Dream Tour GC Team of current riders.

[Oliwright]

So i was thinking what squad could you make from current riders which would be the ultimate tour squad.
Instantly you think of the star names: Contador, Sagan, etc

I decided to set some rules so we don't just have GC riders in the race:

Obviously a GC team has to be balanced, so here are the category of riders you have to comply with:
2 GC, 2 Climbers, 2 All Rounders, 2 Classics riders and 1 Free choice.

Also lets only allow 1 of Nibali, Contador, Froome and Quintana. Otherwise realistically the team wouldn't function as well due to leadership battles and otherwise all 4 would be in the team.

My Team
Froome
Valverde
Landa
Scarponi
Thomas
Dumoulin
Sagan
Cancelara
T Martin

2 Gc riders: Contador and Valverde. Valverde is so reliable and could provide assistance to Froome calming him etc. Froome is arguably the best all round GC rider right now when he has a clean run up to an event and when he doesn't crash. I think as a partnership they would work well together.

2 Climbers: This is difficult as most good climbers are GC riders, so it's questionable about how do you choose good climbers who aren't GC riders? I went for Landa as he is a pure climber and IMO is the best climber after the big 4.
Next my choice was Scarponi as he has repeatedly shown he is an amazing super domestique, arguably the best one out there.

2 All rounders: Thomas is by far the best all rounder in the world. Your probably thinking he's chosen 3 Sky riders therefore he's a Sky fan etc. Although I am a Sky fan, i don't think you can argue with my choice here at all. Thomas has been 4th up until stage 18 of the tour, won E3, won Paris Nice and been top 10 in RVV & Roubaix.
Next we have seen Dumoulin's amazing ability in TTs, on the flat and in the high & medium mountains. He also would be an amazing Character for the team.

2 Classics Riders: Is there much explaining needed here? Cancelara and Sagan are both so consistent and would provide insane fire power. No one else really comes to mind who has done as well as these two in GT's and the classics.

1 Free Choice: When you go for GT wins you have to be able to control the breakaway and Tony Martin would be the perfect rider to set a high pace for a long time. He is so versatile as well even finishing 4th at the TDS.

Thats my team explained, what would your's be?

 

[portugal11]

So i was thinking what squad could you make from current riders which would be the ultimate tour squad.
Instantly you think of the star names: Contador, Sagan, etc

I decided to set some rules so we don't just have GC riders in the race:

Obviously a GC team has to be balanced, so here are the category of riders you have to comply with:
2 GC, 2 Climbers, 2 All Rounders, 2 Classics riders and 1 Free choice.

Also lets only allow 1 of Nibali, Contador, Froome and Quintana. Otherwise realistically the team wouldn't function as well due to leadership battles and otherwise all 4 would be in the team.

My Team
Froome
Valverde
Landa
Scarponi
Thomas
Dumoulin
Sagan
Cancelara
T Martin

2 Gc riders: Contador and Valverde. Valverde is so reliable and could provide assistance to Froome calming him etc. Froome is arguably the best all round GC rider right now when he has a clean run up to an event and when he doesn't crash. I think as a partnership they would work well together.

2 Climbers: This is difficult as most good climbers are GC riders, so it's questionable about how do you choose good climbers who aren't GC riders? I went for Landa as he is a pure climber and IMO is the best climber after the big 4.
Next my choice was Scarponi as he has repeatedly shown he is an amazing super domestique, arguably the best one out there.

2 All rounders: Thomas is by far the best all rounder in the world. Your probably thinking he's chosen 3 Sky riders therefore he's a Sky fan etc. Although I am a Sky fan, i don't think you can argue with my choice here at all. Thomas has been 4th up until stage 18 of the tour, won E3, won Paris Nice and been top 10 in RVV & Roubaix.
Next we have seen Dumoulin's amazing ability in TTs, on the flat and in the high & medium mountains. He also would be an amazing Character for the team.

2 Classics Riders: Is there much explaining needed here? Cancelara and Sagan are both so consistent and would provide insane fire power. No one else really comes to mind who has done as well as these two in GT's and the classics.

1 Free Choice: When you go for GT wins you have to be able to control the breakaway and Tony Martin would be the perfect rider to set a high pace for a long time. He is so versatile as well even finishing 4th at the TDS.

Thats my team explained, what would your's be?

