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2021 rider schedules

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It seems like Buchmann will do the Giro and Ackermann and Sagan the Tour.

Man, it's going to be strange watching those two do their separate sprints but I really do think that will be the compromise as Sagan can't afford to do leadout work as it's unthinkable that he will not aim for the green jersey.

Sagan hinted this year that he was tired of being chased down in breakaways due to the points classification. I think we might actually see him give it up completely next year and only go for stagewins in hillier stages and then just help Ackermann in the flat masssprint as one of the earlier leadouts. I suppose Ackermann might go for green instead himself.
 
Sagan hinted this year that he was tired of being chased down in breakaways due to the points classification. I think we might actually see him give it up completely next year and only go for stagewins in hillier stages and then just help Ackermann in the flat masssprint as one of the earlier leadouts. I suppose Ackermann might go for green instead himself.
It might be an interesting battle for green next year. I would say that Sagan, Van der Poel and Van Aert are the guys with the best skillset to go for green, but both Sagan and Van der Poel will have a pure sprinter as teammate in Ackermann and Merlier, and Van Aert's team will focus on yellow again.
 
Lopez will target the tour and the vuelta
So he rides the most important races for his new sponsor. Understandable decicion.


In an article in Spanish (would have to hunt for it) he also said that Movistar did offer him a 2 year contract but he is the one that asked for the 1 year contract. Part of it sounded like he's hoping the financial situation of teams will improve in 2021. He had also addressed the Vuelta situation in 2019 and said he's sure that there are people who won't forgive him for what he said, esp what he said in reference to Valverde, but that he was out line and that there aren't any issues from that incident with the team.
 
Sagan hinted this year that he was tired of being chased down in breakaways due to the points classification. I think we might actually see him give it up completely next year and only go for stagewins in hillier stages and then just help Ackermann in the flat masssprint as one of the earlier leadouts. I suppose Ackermann might go for green instead himself.

I thought this sounded quite reasonable but it does seem like Sagan will be chasing green, regardless. And he wouldn't really comment on how they will play him and Ackermann.
 
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Bora rider targets for this year:

Giro: Buchmann (leader), Großschartner and Fabbro as domestiques
Tour: 14 man longlist including: Keldermann, Kämna, Konrad, Ackermann (with his sprint train), Sagan
Vuelta: Großschartner (leader)

Milan-San Remo: Sagan (Leader), Ackermann to get to know the race
Ardennes classics: Schachmann (leader)
Cobble Classics: Sagan and Politt as leaders

 
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Bora rider targets for this year:

Giro: Buchmann (leader), Großschartner and Fabbro as domestiques
Tour: 14 man longlist including: Keldermann, Kämna, Konrad, Ackermann (with his sprint train), Sagan
Vuelta: Großschartner (leader)

Milan-San Remo: Sagan (Leader), Ackermann to get to know the race
Ardennes classics: Schachmann (leader)
Cobble Classics: Sagan and Politt as leaders


Seems odd to send Buchmann to the Giro and then leave all the best mountain helpers for the TDF where the team also has a big focus on sprints. It makes some sence to leave a breakaway-climber like Kämna to the TDF where he can chase stagewins or ride a lower GC-ride for himself besides all the sprinters, but with Buchmann a realistic Giro winner they really ought to send at least one of Keldermann and Konrad to the Giro to help him, and preferably both of them. Grossschartner, thats likely also saving most of his form for the Vuelta and Fabbro is really not enough.
 
Seems odd to send Buchmann to the Giro and then leave all the best mountain helpers for the TDF where the team also has a big focus on sprints. It makes some sence to leave a breakaway-climber like Kämna to the TDF where he can chase stagewins or ride a lower GC-ride for himself besides all the sprinters, but with Buchmann a realistic Giro winner they really ought to send at least one of Keldermann and Konrad to the Giro to help him, and preferably both of them. Grossschartner, thats likely also saving most of his form for the Vuelta and Fabbro is really not enough.

At this point those are the ones that are known quantities. I could see Schelling doing the Giro too, he looked good at the Vuelta supporting Grossschartner. And a german outlet even mentioned Zwiehoff being possible depending on how he adjusts to the WT. Not that I would be bringing him, but solely from a climbing level he could be useful. I think that you're right with Konrad, he should be supporting at the Giro but if you want Wilco to do a GC at the Tour he needs some help too. Especially if his helpers, like Kamna, are hunting stages next to supporting him.

The questionmark remains with Schachmann. They said that after Ardennes there aren't yet any fixed plans for him. He is on the Tour longlist but with Tokyo they don't seem to rule out the Giro for him either.
 
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At this point those are the ones that are known quantities. I could see Schelling doing the Giro too, he looked good at the Vuelta supporting Grossschartner. And a german outlet even mentioned Zwiehoff being possible depending on how he adjusts to the WT. Not that I would be bringing him, but solely from a climbing level he could be useful. I think that you're right with Konrad, he should be supporting at the Giro but if you want Wilco to do a GC at the Tour he needs some help too. Especially if his helpers, like Kamna, are hunting stages next to supporting him.

The questionmark remains with Schachmann. They said that after Ardennes there aren't yet any fixed plans for him. He is on the Tour longlist but with Tokyo they don't seem to rule out the Giro for him either.

Yes Schachmann in the Giro sounds likely and would surely help a lot on Buchmanns team, and then yes perhaps Zwiehoff (or Palzer) could be a surprise. But really they ought to have Konrad or Keldermann ride the Giro too with Buchmann a candidate to win. With the big focus on Sagan and Ackermann in the Tour it also seems odd if they can fit both Kämna, Keldermann and Konrad in the Tourteam, likely also having Selig and Schwarzmann for his leadout and also needing some riders to do some pulling and also help Sagan in some stages. With Konrad in the Giro instead and only Kämna and Keldermann as climbers they could at least fit both Politt and Oss also for instance.
 
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The questionmark remains with Schachmann. They said that after Ardennes there aren't yet any fixed plans for him. He is on the Tour longlist but with Tokyo they don't seem to rule out the Giro for him either.
Yes, Schachmann´s schedule is only fixed until the Ardennes classics. I would like to see him riding with Buchmann at the giro and then the Olympics.
Other thing which is a bit dissapointing for me is that Schachmann wants to defend his title at Paris-Nice. This would mean (without postponements), that he will miss Strade Bianche, a race where I would have loved him to see...
 
The plans seem very rough for now. Maybe they see no point in strict schedules by now, as we don't know which races will happen and when. Especially the Olympics should be a big factor, but the classics may be seriously affected again as well.
That said the Tour longlist is extremely crowded, not just in terms of riders, of course, since it's a longlist, but in terms of goals. If they bring Sagan and Ackermann+ train, that would be exciting, I actually like the idea. But then you can only bring two more stage hunters, certainly no GC guy as well. If they want too much, I'm sure they will fail all around, so I don't really get this Kelderman for GC idea. Using guys like Kämna and Schachmann mainly as domestiques is pure waist, unless it's really for a good shot at a podium spot, which I don't see for Kelderman.
In the end it could happen that Ackermann is left at home again, which would be such a pity with this route.
I guess their problem is that Buchmann is still their best man for a GT podium, but not with this Tour route. But since it's "only" going to be the Giro, which nobody in Germany cares about, they can't afford to send a lot of their best guys to the Giro.
 
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