Teams & Riders EF Pro Cycling

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Well, I'm not surprised at all. Considering the fact that Drapac is the 2nd title sponsor, it's not a stretch to think they've contributed to the budget increase of at least in the region of 10% compared to 2015. Assuming that operational costs should stay more or less the same, as they were all covered by Cannondale single-handedly in the previous budget, the percentile increase in salary budget after brining in a co-sponsor could be even quite a bit more significant than that.

So it's not impossible that the hiring of Vanmarcke didn't even "consume" the whole salary budget increase.

And it's not only Talansky, who has probably taken a pay-cut. It's also Moser leaving. I imagine he could have been on a very high contract. If it was signed somewhere in the 2013, and I think it probably was, then Moser was a really hot prospect after winning Tour de Pologne and Strade BIanche at such a young age and certainly was able to negotiate a good deal. Perhaps better, than 2016 Phinney is.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Good point about the budget and also about Moser.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

2 thoughts more:

1. I'm slightly concerned by the amount of one-dimensional riders in the team. We all know Vanmarcke is a great cobble rider, but he doesn't have the skillset to bring any significant results outside of the cobbles. He's not like Kristoff or Degenkolb who can win sprints. He is not like Van Avermaet who can be a factor in hilly races and help his team-mates in stage races a bit. He is not like Cancellara, who could win TTs and even make solo late attacks for stage wins.
We also have plenty of climbers who are neither explosive, nor good TT-ists, like Rolland and Dombrowski. They can only shine in big mountain. I don't know Carthy a lot, but quick look at his results suggests he is kinda the same type of rider. So is Andre Cardoso (who doesn't have a contract for 2017 yet, though).
Wippert is the quickest sprinter in the team, but he doesn't seem to handle cobbles and hills very well. Those, who are better at this in the team, don't have the speed to sprint in big races, even when the weakest sprinters are shaken off.
They don't have anybody suited to Amstel Gold Race and simillar races. All of those who can handle punchy climbs at this level are average rouleurs and don't have very good finish. Guys like Bevin may have the skillset, but don't have the level, yet.
There's not a lot of guys in the team who can combine TT with something else. Especially TT and climbing. It really hampers the flexibility of the team. TTTs are always going to be bad and there doesn't seem to be many versatile guys who would increase the team's depth, giving more tactical options during the races.

2. If Phinney joins Cannondale, that would be something incredible. Throughout the years, as a Garmin fan, I was often ending up disappointed by the fact that all of the best American prospects were signing for other teams. I mean epsecially Phinney, Craddock and Dombrowski. And what now? It's not impossible all of them will be riding for the continuation of Garmin in 2017! Only Van Garderen is lacking.

 

[luckyboy]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Now keep at least 2 out of these four: Formolo, Cardoso, Navardauskas, Woods and it will be excellent transfer period no matter what other movements will be.

I would rather have Formolo on his own than the other 3 and not Formolo.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

I would rather have Formolo on his own than the other 3 and not Formolo.

That's disputable. The question is how much progress Formolo can make.

I would definetely have Navardauskas, Cardoso and Woods than Formolo and two guys who don't belong to WT. Woods has had a great season considering his experience with 5th in TdU and 12th in la Fleche. Navardauskas is one of the best team-mates in the peloton and is capable of winning on his own too. And Cardoso alone proved to be more useful for the team in GTs than Formolo at this point.

If you believe than Formolo can have a breakthrough season and finish on the Giro podium or something like that next year, then he is maybe worth more than these 3. But if he only improves slightly on his 2016 level, he definetely isn't.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Now, let's see if Andy can pull something out of his hat...

 

[pastronef]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

finally! Talansky!

good job boy, good job.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

A good week for Cannondale.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Talansky always seems to be good in the last one-week race before a GT he targets:
2012: won Tour de l'Ain before the Vuelta
2013: fell ill before Dauphine but was ok for the last stage in which he finished 3rd behind de Marchi (breakaway, I assume) and Froome
2014: won the Dauphine before the Tour
2015: 10th in Dauphine before the Tour may not seem particularly impressive, but it was his only top10 overall that year
2016: Utah before the Vuelta.

