Spoiler : Paris - Nice. 3-10 March

[thom]

Route out today. The final stage is identical to last year - a 9.6 km ITT up the Col d'Eze.
I think Wiggins may not be out to defend his title - if so, it will be interesting to see if Froome goes for it.
Looks to be a tough course - the 3'rd last stage finishes at the Signal de Lure, which is enroute to Ventoux.

 

[rich p]

If Froome is following the Sky method to success at the TdF then it should be in his plan. Also he shouldn't be afraid of showing his hand too early as Wiggo did by mopping everything up last year.
Can anyone recall where Brad made his seasonal debut last year? Algarve?
edit - I've just had a vague recollection that Froome was going to miss both P-N and Tirreno and altitude training instead in Teneriffe .

 

[montage]

Wiggo climbed off in the Majorca challenge? Surely with the Giro sooner than the tour, he should be in better form than he was this time last year. Really looking forward to this Giro, more so than the tour which has a certain yank's skid marks all over it in the public eye.

I believe most of team sky is going to the altitude training camp - an interesting move that makes a lot of sense physically, but does miss out on an opportunity to race at the highest level and place yourself in the form hierarchy. Needless to say Boonallara should would have good cause to worry about the stealth black team sky ninjas sitting on their wheels over the classics period.

Another team sky note....how amazing in Heano looking right now?! I wouldn't be all that shocked if he turns out to to be climbing better than Bradley in the Giro

 

[rich p]

If Froome is following the Sky method to success at the TdF then it should be in his plan. Also he shouldn't be afraid of showing his hand too early as Wiggo did by mopping everything up last year.
Can anyone recall where Brad made his seasonal debut last year? Algarve?
edit - I've just had a vague recollection that Froome was going to miss both P-N and Tirreno and altitude training instead in Teneriffe .

re-edit - on reflection, I think it was Geraint Thomas who was missing races in prep for the classics.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Another team sky note....how amazing in Heano looking right now?! I wouldn't be all that shocked if he turns out to to be climbing better than Bradley in the Giro

He's coming on very nicely indeed. I've been saying for a while that he's potentially Sky's best climber. He can sprint a bit too. But he still can't TT yet, which is the only thing that prevents him from being a serious GT contender.

 

[thom]

Starting soon. For those interested in the SKY line up :

BOSWELL Ian, KIRYIENKA Vasili, LOPEZ GARCIA David, PATE Danny , PORTE Richie, SIVTSOV Kanstantsin, TIERNAN LOCKE Jonathan, ZANDIO Xabier.

I guess this means they are riding for Richie Porte. He would certainly deserve the specific support. I'd be interested to see how he races for himself at key moments.
Anyone know if JTL has been involved in a squad yet or is this his first SKY outing ?

 

[thom]

The more obvious names I can pick out from a provisional start list are:
Fuglsang for Astana, Van Gaarderen for BMC, Robert Gesink for Blanco, plus the likes of Menchov and Basso.

 

[smutchin]

Anyone know what Taaramae's form is like? Might be the kind of race that suits him if he's in good shape.

d.

 

[rich p]

I had wondered if JTL might be the main man for this one but Richie Porte is more likely and probably more deserving.
I think JTL was at Algarve?

 

[thom]

I had wondered if JTL might be the main man for this one but Richie Porte is more likely and probably more deserving.
I think JTL was at Algarve?

You're right, he finished in the middle of the field in that one.

 

[rich p]

You're right, he finished in the middle of the field in that one.

Keeping his powder dry for P-N

 

[thom]

Keeping his powder dry for P-N

Are you a betting man ?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Porte deserves a shot; there have been days when he was all but pulling the entire peloton uphill.

 

[rich p]

As I said t'up there^^^, Porte is the more likely but JTL may be the better climber on Ventoux's sister. Oooh er!

 

[smutchin]

JTL may be the better climber on Ventoux's sister. Oooh er!

Do we have evidence for this? I've not seen JTL tackle any really big climbs - certainly not at this level (I wouldn't compare Alsace or Haut-Var to P-N). Is he that good a climber? Better than Porte?

d.