Astana next year

[Vino attacks everyone]

Porte will race giro for the win, it will be interesting to see what kind of Porte can show up after the Giro? Well with sky scientific advanced recovery method, I guess everything is on the table

they have been bad at doing 2 gts a year so far (Froom 12, the colombians this year etc.)

 

[Gloin22]

Well tbf I totally expect Kennaugh to be last year's Porte for Froome this year. We'll see. It still shapes up to be a very good contest hopefully.

 

[classicomano]

Mikkel Condé v2.0 ‏@mrconde 14m

Vinokourov says it's good for Fabio Aru (biggest Italian climbing talent) to learn from Scarponi on Astana. The irony alone... Poor Aru

should be a great season for Astana.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Well tbf I totally expect Kennaugh to be last year's Porte for Froome this year. We'll see. It still shapes up to be a very good contest hopefully.

Kennaugh is Porte 2.0? Not sure myself, but Froome really doesn't need the help once they hit the last climb of day anyway.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Mikkel Condé v2.0 ‏@mrconde 14m

Vinokourov says it's good for Fabio Aru (biggest Italian climbing talent) to learn from Scarponi on Astana. The irony alone... Poor Aru

should be a great season for Astana.

well.. **** him then...

 

[maltiv]

Well tbf I totally expect Kennaugh to be last year's Porte for Froome this year. We'll see. It still shapes up to be a very good contest hopefully.

I'm not so sure, Kennaugh seems to have been doing nothing but shotting tequila since TDF ended...

Nieve will be Froome's number 1 guy, I think

 

[Rollthedice]

Kennaugh is Porte 2.0? Not sure myself, but Froome really doesn't need the help once they hit the last climb of day anyway.

If Kennaugh becomes Porte 2.0 then Sky truly has discovered the magical potion. Porte has smashed the entire elite of climbers before Froome put the pedal to the metal, without him Froome might find that he has some select company in the last few km.

 

[maxmartin]

If Kennaugh becomes Porte 2.0 then Sky truly has discovered the magical potion. Porte has smashed the entire elite of climbers before Froome put the pedal to the metal, without him Froome might find that he has some select company in the last few km.

This part is undisputable, let's see if Astana can use their money and resource to discover some scientific training method.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

This part is undisputable, let's see if Astana can use their money and resource to discover some scientific training method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pByJkuv0q3Y

good ol' training will get us there my friend

 

[greenedge]

I'm not so sure, Kennaugh seems to have been doing nothing but shotting tequila since TDF ended...

Nigel the Nutritionist will be onto that

In all seriousness i remember reading a book a few years back- before the good days where Sky were dominating- Wiggins had just failed at the TDF- and the author said Kennaugh was their next GT hope (goes to show how much has changed ). He can climb well and based just off TTT's i'm presuming he can ITT reasonably. He is also still young, so he has room for improvement.

 

[CycloAndy]

Now that Astana have decided against signing Pellizotti, here are my new predictions. For the Giro squad my guess is Scarponi, Aru (free role), Landa, Lutsenko, Tiralongo, Kessiakoff, Gruzdev, Guardini, Boric.

My guess for the tour squad is Nibali, Scarponi, Fugslang, Kangert, Agnoli, Brajkovic, Westra, Grivko, Iglinskiy.

Brajkovic is a more than able replacement for Pellizotti in the Tour given the talent of the other squad members. At least there can't be any complaints if Froome wins that he only won because of his team!

This also frees up spaces for Landa and possibly Guardini in the Giro.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Now that Astana have decided against signing Pellizotti, here are my new predictions. For the Giro squad my guess is Scarponi, Aru (free role), Landa, Lutsenko, Tiralongo, Kessiakoff, Gruzdev, Guardini, Boric.

My guess for the tour squad is Nibali, Scarponi, Fugslang, Kangert, Agnoli, Brajkovic, Westra, Grivko, Iglinskiy.

Brajkovic is a more than able replacement for Pellizotti in the Tour given the talent of the other squad members. At least there can't be any complaints if Froome wins that he only won because of his team!

This also frees up spaces for Landa and possibly Guardini in the Giro.

Seems reasonable. Still hoping for a Sanchez or Horner signing though

 

[CycloAndy]

http://m.cyclingnews.com/news/nibali-to-ride-the-tour-of-flanders

Martinelli suggests that the TdF team will be:
Nibali, Fugslang, Scarponi, Brajkovic, Vanotti, Westra, Kessiakoff, Grivko/Gruzdev.

Was expecting Agnoli to beat Vanotti to a place!

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

http://m.cyclingnews.com/news/nibali-to-ride-the-tour-of-flanders

Martinelli suggests that the TdF team will be:
Nibali, Fugslang, Scarponi, Brajkovic, Vanotti, Westra, Kessiakoff, Grivko/Gruzdev.

Was expecting Agnoli to beat Vanotti to a place!

Agnoli might want to ride for stages in the giro then I guess.

 

[Afrank]

http://m.cyclingnews.com/news/nibali-to-ride-the-tour-of-flanders

Martinelli suggests that the TdF team will be:
Nibali, Fugslang, Scarponi, Brajkovic, Vanotti, Westra, Kessiakoff, Grivko/Gruzdev.

Was expecting Agnoli to beat Vanotti to a place!

Definitely strange, especially since this article indicates he was planning on the Tour (http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/agnoli_prepares_for_2014_with_tour_in_mind/).

It is still very early though, I doubt this is the final set in stone team for the Tour.