AC needs a team?

[cyclopeon]

Btw, I know it's early, but does anyone know if there will be live streaming of Paris-Nice?

Apparently there will be:
http://www.steephill.tv/paris-nice/#live

Last year I think I watched it on cycling.tv , but can't remember if that was free or by subscription; either way they haven't posted their schedule for 2010 yet beyond K-B-K.

 

[Bicicleta]

..... I'm unemployed and really poor ....

Sorry about that. Hope you find something soon and some day make it across the pond to see a Grand Tour. Standing on the Champs Elysees and seeing the guys fly by is amazing.

 

[theswordsman]

In summary Astana will be strong enough because i don't think they're really going to get tested.

I agree mostly, but think there will be times they're tested. Take out the Prologue, Time Trial, and the nine flat stages that should go to either the break or sprinters, and you've got ten stages with climbs. If Astana wasn't in the race, you'd have Radio Shack, the Schlecks, Cadel, Menchov, Wiggins, Liquigas people, maybe Sastre, and a few others competing with each other. If one goes, they all have to go. And the lack of a Team Time Trial should leave a few more guys within striking distance of the top this year.

Then there will be guys far down the GC looking for a stage win, guys fighting for the KOM or green jersey points, and stages that don't change anything because the last ascent is too far from the finish. There are three summit finishes, so there could be battle on those, but the complete profiles won't be up until June so it's tough to call.

From the point of view of the GC guys, there aren't that many places they can attack each other and not expect to be caught on the way down. Say they decide to sacrifice Leipheimer and send him on an attack. Armstrong & Kloden wouldn't be able to sit back and watch, because Frank, Andy, Brad, Cadel, and all the other guys would be chasing. Or if they thought something was up, they'd send their strongest lieutenants to sit on his wheel and not work.

There's way more than that going on, but adding Contador and Astana to the mix doesn't mean all the other interaction won't take place. Putting one of their own riders into a break would relieve them of the effort of chasing. That doesn't even take into account possible cooperation between Alberto and friends on other teams. Yes, he needs a strong team, which I think he'll have. But it's not them taking on the world alone. And with 22 teams, it get's really tough to try to win with some surprise strategy.

I'm done with the thread. It's going to be a great Tour, when the time comes.

 

[theswordsman]

Sorry about that. Hope you find something soon and some day make it across the pond to see a Grand Tour. Standing on the Champs Elysees and seeing the guys fly by is amazing.

Thank you. I did a semester abroad twelve years ago, and got to do some traveling, but that was before I was a cycling fan. Maybe this year I'll make the effort to get on the electric train to St. Louis and watch Cav race around in circles.

 

[Motion]

Very strong potential Tour Team riders

1. Noval
2. Hernandez
3. Vinokourov
4. Pereiro
5. De La Fuente
6. Iglinsky M.
7. Fofonov
8. Grivko
9. Bazaev
10. Zeits (remember last year Giro)
11. Gasparotto
12. Navarro
13. Tiralongo
14. Davis

I think they will win TdF and Giro podium.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Very strong potential Tour Team riders

1. Noval
2. Hernandez
3. Vinokourov
4. Pereiro
5. De La Fuente
6. Iglinsky M.
7. Fofonov
8. Grivko
9. Bazaev
10. Zeits (remember last year Giro)
11. Gasparotto
12. Navarro
13. Tiralongo
14. Davis

I think they will win TdF and Giro podium.

you reckon vino will podium at the giro?

 

[Motion]

you reckon vino will podium at the giro?

Vino talks about it.

I think it will be VERY funny to see it, but i hope...

 

[Publicus]

Vino talks about it.

I think it will be VERY funny to see it, but i hope...

He's since down played that. I don't think anyone riding for Astana is aiming for the podium to the extent they have aspirations to ride the Tour de France.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Has the emphasis moved so much, from the individual rider, towards the team, or are we too coloured in our thinking by the LA years?
CSC/Saxo obviously felt they had to follow the blueprint.
However, who last won a Tour before Lance?
Marco Pantani, riding for Mercatone Uno, that's who.

