- Sep 22, 2020
- 887
- 1,773
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- Sep 5, 2011
- 430
- 394
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View: https://x.com/IsraelPremTech/status/1933086769001472231
Even stronger opposition than last year imo and with just 5 man teams, I think even repeating the podium of last year will be good going for Pau.
It's a pretty good team to support him. Lima is actually talked of as a co-leader. Garcia and Valenti look to be finally finding their feet at this level and Verbrugghe is their best strong man for the flat and lesser slopes.
----------------------------------
The latest transfer rumour is Riccitello to Decathlon. The climbing cupboard is going to look very bare in 2026.
Wouldn't say no to someone like Juanpe Lopez. He could be a realistic target and just into his prime.
--------------------------------------
Just a quick look back at the Giro.
I know they were doing a lot of unseen work earlier in the stages, but quite disappointed with the showing of the team outside of Gee and Frigo.
Strong had his one moment of near glory in Albania, but nothing else apart from that. Compare that with a fairly similar rider in Aular who had placings of 3-3-4-9-4-8. I noticed in the last stage that he had virtually zero help so he has that excuse - where were Clarke and Schultz? The latter was totally anonymous the entire race as far as I was aware. His stage win in Catalunya seems a long time ago.
Even stronger opposition than last year imo and with just 5 man teams, I think even repeating the podium of last year will be good going for Pau.
It's a pretty good team to support him. Lima is actually talked of as a co-leader. Garcia and Valenti look to be finally finding their feet at this level and Verbrugghe is their best strong man for the flat and lesser slopes.
----------------------------------
The latest transfer rumour is Riccitello to Decathlon. The climbing cupboard is going to look very bare in 2026.
Wouldn't say no to someone like Juanpe Lopez. He could be a realistic target and just into his prime.
--------------------------------------
Just a quick look back at the Giro.
I know they were doing a lot of unseen work earlier in the stages, but quite disappointed with the showing of the team outside of Gee and Frigo.
Strong had his one moment of near glory in Albania, but nothing else apart from that. Compare that with a fairly similar rider in Aular who had placings of 3-3-4-9-4-8. I noticed in the last stage that he had virtually zero help so he has that excuse - where were Clarke and Schultz? The latter was totally anonymous the entire race as far as I was aware. His stage win in Catalunya seems a long time ago.
- Apr 30, 2011
- 45,562
- 28,088
- 28,180
He was really good on the stage 4 MTF in the Vuelta, but he crashed hard on stage 6.
- Sep 5, 2011
- 430
- 394
- 9,980
3m44 down on the first MTF is pretty bad, but everybody has off days and he bounced back on the next stage to bridge to the break and contested for the stage win. Quite a few of the remaining stages could be for the break (profile + 5 man teams), so am I hoping the team really tries with everyone to get in there.
According to Benson, Marti has signed up to the main team for two years.
--------------------------------------
View: https://x.com/IsraelPremTech/status/1935246062182449166
Important renewal. He said the other week that he doesn't like the pressure of being the designated sprinter/leader which is a shame as he has the skill set to be that in the right race, but he'll still have chances now and then.
Now we just need a top sprinter for him to lead out.
-----------------------------------
In less good news (not surprising though as we saw his lack of strava activity) is Williams being out for a prolonged time. Knee.
View: https://x.com/IsraelPremTech/status/1934665874704580977
Woods got sick at Suisse as well which means he'll be going to the Tour with three (maybe 4 if he does the Nats?) completed race days in four months....
----------------------------------
Finally it wasn't a bad sprint yesterday in Belgium from a bit of a scratch train - Frigo, Tene, Kogut etc. They got a bit swamped at the end, but left Vernon in a decent position. Obviously no chance though against Merlier.
they should take at least riccitello to the TDF, then you know who is getting the last seat...3m44 down on the first MTF is pretty bad, but everybody has off days and he bounced back on the next stage to bridge to the break and contested for the stage win. Quite a few of the remaining stages could be for the break (profile + 5 man teams), so am I hoping the team really tries with everyone to get in there.
According to Benson, Marti has signed up to the main team for two years.
--------------------------------------
View: https://x.com/IsraelPremTech/status/1935246062182449166
Important renewal. He said the other week that he doesn't like the pressure of being the designated sprinter/leader which is a shame as he has the skill set to be that in the right race, but he'll still have chances now and then.
Now we just need a top sprinter for him to lead out.
-----------------------------------
In less good news (not surprising though as we saw his lack of strava activity) is Williams being out for a prolonged time. Knee.
View: https://x.com/IsraelPremTech/status/1934665874704580977
Woods got sick at Suisse as well which means he'll be going to the Tour with three (maybe 4 if he does the Nats?) completed race days in four months....
----------------------------------
Finally it wasn't a bad sprint yesterday in Belgium from a bit of a scratch train - Frigo, Tene, Kogut etc. They got a bit swamped at the end, but left Vernon in a decent position. Obviously no chance though against Merlier.
- Feb 16, 2010
- 15,146
- 5,723
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blackmore and stewart, lutsenko are a good pick.
ackerman is always a mystery.
woods is another mystery - is he well to do the tour?
bennet because they don't have anybody else.
