Teams & Riders EF Pro Cycling

[Anderis]

I don't think Carthy is in top5 GC worthy form here anyway.

Confirmed. You could see that with the way he was riding on previous stages already.

In 2020 they brought to the Tour de France Uran, Martinez, Carthy and Higuita. Among all of them, only Uran was in GC form. Then to the Vuelta they brought Carthy, Woods and Martinez. Only Carthy among all of them was in GC form.
In 2021 when they bring Carthy alone to a GT, it's likely to end up like that. EF rarely come to the race with a big favourite and they've always relied on numbers to have someone come good during the race. If you only bring one rider with potential, odds are not great. That's why I'm so disappointment with the loss of depth after 2020 and you can see how it hurts the team on days like today.

Not much is going to change in 2022 if they only sign riders like Shaw, Kudus and Healy, I'm afraid.

They could use a sprinter. Maybe not a big name but at least someone they could ride for in those smaller races with a lot of flat stages like Tour de Pologne. Right now their best sprinter is a man who took his last 2 wins after solos on a climb. Their 2nd best sprinter hasn't finished a stage in more than a year and their 3rd best sprinter hasn't participated in a single sprint since joining the team last year.
I think it's been some 10 years since their last proper sprint win in WT.

 

[triley36]

In light of this year’s Giro and Vuelta performances from Carthy, if it was a simple choice to keep either Carthy or Martinez, how bad does EF’s decision look now? It may have been more complex than that, but I do remember reading something from Vaughters that they had to chose which of the two to keep. I like Carthy and think he will win some stages in high level races over the next few years, but as a GC contender, I certainly rate Martinez’s prospects much higher. And yes- I recognize that Carthy has a GT podium already.

 

[Anderis]

but I do remember reading something from Vaughters that they had to chose which of the two to keep.

Do you remember something more? I would like to find this article as I was never aware that it was the choice between the two, I thought Ineos was just willing to buy Martinez out and EF grabbed the opportunity to cut down on wages and get a bit of compensation. That would imply someone was willing to buy Carthy out too? Maybe Ineos wanted both?

 

[janraaskalt]

Do you remember something more? I would like to find this article as I was never aware that it was the choice between the two, I thought Ineos was just willing to buy Martinez out and EF grabbed the opportunity to cut down on wages and get a bit of compensation. That would imply someone was willing to buy Carthy out too? Maybe Ineos wanted both?

Just having a very tight budget and "Both riders had enormous offers from other teams, and it was up to me to decide which one we fought for "

Avoiding the rat race: How EF-Nippo are punching above their weight

Vaughters on 'inspirational' Morton, choosing Carthy over Martínez, and keeping sponsors happy in a pandemic

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[triley36]

In light of this year’s Giro and Vuelta performances, if it was a simple choice to keep either Carthy or Martinez, how bad does EF’s decision look now? It may have been more complex than that, but I do remember reading something from Vaughters that they had to chose which of the two to keep.

Just having a very tight budget and "Both riders had enormous offers from other teams, and it was up to me to decide which one we fought for "

Avoiding the rat race: How EF-Nippo are punching above their weight

Vaughters on 'inspirational' Morton, choosing Carthy over Martínez, and keeping sponsors happy in a pandemic

www.cyclingnews.com

Thanks. I would have had no idea how to find that piece, but I was confident I had read something credible…

 

[Escarabajo]

I don't think the choice of going with Carthy was bad. Both are good. I think that Martinez gave them bigger upside, but we cannot tell until both are finished with their careers to be honest.

 

[Anderis]

Just having a very tight budget and "Both riders had enormous offers from other teams, and it was up to me to decide which one we fought for "

Avoiding the rat race: How EF-Nippo are punching above their weight

Vaughters on 'inspirational' Morton, choosing Carthy over Martínez, and keeping sponsors happy in a pandemic

www.cyclingnews.com

Thanks.

Can't help but the whole article feels like sweet lemons much from Vaughters but a bit from Cyclingnews as well (they're obviously on very good terms with the team based on all of their articles). Sometimes I wonder if he doesn't embrace the underdog role a bit too much.

 

[janraaskalt]

Can't help but the whole article feels like sweet lemons much from Vaughters but a bit from Cyclingnews as well (they're obviously on very good terms with the team based on all of their articles). Sometimes I wonder if he doesn't embrace the underdog role a bit too much.

Yeah, Vaughters probably thrives as an underdog manager, keeping positive and giving confidence. Finding those under the radar riders. We'll probably never know, but I am not sure he would manage a team like Ineos well.

 

[Anderis]

EF's social media haven't been great recently too. I've realised that they go silent whenever the team's fortunes are not great. They still haven't posted a word about Carthy, yet (at least on twitter).

