Paris Nice. Prologue.

here is my team, no giggling now, and this is not a hoax, busy tommorrow, so posting now.

Tony Martin (OPQ)
Bradley Wiggins (SKY)
Janez Brajkovic (AST)
Denis Galimzyanov (KAT)
Javier Moreno (MOV)
Brent Bookwalter (BMC)
Ramunas Navardauskas (GRM)
Maciej Bodnar (LIQ)
Patrick Gretsch (1T4)

Gali and navardauskas not racing now i dont think

Noooooo! Galimzyanov and Navardauskas both out. Just when I'd got it sorted.

After thinking I was all set I've gone and made 4 changes. Made one lastnight after a wee bit of research then had to do a 3 berth reshuffle cos Talanskys not riding. I was 0.2 points short for the rider I wanted so had to settle on a similar but probably slightly lesser athlete. I now have 0.1 change left over, ie sod all place to go if my team dosn't work out! Everything crossed for tomorrow!!!

Argh! My teams been sorted for days but now my secret weapon, Konovalovas, isn't riding

Ditto, I thought he was a bargain before his pulling out. . . back to the drawing board. ..

Rather than swap my whole team around I've ended up just picking a non TTer who can sit in my team all week. Hopefully it'll pay off.

Woops another last minute change almost slipped under my nose, haven't put this much thought into a stage all year, think I'm good to go now!

Agreed, these tours with a mix of flat and mountain stages are where the game really gets interesting and I'm glad there's more of them this year.

Just hoping Wiggins and Martin pull out lastminute, and watch teams change then. lol.

Now it is official:
http://www.letour.fr/2012/PNC/RIDERS/fr/partants.html

I've looked over everyone's teams posted and I only have five riders in common with all the teams above Good or bad, we'll see Anyway, I have a secret weapon for the first couple stages. Found him with my scouting skills (A.K.A Wikipedia )

This is what they say on Cycling Weekly:

Disclaimer: Do not under any circumstance use our picks for use in forum race prediction leagues, betting, etc. This will lead to disappointment and/or possible financial loss.

My ace up my sleeve for stage 1 has not been mentioned by anyone, and 2 of my other riders defo haven't either.
A couple of the others have been mentioned tentatively but not sure ive seen them posted in any teams

Is this "ace" Swedish by any chance

Kanstantin Siutsou
Pierre Rolland
Rein Taaramae
Thomas Voeckler
Cédric Pineau
Carlos Barredo
Leigh Howard
Stijn Vandenbergh
Anthony Delaplace

My list from above, had to drop Rolland cause he's out and also Delaplace

So in come Basso and Westra, so its

Kanstantin Siutsou
Ivan Basso
Rein Taaramae
Thomas Voeckler
Cédric Pineau
Carlos Barredo
Leigh Howard
Stijn Vandenbergh
Lieuwe Westra

Think thats an all round half decent team

Taaaaraaaaaaaaaaameooo

Well here's my team, albeit with a long term view, rather than a prologue view . . .

Rigoberto Uran (SKY)
Alejandro Valverde (MOV)
Tejay van Garderen (BMC)
Thomas de Gendt (VCD)
Richie Porte (SKY)
Taylor Phinney (BMC)
Rémi Pauriol (FDJ)
Jeremie Galland (SAU)
Matthew Wilson (GRE)

It's 11.36pm so i think its safe to list my team:

Wiggins
de Gendt
Brajkovic
Peraud
Porte
Phinney
Larsson
Burghardt
Izagirre.

Got my transfers for stage 2 & 3 sorted as well depending on how the above all do.

Nope my ace is not sweedish and has not been mentioned, nor have my two secret weapons for stage 2 both of the same nationality

hurrumph

game plan in tatters already.

New team.

Tony Martin (OPQ)
Bradley Wiggins (SKY)
Elia Viviani (LIQ)
Gregory Henderson (LOT)
Lieuwe Westra (VCD)
Mikel Astarloza (EUS)
Taylor Phinney (BMC)
Richie Porte (SKY)
Patrick Gretsch (1T4)

OK team picked (39 transfers used

Tony Martin (OPQ)
Tejay van Garderen (BMC)
John Degenkolb (1T4)
Levi Leipheimer (OPQ)
Richie Porte (SKY)
Patrick Gretsch (1T4)
Leigh Howard (GRE)
Gorka Izagirre (EUS)
Remi Pauriol (FDJ)

2 of my original 5 + 1 from wants list, replaced Dumoulin with Degenkolb because he can prologue and stage 3 is right up his alley.

Have transfers planned for stage 2 and 3, will do poorly on stage 2, but hopefully enough points from stage 1 to keep my overall spot.

And if TeeJay out performs Wiggins, gain some ground on meninblack

Looking at the start times , if it starts fine and turns to rain half way, Denis Menchov, De Gendt and Roman Feillu start early, whilst Wiggins andMartin start in the last 10 to go.
#justsaying

Ok so here goes:

Bradley Wiggins (SKY)
Jean-Christophe Peraud (ALM)
Rein Taaramae (COF)
Elia Viviani (LIQ)
Jerome Coppel (SAU)
Gianni Meersman (LOT)
Richie Porte (SKY)
Markel Irizar (RSN)
Kris Boeckmans (VCD)

And my transfers for stage 2 depends on the results of today but either way i have a solid plan for the next two days

Wow, lucky I noticed last night that Talansky was a late withdrawal. Happy with my team, leaves me fairly flexible for the next couple of days I think...
Wiggins
Martin
van Garderen
Viviani
Phinney
Gretsch
Maes
Kruopis
Izagirre