Louvel/Boivin/Neilands - i guess louvel is in some shape to do the tour.
that leaves the last place for froome...
ackerman is always a mystery.
woods is another mystery - is he well to do the tour?
bennet because they don't have anybody else.
Louvel/Boivin/Neilands - i guess louvel is in some shape to do the tour.
that leaves the last place for froome...
- Aug 29, 2009
- 7,434
- 6,448
- 23,180
Froome is going to do a different race in July, as far as I know.
- Sep 5, 2011
- 430
- 394
- 9,980
10 (+2) Fragen an Moritz Kretschy: Rückschläge, Comebacks und Ziele für 2025
Im Interview spricht Moritz Kretschy offen über seinen Weg vom Bahnradsport zur Straße, die Herausforderungen einer von Rückschlägen geprägten Saison und seine Ziele für 2025. Außerdem gibt er Einb…
luukssportblog.wordpress.com
Interview with Kretschy.
I was a bit dismissive of his getting a second year in the devo team, but he's proved me wrong with some decent performances at lower level races in Taiwan, Rwanda and AIT as both a helper and when seizing his own chances. Probably not got much chance of getting a WT contract with the team, but who knows, maybe he could do a job in a sprint train?
- Jul 7, 2013
- 6,903
- 13,257
- 23,180
- Sep 5, 2011
- 430
- 394
- 9,980
Not overly confident heading into the race.
Woods as I noted above has had very few race days recently. He says he's not going to be seen in the first week and hopefully will have the legs in the latter part of the Tour. Unfortunately none of the stages really look suitable for him.
Ackers has been crashing a lot this year and has only one decent sprint result. Mind you he didn't look very good pre-Tour last year either and then came good. Tougher opposition this year as well with Merlier and Milan added to the mix.
Neilands had an injury affected first part of the season. Lutsenko looks to be on an overall downward career trajectory - again maybe he can do something in the final week when everyone is tired.
Stewart and Blackmore are maybe the ones in best form. Stewart however will be the PP for Ackermann mainly and I don't see too many stages where one will get dropped, but not the other. Possibly the final stage could be one for him.
----------------------------------
The team is also over in Sibiu.
On paper they have the best sprinter and climber with Hofstetter and Riccitello, but the Frenchman seems out of sorts (illness?) since he came back after a break and I'm guessing Einhorn or Pickrell will get a chance instead.
---------------------------------
In addition to Gilmore, Van Tricht was also saying recently that he had "some exciting news coming soon".
- Jan 22, 2010
- 4,489
- 5,493
- 21,180
That might be one of the best team announcement posters I've seen.
Lot's of room for improvement with the artwork, but a great concept.
Otoh...from the times I have walked around that area, maybe the artwork qualities are completely on brand. Discuss.
- Sep 5, 2011
- 430
- 394
- 9,980
Not the greatest start at the Tour. It was good to get three guys in the front split on stage 1, but I don't know what Ackermann was thinking. If you want to try and go early, you go at ~300m not at ~550m. That's a gamble that's never going to come off.
Some encouraging signs from Lutsenko on stage 2.
Not sure what happened today. Just saw a brief clip of the last few hundred metres with Ackermann looking down at his legs again and losing places.
-------------------------------
Another rumour from Benson the other day. Ryan Mullen.
It doesn't do much for me. It's a type of rider that the team probably needs - the second to last lead out guy, but I know from reading other forums that the Redbull fans there find him rather limited (gets dropped going over a bridge type limited) and they won't miss him from a sporting perspective. So yeah I'd hope the team could do better.
Some encouraging signs from Lutsenko on stage 2.
Not sure what happened today. Just saw a brief clip of the last few hundred metres with Ackermann looking down at his legs again and losing places.
-------------------------------
Another rumour from Benson the other day. Ryan Mullen.
It doesn't do much for me. It's a type of rider that the team probably needs - the second to last lead out guy, but I know from reading other forums that the Redbull fans there find him rather limited (gets dropped going over a bridge type limited) and they won't miss him from a sporting perspective. So yeah I'd hope the team could do better.
last year IPT had their best GT team ever, formed around Ackerman in sprints and Gee for the gc.
this year they just sent a bunch of riders to try and somehow jack a TDF stage somehow.
Last edited:
- Sep 5, 2011
- 430
- 394
- 9,980
Mind you at this point in the race last year, Gee had already lost time twice and wasn't even in the GC top-20 and Ackermann hadn't really done anything in the sprints apart from lead Cavendish out for his win.
Lutsenko showed again on stage 4 that he's in good shape, so with today possibly a day for the break maybe he can get into the action.
-----------------------------------------
View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL2hO6sod7c/?img_index=1
Omer Ramon and the rest of the Picusa lads get to show what they can do at Valromey starting today. Maranchon had to take a break earlier in the season due to mono and obviously he's still not back to his best, but we'll see what he can do here.
Quick update on Davide Frigo too. He won the Giro del Friuli Juniors and didn't do too badly at the Nats - second in the TT behind Capello and eighth in the RR.
yes, but even then, the team already managed to scored X3 more points then the current team, and Gee was already higher ranked then their highest ranked rider this year.
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