Giro 2014 Wild Cards

[Zinoviev Letter]

This is a thread to discuss wild card entries for the 2014 Giro.

It's a bit difficult to predict this year with so many teams going under. It's not even clear if there will be 18 World Tour teams, and consequently whether there will be four or five wild cards.

It's also not yet clear how many Italian Pro Conti teams will be around, nor if Vini Fantini would welcome if they survive.

So who will apply (has applied?)? Who is a serious contender? Who will actually be chosen?

 

[Afrank]

Off the top of my head IAM, Colombia, Netapp, Androni, Bardiani, and MTN I would expect to be some of the main contenders for a WC.

IAM, Colombia, Androni, and Bardiani I think have the best shot of those.

 

[Hysminai]

Don't forget Androni will get wild card from winning national series.

It's almost certain.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Off the top of my head IAM, Colombia, Netapp, Androni, Bardiani, and MTN I would expect to be some of the main contenders for a WC.

IAM, Colombia, Androni, and Bardiani I think have the best shot of those.

Does the Italian team that wins some domestic league competition still get in automatically? Either way, I would be extremely surprised if either of Androni or Bardiani miss out.

But then it gets complicated quite quickly. Will there still be a Vini Fantini and/or will RCS touch them with a ten foot pole? Will IAM or Europcar be WT?

If there arevonly two eligible Italians and either IAM go WT or there arent 18 WT teams we could see a seriously random choice or two, due to a lack of competition. I see that UHC were hanging around the launch. Have they ever managed a GT invite?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Off the top of my head IAM, Colombia, Netapp, Androni, Bardiani, and MTN I would expect to be some of the main contenders for a WC.

IAM, Colombia, Androni, and Bardiani I think have the best shot of those.

Gotta say Colombia hasn't convinced me. Too much hype, delivering mediocre results (and more importantly not much race impact). I think Colombia should opt for the Vuelta next year instead.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Don't forget Androni will get wild card from winning national series.

It's almost certain.

Answered before I even got around to asking! I would assume that Androni and Bardiani are in no matter what though, given the lack of other Italian PC teams after Vini Fantini took a poo in the bed last year.

 

[fraserhughes]

Assuming Europcar get WT status, I think Afrank is probably correct:

IAM, Colombia, Androni, and Bardiani I think have the best shot of those.

To my mind IAM is the least certain of those.

 

[fraserhughes]

Answered before I even got around to asking! I would assume that Androni and Bardiani are in no matter what though, given the lack of other Italian PC teams after Vini Fantini took a poo in the bed last year.

Yep. I assume Colombia are probably a safe bet too...

 

[Afrank]

But then it gets complicated quite quickly. Will there still be a Vini Fantini and/or will RCS touch them with a ten foot pole? Will IAM or Europcar be WT?

The sponsor of Vini-Fantini is moving to be a co-sponsor of Nippo. And they are remaining at continental level.

And Europcar has applied for a world tour licence. IAM has said they want to stay pro-conti for now.

 

[Afrank]

Gotta say Colombia hasn't convinced me. Too much hype, delivering mediocre results (and more importantly not much race impact). I think Colombia should opt for the Vuelta next year instead.

Yeah, they pretty much sucked this year. But they were showing some better form in the final week of the Giro (plus some mountains in the race being cut meant they had less chances to show their stuff). I would like to see them get a second chance in the Giro. Hopefully they have learned from the mistakes they made this year.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

The sponsor of Vini-Fantini is moving to be a co-sponsor of Nippo. And they are remaining at continental level.

And Europcar has applied for a world tour licence. IAM has said they want to stay pro-conti for now.

So does mean that there are only 17 WT teams next year?

So three Wild cards after the two Italian outfits are accounted for?

If there are 15 GT wild cards next year, I hope they are spread around to include some unusual teams. It's not as if there are any Cervelo like PC teams strong enough to do well at all three races. It's arguable that there aren't even teams strong enough to show well at two, but inevitably Cofidis will get two and probably IAM or Net App

Get MTN in one of them. Accent jobs Wanty in another, UHC in a third, etc

 

[Afrank]

Assuming Europcar get world tour then yes, there would only be 17. Unless another team applies or less if more teams fold (still don't know what will happen with Saxo).

 

[janraaskalt]

Assuming Europcar get world tour then yes, there would only be 17. Unless another team applies or less if more teams fold (still don't know what will happen with Saxo).

