Cadel's Team for 2010?

[badboyberty]

If you were Cadel Evans, which team would you defect to?

A lot of broken records like to say that Cadel needs a stronger team if he's to win le Tour, but nobody seems to be saying which team currently could accommodate and support a new leader. In my (biased and armchair supported) opinion Cadel should go to AG2R and gain Valjacec and Efimkin as lieutenants. Any other suggestions?

 

[TibetT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that Cadel in under contract to Silence Lotto untill end of 2010. Maybe the question should be who should Cadel demand mangement secure for 2010? Chris Horner would be a good start.. if he's off contract.. Simon Gerrens might be looking to jump ship...

 

[slartiblartfast]

It is hard to see Cadel ever winning the tour with his current team, especially if the team time trial stays in. He really needs to be on an all star team. Garmin seems to be the obvious fit, although it would be great to see Cadel teaming up with Mick Rogers and Kim Kirchen at Columbia.

 

[powderpuff]

If you were Cadel Evans, which team would you defect to?

Cadel is not unhappy with the current group of riders he has at the Tour, they were all very down-hearted after the TTT but they also haven't given up. He would definitely accept Chris Horner back into the team.

The current team sponsors (Silence & Lotto) need to put some of that Lotto money into adding to the current team a few more options, and keep their nose out of the running of the team. Cadel lost a week of recon time this year due to mgmt and sponsors wanting him to do Tour de Romandie when he never had it on his agenda. Yes the team got some TTT practice but some of the members weren't in the Tour squad anyway.

Management of the current Sil-Lot ambitions seem to be awry, they want podium finishes but don't know how or who will get them this year. They just don't want to put all their eggs in the Cadel basket just for one race but they still put huge expectations on him to perform. Maybe if he was Belgian or lived in Belgium their psyche may change.

Other teams, as has been mentioned in a few other threads; with most other strong teams he would either go in too far down the pecking order or nationalistic preferences would prohibit him taking a leadership role.

Maybe Garmin? But would they be able to support him in the mountains?

 

[TibetT]

powerpuff I have to agree with you. Publically at least Cadel appears happy with his team. Garmin seems to be the only option outside of Silence Lotto - but I doubt they could provide any better support in the mountains. What Cadel really needs is a super domesitque - but they are all either at Astana or trying to win GC themselves. Kloden would be a good buy - until OP bites.

I have seen Columbia suggested on the forum as well - this is unlikely unless Cav goes to Sky and while Rodgers would he good in the mountains and TTT but he is accident prone in the grand tours. Kirchen is good in the mountains but he is not a Kloden or Levi.

 

[jaylew]

It is hard to see Cadel ever winning the tour with his current team, especially if the team time trial stays in. He really needs to be on an all star team. Garmin seems to be the obvious fit, although it would be great to see Cadel teaming up with Mick Rogers and Kim Kirchen at Columbia.

Garmin is hardly an all-star team. At this point, they are a second or third tier ProTour team. They are good at the TTT, though.

 

[craig1985]

Sky would be the only team that could afford him and give him the riders he wants.

 

[elapid]

Agree with Powderpuff and TibetT. Silence-Lotto may be a relatively young and inexperienced team, but Cadel is not complaining, unlike other years, and they have plenty of potential. Even if he were able to, Cadel should not defect to another team. I am not sure about either Horner or Gerrans. Horner is unlikely to leave the side of Lance or Lepi; and Gerrans, while good in the mountains, is a little erratic and doesn't seem the best team man in the mountains.

 

[Irish2009]

Cadel isn't publicly complaining. Cadel dosen't need to change teams ,just personnel, any team that rides for the points and overall (as Silence have done in the past with McEwen/Cadel, Columbia with Cavendish/Martin/Rogers, Cervelo with Housvord/Sastre rarely win both. He needs a team with *experienced* strong rouleurs/climbers to assist him and the team needs to be focused on stage races and not the classics(can a Belguim team do that?).

