Thoughts on Kloden... ? The nearly man ?

Judging by his current form he could (should) be a man for the Giro. He's in much better form than Savoldelli. But I don't think Giro is his wish. In Tour he'll ride for Vino only if he loses his own chances (that's how I see Astana's double leadership). So, Tour is his race this season and I think he can, at least, podium again.

Kloden's been an enigma for the past few seasons.

His 2005 TDF ride was very impressive.
This came after what seemed to be years of injury, since his superb season in 2000.

2007 has been good for Andreas - his win at Adriatico was a good performance and he finished ahead of Vino.
It's hard to know with Kloden.
Goodefroot said that Kloden is like a Swiss clock : if everything is going perfectly, Kloden races superbly.
If one thing goes wrong (as with a Swiss clock), his entire performance suffers.

I think he will be in contention in the TDF.

My thoughts on Kloden?

The same thoughts I had about Vino and Kashekin at last year's Vuelta.
They are back on the biggest and baddest gear they can find, Fuentes or no Fuentes, and they are gonna hand everyone's a## to them in every freekin race this year.

Why the h#ll else did Kloden leave the new clean dream team T-Mobile?
TO ride where he could win.

He shredded the 8 km ITT today in Sarthe and beat the world champion and world record holder Mrs. B. Wiggins in the pursuit. Not too shabby at all Andreas.

bobke said:

My thoughts on Kloden?

The same thoughts I had about Vino and Kashekin at last year's Vuelta.
They are back on the biggest and baddest gear they can find, Fuentes or no Fuentes, and they are gonna hand everyone's a## to them in every freekin race this year.

If only Kloden could be as clean and wholesome as your man Lance.

bobke said:

new clean dream team T-Mobile?

Nice PR move by TM.

limerickman said:

...I think he will be in contention in the TDF.

Yes. Dope or no dope, the Tour this year I think will be good.

He would be my pick at this point. Vino is always so inconsistent in stage races,Vino and Basso have a cloud hanging over them,Kloden also has Kessler a rider that can do it all and will come into his own soon, and I believe combined they can hold consistency for three weeks near the front of the peloton.
So Kloden TDF winner,I think but it is still early in the season.

jhuskey said:

He would be my pick at this point. Vino is always so inconsistent in stage races,Vino and Basso have a cloud hanging over them,Kloden also has Kessler a rider that can do it all and will come into his own soon, and I believe combined they can hold consistency for three weeks near the front of the peloton.
So Kloden TDF winner,I think but it is still early in the season.

I don't know. I would have thought that Vino was too shaky in the mountains to ever win a GT, but after he and Kashekin missed their doping control they were unstoppable. I think Vino takes it, especially if that a-hole Basso gets tossed.

What I want to know is why did Kloden go to Astana. Is anyone buying this [censored] about co-captains at the Tour?

Bro Deal said:

I don't know. I would have thought that Vino was too shaky in the mountains to ever win a GT, but after he and Kashekin missed their doping control they were unstoppable. I think Vino takes it, especially if that a-hole Basso gets tossed.

What I want to know is why did Kloden go to Astana. Is anyone buying this [censored] about co-captains at the Tour?

I know why he went to Astana.

jhuskey said:

I know why he went to Astana.

So he could chase down Vino's breakaways?

I always assumed that there was a rift between Andreas and Alexander.

Bro Deal said:

Is anyone buying this [censored] about co-captains at the Tour?

I'm buying that [censored].
Why would he sign for Astana if he doesn't have freedom to ride for himself?
He could stay at T-Mobile and be a sole leader or sign for some other team where he would be captain.
Well, money could be the reason.

Not really any option to stay with TM. Not after all the bad words and turmoil between them.

Andrija said:

I'm buying that [censored].
Why would he sign for Astana if he doesn't have freedom to ride for himself?

Let me get this straight. You are on a team captained by a Kazakh whose sole goal is winning the Tour, the very man who put the team together, arranged funding from Kazakh sources, signed on comrades and countrymen to help him win the Tour, and plans to run as a manager when he retires, yet you are going to ride for yourself at the Tour?

Bro Deal said:

Let me get this straight. You are on a team captained by a Kazakh whose sole goal is winning the Tour, the very man who put the team together, arranged funding from Kazakh sources, signed on comrades and countrymen to help him win the Tour, and plans to run as a manager when he retires, yet you are going to ride for yourself at the Tour?

I think it will come down to who is better in the time trials. If kloden can prove he is the stronger in the prologue he might get support from the team.

I think Kloden has phenomenal natural talent and is made for the GT's. That said I don't think he is a born leader so may perform better as a super domestique rather than a sole team leader.

His overall ability however isn't in question, just look at some of his wins:

Paris Nice
Tirreno-Adriatico
Volta pais Vasco
German National Champion
+ 2 x Tour de France podiums

very impressive. If everything goes right for him in his build up with no injuries or setbacks then he will certainly feature prominently and given the fact that there are two 55km flatish TT's in the race it should suit him.

What I find incredible is that for a ride of his size he is an incredibly good TT'ist at 62kilos he must be one of the lightest TT specialists.

Bro Deal said:

Let me get this straight. You are on a team captained by a Kazakh whose sole goal is winning the Tour, the very man who put the team together, arranged funding from Kazakh sources, signed on comrades and countrymen to help him win the Tour, and plans to run as a manager when he retires, yet you are going to ride for yourself at the Tour?

I agree with you and everything you've written makes perfect sense and it's logical. But, again, I don't think Kloden would sign for any team where he would be support to a rider who has less good result than him in TDF.
And again, I think Kloden will be free to ride for himself untill (if) he loses chances of wining, then he'll ride for Vino.

Andrija said:

I agree with you and everything you've written makes perfect sense and it's logical. But, again, I don't think Kloden would sign for any team where he would be support to a rider who has less good result than him in TDF.
And again, I think Kloden will be free to ride for himself untill (if) he loses chances of wining, then he'll ride for Vino.

Going to be interesting if it comes to the last time trial and theres only a handful of seconds between Vino and Klodi.

Haven't liked Vino since the 2005 tour when he basically made a come and buy meadvertising stunt every second stage, to the detriment of his current team. And yes Disco gifted him those two stage wins that year, before someone asks

Vino is entertaining. He just won't quit.