19 minus Euskaltel and Vacansoleil plus Europcar makes 18 WT teams.

 

[Afrank]

19 minus Euskaltel and Vacansoleil plus Europcar makes 18 WT teams.

Yes, you are correct. Forgot about Katusha being the extra this year.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

19 minus Euskaltel and Vacansoleil plus Europcar makes 18 WT teams.

Ah yes. And also isn't there still a third Italian PC team come to think of it, Ceramica.

If so the wild card selection is a lot less fun.

 

[fraserhughes]

19 minus Euskaltel and Vacansoleil plus Europcar makes 18 WT teams.

That's what I was thinking....

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Ah yes. And also isn't there still a third Italian PC team come to think of it, Ceramica.

If so the wild card selection is a lot less fun.

Operates at Cont level.

 

[janraaskalt]

Ah yes. And also isn't there still a third Italian PC team come to think of it, Ceramica.

That's CT. Giallo Flu (Scinto) has applied for PCT license, but I suppose RCS will not invite them due to what happened to Santambrogio.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Ok, so assuming Europcar make it to the WT, that leaves two wild cards after Androni and Bardiani are accounted for.

 

[pastronef]

Ok, so assuming Europcar make it to the WT, that leaves two wild cards after Androni and Bardiani are accounted for.

that's why Europcar in the WT is not good
2 french teams are enough for the Giro. Europcar would steal a wild card from MTN or Net-App

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

that's why Europcar in the WT is not good
2 french teams are enough for the Giro. Europcar would steal a wild card from MTN or Net-App

I'm distinctly dubious about Europcar's ability to send worthwhile teams to three GTs in a year. Or for that matter whether they have the depth to ride the WT calendar. They've lost their cobbled stars for instance.

 

[JRanton]

that's why Europcar in the WT is not good
2 french teams are enough for the Giro. Europcar would steal a wild card from MTN or Net-App

Yup, also Europcar would be very likely to get an invite to the Vuelta with five wildcards available, which apparently their sponsor wants them to race.

I think MTN are pretty likely to get a Giro wildcard. Androni and Bardiani will be there which leaves one spot which I think will either go to Scinto's team or Colombia.

NetApp and IAM are both likely to get Tour invites along with Cofidis and Bretagne-Séché.

So assuming 18 WT teams I think it will be:

Giro: Androni, Bardiani, Scinto's team, MTN-Qhubeka

Tour: Cofidis, IAM, NetApp, Bretagne-Séché

Vuelta: Caja-Rural, Cofidis, Colombia, ???


The other Pro-Conti teams are Drapac, CCC-Polsat, Wanty, Topsport, Novo Nordisk, United Healthcare and RusVelo. Difficult to see any of them getting an invite but there's certainly a Vuelta spot up for grabs.

 

[JRanton]

I'm distinctly dubious about Europcar's ability to send worthwhile teams to three GTs in a year. Or for that matter whether they have the depth to ride the WT calendar. They've lost their cobbled stars for instance.

I guess they'll send Coquard to the Giro for the sprint stages but there won't be much else to shout about assuming Rolland and Voeckler are held back for the Tour. They still have a few signings to make so maybe they can strengthen a little bit further.

 

[Arredondo]

Gotta say Colombia hasn't convinced me. Too much hype, delivering mediocre results (and more importantly not much race impact). I think Colombia should opt for the Vuelta next year instead.

True, but they did reach their best results in the Giro, with a 2nd, 3rd, 5th place in mountain stages and top 20 for Atapuma. So i think they did enough to convince RCS.

NetApp, Androni, Bardiani certain. Team Fantini-Nippo for next year?

Europcar does have some nice riders like Gauthier, Berhane, Arashiro, Jerome, Malacarne, Thurau. Would be a nice, attacking squad.

 

[JRanton]

True, but they did reach their best results in the Giro, with a 2nd, 3rd, 5th place in mountain stages and top 20 for Atapuma. So i think they did enough to convince RCS.

NetApp, Androni, Bardiani certain. Team Fantini-Nippo for next year?

Europcar does have some nice riders like Gauthier, Berhane, Arashiro, Jerome, Malacarne, Thurau. Would be a nice, attacking squad.

Fantini-Nippo are a Continental team so can't ride a grand tour. Also, NetApp's priority next year is a Tour invite so they're far from certain to ride the Giro.