Alexander Kristoff

[Sasquatch]

Re:

Only problem with today`s easy win: He won`t win PR now. Apparently no one has won RvV , Schelderprijs & PR in same season before...
Or he could just win his 6th mass start win in a row of course.

I wouldn't read anything into that. Apart from Boonen, no sprinter has won both PR and Flanders twice in the same year, and Boonen in those years never had a chance to win a bunch sprint in Schelderprijs assuming he raced it in 2005 and 2012.

 

[Tommy79]

Good that the Norwegan press isn't getting carried away lol

https://twitter.com/friebos/status/586068207372468224/photo/1

 

[neineinei]

Re:

Good that the Norwegan press isn't getting carried away lol

https://twitter.com/friebos/status/586068207372468224/photo/1

herrejeremi.

It's been more than 20 years since I used to buy those papers. Now I remember why I stopped.

 

[King Boonen]

I have to say I'm quickly becoming a big fan of this guy, not because he wins, because of the way he rides. He's exactly the kind of rider I wish I was and, dare I say it, the modern embodiment of a Fladrien.

 

[MatParker117]

With Alexander Kristoff’s contract at Katusha up at the end of the season, rumours are already circulating as to where he will ride in 2016.

The Norwegian’s incredible start to 2015, which has seen him notch up 10 wins already, has surely added a few extra dollars to his wage demands, and if the Russian team baulk at the price, Team Sky’s Gabriel Rasch indicated he would love to have Kristoff on his side.

As reported by Procycling.no, Sky’s sporting director Rasch says it would ‘be insanely cool’ if his countryman was to join Sky, something that was music to the ears of Kristoff’s long-term trainer Stein Orn.

“If Alex should have changed teams, is there a better option than Team Sky?” he said. “Sky is definitely the best option.”

But after a stellar cobbled Classics campaign, including a win at the Tour of Flanders and a host of top-10 finishes elsewhere, would Kristoff be able to oust Geraint Thomas as Sky’s Classics leader?

“The challenge is to get Alexander to another level; it’s to get the whole team to give everything for him,” Orn added.

“At Katusha he is an indisputable captain, which is of very great importance.”

But Rasch says it may not be such a problem: “Maybe it would have been a conflict in the classics. But cyclists are good at grasping the concept that perhaps someone other than themselves is strongest that day and that they then have to work for him.

“With Alex in the team we would have more cards to play.”


Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... wzDlyK8.99

If he does make the move to Sky and they would not be the only suitors a train of Puccio, Rowe, Stannard, Knees, Thomas, Eisel, Fenn & Swift would deliver him wins. Whether he would settle for Cav style train hopping at the tour is another thing.

 

[neineinei]

Katusha says they will build the team around him. They are supposed to become more of a normal, "commercial" team, as opposed to a Russian project.

Ekimov is probably right when he says "He'll never find the same freedom and support elsewhere". He gets to be team captain in all races where he wants to be captain. Why go to Sky and fight with Thomas and Stannard and Swift and Viviani over who is captain when he can get full support at Katusha?

Sky, Quick-Step, AG2R and FDJ were mentioned as interested a year ago.

http://www.procycling.no/uansett-hv...-kristoff-samme-frihet-og-stotte-som-hos-oss/
http://www.tv2.no/a/6792398

 

[DBotero]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

 

[Netserk]

I agree that (a better) Katusha would be the best for him, but Etixx could also be very interesting, he would be on the strongest team there is for him, but it will depend on how badly he wants to be sole leader in the cobbled races.

 

[MatParker117]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

Races like MSR, Gent Wevelgem & Vattenfall he would be the unquestioned leader and depending on what happens in Italy next month they'd probably send him to the Giro to win Red, agree on the Tour. Although Froome isn't Wiggins and doesn't need as much support.

 

[neineinei]

http://www.nrk.no/sport/kristoff_-_-jeg-regner-med-at-jeg-blir-i-katjusja-1.12313804

- I have some offers now, but they are much alike. So if no better offer comes, I expect that I will be with Team Katusha

€ 4,000,000

He also speaks about Sky and says that it could be interesting for the classics, but that if would be hard to get any real chances and support for TdF.

- I have a very good role there. I know what I'll get and they know what they'll get. If you switch teams, you start over. You need to find your place in the group and it takes some effort to find your position

- I want to win a stage in Tour of Norway and defend the victory in Tour des Fjords. But it will not be easy.

 

[Domulec]

Re:

I agree that (a better) Katusha would be the best for him, but Etixx could also be very interesting, he would be on the strongest team there is for him, but it will depend on how badly he wants to be sole leader in the cobbled races.

Imagine De Ronde with Kristoff riding for Etixx

 

[Pulp]

Re:

http://www.nrk.no/sport/kristoff_-_-jeg-regner-med-at-jeg-blir-i-katjusja-1.12313804

- I have some offers now, but they are much alike. So if no better offer comes, I expect that I will be with Team Katusha

€ 4,000,000

He also speaks about Sky and says that it could be interesting for the classics, but that if would be hard to get any real chances and support for TdF.

- I have a very good role there. I know what I'll get and they know what they'll get. If you switch teams, you start over. You need to find your place in the group and it takes some effort to find your position

- I want to win a stage in Tour of Norway and defend the victory in Tour des Fjords. But it will not be easy.

Source?

Wouldn`t that make him top 3-4 best paid riders?

 

[greenedge]

Re: Re:

I agree that (a better) Katusha would be the best for him, but Etixx could also be very interesting, he would be on the strongest team there is for him, but it will depend on how badly he wants to be sole leader in the cobbled races.

