2012 Speculation (and confirmation) thread - rider schedules and parcours

[just some guy]

they never do california, neither did last year and for strade bianchi have to be invited and weren't last year. maybe they also aren't invited to california because there are already other invites to colombian teams and american teams

Yes SKY road Cali last year won the 1st stage if I remember correctly

here is the 2011 team

4.) SKY PROCYCLING (GBR)
Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NOR)
Alex Dowsett (GBR)
Christopher Froome (GBR)
Mathew Hayman (AUS)
Greg Henderson (NZL)
Jeremy Hunt (GBR)
Ian Stannard (GBR)
Ben Swift (GBR)

and they have the 2010 Cali and SB winners in their team so can see why TSF highlighted the fact

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

hmm weird, I thought for sure they didn't ride last year. then maybe they aren't invited because many teams want to do that race. I''ve heard 4 colombian teams have gotten wildcards (comcel, movistar, antioquia and epm)

 

[Anonymous]

hmm weird, I thought for sure they didn't ride last year. then maybe they aren't invited because many teams want to do that race. I''ve heard 4 colombian teams have gotten wildcards (comcel, movistar, antioquia and epm)

Not even sure they applied. Norway is a better race for them. serves their purpose much better. And with the giro at the same time. Maybe nobody was bothered about atoc.

Its also only provisional. Theres a fair few races they arent down for, think more will be added yet.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

well if henao isn't going to do the giro then he should do california and not some ****ty norway

 

[El Pistolero]

Thomas Degendt's schedule:

Tour down Under
Volta ao Algarve
Omloop het Nieuwsblad
Paris-Nice
Volta a Catalunya
Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Tour de Romandie
Giro d'Italia
Olympics
Vuelta a Espana

 

[Anonymous]

well if henao isn't going to do the giro then he should do california and not some ****ty norway

But Norway is important to Sky (well more important than California). Edvalds manager running it does have an effect, but Sky have a massive amount of fans in Norway (Well edvald does), and will be keen to capitalise on that with meet and greets etc. Maybe Kurt Asle Arvesen as DS. And with the organisers keen to get either SKy or BMC there Im sure the "Hospitality" will be as good if not better than ATOC.

Arguably, Norway and Bayern Rundfahrt will be better training for the riders going to the Tour than flying across the atlantic to ride in America (bear in mind as well that the likes of Swift who won a stage last year in ATOC will be track focused, the other stage winner for Sky from last year Henderson has left).

 

[CheeseHead]

what an idiot

Why's that? You know the argumentation behind this? Obviously not, otherwise you wouldn't give such short-sighted non-opinion.

Lars Boom gave an interview on regional television and it the decision makes sense all over. I'm not going to elaborate on it now, as you've already made up your mind, based on a headline. Real smart.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

unless ge goes to the tour de france and his family gets shot I don't see any reason to not go for tour de france. for olympics a gt is better preparation and the tour is the tour. who cares about tour of poland

 

[Eshnar]

It's possible a change of route for MSR 2012... Seems they wanna add another climb just before Cipressa. They should study the new route these days. New climb or not, they're going to put the finishing line closer to the Poggio anyway.

 

[boomcie]

Thomas Degendt's schedule:

Tour down Under
Volta ao Algarve
Omloop het Nieuwsblad
Paris-Nice
Volta a Catalunya
Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Tour de Romandie
Giro d'Italia
Olympics
Vuelta a Espana

De Gendt. C'mon Pistolet, I expect more of you.

 

[expobill]

Movistar sked

Movistar 1st team will not partake in the Tour of California. they do have a south american squad that could, if invited.

 

[CasperVg]

Thomas Degendt's schedule:

Tour down Under
Volta ao Algarve
Omloop het Nieuwsblad
Paris-Nice
Volta a Catalunya
Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Tour de Romandie
Giro d'Italia
Olympics
Vuelta a Espana

Does that mean he's certain of a selection already? Even after his really bad performance at the WC ITT last year? Or is he only focussing on the road race (in that case, I'm sure there are better gregario's for Gilbert..)

 

[Anonymous]

Full Oman Route
With stage profiles
http://teamskyfans.com/oman.html

 

[CheeseHead]

unless ge goes to the tour de france and his family gets shot I don't see any reason to not go for tour de france. for olympics a gt is better preparation and the tour is the tour. who cares about tour of poland

The Tour makes for good preparation yes, but there's alternative routes to succes. To call someone an idiot for choosing another route for it suits him better, is what I find pretty idiotic, if you don't mind me saying so. Cav win the WC without the Vuelta anyway. Goss second, same deal.

Besides, what is Boom to do in the Tour.. pretty much no chance for personal succes and he'd have to work for either Renshaw or the young trio climbers and Luisle. Boom knows what he is doing, I can tell ya. Poland and maybe Sachsen or Wallonie is good enough.

