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Cadel/BMC for TdF

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Eyeballs Out said:
I think the most positive indicator for Evans is that Pellizotti did a lot better than expected in the Tour last year - ok, not a GC contender but you still need to be in pretty decent shape to win KOM. Remember, he had a reputation for completely disappearing after May (I think Evans would be a lot more durable than Pellizotti). Also I think Pellizotti was quite a late addition to the team wasn't he ? And he certainly isn't as well suited to the type of racing in the Tour as Evans is. So I think, all things considered, Evans should be capable of riding fairly well in July - not well enough to win certainly but at least not be invisible. He just needs to keep his GC expectations fairly low and go in without putting pressure on himself - I don't think he owes BMC anything now after the way he's ridden this year
Yes, but remember that those performances were the ones that matched up with the irregularities in Pellizotti's biopassport.
 
Oct 25, 2009
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Libertine Seguros said:
Yes, but remember that those performances were the ones that matched up with the irregularities in Pellizotti's biopassport.

Speaking of of our friend Franco no one seems to be focussing on Liquigas at the TdF with Basso, Kreuzinger and Nibali (at least in this thread). Basso (and he is not given to too much hyperbole) said on CN today:-

"The team will be behind me and united. We'll do our best but we know that Contador hasn't lost a stage race he's ridden in the last few years. It'll be hard but we'll try. Even this guy [Evans] is a threat."

If he is right then so much for not having it if in the TdF if you have done a hard Giro.
 
Oh, I don't blame either Basso or Evans for wanting to do it. But it will be incredibly difficult. I showed how rare it is that somebody can double up top performances at the Tour and Vuelta in recent years (with Evans himself and Sastre in 2007 being the best examples), and that's going from a super-tough race to one with a smaller field of competition and with a lower average speed. Going from the Giro to the Tour is like... they've just destroyed themselves in one of the toughest and most exciting GTs in years, and then they're going to try to take on a stronger field in a GT with a faster average pace... who was the last person to successfully get good results in both. Menchov in 2008? Wasn't he linked to Humanplasma? Even so, that was 5th and 4th, and he was never a threat to actually win either race. Cunego in 2006? He won the white jersey and was 4th in the Giro. But even then he didn't top 10 in the Tour.
 
Oct 25, 2009
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Libertine Seguros said:
Oh, I don't blame either Basso or Evans for wanting to do it. But it will be incredibly difficult. I showed how rare it is that somebody can double up top performances at the Tour and Vuelta in recent years (with Evans himself and Sastre in 2007 being the best examples), and that's going from a super-tough race to one with a smaller field of competition and with a lower average speed. Going from the Giro to the Tour is like... they've just destroyed themselves in one of the toughest and most exciting GTs in years, and then they're going to try to take on a stronger field in a GT with a faster average pace... who was the last person to successfully get good results in both. Menchov in 2008? Wasn't he linked to Humanplasma? Even so, that was 5th and 4th, and he was never a threat to actually win either race. Cunego in 2006? He won the white jersey and was 4th in the Giro. But even then he didn't top 10 in the Tour.

You make a very convincing case - would be nice to have them in the mix though.:) I was interested to see Basso say the team would be "united behind him .....". Contradicts the weight of posters' thoughts on the Basso/Liquigas/TdF thread on this board that I have since seen.
 
Well, Liquigas have four leaders.

Nibali wasn't expecting to do the Giro, and now he's made it to the end he's not keen on riding the Tour as he won't do himself justice. Seems fair enough (come back for the Vuelta, Vincenzo!).

Pellizotti is liable to not start given the circumstances hanging over his head. The ASO weren't keen on Valverde being there last year and threatened Caisse with a non-invite if they insisted on bringing him. The situation is slightly different but after being burnt with Ras in 2007 I would expect them to be reluctant to have him.

Which just leaves Kreuziger and Basso. If they unite behind Basso, that takes the pressure off Kreuziger's shoulders and he can continue to develop at his own pace. If Basso underperforms, it's no shock cos he won the Giro. It also gives Liquigas a totally fine Plan B.
 
Mar 13, 2009
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SpartacusRox said:
Tell me you are kidding....pleeease tell me you are kidding!!

The story is true (it was on cyclingnews), and even though the idea might be a bit far-fetched, I still think the guy had a good point! I don't think that always having podium-girls is sexist, but this would have been a nice signal I think. Especially since Amsterdam has a reputation of being one of the gay capitals in the world.

Libertine Seguros said:
The wildcard teams are the ones who are usually invited with the aim of livening up the race (hence the term wildcard).

