Teams & Riders EF Pro Cycling

[Anderis]

Tom Scully has performed better than I had expected for him. I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to take anyone other from Drapac than Canty, but Scully is doing OK. Not only he was able to be a solid domestique in cobbled races, being able to hang onto the lead group for longer than 2/3 of the peloton in races like E3 and PR, but now he has taken a win. I wonder if he'll get a contract extension. Based on this season, he deserves it more than guys like Craddock or Wippert.

What's going on with Craddock BTW? Why is he so bad this year? He had a really solid and consistent 1st half of the year in 2016.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

To be fair to Rolland, his win rate since recently deciding that he's a professional stage hunter is pretty good.

 

[Anderis]

His win rate is exactly 1 WT win since then. it's too early to say if it's a sign of being a more efficient stage-hunter or just a pure coincidence.

I hope he can take more wins because he is a hard-working fighter but it remains to be seen if his new approach will really make that much of a difference to how many quality wins he takes.

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

His win rate is exactly 1 WT win since then. it's too early to say if it's a sign of being a more efficient stage-hunter or just a pure coincidence.

I hope he can take more wins because he is a hard-working fighter but it remains to be seen if his new approach will really make that much of a difference to how many quality wins he takes.

He won a stage at the GdI and RdS this year which is an amazing season, heck career, for most riders.

Didn't he win at the Volta a Cat too?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

His win rate is exactly 1 WT win since then. it's too early to say if it's a sign of being a more efficient stage-hunter or just a pure coincidence.

I hope he can take more wins because he is a hard-working fighter but it remains to be seen if his new approach will really make that much of a difference to how many quality wins he takes.

He won a stage at the GdI and RdS this year which is an amazing season, heck career, for most riders.

Didn't he win at the Volta a Cat too?

He took a minor jersey in Catalunya but didn't get a win. He has though, as you note, already taken two of his best wins. The Giro stage was obviously the bigger one, but the RdS queen stage is also better than anything he has done since 2013.

Anderis has a point that one (or two) wins isn't a huge amount of evidence yet. And he does have the disadvantage for a stagehunter of having no sprint. But at this point, I think it looks likely that he will make a much better specialist stagehunter than he did minor GC man.

I also think that Uran should in theory be capable of being a good stagehunter. If he has top form he should be among the very best climbers with the freedom to go in breaks and, unlike Rolland, he does have a decent finishing kick. He's never really been deployed in that role before, so he may or may not adapt well but on paper he has the right qualities.

 

[Ikbengodniet]

Re:

Tom Scully has performed better than I had expected for him. I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to take anyone other from Drapac than Canty, but Scully is doing OK. Not only he was able to be a solid domestique in cobbled races, being able to hang onto the lead group for longer than 2/3 of the peloton in races like E3 and PR, but now he has taken a win. I wonder if he'll get a contract extension. Based on this season, he deserves it more than guys like Craddock or Wippert.

What's going on with Craddock BTW? Why is he so bad this year? He had a really solid and consistent 1st half of the year in 2016.

Craddock was overtrained in the first months of this year.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re: Re:

Tom Scully has performed better than I had expected for him. I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to take anyone other from Drapac than Canty, but Scully is doing OK. Not only he was able to be a solid domestique in cobbled races, being able to hang onto the lead group for longer than 2/3 of the peloton in races like E3 and PR, but now he has taken a win. I wonder if he'll get a contract extension. Based on this season, he deserves it more than guys like Craddock or Wippert.

What's going on with Craddock BTW? Why is he so bad this year? He had a really solid and consistent 1st half of the year in 2016.

Craddock was overtrained in the first months of this year.

I recall a video of him training with the Boss or am I mistaken?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

 

[jmdirt]

How much would Kristoff cost them?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

How much would Kristoff cost them?

I'd guess a lot too much. He will likely be taking a pay cut, as he signed his last contract when he was a monument a year guy, but I don't see how Cannondale can afford a guy who was the big star of a big budget team unless Vaughters has landed a new sponsor.

