BMC in disarray?

[badboyberty]

Pinotti is pretty much best of the GC hopefuls and Phinney is in pink. The curse may be lifting.

Hushvold is still a bit off where he should be, the big money transfers are still in disarray it seems. Maybe this year we'll see Rhis's money spent on superdomestiques instead of superstars.

Oh and Boonen is a legend, so is Cancellerra, but Iglinskiy's mullet is more a legend than their results combined.

 

[kukiniloa]

I am totally amazed this silly thread has 124 pages of posts.

After today's win BMC will obviously defend until it cannot any longer - which means it wants the TTT win and to keep the maglia rosa maybe into stage 7 or...who knows?

I think it will be a lot of fun watching BMC lose control...their lineup suggests other priorities, with Pinotti and Hushovd, obviously.

But here's a basic question - what is Ballan's function?

Does he have one, other than trying to make the occasional podium?

 

[Froome19]

But here's a basic question - what is Ballan's function?

Does he have one, other than trying to make the occasional podium?

He is Italian, enough said.

 

[movingtarget]

I am totally amazed this silly thread has 124 pages of posts.

After today's win BMC will obviously defend until it cannot any longer - which means it wants the TTT win and to keep the maglia rosa maybe into stage 7 or...who knows?

I think it will be a lot of fun watching BMC lose control...their lineup suggests other priorities, with Pinotti and Hushovd, obviously.

But here's a basic question - what is Ballan's function?

Does he have one, other than trying to make the occasional podium?

It's pretty obvious what his role will be in the Giro. He will be trying to win a stage as he does not have a GC rider to work for. In other stage races he is used as a domestique and he is a good one. Most people would not knock making a podium in two classics this year.

 

[Gregory]

Cipo also seems to think that BMC is in disarray.
Taken from todays live report on Main Page:

13:36:13 CEST

In his column in Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, Mario Cipollini was less than impressed of BMC's slow reaction to Taylor Phinney's crash in the finale yesterday. "He's in the first few positions, he falls and yet none of his teammates realise and wait for him?" Cipo asks. And we can only imagine wistfully the scenata Cipo would have provided if this had happened to him:"Then the mechanic comes along and he isn't able to get the chain back on, so eventually it's the team manager Jim Ochowicz who helps the maglia rosa get going again. I don't know how things like that can happen on a big team like BMC."

 

[greenedge]

It's true they did take a while to get back but maybe they just could not ( they have to wait for the pack to go past ).

Also Ballan is a Italian rider ( not just any at that but a WC ) who along with Thor and Pinotti can probably get a stage win.
He had a good spring though P-R was screwed for him ( at least in RVV he was chased down by Pozzato on the climb ) and could not even hope to compete in a sprint.

 

[ElChingon]

Cipo also seems to think that BMC is in disarray.
Taken from todays live report on Main Page:

13:36:13 CEST

In his column in Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, Mario Cipollini was less than impressed of BMC's slow reaction to Taylor Phinney's crash in the finale yesterday. "He's in the first few positions, he falls and yet none of his teammates realise and wait for him?" Cipo asks. And we can only imagine wistfully the scenata Cipo would have provided if this had happened to him:"Then the mechanic comes along and he isn't able to get the chain back on, so eventually it's the team manager Jim Ochowicz who helps the maglia rosa get going again. I don't know how things like that can happen on a big team like BMC."

Easiest answer, Phinney is low on the totem pole its not like he's going to climb with the GC boys and stay in contention. The more senior riders left him behind because they are higher in rank and no one Prologue Magila Rosa winner is worth their higher paycheck or UCI points to the team.

Most of us remember a similar situation with Garmin a few years back in the TTT when Dave Z crashed on that wet day, left behind wearing the yellow jersey. For the same reason as Phinney.

Cipo may feel the Magila Rosa was disgraced and he has a point but Phinney isn't Italian and neither is BMC, so moot point.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Most of us remember a similar situation with Garmin a few years back in the TTT when Dave Z crashed on that wet day, left behind wearing the yellow jersey. For the same reason as Phinney.

