Is Pozzato season over ?

[jaylew]

Could Gusev potentially be a leader? Don't know him well-know he's not quite a GC type, but Karpets isn't stunning as a GC rider either.

He's decent but not really a GC leader, especially at the Tour. He finished 16th at last year's Vuelta and has finished in the 20-30s a few times in GTs, but I'd definitely rate Karpets higher.

 

[roundabout]

Rodriguez, Moreno, Di Luca (lol), and Caruso (perhaps) are non-Russian GC riders that I could think of on Katusha. I think all 4 of them are doing the Giro and with the difficulty of the course and first 2 names being Spanish (and more likely to get a GC result than Italians) it would make sense to save them for the Vuelta. Karpets is probably better in a GT than 3 of them anyway.

 

[Gloin22]

Pozzato fell and broke his collarbone. Can this season get any worse ???

 

[Jancouver]

Season is pretty much over....

during the last stage of the Belgian tour he crashed and broke collarbone and wrist ...

</over>

 

[ergmonkey]

Yeah, I'm sure Pippo has zero interest in recovering from his injuries to build towards strong late season form and a Worlds course that suits him down to the ground. Especially not since the Italian National Team is not managed by Katusha and Andrei Tchmil.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Yeah, I'm sure Pippo has zero interest in recovering from his injuries to build towards strong late season form and a Worlds course that suits him down to the ground. Especially not since the Italian National Team is not managed by Katusha and Andrei Tchmil.

If he's not allowed to ride La Vuelta who says he'll be at the worlds?

 

[ergmonkey]

If he's not allowed to ride La Vuelta who says he'll be at the worlds?

Nothing is guaranteed, of course. As I said, "strong late season form." He'll need to show it somewhere to get an invite from Bettini.

The Vuelta is the favored option, but by no means the only one. There are plenty of good racing opportunities in August and September; I doubt that Katusha will continue to pay Pippo but refuse to let him race in any of them.

 

[greenedge]

I hope he moves team for next yr. If Tchmil wanted a russian GT team he should have got Menchov. No use for a talent like Pippo resting on the sidelines at a team that does not like him.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The fact that he is

1. having a bad season
2. Was left out of the giro and tour team
3. Is now injured

says that he should and I think will move. Where he will go is unknown. Maybe Lampre or GreenEdge?

 

[ergmonkey]

I don't remember if this has been posted already, but I remember reading that Pippo's contract for this year is much more performance-incentives-based than any of his previous contracts.

In essence, by not letting Pippo do some big races, Tchmil is ensuring that Pippo misses some opportunities to earn some solid bonus money (I'm guessing Giro and Tour stage wins are worth more on his contract than Tour of Austria/Poland/Whatever stages would be).

I'm not suggesting this is right or wrong; just typical Tchmil hard-line stuff. You don't want to cross this guy. If you do, best to leave Katusha ASAP.

 

[roundabout]

The fall in Belgium didn't help but not much of a surprise

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/no-vuelta-a-espana-for-pozzato

 

[taiwan]

Only Tchmil can shaft him

So Pozzato isn't being selected for the Vuelta squad. Tchmil could fatally mess up his preperation for the Worlds. Seems a bit vindictive, no? I mean who has he really got to take to Spain who is a better option than Pozzato? Sucks.

 

[l.Harm]

Hope we'll see him back at top level once, I love his style.

 

[El Pistolero]

Even I feel sorry for Pozzato. Own fault though, should have tried more at Belgium instead of acting like Emperor Tiberius

 

[greenedge]

He's going to leave Katusha.

 

[craig1985]

He's going to leave Katusha.

This just in: The sun will rise tomorrow

 

[Michielveedeebee]

If he's not allowed to ride La Vuelta who says he'll be at the worlds?

Damn I'm good

 

[Ibanez]

So Pozzato isn't being selected for the Vuelta squad. Tchmil could fatally mess up his preperation for the Worlds. Seems a bit vindictive, no? I mean who has he really got to take to Spain who is a better option than Pozzato? Sucks.

Agreed, Tchmil seems like one nasty mofo to me...short memory as well. Quick Step never gave up on Boonen.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Agreed, Tchmil seems like one nasty mofo to me...short memory as well. Quick Step never gave up on Boonen.

Tinkoff didn't like him as well, he partly blames him for the bad results KAtusha is getting this year.

 

[auscyclefan94]

What they have done to Pozzato is really nasty. Give him a chnance to race and stop being a ****er tschmil. Interesting to hear from Pozzato on what has actually happened at katusha this year.

 

[Parrulo]

i am really sorry for pozzato. this is just getting stupid now. the guy could very much get a win for katusha at the vuelta. . .

 

[Fetisoff]

i am really sorry for pozzato. this is just getting stupid now. the guy could very much get a win for katusha at the vuelta. . .

Because last year at the Vuelta, in good shape may i add, he won so much of course....
Katusha are going with Purito for the overall and DiLuca hunting for stage victories, as far as I know.
If anything, Tchmil should be crucified for the TDF "All Russian team" fiasco, but i fully agree with Purito/Moreno, DiLuca/Caruso + mountain domestiques for both set-up for the Vuelta

 

[luckyboy]

As much as I don't like Pozzato, this is a bit sad for him

 

[El Pistolero]

Because last year at the Vuelta, in good shape may i add, he won so much of course....
Katusha are going with Purito for the overall and DiLuca hunting for stage victories, as far as I know.
If anything, Tchmil should be crucified for the TDF "All Russian team" fiasco, but i fully agree with Purito/Moreno, DiLuca/Caruso + mountain domestiques for both set-up for the Vuelta

Never the less, Pozzato would a a nice addition for the Vuelta. He could help Purito as well in the flat and hilly stages. Di Luca has sucked all season anyway. At least Pozzato did something at San Remo.

 

[Fetisoff]

Never the less, Pozzato would a a nice addition for the Vuelta. He could help Purito as well in the flat and hilly stages. Di Luca has sucked all season anyway. At least Pozzato did something at San Remo.

True, as well as Pozzato is very good in the team time trial.
I think another issue in hand here is the UCI rules for granting the ProTour status to teams. I'm sure, that barring a disaster, Katusha should pick up enough points at the Vuelta to be in the "safe zone", however Tchmil probably doesn't wanna give out slots and possible points to someone who will most definitely be gone next year.


P.S. BTW I don't disagree, that this decision is pure vendetta on Tchmil's part, and he should be fired from the team for next year (which I've gotten hints might happen, as if given a choice between the Pope and Tchmil, Igor Makarov (head of Russian cycling federation, as well as president of ITERA, might choose the first)