[Burkni]

BMC Racing Team for 2012:
Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Adam Blythe (GBR), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Marcus Burghardt (GER), Stephen Cummings (GBR), Yannick Eijssen (BEL), Cadel Evans (AUS), Mathias Frank (SUI), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), George Hincapie (USA), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Martin Kohler (SUI), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Steve Morabito (SUI), Taylor Phinney (USA), Marco Pinotti (ITA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Tim Roe (AUS), Mauro Santambrogio (ITA), Ivan Santaromita (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Johann Tschopp (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Tejay Van Garderen (USA), Danilo Wyss (SUI).

I'd say they are potentially the out and away favourite for Paris-Roubaix:
Ballan
Burghardt
Hincapie
Hushovd
Phinney
Quinziato
Van Avermaet
+1

And for the hilly classics:
Gilbert
+ 8 random riders

[ZigZagged]

You think Ballan is going to be good this year? I have no idea.

[Burkni]

ZigZagged, on 17 December 2011 - 05:56 PM, said:

You think Ballan is going to be good this year? I have no idea.

Depends on the interest he generates with the Mantova boys. He was quite good this year, at least at PR.

[ZigZagged]

I'd like to see Ballan do well. Either way, that is a fairly ridiculous lineup they have for the classics. Gonna be interesting to see how Phinney develops.

[VdB]

That's an insane P-R team. Shades of Mapei this year? Of course chances are that if Cancellara is on top of his form he'll get rid of 80% of those guys in the Arenberg forest regardless. But even for the other classics of the North, you gotta count Gilbert among them. Crazy. I thnk Gilbert has even expressed his wish to ride P-R sometime during his career, although that clearly won't be this year.

[crockett]

VdB, on 22 December 2011 - 03:15 PM, said:

That's an insane P-R team. Shades of Mapei this year? Of course chances are that if Cancellara is on top of his form he'll get rid of 80% of those guys in the Arenberg forest regardless. But even for the other classics of the North, you gotta count Gilbert among them. Crazy. I thnk Gilbert has even expressed his wish to ride P-R sometime during his career, although that clearly won't be this year.

Why not? Has he confirmed other plans? The only way to improve on this year's performance is to try a bit more ambitious schedule in 2012!

[vaunTrevi]

Hope springs eternal for Big George Hincapie to win. '
He's certainly on a team with serious Classics men to support the bid with any luck he will wake up; with legs on fire for the cobbles.

[Burkni]

vaunTrevi, on 22 December 2011 - 10:15 PM, said:

Hope springs eternal for Big George Hincapie to win. '
He's certainly on a team with serious Classics men to support the bid with any luck he will wake up; with legs on fire for the cobbles.

Chances of Hushovd all of a sudden starting to work for Big Hinc ... well, miniscule, at best.

[VdB]

Of course, but maybe he can pull a Vansummeren on the favorites? If Cancellara is as scary strong as last year you never know. Otoh, it seems unlikely that Hushovd will shoot himself in the foot for a teammate in his dream race two years in a row.

[N.B.O.L.]

vaunTrevi, on 22 December 2011 - 10:15 PM, said:

Hope springs eternal for Big George Hincapie to win. '
He's certainly on a team with serious Classics men to support the bid with any luck he will wake up; with legs on fire for the cobbles.

I'm a Big George fan, but rooting for him at P-R has been just as rewarding as rooting for Tommy D at a Grand Tour.

[VdB]

Still, snapped handlebars or a ditch tumble are a lot more spectacular to look at than a guy dropping from the peloton with a stomach bug.

[buddy]

I have never been a huge GH fan but he has done many years of incredible service to other riders. Would I begrudge him success in a race like PR. No .....it would be well deserved. I don't think he has the legs to win it but .....

I certainly hope Hushovd doesn't put in a performance like last year. He should have told Vaughters to get stuffed and pulled out his earpiece and ridden with Cancellara to catch the lead group. He didn't deserve to wear the rainbow jersey that day.

I will be really looking to see how Gilbert rides this year. With the expectations likely to be put on him he will be under tremendous pressure from fans media and management. I expect to see Cadel Evans helping out Gilbert in the late spring classics so that he will get Gilbert's support for the tour.

Cadel can win the tour again this year. The course is much more suited to his strengths than last year but will he be as motivated and fit and have the luck needed?

Thanks,

Buddy

[Burkni]

Flanders team revealed.

Quote

Alessandro Ballan (ITA)
Marcus Burghardt (GER)
Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
George Hincapie (USA)
Thor Hushovd (NOR)
Manuel Quinziato (ITA)
Michael Schär (SUI)
Greg Van Avermaet (BEL)

Seems not quite so strong on paper as during the winter but write off Gilbert at your own peril.

[VdB]

Burkni, on 28 March 2012 - 11:09 AM, said:

Flanders team revealed.



Seems not quite so strong on paper as during the winter but write off Gilbert at your own peril.

I agree. He's not gonna be at the level of a Boonen or Cancellara in Flanders yet, but that doesn't mean he'll be harmless. ALso look out for Ballan who has been riding a strong and careful season so far. And Van Avermaet has been unlucky with the crashes but seemed to be in good form!

[The Rake]

Will Ballan be riding now the Mantova investigation has reared its head again?

[N.B.O.L.]

The Rake, on 29 March 2012 - 08:52 AM, said:

Will Ballan be riding now the Mantova investigation has reared its head again?

According to BMC (via VeloNews article), they have heard nothing official, so he will race.

[Burkni]

N.B.O.L., on 29 March 2012 - 02:51 PM, said:

According to BMC (via VeloNews article), they have heard nothing official, so he will race.

The annual thing ... Sheesh