BMC in disarray?

[Clemson Cycling]

Evans working for TJ tomorrow?

 

[Apollonius]

Poor old Cadel?

 

[dlwssonic]

After disappointment in Classics BMC fans said everything can be rescued by winning Tour/Olympics/World RR. Even winning those 3 wouldn't make their season great, but looking now...it's getting worse and worse

Dlwsonnic said after good Dauphine, he can only get better.

I wonder what they will say now ? ...

Tejay a highlight for BMC at least/

I'm wrong, age is catching up with cadel.
Well at least TJVG looks promising.

 

[maxmartin]

Evans working for TJ tomorrow?

not happening, he still has his pride

 

[dlwssonic]

After disappointment in Classics BMC fans said everything can be rescued by winning Tour/Olympics/World RR. Even winning those 3 wouldn't make their season great, but looking now...it's getting worse and worse

Dlwsonnic said after good Dauphine, he can only get better.

I wonder what they will say now ? ...

Tejay a highlight for BMC at least/

Winning those 3 races would have made their season great obviously. Your expectations are too high.
They really have had their fair share of troubles this year.

 

[auscyclefan94]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

 

[goggalor]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

He'll ride into Paris with an American in the white jersey, that's still a decent send off.

 

[Angliru]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

Well he timed his athletic peak perfectly in that he won the Tour, his most coveted prize the year before his downward slide and has WC and other important wins in his palmares. He's had a career that most of his peers would love to have.

 

[mewmewmew13]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

I hear you ACF....I felt sad for Cadel today also. Just not his year...

 

[maltiv]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

Seems like age has caught up with him. Clean athletes unfortunately can't compete with the best when they pass 35/36.

At least you can be glad that he got that elusive TDF victory just in time!

 

[Armanius]

What are the chances that we see Evans retire within the next year or two? Happy he got the win last year.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Thanks for everyone's kind messages.

What are the chances that we see Evans retire within the next year or two? Happy he got the win last year.

Contracted to end of 2014...I think he will stay on.

Seems like age has caught up with him. Clean athletes unfortunately can't compete with the best when they pass 35/36.

At least you can be glad that he got that elusive TDF victory just in time!

I am glad that he got his TDF victory. That was a Tour I enjoyed.

I hear you ACF....I felt sad for Cadel today also. Just not his year...

It seems that way but he isn't giving up on his season it seems. Plenty of other races to get some big wins in. He'll be aiming for the WC as well.

Well he timed his athletic peak perfectly in that he won the Tour, his most coveted prize the year before his downward slide and has WC and other important wins in his palmares. He's had a career that most of his peers would love to have.

Perhaps you are right about the athletic peak but I still think he could go win a Giro next year.

He'll ride into Paris with an American in the white jersey, that's still a decent send off.

I think he really wanted to give George a send off but obviously that wont happen.

 

[Frosty]

BMC/Evans' tactic of recruiting flat land riders certainly helped today on the valley bits in between the climbs

 

[Warhawk]

BMC/Evans' tactic of recruiting flat land riders certainly helped today on the valley bits in between the climbs

Well, Evans certainly had guys with him. I mean, maybe he would have done a little better with more climbers, but today wasn't on the team, it was on Evans. He just didn't have it today. If you're getting dropped by a big group of riders, there's really not a lot your team can do to change that. Team is important, but at a certain point if a rider doesn't have it, the rider doesn't have it. Evans could have had Andy and Bertie working for him today and he still would have lost that time. You can pace someone, but you can't really pull them beyond what their limits already are.

 

[movingtarget]

I hear you ACF....I felt sad for Cadel today also. Just not his year...

It was a sad to see. Stomach trouble and the heat knocked him around but it was obvious that the best he was aiming for was third place. Looks like a changing of the guard this year with Menchov, Basso, Leipheimer etc not having the consistency of previous years. Wiggins,Nibali, Froome, Van Garderen, VDB have done well. Ryder surprised me in the Giro, did not expect that at all. I would rather see Cadel target the Ardenne classics with Gilbert next year and maybe do the TOC and Vuelta or start his season earlier and do the Giro and Vuelta but I think two grand tours would be too much for him at this stage of his career. I can't see him being the kind of rider who will ride for another three of four years chasing stage wins or mountain points. He was always more ambitious than that. He will get another top 10 finish in the Tour and that's something he can be proud of. I hope he retires at the end of next season before his performances deteriorate too much.

 

[movingtarget]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

Don't worry there are some good young Aussie riders on the way up. The next few years could be interesting but it has a been eventful following Cadel's career so far. Plenty of up's and down's but his Tour win was a great memory for me as was his World title. I was just glad that George was not badly hurt and will finish another Tour I hope. What a support rider and team player he has been. Great scene of the two old warriors crossing the finish line together shaking hands.

 

[Marcuccio]

Yes, but did anyone predict both Phil and Thor to both have such bad years? Nobody could have predicted that. Rihs and Och know how cycling works and that **** like that happens.

Exactly ... no one thought that both Phil and Thor would have some poor seasons, one maybe, but both, that's bad luck!

Ah well, like everything else in life, money doesn't necessarily guarantee success!

Kinda sad for Big George, it's not his ideal send off, but hey, he's had an awesome career, helping some of the real legends to some awesome wins!

I think he'll remain at BMC in some capacity tho, through his sportswear etc..well I hope so, depending on this whole Lance doping saga...

 

[Oldman]

Exactly ... no one thought that both Phil and Thor would have some poor seasons, one maybe, but both, that's bad luck!