Considering this, I wonder why the team stated that he is here to help Dombrowski. Were they trying to fool the opposition or have I really a better clue than them about who is going to perform well within the team? :lol:

 

[liamito]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Talansky always seems to be good in the last one-week race before a GT he targets:
2012: won Tour de l'Ain before the Vuelta
2013: fell ill before Dauphine but was ok for the last stage in which he finished 3rd behind de Marchi (breakaway, I assume) and Froome
2014: won the Dauphine before the Tour
2015: 10th in Dauphine before the Tour may not seem particularly impressive, but it was his only top10 overall that year
2016: Utah before the Vuelta.

Considering this, I wonder why the team stated that he is here to help Dombrowski. Were they trying to fool the opposition or have I really a better clue than them about who is going to perform well within the team? :lol:

Payback time. Dombro helped Talansky big time in Suisse and is supposed to do the same in Spain, so the plan was to switch roles in Utah. Makes sense.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

2 thoughts more:

1. I'm slightly concerned by the amount of one-dimensional riders in the team. We all know Vanmarcke is a great cobble rider, but he doesn't have the skillset to bring any significant results outside of the cobbles. He's not like Kristoff or Degenkolb who can win sprints. He is not like Van Avermaet who can be a factor in hilly races and help his team-mates in stage races a bit. He is not like Cancellara, who could win TTs and even make solo late attacks for stage wins.
We also have plenty of climbers who are neither explosive, nor good TT-ists, like Rolland and Dombrowski. They can only shine in big mountain. I don't know Carthy a lot, but quick look at his results suggests he is kinda the same type of rider. So is Andre Cardoso (who doesn't have a contract for 2017 yet, though).
Wippert is the quickest sprinter in the team, but he doesn't seem to handle cobbles and hills very well. Those, who are better at this in the team, don't have the speed to sprint in big races, even when the weakest sprinters are shaken off.
They don't have anybody suited to Amstel Gold Race and simillar races. All of those who can handle punchy climbs at this level are average rouleurs and don't have very good finish. Guys like Bevin may have the skillset, but don't have the level, yet.
There's not a lot of guys in the team who can combine TT with something else. Especially TT and climbing. It really hampers the flexibility of the team. TTTs are always going to be bad and there doesn't seem to be many versatile guys who would increase the team's depth, giving more tactical options during the races.

2. If Phinney joins Cannondale, that would be something incredible. Throughout the years, as a Garmin fan, I was often ending up disappointed by the fact that all of the best American prospects were signing for other teams. I mean epsecially Phinney, Craddock and Dombrowski. And what now? It's not impossible all of them will be riding for the continuation of Garmin in 2017! Only Van Garderen is lacking.

Pat Bevin goes part way toward filling that gap, if Cannondale held on to Nathan Haas and Lachlan Morton as well they'd probably be fine.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Payback time. Dombro helped Talansky big time in Suisse and is supposed to do the same in Spain, so the plan was to switch roles in Utah. Makes sense.

It only makes sense if Talansky isn't much stronger than Dombrowski.

Pat Bevin goes part way toward filling that gap, if Cannondale held on to Nathan Haas and Lachlan Morton as well they'd probably be fine.

There was no way to keep Morton. He wasn't happy riding at WT level IIRC.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Payback time. Dombro helped Talansky big time in Suisse and is supposed to do the same in Spain, so the plan was to switch roles in Utah. Makes sense.

It only makes sense if Talansky isn't much stronger than Dombrowski.

Pat Bevin goes part way toward filling that gap, if Cannondale held on to Nathan Haas and Lachlan Morton as well they'd probably be fine.

There was no way to keep Morton. He wasn't happy riding at WT level IIRC.

True, but you have to wonder how much was the team. Morton wouldn't have been the first rider to not get along with JV if that was the case.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Is the Vanmarcke thing confirmed yet?

 

[Anderis]

Re:

Is the Vanmarcke thing confirmed yet?

Yes, it is. http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2016/08/05/sep-vanmarcke-set-to-join-cannondale-drapac-in-2017/

True, but you have to wonder how much was the team. Morton wouldn't have been the first rider to not get along with JV if that was the case.

I don't think JV was the issue at all in this case.

