Leopold Konig discussion thread

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

What's up with this guy recently? Nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be heard of, no mentions from the team about training camps or whatever activity. He isn't so bad cyclist that one would expect this. Is Sky developing him into secret weapon? Or is he actually disliked?

Recently did some prep races: 9th Trofeo Pollenca-Port de Andratx and 10th Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

He talked about training camp on his blog on the sky website: "...spending December and January in Mallorca we had good food and all the facilities that we needed. It's a really nice hotel with nice staff and that's important.
Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/home/article/71486#6DA5ks29c4i0Hmct.99"

He's on the dream team going to the Giro: Lopez, Knees, Viviani, Boswell, Landa, Konig, Henao, Henao, Intxausti, and Kiryienka where Konig will get to ride for himself as he has now top-tenned all the GTs.

If I had to guess Id say Sky is developing him into the next BMC tour GC leader. Ideally both he and Landa will target Giro then have good form at the Tour and work the mountain train for the Dawgfather for years to come.

That 'dream team' sounds quite incoherent. Henao (Sergio) isn't a great domestique and is much better riding for himself and König will never help Landa while not being able to get past 6th even with a whole team behind him. Boswell hasn't really proved himself yet as a domestique as the only GT he's done to date his best performance was from a break, although he should be a good domestique and Intxausti isn't a fan of being a domestique either and will love the chance to get into a break. Sebastian Henao is wasted there like his brother. He's not a classic domestique. Lopez is quite old, and isn't that much of a help in the high mountains which will be a feature in the two difficult mountain stages there are.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Re: Re:

What's up with this guy recently? Nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be heard of, no mentions from the team about training camps or whatever activity. He isn't so bad cyclist that one would expect this. Is Sky developing him into secret weapon? Or is he actually disliked?

Recently did some prep races: 9th Trofeo Pollenca-Port de Andratx and 10th Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

He talked about training camp on his blog on the sky website: "...spending December and January in Mallorca we had good food and all the facilities that we needed. It's a really nice hotel with nice staff and that's important.
Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/home/article/71486#6DA5ks29c4i0Hmct.99"

He's on the dream team going to the Giro: Lopez, Knees, Viviani, Boswell, Landa, Konig, Henao, Henao, Intxausti, and Kiryienka where Konig will get to ride for himself as he has now top-tenned all the GTs.

If I had to guess Id say Sky is developing him into the next BMC tour GC leader. Ideally both he and Landa will target Giro then have good form at the Tour and work the mountain train for the Dawgfather for years to come.

That 'dream team' sounds quite incoherent. Henao (Sergio) isn't a great domestique and is much better riding for himself and König will never help Landa while not being able to get past 6th even with a whole team behind him. Boswell hasn't really proved himself yet as a domestique as the only GT he's done to date his best performance was from a break, although he should be a good domestique and Intxausti isn't a fan of being a domestique either and will love the chance to get into a break. Sebastian Henao is wasted there like his brother. He's not a classic domestique. Lopez is quite old, and isn't that much of a help in the high mountains which will be a feature in the two difficult mountain stages there are.

come now im sure you can think of something negative to say about Kiryi and then for Knees maybe something like they wouldve won the Giro TTT by 5 minutes if they didnt have that human anchor chained around their necks.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

Konig will get to ride for himself as he has now top-tenned all the GTs.

...work the mountain train for the Dawgfather for years to come.

Don't see him riding for himself, it will be all for Landa.
Riding for Dawgfather seems very likely

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

That 'dream team' sounds quite incoherent. Henao (Sergio) isn't a great domestique and is much better riding for himself and König will never help Landa while not being able to get past 6th even with a whole team behind him. Boswell hasn't really proved himself yet as a domestique as the only GT he's done to date his best performance was from a break, although he should be a good domestique and Intxausti isn't a fan of being a domestique either and will love the chance to get into a break. Sebastian Henao is wasted there like his brother. He's not a classic domestique. Lopez is quite old, and isn't that much of a help in the high mountains which will be a feature in the two difficult mountain stages there are.

come now im sure you can think of something negative to say about Kiryi and then for Knees maybe something like they wouldve won the Giro TTT by 5 minutes if they didnt have that human anchor chained around their necks.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

What's up with this guy recently? Nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be heard of, no mentions from the team about training camps or whatever activity. He isn't so bad cyclist that one would expect this. Is Sky developing him into secret weapon? Or is he actually disliked?

Recently did some prep races: 9th Trofeo Pollenca-Port de Andratx and 10th Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

He talked about training camp on his blog on the sky website: "...spending December and January in Mallorca we had good food and all the facilities that we needed. It's a really nice hotel with nice staff and that's important.
Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/home/article/71486#6DA5ks29c4i0Hmct.99"

He's on the dream team going to the Giro: Lopez, Knees, Viviani, Boswell, Landa, Konig, Henao, Henao, Intxausti, and Kiryienka where Konig will get to ride for himself as he has now top-tenned all the GTs.

If I had to guess Id say Sky is developing him into the next BMC tour GC leader. Ideally both he and Landa will target Giro then have good form at the Tour and work the mountain train for the Dawgfather for years to come.