Ah well, like everything else in life, money doesn't necessarily guarantee success!

Kinda sad for Big George, it's not his ideal send off, but hey, he's had an awesome career, helping some of the real legends to some awesome wins!

I think he'll remain at BMC in some capacity tho, through his sportswear etc..well I hope so, depending on this whole Lance doping saga...

George may have to take a short vacation. BMC would be wise to distance themselves from anyone seriously involved for the benefit of the new riders, anyway.

 

[rata de sentina]

BMC/Evans' tactic of recruiting flat land riders certainly helped today on the valley bits in between the climbs

The issue is not their tactics but Evans form. They have much better climbers and overall tactics than last year they are positioning their riders well in the breaks and have TJ on hand. Evans is clearly off last years form irrespective of his illness on this stage.

 

[moonstation2000]

A bit sad for cadel today...It seems that he wanted to give George a big send off by winning this year. I am little bit guttered but oh well, shit happens!

Me too, I was hoping he was going to be stronger late in the race, but he's basically run out of time today unless he can work miracles tomorrow. He had a great race last year and I was hoping for a repeat.. Well at least he had a Tour win in his career, not many guys can say that.

And to make matters worse Liquigas attacks didn't manage to make BWigs break a sweat!

 

[movingtarget]

The issue is not their tactics but Evans form. They have much better climbers and overall tactics than last year they are positioning their riders well in the breaks and have TJ on hand. Evans is clearly off last years form irrespective of his illness on this stage.

Yes no one could have helped him today. The form is not that of last year obviously but grand tours are rarely won by 35 year olds. Still he will go to the finish and hopefully do a reasonable TT. Wiggins will probably win the race by four or five minutes.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The issue is not their tactics but Evans form. They have much better climbers and overall tactics than last year they are positioning their riders well in the breaks and have TJ on hand. Evans is clearly off last years form irrespective of his illness on this stage.

It is not tatics but I think it is Cadel's form and team. Well, the main issue with this tour is that Sky is infallible as a team so they can set a slow pace on the climbs and if someone tries an attack on the final climb, they just use their train. The only alternative is a long range attack and they rarely work.

Don't worry there are some good young Aussie riders on the way up. The next few years could be interesting but it has a been eventful following Cadel's career so far. Plenty of up's and down's but his Tour win was a great memory for me as was his World title. I was just glad that George was not badly hurt and will finish another Tour I hope. What a support rider and team player he has been. Great scene of the two old warriors crossing the finish line together shaking hands.

Yeah, that is true but I personally have struggled to warm to many of them.

It was a sad to see. Stomach trouble and the heat knocked him around but it was obvious that the best he was aiming for was third place. Looks like a changing of the guard this year with Menchov, Basso, Leipheimer etc not having the consistency of previous years. Wiggins,Nibali, Froome, Van Garderen, VDB have done well. Ryder surprised me in the Giro, did not expect that at all. I would rather see Cadel target the Ardenne classics with Gilbert next year and maybe do the TOC and Vuelta or start his season earlier and do the Giro and Vuelta but I think two grand tours would be too much for him at this stage of his career. I can't see him being the kind of rider who will ride for another three of four years chasing stage wins or mountain points. He was always more ambitious than that. He will get another top 10 finish in the Tour and that's something he can be proud of. I hope he retires at the end of next season before his performances deteriorate too much.

Well, I think he acknowledged once back in 2007 that he would have around another 5 shots at the victory of the Tour. I think he has said something similar more recently. He is contracted through to 2014 (link) and I think he will fulfill that. I don't see him as a rider who will deteriorate that much and I think he may just become a team helper if he goes to the Tour again. Giro for 2013 imo is the best option.

 

[movingtarget]

It is not tatics but I think it is Cadel's form and team. Well, the main issue with this tour is that Sky is infallible as a team so they can set a slow pace on the climbs and if someone tries an attack on the final climb, they just use their train. The only alternative is a long range attack and they rarely work.


Yeah, that is true but I personally have struggled to warm to many of them.



Well, I think he acknowledged once back in 2007 that he would have around another 5 shots at the victory of the Tour. I think he has said something similar more recently. He is contracted through to 2014 (link) and I think he will fulfill that. I don't see him as a rider who will deteriorate that much and I think he may just become a team helper if he goes to the Tour again. Giro for 2013 imo is the best option.

Yeah I think the Giro would be best. He will probably have a look at the route first but it will definitely be tougher to podium in the Tour next year than the Giro. I think that most of the Giro GC riders from this year will return. Nibali may try the Tour again leaving Basso for the Giro again.

 

[Marcuccio]

If he chooses to miss the 2013 TdF, does any one see him coming back in 2014 to do it?

I would hate to him return as a veteran domestique, but I guess it's his call.
I just don't see him in that role myself, tho Basso seems to have taken to it ok..
Basso seemed tired and off form at the Giro, yet seemed slightly more enthused playing a bit part role at the TdF so far - maybe enjoying his time outta the spotlight..

 

[maxmartin]

Nibali may try the Tour again leaving Basso for the Giro again.

wrong, Giro is most important race for Nibali, Nibali really wants to start Giro this year but because of the conflict with Basso, he has to compromise.

Next year he is riding for ASTANA, Giro is definitely going to be his top target, he might ride tour as well. But we all know how Giro-Tour double turns out. Nibali won't sole focus on Giro until he win at least one Giro. If Evans target Giro next year he will have stiff competition with Nibali.