BMC in disarray?

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movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
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hfer07 said:
We're going back to what fundamentally created this thread: the balance of huge investment on riders like Gilbert & Hushov & what they have returned in victories to the team, which isn't that equal at all.

I cannot see either Evans or Gilbert doing that much in the Ardennes, since neither has shown form to excel any expectations...
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Evans is not riding the Ardennes. He is riding the Trentino and then the Giro. BMC's early season looks similar to last year but without Ballan's podiums at Roubaix and Flanders. GVA seem to be their most consistent rider but has trouble getting on the podium in the quality races. Sport is unforgiving and results are expected. Hushovd won't be re-signed next year if his contract is up in 2014 unless he gets results. The team are relying probably too much on Gilbert getting wins at the Ardennes races. Evans is on the way out based on current performances and I think his contract is up at the end of the year. They need to buy a Richie Porte type rider for GC to complement TJVG, someone who can win races and also maybe a quality sprinter. A few good young climbers would also help. I think their squad will change quite a lot at the end of this season unless the results start to come and at the moment it's hard to see where results can come from unless Gilbert and Evans can find some form and Phinney and GVA for possible stage wins. Currently they don't seem to be a GC team or a classics team. It all looks a bit mediocre.
 
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Peter von

Aug 23, 2012
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They have too spend more money or choose to focus more on a few races, they have a stellar lineup in the cobbled classics and a less than stellar leader, they have the best of (t)his generation in the Ardennes but lacks the support he enjoyed at Lotto, they have a former tour winner, who looks like he might be over the hill, and the reigning white jersey, but they are mostly supporting them with they're strong team from the cobbled classics, last year Garderen had to do work in the tour that should have been done by the likes of Santambroggio or Tchopp, but they weren't even on the start list, now they're gone.

The team lacks balance, they have GC contenders in the GTs but domestiques suited for a top sprinter.

Obviusly the signing an resigning of the three huge stars have turned out to be the wrong thing to do, Gilbert had the only big win of the team last year and he did it wearing his national colors, but as it is Hushovd is maybe the lesser star of the three and he is the one with the best supporting crew, BMC could have signed one or two high quality riders to help Gilbert in the ardennes and Evans/Van Garderen in the GT and still hoped that Phinney, Ballan and Avermaet would make a good show in the northern classics.

I won't say the overall strategy of signing a few stars rather than many potentials is flawed, but with BMC it lacks focus in the execution because they failed to improve the support team of their reigning tour champ, and they signed the mega star of the year 2011 but didn't manage to sign on the needed support a favorite of that magnitude requires.

Hushovd was the most logical signing, since they already had the team he needed to be competitive against Boonen and Cancellara, but to sign to guys in their mid 30's on huge three year contracts is just asking for disappointments
 
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theyoungest

Jan 11, 2010
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A lot will depend on next week. If Gilbert somehow miraculously finds his 2011 legs again, it will be hallelujah, praise the Lord, and this thread will look ridiculous. If he doesn't, they'll have to wait for Van Garderen in the Tour... and unless he makes the podium (not very likely) that will probably turn out quite disappointing for such a big money team as well.
 
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movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
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Peter von said:
They have too spend more money or choose to focus more on a few races, they have a stellar lineup in the cobbled classics and a less than stellar leader, they have the best of (t)his generation in the Ardennes but lacks the support he enjoyed at Lotto, they have a former tour winner, who looks like he might be over the hill, and the reigning white jersey, but they are mostly supporting them with they're strong team from the cobbled classics, last year Garderen had to do work in the tour that should have been done by the likes of Santambroggio or Tchopp, but they weren't even on the start list, now they're gone.

The team lacks balance, they have GC contenders in the GTs but domestiques suited for a top sprinter.

Obviusly the signing an resigning of the three huge stars have turned out to be the wrong thing to do, Gilbert had the only big win of the team last year and he did it wearing his national colors, but as it is Hushovd is maybe the lesser star of the three and he is the one with the best supporting crew, BMC could have signed one or two high quality riders to help Gilbert in the ardennes and Evans/Van Garderen in the GT and still hoped that Phinney, Ballan and Avermaet would make a good show in the northern classics.

I won't say the overall strategy of signing a few stars rather than many potentials is flawed, but with BMC it lacks focus in the execution because they failed to improve the support team of their reigning tour champ, and they signed the mega star of the year 2011 but didn't manage to sign on the needed support a favorite of that magnitude requires.

Hushovd was the most logical signing, since they already had the team he needed to be competitive against Boonen and Cancellara, but to sign to guys in their mid 30's on huge three year contracts is just asking for disappointments
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Obviously the team did not expect Hushovd to get a long term illness, Gilbert to lose form in the 2012 Spring and Evans to have a mediocre 2012 Tour but the changes will have to come for such a big team. The results since the 2011 Tour win just have not been good enough. I would not be surprised to see Gilbert go back to a European team and Hushovd won't have much bargaining power on his next contract unless things change quickly. If they want to build a team around TJVG maybe a few good young climbers will help. There seems to be no shortage in Spain and Colombia.
 
D

Dazed and Confused

Jan 27, 2012
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movingtarget said:
Obviously the team did not expect Hushovd to get a long term illness, Gilbert to lose form in the 2012 Spring and Evans to have a mediocre 2012 Tour but the changes will have to come for such a big team. The results since the 2011 Tour win just have not been good enough. I would not be surprised to see Gilbert go back to a European team and Hushovd won't have much bargaining power on his next contract unless things change quickly. If they want to build a team around TJVG maybe a few good young climbers will help. There seems to be no shortage in Spain and Colombia.
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If iirc both Hushovd and Gilbert are on contracts until end of 2014.
 
