col de Marie Blanque for instance. He attacked on the first few kilometers with 8-9%, and ripped the entire peloton apart including the DSC team. But when he came to the middle part of the col, where the rise was 11-12%, his explosive attack cost him and he couldn't keep up with Pereirro Sio, who had divided his powers well. So he was caught by the group with Armstrong, Basso, and Ullrich et cetera. Same stage, he attacked twice on the legendary Col de l'Aubisque, and ripped apart both chasing groups. He just needs to train handling the steepest rises (perhaps the Tien Shan doesn't have such roads?) and train dividing his powers and tactics. If he attacks at the right moment, no-one will be able to parry him. I have loads of respect for Vinokske. Straightforward and oldskool, not to mention honorable and honest, he deserves to win a Tour.

Besides, his suckass team betrayed him... every time he attacked. My God. I was losing it each and every time. When he attacked on the Ballon d'Alsace that idiot Ullrich closed the gap for... ARMSTRONG!? And in the Alps and the Pyrenees Klöden helped Ullrich come back to his own teammate, who would otherwise have escaped and won another stage and perhaps the Tour for Vinokske. WTF is wrong with that crapass Telekom team? At Rabobank, where it was Rasmussen who was clearly superior to his own leader, Menchov, they made him leader. Is it the German part prohibiting Telekom from doing so?

I heard Ullrich will quit. From a German friend. All for the better, methinks. Boring-ass cyclist. And unsympathetic too.

Regardless, the Tour will be hugely interesting next year. Perhaps as interesting as '88 (exciting until the end... where Greg LeMond won the Tour with 8" over Laurent Fignon in the last stage, a time trial from and to Paris)!



~Wiz

[Drisos]

[spam]keep voting[/spam]

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Ulrich! Ulrich! Ulrich!

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Ullrich. I AM NOT BEING NATIONALIST HERE (well, maybe a bit). Ullrich has finished 2nd to Lance for years, now that he's gone Ullrich will want his glory. Besides, he's the best at time trails, a great climber, very exciting when he gets away, and he can OWN Basso if he has to. The man is brilliant! If not, then I'll guess Vinokourov, he's very good in the mountains. But Ullrich has my vote.

[doc_bean]

who will win difficult question...
Perhaps basso or Rasmussen but I think Ulrich would be better because he has a lot of experience and could handle the pressure better.
The thing I'm wandering more about is what bonen will do and if Merckx (axel not eddy ofcourse tough I'd like to see him in Le tour again ) will win something this time.
anyway I'm going for Ulrich

Boonen (spell it right !) will probably go for green again, Merckx is retiring afaik.

I'm going for Basso.

[Drisos]

I would like to see Ullrich, Vino or Rasmussen win, but sadly I think Basso will.

rather pointless that I included 20 options, only few get some votes.

so sad how it went for Rasmussen saturday. hope he'll practice that discipline and do better next year. he deserved the 4th place IMO.