Make your own gt/classics team 2014 edition

[Vino attacks everyone]

Yes, you heard right. We have reached far enough out in the season to be able to put togheter a team of our favourite riders, that will try to win... something
You choose!
Is your team going to a gt team, going for the yellow or pink yersey? Perhaps you'd rather fight for the win on the cobbles, or in the hilly ardennes?
Make your team, and make it good, because in this thread you can and will be judged by other people.

And remember, we are in 2014, not 2006, so Kash would be a not to good choice as your gt leader.

My gt team:
Leader: Kash - you know it to be true
Free role: Aru - the slim italian will prove to be a key to success for the team in the high mountains. He will chase for stage victories and the KOM jersey with vigor and enthusiasm, flying up the mountain side on his angel wings.
Free role: Arredondo - pretty much the same as Aru, but no angel wings. we can expect a stage win.
Domestique: EBH - will do a very good job to controll the peloton on the flat, and hilly stages. Also a possibility of a breakaway win.
Domestique: Jungels - will work with EBH in controlling the peloton
Domestique: Alberto Contador- Will be a key helper in the high mountains for Kash. Being the leadout for Kash in the first kilometers of the final mountain in the mountain stages.
Domestique: Bradley Wiggins - certified bottle carrier with an attitude
Domestique: Pierre Rolland - When AC has done his job at the bottom of the climb Rolland will take over and launch Kash to victory
Domestique: Kiserlovski - Will be sacrificed to the cycling gods to bring good luck to the team.

 

[Ruby United]

You've assigned Wiggins well.

 

[Afrank]

My teams one that will set out with the goal of winning everything and getting all 3 spots on the podium.

Leader: Nibali
Leader: Quintnaa
Leader: Contador
I want to see a battle, even if that battle has to be in my own team. All 3 as leaders to take the entire podium. (and I tell each that they're the leader and the other 2 are plan B and C, ssh don't tell)

Super dom: Aru

Flat land/TTer: Cancellara (to take the TT wins and be a engine for flats).
Flat land: Stannard (engine for flat/road captain).

Domestique/breaks/KOM: Arredondo
Domestique/breaks/KOM: Rolland
These two will find a way to bring home the KOM jersey

Sprinter: Sagan (to take the points)

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

My teams one that will set out with the goal of winning everything and getting all 3 spots on the podium.

Leader: Nibali
Leader: Quintnaa
Leader: Contador
I want to see a battle, even if that battle has to be in my own team. All 3 as leaders to take the entire podium. (and I tell each that they're the leader and the other 2 are plan B and C, ssh don't tell)

Super dom: Aru

Flat land/TTer: Cancellara (to take the TT wins and be a engine for flats).
Flat land: Stannard (engine for flat/road captain).

Domestique/breaks/KOM: Arredondo
Domestique/breaks/KOM: Rolland
These two will find a way to bring home the KOM jersey

Sprinter: Sagan (to take the points)

Do you really think that team can match mine after Kiser has been sacrificed to the cycling gods?
good luck with that

 

[LaFlorecita]

GT team

Leader: Contador - simply the best.

Sprinter: Sagan - the most versatile sprinter.

Super dom: Kreuziger - Contador and Kreuziger are a great team.

Stage hunter/dom: Arredondo
Stage hunter/dom: Chavanel
Stage hunter/dom: Stybar
These guys are free to go in breaks but will have to support Contador too.

Domestique: Tony Martin - can go for the TTs though, obviously.

Domestique: Tosatto - road captain.

Domestique: Rogers - TTT/flat engine and mountain support

Basically a mix of Saxo and OPQS + some others

I would have liked to give Aru and Barguil the chance to race for their idol Contador but alas

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nice to see that even if you haven't included him in your team Aru is your avater for the moment

 

[Afrank]

Do you really think that team can match mine after Kiser has been sacrificed to the cycling gods?
good luck with that

Kash is good for a leader, but can he match the combined force that Contador, Quintana, and Nibali will bring? When combined that's a guaranteed 18.0 W/kg! Along with Aru, Rolland, and Arredondo to lead on the early slopes of ascents my team will storm the mountains like it's the Armstrong era.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Kash is good for a leader, but can he match the combined force that Contador, Quintana, and Nibali will bring? When combined that's a guaranteed 18.0 W/kg! Along with Aru, Rolland, and Arredondo to lead on the early slopes of ascents my team will storm the mountains like it's the Armstrong era.

I point you to the direction of my signature, called the greatest gt in history.

 

[Jspear]

My team would be built completely around Contador and winning grand tours.

Contador - sole undisputed leader
Froome - super domestique. He'd be the last guy in the train on the mountains.
Quintana - super domestique. Off and on he'd be given a free role.
Kruzigeur - As has been said he works well with AC. There has to be some harmony in the team.
Rogers - Road Captain...he's got the brains
Cancellara - big engine on the flats
Wiggins - engine of the flats
Chavenel - breakaway guy, will add some depth to their team trial.
Sagan - stage hunter, work horse as well, water bottle boy (hey he's the kid out of all them.)

Team Cash Cow: Tinkov
Sports Director (along side me): Matthew White
Bike Sponser: Specialize
Michelle Cound: Alberto Contadors personal soigneur.

This would be my start. We'd grow from here.

 

[alspacka]

Q

I would make a GT team of riders who have big talent, but have faltered. People who still have time theoretically to reach their full potential if they could find the fitness and motivation.

Schleck, A
Gesink
De gendt
Brajkovic
Rujano (pushing my motivational abilities a bit)
Dekker
LL Sanchez
EBH
Farrar (lol)

Decent balance I reckon. Good doms for the mountains. Should be ok in the TTT.
For sprints they would act like EBH is leading out Farrar, who's secret role would be to fall over taking everyone decent with him, leaving EBH to cruise home.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Michelle Cound: Alberto Contadors personal soigneur.

Lolz

 

[phanatic]

TDF squad

Tony Martin - Domestique / sprint train
Kittel - Sprinter
Cancellara - Domestique/ sprint train
Greipel - lead out
Van Avermaet - Domestique
Sagan - alternate sprinter/ break away
Kwiatkowski - sprint train/ domestique
Gerrans - domestique / break away
Nibali - GC man

 

[Squirbos19]

This is my GT team that would target everything, but mainly stage wins.

Joaquim Rodriguez - GC/stages
Cadel Evans - GC/superdom
Domenico Pozzovivo - superdom/KoM
Dani Moreno - climbing dom/stages
Michael Matthews - sprints/points
Simon Gerrans - stages/flat dom
Fabian Cancellara - flat dom/stages
Michal Kwiatkowski - youth/stages
Pierre Rolland - climbing dom/KoM

A few reserve riders who could sneak their way into the squad
Robert Kiserlovski, Rafal Majka, John Degenkolb, Bob Jungels

 

[Pricey_sky]

My team based on riders I like and would happily pay to represent my team:

Leader: Froome - still the best GT rider in the peleton, the little time (if any) he would lose to Quintana in the mountains he would more than make up in the TT.

Free Roles: Aru, Adam Yates.

Mountain Doms: Basso, Seb Henao, G Thomas

Flat Doms: Stannard, Voigt.

Sprinter: Cavendish

 

[SafeBet]

GT Team:

Fabio Aru: leader and cover boy. If you want a picture of his big teeth you gotta pay the boss, me.

Vincenzo Nibali: super domestique and cojones holder. Nibbles will be Aru's last man on the mountains and will cover any sneaky move on the descents. You wanna screw me up with bad communication on the Stelvio? Nibs says: I don't listen to no radio!

Romain Bardet: mountain domestique. He'll come handy on the steepest slopes and in case Tommy V wants to play faces on the camera he can tell him to **** off in french.

Benat Intxausti: mountain domestique. He might even get in a break every now and then. Having Benat in the team will help us have the support of all the basque fans. Surely up the Zoncolan one of them will wrap the Dawg up in his big basque flag and make him disappear so one challenge less for my Angel.

Taylor Phinney: flat dom and TT specialist. He'll be useful in most flat stages and on Twitter where he can post some random pictures of Aru covered in mud so other teams will think he's bruised and won't be dangerous the day after. But the Angel will fly away on km1 to never be seen again.

Moreno Moser: obvious fanboy pick is obvious. Moreno will put on a show, displaying his panache and talent throughout the race. He'll go stage hunting, pull the peloton for hundreds of kms when needed and occasionally smash a climb or two. More likely, he'll be nowhere to be seen for the whole race. At least I'll have something to throw at the press when they accuse me of team doping.

John Degenkolb: sprinter and hard stage specialist. You wanna put those dirty cobbles in a GT, I have a man to protect my Angel and maybe even get the win in the end.

Tom Dumoulin: hard stage specialist and girl idol. Tommy Boy will dish out the pain on the flat when required and go stage hunting. He'll also get us a plethora of screaming groupies around our hotel giving the team a boost of morale.

Enrico Battaglin: and when the other teams think they're getting a stage win at last, he'll come from a couple kms behind and outsprint the soul out of them.

 

[CycloAndy]

Kwiatkowski
Kiryienka
Terpstra
Stannard
Wiggins
Cancellara
Martin
Phinney
Sagan

Who said flat stages were boring?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

GT

Joint leaders: Hoogerland (pre barbwire incident), Pirazzi and Voeckler

A big powerful man to sort out the post stage battles in the bus: Kittel

A rider to take care of the daily stage interviews: Dan Craven

Some durability: Hansen

And for this year's Tour: Cancellara

The angels when all plans goes to hell: Aru and Rolland

 

[VanBsr]

My gt team:
Leader: Nibali
Free role/Co-leader: Kreuziger-Can deliver stage wins or a Top 5
Mountain Domestique: Dani Moreno
Mountain Domestique: Robert Kiserlovski
Mountain Domestique: Dario Cataldo
All-around Domestique/Road Captain: Cancellara
Flat Domestique:Bernie Eisel
Flat Domestique: Lars Bak
Team's attraction:Jens Voigt