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

He whould have had a great team this year, with kohl, dekker, vdb & lloyd

 

[marksopelana]

Why hasn't he already?

A better question is why hasn't he changed teams before now? Another is, 'who thinks that Silence-Lotto really wants to build a team to win Grand Tours at the expense of their other goals?'

They get a lot of visibility with Evans' individual stage race performances and it's not clear that they need or want more than that out of their Tour program. They probably feel that Tour podiums have been worth just about what they've paid for them.

 

[LugHugger]

After years of being the nearly man and with the money already invested in him through his salary and supporting cast, what other teams' management in their right mind would 'invest' in Evans? He's had his chance, he hasn't delivered, he's not going to now with the emergence of Contador and A Schleck plus Tony Martin and Kreuziger as genuine GC hopes, it's time to move on and manage his expectations. SIL should start looking to bring through new talent that can win in the Classics and which will deliver the marketing opportunities in their major markets.

[Runs away ]

 

[Escarabajo]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that Cadel in under contract to Silence Lotto untill end of 2010. Maybe the question should be who should Cadel demand mangement secure for 2010? Chris Horner would be a good start.. if he's off contract.. Simon Gerrens might be looking to jump ship...

+1...................

 

[Cobber]

After years of being the nearly man and with the money already invested in him through his salary and supporting cast, what other teams' management in their right mind would 'invest' in Evans? He's had his chance, he hasn't delivered, he's not going to now with the emergence of Contador and A Schleck plus Tony Martin and Kreuziger as genuine GC hopes, it's time to move on and manage his expectations. SIL should start looking to bring through new talent that can win in the Classics and which will deliver the marketing opportunities in their major markets.

[Runs away ]

Evans probably would have won last years TdF if he didn't crash early, as he looked pretty uncomfortable in the final time trial. 2007 may have been different too in Rasmussen didn't start. That said, he has been 2nd best for the past 2 years and isn't past his prime yet. He will likely finish in the top 5 in this years race, and considering where he is starting from that will be quite an achievement. To say that no team would want him is going a bit far I think.....

 

[Angliru]

He needs a team with *experienced* strong rouleurs/climbers to assist him and the team needs to be focused on stage races and not the classics(can a Belguim team do that?).

Not in recent history. They can still have a dual focus but when Tour time comes they need their squad to be focused on servicing Cadel. That is pretty much how it is setup now. They've just made questionable decisions in hiring that lieutenant to be his primary help in the mountains. The three big mistakes are well known: letting Horner go, hiring Kohl and hiring Dekker.

What he ought to do is have Bruyneel's new team buy out the remainder of his contract using the money they save from not having to sign Contador's after flight to Caisse.

The Bruyneel squad would be the perfect fit, with Leipheimer willing to share leadership with Evans, in reality hoping that Evans falters near the end and he can sneak onto the top step of the podium under the noses of his competitors. This only being a pipe dream of Leipheimer's because its quite unlikely that either of them will sniff the top step of the podium at the Tour with, as mentioned earlier, Contador, A. Schleck, Kreuziger, Martin likely to get even better while Evans and Leipheimer will be on the decline.

 

[TibetT]

Evans at a new version of Astana under the leadership of Bruyneel would be very exciting. However toatally unrealistic. I doubt Cadel would be comfortable under the leasderhip of Bruyneel. The Lotto boys actually did a good job in stage 7. Silecne Lotto looks to finally be understanding what it will take to get cadel on the 1st podium spot. They just need to buy for next season.

 

[richwagmn]

Evans at a new version of Astana under the leadership of Bruyneel would be very exciting. However toatally unrealistic. I doubt Cadel would be comfortable under the leasderhip of Bruyneel. The Lotto boys actually did a good job in stage 7. Silecne Lotto looks to finally be understanding what it will take to get cadel on the 1st podium spot. They just need to buy for next season.

+1.

Evans will be team leader at the new Armstrong/Bruyneel team (if he can get out from under contract).