Radioshack - will be working to protect a GC candidate who rides defensively.
Sky - will be working to protect a GC candidate who rides defensively.
Garmin - will be either working to protect a GC candidate who rides defensively, or bringing back breakaways to have a chance of coming second in a bunch sprint.
Katyusha - will hopefully enliven the race with the likes of Ignatiev.
BMC - will be working to protect a GC candidate who will ride defensively (no attack on Evans here, seeing as he's a much more aggressive rider than he used to be. I just don't see how he's going to have it in him to ride aggressively day after day in the Tour after running himself into the ground in Italy).
Cervélo - will hopefully enliven the race but will also be looking to bunch sprints with the likes of Hushovd and Haussler.

+1 I agree with you. Pro-Continental wildcard teams rarely had top-10 ambitions and they always added an awful lot to the race. Just remember Brice Feillu's stage win, that was great.

I also agree with your summing up of this year's wildcards - I only see Katyusha and Cervelo really enlivening the race. Concerning Hushovd and Haussler we'll have to see - they did great last year but both have had terrible seasons this year so they might not be able to perform at the same level!
I think it's too bad that there is no classic wildcard team at this year's TdF ... instead we have just a lot more teams who ride for GC and that's not a good thing I'd say. Maybe teams like AG2R, Cofidis, BBox, Milram will enliven the race this year ... I hope so!

Nearly said:
"The team will be behind me and united. We'll do our best but we know that Contador hasn't lost a stage race he's ridden in the last few years. It'll be hard but we'll try. Even this guy [Evans] is a threat."

If that will be the case then Basso will immediately lose any new credibility that he might have aquired qith some people since his come back. But I here there's a thread for that now.
 
May 20, 2010
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First, this is not intended to Flame.

Cadel seems to suffer illness/body malfunction during GTs. I guess that he competes to the very limit of his physical/psychological capabilities.

I note that other riders reported illness during recent Giro and did not cop flack for it... seems Cadel's method of reporting his problems gets under peoples' skin??

Therefore iff Cadel has problems, perhaps as others suggest, he bites his tongue and either not mention it at all or just state "I did the best I could" or allow some weeks to pass before making comment..."I did the best I could given some minor probs with my health."

Having said all that I appreciate knowing how all cyclists are really going. We can see when a rider is physically injured and sympathise and I like the idea that I can sympathise when a rider is ill.:)
 
Jun 22, 2009
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this_is_edie said:
Agreed, his whole I was sick afterwards is lame. He should just have said I did the best I could, fought as hard as I could but these 4 guys were just better than I was. And then smile and walk away.

Evans never does this. He is a great cyclist, but I think he shows little respect to his competitors by never acknowledging them as the better man.

I like the way he is riding this year, but I still can't stand the guy.
 
Nearly said:
Speaking of of our friend Franco no one seems to be focussing on Liquigas at the TdF with Basso, Kreuzinger and Nibali (at least in this thread). Basso (and he is not given to too much hyperbole) said on CN today:-

"The team will be behind me and united. We'll do our best but we know that Contador hasn't lost a stage race he's ridden in the last few years. It'll be hard but we'll try. Even this guy [Evans] is a threat."

If he is right then so much for not having it if in the TdF if you have done a hard Giro.

Well, he's not right actually. Contador lost Paris-Nice in 2009, Tour de Catalonia in 2009, Dauphine 2009 and Criterium International in 2010. Now if Basso is referring to grand tours he's correct. (Or was it Castilla e Leon in 2009 instead of Catalonia?).
 
JA.Tri said:
First, this is not intended to Flame.

Cadel seems to suffer illness/body malfunction during GTs. I guess that he competes to the very limit of his physical/psychological capabilities.

I note that other riders reported illness during recent Giro and did not cop flack for it... seems Cadel's method of reporting his problems gets under peoples' skin??

Therefore iff Cadel has problems, perhaps as others suggest, he bites his tongue and either not mention it at all or just state "I did the best I could" or allow some weeks to pass before making comment..."I did the best I could given some minor probs with my health."

Having said all that I appreciate knowing how all cyclists are really going. We can see when a rider is physically injured and sympathise and I like the idea that I can sympathise when a rider is ill.:)

My question is do even Evans' most ardent supporters tire of all the "what-ifs" as it pertains to his grand tour and stage racing adventures?

-2002 Giro: What if he hadn't blown up and dropped in the standings from the race lead?

-T-Mobile days: what if he hadn't broken his collar bone multiple times in that one season

-2008 Tour: What if he hadn't crashed and sustained injuries that he said limitied his ability to ride at his best?

