Kittel

[Andre.J]

Kittel is going to Quickstep...great move for him. Quickstep depends on many foreign riders. It seems Lotto is more Nationalistic.

 

[DFA123]

Kittel is going to Quickstep...great move for him. Quickstep depends on many foreign riders. It seems Lotto is more Nationalistic.

That's a hell of a deal for Etixx. Get rid of an over the hill Cavendish and bring in a much faster guy - who is probably on a smaller salary as well.

From Kittel's point of view, I'd be hoping they would bring in one or two more strong lead out men.

 

[Afrank]

Cav says buh bye so Lefévère says I'll just replace you with the faster guy. Well played.

 

[Andre.J]

I believe they have a pretty strong lead out train as it is.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Re:

I believe they have a pretty strong lead out train as it is.

But not Giant Style. They had perfected the sprint train exclusively for their sprinters

 

[Vroome.exe]

Etixx already has 29 riders with contract so Kittel surely won't bring anyone with him there.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re:

Cav says buh bye so Lefévère says I'll just replace you with the faster guy. Well played.

It could work out like that. On the other hand Kittel has 2 wins this year and obviously some issues. He's faster if they can get him into shape. Another potential problem for Kittel is if this trend of GT "flat" stages not being all that flat continues

 

[gunara]

Re: Re:

I believe they have a pretty strong lead out train as it is.

But not Giant Style. They had perfected the sprint train exclusively for their sprinters

Yes, a more compact machine, not just a bunch of good riders with own personal ambitions. Btw, are they going to abandon this sprinting focus altogether? Since Mezgec is also gone, and Degenkolb's focus shifting - thankfully - towards the classics.

 

[Miburo]

When Boonen retires and Martin/stybar leave the team, there isn't anything holding me back hating on this team.

 

[gunara]

Now nothing holding me back liking Giant.

 

[Jspear]

Well hopefully he performs well. Lefevere won't be happy with him unless he wins at least 3 stage wins at the Tour + a host of other stage wins.

 

[jsem94]

Re:

Now nothing holding me back liking Giant.

QFT

 

[Red Rick]

Nice gesture of faith in Gaviria. Kittel is comletely useless in many stages where Cav could still win, and I think he easily gets lost without a train

 

[TMP402]

Re:

When Boonen retires and Martin/stybar leave the team, there isn't anything holding me back hating on this team.

What's hateable about the rest of it? Not disputing, just interested.

 

[TMP402]

I wonder if Giant are regretting their big Germanification this season since half their star Germans are left and recently Degenkolb is being overshadowed by Dumoulin.

Looking forward to next season's big sprints. Kristoff, Kittel, Degenkolb, Cavendish, Greipel, Sagan, Matthews, Demare and Bouhanni all on different teams and mostly with their own trains. I'd add Viviani but Froome/track mean he should have a pretty limited 2016 and surely no Tour.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Nice gesture of faith in Gaviria. Kittel is comletely useless in many stages where Cav could still win, and I think he easily gets lost without a train

Cav may have been able to win them more stages in the Tour of California or Tour of Turkey. But he can't win 3 or 4 stages in the TdF nowdays; whereas Kittel can. And for a big team like Etixx without a real GC rider, it's pretty important to be able to stamp their authority on the biggest race somehow.

 

[Akuryo]

Re:

Nice gesture of faith in Gaviria. Kittel is comletely useless in many stages where Cav could still win, and I think he easily gets lost without a train

Gaviria just turned 21 and still has a lot to learn. Why not from Kittel? I don't think he will take too many races away from the youngster in 2016.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't see Kittel winning 4 stages consistently, and I think the Etixx train will be worse than the Giant Train was. I think it had more to do with attracting a Germand sponsor. I wonder how much cheaper than Cav Kittel he is, he was complete *** this year. Maybe they pay him the minimum + the hair products

 

[IndianCyclist]

Re: Re:

I believe they have a pretty strong lead out train as it is.

But not Giant Style. They had perfected the sprint train exclusively for their sprinters

Yes, a more compact machine, not just a bunch of good riders with own personal ambitions. Btw, are they going to abandon this sprinting focus altogether? Since Mezgec is also gone, and Degenkolb's focus shifting - thankfully - towards the classics.

i think towards climbing with Barguil & Dumoulin

 

[Kwibus]

Kittel has so much to thank Giant for and he leaves them like they left him for dirt this season, while in reality Kittel was either injured or in really poor form all season. What was he expecting?

He will regret leaving Giant.

 

[jojogogo]

Re: Re:

Nice gesture of faith in Gaviria. Kittel is comletely useless in many stages where Cav could still win, and I think he easily gets lost without a train

Gaviria just turned 21 and still has a lot to learn. Why not from Kittel? I don't think he will take too many races away from the youngster in 2016.

I see this as a two pronged attack with kittel and Gaviria. Gaviria for those races which Cav could still win, which might not be suited to kittel.

 

[gunara]

I don't really wish Giant to suddenly forget big time sprints. Glad they find more dimensions now, but I still hope they also find some direct use of that ready leadout machine, and someone good at the end of it, to show Kittel what he's missing.

 

[jsem94]

Re:

Maybe they pay him the minimum + the hair products

Well. Alpecin won't be doping his hair anymore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY08FAUfb0w

 

[Vino's Mum]

Re: Re:

Nice gesture of faith in Gaviria. Kittel is comletely useless in many stages where Cav could still win, and I think he easily gets lost without a train

Gaviria just turned 21 and still has a lot to learn. Why not from Kittel? I don't think he will take too many races away from the youngster in 2016.

I see this as a two pronged attack with kittel and Gaviria. Gaviria for those races which Cav could still win, which might not be suited to kittel.

Gaviria will continue to focus on the track for another year, from the Worlds in March through to the Olympics in August, so I'm sure he's fine with Kittel coming. Anyhow, as said already, he's only just turned 21 so has plenty of time to get plenty faster.

 

[Old School]

Let the games begin!.....again.....Who's train is the CHOO CHOOiest?