Basso looking good........

I'd prefer to see more discussion of the other 95% of races that occur during a season.

For example, Tour of Langkawi, Het Volk, Milan-Turin, Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Castilla, Criterium International,
Settimana International, RVV, Paris-Roubaix, Ghent-Wevelgem, Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallona, Tour of Switzerland, Giro, Tour of Romandie, Tour of Catalunya,
Dauphine Libre.
To mention but a few races taking place before the TDF takes place.

limerickman said:

I'd prefer to see more discussion of the other 95% of races that occur during a season.

For example, Tour of Langkawi, Het Volk, Milan-Turin, Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Castilla, Criterium International,
Settimana International, RVV, Paris-Roubaix, Ghent-Wevelgem, Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallona, Tour of Switzerland, Giro, Tour of Romandie, Tour of Catalunya,
Dauphine Libre.
To mention but a few races taking place before the TDF takes.

Once again Lim, you forgot the ToC and the Tour de Nez but you're catching on. It usually take upwards of 20k post before one is able to commit all the races to memory. 😄

lw

limerickman said:

I'd prefer to see more discussion of the other 95% of races that occur during a season.

For example, Tour of Langkawi, Het Volk, Milan-Turin, Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Castilla, Criterium International,
Settimana International, RVV, Paris-Roubaix, Ghent-Wevelgem, Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallona, Tour of Switzerland, Giro, Tour of Romandie, Tour of Catalunya,
Dauphine Libre.
To mention but a few races taking place before the TDF takes.

Wait a minute. You making this up. There's another race besides the Tour?

A bicycle race?

Did Lance win it?

Seriously, though, the race I like best in that list you put out is Amstel Gold. I like a race with a good amount of flat terrain punctuated with several climbs. That way it comes down to the best climber who can sprint or the best sprinter who can climb.

wolfix said:

Basso is looking good to win the TDF , and that is dominating the talk of the forum. But isn't Vino going have a say in this? From this forum, to letters to the editors on cycling websites, everyone is assuming it is going to be a few years of nothing but Basso....... I think we can write off Jan, but Vino is a player......

why in heel should we write of jan??

zlatan said:

why in hell should we write off Jan??

Personal option. It's a name game. In one forum I could say I am writing off "Jan" but in the other forum I could say "Ulle" will win the TDF. Other options, "der Jan", "JU", "der Kaiser"... etc.😄

lw

zlatan said:

why in heel should we write of jan??

I would love to see Jan compete again at the highest level. But I feel that Jan has bad luck following him around. Plus no team is running to pick him up.

My point to this thread is everyone has basically assumed it's a done deal that Basso is going to win the TDF...... But there are other riders who should contend such as Vino, and hopefully Jan. And a few others......
And yes Lim, there are other races. But when discussing how everyone is fawning all over Basso, the discussion is focused on the TDF. Simply because that is his goal.
The year 2006 showed us that the "other races" were of a higher quality then the TDF.... Defintly far more interesting.....

wolfix said:

Basso is looking good to win the TDF , and that is dominating the talk of the forum. But isn't Vino going have a say in this? From this forum, to letters to the editors on cycling websites, everyone is assuming it is going to be a few years of nothing but Basso....... I think we can write off Jan, but Vino is a player......

IF (and I repeat IF) Basso rides clean, Vino will spank him.
I also still have hope that Valverde will progress further and compete with them at GT contender level.
Like you, I have discounted Jan from the running. He's a goner.

patch70 said:

IF (and I repeat IF) Basso rides clean, Vino will spank him.

If they are both clean, I do'nt know who is the strongest of them.

poulidor said:

If they are both clean, I do'nt know who is the strongest of them.

...hum...me thinks not 🙄