le Tour team thread

[boomcie]

You wouldn't say you took it a bit too far but you were trolling along the way and you kind of ruined this thread. Contradicting stuff.

I was talking content-wise, Spiney.

 

[Spine Concept]

I was talking content-wise, Spiney.

Whatever floats your boat, boompje.

 

[Nyssinator]

EBH to miss the Tour due to Herpes zoster.

Will his run of bad luck never end?

Edit: A final decision is yet to be made, but if he doesn't improve he will miss the Tour.

 

[LukeSchmid]

EBH to miss the Tour due to Herpes zoster.

Will his run of bad luck never end?

Ouch, not good. Henderson replaces him??

 

[Moondance]

So you can forget about applauding Poels and Ruijgh, seeing as you don't want to be associated with them. Same goes for the awesomeness that is Roy Curvers

I'll just be happy if I never have to listen to 24 rozen again.... Sadly my mother has a bit of soft spot for Toon Hermans.

 

[Johnalex13]

Egoi Martinez....you think he has a go at stage wins this year?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I'll just be happy if I never have to listen to 24 rozen again.... Sadly my mother has a bit of soft spot for Toon Hermans.

Jantje zag eens pruimen hangen

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Wat ruist daar door het struikgewas.....

Ok it's official thread is ruined. Needed some help from the Belgian Mafia this time but we did it.

Anyway, Le Tour, only a bit more than a week now

 

[ferryman]

Astana squad:

Vino
Remy Di Gregorio,
Dmitriy Fofonov,
Andriy Grivko,
Maxim Iglinskiy,
Roman Kreuziger,
Paolo Tiralongo,
Tomas Vaitkus
Andrey Zeits.

For some reason I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Di Gregorio. I think it stems from an article I read not long after he turned Pro touting him as the next big French hope. Obviously not happened, but he did look pretty strong at Paris Nice this year with an impressive ride for a stage win. Hopefully he is now maturing into his own and maybe see him show as one of Vino's Lieutenants in the hills.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

He'd make an excellent mountain domestique for Wiggins. With Uran in front, Wiggins behind attached to Uran with a rope, and then Henao and Martin to push him from each side, Wiggins could limit his losses enough in the mountains to finish in the top 10.

It would probably more aerodynamically efficient to get a longer rope, pulled by Uran, Henao and Martin in one line. They'd have to remember to let go once each of them peels off to rotate to the back of the line though, or it would be a recipe for comedy.

Martin did not sound best pleased by his omission in the Velonation piece. I can't say that I blame him.

He's the best natural climber in the whole Garmin outfit and he actually wins races rather than just getting solid placings. Rankings are always a bit dubious, but if CQ have a guy at 22 in the world and the new lot have him at 14, and he's in form, it's bizarre to leave him out of your Tour squad. If Garmin win the TTT, I suppose the decision is justified, but if they don't, they'll look a bit silly.

If he's given a well supported team leader role in the Vuelta (and you'd have to anticipate that he will be, given that he'll be the only climber in the squad not to have already raced a GT), then that may actually be better for his development.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Wat ruist daar door het struikgewas.....

Ok it's official thread is ruined. Needed some help from the Belgian Mafia this time but we did it.

Anyway, Le Tour, only a bit more than a week now

Boomcie isn't in the belgian mafie at least not officially

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Martin did not sound best pleased by his omission in the Velonation piece. I can't say that I blame him.

Sorry to respond to myself, but he sounds considerably more relaxed about the decision in this more detailed piece:

http://www.irishprocycling.com/node/695

 

[jaylew]

Have to say I agree with the decision. Let him go to the Vuelta with a GC focus and see how he goes over the three weeks. At this point we don't really know if he's a GT rider or not. The Vuelta will be better for him to have a go.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Have to say I agree with the decision. Let him go to the Vuelta with a GC focus and see how he goes over the three weeks. At this point we don't really know if he's a GT rider or not. The Vuelta will be better for him to have a go.

His central problem remains that his ideal "big" races, the Giro and the Ardennes, take place when his allergies kick in.

 

[notcredible]

It's true that Martin's grand tour GC ability is unproven. However, Millar's, Danielson's , Zabriskie's and Van De Velde's grand tour GC aspirations have been disproven. This is why I feel that Martin should of been included.

 

[jaylew]

Not sure how Vande Velde's and Tommy D's have been disproven. Besides, I think the Vuelta is a better place for him to find out. The parcours there will typically suit him better anyway.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

He comes across very will in the interview now up on Cycling News, saying that having him come along as a kind of wild card was a luxury the team couldn't afford:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/in-form-martin-left-out-of-garmin-cervelo-tour-de-france-team

 

[Anonymous]

Ouch, not good. Henderson replaces him??

Stannard is reserve. (Swift was first reserve).

 

[Dedelou]

Thanks for posting this. Looking forward to see if they are able to make anything happen with this group.

with vino and remy we got ourselves a cool drink for the summer heat this TDF

 

[whittashau]

Why is Wurf not riding for Liquigas?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Why is Wurf not riding for Liquigas?

I am confused by that as well. He was at the training camps with basso all year, trained with him regulary and even said "The plan is for me to be part of the Tour team this July".

Problem is with cycling teams is that nationalism become too much of a factor.

 

[Sydney21]

I am confused by that as well. He was at the training camps with basso all year, trained with him regulary and even said "The plan is for me to be part of the Tour team this July".

Problem is with cycling teams is that nationalism become too much of a factor.

Probs going to Greenedge (Actually I doubt it). He has shown some really strong form this year in Turkey and Dauphine I think it was and he'd be an asset for the TTT so im not sure why he isn't in that team.

Also If EBH does not ride it should definately be Hendo or CJ coming in rather than Stannard even if it is just to lead Swifty out. Maybe ntionalism will get the better of Sky too. Or maybe those two are off to GE as well

 

[LukeSchmid]

Stannard is reserve. (Swift was first reserve).

Thanks TSF

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I am confused by that as well. He was at the training camps with basso all year, trained with him regulary and even said "The plan is for me to be part of the Tour team this July".

Problem is with cycling teams is that nationalism become too much of a factor.

considering his comments and training with basso I was a little surprised also.
But at the same time, he isn't a must have in terms of ability.

 

[Anonymous]

Also If EBH does not ride it should definately be Hendo or CJ coming in rather than Stannard even if it is just to lead Swifty out. Maybe ntionalism will get the better of Sky too. Or maybe those two are off to GE as well

I think it depends on the reserve list. If you were originally named as 1st/2nd reserve you kinda have to stick to it.