That was in 2005, CSC - not Garmin.

 

[thehog]

What's up with Hushovd?

 

[JPM London]

That was in 2005, CSC - not Garmin.

To be fair - I think both are correct. Dave Z does seem to have a pendant for grand crashes in TTTs...

 

[Arnout]

What's up with Hushovd?

Probably doesn't like his team, just like last team, and the team before.

 

[El Pistolero]

He just doesn't care about the Giro. He remembers me of Pippo Pozzato in the Tour of Belgium last year. He was ****ed for not being in the Giro and lacked motivation to ride well in Belgium(understandable of course). Hushovd also lacks motivation to ride the Giro, he'd rather be at the Tour.

 

[The Hitch]

He just doesn't care about the Giro. He remembers me of Pippo Pozzato in the Tour of Belgium last year. He was ****ed for not being in the Giro and lacked motivation to ride well in Belgium(understandable of course). Hushovd also lacks motivation to ride the Giro, he'd rather be at the Tour.

What is that response you give when i point out that Cav or Goss dont care about for example, Ghent Wegelhelm?

Insert it here.

 

[El Pistolero]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzu3v6INkso

That he does care.

 

[hrotha]

I might buy the "doesn't care" thing if he had showed decent form elsewhere. Now, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care, but I doubt that's the main issue here.

 

[El Pistolero]

I might buy the "doesn't care" thing if he had showed decent form elsewhere. Now, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care, but I doubt that's the main issue here.

Probably, but he was still 14th at Roubaix this year with a crash. Didn't say it was the only reason though. Don't know how much he trained over last winter for example.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

What's up with Hushovd?

does not look motivated at all, wouldn't suprise me if he went to saxo or something for next year

 

[maxmartin]

why saxo want such expensive rider with no decent points yet, SAXO needs points

does not look motivated at all, wouldn't suprise me if he went to saxo or something for next year

 

[Fetisoff]

why saxo want such expensive rider with no decent points yet, SAXO needs points

Last year's points would be my guess

But you're ride. Saxo needs a bunch of african/asian riders to fill their points

 

[thehog]

does not look motivated at all, wouldn't suprise me if he went to saxo or something for next year

I agree. Generally about 4 months in he gets fed up with his team. Time to move on.

 

[DominicDecoco]

I'd rather have Bak, Breschel and Fuglsang back to where they belong first. Thor isn't past it yet and would fit right in as well though.

 

[swaqser]

Bak hopefully stays away from Saxo Bank, where he wasted too much of his career. Both Breschel and Fuglsang could very well be returning, and I don't think it is highly unlikely Hushovd will follow them. TdF will give us a lot of answers, and remember every year with the olympics often shows some weird rider results in the spring.

 

[El Pistolero]

2008

Milan-San Remo: Fabian Cancellara - Filippo Pozzato - Philippe Gilbert.
Ronde van Vlaanderen: Sterke Stijn - Nick Nuyens - Jan Antoon Pijl.
Paris-Roubaix: Tom Boonen - Fabian Cancellara - Alessandro Ballan.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Alejandro Valverde - Tintin - Frank Schleck.

No.

 

[goggalor]

Would definitely like to see Riis kickstart Hushovd, if he can't get it together before le Tour. I feel bad for BMC though, they appear to have wasted a ton of cash on him.

 

[swaqser]

2008

Milan-San Remo: Fabian Cancellara - Filippo Pozzato - Philippe Gilbert.
Ronde van Vlaanderen: Sterke Stijn - Nick Nuyens - Jan Antoon Pijl.
Paris-Roubaix: Tom Boonen - Fabian Cancellara - Alessandro Ballan.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Alejandro Valverde - Tintin - Frank Schleck.

No.

Those results does not look weird no, and I have no empirical evidence. Has just been a topic on training rides this year, and many of the older riders were convinced that many great riders often had a less than stellar olympic year.