BMC in disarray?

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movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
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greenedge said:
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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The classics team is under performing and they don't have a strong GC team either. Ballan was their best in the Spring classics last year while Gilbert has been very up and down in the Ardennes classics. GVA is consistent without winning anything major. The only major win for them in 2012 was the World's and a handful of stage wins in the Giro and Vuelta. Hardly good enough and nothing to speak of this year.
 
Ripper

Ripper

Sep 14, 2009
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hughmoore said:
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
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For me, it's about how they've been doing this year. They are underperforming. Last year was not a great year either ... the WC were a bit of a last minute save.

BTW - your post above highlights the flaws in the WT points system. Thor was worth points but has been, otherwise, a waste of money.

The other issue is they seem to lack a cohesive strategy based on who has the legs. E.g. back up GvA and TP for P-R, not Thor. In fact, back GvA for a few more races and see if he can punch up to the next level.
 
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kanari

Jul 5, 2010
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Ripper said:
The other issue is they seem to lack a cohesive strategy based on who has the legs. E.g. back up GvA and TP for P-R, not Thor. In fact, back GvA for a few more races and see if he can punch up to the next level.
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Their problem is that they aren't backing anyone. Thor had three punctures and not a single time did he have a teammate with him. Maybe this was the right call seeing how he was dropped but it looked strange IMO. They just seemed to be eight riders who are wearing the same jersey but with no clear leader at all.
 
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movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
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kanari said:
Their problem is that they aren't backing anyone. Thor had three punctures and not a single time did he have a teammate with him. Maybe this was the right call seeing how he was dropped but it looked strange IMO. They just seemed to be eight riders who are wearing the same jersey but with no clear leader at all.
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Yeah they looked a lot more organised last year when they supported Ballan to two podiums in the Spring and the team looked strong. Hushovd punctured at critical times in the race and was no certainty to get back to the front but like you said, there was no one with him.
 
Netserk

Netserk

Apr 30, 2011
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Classic season done.

Results = Horrible.

BMC in disarray?

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Afrank

Afrank

Aug 16, 2011
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If Gilbert had been able to win one of the Ardennes or even podium in one of them, it would have been a decent classics campaign. Unfortunate that he wasn't able to; don't like it, but have to admit, it was kind of a failure of a classics campaign for them. :(
 
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karlboss

Mar 13, 2009
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Poor classics season, because Ballan is injured and GvA isn't as strong as Boonen or Cancellara. Gilbert lacked support in the finales, was marked out of everything, wasn't in 2011 shape, in which case neither of the last 2 points would have mattered.
 
Richeypen

Richeypen

May 3, 2011
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Afrank said:
If Gilbert had been able to win one of the Ardennes or even podium in one of them, it would have been a decent classics campaign. Unfortunate that he wasn't able to; don't like it, but have to admit, it was kind of a failure of a classics campaign for them. :(
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Sky got 2nd at FW but their Classics campaign was a disaster. BMC need way more than a Phil podium to revive their season.
 
Arnout

Arnout

Mar 10, 2009
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Richeypen said:
Sky got 2nd at FW but their Classics campaign was a disaster. BMC need way more than a Phil podium to revive their season.
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Exactly. BMC are going to do nothing at all this year, again. In all their years that they are a big money spending team, they have won one Tour and one WC. Great results, but they were the exceptions in generally subpar performances.
 
ElChingon

ElChingon

Mar 10, 2009
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Now will they jettison the supposed key riders who are basically eating the budget and not bringing much for their salary in 2014?

Its time to clear some room for the future for sure.

Evans can retire at GreenEdge.
Thor to retire at some local Norwegian Cycling Club.
Phinney to RadioShack :p

I'm sure there's more.
 
Pentacycle

Pentacycle

May 28, 2012
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Arnout said:
Exactly. BMC are going to do nothing at all this year, again. In all their years that they are a big money spending team, they have won one Tour and one WC. Great results, but they were the exceptions in generally subpar performances.
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Evans is the backbone of the team; when he's injured, ill or just past it he'll take the team with him. Evans basically put BMC on the map as a WC in 2010 and he delivered their biggest win in 2011, but the moment he starts to fade there's noone to fill the gap. Old stars riders(incl. Gilbert) and some young and talented, but limited riders aren't living up to the expectiations. If I were BMC's management I'd seriously consider a plan to move out of the sport, or at least considerably lower their share of the budget.
 
