BMC in disarray?

[Kvinto]

BMC were not that bad tbh. They had a strong guy in the move, so obviously didn't chase but when Hushovd got dropped it was too late... at least they tried...

 

[greenedge]

Hushovd looked ok ( he has only competed in one race Qatar ) and will be on track for P-R.
Gilbert did have mechanical failures. Burghardt/ Ballan pulled to bring the break back ( Phinney was active at the start ) and of course GVA got 5th which is quite good.

So in my view they are not in disarray.

 

[greenedge]

too soon to claim that-but today we witnessed "what could happen if they don't get their act together"......

Let's see how they control the race tomorrow-because they'll be under a lot of pressure to come up with the goods for sure....

Blythe is not a sure guarantee, especially against riders like Cav/ others in a sprint but he is their best option.

 

[mewmewmew13]

The guy has 10 fingers an I'm fairly sure by Tour time he would have pointed all of them at everyone but himself.

LOL
The way his comments were written up in this cn article it sounds like they are not used to riding together yet...maybe a bit disorganized which is not too great at this point.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bmc-falls-short-at-omloop-het-nieuwblad

Agree we shall see how it goes over the monuments....
one point that will be interesting is the fact that there are so many leaders and egos..

 

[thehog]

LOL
The way his comments were written up in this cn article it sounds like they are not used to riding together yet...maybe a bit disorganized which is not too great at this point.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bmc-falls-short-at-omloop-het-nieuwblad

Agree we shall see how it goes over the monuments....
one point that will be interesting is the fact that there are so many leaders and egos..

Thats the problem. They've got no mid-tier riders for the classics to do the grunt work. Everyone is riding for themselves bar Phinney.

 

[Froome19]

TBH with Gilbert in their team they are guaranteed a brilliant classics season no matter what.
Gilbert did not need a team last year (see LBL) (yet did get help from team in some races) I think that in only really MSR and AMG Gilbert needs a team otherwise he is fine and of course will do brilliantly. Hushovd and co. only need to stand and admire whilst Gilbert cleans up in the spring and Phinney wins Paris-Tours + Vattenfall etc unless he's too tired or in a group with GVA

 

[hfer07]

TBH with Gilbert in their team they are guaranteed a brilliant classics season no matter what.
Gilbert did not need a team last year (see LBL) (yet did get help from team in some races) I think that in only really MSR and AMG Gilbert needs a team otherwise he is fine and of course will do brilliantly. Hushovd and co. only need to stand and admire whilst Gilbert cleans up in the spring and Phinney wins Paris-Tours + Vattenfall etc unless he's too tired or in a group with GVA

and do you think Thor Hushov is just going to "admire" what Gilbert might do? is that the reason he went to BMC for? I'm certain he will demand full support for Paris-Roubaix no matter what-since he's declared publicly his ambition to win it at least once during his career.....

 

[Eric8-A]

In my opinion, BMC will be more dominant in the Ardennes classics than the cobbles.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

People tend to forget they're mostly a super team in the more hilly classics. So it's definitely too early for guys like Gilbert, GVA and Cadel Evans to be anywhere near their peak form. It's a different story for guys who take a break after Paris-Roubaix... You know, guys like Vanmarcke, Boonen, Flecha...

collectively there team is better in cobbled racing, i think you forgot.

They just have a super guy for the hilly classics (and again why do you act like GVA is a superstar? he is not) that is all, and like he showed at lotto last year, dominance in the hills is likely.

 

[Eric8-A]

Why hasn't ACyclingfan posted here yet?

 

[Panda Claws]

Their Hilly team does have Evans which is the only proven winner besides Gilbert.

 

[AussieGoddess]

TBH with Gilbert in their team they are guaranteed a brilliant classics season no matter what.
Gilbert did not need a team last year (see LBL) (yet did get help from team in some races) I think that in only really MSR and AMG Gilbert needs a team otherwise he is fine and of course will do brilliantly. Hushovd and co. only need to stand and admire whilst Gilbert cleans up in the spring and Phinney wins Paris-Tours + Vattenfall etc unless he's too tired or in a group with GVA

Gotta disagree with you there.

