2014 predictions

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The Couch

The Couch

Über Member
Location
Crazytown
OHN (Omloop Het Nieuwsblad): Stybar

MSR: Sagan
RVV: Boonen
PR: Vanmarcke

Amstel Gold: Bakelants
LBL: Valverde

Giro: Uran
Tour: Froome
Vuelta: Rodriguez

Some explanation:
  • I tried to throw in some slightly less obvious choices, since no one will remember me that I did (but I can rub this in everyone's faces if lightning would strike and I would actually guess one right for a change :smile:)
  • I wanted to give Stybar something and which better race would give him the advantage of his cyclo-cross races form than the first "classic" race of the season (although I would have liked to give it to Roelandts as well)
  • Sagan has got to win one of the classics at one point or another and Milan San Remo makes most sense
  • Boonen (although probably better suited for PR) will get his revenge on home ground
  • Vanmarcke wasn't a fluke last year, just watch people
  • Bakelants (without injuries) was impressive last year and he might be able to stay away from them again this year
  • Valverde is always good around the Ardennes Classics, he should be among the favourites to take the biggest of them all
  • With this pussy winter so far, I am expecting snowy, rainy and whatever else terrible weather you can think off during the Giro and who has shown last year that he can handle the cold quite well (both in the Giro as in the World's)?
  • Although Nibbles will give him as much hell as he has ever seen, if Froome has the same form as last year, I can't see anyone beating him
  • Purito really deserves to win a 3-week race for all his close finishes, so he can have the Vuelta
 
Hont

Hont

Guru
Location
Bromsgrove
I'll stick with just the monuments and GTs and I've decided to plump for the really obvious after trying to be clever last year and only getting one right

MSR: Sagan
RVV: Cancellara
PR: Cancellara
LBL: Valverde

Giro: Quintana
Tour: Froome
Vuelta: Rodriguez

Lombardia: Rodriguez

I'm predicting the cautious and unimaginative approach will probably do just as badly.
 
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VamP

VamP

Banned
Location
Cambs
montage said:
Milan-San Remo - Goss
Flanders - Chavanel
Roubaix - Stannard!!!
Amstel Gold and all the others - a Colombian

Giro - Rodriguez...... Quintana to place 4th after losing the lead due to a tactical cock up
Tour - Ten Dam......Kittel doesn't win a stage
Vuelta - Purito again

Cancellara to complete the hour in the same time as the current record holder.
Click to expand...

Yer havin' a larf, aint'ya?
 
O

oldroadman

Veteran
Location
Ubique
One thing about predictions is certain - they come and kick you in the backside!
Wiggo was mentioned, maybe he won't get a classic, but if he rode Tirenno - Adriatico instead of Paris - Nice, he may have a good chance. His descending in the wet is a worry, and falling off is a bother (why not, it hurts!!), so I can't see much of a chance on the pave, at least P-R and RVV (which has some really awkward technical descents off the bergs). If it's dry, he might be a good outside call at LBL though, provided he had about a minute with 5km to go. Wishful thinking....
 
OP
OP
thom

thom

____
Location
The Borough
oldroadman said:
One thing about predictions is certain - they come and kick you in the backside!
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I'm ok being kicked in the backside, a soft shock absorbent target; it's my cahones I care about... ;-)
T-A is interesting - you'd imagine SKY maybe putting up Porte as their main man there with regards to practicing supporting him at the Giro. Ryder Hesjedal's attack last year at LBL worked well for Garmin - certainly if Wiggins tried that this year it would be fun.
 
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rich p

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
oldroadman said:
One thing about predictions is certain - they come and kick you in the backside!
Wiggo was mentioned, maybe he won't get a classic, but if he rode Tirenno - Adriatico instead of Paris - Nice, he may have a good chance. His descending in the wet is a worry, and falling off is a bother (why not, it hurts!!), so I can't see much of a chance on the pave, at least P-R and RVV (which has some really awkward technical descents off the bergs). If it's dry, he might be a good outside call at LBL though, provided he had about a minute with 5km to go. Wishful thinking....
Click to expand...
Well, your backside is safe ORM, as Wiggo fantasy apart - you haven't made any!:thumbsup:
 
The Couch

The Couch

Über Member
Location
Crazytown
rich p said:
I think Monty was confusing the just-above average Dutch bloke with Chris Froome. Easy mistake to make!:whistle:
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I'm surprised that @montage hasn't predicted Voeckler to win LBL :thumbsup:
It would have fitted nicely next to the Goss-winning-MSR prediction (and I am aware its phrases like these that can come back and bite me in the soft cushion ^_^)

I do give Monty credit for the Stannard-winning-PR guess, he had a great Classics season last year.
Personally I think races like MSR, OHN, E3 or Dwars door Vlaanderen (maybe RvV) suit him better than the unrelentless cobblestones of Roubaix... then again he's build like a small tank and a couple of years ago a certain Norwegian tank used to be pretty good in PR as well
 
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