Now, is anybody going to try and tell us that MU were an uber strong team?
A double done with this outfit, should put the reliance upon having a team of GT "stars" back into perspective.
Especially as AC, riding style is nearer to Pantani, than Armstrong, but without the ITT weakness.

This is a phantom issue, that serves to bolster the fanboy's flagging confidence.

 

[Cerberus]

Has the emphasis moved so much, from the individual rider, towards the team, or are we too coloured in our thinking by the LA years?
CSC/Saxo obviously felt they had to follow the blueprint.
However, who last won a Tour before Lance?
Marco Pantani, riding for Mercatone Uno, that's who.

Now, is anybody going to try and tell us that MU were an uber strong team?
A double done with this outfit, should put the reliance upon having a team of GT "stars" back into perspective.
Especially as AC, riding style is nearer to Pantani, than Armstrong, but without the ITT weakness.

This is a phantom issue, that serves to bolster the fanboy's flagging confidence.

I wouldn't call it a phantom issue, team strenght can matter, but most often it only matters at the margins. AC could miss a side wind break and then team strength would matter, but he probably wouldn't lose 5 minutes on that account. A weaker team could help Saxo Bank placing Cancellara or Voigt in a breakaway in order to help Andy attack on a stage with s descent at the end, but that still requires Andy to be able to drop AC on the mountain. So yes, team strength could matter, but unless the race is much closer than last year it probably won't be decisive.

 

[Angliru]

Some of Barry's runs for no gain were incredible. Any mortal running back would have been tackled for a 5 yard loss... and he'd spin, shake and squirm back to the line of scrimmage.

I think he was a squirrel in another life. An extraordinary athlete and a humble and nice guy. Sorry to have diverted from the topic at hand.

 

[theswordsman]

Another sign of the teamwork building for the Tour - Oscar Pereiro could have been anywhere that week, but he went to the Algarve to spend time with the team while putting in a week of hard training.

To compensate, the good news was the presence of Oscar Pereiro during the entire week. Pereiro went to the Algarve to do an intensive training block while his teammates were competing. The result, another boost to the morale of the whole group, was his commitment to making the team for Paris-Nice, the next date on Astana’s 2010 calendar for Alberto Contador, who’s feeling better every day.

From a Contador news release. There's more about the TT bike as well.
http://www.albertocontador.com/noticias.detalle.php?id=134

 

[Publicus]

Another sign of the teamwork building for the Tour - Oscar Pereiro could have been anywhere that week, but he went to the Algarve to spend time with the team while putting in a week of hard training.

From a Contador news release
http://www.albertocontador.com/noticias.detalle.php?id=134

I saw him in the Noval video that was clearly filmed at Algarve and I was a bit confused. These are gelling nicely. Is that a testament to Martinelli?

Be curious to learn more about DDLF's knee bruise/injury.

 

[SirLes]

Has the emphasis moved so much, from the individual rider, towards the team, or are we too coloured in our thinking by the LA years?
CSC/Saxo obviously felt they had to follow the blueprint.
However, who last won a Tour before Lance?
Marco Pantani, riding for Mercatone Uno, that's who.

Now, is anybody going to try and tell us that MU were an uber strong team?
A double done with this outfit, should put the reliance upon having a team of GT "stars" back into perspective.
Especially as AC, riding style is nearer to Pantani, than Armstrong, but without the ITT weakness.

This is a phantom issue, that serves to bolster the fanboy's flagging confidence.

With regards Pantani he has the advantage of not being the favourite at the start and then taking the jersey quite late. Also with all the the other disruption that year there were far fewer teams around to mount a serious challenge by the time he made his move.

The difference this year is AC is the standout fav from the start and there are a number of rival teams which on paper at least appear stronger (In all but one rather crucial part).

 

[theswordsman]

I saw him in the Noval video that was clearly filmed at Algarve and I was a bit confused. These are gelling nicely. Is that a testament to Martinelli?

