Teams & Riders EF Pro Cycling

[Rob5091]

Good to hear it's all sorted out!

 

[Anderis]

I have no problem with sprinters being less of a priority for the team but there are some races on the calendar that basically only a sprinter can have a good result in, so any WT team should have 2 or 3 guys who can get a decent result from a bunch sprint under right circumstances.
EF only have Van den Berg and he's not even confirmed for 2024.

And Bemer Cyclassics illustrates perfectly the point I was making. It's an obligatory WT race that almost always ends up in a sprint. EF have not brought anyone who can sprint because Van den Berg has different plans for this part of the season and they don't have anybody else.
It really wouldn't harm to give a shot to a cheap sprinter somewhere from u-23 or a continental team. You don't need someone who can realistically win a GT stage, but getting someone who can at least be in the mix in some of these easier terrain classics on a good day would be much more valuable than your 14th best climber or something.

 

[RedheadDane]

And Bemer Cyclassics illustrates perfectly the point I was making. It's an obligatory WT race that almost always ends up in a sprint. EF have not brought anyone who can sprint because Van den Berg has different plans for this part of the season and they don't have anybody else.

Are you saying that Julius is "Fake Van den Berg"?

 

[Anderis]

Are you saying that Julius is "Fake Van den Berg"?

No, I'm saying that Julius is not a sprinter.

 

[Potomac]

The team for the Vuelta per PCS

• BISSEGGER Stefan*
• -CAICEDO Jonathan Klever
• -CAMARGO Diego Andrés*
• -CARTHY Hugh
• -PICCOLO Andrea*
• -QUINN Sean*
• -VAN DEN BERG Marijn*
• -VAN DEN BERG Julius

No Healey? I'm disappointed.

 

[Sciatic]

The team for the Vuelta per PCS

• BISSEGGER Stefan*
• -CAICEDO Jonathan Klever
• -CAMARGO Diego Andrés*
• -CARTHY Hugh
• -PICCOLO Andrea*
• -QUINN Sean*
• -VAN DEN BERG Marijn*
• -VAN DEN BERG Julius

No Healey? I'm disappointed.

Maybe Carthusian can somehow refine his prior climbing form,

Ed. Ha, I didn’t notice till now how much spellcheck tangled that. . . Supposed to read “Carthy” and “refind”

 

[Anderis]

The team for the Vuelta per PCS

• BISSEGGER Stefan*
• -CAICEDO Jonathan Klever
• -CAMARGO Diego Andrés*
• -CARTHY Hugh
• -PICCOLO Andrea*
• -QUINN Sean*
• -VAN DEN BERG Marijn*
• -VAN DEN BERG Julius

No Healey? I'm disappointed.

Healy was never going to ride 2 GTs this year after such an intense spring.

The roster doesn't seem very strong and if something goes wrong with Carthy, they may end up being pretty invisible in the race.

 

[Bolder]

The team for the Vuelta per PCS

• BISSEGGER Stefan*
• -CAICEDO Jonathan Klever
• -CAMARGO Diego Andrés*
• -CARTHY Hugh
• -PICCOLO Andrea*
• -QUINN Sean*
• -VAN DEN BERG Marijn*
• -VAN DEN BERG Julius

No Healey? I'm disappointed.

Carapaz not coming back from TdF injury is a huge blow. That said, I'd also like to see Piccolo back on form, and I expect Quinn and Caicedo will be in breaks. And maybe Bissegger can do well in the ITT.

Carthy might surprise, but I have a feeling he's basically targeting a stage win on Angliru again vs GC.

Camargo should be Carthy's lieutenant in the mountains, correct?

 

[Anderis]

Camargo should be Carthy's lieutenant in the mountains, correct?

This guy has never finished a WT race higher than 50th overall and only one stage inside top20.

Most likely Carthy will be without a lieutenant in the mountains but if anything, Sean Quinn seems like a more likely candidate.