Armstrong said Evans was favorite this year and seems to throw him props whenever he can. With Contador leaving Bruyneel after this year, they'll need a contendor besides LA.

Of course I could be full of ****e too.

 

[TibetT]

One this is for sure - if Evans keeps up the agression for the rest of the tour - he should have more options than in the past. We are seeing a different Cadel to recent tours. Reminds me of 2005 on the day after the news of the Amy Gillet tragedy broke. He is going to fight all the way to Paris.

 

[BeachBum]

Where should Cadel defect to? The obvious place where underperforming riders go and become better-- Saxo Bank. Thing is, Riis hasn't been taking on too many reclamation projects lately.

 

[The Falcon]

One this is for sure - if Evans keeps up the agression for the rest of the tour - he should have more options than in the past. We are seeing a different Cadel to recent tours. Reminds me of 2005 on the day after the news of the Amy Gillet tragedy broke. He is going to fight all the way to Paris.

We are seeing a different Evans as its a very different situation. He has nothing to lose now and expectations arent particularly high. For once he has some support in the mountains in VdB and Lloyd which is encouraging.

I gave a cheer when i saw him attack, and im hoping that on a steeper gradient he might be able to burn off Livestrong, but there is no way he has the kick to burn Contador or A Schleck imho.

At least we will see him go down swinging.

While you are attacking there is hope.

 

[PACONi]

The three big mistakes are well known: letting Horner go, hiring Kohl and hiring Dekker.

What he ought to do is have Bruyneel's new team buy out the remainder of his contract using the money they save from not having to sign Contador's after flight to Caisse.

The Bruyneel squad would be the perfect fit, with Leipheimer willing to share leadership with Evans, in reality hoping that Evans falters near the end and he can sneak onto the top step of the podium under the noses of his competitors. This only being a pipe dream of Leipheimer's because its quite unlikely that either of them will sniff the top step of the podium at the Tour with, as mentioned earlier, Contador, A. Schleck, Kreuziger, Martin likely to get even better while Evans and Leipheimer will be on the decline.

Make that 4. Popovych was a big fat waste of effort.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Maybe another roleur like Sebastian Lang to help out in a ttt or on the flats. In st 7 silence lotto were the only team who took it up to Astana. I think the next two pyrenean stages are going to be very boring as the finishes after the climb are 50km and 70km away. The route for the pyrenees this year is pretty crappy and boring. Good to see Cadel be agressive... the only rider who was better than him was AC.

 

[subzro]

Cadel should go Lance's new team

One thing is for sure, he needs new riders in SL, or he needs to leave. At the moment they are crap at everything they're trying to do (One day races, tours, hire clean riders lol)

 

[BroDeal]

Maybe another roleur like Sebastian Lang to help out in a ttt or on the flats. In st 7 silence lotto were the only team who took it up to Astana. I think the next two pyrenean stages are going to be very boring as the finishes after the climb are 50km and 70km away. The route for the pyrenees this year is pretty crappy and boring. Good to see Cadel be agressive... the only rider who was better than him was AC.

The problem is that even if Evans were better than Contador in what purports to be mountain stages of this Tour, he likely would not gain enough time to make up for his team's p!ss poor team time trial.

What about Lampre...

 

[colwildcat]

One this is for sure - if Evans keeps up the agression for the rest of the tour - he should have more options than in the past. We are seeing a different Cadel to recent tours. Reminds me of 2005 on the day after the news of the Amy Gillet tragedy broke. He is going to fight all the way to Paris.

What aggression are we talking about? He attacked once on a mountain stage today, was caught, then sat back down and rode it out. Or was it the aggression as he rode away from his teammates on the line of the TTT?

I don't think he can or will ever win a Tour. Riders of his style, Leipheimer, etc are great for smaller stage races, but lack the ability to ride away from people that you need to win a grand tour. He's better off resetting his expectations and focusing elsewhere.