 

[Leinster]

On the face of it Bennett, Coquard or Kristoff would be good signings for slipstream, but they would need to also sign or create a sprint train that they really just don't have at the moment. Kristoff will be 30 during this year's Tour, so may have already won all the monuments he's going to win. Bennett (26) and/or Coquard (25) may one day pick up a big win or two in the next few years.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

Tom Scully has performed better than I had expected for him. I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to take anyone other from Drapac than Canty, but Scully is doing OK. Not only he was able to be a solid domestique in cobbled races, being able to hang onto the lead group for longer than 2/3 of the peloton in races like E3 and PR, but now he has taken a win. I wonder if he'll get a contract extension. Based on this season, he deserves it more than guys like Craddock or Wippert.

What's going on with Craddock BTW? Why is he so bad this year? He had a really solid and consistent 1st half of the year in 2016.

Craddock was overtrained in the first months of this year.

I recall a video of him training with the Boss or am I mistaken?

Yep he was spotted riding with him back in January

 

[Anderis]

Re:

but they would need to also sign or create a sprint train that they really just don't have at the moment.

They already have a good basis to create a decent sprint train- I believe that Vanmarcke, Phinney and Van Asbroeck (add Bevin and Bettiol, but they don't have contracts for 2018 so they may leave) could do a decent job if they trained specifically for it. They need maybe one signing for someone who could be the last lead-out man, but there is some material to create the rest of the train already in the team.

Wippert has been a disappointment. I didn't expect him to reach a level which would allow him to win GT stages for example, but he took a WT win in 2015, so going 1,5 years without win is a bit disappointing. Last year he at least came close on multiple occasions, this year he seems to be nowhere (apart from a surprisingly respectable performance in Paris-Roubaix).

But to be honest, I think Cannondale would be more entertaining team if they kept investing their limited resources in riders who could animate hilly races and classics instead of forming a sprinting train.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

But to be honest, I think Cannondale would be more entertaining team if they kept investing their limited resources in riders who could animate hilly races and classics instead of forming a sprinting train.

Agreed. And that used to be their thing; pick up a few classic wins, GT stages here and there too, maybe a jersey, and make sure to be well-drilled at TTT. And sooner or later a big win (like a Giro) would come their way.

 

[yaco]

Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

Funny you say that as it's just been announced that 20 year old Australian climber Cyrus Monk will join them as a stagiaire for the second half of the season http://slipstreamsports.com/cyrus-monk-earns-cannondale-drapac-stagiaire-position/ he comes through the Drapac Pat's Veg Devo team. Been following him for a while now and has a ton of potential.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

Funny you say that as it's just been announced that 20 year old Australian climber Cyrus Monk will join them as a stagiaire for the second half of the season http://slipstreamsports.com/cyrus-monk-earns-cannondale-drapac-stagiaire-position/ he comes through the Drapac Pat's Veg Devo team. Been following him for a while now and has a ton of potential.

Has Monk ridden since the Oceania Road Championship in March.

 

[Anderis]

I wonder what about Formolo. Already has 52 race days and looked overraced during the Dauphine, but is scheduled to ride Austria, Poland and Vuelta according to PCS.

Added to provisional Austria startlist recently. Maybe he will not race the Vuelta after all. And who knows if that's not because he is leaving the team.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

Funny you say that as it's just been announced that 20 year old Australian climber Cyrus Monk will join them as a stagiaire for the second half of the season http://slipstreamsports.com/cyrus-monk-earns-cannondale-drapac-stagiaire-position/ he comes through the Drapac Pat's Veg Devo team. Been following him for a while now and has a ton of potential.

Has Monk ridden since the Oceania Road Championship in March.

Just because it's not on PCS doesn't mean a rider hasn't been racing. His last race was the Gippsland 3 Day Tour June 10th-12th which he won https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B814DDuN-fy4aklROF9qTXpmMGs/view. Drapac Pat's Veg have been dominating the local Vic Road Series and Monk has been getting good results in most of the races he's been in http://results.vic.cycling.org.au/racer/Cyrus/Monk. You have to remember it's winter in Australia so the NRS is on a break and he's been racing the VRS and local club races.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

Funny you say that as it's just been announced that 20 year old Australian climber Cyrus Monk will join them as a stagiaire for the second half of the season http://slipstreamsports.com/cyrus-monk-earns-cannondale-drapac-stagiaire-position/ he comes through the Drapac Pat's Veg Devo team. Been following him for a while now and has a ton of potential.

