General News Thread

[Dazed and Confused]

Another bike theft, this time it's Team Sky who have 16 bikes stolen at Haut Var

Crazy development. Way too organized these days imo.
Teams needs to get together and make a plan at races I think.
Can Sky find replacement bike for the start?

 

[JRanton]

Caja Rural had five stolen in the Algarve too.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Crazy development. Way too organized these days imo.
Teams needs to get together and make a plan at races I think.
Can Sky find replacement bike for the start?

Sky tweeted that other teams have lent them spares. It's really shocking how common this is becoming, it's the innocent true fans that will start to suffer when the teams shut up shop and don't allow fans anywhere near buses/equipment ect due to these thefts.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Rcs's Allocchio said to Raisport2 that Rcs will have soon a meeting with local police to see if they can get Pompeiana climb ready for Sanremo but that it won't be easy cause many other roads need works as well.

If it won't be possible, the route will be similar to 2007 edition.

that's terrible. before 2009 course ie pure sprinter course almost

 

[Christian]

Sky apparently got bikes stolen in Haut Var

 

[Boardslide]

Crazy development. Way too organized these days imo.
Teams needs to get together and make a plan at races I think.
Can Sky find replacement bike for the start?

Here's a link to the story

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,30223_9178656,00.html

 

[GP Blanco]

Amstel Gold Race has announced the wild cards, they go to Androni-Giocatolli, IAM Cycling, CCC Polsat, Topsport Vlaanderen. Interestingly, no wild card for Wanty - Groupe Gobert.

http://www.l1.nl/sport/245117-johnny-hoogerland-naar-amstel-gold-race

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Amstel Gold Race has announced the wild cards, they go to Androni-Giocatolli, IAM Cycling, CCC Polsat, Topsport Vlaanderen. Interestingly, no wild card for Wanty - Groupe Gobert.

http://www.l1.nl/sport/245117-johnny-hoogerland-naar-amstel-gold-race

So lets see, Hoogie gets Androni an invite, IAM is a top team, CCC could be a placeholder for a top Polish team in the future (Kwia, Majka etc) leaving the choice of Topsport or Wanty imo.

 

[Netserk]

So lets see, Hoogie gets Androni an invite, IAM is a top team, CCC could be a placeholder for a top Polish team in the future (Kwia, Majka etc) leaving the choice of Topsport or Wanty imo.

CCC brings the mighty Rebellin!!!

 

[janraaskalt]

CCC could be a placeholder for a top Polish team in the future (Kwia, Majka etc)

This is (1) not a reason for an AGR wildcard and (2) unlikely unless they get to the World Tour, which is also not likely.

 

[Netserk]

This is (1) not a reason for an AGR wildcard and (2) unlikely unless they get to the World Tour, which is also not likely.

They have a former winner of the race.

 

[will10]

They have a former winner of the race.

They had one last year too.

 

[Netserk]

They had one last year too.

Yes. They should've been invited a year ago too.

 

[Roude Leiw]

Unless I am missing something, I do not see why CCC should get an invite for AGR. There is no one on the team who could be a factor here besides a 40+ years old former winner with a more than dodgy past. Especially since a team of classic riders like Wanty does not get a nod.

 

[janraaskalt]

They have a former winner of the race.

I did not say CCC do not deserve a wild card. The statement was ridiculous.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

This is (1) not a reason for an AGR wildcard and (2) unlikely unless they get to the World Tour, which is also not likely.

Gotta look ahead a bit. No reason why Poland shouldn't be ambitious with the types of riders they have. If not next year then the year after.

I'm ok for experimenting with the wildcards for AGR.

 

[search]

even if we ignore Rebellin, they still have Paterski as a very solid rider for a race like this

Wanty has a good team, but they are likely to focus on the belgium races anyway, and they don't really have the depth to be competitive in every race.

Leukemans is always good of course, and Kreder could be someone to focus on the AGR as well, but regarding his results recently surely no one to justify a wild card with

 

[janraaskalt]

Gotta look ahead a bit. No reason why Poland shouldn't be ambitious with the types of riders they have. If not next year then the year after.

I seriously doubt it. They (Poland) have some good riders, although the ones at CCC are mediocre at best. Rebellin will retire at some point. But that's not the main issue. A WT team needs money. I don't see CCC spending significantly more than they do now.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I seriously doubt it. They (Poland) have some good riders, although the ones at CCC are mediocre at best. Rebellin will retire at some point. But that's not the main issue. A WT team needs money. I don't see CCC spending significantly more than they do now.

Rebellin is a deadend for sure and if hes the reason for the invite, well then I think its a major mistake.

I'm thinking Poland in broader terms than the CCC team. The country has a WT race, there are some very good emerging riders etc. There is an opportunity to bring it together and run with it imo. In the meantime CCC is the placeholder. Its difficult, but not impossible.

 

[WillemS]

I think that the AGR has multiple reasons for inviting CCC over either TV or Wanty, with the biggest reason being the international nature of the race. While technically part of the spring classics program, AGR is not a monument nor does it get the same level of attention as the other 'classics'.* They have much to gain by inviting teams with a different base country than Belgium.

So, I think that they wanted to invite Hoogerland (Dutch PR), a young, but attractive team from Belgium (Topsport Vlaanderen) and two other teams with different backgrounds. I think IAM is a logical choice, considering their base and roster. CCC extends the reach to a country that has no ProTour-teams, thus being attractive in that sense. (Technically, the same can be said for IAM, but IAM has other merits (e.g., decent team roster) as well.)

Whether or not you agree with the policy is up to you, but I think the AGR is thinking about the future of the race and that future depends on international attention.

*) I have no intention on revitalizing the debate on the comparative prestige of races. Whether or not you consider AGR as a part of the 'classics' is not of great importance to the argument.

 

[pastronef]

Unless I am missing something, I do not see why CCC should get an invite for AGR. There is no one on the team who could be a factor here besides a 40+ years old former winner with a more than dodgy past. Especially since a team of classic riders like Wanty does not get a nod.

there are 18 Wt teams + 4 wild cards now. total 22

last year 25 teams rode the AGR

I think later in the spring they'll announce 2-3 more wild cards. with Wanty for sure

 

[De Snelle Duif]

In all honesty, IAM has a great overall roster, but they don't really have anyone that I can see even top-5'ing this race (not that I can imagine someone from the other wildcards do that except maybe a great Rebellin), so I don't see why they are a given.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In all honesty, IAM has a great overall roster, but they don't really have anyone that I can see even top-5'ing this race (not that I can imagine someone from the other wildcards do that except maybe a great Rebellin), so I don't see why they are a given.

I don't expect a wildcard to offer a podium ride in any WT race these days. I mean in just about all situations, WT teams will have the 10 best riders in any given top race.

So the WCs have to offer something different: Aggressive racing, a well known name, specific fans tuning in, perhaps a development plan etc.

Just my opinion.

 

[roundabout]

2015 WC Road race

http://richmond2015.com/about/courses/road-circuit/

Not that I was expecting much, but let's hope that those little climbs are really steep

 

[nightfend]

2015 WC Road race

http://richmond2015.com/about/courses/road-circuit/

Not that I was expecting much, but let's hope that those little climbs are really steep

It's a giant crit course. I suppose in some ways that is fitting considering it is in the US.