Teams & Riders EF Pro Cycling

[carton]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

It's strange that they say it's all for Uran, but they ride the way they did today. Uran was sitting halfway through the peloton all the time. One crash, one sudden acceleration and he doesn't make the first part of the split. Then, when the final climb started, there were 5 Cannondale riders in the 60-men bunch but they were all sitting at the back instead of protecting Uran. And later, when Dumoulin, Pozzovivo and Zakarin attacked, Dombrowski was happily sitting in the bunch instead of trying to close the gap for Uran. It's not like Dombrowski can be saved "just in case", because he was already 13 minutes down in GC.

I hope they will not pay the price for riding like that in the following days.

The team is very capable climbing-wise. 4 men in the top35 and another in the top50 today.

According to Dombrowski, Rigo apparently wanted to take it easy at the back because the gradient was at times nonexistent and the headwind was quite strong.

And that was a risky split to go with. There were a few guys with teammates at that point. Meanwhile Zakarin isn't always the most helpful of break-mates and Siutsou and Fulgsang had no clear reason to pull. That they did anyway is why the gap held. Had Uran bridged with, say, Chaves or Valverde who knows what would've happened.

In any case, Cannondale's been riding for Uran pretty exclusively (and pretty well) until today, where they're making a little dig here for reasons that completely elude me.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I think Cannondale were expecting crosswinds today, that's why they were riding so hard. And rightfully so, IMO. Peleton was on the verge of splitting when they were at the front.

 

[the delgados]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I think Cannondale were expecting crosswinds today, that's why they were riding so hard. And rightfully so, IMO. Peleton was on the verge of splitting when they were at the front.

Too bad they didn't check the weather network before sending their team to the front.

 

[jens_attacks]

not really, they raced in netherlands too the same. just keeping uran out of problems. i expect rigo to be very strong later.

 

[SafeBet]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I think Cannondale were expecting crosswinds today, that's why they were riding so hard. And rightfully so, IMO. Peleton was on the verge of splitting when they were at the front.

Too bad they didn't check the weather network before sending their team to the front.

?
Wind was strong after the last climb.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I would like if they put Moser or Clarke in the break for tomorrow.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I think Cannondale were expecting crosswinds today, that's why they were riding so hard. And rightfully so, IMO. Peleton was on the verge of splitting when they were at the front.

There was crosswinds in some parts before. When they acelerates the wind was mostly tailwind, and Boswell just puntured, so Landa could be afected. I think they wanted to cross Spoletto at the front, becoue there was lot of roundabouts, and think like that.

The best place to split was little bit latter...

If you dont try yiy never succed.

Anyway that high pace contributed to some people losing 9 seconds: Chaves, Hesjedal and Firsanov, and to make pain to more riders in his legs...

Uran was 21th...

 

[carton]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I think they wanted to cross Spoletto at the front, because there were lot of roundabouts, and things like that. (edited)

This makes the most sense to me, particularly upon reading yesterdays' Matt Beaudin (Cannondale's PR guy) CyclingTips piece: "Sometimes a DS will look at one stage for five hours, just analyzing the roads from above, looking for the corners that can end a team’s GC dreams."

The "forcing a split" idea doesn't quite make sense to me. Wrong spot, but also, wrong team to hold a crosswind split. And they'd be saving Narvadauskas and Moser for that key moment when the split starts to take shape.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I would like if they put Moser or Clarke in the break for tomorrow.

Clarke's the man.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

The "forcing a split" idea doesn't quite make sense to me

I didn't claim they wanted to create a split, I was rather suggesting they wanted to keep safe position just in case a split would appear anyway.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

I would like if they put Moser or Clarke in the break for tomorrow.

They've listened to my wish!

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Formolo lost a mere 3" to Jungels today, but the gap is likely to increase tomorrow.

Urán, on the other hand, looked really good.

 

[SafeBet]

Moser third, a good result. Hopefully he can manage to get in the breakaway again and challenge for a stage win.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re:

Urán, on the other hand, looked really good.

If only his CRI wasn't nonexistent.

 

[burning]

Can someone disband that useless team?

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Anyone know how Formolo did?

 

[Jancouver]

Re:

Anyone know how Formolo did?

78th - FORMOLO Davide ITA CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING TEAM CPT 56:23 +04:38

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

Dreadful. Zakarin had 2 crashes and a separate bike change and still finished in front of Uran...

How is this possible the rider who was one of the best TT-ers among GC riders suddenly is by far the worst of them despite showing decent climbing form so far?

 

[carton]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

Dreadful. Zakarin had 2 crashes and a separate bike change and still finished in front of Uran...

How is this possible the rider who was one of the best TT-ers among GC riders suddenly is by far the worst of them despite showing decent climbing form so far?

Different bike and he hasn't been focusing on his TT so much this year, so maybe his position has shifted or his TT form and consistency isn't quite as good. But who knows? It's was an El Nino year, perhaps his rainy descending chops are a bit rusty. Or maybe it's just that the fitness isn't quite there. That part we should be able to determine over the next two weeks.

In any case he did crash, so that probably cost him more than just the time to get back up.

 

[DNP-Old]

Uran also crashed, and also had to swap bikes. Not that it justifies his godawful performance.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

Dreadful. Zakarin had 2 crashes and a separate bike change and still finished in front of Uran...

How is this possible the rider who was one of the best TT-ers among GC riders suddenly is by far the worst of them despite showing decent climbing form so far?

A bad day... but when you dont ask to your body the best in all this year in an ITT in competition, you have very difficult to do it well in your objetive.

The only positive thing is that if he is ok, he has now more margin to attack from far. He just have to follow Hesjedal...

If this is becouse he is no OK, he has nothing to do...

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Uran also crashed, and also had to swap bikes. Not that it justifies his godawful performance.

That justifizes, similar time to Zakarin with the same problems...

He took too much risk at the begining IMO, he had a lot of pressure.

I would like to say the bad luck is again with him, but if you crash in an ITT, it is mostly your blame...He did the ITT with the wore rain conditions...just before it wasbetter, and at the end was better as well, but anyway similar to Chaves, Majka and Nibali, he would have been better than Chaves and Majka without those problemIMo, he crashed very early...

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

The only positive thing is that if he is ok, he has now more margin to attack from far. He just have to follow Hesjedal...

Ryder's getting old, though.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Anyone know how Formolo did?

78th - FORMOLO Davide ITA CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING TEAM CPT 56:23 +04:38

So as expected, really.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Cannondale Pro Cycling

Dreadful. Zakarin had 2 crashes and a separate bike change and still finished in front of Uran...

How is this possible the rider who was one of the best TT-ers among GC riders suddenly is by far the worst of them despite showing decent climbing form so far?

I don't feel your pain, but it must be extremely frustrating to be a Cannondale fan. I really hope that either Urán or Formolo surprises hugely now so you can have something to cheer for, lol. I really do...