le Tour team thread

[Moondance]

The Telegraaf mentions that Rabo are seriously considering to leave Luis Leon out of the Tour squad. Apparently he's very up and down mentally, which affects his performance (obviously). Communication is hampered by Luis Leon's very poor English.

Considering he was mentioned as a certainty before the season even started, LLS really f**ked it up.

Wow... Lulu. Hero to zero has rarely happened quicker without a positive test.

The one glimmer of light for Lulu, is that it is, after all, the Televaag.

 

[theyoungest]

The one glimmer of light for Lulu, is that it is, after all, the Televaag.

Yes, maybe the wish is father to the thought, but usually there's some truth behind it.

 

[just some guy]

I feel for Cadel Evans. He's a rider who has gone up massively in my eyes over the last few years and he deserves to have another crack at a top finish at the tour. However, the BMC team looks so weak I fear he'll have to work twice as hard as any of the other main GC contenders.

Take Evans out of their team and they have to be the weakest pro tour team.

If I was Cadel I'd be a little bit cheesed off that with their money they don't seem to have been able to build a team capable of giving him the best chance possible at the Tour.

Can someone explain this whole weak team idea to me,cause I don´t get it - Not BMC and Cadel but we can use them.

- Right heres what I´m thinking Having a weak MTN team does not effect Cadel at all - When the heat is on how many team leaders have 1 or 2 guys with them - yes that right None if you count Frank as a leader.

- what does having members of your team around you do - chase down accelerations, get water break, the wind for you . Cadel generally is quite good at riding 2-4th wheel so gets the wind broken for him anyway, after some accelerations most GC types do there own dirty work anyway and VDB2 and Gesink will be like dogs on a bone every Contador and Andy acceleration so he can use them as help ( if he can hang on to their wheel), have you noticed how BMC put water guys all over the course now for Cadel, look at last years Giro all of the water or food came from guys on the side of the road or out of the team car so no big deal.

- What BMC provides for Cadel is help on the flatter stages maybe better than most - they will however get taken to the cleaners if BMC get the Yellow on the wrong day ie last year even without the broken elbow Cadel and BMC were being put to the sword.

Just saying

 

[lucybears]

Gustav has certainly shown better shape in Suisse than Luke (finishing 0:18 and 1:30 behind on the TT's).

well, Luke is definitely not going
http://saxobanksungard.com/races.asp?r_id=2476#nu

 

[hatcher]

Can someone explain this whole weak team idea to me,cause I don´t get it - Not BMC and Cadel but we can use them.

- Right heres what I´m thinking Having a weak MTN team does not effect Cadel at all - When the heat is on how many team leaders have 1 or 2 guys with them - yes that right None if you count Frank as a leader.

Just saying

Yeah, having a guy there with you on the high mountains is useful for morale, pacing, and general looking after, but very, very few contenders will have someone there on the final bit of the final climb.

He doesn't have a team that can control a race in the high mountains, but he doesn't need one either. They are perfectly capable of looking after him until the final climb.

 

[theyoungest]

Rabobank announced its Tour squad today:

Robert Gesink, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam, Lars Boom, Maarten Tjallingii, Luis Léon Sanchez, Juanma Garate, Carlos Barredo, Grischa Niermann.

Hey look Telegraaf, it's Luis Leon!

 

[Moondance]

Rabobank announced its Tour squad today:

Robert Gesink, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam, Lars Boom, Maarten Tjallingii, Luis Léon Sanchez, Juanma Garate, Carlos Barredo, Grischa Niermann.

Hey look Telegraaf, it's Luis Leon!

Damn... Martens missed the cut

Hopefully he won't get sick and miss the Vuelta again this year. Although pleased of course that both Boom and Tjallingii got a place. I'm surprised Langeveld was apparently not even being considered, but that might be going away 'present'.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Rabobank announced its Tour squad today:

Robert Gesink, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam, Lars Boom, Maarten Tjallingii, Luis Léon Sanchez, Juanma Garate, Carlos Barredo, Grischa Niermann.

Hey look Telegraaf, it's Luis Leon!