I heard a rumor that Cance isn't going to the Tour either, but that's absolutely not confirmed.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

agreed, I like that Boom would rather take an alternative route then be forced to work for others in the tour. Of course there is no shame in being a good domestique, but not everyone must be such.

I hope Boom has a good season.

 

[theyoungest]

Does that mean he's certain of a selection already? Even after his really bad performance at the WC ITT last year? Or is he only focussing on the road race (in that case, I'm sure there are better gregario's for Gilbert..)

Everyone could see that bad TT coming, his form was terrible in the latter part of the season. But what other Belgian could have finished 4th in the final TT of the Tour?

 

[CasperVg]

Everyone could see that bad TT coming, his form was terrible in the latter part of the season. But what other Belgian could have finished 4th in the final TT of the Tour?

No-one, but Monfort had just finished a pretty good Vuelta (6th in GC) and was 10th in the Salamanca ITT so he was a more logical choice IMO. Then again, you could say De Gendt finished higher in the Nat ITT (5th) compared to Monfort (10th) but Monfort had a flat irrc.

 

[theyoungest]

No-one, but Monfort had just finished a pretty good Vuelta (6th in GC) and was 10th in the Salamanca ITT so he was a more logical choice IMO. Then again, you could say De Gendt finished higher in the Nat ITT (5th) compared to Monfort (10th) but Monfort had a flat irrc.

Of course Monfort was the more logical choice, but what does that have to do with the Olympics this year?

 

[Greenflame]

unless ge goes to the tour de france and his family gets shot I don't see any reason to not go for tour de france. for olympics a gt is better preparation and the tour is the tour. who cares about tour of poland

Funny, if it's South American riders deciding to remain with their smaller teams to ride as a leader in small races instead of domestiqueing at GT's at PT teams you applaud them for it, yet if it's a Dutch rider who prefers to lead at a smaller race instead of being a domestique at the Tour he's an idiot.

I can imagine he won't be keen to sacrifice every chance he has on personal succes for a 9th, 20th and DNF from his team leaders (respectively) Mollema, Kruijswijk and Gesink.

 

[roundabout]

I don't know. It's not like he is fast enough against the second string sprinters or good enough in the hills to get a result for himself in Poland.

 

[gerundium]

I don't know. It's not like he is fast enough against the second string sprinters or good enough in the hills to get a result for himself in Poland.

I think you are underestimating him. I think he definitely has the capability to take a stage in a breakaway type situation.
Other than that you could have seen this coming from Boom, i remember him voicing this same sentiment during or just after the tour. Think he said something about the tour feeling too controlled with not enough chances for lone wolf type riders to take a stage.
Considering that sentiment staying away from the tour is indeed the only logical conclusion.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Funny, if it's South American riders deciding to remain with their smaller teams to ride as a leader in small races instead of domestiqueing at GT's at PT teams you applaud them for it, yet if it's a Dutch rider who prefers to lead at a smaller race instead of being a domestique at the Tour he's an idiot.

I can imagine he won't be keen to sacrifice every chance he has on personal succes for a 9th, 20th and DNF from his team leaders (respectively) Mollema, Kruijswijk and Gesink.

you understand nothing of it then as for south americans those are no small races in their countries.

 

[theyoungest]

you understand nothing of it then as for south americans those are no small races in their countries.

Why don't you just listen to what Boom actually says instead of jumping the gun immediately with your spur of the moment comments?

I know, it may be too much of an ask.

 

[roundabout]

I think you are underestimating him. I think he definitely has the capability to take a stage in a breakaway type situation.
Other than that you could have seen this coming from Boom, i remember him voicing this same sentiment during or just after the tour. Think he said something about the tour feeling too controlled with not enough chances for lone wolf type riders to take a stage.
Considering that sentiment staying away from the tour is indeed the only logical conclusion.

I hope that I am underestimating him. And while I understand why he wouldn't want to do the Tour, apart from a fortunate break or a certain type of stage like the one to Cieszyn or Zakopane that EBH won a few years back I don't really see where Boom can get a big result in Poland. My impression is that breaks don't succeed very often there as well, at least not since Voigt in 2008.

 

[theyoungest]

I hope that I am underestimating him. And while I understand why he wouldn't want to do the Tour, apart from a fortunate break or a certain type of stage like the one to Cieszyn or Zakopane that EBH won a few years back I don't really see where Boom can get a big result in Poland. My impression is that breaks don't succeed very often there as well, at least not since Voigt in 2008.

Boom doesn't say he'll ride Poland for a result. He just says he won't do the Tour, doesn't think it's the ideal preparation for him, and then mentions the Tour of Poland as an alternative.