K

kjetilraknerud

Apr 28, 2009
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wiggos sideburn said:
Well I can see Hushovd retiring at the end of the year
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Last year he indicated that he'd go on until Rio de Janeiro olympics in 2016. That being said, if he continues like this he won't be even close to being in the squad for the olympics in three years.

I can see him joining a smaller team again at some point. He isn't a top rider anymore, but would still be a good signing for quite a few teams.
 
D

Dazed and Confused

Jan 27, 2012
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al_pacino said:
How much longer does that deal have?

When it ends where can he go?
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Iirc the contract ends ultimo 2014.

Don't know where he will go after BMC, but he won't get that kind of money again for sure.

theyoungest said:
Really? He makes 2 million euros a year? Well, I guess he's worth every penny, what with his amazing win in the Haut-Var.
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Its a guess, but I know he was in demand when he signed with BMC.
The BMC/Leopard/Sky situation created a bit of a bubble with inflated salaries, so I don't think the 2M is far off.
But, hey thats not Hushovd's problem.
 
mewmewmew13

mewmewmew13

Aug 9, 2010
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BMC has always seemed like a 'too many cooks' problem.

They throw big name riders in races together and see what sticks like spaghetti....:p

no cohesion apparent and just all spinning around doing their own things.

That said, cycling is an unforgiving sport, as most pro sports are....
if you don't seem stellar year after year as an athlete you are dissed and talked about as having 'lost what it takes'
 
BYOP88

BYOP88

May 26, 2009
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BMC have to many vets who are past it, hi Cadel and Thor. Hopefully they'll see sense before July and make TJ tour leader. But I doubt it and they'll stick with Cadel as leader.
 
Jelantik

Jelantik

Jul 19, 2010
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BYOP88 said:
BMC have to many vets who are past it, hi Cadel and Thor. Hopefully they'll see sense before July and make TJ tour leader. But I doubt it and they'll stick with Cadel as leader.
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WHoa... TVG? the overhype overated rider? Quintana can beat him easily. I would still think Evan will be ready for the Tour. He is a proven winner. Giving TVG a leadership? for what? Top 10 placing? That means nothing. Some domestique that's better than him can beat him if they don't have to work for their leader.
 
BYOP88

BYOP88

May 26, 2009
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Jelantik said:
WHoa... TVG? the overhype overated rider? Quintana can beat him easily. I would still think Evan will be ready for the Tour. He is a proven winner. Giving TVG a leadership? for what? Top 10 placing? That means nothing. Some domestique that's better than him can beat him if they don't have to work for their leader.
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Oh wait that's right, Cadel would've won the Tour last year if he didn't come down with the 'mystery virus'. This year at the young age of 36 he'll no doubt be back to his super uber form and easily crush everyone.
 
trevim

trevim

Oct 26, 2010
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Panda Claws said:
Gilbert'd surely be better again. Now he has to drag Thor's lazy *** up every hill at a snail's pace during training.
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Yeah Hushovd is really the lazy type of rider.... :rolleyes:

Jelantik said:
WHoa... TVG? the overhype overated rider? Quintana can beat him easily. I would still think Evan will be ready for the Tour. He is a proven winner. Giving TVG a leadership? for what? Top 10 placing? That means nothing. Some domestique that's better than him can beat him if they don't have to work for their leader.
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I also think Quintana has a greater potential although TjVG has shown 3week consistency already and that's a really big thing for GT's. His last week in the Vuelta suggests Nairo can do the same.
 
H

hughmoore

Jun 17, 2009
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BYOP88 said:
Oh wait that's right, Cadel would've won the Tour last year if he didn't come down with the 'mystery virus'. This year at the young age of 36 he'll no doubt be back to his super uber form and easily crush everyone.
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Yep, completely agree with you, Cadel is back and going for the double.!!!

Good to see your finally making sense!

Hugh
 
H

hughmoore

Jun 17, 2009
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Terrible recruiting by BMC, they made the following mistakes:

By signing Thor, Phil, Cadel they got WT Status,

Signed Cadel, and he won TDF
Signed Phil and he won World Championships
Signed TJ and he won white jersey at TDF and has a bright future.

Clearly these were all mistakes, who should they have signed?


Hugh
 
G

greenedge

Mar 27, 2011
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Peter von said:
They have too spend more money or choose to focus more on a few races, they have a stellar lineup in the cobbled classics and a less than stellar leader, they have the best of (t)his generation in the Ardennes but lacks the support he enjoyed at Lotto, they have a former tour winner, who looks like he might be over the hill, and the reigning white jersey, but they are mostly supporting them with they're strong team from the cobbled classics, last year Garderen had to do work in the tour that should have been done by the likes of Santambroggio or Tchopp, but they weren't even on the start list, now they're gone.

BMC could have signed one or two high quality riders to help Gilbert in the ardennes and Evans/Van Garderen in the GT and still hoped that Phinney, Ballan and Avermaet would make a good show in the northern classics.
Click to expand...

Good points about the in bolded parts.

They do have Nerz and GVA to help Gilbert and TJVG if he does Liege will be a good domestique for Gilbert.
 
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