2006 Giro Team Predictions

They're planning on using Eki. That will bolster the TTT prospects. They plan to win the TTT, which will be difficult given CSC.

"Ekimov ... then said that he would use the 2006 Giro d'Italia as a preparation race so he is at top form for his 15th Tour de France."

http://www.thepaceline.com/members/staff_report_item.aspx?cid=1871

In CycleSport magazine Paolo Savoldelli has confirmed that Beltran and Rubierea will ride for him at the Giro.

musette said:

They're planning on using Eki. That will bolster the TTT prospects. They plan to win the TTT, which will be difficult given CSC.

"Ekimov ... then said that he would use the 2006 Giro d'Italia as a preparation race so he is at top form for his 15th Tour de France."

thepaceline.comstaff report item.aspxOpen ↗

Savoldelli
Beltran
Rubiera
Danielson
Ekimov
Bileka
Joachim
Padrnos
Brajkovic

I haven't gotten that far in my copy of CS but if Chechu, Trikki, and Danielson ride for him in the mts., the race will look a ton different than last year where he had no climbers in the race with him once Tom's knee went gimpy. Eki and a couple of other diesels competing for a strong TTT will also help Salvodelli a lot. I rewatched the Finestre climb from last year yesterday and he was soooo alone. Amazing how he hung in there. With a team around him, could be interesting.

barnstorm said:

I haven't gotten that far in my copy of CS but if Chechu, Trikki, and Danielson ride for him in the mts., the race will look a ton different than last year where he had no climbers in the race with him once Tom's knee went gimpy. Eki and a couple of other diesels competing for a strong TTT will also help Salvodelli a lot. I rewatched the Finestre climb from last year yesterday and he was soooo alone. Amazing how he hung in there. With a team around him, could be interesting.

The Giro could be the race to see next year.
I cant wait...I am nuts over the CSC team and approach and Disco is also fantastic, although we may I repeeat may have a Hinault/Lem0nd situation with Salvodelli and Danielson.

Wishing of course...I think danielson in style and body type resembles Andy Hampsten a lot more than a Lance.

We won't have Hinault/Lemond because Bruyneel/Yates will determine Savoldelli gets to go for it, and Danielson will be there to assist him, just like it was in the LA era for TdF.

Paolo Savoldelli

Tom Danielson
Manuel Beltran
Chechu Rubiera
Egoi Martinez

Eki (good TTT)
Vladimir Gusev (good TTT)
Pavel Padrnos
Matt White (Michael Barry's website indicates he will probably be helping Il Falco)

bobke said:

The Giro could be the race to see next year.

Could even be the race to see this year.....

Tom Danielson
Manuel Beltran
Chechu Rubiera
Egoi Martinez

If Bruyneel uses these cyclists, as far as climbers go, they are relatively good ITTists (esp Danielson) and, in the case of Beltran and Chechu, relatively experienced TTTists (with Chechu being a somewhat better TTTist than Beltran).

Tom Danielson
Manuel Beltran
Chechu Rubiera
Egoi Martinez

If Bruyneel uses these cyclists, as far as climbers go, they are relatively good ITTists (esp Danielson) and, in the case of Beltran and Chechu, relatively experienced TTTists (with Chechu being a somewhat better TTTist than Beltran).

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=photos/2006/features/csctraining/csc_train045

See caption title -- Basso gets Jullich as domestique at the Giro as well as the Tour. Basso also gets Zabriskie, van de Velde, etc. They and DC will be at it again during the TTT, but, without LA and Hincapie and Popo, DC in the TTT in the Giro will not be as confident. Still, Eki + Padrnos + Il Falco + Danielson is not bad at all.

musette said:

Paolo Savoldelli

Tom Danielson
Manuel Beltran
Chechu Rubiera
Egoi Martinez

Eki (good TTT)
Vladimir Gusev (good TTT)
Pavel Padrnos (good TTT)
Matt White (Michael Barry's website indicates he will probably be helping Il Falco)

I'm not sure how Michael Barry fits in, because the schedule on his website indicates that he himself will be riding the Giro. Maybe Matt White and he are on the "short list", because I don't see Padrnos or Eki not being included (due to their TTT strengths) and the four climbers listed above are pretty important.

I should add Padrnos is considered within DC to be an excellent TTT as well.

And Michael Barry is no slouch at TTT. He was part of the "USPS Team B" team that won the Vuelta TTT and put Floyd Landis (and other Posties) in gold for a while at the Vuelta 04.

On thepaceline, Bruyneel observes:

"Q: Do you think the Giro favors climbers this year? Bruyneel: I think everything is good for Paolo except for one really very steep mountain finish, and I have heard that for the moment there isn't really even a road to that finish yet. It's a skiing area, and I don’t what they are really going to do about that. It would definitely be a difficult part for him. (Cb: Johan is referring to Stage 17, the road to Plan de Corones. The last 3 1/2 miles go up a gravel road with some sections a VERY steep 24% grade!) But on the other hand, of course there are individual and team time trials and other mountain stages where Paolo can be good. When you have a contender who has won the race two times already and finished in second place, you definitely have to send a strong team to support him."

bobke said:

The Giro could be the race to see next year.
I cant wait...I am nuts over the CSC team and approach and Disco is also fantastic, although we may I repeeat may have a Hinault/Lem0nd situation with Salvodelli and Danielson.

can't happen in DC with Johan. Plus, they are not at all like Hinault and Lemond. I look at Salvodelli and badger is not what comes to mind.

Wishing of course...I think danielson in style and body type resembles Andy Hampsten a lot more than a Lance.

Never thought of that comparison but it really fits. I saw Danielson with Levi 800m from the top of Brasstown Bald last year. That kid has some class and seems like a guy who could challenge at the Giro or Vuelta at some point. He did a pretty strong Vuelta and was doing fine in the Giro until he knee blew.

musette said:

I begin this thread on predicted Giro 06 teams with what I think Bruyneel will pick for Discovery Channel:

Paolo Savoldelli
Michael Barry
Volodymyr Bileka
Manuel Beltran
Tom Danielson
Vladimir Gusev
Egoi Martinez
Jason McCartney
Pavel Padrnos

We know Beltran and Rubiera are in, and Eki is probably in.

The Ask Johan column of today on thepaceline suggests taht Jason McCartney is also in:

"Q: We cyclists in the heartland are big fans of Jason McCartney. Can you talk about his strengths as a rider, how his season went in 2005 and what his program looks like in 2006? Bruyneel: Jason is a real team rider... above all he was doing a lot of work in the Giro helping Paolo Savoldelli. He has shown there that he has a lot of potential and I expect him to do very well this year. We got a first indication of his fitness at the training camp, and I have to say it was promising. He will do California, Georgia and the Giro d'Italia as his main races."

Bruyneel also says that Egoi Martinez is for the TdF.

As mentioned before, we learn from Michael Barry's website that he thinks he is in and that Matt White is in. That's too many non-climbing domestiques.

So maybe...

Il Falco

Danielson (confirmed)
Rubiera (likely, per Il Falco interview on Cycle Sports)
Beltran (confirmed, per same interview and Beltran's own indications to Spanish newspapers)

Eki (likely, as discussed above)
Padrnos (nobody indicated this, but it's likely because he is a good TTTist and did a good job in 05)
Jason McCartney
Two of Michael Barry or Matt White or Bileka

Gusev might not be likely after all, because his DC rider bio states that he finished a large number of Classics last year and was one of the youngest riders to do that. If Gusev keeps on doing that (he was recruited in part to bolster the classics squad, although Bruyneel sees him as fulfilling a larger role over the long run than that) this year, he might burn out before the Giro.