ASO, RCS Sport and Flanders Classics are reducing team sizes

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Not sure if it is going to be better or worse. Maybe Sky dominates a GT more than before. Their best 8 men will have more certainty to be better than any other's 8 men.

But their 9th man will almost always be stronger than another team's 9th man.

 

[Pennino]

This is fantastic. Less control, less stress for the first row in flat stages. Great news.

 

[qwerty16]

Re: Re:

Regarding to grand tours stages will become more boring and teams will become more one dimensional.

I see this claim a bit contradictory. Smaller rosters will indeed force teams to be more one dimensional, but I think that can only help. It will be harder to bring a team that's not a bit vulnerable in any kind of conditions and can provide their leader a perfect support for both high-mountain stages and nervous flattish stages, so more opportunities to attack arise. Also teams without big GC guys may be more likely to focus on a certain type of stages instead of "a bit of everything" approach.

With teams becoming more one dimensional I don't mean their leader will lack support on certain terrains. Just that teams ( specifically the big ones) will focus even more on one leader instead of supporting two leaders for different kind of goals. I can totally see Etixx dropping Dan Martin (or leaving him with zero support) from the TDF team, that kind of stuff we're looking at I think.

 

[Flamin]

On the other hand, if the strongest team is the attacking force (Astana Giro 2015), it means they will have one guy less to create havoc, thus (potentially) smaller gaps.

Of course Astana is the exception, not the norm. Sky and Movistar (Vuelta) are. So hell yeah, I'm all for it.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: ASO, RCS Sport and Flanders Classics are reducing team s

I'm not expecting to see much of a difference in the GT's with regard to controlling the race, but it's a step into the right direction. If only for safety and because of more WT races.

It will ofcourse have a small impact on the control of the race and I'm cheering for that obviously, but I'm certainly not expecting miracles with just 1 rider less.

 

[MatParker117]

Re: ASO, RCS Sport and Flanders Classics are reducing team s

I'm not expecting to see much of a difference in the GT's with regard to controlling the race, but it's a step into the right direction. If only for safety and because of more WT races.

It will ofcourse have a small impact on the control of the race and I'm cheering for that obviously, but I'm certainly not expecting miracles with just 1 rider less.

Not really by the third week there is a good chance that the leading GC teams are cooked and if the right break goes up the road then soft pedaling from the peloton to the finish. Loosing Kiryienka doesn't greatly affect Sky.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Most teams send to at least one of the lesser GTs a garbage team. This move from race organisers is aimed at reducing the amount of garbage.

 

[HelloDolly]

I feel strong teams with GC contenders are less likely to ride the non moutian stages now imo...and keep everything for the mountains and not include sprinters in their line up while sprinter teams wonlt include the top10 -15 GC guy

So I forsee even more seperation between HC/Sprinter teams

Dont think it will do anything for SKYs dominance ..they wil just rets their riders more fro the mountains
Need alot more rolling terraine that puncheur riders excel to put the pressure on SKY

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

With teams becoming more one dimensional I don't mean their leader will lack support on certain terrains. Just that teams ( specifically the big ones) will focus even more on one leader instead of supporting two leaders for different kind of goals. I can totally see Etixx dropping Dan Martin (or leaving him with zero support) from the TDF team, that kind of stuff we're looking at I think.

I don't disagree, I just wanted to underline the other consequences this change might bring.

Dont think it will do anything for SKYs dominance ..they wil just rets their riders more fro the mountains

Assuming they are allowed to rest because the others will not attack. With 9-men squad, Sky managed to crack completely at least 2 times in GTs in recent years (2016 Formigal and 2013 Bagnéres de Bigorre). One man less means they're likely to crack a bit more often IMO. You can't know where and when the others will try to put pressure on you. Either you leave home one rouleur and you're vulnerable on flat stages and some climbers need to do more work keeping a leader out of trouble (which may affect them later in mountains), or you leave home one climber and it might be that one who was needed to have a good day when the other will have a subpar day. And someone crashing out makes even bigger difference, because 7 divided by 8 is a lesser number than 8 divided by 9.

