General News Thread

[Zinoviev Letter]

I can imagine that the quality of the 2.2 and 1.2 races around the world varies a lot so just because someone dominates a bit and gets these wins it doesn't mean they are any better than european continental riders and upcoming U-23 riders. A lot of the riders that win a lot on that level are quite old and top teams would probably rather spend their budget on young promising riders that are probably just as good with the potential to be great.

The main advantage that some of these riders have is that they have the points and that they are a lot cheaper than WT riders. A win in a race like Strade Bianche is worth 5 points for the Sporting Value Ranking while winning a random 1.2 race in africa for example is worth 3 points which is almost just as good and you can get those points with paying for Gilbert.

Looking at some of their records on CQ, I see what you mean.

Vrecer and Gazvoda have only really stepped up around the age of 30. Lagab has won some .2s in North Africa, but not all that many, and I don't really know how that compares with, say, a Belgian .2. Ubeto seems to win a stage of the Veulta al Tachira or Vuelta a Venezuela ever year, but there are probably quite a few promising riders on the Latin American circuit who would be ahead of him the queue for a ride in Europe if they want one.

Teklehaimanot did get a few months as a stagiare with Cervelo, but the team went under. While there might be a question or two about the level of the competition he smashes in Africa, I'm still a little surprised that some other team didn't give him a shot.

It will certainly be interesting to see if riders who probably wouldn't be in the frame without those Sporting Value Ranking points actually do make the jump to the big leagues now that they have them.

The really big teams won't need to be messing about assembling SRV points because they'll already have them. But there are a few teams who might be pretty concerned about their position. Even if some of these riders will never be able to win on a bigger stage, they should at least make reasonably useful teammates. If you can win the Tour of Qinghai Lake, you can probably be relied upon to fetch bottles in the Eneco Tour!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I can imagine that the quality of the 2.2 and 1.2 races around the world varies a lot so just because someone dominates a bit and gets these wins it doesn't mean they are any better than european continental riders and upcoming U-23 riders. A lot of the riders that win a lot on that level are quite old and top teams would probably rather spend their budget on young promising riders that are probably just as good with the potential to be great.

The main advantage that some of these riders have is that they have the points and that they are a lot cheaper than WT riders. A win in a race like Strade Bianche is worth 5 points for the Sporting Value Ranking while winning a random 1.2 race in africa for example is worth 3 points which is almost just as good and you can get those points with paying for Gilbert.

Where do you get what these races are worth?

anyway I thought I read that Daniel Teklehaimanot was possibly going to sign for a PT team next year. Can't remembr who.. maybe q/step?
If I were running a PT I'd snap him up.

 

[ingsve]

Where do you get what these races are worth?

anyway I thought I read that Daniel Teklehaimanot was possibly going to sign for a PT team next year. Can't remembr who.. maybe q/step?
If I were running a PT I'd snap him up.

All the points scales were first leaked last year and again eariler this year with the updated points scales for 2011/2012.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/exclusive-uci-proteam-ranking-system-revealed/170836

Quick Step had a meet and greet where they invited a bunch of young U-23 riders from various countries and one of the countries was Eritrea so chanses are big that one of the guys they had at the training camp was Teklehaimanot. Note though that this doesn't mean any of them is guaranteed a shot at getting on the team. There were around 12-14 guys invited and my guess is that three of them will perhaps get a stagiere shot this year.

I do think he has a good shot at getting a spot with some team at least. If not a PT then perhaps a Pro Conti team. It would probably some extra exposure for the team to have an african rider on the roster.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

ok thanks, looking at that I think Vasc. will be ok.. They have performed outside the WT. OFC the skew towards WT events are a little ridicilious but whatever, I guess the competition there makes results difficult.

Feillu must be pretty valuable in terms of points.

 

[janraaskalt]

Looking at it it's still a little confusing.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/exclusive-uci-proteam-ranking-system-revealed/170829

I interpreted the "team collective score 2011" to be the score from last years ranking that determined the rider value ranking of going into 2011 and that that would be added to the score of the top 15 riders which is what makes up the 2012 score. It could be however that "team collective score 2011" is simply the points score by the team in team rankings in 2011 which also needs to be added somewhere.

I suppose it is the last option.

 

[greenedge]

Maybe Roman Feillu might go to Leopard to join with his brother. Or is his contract for a while. I'm sure if De Gendt did not have broken fingers he would be in the hunt for stages with Marcarto.

 

[El Pistolero]

Leif Hoste has a neck hernia.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Maybe Roman Feillu might go to Leopard to join with his brother. Or is his contract for a while. I'm sure if De Gendt did not have broken fingers he would be in the hunt for stages with Marcarto.

roman feillu resigned for another 2 years just recently.

 

[the chicken from T]

question

what do i have to do to make quotes from others used in your own posts grey ?

 

[MartinGT]

what do i have to do to make quotes from others used in your own posts grey ?