Konig is not riding for himself at the Giro...that is not how SKY works. He is rising to support Landa at the Giro and then Froome at the Tour (which we saw very little of him in last years Tour...he was missing in the mountains and on the rolling stages and sky had him sitting on the front on the flat stages)
This emerging GT winner you describe is not visible at SKY and I doubt it will be...
Konig is a long way down the pecking order and they have a lot of potential top 10s ...
My guess he will leave this year
Could go to Dimension Data ...just a hunch

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

König will never help Landa while not being able to get past 6th even with a whole team behind him. Boswell hasn't really proved himself yet as a domestique as the only GT he's done to date his best performance was from a break, although he should be a good domestique and Intxausti isn't a fan of being a domestique either and will love the chance to get into a break. Sebastian Henao is wasted there like his brother. He's not a classic domestique. Lopez is quite old, and isn't that much of a help in the high mountains which will be a feature in the two difficult mountain stages there are.

Why should he never help Landa? Don't understand that. Last year he did his domestique duties well for Porte. You sound too sure just about everything... König was never designated leader for GT in WT team and with second league team (so to say without any help in the mountains) he managed to get top ten place even in his first GT and managed to be 7th in TdF. I would give him time (and other stuff needed for proper leader role).

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

König will never help Landa while not being able to get past 6th even with a whole team behind him. Boswell hasn't really proved himself yet as a domestique as the only GT he's done to date his best performance was from a break, although he should be a good domestique and Intxausti isn't a fan of being a domestique either and will love the chance to get into a break. Sebastian Henao is wasted there like his brother. He's not a classic domestique. Lopez is quite old, and isn't that much of a help in the high mountains which will be a feature in the two difficult mountain stages there are.

Why should he never help Landa? Don't understand that. Last year he did his domestique duties well for Porte. You sound too sure just about everything... König was never designated leader for GT in WT team and with second league team (so to say without any help in the mountains) he managed to get top ten place even in his first GT and managed to be 7th in TdF. I would give him time (and other stuff needed for proper leader role).

I'm not complaininb that I don't think he's a good domestique, I'm pretty happy he isn't, I'd much rather see him ride for himself.

The Porte example is defunct as he was only actually in the GC fight for two mountain stages, which were pretty chill to be honest. The San Giorgio del Sannio stage where Porte did well I'm not sure if König would've got into that select group. After Stage 14 he has basically the whole team support and finished 6th. Maybe if he'd been leader since the start he'd have come 5th, but probably 2 minutes is too much to gain not show two mountain stages.

I still don't really rate the Sky team as as team. There are loads of great riders on it but I'm doubting their ability to work fluently together. Only two or three of them are or can be pure domestiques (Kiry, Lopez and maybe Boswell) and I guess you can add Knees there for the flats. König isn't a domestique. It would be harsh to make him slave for Landa, just as it was wrong to make Landa slave for Aru last year (although everyone, including Astana, was surprised and not expecting that performance).

 

[HelloDolly]

Konig in no where near the climber that Landa is ....so comparisons are not credibe

As fro SKY doms ...Kiry is top but Thomas, Porte, Roche, Poels , Stannard & Rowe were very good doms last year in more than one race and hence why they made the Tour team
Konig not so much at the Tour and was not evident either at the Giro as never anywhere near Porte when needed...(most of that SKY team seemed to be out to dinner and really didn't, for whatever reason support Porte)

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Re:

Konig in no where near the climber that Landa is ....so comparisons are not credibe

As fro SKY doms ...Kiry is top but Thomas, Porte, Roche, Poels , Stannard & Rowe were very good doms last year in more than one race and hence why they made the Tour team
Konig not so much at the Tour and was not evident either at the Giro as never anywhere near Porte when needed...(most of that SKY team seemed to be out to dinner and really didn't, for whatever reason support Porte)

Im fairly certain Konig had a protected role and thats why he top tenned instead of pacing porte through flat roundabouts 3.00001km from the finish

 

[carolina]

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

 

[Jakub]

Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

Well Brain Smith really rates him/likes him and I think would bring him to Dimension Data if he has the budget after paying Cavendish

For me Konig is a good climber esp on steady climbs and he is a very good TTer. Not good enough climber with a strong enough team to podium a GT though

However he could win one week races and stages of races...would get more chances at Dim Data

SKy is really not the place for him unless he buckles down as a domestique

 

[carolina]

I agree with you on the money part, but he doesn't seem like the type of guy who wants to be a domestic for the rest of his life.

I understand he has to work for others in his first season at sky, but after last year and with porte leaving he was probabily hopping for a leadership role at giro or vuelta. Instead, he has to work for landa and then froome. Is he even expected to lead sky in any 1 week race?!

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

I agree with you on the money part, but he doesn't seem like the type of guy who wants to be a domestic for the rest of his life.

I understand he has to work for others in his first season at sky, but after last year and with porte leaving he was probabily hopping for a leadership role at giro or vuelta. Instead, he has to work for landa and then froome. Is he even expected to lead sky in any 1 week race?!

I doubt it ...

