Menchov back in the light in 2012 at Katusha ?

[roundabout]

Question is whether Menchov's TT decline is temporary or not

 

[taiwan]

In his last Tour performance, Menchov rode a great final TT, I doubt he's in decline. If it's last year you're referring to, I think that was just generally half assed because of being on Geox/ not getting a Tour invite/ the Giro being an unfavourable route.

thats a good question indeed, even his vuelta itt which he rode on a giant trinity wasn't anything out of this world. . . only 5 secs faster then nibali and roughly a minute behind wiggins

I don't think that was indicative of the current level of his TTing. He was a second faster than O'Grady over 47km, and Froome was second on the stage. I doubt we'll see that sort of result being confirmed at the Tour- it's just a different kettle of fish. IMO.

So, what are Katusha riding next year, is it known yet?

 

[Parrulo]

Question is whether Menchov's TT decline is temporary or not

thats a good question indeed, even his vuelta itt which he rode on a giant trinity wasn't anything out of this world. . . only 5 secs faster then nibali and roughly a minute behind wiggins

 

[roundabout]

I suppose one can argue that he never did a TT in 2011 while in top form and a TT on stage 21 of the Vuelta would have looked different.

At the same time he did finish second in the Vuelta TT in 2010 while having nothing to ride for and there haven't been any performances of that kind this year.

 

[will10]

I predict an anonymous 6th place on GC for Menchov at Le Tour.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I predict an anonymous 6th place on GC for Menchov at Le Tour.

don`t be such a downer i bet he can make a 5th place

 

[The Hitch]

I think Menchov may be one of those riders who, well save the pain unless it is needed.

Perhaps such a rider does not exist, as you have the Valverde Evans Contador types who push themselves to the limit no matter what the situation, but surely there are riders out there who just wont give as much out of themselves unless something big is on the line.

Which I guess could explain how Menchov destroys all life in the Bordeaux tt, and then beats Canc in Penafiel (decides to save himself in rest of gt to go for that stage), whereas when hes languishing in 8th in the Giro he just says "**** this" and loses to Rujano, or can't quite bring himself to push it to the limit in an early Vuelta tt.

 

[Havetts]

If Contador is banned I see Menchov win the Tour.

 

[hfer07]

Menchov+Katusha = Andy Schleck has just been knocked off the TDF podium

 

[Tank Engine]

Even if Contador is banned, I don't think Menchov will win the tour, since I think Evans will match him in the TTs and be better than him in the mountains. Menchov should be in the top 10 and possibly podium, but Schleckette will be more aggressive in the mountains, due to losses in the TTs. This might not get him a podium place, but may well scupper the Pope's chances.

 

[greenedge]

Just because he's Russian doesn't mean it will be a perfect move for Menchov. Vladimar Karpets when to Katusha and he sucked hard whilst he was there and took the first opportunity he could get to go back to Movistar.

Yeah but Menchov will have clear definitive goals and is already proven as a GC winner. Therefore he shall have some authority as to how he wants his campaign to go about. Karpets just stagnated for some reason.

Does anyone know Menchovs' ideal TDF prep??? And will he also do the Olympic ITT after the TDF?

 

[Zoncolan]

I would say that Menchov wasted his best chance in 2008, but then I thought the same about Cadel.
As long as Contador isn't there Menchov, Evans, and Wiggins all have a decent shot.

 

[craig1985]

I wouldn't mind Menchov winning the Tour so he can have all three GT's under his belt, and even if AC is banned and has his results stripped, he will still have all three GT's as well.

 

[will10]

Menchov isn't disciplined enough to win the Tour, he has proven in the past to be exceptional at losing time where other GC riders do not. Transition stages, splits in the pack in the final etc.

 

[Swede1]

I say Menchov has a good chance with so many TT's. He's a better climber than Wiggins and can match Evans on the climbs. So barring a crash/notinshape/notmotivated I think he can win.

 

[roundabout]

Yeah but Menchov will have clear definitive goals and is already proven as a GC winner. Therefore he shall have some authority as to how he wants his campaign to go about. Karpets just stagnated for some reason.

Does anyone know Menchovs' ideal TDF prep??? And will he also do the Olympic ITT after the TDF?

According to biciciclismo

Andalucia-Paris-Nice-Volta a Catalunya-Sarthe-Romandie-Dauphine-Tour

Possible Olympic TT and Vuelta.