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karlboss

Mar 13, 2009
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There are no second tier riders except for the cobbles. By which I mean for the cobbles Boonen and Cancellara are first tier. Second Tier BMC have Ballan, Van Avermaet and Hushovd, and I'd say looked like a second tier team behind RSL.
Stage racing and the Ardennes, if Gilbert and Evans don't fire the results sheet looks very much like a 3rd tier team as that is all that's left. As to why Evans and Gilbert haven't fired as in past years I couldn't say. Evans old, ill, lacks motivation, combination of the 3? Gilbert, he was heavily marked and lacked team support in the finales, but 2011 Gilbert would have laughed and rode on to win anyway. He's looked like 2009/2010 Gilbert, but marked out of it.
 
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Jancouver

Mar 14, 2009
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I just hope the Sagan rumor is false. TVG and MiniPhinney are good prospects and they should get more talented youngsters in stead of overpaying for riders/stars on/past their prime.
 
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Ferminal

Jul 3, 2009
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Well I said two weeks ago that their classics season would be judged on Phil... So yep.

Even though the signs aren't great it seems Evans will be closest to meeting expectations.

I don't think the team can last as it is. Can't see Gilbert/Hushovd sticking around if they don't plan on returning to great form next year.
 
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movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
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ElChingon said:
Now will they jettison the supposed key riders who are basically eating the budget and not bringing much for their salary in 2014?

Its time to clear some room for the future for sure.

Evans can retire at GreenEdge.
Thor to retire at some local Norwegian Cycling Club.
Phinney to RadioShack :p

I'm sure there's more.
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Don't think Evans will move to GE at this stage unless they had a GC contender he could pass his knowledge onto and they don't. Different for McEwen and O'Grady. I think Gilbert is the one who may move on pending contractual arrangements. Lotto were a much better team for him in the classics.
 
M

movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
15,733
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Ferminal said:
Well I said two weeks ago that their classics season would be judged on Phil... So yep.

Even though the signs aren't great it seems Evans will be closest to meeting expectations.

I don't think the team can last as it is. Can't see Gilbert/Hushovd sticking around if they don't plan on returning to great form next year.
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I think Evans is the only one of the big three to be coming off contract. If he goes for one more year I would like to see him do what he used to do and ride the Ardennes classics to support Gilbert. Problem is at the moment neither rider has great form and Evans poor results in stage races changed his schedule. Then Evans could go on to the Tour and ride support for TJVG and maybe finish his career with a crack at the Vuelta. A lot of ifs I know but Evans was always a top 10 rider in the Ardennes classics and if he and Gilbert are in form they can make a great combination. Vanendert played a similar role for Gilbert at Lotto.

But it's true, the team relies too much on Gilbert and Evans but they are paid well and are there to win. I expect BMC to make big changes at the end of the season. If they are serious about TJVG too, they need to get a few quality climbers into the team otherwise he will be spending the next few years, after Evans departure, following the Skytrain on his own. If they are having doubts about him or Evans does not re-sign, they need to buy another GC rider. The one positive of recent times is that Evans says he felt stronger by the day at Trentino and thinks he can be competive in the Giro. He also said he had something left and could have gone deeper but is preparing at his own pace which is a good sign. At the moment BMC does not have a good bunch sprinter and with the wayward form with their best riders where are the wins going to come from unless Phinney can win some TTs or Evans can find his old form ?
 
Ryo Hazuki

Ryo Hazuki

Mar 31, 2010
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karlboss said:
Poor classics season, because Ballan is injured and GvA isn't as strong as Boonen or Cancellara. Gilbert lacked support in the finales, was marked out of everything, wasn't in 2011 shape, in which case neither of the last 2 points would have mattered.
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he will never be again in his 2011 shape a again either
 
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