Thomas , Froome, Landa & Kwait have leadership sewn up imo

Then there are Henao, Nieve, Kennaugh , the list goes on, of riders looking for leadership

And there are up and coming riders like Boswell & Moscon

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

Konig in no where near the climber that Landa is ....so comparisons are not credibe

Well who was even comparing?

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

Konig not so much at the Tour and was not evident either at the Giro as never anywhere near Porte when needed...(most of that SKY team seemed to be out to dinner and really didn't, for whatever reason support Porte)

At the Tour everybody who had Giro in legs was pretty useless. With regards to Giro, Konig was right there where he should be in the mountains, watch that again.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

Well quite on the contrary, he said money were equal for different proposals but he choosed Sky because if thinking to learn in the best team from the best.
If he's unatractivě, Sky wouldn't choose him...and try to tell it to his girlfriend although I agree Czech is not as attractive as Spanaird, English, or Italian.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Konig not so much at the Tour and was not evident either at the Giro as never anywhere near Porte when needed...(most of that SKY team seemed to be out to dinner and really didn't, for whatever reason support Porte)

At the Tour everybody who had Giro in legs was pretty useless. With regards to Giro, Konig was right there where he should be in the mountains, watch that again.

I don't need to watch anything again...He was not with Porte in the Giro... Later he was up there himself when Porte went home. This could be down to inexperience and any number of other issues as this was his first time riding dom at a grand tour for a top world tour team

As for comparing him to Landa ...and earlier poster equated him to Landa on ability and deserved opportunity

..Maybe best to believe what you will .. Its not personal its just a considered view on his tendencies as a domestique and a rider ..I am sure he is a very nice chap

And I think fro his own progression he should maybe not stay too long at SKY

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

Well quite on the contrary, he said money were equal for different proposals but he choosed Sky because if thinking to learn in the best team from the best.
If he's unatractivě, Sky wouldn't choose him...and try to tell it to his girlfriend although I agree Czech is not as attractive as Spanaird, English, or Italian.

Well...you say, that he "said", I stated he had made it very clear. It's a important skill to be able to read between the lines. When the questions went bit deeper he admitted that sky salary gives him the possibility not to need to work after retirement. Also before the dancing with sky began, he had said that the only interesting team for him is one that allows him to be GT leader. He is very funny sometimes. Still I agree with you, the possibilities of Sky must be also very important for him.
By unattractive I don't mean either how cute he is or how good he is, but his style. While it's always fun to watch Contador or Sagan or whoever racing, König is simply boring.

Also it is question what to expect from him, so far except TT itself he has shown himself as a pure GT rider, although I don't think he has any chance to win one. Consequently it makes sense to be in Sky, for money, for possibilities, for clinic and for prestige. If he and sky wait for his best shape and then try to podium a GT, maybe....

 

[cantpedal]

Re: Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

Well quite on the contrary, he said money were equal for different proposals but he choosed Sky because if thinking to learn in the best team from the best.
If he's unatractivě, Sky wouldn't choose him...and try to tell it to his girlfriend although I agree Czech is not as attractive as Spanaird, English, or Italian.

As an American I have to disagree about Czech girls. I find them so attractive I married one!

 

[tomorrow]

Re: Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

Well quite on the contrary, he said money were equal for different proposals but he choosed Sky because if thinking to learn in the best team from the best.
If he's unatractivě, Sky wouldn't choose him...and try to tell it to his girlfriend although I agree Czech is not as attractive as Spanaird, English, or Italian.

As an American I have to disagree about Czech girls. I find them so attractive I married one!

well, i think he meant czech guys, not girls

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

when does his contract with sky ends?

going to sky was a mistake

He made it very clear that he went to sky for money and I think he is gonna stay there as long as it is possible. I cannot imagine any other team paying such a total unattractive rider his sky money.

Well quite on the contrary, he said money were equal for different proposals but he choosed Sky because if thinking to learn in the best team from the best.
If he's unatractivě, Sky wouldn't choose him...and try to tell it to his girlfriend although I agree Czech is not as attractive as Spanaird, English, or Italian.

As an American I have to disagree about Czech girls. I find them so attractive I married one!

well, i think he meant czech guys, not girls

...if you and he don't know something about König we don't know...

 

[Kokoso]

No news about him for long long time. That's strange. Could that be team orders, or what? I'm half expecting him to show up at Tour or Vuelta in excellent shape winning it all and praying for him to race at least something this season at the same time... He's riding bike after quite long pause forced by injury. Shame, because he was in good shape at the beginning of season and he never is near his top shape so early. Talented rider, sidelined by injury is always sad.

 

[JRanton]

Re:

No news about him for long long time. That's strange. Could that be team orders, or what? I'm half expecting him to show up at Tour or Vuelta in excellent shape winning it all and praying for him to race at least something this season at the same time... He's riding bike after quite long pause forced by injury. Shame, because he was in good shape at the beginning of season and he never is near his top shape so early. Talented rider, sidelined by injury is always sad.

It's very disappointing. Both him and Intxausti started the season well in Valencia and then we haven't seen them race since! I was hoping one of the Czech posters on here would have some news because there's been nothing about him in the Anglophone media.

 

[Jakub]

He was reported to have problems with his knee. Yet again. That's all I know.