Very nice squad. Can perform great in TTT, and will be very strong in the mountains. Maybe even 3 cyclists in TOP20, and 2 in TOP10. Alos we must expect at least one stage win, if I were a DS I would like to have a team like this.

 

[jens_attacks]

wow lulu going down in cobo style,that's too bad....

 

[theyoungest]

wow lulu going down in cobo style,that's too bad....

Well, he's made the team after all, so it's actually just a hilarious mistake by the Telegraaf. He's selected on the very day they report he probably won't be there

 

[Moondance]

Well, he's made the team after all, so it's actually just a hilarious mistake by the Telegraaf. He's selected on the very day they report he probably won't be there

It is the Televaag remember.

De krant van halfwakker Nederland

 

[Moondance]

Although more promising news on the Cloggie front is that Addy Engels might actually make the QS Tour squad. Only his 2nd Tour I believe and his first for QS.

 

[theyoungest]

Although more promising news on the Cloggie front is that Addy Engels might actually make the QS Tour squad. Only his 2nd Tour I believe and his first for QS.

He'll provide musical entertainment.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Well, he's made the team after all, so it's actually just a hilarious mistake by the Telegraaf. He's selected on the very day they report he probably won't be there

Why would it be a hilarious mistake ? Your first post said they were seriously considering leaving him out. Well they seriously considered it and in the end he got the nod over over Martens

 

[theyoungest]

Why would it be a hilarious mistake ? Your first post said they were seriously considering leaving him out. Well they seriously considered it and in the end he got the nod over over Martens

It's hilarious in the sense that before most people have even read their paper the "news" is already caught up by reality. The Telegraaf do have a tendency to let their own opinions of certain riders influence their reporting.

 

[analo69]

According to the Danish newspaper, Bjarne Riis will bring Juan Jose Haedo (arg) to the tour as a part of the Saxo bank lineup.

In addition to him they will line:

A. Contador (spa)
D. Navarro (spa)
J. Hernandez (spa)
C. A. Sørensen (den)
N. Sørensen (den)
B. Cooke (aus)
R. Porte (aus)

And one of the following:
B. Vandborg (den)
M. Mørkøv (den)
G. Larsson (swe)

This will be decided after the national cahmpionships.

There is no source in the article on this information, but Politiken is normally quite accurate.

I definately find it quite strange to include Haedo. He will never win over Cavendish(or any other top sprinter), is bad at positioning without a train and won't get over any large hills. Perhaps he is good at time trialing in the TTT.

The author of the article speculates that he is included to get a stage win in the first week and thereby take som pressure from Contador and the team.

The article (in Danish): http://politiken.dk/sport/cykling/ECE1312644/riis-overrasker-med-sprinter-i-tour-de-france/

 

[auscyclefan94]

I feel for Cadel Evans. He's a rider who has gone up massively in my eyes over the last few years and he deserves to have another crack at a top finish at the tour. However, the BMC team looks so weak I fear he'll have to work twice as hard as any of the other main GC contenders.

Take Evans out of their team and they have to be the weakest pro tour team.

If I was Cadel I'd be a little bit cheesed off that with their money they don't seem to have been able to build a team capable of giving him the best chance possible at the Tour.

Yes, the performance at the Dauphine was worrying especially when many of those riders are on the team. Cadel always commented throughout the Dauphine that he was satisfied with the team. I am not too worried about the TTT but the mountains do worry me with the team. Moinard and Santaromita haven't shown anything this year. Morabito is going to need to perform at the tour. He looked very strong in the stage to Morzine last year but at the Dauphine he didn't show much.

Can someone explain this whole weak team idea to me,cause I don´t get it - Not BMC and Cadel but we can use them.

- Right heres what I´m thinking Having a weak MTN team does not effect Cadel at all - When the heat is on how many team leaders have 1 or 2 guys with them - yes that right None if you count Frank as a leader.

