Lotto

[Aquarthur]

If they focus all their efforts on GC and try to get VDB on the podium, do you think he could do it? If they focus on sprints rather than GC, assuming they sign Greipel, and have a decent leadout train for him, how many stages do you think he'll be able to win? On another note, how good are Blythe and Bakelants going to be? Discuss.

 

[TopCarbon]

I will consult my magic 8 ball and get back to you later

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

They don't focus everything on VDB2

They also have a classics team to support Gilbert in the Ardennes remember?
They even signed Veikkanen on advice of Gilbert for next year already

 

[ericthesportsman6]

If they focus all their efforts on GC and try to get VDB on the podium, do you think he could do it? If they focus on sprints rather than GC, assuming they sign Greipel, and have a decent leadout train for him, how many stages do you think he'll be able to win? On another note, how good are Blythe and Bakelants going to be? Discuss.

Welcome to the forum. I'm assuming that your talking about the TDF. I definitely think that VDB can podium there in the near future. It's a Belgium team, and VDB is the lone Belgium rider in the cycling world with a legitimate chance at contending at a GT. For that reason, Lotto will support him. If for some reason Lotto decided to focus 100% on Greipel at the Tour, I still think he would have trouble beating Cav. I wish Greipel was the superior sprinter, but when it comes down to it, Cav is just faster. Not to mention his insane sprint train. I have high hopes for Bakelants, but who knows.

 

[taiwan]

Just the Tour?

I think getting VDB on the podium is an achieveable goal, given the right race circumstances. There were times this year when he looked strong, as if he could have ridden more aggressively... and last year I scoffed that he was wanting leadership from Evans! If Cav's there, I can hardly see Greipel winning any stages, much as I would like it. Don't see why they can't go after both goals, with two or three riders for Greipel. Hardly seen anything of Blythe myself, others will have a clue. Bakelants I noticed a couple of times at the Giro, performing well. He may have even won the stage with the freak 56 man split, if not for a crash, I think. Again, others will have been following him in domestic races, maybe, and will know better.

 

[PCutter]

I think they will split the team for the TdF like they previously did for Cadel/Robbie McEwan in 2005, 2006. Robbie generally survived with no support/lead-out men, but Greipel is a different type of sprinter and may demand at least one lead out man, maybe two, but the right guys can also double as rolleurs. Then you put Mario Aerts and Matt Lloyd(Giro KoM) and maybe pick up one more to support in the mountains. Lotto's focus on classics and their limited budget will mean they will likely never put together a super GT squad like USP/Saxo so they will just have to be tactical in their approach. He surprised/was impressive in the TT for a mountain man.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

I think they will split the team for the TdF like they previously did for Cadel/Robbie McEwan in 2005, 2006. Robbie generally survived with no support/lead-out men, but Greipel is a different type of sprinter and may demand at least one lead out man, maybe two, but the right guys can also double as rolleurs. Then you put Mario Aerts and Matt Lloyd(Giro KoM) and maybe pick up one more to support in the mountains. Lotto's focus on classics and their limited budget will mean they will likely never put together a super GT squad like USP/Saxo so they will just have to be tactical in their approach. He surprised/was impressive in the TT for a mountain man.

You forgot about Daniel Moreno, he's a great climber.

 

[Aquarthur]

Thanks to all for your replies. All in all, I think that this team could, and will be, competitive in almost every front (sprints- greipel, classics-gilbert, GC- VdB) and they have riders that could be very good in the future. I just wish they'll change their team name so that it won't include Omega Pharma next year.

 

[Ryaguas]

I just wish they'll change their team name so that it won't include Omega Pharma next year.

You were doing well until this...

Omega Pharma is the main sponsor, so without OmegaPharma maybe they can't afford to have a PT license and they will have a very limited budget and they coudn't afford to keep VdB with them...

Well I really think that VdB can make podium in the next years... he is doing great and he was in a really good form in the last TdF, I think that he needs to be more agressive and try to drop the others GC contenders in the climbs... He will soon win a GT maybe Il Giro cuz is more suited to his skills...

 

[Aquarthur]

I was thinking more along the lines of going back to just having one of their products in the name, not the company itself, like last year's silence-lotto. But yeah, I guess you're right.