And also when every team has one man less to control the race, the strong early breaks are harder to bring back meaning the race can explode early a little bit more often. This might also encourage riders that are not that far away in GC to try more often. I don't claim it will be a huge difference, but if things like these can succeed 10 or 20% more often, we will have one of every few boring races becoming less boring.

 

[Akuryo]

It's a good start even though I would've liked to have it reduced by 2 each and not only 1.

 

[Walter Morgan]

Froome, Henao, Poels, Nieve, Thomas, Kiryenka, Rowe, Stannard?
Quintana, Valverde, Fernandez, Anacona, Amador, Castroviejo, Oliveira, Bennati?

 

[Red Rick]

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Froome, Henao, Poels, Nieve, Thomas, Kiryenka, Rowe, Stannard?
Quintana, Valverde, Fernandez, Anacona, Amador, Castroviejo, Oliveira, Bennati?

Nice joke!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Froome, Henao, Poels, Nieve, Thomas, Kiryenka, Rowe, Stannard?
Quintana, Valverde, Fernandez, Anacona, Amador, Castroviejo, Oliveira, Bennati?

Nice joke!

Why is it a nice joke? Seems fairly realistic..

 

[deValtos]

Re:

Not so fast, the UCI have just entered the playing field. I don't think the teams are happy.

They should set this up for 2018.

 

[MatParker117]

Re: Re:

Not so fast, the UCI have just entered the playing field. I don't think the teams are happy.

They should set this up for 2018.

Yeah this won't happen this year as the UCI's presence is required in a lot of cases for insurance purposes.

 

[Netserk]

UCI can go *** themselves. If ASO puts it foot down, no team will start with 9 riders.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

UCI can go **** themselves. If ASO puts it foot down, no team will start with 9 riders.

A rider protest at the 2011 Omloop over a radio ban was shut down after the UCI threatened to withdraw it's officials thus invalidating riders insurance coverage. The Omloop is a Flanders Classics race and can't go ahead without that coverage.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

How predictive this was: https://twitter.com/Vaughters/status/802237361337683968

He has a point, every major change should be discussed and announced within a time frame that allows the other stakeholders involved to express their opinion and to be able to adjust to that change. Every major team have their line-up almost closed and now they are told that they need to cut one cyclist in at least 16 WT events (including the 3 GTs and the 5 Monuments).

True, he definitely has a point.
The one thing I could fear this leading to is even more breaks winning. Lets see.

Can definitely see this happening in Stage Races - Probably will have minimal impact on one day races.

 

[Netserk]

I think it would be great if we had a GT where all stages (that aren't ITTs) were won from the break.

 

[deValtos]

Re:

UCI can go **** themselves. If ASO puts it foot down, no team will start with 9 riders.

Difference this time is the teams will side with the UCI whereas normally they are against, that significantly lowers any leveraging power ASO and crew have. I think it just screws too much with their budget and personnel issues. 2018 however is very feasible.

 

[kingjr]

Re:

I think it would be great if we had a GT where all stages (that aren't ITTs) were won from the break.

God. Please no.

 

[Escarabajo]

If they don't invite more teams then is basically more riders on the street.

So many riders want to go do the monuments and the Tours. Now there is less opportunity.

But who cares, let's celebrate the spectacle for the forum!! yay!!!

 

[Netserk]

Re:

If they don't invite more teams then is basically more riders on the street.

So many riders want to go do the monuments and the Tours. Now there is less opportunity.

But who cares, let's celebrate the spectacle for the forum!! yay!!!

So what? It's a sport, not a job center. This isn't communism.

On the other hand, it will also allow teams to participate in more races, or to not over-race as many riders. It's hardly a one-way street.

 

[Flamin]

Riding more races also means more costs. Costs that might (likely) not be covered by the publicity they get in return.