IMO the 100 millions is BS too. It's from that non-interview on tuttobici anyway, if the conversation happened the way it's written(which can be, should be, but then why not post it as an actual interview, but mention it en passant, while knowing everybody will still jump on it? Deniability for Gianetti?) , those 100 Millions are just a way to say he's not for sale. Like me saying that the only way to stop me posting here is 10k. Of course if somebody offers me 1k I'll take it immediately... 500 too, but I'd try to get closer to 1000 first. Hell, probably 100 Euro is enough to get rid of me actually. Too bad I'm not even worth that... sniff. 5 Euros anyone? (I'll proudly refuse and claim I can't be bought)
As for the rest, punishment? He wasn't planned for it at the start of the season. Early out at the Tour, so a start certainly became a possibility. But see Remco 23, it doesn't always work. Keep the old program is another possibility, have Almeida and Yates as leaders as they were promised, have Ayuso do his original program, nothing wrong with that. It can also be a mix of quite a few things:
-Not regarded as fit enough for a 3 week race (1 day race different, and it's not even like he did an exceptionally good Olympics either, he basically was there, nothing more)
-"Punishment" for the Galibier
-Keeping the original plan for the season.
The whole story is over-reported anyway by now, just seems like a desperate search for some controversy and drama, since we won't have Visma providing that this year at the Vuelta...
More interesting is what you do with Ayuso in 25 actually. What does Pogacar plan? Tour-Vuelta as would seem logical, since he hasn't won the Vuelta yet. Or will he try the real double, Giro-Tour again, since it worked that well. With an eye on going for the triple if he gets the double again?
Then Almeida, right now he simply is ahead of Ayuso. Not only inside the team, but also on the road. Yes, Ayuso has won Itzulia, Almeida still hasn't won a big 1 week race. But on the other hand the one Ayuso won, was the one Roglic and Vingegaard crashed out (Remco too, but since he's at 0 wins in that category as well....) give some crashes to races Almeida is in, and he could have won one too... In GTs Ayuso has a third and a 4th place at the Vuelta, the one GT few riders prepare specifically for, it's the 1 plus race for most others. Ayuso came there with that as season goal twice. Almeida's Giro podium and Tour 4th has to be rated higher, and especially this year he seems to have made another step forward. If before 24 I would have said pretty confidently that Almeida would never win a GT, now I could see him win one. Giro without the 3 ahead of him at the Tour? Could happen. Ayuso? The sky is the limit, but for the moment the balloon hasn't reached the sky yet... Sort of entangled a bit in the Eiffel Tower. Adam Yates less of a problem, he's Simon's brother, so as inconsistent as him after all. Superb 24, this year not as bad as Simon but clearly 2 steps below again.
So again, the question really is less the Vuelta 24, than what his program will be in 25, what can he ride, and does he get leadership, or at least co-leadership somewhere? 1 Pogacer 2 Almeida, then Ayuso (Adam, possibly McNulty... although he sure is taking his time) Hard to see a GT left where he can be outright leader, at best co-leader with Almeida at the Giro or Vuelta, depending on Pogacar's program. If he's happy with another year of leadership in one or 2 of the one week races, trying to get the results needed to level up with Almeida in the team pecking order, then ok, 25 should be ok. If he unrealistically expects to be at the same level there as Almeida for a GT without that, then there is a problem.
So even if he wants out, gets out, might just have to do with future prospects in the tam, not necessarily with this punishment, imagined or real... But if he does leave, we will probably figure out if it was imagined or real pretty soon when he or Gianetti start talking freely.
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