 

[Ryaguas]

I don't know but I like that name "Omega Pharma - Lotto" but the one that I really liked was "Predictor - Lotto" was really cool!

 

[tgsgirl]

You forgot about Daniel Moreno, he's a great climber.

And Péraud who was injured for the Tour this year. An 8th in Paris-Nice and 4th is Pais Vasco in his first full time year on the road shows the boy can climb though.

 

[Denkoff]

Lotto is Belgian lottery?

 

[Ryaguas]

Lotto is Belgian lottery?

Yep Yep...

 

[Andre.J]

I'll go one higher and say VDB is not very far from winning the Tour. He has shown improvement over the last few years, and if he continues this path then I believe he can win.

He will be pampered by Lotto and all of Belgium to improve just that bit more.

 

[Ryaguas]

I'll go one higher and say VDB is not very far from winning the Tour. He has shown improvement over the last few years, and if he continues this path then I believe he can win.

He will be pampered by Lotto and all of Belgium to improve just that bit more.

Wow that's really higher... I'm more "conservative"... I'm pretty sure that he can win Il Giro or La Vuelta if he really targets that races... but Le Tour is a big shot... He can make podium there but win it will be really difficult for him with Andy, Contador, Nibali, etc...

 

[D Avoid]

Blythe is going to be very good indeed, same kind of Rocker as Peter Kennaugh, but bigger, very hard to shake off.

 

[tinga1]

VDB = arrogant tosspot. refer http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-den-broeck-clashes-with-sarkozy
Also a wheel sucker who never attacks.

 

[Ryaguas]

Also a wheel sucker who never attacks.

I totally agree with you... He needs to be more agressive... but maybe he wants to be the next Leecheimer =D "The Legacy continues"

 

[hrotha]

VDB = arrogant tosspot. refer http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-den-broeck-clashes-with-sarkozy
Also a wheel sucker who never attacks.

Are you kidding?

 

[Bennyl]

Jurgen still has his career in front of him, but he has never launched an attack against GC favourites that has stuck for more than 15 metres. I wouldn't label him a wheel sucker, but to say he could win the tour against AC & AS is a complete long shot. He can't respond or put in efforts like they can, and his time trial is not outstanding. throw in cobbles or team time trials?-no advantage there. I think at best he might achieve a podium, and maybe a decent result in another grand tour when the big guns are not present.

Apart from that, I think he seems arrogant and disrespectful for someone who has acheived nothing as a GT contender.

 

[hoolaparara]

Definitely not a wheelsucker at this tour, I thought with Rodriguez he looked the punchiest of the guys in the top 10 at any stage after contador and schleck who were a step above.

Look at Sanchez and Menchov who were clearly the 3rd and 4th strongest climbers but they never attacked anybody behind them in the top 10, they only made time by being able to follow a Contador/Schleck attack.. hell even when they took time out of Contador/Schleck because of their antics it was more because it would have been embarrassing not to!

VDB did attack the group at times and frankly I was amazed how good he looked. I agree with people on the no TDF.. I think its a Schleck/Contador lock for a fair while yet.

 

[il_fiammingo]

VDB = arrogant tosspot. refer http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-den-broeck-clashes-with-sarkozy

?? What did he do wrong ??

 

[Andre.J]

In the tough mountain stages VDB was always near the front of the main group. He would usually stay in third right behind the 2 Saxo boys who were pacing. If Astana was doing the pacing, VDB was always behind him, (I think it was mostly Navarro); I kept wondering why he did this when he had Mathew LLoyd and Aerts still with him. When Aerts would drop off, LLoyd usually would stay longer, but he would ride in back of VDB, (it may have been a tactic in case he needed a bike change). But he always looked strong. When Contador or Schleck finally attacked, VDB was the first to respond; sometimes closing the gap and sometimes not, but he did put in the effort (in my opinion) more than Sanchez or Menchov. If he develops just a little more of a punch, he will be right there with Contador and Schleck on those climbs. VDB must also improve his TT.
All in all, he is no wheel sucker. He is a very modest person, and I'm glad he told the French president to get out of the way. That was priceless.

 

[El Pistolero]

VDB has said numerous times that he rather rides in the front instead of being in the middle of the peloton. That's also why he doesn't surround him self with a couple of team mates(like Dopestrong)