"I was pretty young when I went there. I was 20 or 21 when I went to the WorldTour. So I just wasn't ready for that adjustment of moving my whole life over [to Europe]. I was by myself and it was a huge culture shock. I didn't enjoy being away from my family and my girlfriend. It's a tough transition and I wasn't ready to do it. I wouldn't change it, it was a great experience, but I knew I had to change something at the end of those two years to start enjoying the sport. I didn't want to give that away."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/morton-not-ruling-out-a-worldtour-return/

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Looking at the provisional startlist, Wippert will have a good chance to take his 1st win for Cannondale in Czech Cycling Tour. There is Modolo, but apart from him, it's by far the weakest opposition he has faced so far this season.

It's a pity he will have only one opportunity, because stages 3 and 4 look a bit too hilly for him.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

Looking at the provisional startlist, Wippert will have a good chance to take his 1st win for Cannondale in Czech Cycling Tour. There is Modolo, but apart from him, it's by far the weakest opposition he has faced so far this season.

It's a pity he will have only one opportunity, because stages 3 and 4 look a bit too hilly for him.

Well well.

 

[Anderis]

Shame Wippert didn't win today, but I didn't even expect him to be there on today's finish TBH, so I can understand why was he outsprinted after hilly stage.

Langeveld 2nd overall bodes well. It's a while since he showed some form. Will he go to the Vuelta or not? Eneco could be good for him this year since there isn't any LBL-like stage AFAIK. But the same can be said about Van Baarle.

Can't wait for Vuelta roster. It appears that Skujins and Wippert will not go there (recently added to Canadian races and Cyclassics Hamburg starlists respectively), although they were expected to go few weeks ago, so it seems the roster will be climbing-oriented. The question is if they'll send a pure-climbing team or will they try to balance the things with TTT in mind, adding guys like Langeveld, Bauer or Bevin. 27,8 kms is quite a bit. Will be hard to set a good time having riders like Dombrowski and Cardoso in the roster.

Good to see the team was able to win a TTT in Czechia!

 

[Escarabajo]

Any news on La Vuelta roster?

 

[jens_attacks]

Wait until thursday. As usual.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

https://twitter.com/Ride_Argyle/status/765936216114130945

I assume this is their Vuelta roster, but I struggle to recognise anyone beyond Talansky and Moser.

EDIT: I've been watching this more and more and I think:
1. Formolo
2. ?
3. Moser (or maybe mixing him up with Cardoso?)
4. ? Woods?
5. Dombrowski
6. Talansky
7. ? Koren?
8. ?
9. Van Baarle?

Not 100% sure on anyone TBH. Hard to recognise them from this.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

https://twitter.com/Ride_Argyle/status/765936216114130945

I assume this is their Vuelta roster, but I struggle to recognise anyone beyond Talansky and Moser.

EDIT: I've been watching this more and more and I think:
1. Formolo
2. ?
3. Moser (or maybe mixing him up with Cardoso?)
4. ? Woods?
5. Dombrowski
6. Talansky
7. ? Koren?
8. ?
9. Van Baarle?

Not 100% sure on anyone TBH. Hard to recognise them from this.

As long as Formolo steps up his game.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

It's a joke that they delay their GT team announcements like this. Is this supposed to be funny/witty? It's not.

 

[pastronef]

Re: Cannondale-Drapac

https://twitter.com/Ride_Argyle/status/765936216114130945

I assume this is their Vuelta roster, but I struggle to recognise anyone beyond Talansky and Moser.

EDIT: I've been watching this more and more and I think:
1. Formolo
2. ?
3. Moser (or maybe mixing him up with Cardoso?)
4. ? Woods?
5. Dombrowski
6. Talansky
7. ? Koren?
8. ?
9. Van Baarle?

Not 100% sure on anyone TBH. Hard to recognise them from this.

I also saw Slagter, no?

 

[Sykes]

Cannondale-Drapac for the 2017 Vuelta a España:

Patrick Bevin
Simon Clarke
Joe Dombrowski
Davide Formolo
Ben King
Moreno Moser
Pierre Rolland
Andrew Talansky
Davide Villella

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2016/08/18/talansky-to-lead-cannondale-drapac-at-the-vuelta/