 

[greenedge]

According to biciciclismo

Andalucia-Paris-Nice-Volta a Catalunya-Sarthe-Romandie-Dauphine-Tour

Possible Olympic TT and Vuelta.

Thx. I would love for him to do the Vuelta afterwards as he could challenge Contador/ others like Gesink, Cobo and Anton.

 

[meat puppet]

Okay, we by now know that when the motivation is there, Menchov climbs well and TTs well. But what about the asset that truly decides GTs - recovery? How is it in comparison to, say, Evans, Wiggo, AC and AS? Judging by the Tour of 2010 for example, Menchov seems to recover quite well (great TT at the end of the race).

 

[orangerider]

Menchov will do a decent GC spot. I agree that 4th or 5th are within possibility. Third, very difficult fat chance. Taking yellow - impossible. He will be straddled by Oscar Freire being on the same team, so basically, just like his Rabo days just wearing different colors. That means team support split to maximize Freire's ability to take a stage or two.

 

[FignonLeGrand]

I am big fan of menchov. Dont think we seen the best of him this year. Now he has a more stable team around him. With moreno and the likes of karpets doing good domestique work katusha could be one of the darkhorses in next years tour.

Menchov might have a shot at podium due to the parcours, however dont see how he can rely on a 'team' in any sense of the word. Katusha are an awful team, no spirit, no direction, no point.

 

[taiwan]

Menchov will do a decent GC spot. I agree that 4th or 5th are within possibility. Third, very difficult fat chance. Taking yellow - impossible. He will be straddled by Oscar Freire being on the same team, so basically, just like his Rabo days just wearing different colors. That means team support split to maximize Freire's ability to take a stage or two.

TBH I don't think supporting Freire will be a huge priority for the team. Freire's chances will come in the reduced sprints - he'll be lucky to have one teammate to lead him out. Katusha might even bring young Galimzyanov for the field sprints, as they've brought him on to a decent level now.

Actually it seems certain that they take Galimzyanov to the Tour - will Freire even get a slot?

 

[Angliru]

For whatever reasons, Menchov has had alternating years of success at the Tour within the past 5 years or so. 2012 would be an "on" year for Denis and with the route and strong motivation to make up for such a disappointing 2011I anticipate him having a very strong Tour. Considering he just made the podium in 2010, I'd say it's a bit to early for some of us to be think that he's on the downward slope of his career.

For a rider that has built his every season around peaking for the Tour, to have the opportunity to possibly better his 2010 finish taken from him, had to have been a major blow to his motivation and to his routine of races and training he generally used in prep for the Tour. As was stated, Menchov seemed to get stronger as Vuelta progressed, maybe an indication that he had his timing for his peak a bit off.

 

[Fetisoff]

I wonder how the absence of Konontchuk by his side will affect Denis. On one hand he praises him in the interviews, and insisted that Kozontchuk's support greatly helped him, on the other hand Kozontchuk doesn't seem to do anything to protect Menchov from losing time on stupid splits, and is useless come the mountains.

As per Freire, I'm not even sure he'll be doing the TDF, he'll probably concentrate on M-SR, Vuelta, and possibly the Giro where he could take a couple of the harder spring stages. Galimzyanov has so far only needed Isaychev to lead him out at the finish, however if he wants to take it to the next level (i.e. win a TDF stage) he might need more help (Kristoff??), so that still leaves enough people around Menchov to protect him on most stages, however the biggest problem is that the best domestiques will probably not even ride the TDF, as they are "J-Rod's domestiques".

 

[The Hitch]

Thx. I would love for him to do the Vuelta afterwards as he could challenge Contador/ others like Gesink, Cobo and Anton.

Menchov will only be a contender at the Vuelta if he fails big time at the Tour.

He was nowhere in the Tour when he came 2nd/ won the Vuelta in 2005 and pulled out of the Tour when he won it in 2007. By contrast when he podiumed the Tour in 2010 he then sucked big at the Vuelta finishing outside the top 100.

edit: Or so it seemed. Turns he finished in the top 100 after-all.

 

[roundabout]

He finished 40th. Although for a GT contender it isn't really much different than finishing 140th.

He did try initially though I seem to recall but finally gave up after Xorret de Cati or Andorra.

but anyway it's 38 days of racing planned before the Tour and it will be 60 after the Tour if he races the Olympics. And it's 16 days from the Olympic TT to the start of the Vuelta.