 

[WKA311]

About Rutsch's future:

"His sporting future, which will probably continue to lie with EF Education - Nippo, is also about to be clarified. "I have already emphasised several times that I feel very comfortable with the team. But the talks are still ongoing," Rutsch did not want to be more specific."

Rutsch: “D-Tour kann schon am ersten Tag entschieden sein“ | radsport-news.com

www.radsport-news.com

 

[nedhill]

Kudus, James Shaw, Ben Healy have signed plus two other riders whose names I cannot yet reveal (two very promising riders)

Thanks for sharing!

Sounds like creative/stealth signings given the limited funding due to the global pandemic. Is there a source?

 

[Lininho]

Thanks for sharing!

Sounds like creative/stealth signings given the limited funding due to the global pandemic. Is there a source?

I sometimes receive information from the staff but these names were also relayed by WielerFlits. We can add Didier Merchan
The other two young riders who signed have (very) good potential

 

[Anderis]

Sounds like creative/stealth signings given the limited funding

Unfortunately it seems so and I don't like the trend!

In 2020 their only "non-creative" signing was Valgren and this year the only confirmed/rumoured "non-creative" signing so far has been Chaves.

Prior to 2020 they tended to make at least 2-3 (more like 3) "non-creative" signings every year. You would think they should get at least as many this year after losing so many good riders recently. But it looks like Chaves might really end up being the only one, which would suggest the team is worse off compared to the other teams than they had been before pandemics, which would really suck as before pandemics they already had to struggle with what usually was either the smallest or at best 2nd or 3rd smallest budget in WT.

 

[WKA311]

I have also seen the name of Paul Double float around fwiw. Would fit the mould of creative/stealth signing like Carr. Has been having a nice season on the italian calendar, often against the italian U23 scene. He's already 25 but probably only took a bit longer to develop and has still room to improve. Capable guy in the hills.

 

[RedheadDane]

I have also seen the name of Paul Double float around fwiw. Would fit the mould of creative/stealth signing like Carr. Has been having a nice season on the italian calendar, often against the italian U23 scene. He's already 25 but probably only took a bit longer to develop and has still room to improve. Capable guy in the hills.

Is he as strong as two men?

 

[WKA311]

Is he as strong as two men?

Only if they're named Paul.

 

[Anderis]

Cort has been a great signing for the team. He is more of a winner than any rider they've had since Dan Martin.

 

[nedhill]

What an amazing two days from Magnus Cort Nielsen

• On Stage 11 - The last 10-15km - was an amazing ride where he was caught 200m from the finish, after almost holding off 1 min gap on two climbs against the Peloton
• On Stage 12 - great lead-out and a long sprint and he takes the win!!

Great rider!

 

[Anderis]

I've been able to deduce that by the 17th of August, the team had already signed at least 7 new riders (other than Chaves), most of them much earlier than the 17th of August, yet they haven't announced a single one of them since then. What's the point of delaying ALL of the announcements so much?

 

[Lininho]

I sometimes receive information from the staff but these names were also relayed by WielerFlits. We can add Didier Merchan
The other two young riders who signed have (very) good potential

Sean Quinn and Georg Steinhauser

 

[Anderis]

10 WT wins this year. Absolutely amazing. 2nd best in team's history (after 2011).

It's funny. In 2016 they probably had a stronger team than in 2021 and better team performances, yet they took 0 WT wins! Sport results make no sense sometimes.

 

[Anderis]

I was happy to see a first serious display of from in the WT peleton from Camargo today.

 

[Anderis]

I'm starting to get suspicious that the secret of EF's frequent WT wins is me not watching.

I have watched at least 50 WT race days this year, yet I've only witnessed 1 out of 11 EF's WT wins! They always win on the days I decide not to watch. Today I watched Benelux Tour but not Vuelta. Go figure!

 

[Sciatic]

I'm starting to get suspicious that the secret of EF's frequent WT wins is me not watching.

I have watched at least 50 WT race days this year, yet I've only witnessed 1 out of 11 EF's WT wins! They always win on the days I decide not to watch. Today I watched Benelux Tour but not Vuelta. Go figure!

Watch a reply if you have one available—there was beautiful work in the break to hold off the peloton, with Craddock being one of the main powerhouses.

 

[Oldermanish]

Watch a reply if you have one available—there was beautiful work in the break to hold off the peloton, with Craddock being one of the main powerhouses.

Craddock took some serious pulls and the crucial last 2km that sealed the win. Every rider in that break rode very well including the DQS hopeful. Holding off a peloton for 30 km with that short of a gap was, again; the kind of racing we hope to see and this Vuelta has been joyfully out of character!