Contador or froome?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Quintana
Lil Richie
Valverde
Landa
Ion Izagirre
Gorka Izagirre
Bennati
Rowe
Sagan

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador
Aru
Rosa
Bardet
Amador
Jungels
Tony Martin
Sagan
Kittel

 

[Oliwright]

Contador or froome?[/quote]

I had a long think about this, we don't know and hopefully will find out this year which is better after a clean build up.
Last time the build up was even in 2013 Froome won, but contador imo has improved since.

I also think Froome just edges as he is better in long TT's, cobbles and short steep climbs.

 

[Oliwright]

Re:

Quintana
Lil Richie
Valverde
Landa
Ion Izagirre
Gorka Izagirre
Bennati
Rowe
Sagan

I rate Quintana, just not sure he's good enough outside of the mountains.
I'm not sure about the Izagirre brothers.
Rowe is a good rider and so is Bennati!

 

[Oliwright]

Re:

Contador
Aru
Rosa
Bardet
Amador
Jungels
Tony Martin
Sagan
Kittel

Jungels is a great choice! Obviously Contador is pure class. Rosa isn't at that top level for me. Also Aru doesn't seem like a great teammate to work for others.
Also generally GC teams don't have sprinters these days

 

[Valv.Piti]

You rate Quintana what? I'll be damned if the doesn't prove to be the best climber in the real mountains and on this route, the best climber wins. More or less. Richie and Landa will both have days where they are if not that good then very, very close.
Both Izagirre brothers are good rouleurs. Good in every terrain, but not so good that they will demand any more than help Quintana win.

Rowe and Bennati seems to be the best flat men.
And even tho Sagan got abused last year by Contador, he still managed to show he is, by far, the best rider in the peloton.

 

[Breh]

Re: Re:

Contador
Aru
Rosa
Bardet
Amador
Jungels
Tony Martin
Sagan
Kittel

Also generally GC teams don't have sprinters these days

And yet Sky always takes Viviani to the Giro, Tinkoff always takes Sagan to the Tour, FDJ won't go without Démare, etc...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Contador: GC leader, obvious choice - simply the best
Aru: plan B, super-domestique, can go for a stage
Rosa, Bardet: Rosa is a solid climber, great in the hills while Bardet would be a pure mountain domestique.
Amador, Jungels: two of the most allround riders in the peloton, huge class and also great teammates and domestiques.
Tony Martin: to control the break from the start till 10 to go.
Sagan: as he showed last year, very useful as a domestique and can get a top-5 in nearly all stages.
Kittel/Bennati: depending if you want sprint wins as well or just a GC focus.

Jungels is a great choice! Obviously Contador is pure class. Rosa isn't at that top level for me. Also Aru doesn't seem like a great teammate to work for others.
Also generally GC teams don't have sprinters these days

Oh I tried to select a team that could compete on all terrains, that's why I picked Kittel as well. Rosa is not a super climber but he is great on hilly terrain, and while there are not many hilly stages in the Tour, he would be super useful in the Giro and he could also go for stages (as I am writing this post I realize I should have read the OP better )
It was between Aru and Pinot for me for the 2nd GC spot, putting one of them as a climber would feel like cheating to me. I went for Aru as I feel he has a higher ceiling and Alberto is his idol so I think Aru would not mind working for him for 1 race as long as he gets the chance to go for a specific stage as well.
For my team I tried to select riders that could all win a stage, but if this should be a pure GC-focused team, I would swap Kittel for Bennati, every GC team could use a Bennati.
I've added some more explanations for my choices in the quote above

 

[Alexandre B.]

If I have to chose a sprinter in a GC-focused team, I would pick Greipel. Great teammate.

 

[gunara]

Contador
Kreuziger
Thomas

Scarponi
Vuillermoz
Plaza
Erviti
Paolini
Sagan

 

[deValtos]

Ah this is too easy

2 GC
Froome
Thomas
2 Climbers
Landa
Henao
2 All Rounders
Kwiatkowski
Poels
2 Classic Riders
Stannard
Rowe
1 Free Pick
Puccio

 

[gunara]

Ah this is too easy

2 GC
Froome
Thomas
2 Climbers
Landa
Henao
2 All Rounders
Kwiatkowski
Poels
2 Classic Riders
Stannard
Rowe
1 Free Pick
Puccio

I have to admit that this is actually a near-perfect team.