Has Monk ridden since the Oceania Road Championship in March.

Just because it's not on PCS doesn't mean a rider hasn't been racing. His last race was the Gippsland 3 Day Tour June 10th-12th which he won https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B814DDuN-fy4aklROF9qTXpmMGs/view. Drapac Pat's Veg have been dominating the local Vic Road Series and Monk has been getting good results in most of the races he's been in http://results.vic.cycling.org.au/racer/Cyrus/Monk. You have to remember it's winter in Australia so the NRS is on a break and he's been racing the VRS and local club races.

One of the reasons i want Porte to win the TDF is because he came through the NRS. You dont have to only come through the elite pathways to join the WT.

 

[Jakob747]

Re: Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

Funny you say that as it's just been announced that 20 year old Australian climber Cyrus Monk will join them as a stagiaire for the second half of the season http://slipstreamsports.com/cyrus-monk-earns-cannondale-drapac-stagiaire-position/ he comes through the Drapac Pat's Veg Devo team. Been following him for a while now and has a ton of potential.

What about Mat Ross? He has been absolutely flying these past 18 months and would be a super interesting addition to Cannondale's roster! I really hope he gets the chance somewhere down the line as well.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

Wippert has been very poor. I still think that signing a sprinter was the right thing to do, but the sprinting competition is deep these days and Wippert just isn't fast enough to pick up the three or four wins a year in smaller races that Cannondale presumably signed him to get. The problem is that the guys who are fast enough tend to have a markedly higher price tag. An established tier 2 sprinter like a Coquard or a Bennett would be a substantial investment for a low budget team. Just look at how much Bouhanni gets paid.

Coquard would be a great signing for Cannondale - Give them wins during the season - Decent in the classics - Could ride one GT each year and possibly win a stage - I expect Cannondale to sign one of the young Australian talents, through the Drapac connection.

Funny you say that as it's just been announced that 20 year old Australian climber Cyrus Monk will join them as a stagiaire for the second half of the season http://slipstreamsports.com/cyrus-monk-earns-cannondale-drapac-stagiaire-position/ he comes through the Drapac Pat's Veg Devo team. Been following him for a while now and has a ton of potential.

What about Mat Ross? He has been absolutely flying these past 18 months and would be a super interesting addition to Cannondale's roster! I really hope he gets the chance somewhere down the line as well.

No arguments with me on that one, his performance at the Baw Baw Classic was really impressive, same goes for the Hotham stage at Bright last year beating home some quality climbers, he's certainly made a heap of progress since focusing on the road. He could of easily got the stagiare ride with Cannondale instead of Monk but if he keeps progressing the way he has then he will get his chance, the whole team has been performing since being created and it's good to see that Aussie riders have another pathway outside of the elite program.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

There was about three centimetres spread across two countries between this being a good weekend for Cannondale and this being a great weekend for them. Mullen doing the double is very nice, but if Vanmarcke and Wippert had been just the tiniest bit faster or luckier, Cannondale would have had an amazing haul. Still good to see Wippert showing some form for the first time this season.

 

[Anderis]

Yeah, so close and Cannondale would have won 2 road titles among major cycling nations. Naesen is starting to be a man who specialises in denying Cannondale more and more wins.

I wonder why they didn't send anyone to USA ITT championships, though. Even someone like Brown could have done well against this opposition. Phinney and Talansky would be the favourites but I understand it could disrupt their TdF preparations. I think they only sent 2 riders for ITT nationals. Mullen and Skujins. 1st and 2nd place. Not bad average.

And why does it take so long for Cannondale to announce those last 2 spots in the TdF team? I guess Uran and Langeveld are there but still they initially announced riders every 4 or so hours and now they've slowed down to 1 per day.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

The US ITT thing is very strange. An American champion is a nice thing for an American team to have, and they'd be be very likely winners.

Overall the last five or so weeks has been an enormous step forward. 5 wins, including a GT stage, and a range of riders looking good.