2008 Tour: What if he hadn't gotten "ganged up on" by all the other contenders and the Saxo Bank trio on Alpe D'huez?

2009 Dauphine: What if he had responded to Valverde's attack on Mont Ventoux instead of waiting on the rest of his competitors to?

2009 Dauphine: What if Contador had not decided to ride the Dauphine to simply guage his form and not "allegedly" ride in support of Valverde as Evans and many fans have insisted he did?

2009 Tour: What if he hadn't gotten sick at mid race (or whatever happened) and lost time in addition to the time lost in the TTT?

2009 Vuelta: What if he hadn't had the flat and the delayed/slow wheel change?

2010 Giro: what if Evans hadn't gotten sick midway through? Would he have been able to still contest for a podium spot and even have knocked Basso off the top step?

2010 Giro: What if he had the team support that he insists was once again missing?

I believe many had thought that he had turned it all around with his having regained his aggressive riding and added WC stripes to his results along with a victory at Fleche Wallone. Not that his career was in a shambles prior to these great wins but he had always faltered for whatever reasons at the grand tours. IMO just like Sastre, he rode admirably at the Giro and they both should be proud of his performances. I figure he has another 2 years at least that he can continue to perform at this level and he should continue to pursue his goal of winning a grand tour by riding the Tour this year of course and in 2011 ride the Tour, the Vuelta, allowing for a period of recuperation after the end of 2010 season and then skipping the Ardennes Classics.
 
May 20, 2010
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Timmy-loves-Rabo said:
Evans never does this. He is a great cyclist, but I think he shows little respect to his competitors by never acknowledging them as the better man.

I like the way he is riding this year, but I still can't stand the guy.

I perceived his recognition and thoughts (post Giro 2010) of Basso and LG in general as sporting and fair...
 
May 20, 2010
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Angliru said:
My question is do even Evans' most ardent supporters tire of all the "what-ifs" as it pertains to his grand tour and stage racing adventures?

I recon that the examples you mention are illustrative of bike racing and Cadel.

Bike racing includes tactics, crashes, illness/injuries and a bit of luck.(obviously) :D

Cadel came to RR "late" and has taken time to develop tactics that work for him (as observed by many on various threads :)), suggest that crashes play apart in this as well. To this day I recon tactics don't come "naturally" to Cadel (instinctive as they are to most/all of the "greats"). As a result, there are, as you point out, missed opportunities...

Tactics or lack thereof have also played a part (sometimes only small) when Cadel has experienced a "lack" of luck and he has been unable to minimize his losses or reverse the situation.

The illnesses and to some extent injuries I attribute (in part) to his "competitive" nature and unwillingness to ease back, and (again :)) minimize the losses. Instead he goes red zoning and "dying".

To finish this thought, the what ifs are been and gone and hopefully Cadel can learn from them and leave them behind.

Angliru said:
I believe many had thought that he had turned it all around with his having regained his aggressive riding and added WC stripes to his results along with a victory at Fleche Wallone. Not that his career was in a shambles prior to these great wins but he had always faltered for whatever reasons at the grand tours. IMO just like Sastre, he rode admirably at the Giro and they both should be proud of his performances. I figure he has another 2 years at least that he can continue to perform at this level and he should continue to pursue his goal of winning a grand tour by riding the Tour this year of course and in 2011 ride the Tour, the Vuelta, allowing for a period of recuperation after the end of 2010 season and then skipping the Ardennes Classics.


Agree 100%. While I guess CE will be disappointed if he does not win a GT, in such event he will still have had a great MTB and RR career!
 
Jul 17, 2009
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Christian said:
Since Cadel is putting in 110% at one of the toughest Giros ever I don't think he can be competitive with the likes of AC,AS,LA for 3 weeks in July.

Furthermore I think we can scrap Allessandro Ballan and Karsten Kroon from BMC's Tour squad. I am not sure though on where Ballan stands and how Kroon is recovering, so if you have more info about that, please share.

Leaves us with Burghardt and Hincapie as the big names, Marcus Zberg as an experienced GT rider, maybe Steve Morabito as well, but other than that I don't see much GT experience in their line-up. (I could be wrong though, don't know all of their riders very well)
Does anyone know who they're planing to take to France?

All in all I don't think they'll have a strong squad, with two of their big names probably not being able to participate and Cadel being tired.

I wonder whether it was really worth inviting BMC to the Tour or whether it would have been better to ask Skil or Vacansoleil. Okay, they don't have a stronger squad either, but what's the point of inviting big names if they won't be able to do much. Of course no one could foresee the Ballan/Kroon situation.


Well spent and broken down you are correct but add: After AC gave Cadel the win at HW; Cadel will ride for AC in Le Tour.