 

[sir fly]

I'm for anarchy.
.
Froome
Thomas
Stannard
Quintana
Valverde
Anacona
Contador
Sagan
Hernández

 

[Breh]

Re:

I'm for anarchy.
.
Froome
Thomas
Stannard
Quintana
Valverde
Anacona
Contador
Sagan
Hernández

Why limit yourself to 9riders?

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

You rate Quintana what? I'll be damned if the doesn't prove to be the best climber in the real mountains and on this route, the best climber wins. More or less. Richie and Landa will both have days where they are if not that good then very, very close.
Both Izagirre brothers are good rouleurs. Good in every terrain, but not so good that they will demand any more than help Quintana win.

Rowe and Bennati seems to be the best flat men.
And even tho Sagan got abused last year by Contador, he still managed to show he is, by far, the best rider in the peloton.

I expect Quintana to be the strongest climber too, but only marginally, and not strong enough to drop CF or AC if they ride defensively (which they can afford to do given their advantage in the TT. But whoever isn't first out of those two will go nuclear, and force the other one into working too)

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

I'm for anarchy.
.
Froome
Thomas
Stannard
Quintana
Valverde
Anacona
Contador
Sagan
Hernández

Why limit yourself to 9riders?

I suppose that's the GT format.
Sometimes, anarchy has limits.

 

[gunara]

Re: Re:

I'm for anarchy.
.
Froome
Thomas
Stannard
Quintana
Valverde
Anacona
Contador
Sagan
Hernández

Why limit yourself to 9riders?

I suppose that's the GT format.
Sometimes, anarchy has limits.

Too bad, no room for an Astana trio

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

I'm for anarchy.
.
Froome
Thomas
Stannard
Quintana
Valverde
Anacona
Contador
Sagan
Hernández

Why limit yourself to 9riders?

I suppose that's the GT format.
Sometimes, anarchy has limits.

Too bad, no room for an Astana trio

With Nibali and Aru it would overcome anarchy. Would become chaos!

 

[TMP402]

1 Free Choice: When you go for GT wins you have to be able to control the breakaway and Tony Martin would be the perfect rider to set a high pace for a long time. He is so versatile as well even finishing 4th at the TDS.

And he won Paris-Nice...

 

[TMP402]

2 Gc riders:
Froome
Pinot

2 Climbers:
Landa
Zakarin

2 All rounders:
Thomas
T Martin

2 Classics Riders:
Cancellara
Oss

1 Free Choice:
Swift/Trentin

Don't know which is more a pure climber, Zakarin or Pinot. And I can't decide between Swift and Trentin.

 

[Oliwright]

1 Free Choice: When you go for GT wins you have to be able to control the breakaway and Tony Martin would be the perfect rider to set a high pace for a long time. He is so versatile as well even finishing 4th at the TDS.

And he won Paris-Nice...

A relatively flat edition, that tour of swisse wasn't however.

 

[Oliwright]

Re:

2 Gc riders:
Froome
Pinot

2 Climbers:
Landa
Zakarin

2 All rounders:
Thomas
T Martin

2 Classics Riders:
Cancellara
Oss

1 Free Choice:
Swift/Trentin

Don't know which is more a pure climber, Zakarin or Pinot. And I can't decide between Swift and Trentin.

I personally think Pinot is a massive liability! His descending is amongst the worst in the peleton and he is inconsistent.
I'd go for Trentin I think he is one of the most underrated riders out there.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: Re:

2 Gc riders:
Froome
Pinot

2 Climbers:
Landa
Zakarin

2 All rounders:
Thomas
T Martin

2 Classics Riders:
Cancellara
Oss

1 Free Choice:
Swift/Trentin

Don't know which is more a pure climber, Zakarin or Pinot. And I can't decide between Swift and Trentin.

I personally think Pinot is a massive liability! His descending is amongst the worst in the peleton and he is inconsistent.
I'd go for Trentin I think he is one of the most underrated riders out there.

In 2013, maybe, but he's massively improved since then. Fact is, he'd be in a GC dream team (he's much more consistent in GTs than Valverde, say, and I reckon he'd be more of a team player. I get why Bala basically stopped Quintana from winning the Tour, because the podium was important to him, but it doesn't speak well for him as a dom.)