2014 Speculation (and confirmation) thread - rider schedules and parcours

[Libertine Seguros]

Messick and his group of merry men will not be keen to hear the US' biggest stage racing threat with a contract turning down Cali suggesting that there are better Tour warmup options considering they wanted to make themselves into the Tour buildup race par excellence.

 

[roundabout]

That's the thing. He probably does not want to ride California merely as a warmup.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Sounds like ToC will have hope Craddock (if his team gets invited) and Busche steps up.

 

[Christian]

Gesink will probably destroy all competition at this race

 

[staubsauger]

Gesink will probably destroy all competition at this race

I really hope this Tour de France Belkin makes Mollema team leader again and forces Gesink to easily relax at the end of the pack during the flat stages and go on the attack for stage victories and polka dot in the mountains.

Rob just has not the consistence, mental strength and luck to ride for general classification!

 

[Christian]

AG2R line-up for Santos TdU:

Julien Berard, Guillaume Bonnafond, Maxime Bouet, Maxime Daniel, Axel Domont, Damien Gaudin, Sébastien Turgot

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...antos-Tour-Down-Under-team.aspx#ixzz2lnZL7vyk

 

[Christian]

Tour of Poland 2014:

“It will all start in Poland; after a few years’ absence we’ve decided to return to the north. The stage for the kickoff will most likely be Gdańsk, a very important city for its historical, cultural and political background.”

After a rare visit to the north of the country, the race will then head in the direction of the hillier south, where the final yellow jersey will be decided.

“Then we’d like to descend towards Warsaw,” Lang explained. “With the second stage we’re hoping to set off from Torun, birthplace of Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), in a tribute to this rider who is bringing enormous satisfaction to Polish cycling. He has become a shining example to all our young kids who are becoming enthusiastic about cycling.

“Like in 2013, the arrival for the third stage could be in Rzeszow, where this year Thor Hushovd prevailed,” Lang continued. “Then the fourth stage should be on the fast track in Katowice, where this year once again Taylor Phinney managed to beat all the sprinters with a remarkable final move. This means that the first part of the Tour de Pologne will feature four flat stages suitable for sprinters. After that we will head for the mountains, on the Tatra range; the fifth stage will probably set off from Zakopane to wind up with a circuit in Slovakia, which would be the first time this race touched down in that country.

“After this there will be the traditional reigning stage with the tough circuit at Bukowina Tatrzanska where the climbers and big guns will get their chance to attack before the grand finale in Krakow featuring a time trial of about 30 km, the same time trial in which this year the top riders rode a battle to the final second to capture the yellow jersey,” Lang concluded.

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...f-Polish-democracy-in-2014.aspx#ixzz2lnaKXCAy

 

[The Hitch]

Tour of Poland 2014:

“It will all start in Poland; after a few years’ absence we’ve decided to return to the north. The stage for the kickoff will most likely be Gdańsk, a very important city for its historical, cultural and political background.”

After a rare visit to the north of the country, the race will then head in the direction of the hillier south, where the final yellow jersey will be decided.

“Then we’d like to descend towards Warsaw,” Lang explained. “With the second stage we’re hoping to set off from Torun, birthplace of Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), in a tribute to this rider who is bringing enormous satisfaction to Polish cycling. He has become a shining example to all our young kids who are becoming enthusiastic about cycling.

“Like in 2013, the arrival for the third stage could be in Rzeszow, where this year Thor Hushovd prevailed,” Lang continued. “Then the fourth stage should be on the fast track in Katowice, where this year once again Taylor Phinney managed to beat all the sprinters with a remarkable final move. This means that the first part of the Tour de Pologne will feature four flat stages suitable for sprinters. After that we will head for the mountains, on the Tatra range; the fifth stage will probably set off from Zakopane to wind up with a circuit in Slovakia, which would be the first time this race touched down in that country.

“After this there will be the traditional reigning stage with the tough circuit at Bukowina Tatrzanska where the climbers and big guns will get their chance to attack before the grand finale in Krakow featuring a time trial of about 30 km, the same time trial in which this year the top riders rode a battle to the final second to capture the yellow jersey,” Lang concluded.

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...f-Polish-democracy-in-2014.aspx#ixzz2lnaKXCAy

Thanks for that Christian.

I like the route because it covers the north and the centre. But that is going to be quite some journey on the bike and with transfers to start (and maybe finish) 1 stage in Gdansk then the next day in Warsaw and the day after in Rzesow. This is probably largely because of the poor quality of the communist built transport, but these places seem light years apart to me. From Warsaw to Rzesow alone it took me 13 hours by train.

 

[theyoungest]

Messick and his group of merry men will not be keen to hear the US' biggest stage racing threat with a contract turning down Cali suggesting that there are better Tour warmup options considering they wanted to make themselves into the Tour buildup race par excellence.

It's an interesting decision by Van Garderen, since by far his best GT performance to date came after riding the Tour of California.

