Clif Bar's USPS Most Valuable Domestique Poll

Saucy said:

Clif bar has an online poll for the USPS most valuable domestique. The winner gets $10k.

Poll standings as of today:

Hincapie - 58%
Landis - 20%
Azevedo - 12%

Hincapie?!?!? 😕 Am I crazy - shouldn't Azevedo be running away with this? Methinks Azevedo is getting screwed because he isn't american.

So, who do you think has been MVD?

Hincapie's cute, you see. I hope my girlfriend never meets him! I mean, those sunglasses.

All of Postal has been amazing. Azevedo got dropped today and Landis got dropped on 13. It's a toss up. Both have proved their climbing skills. But it's tough to tell when they're both working for LA.

tcklyde said:

Hincapie's cute, you see. I hope my girlfriend never meets him! I mean, those sunglasses.

All of Postal has been amazing. Azevedo got dropped today and Landis got dropped on 13. It's a toss up. Both have proved their climbing skills. But it's tough to tell when they're both working for LA.

Quoted post said:

Hincapie's cute, you see.

{off topic}You have got to be kidding me?!? He's hideous! The only standard by which Hincapie is considered "cute" is if he is standing next to Floyd Landis. Imagine my shock when I read in the newspaper that Georgie boy had snagged one of the TDF podium girls. {off topic}

Okay, I could be convinced that Landis was almost as valuable a contributor. But Hincapie at 58%...makes no sense at all. And surely its mostly men that are posting on that poll. If Azevedo were American, his numbers would be better.

Saucy said:

{off topic}You have got to be kidding me?!? He's hideous! The only standard by which Hincapie is considered "cute" is if he is standing next to Floyd Landis. Imagine my shock when I read in the newspaper that Georgie boy had snagged one of the TDF podium girls. {off topic}

Okay, I could be convinced that Landis was almost as valuable a contributor. But Hincapie at 58%...makes no sense at all. And surely its mostly men that are posting on that poll. If Azevedo were American, his numbers would be better.

I agree - Azevedo has been amazing. It's a no-brainer. Today is the first day he dropped - clearly because of his terrific ride on the Alpe.

"Hincapie?!?!? 😕 Am I crazy - shouldn't Azevedo be running away with this? Methinks Azevedo is getting screwed because he isn't american."

I voted previously (for Azevedo) and Hincapie was at a higher number (with Landis having gained most since I voted). Hincapie may be the second most valuable domestique, in spite of Landis' recent contributions. Here's why:

-- In Stage 3, where Mayo lost his TdF hopes, Hincapie and Eki were the people assisting LA on the cobbles. This was an important stage for GC contenders to ensure they were near the front and the jockeying for position came out in LA's favor in both streteches of cobblestones. Hincapie has significant Paris Roubaix, etc. experience dealing with cobbles. He assisted LA to (1) avoid any time loss, and (2) increase speed after Mayo went down, to rid LA of the significant thread of Mayo.

-- Even though Landis and Azevedo are good TTT, Hincapie is a more significant TTT contributor than the other two. The TTT was significant in giving LA more of an initial buffer, and in signaling the dominance of the USPS team.

-- During the flat stages, Hincapie was often in front of LA, acting in his traditional TdF capacity of rouleur. Hincapie has a lot of experience leading LA in the TdF.

-- Then, when it came to the Pyrenees and certain Alp stages, Hincapie essentially started to function as a mountain domestique, even though his more traditional domestique role is in controlling the flats. In the Pyrenees, often Hincapie was coupled with Landis for the INTERMEDIATE climbs, after Noval/Beltran and before Chechu/Azevedo. In other words, Hincapie's climbing skills were so strong (and he was pulling for sufficiently long stretches) that he was slotted in AFTER Beltran, a climbing domestique. At one point in the Pyrenees, Hincapie was still driving when JU was dropped!!

-- Hincapie continued some role in the Alps, assisting LA.

-- Also, Hincapie was the first teammate during this year's TdF singled out by LA for special praise to the press (meaningful amounts).

I think Hincapie is leading one) those sunglasses 2) First half of the race he was glued to LA, making sure everything was going according to plan.

He does have a lot of talent as well. he's a beast.

But, I think all teammates contribute equally, well, at least these 3

Well, I voted for Padronos. That guy can put down the hammer on the flats, and he did on many flat stages, as well as the team TT. They don't talk much about him though, mainly because by the time OLN starts broadcasting his work is already done. Sometimes on the mountains he's there for one climb. I would like to know how many watts he can sustain...he's strong!

Saucy said:

Clif bar has an online poll for the USPS most valuable domestique. The winner gets $10k.

Poll standings as of today:

Hincapie - 58%
Landis - 20%
Azevedo - 12%

Hincapie?!?!? 😕 Am I crazy - shouldn't Azevedo be running away with this? Methinks Azevedo is getting screwed because he isn't american.

So, who do you think has been MVD?

So quickly you forget about the big man's contribution on all those flat stages leading to the Pyrenees. Especially memorable was the cobblestone stage where Mayo was left far behind when he crashed, and USPS, led by Hincapie, was safely far ahead on the road.

I think they are all valuable--Hincapie, Landis, Azevedo. I'm not sure who I would put first. Since they are team players, I think they should share in the prize.

It should be a dead heat between all 8.

Each have a very specific role and each have executed that role to perfection.