Wiggo can get a top 5 spot. Brailsford and Co (Team SKY) seem to have a bit more clue this time around as to what to expect and how to prepare for things and if it's one thing that Brailsford is great at is preparation - he did a mighty fine job with British Cycling and the track squad and he'll continue his good work with SKY. It's not just can Wiggo do it, it's also alot to do with how well can his team live upto the task too...
The advantage that Contador has this time around is that he's already shown epic form and that he has a very solid team around him. Having a DS that has a clue this year, unlike last year, he'll prove to be pretty much unbeatable.
Schleck Jr hasn't really done much and was shelled out the back in no uncertain terms by Radio Shack domestiques in California not too long ago. His form looks better now but honestly, who is he racing against? It's all relative. Lots of talk about Frank and Andy giving Contador a run for his money but it'll all come to nothing at end of the first mountain stage with a hilltop finish and Contador hits the afterburners.
Stage 12 to Luz Ardiden will probably be THE stage to define the Tour and Stage 14 will likely solidify that. Contador has won on the Plateau de Beille before and while he might not win the stage I don't expect any of the other favorites to have the legs to challenge him. The time trial in Grenoble comes right after the two big alpine stages and having two big mountain top finishes up the Galibier and Alpe Dhuez respectively will likely not help Wiggo's TT cause against the likes of Contador or Evans - that's if Evans hasn't self imoliated and started to threaten to rip peoples throat out if they go near his little rat dog.
... but I can't help but think how much harder the stage that finishes up the Galibier would be if they'd just taken the right turn about 5km out of Briancon and finished up the Granon instead. Someone having a bad end to the day could limit their losses fairly well on the not too steep slopes of the Lautaret before the final push to the summit of the Galibier but there's no such niceties with the Granon. It's like the Alpe, you start the climb and it starts steep and doesn't let up - execpt it's steeper and longer than the Alpe and the road surface ain't the best either.
