-
The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
Bonimenier
BANNED
You would think rider 7 and 8 in the Tour squad would be guys for Ewan but nope, Maxim Van Gils will be number 7 apparently. Weird, as this was not planned at all. 5 days ago his schedule was still NC, Altitude camp, Wallonie and San Sebastian, but now he's in for the Tour according to HNB.
Imo Van Gils isn't ready for the Tour and where are Ewans leadouts. I know that Vermeersch will be in Ewans train and they'll probably use Wellens and Gilbert for him too, but still. I guess they don't want a 2021 repeat (definitely with the limited amount of sprint stage this year) and don't believe in the fitness levels of guys like Selig and Kluge.
8th guy would've been De Buyst but he doubts he gets ready. Other possibilities Van Rensburg (but he just got sick) and Schwarzmann (but lets be honest... He's not good).
Also not good for their points race btw. I get that sending a really strong team to the tour is priority, but now you're sending 7 out of your 10 point scorers. One of those guys was definitely needed to score in the Tour de Wallonie. I know Wellens will do the Tour-Poland double, but I doubt he'll be fresh enough to get a good result there.
Imo Van Gils isn't ready for the Tour and where are Ewans leadouts. I know that Vermeersch will be in Ewans train and they'll probably use Wellens and Gilbert for him too, but still. I guess they don't want a 2021 repeat (definitely with the limited amount of sprint stage this year) and don't believe in the fitness levels of guys like Selig and Kluge.
8th guy would've been De Buyst but he doubts he gets ready. Other possibilities Van Rensburg (but he just got sick) and Schwarzmann (but lets be honest... He's not good).
Also not good for their points race btw. I get that sending a really strong team to the tour is priority, but now you're sending 7 out of your 10 point scorers. One of those guys was definitely needed to score in the Tour de Wallonie. I know Wellens will do the Tour-Poland double, but I doubt he'll be fresh enough to get a good result there.
Ewan is their leader lol, obviously he would. They don't have another card to play. All those other riders are pretty good, but the chances they win a stage are like 100 times slimmer than the chances Ewan wins a stage. The only I think has a solid shot is Kron.
If Selig didn't have his worse season ever and the team was convinced he could finish a Tour he would be there. If Kluge didn't get overpowered by every other train this Giro he would be there. LTS probably thinks Vermeersch, Van Moer, Gilbert & Wellens simply do a better job at a leadout than the ones who are supposed to be good at it. Well them + 1 actual pilot. Hope De Buyst gets ready because it's probably the only one Ewan trusts with his eyes closed.
Can't remember the exact figure, but it's something like 75% of Ewan's wins with Lotto have come when De Buyst was riding?
He wore the Polka Dots jersey in 2019 for like 15 days... (he lost it to Bardet in one of the last stages after a big fight for it)
He just had a big heat problem before 2019 making it unable for him to perform there. He somewhat fixed it, he's ok in it now.
Not saying he will do good this year btw, I simply don't think he's a good enough rider nowaways to be able to win a stage on this parcours, but the reason isn't because Wellens and the Tour aren't a good fit.
Probably but that's mainly because De Buyst is almost always riding the same schedule.
They're bringing a lot of riders for the flat considering how few flat stages there are. Why aren't they bringing Cras? He's been by far their best climber this season and since the majority of stages will be won by someone who can climb... also has Campanaerts been overlooked or does he not want to ride the Tour?
Campenaerts doesn't want to ride the Tour and Cras will be leader at the Vuelta. No reason to change the plan that was made at the beginning of the year. Cras was never on the longlist made of the riders who were candidate to ride the Tour at the beginning of the year because his previous experience with it was bad. Had he know how good his year would be he would've probably also asked to be put on that longlist tho.
And then there's the whole point situation. They need some riders to to get points. Cras will normally be riding Sibiu because of that.
Last edited:
Their development team steps up to continental lever for next year : https://www.lottosoudal.be/en/news/...-steps-up-to-continental-level-from-next-year
And if the WT team drops out of the WT (and thus stops being a WT team), the transition to pro level will be even smaller. Of course, they wouldn't be the first ProTeam with a Conti-Team attached.
Uno-X, Alpecin and Novo Nordisk have all had CT teams since last season, but there might have been some before then
bad news for Lotto Steff Crass is Covid pos and won't start at SIbiu tour, lots of points to lose...
View: https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1542780907093954563
Everyone with talent should use that release clause at the end of the year. Pretty sure this team is cursed.
At least it didn't seem like the puncture cost a stage win. Matthews was scary.
Yeah don't think he could've beaten Matthews, he was insane, but could've costed him a close result which would've been good for the morale. He basically closed down more than 30 seconds on his own with a few riders in his wheel after the puncture which probably costed him a lot of energy. Hard to say where he would've ended without the blowout (luckily he didn't crash).
Why do you keep repeating this lol. It's also based on absolutely nothing. If Ewan still rides for the team next year (wouldn't be surprised if he leaves), he'll still be their best rider and thus get serious support. You act like Lotto left so many good riders at home just to give him more support, which is just BS.
Last edited:
Had Matthews punctured i'm sure people would say the same cfr Bettiol. At least it didn't cost him the win.
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
Paris - Roubaix 2024, one day monument, April 7- Started by Dreginald
- Replies: 2K
-
-
Tour of the Alps 2024 (April 15 - 19)- Started by Devil's Elbow
- Replies: 359
-
-
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2024 (March 18-24)- Started by Devil's Elbow
- Replies: 2K
-
De Ronde van Vlaanderen (270.8 km), 2024 March 31 (Sunday)- Started by Netserk
- Replies: 1K
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram