Panache'

Transfer 2 week is upon us and the action is heating up. Team Gregario Forza capitalized on the draft blunders of the Commish, otherwise known as Matt Millen, and swiped up American, Levi Leipheimer, to compete in this year’s Suisse/Dauphine/Le Tour/Olympics portion of our season. It’s hard to say what Levi will be able to do but I have to say I was impressed with how he rode in California. I don’t expect Levi to repeat at Suisse but I do think he can place in the top ten in France. USA! USA! USA!

The Commish, aka Team Wiskota Dynamic, aka Billy Beane, continued his free agency moves, that bagged him a many a Giro point, by dropping Tyler Farrar and John Gadret and adding Denis Menchov and Andre Greipel, formerly of Team Wiskota Dynamic. Denis Nikolayevich Menchov, the Silent Assasin, has been around the circuit. In 2003 he was 11^th in the Tour and best young rider, 2005 he won the Vuelta, 2006 5^th in Le Tour, 2007 another Vuelta, 2008 4^th in the Tour, 2009 he won the Giro, 2010 2^nd in Le Tour, and in 2011 he placed 5^th in the Vuelta and 7^th in the Giro in a year most would consider a wash under the Geox sponsorship.  Is there a pattern here? I fear this move as The Pope has the ability to climb with the best and TT as well as any other GC contender. I just blew the Commish’s mind!

I expect the remainder of the Wiskota Fantasy Cycling League team managers are doing their homework (read the blog, hit the links). There are many Tour contenders remaining. I know I have my eye on a few. I also think the addition of the Olympics to this portion of the season may add some serious pointage; A masterful move by the scheduling committee. Who are those riders? Tony Martin, Cav, Zabriskie?

I know I have said this around every corner but this may be my favorite part of the season. The Tour build up, Suisse, and Dauphine all have the propensity to be massive/epic. Let’s take a look at the Criterium du Dauphine.  The Dauphine has been a proving ground for Le tour since 1947. Most of the great’s have won here, Poulidor, Merckx, Hinault, LeMond, Indurain, and Armstrong to name a few. Most recently Wiggins, Brakjovik (available), and Valverde have worn the yellow jersey with the red stripe. The Dauphine region of France is mountainous so expect a climber to win here. This year’s edition could entertain the likes of Tony Martin as the stage 4 time trial may be decisive. However some big climbs are left to be had in stage 6. The parcours look tough but maybe not decisive. Many Wiskota Fantasy riders and Tour contenders are here. Evans, Wiggo, Nibbles, Voekler, Sanchez, D. Martin, TVG, Schleck, Menchov, Van den Broek, and I mentioned the big German, the Mouth, Mr. Tony Martin. Other, unsigned, contenders include Vallendert, Brakjovik, Le Mevel, Peraud, Cobo, and the Reign of Terror, Rein Taaramae. Westra?

The Tour de Suisse, one of Gregario Forza’s favorites, is also used to measure one’s form before the La Grande Boucle. This race has been run since 1933 only taking 3 years off for WWII. Like the Dauphine, many of the greats have won here. Merckx, Bartoli, De Vlaeminck, Kelly, Armstrong, and Der Kaiser, Jan Ulrich all won the Tour de Suisse. Recent winners include Leipheimer, Franklin Schleck, and even Fabulous Fabian Cancellara, the great Swiss time trailer. Tour contenders and Wiskota Fantasy riders litter this tour as well with Leipheimer, Gesink, F. Schleck, Tommy D., Sagan, Valverde, Boonen, Cunego, Mollema, Cancellara, Fuglsang, Horner, and Kloden all set to take the start. The parcours of this race look awfully climby. Stage 1 features a short TT, stage two only has 2 climbs but they happen to be hors categorie and they finish on top of the second, stage 3 is lumpy, stage 4 is wicked lumpy, stage 5 has 6 category 3 climbs (massive lumpy), stage 6 is a lil’ less lumpy, stage 7 tough ass TT, stage 8 climbs a category 2 into a beyond category summit finish (epic), and stage 9 will be a celebratory finish over 2 hors categorie climbs and a category 2 summit finish (massive). That sounds like some decisive parcours!

I know that many of the favorites and current Wiskota Fantasy riders will shine in the coming weeks. However, what makes this such an awesome time during the cycling season is that there will inevitably be a new comer or 2 who will show up to be a Tour de France contender or a tour animator (Johnny Hoogerland). The Classics, Giro, and California are in the rear view now. We got the Tour, it’s buildup, the Olympics, Vuelta, Worlds and Lombardia to look forward to. I can’t wait to see what Philippe Gilbert will do.

Forza!