If Carthy crashes out of the race on stage 2, EF not getting a single top10 on any hilly or mountainous stage seems like a pretty likely outcome.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Camargo a little underrated I think, has been working in the service of others mostly but from what I've seen he's an impressive climber on his day.

Was particularly strong in Mercan Tour, did an excellent job working for Carapaz as 2nd to last, then Mont Ventoux helping Carr, is in decent form too I believe from Burgos. I understand the level is different here but the Vuelta isn't usually raced full-on so I think he can do a good job.

The sprint field is really shallow so I think Van Den Berg, who's positioning is really good on the more technical run-ins can do something here.

 

[firefly3323]

Maybe Carthusian can somehow refine his prior climbing form,

I'm not going to hold my breath on that....

 

[Potomac]

I think we can agree Camargo isn't a gc podium threat.

 

[Escarabajo]

Camargo has had plenty of chances to show who He is. He is not setting the world on fire. Very disappointed with him. Having said that, he tries very hard getting into breaks quite often. He has improved also but He will not be the rider that we thought when He departed to Europe.

 

[Anderis]

4 riders in top30 in Renewi Tour today. That's a lot, but the team is likely to finish outside top10 of GC anyway. Once again, a great team to support a potential would be leader that's not there. Their team for cobbled/flatter races could use some refreshing.

 

[Anderis]

It was nice to see Caicedo, Camargo and Quinn providing some good support for Carthy but all in vain as Carthy was dropped pretty early. It looks like EF is going to fail at GC in all 3 GTs this year, which is not a good look for a climbing-focused team. I always enjoy watching stage races much less when EF doesn't have anyone in contention for top10 overall.

Also I found this graph from PCS live today interesting.

EF have short term up and downs, but long term they really seem to trend downwards.

 

[Potomac]

I do like charts and graphs.....I will have to digest that one.

meanwhile.....they had nice Giro, but that will be it for GTs this year.

 

[Bolder]

It was nice to see Caicedo, Camargo and Quinn providing some good support for Carthy but all in vain as Carthy was dropped pretty early. It looks like EF is going to fail at GC in all 3 GTs this year, which is not a good look for a climbing-focused team. I always enjoy watching stage races much less when EF doesn't have anyone in contention for top10 overall.

Also I found this graph from PCS live today interesting.

EF have short term up and downs, but long term they really seem to trend downwards.

I had very high hopes for Carapaz this year; he could have made a difference in GC. Healy has been a revelation hence the jump in one day points.

 

[Anderis]

Not a single transfer or contract extension confirmed by the team in August.

 

[Potomac]

Not a single transfer or contract extension confirmed by the team in August.

You follow them more closely than I. Has it been their habit in the past to delay the announcements, like they do with start lists?

 

[RedheadDane]

They've been pretty busy announcing signings to the women's team.

 

[Anderis]

You follow them more closely than I. Has it been their habit in the past to delay the announcements, like they do with start lists?

It depends on a year. Some years they announce plenty of transfers from early August (2018->2019 was like that, I believe), another time they tend to be pretty late compared to other teams.
I also remember there was a year when they announced several contract extensions in the spring (2021, I believe) and this year they've only announced Healy so far.

So I think it has happened before that they were late with announcing transfers and contract extensions but it's not like that every year so I'm pretty annoyed they've been so quiet on that front recently.

Bettiol was rumoured to have extended like 2 months ago already but they still haven't announced it.

 

[Potomac]

Well at least today they had Caicedo in the break and took a serious shot at winning the stage.

 

[Potomac]

Hugh Carthy currently in 12th.
Will he finish higher or lower at the end?

 

[Sciatic]

Well at least today they had Caicedo in the break and took a serious shot at winning the stage.

I thought he had for a moment there.

 

[Anderis]

I thought he had for a moment there.

Yeah, when he attacked and the chasers hesitated.

But a few moments later it became apparent he wasn't the strongest of the breakaway when they took half of his advantage in like 50 meters without going full gas.