I really hope this Tour de France Belkin makes Mollema team leader again and forces Gesink to easily relax at the end of the pack during the flat stages and go on the attack for stage victories and polka dot in the mountains.

Rob just has not the consistence, mental strength and luck to ride for general classification!

The Tour hasn't been kind to him, but it's fair to say that Mollema was lucky to make the top-10 as well. He got 25th or whatever on the Alpe d'Huez, you call that consistent?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

The Tour hasn't been kind to him, but it's fair to say that Mollema was lucky to make the top-10 as well. He got 25th or whatever on the Alpe d'Huez, you call that consistent?

Yeah, to say that Mollema got lucky would be an understatement. The difference, though, is that all the luck in the world won't help Gesink get another top-10 at the Tour. He's not the same rider he once was, probably also due to Clinic reasons.

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah, to say that Mollema got lucky would be an understatement. The difference, though, is that all the luck in the world won't help Gesink get another top-10 at the Tour. He's not the same rider he once was, probably also due to Clinic reasons.

Those clinic reasons nicely coincide with a crash at the end of 2011, which of course you know as you've always been a massive fan of the guy

He has certainly seemed like someone who's desperately looking for his former self since.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Those clinic reasons nicely coincide with a crash at the end of 2011, which of course you know as you've always been a massive fan of the guy

He has certainly seemed like someone who's desperately looking for his former self since.

I implied that it wasn't the only reason. Note the word "also."

Sometimes several factors contribute to a rider's relative demise. I think Evans is another example of that.

 

[theyoungest]

I implied that it wasn't the only reason. Note the word "also."

Sometimes several factors contribute to a rider's relative demise. I think Evans is another example of that.

It seems you want to take it to the clinic too badly. Evans is just past his prime, 'cause he's old. Not everyone's Chris Horner.

Gesink had a career-threatening injury, he managed to come back from it but his climbing has suffered. Too bad. But that's not suddenly a reason to question his career before that.

 

[staubsauger]

It seems you want to take it to the clinic too badly. Evans is just past his prime, 'cause he's old. Not everyone's Chris Horner.

Gesink had a career-threatening injury, he managed to come back from it but his climbing has suffered. Too bad. But that's not suddenly a reason to question his career before that.

If it just was about clinic reasons Rob seems tailor-made for Aicar etc so that can't be the main reason for his performance decrease. So we should stop this part of the discussion at least here.

For me personally Gesink should go stage hunting and gain back confidence that way. His career as a classification rider should be finally over. But he has got too much talent to just waste it as a waterboy.

 

[manafana]

It seems you want to take it to the clinic too badly. Evans is just past his prime, 'cause he's old. Not everyone's Chris Horner.

Gesink had a career-threatening injury, he managed to come back from it but his climbing has suffered. Too bad. But that's not suddenly a reason to question his career before that.

anyoen who has had a serious injury will know how much strength he will have lost, likely core etc not what it used be in his prime

 

[Gloin22]

Astana stays as Astana.

 

[jens_attacks]

pretty great. can't ask for more

 

[Netserk]

I still think the 2010 jersey was the best one.

 

[Parrulo]

I still think the 2010 jersey was the best one.

Don't we all?

 

[Netserk]

Don't we all?

[Major OT, should probably be moved to the jersey thread]

How would you rank all the different Astana jerseys?

 

[hayzer114]

Nicolas Roche confirms he will be riding the Giro next season due to it beginning in Ireland. Great news for Irish cycling as now we will see Nico, Dan Martin, Philly Deignan and possibly Sam Bennett and Martin Irvine in the peleton also.

 

[janraaskalt]

Nicolas Roche confirms he will be riding the Giro next season due to it beginning in Ireland.

Co-leader with Majka?

 

[Oliver]

Co-leader with Majka?

Roche is hoping that he can compete in both the Giro and Tour de France, using the Italian race as preparation for July.

Majka leader again?

 

[maltiv]

EBH will start in Mallorca this season, no TDU this time (thank God). Probably followed by Oman or Algarve. This year he'll also do T-A (no bull**** altitude camp). Moreover, they'll significantly reduce the amount of training in December this year, compared to last year, due to every non-alien Sky rider becoming severely overtrained.

He also says that his main goal is still Paris-Roubaix, which is quite absurd...

 

[theyoungest]

EBH will start in Mallorca this season, no TDU this time (thank God). Probably followed by Oman or Algarve. This year he'll also do T-A (no bull**** altitude camp). Moreover, they'll significantly reduce the amount of training in December this year, compared to last year, due to every non-alien Sky rider becoming severely overtrained.

He also says that his main goal is still Paris-Roubaix, which is quite absurd...

Why? The hills of Flanders are too much for him, while lesser riders than him have made the podium in Roubaix. In both races it's mostly the distance that will do him in, or has done in the past.