Kristoffs doms dropped from TDF team

[deValtos]

http://www.vg.no/sport/sykkel/alexa...trippes-for-sine-menn-av-eget-lag/a/24077294/

Both Morkov and Bystrom who it seemed to them were essentially guaranteed to ride the TDF have suddenly been told they won't.

Only explanation they can come up with is that they're adding Spilak + support to the TDF team which would be absolutely bizzare considering he dislikes GT's. I think he even said in his suisse interviews he didn't want to. Maybe someone convinced him to give it another try since he is in form?

Either way Kristoff's going to be pissed.

 

[hazaran]

I guess they are adding some who could win from a lucky break. Though it's hard to imagine who can do that in Katusha..

The Spilak aside is bizarre.

 

[deValtos]

I guess one spot is for Taarmae, he'd want to ride the TDF even if Spilak doesn't and it's possible he wasn't down to ride before now also.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I guess that answers the question of whether Kristoff will extend with Katusha. I'm curious about their final squad and their goals now. Kristoff has not been in world beating form, but he does have most of the team's wins again this year and most of their other results have come from Spilak and Zakarin who don't seem to have any intention of doing the Tour. I can see why they might not have 100% faith in Kristoff against a Tour sprinting field, but it's not at all obvious that they have anything better to be doing.

 

[s.i.]

Špilak, Zakarin, Martin and Kristoff is pretty much what they got. Zakarin isn't riding the Tour this year afaik. Martin is going for the ITTs (and maybe try to win from a break or something) so he has no need of support. Kristoff, Mørkøv and Bystrøm are all on outgoing contracts, but unless they are going to force Špilak to the Tour and add some domestiques for him in the mountains, it seems weird to leave the latter two out.

 

[jmdirt]

Here's AK's thread:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=22770

 

[GuyIncognito]

I doubt they're adding Spilak, it wouldn't make sense. The guy by his own admission can't recover after the first week.

In any case, Kristoff will still have a leadout. Zabel and Hollenstein are going specifically for that reason, while Tony Martin will surely help

And it's not like Morkov and Bystrom would be any help against the best leadout trains. They're simply not on the same level.

 

[acesand]

This is all about Kristoff on an outgoing contract and has nothing to do with the rest of the team. German spnsors want Kittel for next year, Kristoff allready pissed of management by saying this was the best team he ever had for TDF. To set an example they removed his most important leadout, and they do not care nor want Kristoff back next year.

 

[Dr. Watson]

Even with all the help he can get Kristoff will not rival the likes of Kittel, Greipel, Sagan and co

 

[Irondan]

http://www.vg.no/sport/sykkel/alexa...trippes-for-sine-menn-av-eget-lag/a/24077294/

Both Morkov and Bystrom who it seemed to them were essentially guaranteed to ride the TDF have suddenly been told they won't.

Only explanation they can come up with is that they're adding Spilak + support to the TDF team which would be absolutely bizzare considering he dislikes GT's. I think he even said in his suisse interviews he didn't want to. Maybe someone convinced him to give it another try since he is in form?

Either way Kristoff's going to be pissed.

This was published yesterday in Cyclingnews but I don't know how much truth there is to is except for what Spilak is quoted saying.

While the Tour de Suisse is often used as a warm-up and form check for the Tour de France, Spilak has no such ambitions, and his next race will be the Tour of Poland.

"No Grand Tours for me since 2014 – this is my own decision," Spilak said. "I prefer stage races of six to 10 days. Of course, it would be nice to win a Tour de France stage or to become world champion."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/spilak-eschews-grand-tours-despite-tour-de-suisse-win-news-shorts/

 

[Valv.Piti]

Danish media up in arms, gotta love it.

 

[May0maniac]

They can add Haller instead of one of them maybe drop the other one to add Taaramäe as a stagehunter for the high mountains, but it's not like they've got a ton of other options.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

Danish media up in arms, gotta love it.

Admittedly it came as a big surprise to me. I think Mørkov has done a solid job of leading out Kristoff so far, it's just that Kristoff has not been able to win when he was delivered perfectly.

The way I read it, Katusha appears to have lost a bit of confidence in Kristoff and wants to safeguard against total failure by having other objectives than Kristoff's sprints.

 

[Baldinger]

On a personal level I can see why Kristoff wants his friends on the team. But Rick Zabel did the best leadout this year anyway, so I think he'll be fine in the sprints.

 

[Breh]

On a slightly related note;

Don't we have an "TdF field discussion/speculation thread" yet?