I think he'll have definitely played a key role in all of Contador's races and helping inspire the Tour de France squad. By default I also give credit to Sanquer, without actually knowing who is making all the decisions up top. Vino, Gasparotto and six other members of the Classics squad are doing a two week camp in Tenerife right now. Someone arranged for the younger Kazakhs to get training plans from Contador's coach and to train together in Nice when not racing. So the whole organization is working to get better.

Be curious to learn more about DDLF's knee bruise/injury.

There's nothing in Google. Contador said that every guy on the team had left skin on the road, so hopefully it's not much more serious than that.

Just a reminder that Allan Davis isn't on the Tour team, but will be at the Vuelta. I think I saw or heard that at the Specialized site, but it was somewhere.

Don't forget Josep Jufre as a a possibility.

It will be nice in March when the new Team Astana website is fully functional. It's showing highlights right now.
http://www.astana.lu/

 

[theswordsman]

Provisional Astana squad for Paris-Nice.

Contador, Pereiro, De la Fuente, Noval, Navarro, Hernandez, Strangelj, Fofonov

I like it a lot. You can check out the competition here:

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=23165

Caisse D'ZEpargne and RS look loaded.

 

[Publicus]

Provisional Astana squad for Paris-Nice.

Contador, Pereiro, De la Fuente, Noval, Navarro, Hernandez, Strangelj, Fofonov

I like it a lot. You can check out the competition here:

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=23165

Caisse D'ZEpargne and RS look loaded.

I'll concur on Caisse, RS doesn't look particularly tough to me. Popo isn't going to be on form this early in the year.

EDIT: Whoops! I didn't see Horner and JB. Yeah they are pretty solid. It should be a very good race. Very good.

 

[Bike Boy]

I'll concur on Caisse, RS doesn't look particularly tough to me. Popo isn't going to be on form this early in the year.

Don't know about that. in 2005 he was in more than decent shape, going into Paris-Nice

 

[BYOP88]

I'll concur on Caisse, RS doesn't look particularly tough to me. Popo isn't going to be on form this early in the year.

EDIT: Whoops! I didn't see Horner and JB. Yeah they are pretty solid. It should be a very good race. Very good.

Yeah Popo no he wont find "form" until July, Horner will be the Shack's best hope but will either DNF or end up 8th.

 

[Bike Boy]

Yeah Popo no he wont find "form" until July, Horner will be the Shack's best hope but will either DNF or end up 8th.

only those two options? Anyway he is in very decent shape, as he came in second on stage 2 of the Giro Di Sardegna.

 

[BYOP88]

only those two options? Anyway he is in very decent shape, as he came in second on stage 2 of the Giro Di Sardegna.

Yeah armchair punditry is a tough "job" it's like the athletes have no respect for people calling an event which is a couple of weeks away, what will now happen is Horner will have an awesome Paris-Nice win 3 stages and the overall and I'll look very silly.

 

[cyclopeon]

... Contador said that every guy on the team had left skin on the road, ...

I had the impression reading it in context that that was more an idiomatic expression of hard work than a statement that all of them at some point fell over.

 

[lagartija]

I had the impression reading it in context that that was more an idiomatic expression of hard work than a statement that all of them at some point fell over.

LOL..........who are you ......that was funny.........

 

[lagartija]

Provisional Astana squad for Paris-Nice.

Contador, Pereiro, De la Fuente, Noval, Navarro, Hernandez, Strangelj, Fofonov

I like it a lot. You can check out the competition here:

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=23165

Caisse D'ZEpargne and RS look loaded.

i actually like CERVELO, and i think GARMIN looks good also, well except for TD, he just need to go home and stop the madness

 

[theswordsman]

On the subject of riders leaving skin on the ground - I had read Grivko's blog from a link at Astana Fans, and it mentioned him going down with Noval as part of the crash where Steegman's got hurt. In one of the quotes from Contador, he said everyone on the team had literally lost skin during the week. There was so much bad weather, with stages finishing long past the latest expected time, and so many guys hit the ground, even in the Time Trial, that I figured he meant it.

I agree Garmin looks tough. As for TD, I spent 2/150 of my Virtual Director Sportif budget on him, so I expect he'll either have a career year or announce his retirement this weekend.