- what does having members of your team around you do - chase down accelerations, get water break, the wind for you . Cadel generally is quite good at riding 2-4th wheel so gets the wind broken for him anyway, after some accelerations most GC types do there own dirty work anyway and VDB2 and Gesink will be like dogs on a bone every Contador and Andy acceleration so he can use them as help ( if he can hang on to their wheel), have you noticed how BMC put water guys all over the course now for Cadel, look at last years Giro all of the water or food came from guys on the side of the road or out of the team car so no big deal.

- What BMC provides for Cadel is help on the flatter stages maybe better than most - they will however get taken to the cleaners if BMC get the Yellow on the wrong day ie last year even without the broken elbow Cadel and BMC were being put to the sword.

Just saying

Yes, the opening week has many obstacles of which BMC can help him out with. At the Dauphine he was caught out that he had to go back to the car on the descent to get food after the regrouping on the descent of which no BMC rider was there. He was caught out a bit then as Gesink put the hammer down on the descent.

Rabobank announced its Tour squad today:

Robert Gesink, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam, Lars Boom, Maarten Tjallingii, Luis Léon Sanchez, Juanma Garate, Carlos Barredo, Grischa Niermann.

Hey look Telegraaf, it's Luis Leon!

I expect this team to top 5 in the ttt.

A strong all round team.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

The Telegraaf do have a tendency to let their own opinions of certain riders influence their reporting.

Do they post on here ?

Anyway very strong line-up for Rabobank. Only surprise for me is Mollema. Not that he doesn't deserve to be in / won't ride a good race. More that I thought they might save him for a serious crack at the Vuelta

 

[Cimber]

@analo69: Politiken is just using the Australian newspaper as source i reckon. Would be very surprised if they bring JJ in. I really dont know whats that about. He wont win any stages (he is a guy who needs help in sprints) and he wont make it over the mountains. Guess he could be useful for the short TTT but I really dont understand why they would take him along.

 

[craig1985]

TGBM will crash all.

 

[TeoSheva]

According to the Danish newspaper, Bjarne Riis will bring Juan Jose Haedo (arg) to the tour as a part of the Saxo bank lineup.

In addition to him they will line:

A. Contador (spa)
D. Navarro (spa)
J. Hernandez (spa)
C. A. Sørensen (den)
N. Sørensen (den)
B. Cooke (aus)
R. Porte (aus)

And one of the following:
B. Vandborg (den)
M. Mørkøv (den)
G. Larsson (swe)

This will be decided after the national cahmpionships.

There is no source in the article on this information, but Politiken is normally quite accurate.

I definately find it quite strange to include Haedo. He will never win over Cavendish(or any other top sprinter), is bad at positioning without a train and won't get over any large hills. Perhaps he is good at time trialing in the TTT.

The author of the article speculates that he is included to get a stage win in the first week and thereby take som pressure from Contador and the team.

The article (in Danish): http://politiken.dk/sport/cykling/ECE1312644/riis-overrasker-med-sprinter-i-tour-de-france/

there is not only JJ (that I consider one of the top sprinter in speed), but also Cooke which can help him a lot during a sprint. They can even organize a great train with Porte and N. Sorensen before Cooke.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Do they post on here ?

Anyway very strong line-up for Rabobank. Only surprise for me is Mollema. Not that he doesn't deserve to be in / won't ride a good race. More that I thought they might save him for a serious crack at the Vuelta

?
TGBM was a certainty from the start of the season and build his season towards the TDF

 

[TeoSheva]

Rabobank announced its Tour squad today:

Robert Gesink, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam, Lars Boom, Maarten Tjallingii, Luis Léon Sanchez, Juanma Garate, Carlos Barredo, Grischa Niermann.

Hey look Telegraaf, it's Luis Leon!

no sprinter Rabobank...

 

[TeoSheva]

these are the official nine of the QS

QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM
BOONEN Tom Belgium
CHAVANEL Sylvain France
CIOLEK Gerald Germany
DE WEERT Kevin Belgium
DEVENYNS Dries Belgium
ENGELS Addy Netherlands
PINEAU Jérôme France
STEEGMANS Gert Belgium
TERPSTRA Niki Netherlands

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

no sprinter Rabobank...

all around gesink.
AT start of season I think they said LLS could pursue a top 10 also. But that looks unlikely.

Very strong team tho.