Road Cycling · Public discussion

Early handicapping for the TdF

Robert Chung · 2003-01-23T14:33:58+00:00

Okay, so it appears that Coast has grabbed a Top Club spot meaning that they get a free pass into the Grand Tours. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/jan03/jan11news takes a stab at who the other automatic qualifiers are. They say: iBanesto Cofidis Coast CSC Fassa Gerolsteiner Lotto-Domo ONCE Rabobank USPS dingleBerry Kelme Telekom Alessio Sidermec (formerly, Tacconi) Now the plot thickens. For 2003, the Tour will take 22 teams. The list above is 14, which leaves 8 spots. I figure Quick Step will be a shoo-in. It'll be hard to turn down Cipollini's Domina Vacanze. There are five other French division 1 teams (Ag2R, Credit Agricole, FDJ, Jean Delatour, and Let them eat Brioche) and this is the centenary edition, so they're all in. That leaves one spot. The likely candidates are: Euskaltel (with Extebarria) Lampre (Casagrande) Saeco (Simoni) Phonak (Camenzind) Lampre didn't fire Rumsas, so they're out. Euskaltel didn't show well last year. Phonak comes from the wrong part of Switzerland. Saeco gets the final spot.

Started by Robert Chung · 23 January 2003 · Last activity 23 January 2003 · 10 posts · 1,302 views

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01 / Original postEarly handicapping for the TdFRobert Chung · 23 Jan 2003 02 / This pagePosts 1–10Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #10Chris M · 23 Jan 2003

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Original section: Road Cycling
Published: 23 January 2003
Last activity: 23 January 2003
Original author: Robert Chung
Posts: 10
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 1,302
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Tour de France

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Original post
Robert Chung
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:33 UTC #1

Okay, so it appears that Coast has grabbed a Top Club spot meaning that they get a free pass into
the Grand Tours.
cyclingnews.comnews takes a stab at who the other automatic
qualifiers are. They say:
iBanesto Cofidis Coast CSC Fassa Gerolsteiner Lotto-Domo ONCE Rabobank USPS dingleBerry Kelme
Telekom Alessio Sidermec (formerly, Tacconi)
Now the plot thickens. For 2003, the Tour will take 22 teams. The list above is 14, which leaves 8
spots. I figure Quick Step will be a shoo-in. It'll be hard to turn down Cipollini's Domina Vacanze.
There are five other French division 1 teams (Ag2R, Credit Agricole, FDJ, Jean Delatour, and Let
them eat Brioche) and this is the centenary edition, so they're all in.
That leaves one spot. The likely candidates are: Euskaltel (with Extebarria) Lampre (Casagrande)
Saeco (Simoni) Phonak (Camenzind)
Lampre didn't fire Rumsas, so they're out. Euskaltel didn't show well last year. Phonak comes from
the wrong part of Switzerland.
Saeco gets the final spot.

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Top Sirloin
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:34 UTC #2

Robert Chung said:
Saeco gets the final spot.
I hope you're right. They're our best bet for entertainment in the event of another Lance-USPS
domination.
-Scott Johnson "Always with the excuses for small legs. People like you are why they only open the
top half of caskets." -Tommy Bowen

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Chris M
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:34 UTC #3

That sounds like something they told the sponsors, with the hope they bought
it.
"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Telekom thinks they will be the factor with Savoldelli - Botero - Evans

all
Quoted message said:
peaking for the Tour, Savoldelli won't defend his Giro win.
"Normally" this is a losing plan.

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Robert Chung
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:34 UTC #4

"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
Telekom thinks they will be the factor with Savoldelli - Botero - Evans

all
Quoted message said:
peaking for the Tour, Savoldelli won't defend his Giro win.
"Normally" this is a losing plan.
Yeah, I read this, too. This was similar to ONCE's plan last year.

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Robert Chung
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:34 UTC #5

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
Top Sirloin <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
Robert Chung said:
Saeco gets the final spot.
I hope you're right. They're our best bet for entertainment in the event

of
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
another Lance-USPS domination.
Also they have the only sprinter capable of going head to head with

Cipollini.
McEwen switched teams?

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Gord Woolley
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:34 UTC #6

Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Also they have the only sprinter capable of going head to head with

Cipollini.
McEwen switched teams?
Besides McEwen... it's January and he's already written off Zabel Petacchi Furlan Cooke
Freire O'Grady

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Chris Mitchell
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:34 UTC #7

"gord woolley" > wrote in message
Quoted message said:
Besides McEwen... it's January and he's already written off O'Grady
Patrick put down the beer and took up sprinting??? Who knew?
Howzabout handicapping:
A. Sponsor most likely to melt down when squad unlisted for Tour
B. # of Kilometers in to first road stage when Spotted [censored] leaps for hill prime
C. # of riders McEwen decks in first finishing sprint
D. Who finishes more riders- Jean Delatour, or Lotto-Domo
-Chris Mitchell -picked up Patrick's beer, hoping no one spat in it

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Tom Kunich
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:49 UTC #8

"Robert Chung" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
Top Sirloin <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
"Robert Chung" <[email hidden]> wrote:
>Saeco gets the final spot.
I hope you're right. They're our best bet for entertainment in the

event
Quoted message said:
of
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
another Lance-USPS domination.
Also they have the only sprinter capable of going head to head with

Cipollini.
McEwen switched teams?
The story from down under was completed in Zolder. When it came time to pass he pulled out and fell
back so fast you'd have thought he was putting the brakes on.
Quaranta is the only I've ever seen make up time on Cipo when he's on a good leadout.

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Tom Kunich
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:49 UTC #9

All great sprinters but not in the same league with Mario.
"gord woolley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Also they have the only sprinter capable of going head to head with

Cipollini.
McEwen switched teams?
Besides McEwen... it's January and he's already written off Zabel Petacchi Furlan Cooke
Freire O'Grady

Report
Chris M
Archived post

23 January 2003, 14:49 UTC #10

Gee, how many people should bother to show up for that tour day france thing? We gots an Eyetanlyan
to take the sprints and an american to take the overall, and some other skinny dudes to gloify the
mountain stages. Everyone else is wasting their time, pack filler...
Tom Kunich - International Cycling Analyst and sometimes racist.
"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
All great sprinters but not in the same league with Mario.
"gord woolley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
> Also they have the only sprinter capable of going head to head with
Cipollini.
McEwen switched teams?
Besides McEwen... it's January and he's already written off Zabel Petacchi Furlan Cooke Freire
O'Grady

Report

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