Imagine De Ronde with Kristoff riding for Etixx

Somehow it would be another scr*w up

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

If there's anything SKY doesn't have in the classics, it's clear leadership. Switching to SKY or Etix for that matter would be the worst career move Kristoff could possibly do.

 

[DBotero]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

If there's anything SKY doesn't have in the classics, it's clear leadership. Switching to SKY or Etix for that matter would be the worst career move Kristoff could possibly do.

Maybe you could give some farther explanation why do you think that

 

[MatParker117]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

If there's anything SKY doesn't have in the classics, it's clear leadership. Switching to SKY or Etix for that matter would be the worst career move Kristoff could possibly do.

They'd hand him MSR, Gent, Vattenfall and co-leader status for Flanders and Roubaix with G.

 

[Dedelou]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

If there's anything SKY doesn't have in the classics, it's clear leadership. Switching to SKY or Etix for that matter would be the worst career move Kristoff could possibly do.

"They'd hand him (a chance at ) MSR, Gent, Vattenfall and co-leader status for Flanders and Roubaix with G.

" (edited)

I fixed it for you.. doesn't he have a chance of that or better where he is now?

 

[TMP402]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

If there's anything SKY doesn't have in the classics, it's clear leadership. Switching to SKY or Etix for that matter would be the worst career move Kristoff could possibly do.

"They'd hand him (a chance at ) MSR, Gent, Vattenfall and co-leader status for Flanders and Roubaix with G.

" (edited)

I fixed it for you.. doesn't he have a chance of that or better where he is now?

Well if he doesnt bring Paolini with him to Sky (and he won't), his chances of winning MSR just got worse.

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

Just because he might not "need" one doesn't mean one of the top sprinters in the sport doesn't deserve one and/or have his number of wins go up if he had one. Kristoff with an HTC-level sprint train might be as good a pure sprinter as Cavendish and Kittel. If he goes to Sky or maybe Etixx, he would never find out.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Why would he move from a rich team where he is the main leader in every race he wants and where the whole team will be built around him? Unless Katusha are wildly outbid by a team that's gone entirely nuts, he has no reason at all to move.

 

[neineinei]

Re: Re:

http://www.nrk.no/sport/kristoff_-_-jeg-regner-med-at-jeg-blir-i-katjusja-1.12313804

- I have some offers now, but they are much alike. So if no better offer comes, I expect that I will be with Team Katusha

€ 4,000,000

He also speaks about Sky and says that it could be interesting for the classics, but that if would be hard to get any real chances and support for TdF.

- I have a very good role there. I know what I'll get and they know what they'll get. If you switch teams, you start over. You need to find your place in the group and it takes some effort to find your position

- I want to win a stage in Tour of Norway and defend the victory in Tour des Fjords. But it will not be easy.

Source?

Wouldn`t that make him top 3-4 best paid riders?

The source is linked at the top of the post.

Etter det NRK erfarer er 27-åringen tilbudt 35 millioner kroner i året av sitt russiske lag.

"35 milloner kroner" is linked to this arcticle: http://www.nrk.no/sport/kristoff-naer-n ... 1.12307021 where it says:

Etter det NRK erfarer er kontrakten verdt fire millioner euro, noe som vil gi Kristoff en årslønn på omtrent 35 millioner kroner.

I have very little idea about what various riders pay is. Sagans Tinkoff contract is said to be 4 million Euro pr. season.

 

[MatParker117]

Well if he doesnt bring Paolini with him to Sky (and he won't), his chances of winning MSR just got worse.

G and Swift?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Well if he doesnt bring Paolini with him to Sky (and he won't), his chances of winning MSR just got worse.

G and Swift?

In the unlikely event that Kristoff moved to Sky, I'd guess that Thomas would head to the exit immediately. He'd hardly want to be at a team where he would be a domestique in both the Classics and stage races. And Kristoff would hardly sign without guarantees of main leadership at the Classics unless he is offered absolutely lunatic money. Why would he?

 

[Netserk]

The only team that can offer something that Katusha can't is Etixx, where he would ride on the strongest team there is for the kind of races Kristoff targets. If he is replacing Cav, he should be their main rider for the Tour as well. The problem is that although he will be leader, he probably won't be sole leader in the cobbled classics.

That said I think he will stay where he is.

 

[maltiv]

Imo a move to Sky will be good for him.They have clear leadership,leadership roles are enforced.He'll be the captain in the races he targets.I think is possible to split races even between him and G./Stannard with everybody getting their share.Swift and Viviani are not at Kristoff level at the moment so there shouldn't be problems in this area.The only problem will be the TDF ,but since he doesn't really need a train,he could do it with little support.

If there's anything SKY doesn't have in the classics, it's clear leadership. Switching to SKY or Etix for that matter would be the worst career move Kristoff could possibly do.

They'd hand him MSR, Gent, Vattenfall and co-leader status for Flanders and Roubaix with G.

Thomas' results in RVV: 14, 8, 41, 10, 33.

Kristoff's results in RVV: 1, 5, 4, 15.

Yea..."co-leader".

 

[Pulp]

Kristoff has visited McLarens HQ and borrowed their windtunnel.
He is encouraged by his tempo in TourOfQuatar and DePanne and reckons that with bonus seconds on the first week of tour de france there
is a chance of borrowing the yellow jersey.

Full story:
http://www.procycling.no/her-far-kristoff-et-nytt-tour-de-france-vapen/