The reason Gilbert won his races last year, and Cancellara lost his ... was purely due to the respective teams. Gilbert had one and Sparticus did not.

in AGR and FW it was Jelle Vanendert especially and JVDB who did loads of work and brought back breaks and controlled things. In the Belgian Nats there was a power of work by Omega Pharma, and in most of his other wins they werent exactly solo.

GVA is ok - but in a year when he was sole leaser for BMC the best he got as a few good placings and winning Paris-Tours. Not exactly Gilbert/Boonen/Cancellara.

 

[movingtarget]

Gotta disagree with you there.

The reason Gilbert won his races last year, and Cancellara lost his ... was purely due to the respective teams. Gilbert had one and Sparticus did not.

in AGR and FW it was Jelle Vanendert especially and JVDB who did loads of work and brought back breaks and controlled things. In the Belgian Nats there was a power of work by Omega Pharma, and in most of his other wins they werent exactly solo.

GVA is ok - but in a year when he was sole leaser for BMC the best he got as a few good placings and winning Paris-Tours. Not exactly Gilbert/Boonen/Cancellara.

Yes, Omega were really strong in their support of Gilbert last year. They delivered him to the final climb and that was their job done. BMC could have done with Hincapie today but I don't think any of them were going to win anyway. BMC's big goals are a few weeks away yet. Why are people surprised that Greenedge did not perform ? I still think that Goss has a good chance in Wevelgem and Milan though, if he can regain his form from last spring.

 

[9000ft]

Last time I checked it was still February.

 

[karlboss]

Rider in the decisive break, best rider 5th, controlled the peloton even with thor in the break and chased well with little help. I thought they were relatively promising.

 

[simo1733]

Rider in the decisive break, best rider 5th, controlled the peloton even with thor in the break and chased well with little help. I thought they were relatively promising.

Phinney is promising.The rest of them are the finished article,they have to deliver.No excuses.

 

[movingtarget]

Phinney is promising.The rest of them are the finished article,they have to deliver.No excuses.

Yes if they can't pick up a couple of wins in the classics season it will be seen as a fail. The classics season Gilbert had last year will be hard to duplicate. Almost impossible. But BMC will have high expectations.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Yes if they can't pick up a couple of wins in the classics season it will be seen as a fail. The classics season Gilbert had last year will be hard to duplicate. Almost impossible. But BMC will have high expectations.

Good thoughts. The group of riders now all on BMC should be able to produce some classics wins.

 

[dlwssonic]

BMC classics wins
AGR
LBL
FW?
RVV?
MSR?
PR?????

 

[Eric8-A]

I see only Gilbert being able to pull out the big results in the classics. I've said it from the beginning of the season, actually before, Thor will not win Roubaix.

 

[Parrulo]

I see only Gilbert being able to pull out the big results in the classics. I've said it from the beginning of the season, actually before, Thor will not win Roubaix.

amen brother

 

[movingtarget]

BMC classics wins
AGR
LBL
FW?
RVV?
MSR?
PR?????

They have to be a good chance at Fleche. RVV not sure if the course changes will effect them. I would be surprised if they won MSR or PR.

 

[bicycle_rack]

This whole thread is lol.

 

[Swede1]

I think Gilbert should take at least one big classic this year even if he has tons of bad luck and not as good form as last year. At the minimum something like AGR. He should also be competative in Sanremo and Flanders because he says he wants to win those, meaning he should be good. Hushovd will probably be strong in Roubaix, but he rides too negatively to win (kinda like our good friend Pozzato). Spartacus and Boonen to be stronger than him. But overall with Gilbert they are guaranteed at least one big classic win, and i'd say most likely he will win quite a few hilly classics, Hushovd will take some kind of cobbled semi classic, and Ballan to win a classic somewhere. (maybe strade bianche).

 

[Eric8-A]

I'd like to see Gilbert win MSR. But I want Boonen to achieve that first.