Use the quote button in the bottom right hand corner

 

[El Imbatido]

Leif Hoste has a neck hernia.

Are you sure you aren't talking about Andy?

 

[Bala Verde]

Tour start in Berlin in 2016/2017?

Berlin hopes to organize start of the TdF in 2016 or 2017

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

You know, Europcar might have a real shout at reclaiming a PT license also.

 

[El Pistolero]

Are you sure you aren't talking about Andy?

Good one

http://gpcqm.ca/news/92/104/Philippe-Gilbert-Je-viens-au-Quebec-pour-gagner/

Phil talking about why he enters the Canadian races instead of the Vuelta.

 

[ChopperArris]

Are you sure you aren't talking about Andy?

I see...

 

[goggalor]

Bert appears to have given up on the Giro-Tour double.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...to-return-to-tour-de-france-and-win-it_186156

Next year I will return to the Tour to win and I will focus exclusively on this race,” Contador said Sunday. “The Tour is the most important race, and because of that, I will not go to the Giro. I’ll never race the Giro again.”

 

[hrotha]

Bert appears to have given up on the Giro-Tour double.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...to-return-to-tour-de-france-and-win-it_186156

It sounds way worse in Spanish. Almost insulting.

 

[Dead Star]

Bert appears to have given up on the Giro-Tour double.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...to-return-to-tour-de-france-and-win-it_186156

Giro needs to accept it'll never be as big as the Tour. Just do the what Vuelta does (shorter stages), but with an interesting parcours, and you'll have Tour contenders coming back to you! (maybe).

 

[The Hitch]

Yeah thats very disapointing. He lost some of my respect after having earnt it.

I guess 2 Giros is still good, but to say "Ill never ride the Giro again", not necessary.

 

[mortailcoil]

AVC could still do it and should not give-up. He should use this example as a preparation. A mental preparation at that. I'm sure the witch-hunt over the past year also took its toll.

Very classy rider. A rider with a lot of class and I feel for him.

 

[The Hitch]

Giro needs to accept it'll never be as big as the Tour. Just do the what Vuelta does (shorter stages), but with an interesting parcours, and you'll have Tour contenders coming back to you! (maybe).

The Giro does get Tour contenders. Maybe though you meant Tour winners. It is not about getting Tour winners. A lot of fans didnt want Contador at the Giro anyway because they knew he would dominate it.

The Giro has done very well by being the most difficult gt. Top riders will always ride it anyway because
A) they are Italian
B) they want to ride a Giro for a change,
C) They want to win the Giro after winning the Tour ( see Sastre)
D) They love the experience.
E) They think they have an easier chance of winning a Grand Tour.
F) They think the course suits them more.
G) they want a wildcard for the Tour.
H) Their team sees the Giro as its most important race.
I) they want to ride 2 grand tours in one season and go for Vuelta as well.
J) They think they can win cyclings second biggest race.

Many others.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Yeah thats very disapointing. He lost some of my respect after having earnt it.

I guess 2 Giros is still good, but to say "Ill never ride the Giro again", not necessary.

Considering he's not even one day off of losing the Tour it's not a huge shocker that he's said something like this.
It is possible that he may change his mind...?

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah thats very disapointing. He lost some of my respect after having earnt it.

I guess 2 Giros is still good, but to say "Ill never ride the Giro again", not necessary.

He has nothing to prove anymore at the Giro. He finally won his 2 stages there and 2 Giri and the points classification.

 

[The Hitch]

AVC could still do it and should not give-up. He should use this example as a preparation. A mental preparation at that. I'm sure the witch-hunt over the past year also took its toll.

Very classy rider. A rider with a lot of class and I feel for him.

I think part of it was that the Giro was huge ammount of hard work for a lesser reward.

I mean the guy won the 2009 Tour by riding 3 times. Verbier, Grand Bonard and Annency, then got a big welcome in Madrid.

Compare that to the Giro this year where stages 9 14 15, 19 and maybe 13 as well were harder than any stag hes ever done in the Tour, some of them twice as hard, and there were another 4 or 5 very hard stages.

He said himself that it was the most difficult course he ever ever did and that stage 15 where he came third was the most painful day in the saddle in his life.

The Giro got far more coverage in Spain than ever before because he was there and because Spain won 6 stages but it doesnt rival the treatment he gets for winning Le Tour.

Hes done it now, so i guess he wants to just go back to Tour.

He still shouldnt have been so rude.


Then again, maybe he just is upset that they played the Franco anthem when he won.

 

[The Hitch]

He has nothing to prove anymore at the Giro. He finally won his 2 stages there and 2 Giri and the points classification.

Its not the idea thats the problem its that he said it.

I might think a race is crap but if i have some brain cells, i know its not neccesary to say "btw your race is **** i wouldnt waste my time there".

Its perfectly all right that he doesnt want to do it again. Hes won 2 which is as much as Big Mig and Hinault.

. But to insult it the way he did, isnt polite and he doesnt get anything from it.