Cranking Out The Tour

The 2006 Edition of the Tour de France begins this weekend. What once was touted as the "Race to Replace," has quickly been overshadowed by past doping inuendos, Operacion Puerto, and the last minute battle to exclude the team of one of the early favorites (Alexandre Vinokourov of Astana-Wurth).

That being said, this year's Tour still promises to be exciting and wide open. So who's going to climb up on the podium spot that has been solely reserved for Lance Armstrong? Well go no farther down the Internet dial, as The Triple Crankset unveils its inaugural TdF predictions.


53rd Tooth

Podium
Jan Ullrich - T-Mobile
Ivan Basso - CSC
Floyd Landis - Phonak

Green/Points Jersey: Robbie McEwen - Davitamon-Lotto

White/Best Young Rider: Frank Schleck - CSC

Polka-Dot/Climbers Jersey: Michael Rassmussen - Rabobank

Dark Horse/Sleeper: George Hincapie - Discovery Channel

Biggest Surprise/Who To Look Out For: Chris Horner

Biggest Disappointment/Won't Live Up To The Hype: Alejandro Valverde

Thing(s) Not to Miss: All 3 ITT's; The Pyrenean Mountain stages


Tour of '03

Podium:
Tough, tough, tough. I want to pick Jan, but then who would be my biggest disappointment? CSC has the best team. Ivan Basso is their team leader so it has to be Basso in yellow, Jan Ullrich second because he always is, and Floyd Landis third only because his team, like Jan's, just isn't as strong as CSC. Because of team strength and Johan Brunyeel, though, you can't ignore Discovery Channel.

Green/Points Jersey: Tom Boonen. This one should be easy.

White/Best Young Rider: I like Thomas Dekker of Rabobank.

Polka-Dot/Climbers Jersey: Michael Rassmussen. He lives for this jersey.

Dark Horse/Sleeper: Hincapie could surprise everyone if Bruyneel has a better plan than Riis.

Biggest Surprise/Who To Look Out For: David Millar steals a TT win, maybe the Prologue.

Biggest Disappointment/Won't Live Up To The Hype: Why Jan, of course!

Thing(s) Not To Miss: Stage 11, simply because we all know the climbs from '03. But watch the TTs, especially Stage 19, because if Jan is still a contender, this is where he will win it.


Granny's 30

Podium:
Landis
Ullrich
Basso
Why in this order...I think the Giro will still be in the legs of Ivan Basso, as will the efforts in the Tour de Suisse for Jan Ullrich. Landis and Phonak have proven this year that they can defend a leader's jersey.

Green/Points Jersey: Tom Boonen

White/Best Young Rider: Alejandro Valverde. He wore this jersey last year, before abandoning with knee problems.

Polka Dot/Climbers Jersey: Chicken...Rasmussen takes over for Virenque; but don't be surprised if Ag2R's Christophe Moreau battles Rasmussen up until the final climb.

Dark Horse/Sleeper: I would say Valverde here, but many consider him a favorite. So I'll throw out another Spaniard, look for the return of Iban Mayo and a top ten finish as the expectations and physical issues that nearly sent him into retirement are no longer with him. Personal favorite as a sleeper pick, George Hincapie.

Biggest Surprise: Alejandro Valverde in the ITTs. I believe he has improved in this discipline; still has a ways to go, but the time gaps won't be as dramatic nor determining. Going out on a limb here, but look for David Zabriskie to win all the ITT's and be the first yellow jersey wearer.

Biggest Disappointment: Hate to say it, (as I'm a huge fan of Gentleman George Hincapie) but I have to say the entire Discovery Channel team. They'll definitely be protagonists in each stage, but we've all seen how the lack of a true leader has effected other team's chances in the past. Unless Bruyneel and the boys define a leader, the multi-pronged attack is a waste of energy.

Thing(s) Not To Miss: Be prepared for another Festina style sit-down, as the load of doping implications will surely unite the riders in a protest. Erik Zabel's return to the Tour, hopefully he'll find some of his old form and win a sprint.

Well now that the Crankset has dropped some TdF knowledge on you, go ahead and break open the kids' piggy banks, take another mortgage out on the house (or at least refinance it), or transfer some money from your kids' college fund, and take your chances over at Unibet.com (formerly Mr. Bookmaker.com).