Saunier Duval Team Thread

Hey - here is the beautiful gold/yellow and black jersey fpor yuo to pledge your allegiance to the team!

Also attahed to the post is the excel spreadsheet for the team, to be used by the Team Leader for tracking!

Time for the fun to begin  

Don't forget your feta:

Saunier Duval

Monday July 2, 2007

Guardian

Boilermakers specialising in wall-hung tanks and monosplit air-conditioning units. This is sex.

Tour heritage

Founded in 2004, they have made no impact on the Tour's result sheets. At least their mainly yellow team jersey makes them look as if they're doing well. And they did indeed enjoy a red-hot Giro d'Italia this year.

Past controversies

David Millar has been forgiven but his team are currently in the line of fire over their hiring of two riders allegedly implicated in Puerto, Koldo Gil and Juan-Manuel Garate. The case continues.

In the coffers

£3.4m has been pumped into the team.

The boss

Nosferatu lookalike Mauro Gianetti had a 17-year professional career that included one spectacular season in 1995, when he won the Amstel Gold and Liège-Bastogne-Liège classics. He added a silver medal in the 1996 world road race title but was never quite the same after collapsing in a stage of the Tour of Romandie in 1998 and spending 12 days in intensive care. He has built a team that punches consistently above its weight.

Team leader

In 2006 they backed Millar, the charismatic Scot, on his return from a two-year doping ban and he has repaid them with stage victories in last year's Tour of Spain, and this year's Paris-Nice. Millar was a little below his best in the Dauphiné Libéré but will still start as a favourite for the prologue time-trial in London. In the absence of Riccardo Ricco and Gilberto Simoni, Millar will lead the team and will tilt for a road race stage win as well.

Wild man of the saddle

There isn't one. Last year each rider promoted human rights; this year they're involved in the Rock Not War initiative, with the aim of planting a million trees in Mali. All together now: tie a yellow jersey round the old oak tree...

They'll be happy with ...

A prologue win for Millar would fit the bill nicely.

Fans will paint on the road

"Saunier yet so far"; "We love Saunier - they're wall-hung"

William Fotheringham predicts

Did not shine last year but Millar should be stronger this time.

If they were a cheese...Feta

Has come from nowhere to make unlikely rise to prominence in recent years. Versatile, perky, creamy-coloured and likely to make an appearance on many different fronts. No real pedigree, however, but apparently quite a bit of interest in Britain.

Based Riazzino, Switzerland

Bike Scott frame, Mavic wheels

Jerseys Castelli

Team leader David Millar (GB, age 30. 4 Tours, 3 stage wins. No finish)

Climbers José Ángel Gómez Marchante (Sp, 27), Ibán Mayo (Sp, 29), David de la Fuente (Sp, 26), Rubén Lobato (Sp, 28), Guido Trentin (Sp, 31), Christophe Rinero (Fr, 33), Juan José Cobo (Sp, 36), Remmert Wielinga (Neth, 29)

Puncheurs Iker Camaño (Sp, 28)

Team manager Mauro Gianetti

Team founded 2004

Tours de France entered 2

Stage wins

King of Mountains 0

2006 best 41st, Rinero

2006 stage wins 0

ProTour ranking 3rd

Website www.saunierduval-prodir.com

What kind of silly question is that??? YOU ARE!!

I'm not so infamous. Or famous either.  I'm occasionally in COJ, but more likely can be found at local restaurants. I'm looking forward to rocking my first tri on July 28th and today completed my second half mary. (Top 20% in my AG, YES!!!)

I'm using this challenge to motivate me to not skip any training sessions for my tri. I signed up for 6 stages. I hate running and biking inside, so all my stages will be outside rain or shine, heat or cold.

My "children" are all furry. Here's the newest one:  Her name is Kona and she is 14 weeks old. Now I have to pick up after myself. She loves socks.

Next......

Good Morning Team,

I agree, Spokes, you should be the Team Capt., If You want/can.

I was going to do 15 stages, but in the never ending quest to do too much I am going to do all 21 (including Prolog) Stages. I am going to ride either the distance or at least 1.5 hrs. a Stage. If they are doing hills, I'm doing hills and TT or what ever.

I am 46 yr old and have been ding Tri's for 3 yrs. I used to run Marathons but all that just running was killing me so I started doing the bike and swim to cross train. I have 3 children, ages 30, 29 and 26. Two girls and a boy...well,,,ladies and a man. I also have 2 grand kids. Ages 7 and 3 both girls. I mostly train alone but I do have a big hairy running partner, her name is Freya and she is a 4yr old Alsakan Malamute. She has been running with me since she was 1 yr old. She is great at pacing...faster Mom, faster As for work my hubby and I have a small re-model company. So I am doing construction, tile work, plumbing, elect. or carpentry during the day. I work out all over clock, early, afternoon or late.

I look forward to kicking the other teams butts and good luck to everyone. Off to swim now

Chris

Greetings from Washington State. I live on the far east side of WA about 45 min from CdA, Idaho.

I started riding a year ago in May on a used mtn bike. I loved it so much, I sold my 4wheeler in order to buy my quality road bike. (never thought that would happen!). I've lost 30lbs since I began this journey and now I'm certifiably nuts about riding. My latest ride was 122 miles on Tuesday. I'm preparing for a one day 204 mile ride on 7/14 from Seattle, WA to Portland, OR. That ride should look good in the logs, eh?

I raced my first tri on June 16th and placed 7th OA in a field of 135. The bike was my strongest leg w/ an ave speed of 23.69mph. I was super happy w/ my first race and can't wait for the Oly in CdA, Id next month.

I ride a Scott Speedster S10 w/ full Ultegra top to bottom. It's silver w/ yellow tires, tape on aerobars, etc. YELLOW IS GOOOOOD!

I'm 35 yrs old, married (to an Iowa farm girl), 2 beautiful little girls (5 & 2), and I work in Risk Mgmt for Spokane County. Working for the government helps me have time to train a little more than some!

I'm w/ the rest of you.......Spokes can be our fearless leader.

Hi all!

I'm Susie (and, of course, my bike is black and yellow!)

I'm a Tour Junkie, which makes July my favorite month.

I'm training for a half IM in September and an MS-150 2 weeks after that, so this challenge will be a great opportunity for me to get some time in the saddle and really build up some mileage.

I'm in for 10 stages, all at least an hour long.

I'm 25 yrs old, married, no kids. We live in Newport News, Virginia (at the moment) but just recently moved here from Oklahoma City. I graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Criminology and I also have an MA in Criminal Justice.

GO SD!!! Yellow and Black ROCK!

Excellent!! Now we will win for sure. :-) I'll have to go get me an SD jersey. Oh, darn, shopping...

Reminds me of one of the guys on my Thursday night rides. He must spend a TON on jerseys. He's always in full kit for whatever team-of-the-day. Jersey, bibs (!), socks, all of it. So far I've seen 4 different outfits. Wish I had his allowance. All I've got is a T-Mobile jersey for when I'm climbing and Fasso Bortelo socks for when I want to ride speedy!

While you sissies were sleeping, looks like someone from barlo rode by and took a quick swim in your kiddie pool...

Oh, and by the way...

(good luck  getting your a$$ kicked in the challenge everyone).

No worries team! After looking at his logs, it looks like it was his first ride of the month when he snuck into our kiddie pool. I'm sure his 5mph average wore him out!

Hey, I'm tapering.  Working on swim technique since fitness gains are out.

And how do you know it was me?

Tapering??? Oh, please!!! Like it's in the ocean for a mile or something. Or your first tri - sure, whatEVER. Tapering. What an excuse.

Hi Team,

The prologue is well less than 12 hours away so just thought I would provide a quick update on your counter parts on the pro team to help you really get into this years tour.

The 2007 Tour De France line up for Sounier Duval (as of yesterday) is:

- Iker Camano Ortuzar SPA

- David Canada Gracia SPA

- Juan Jose Cobo Acebo SPA

- David De La Fuente Rasilla SPA

- Ruben Lobate Elvira SPA

- Iban Mayo Diez SPA

- David Millar GBR

- Chrisophe Rinero FRA

- Francisco Jose Ventoso Alberdi SPA

As a primarily Spanish team the line up for Saunier Duval this year includes well loved  Spanish cyclist Iban Mayo. After turning pro in 2000 he has achieved a string of victories and was proclaimed a future Basque cycling champion of the Tour De France.

Some of his key successes have included beating Lance Armstrong in a TT at Mount Ventoux in 2004 at the Dauphine Libere, however a carash and infection ruined his chances at the Tour last year.  

Last year Mayo road for the Euskaltel-Euskadi team and was seen as a tour contender but retired in the 11th stage. This year he will be out to prove his earlier promise as a contender for the Tour De France.

The upcoming prologue will star another Saunier Duval rider David Millar who is a TT specialist who would dearly love to win in front of his home crowd in London and wear the prized yellow jersey for the first stage on Sunday.

I hope these little pieces of information help t get really into the tour and the challenge. I'm going to be watching every stage live (between 10m - 2/3am so just hope I dont fall asleep) so I will drop in and let you know how your team is going (assuming you are interested!!)

Have a  GREAT challenge and lots of fun!!!

Cat 

Hi.  I will commit to 21 stages. I have a mountain bike (Specialized Rockhopper-black), that i use for commuting to work at least three days/week. I need to buy slicks for it. I also have a few nice stationary bikes at the gym at work. Would love to have a road bike, but will just have to wait.

I am happy to be on the team; this will help me kick off my bike training. Oh, and please excuse the mph on my commuting log......Boston traffic just slows me right down!!

Hey, does anyone know how to do one of those things where you have a pic (team jersey) in a box with all of our names that link to our logs?

Pssst... since i know you have a picture of your team jersey (yeah with you in it) shouldnt you change your avatar to show your team spirit? Like this one:

Or the other one.... Just sayin...

Well in honor of our team I'll be posting in black, instead of my usual purple. I was going to post in yellow but I couldn't read it. I have just completed my first Tour DeFrance Stage..the Prolog. I have a race tomorrow so I didn't push as hard as a normal TT just kept it in Z1 and Z2. But I got it done. How is everyone else doing??? Have a great weekend!!

Saunier Duval Rocks!!!

Spokes

ell-in-or

Chrisrunsz26

soretaint

bcozican

goofyfooter

sachinh

sel166

Here's everyone's link. I can't quite get a box around it though.

Okey Dokey then. Here's today's stage!

 Climb 750 feet.

As you are TOO lazy to read :p 

There is  a spreadsheet attached to a post of mine near the top of this thread, the team leader needs to download it and confirm everyones confirmed stages are correct... then each monday (Starting from the 16th) you need to get an update of everyones rides to date and send it to me so I cando a challenege update!

Its in the rules, my post above and in the team leaders thread so have a read and if anything doesnt make sense let me know!

Based on the assumption you are the team leader Scott, let me know if you need anything else. The spreadsheet doesnt currently include distance (As not everyone has cycle computers, and those doing spin classes or exercise bikes might not track distance) but you can add it, and I would LOVE to get time ridden from everyone so I can do a comparison with the peloton to make it more interesting!!!!

Have a great challenge