MTN - No wildcards

[Colonel]

I have looked but couldnt see a thread on this so sorry if this is a repeat, MTN are missing out on all the Wildcards it seems, is this due to them being a new team still and need to prove themselves in bigger races still, not enough big names or have they upset some of the big wigs already and being overlooked?

 

[42x16ss]

Not Italian and no Italian ties = no Giro
Not French, no French riders or ties and no GC contender = no Tour

Hopefully they get a Vuelta invite

 

[nepetalactone]

I think that organizers see Ciolek's MSR win last year as a fluke - never would have happened without the crazy conditions, Turchino and la Manie being cancelled, etc... And without that, they haven't won much. That said, I'd have liked to have seen them at the tour.

 

[42x16ss]

They would have done better than Sojasun did last year that's for sure. MTN's roster is quite solid, just missing a star name that bigger Pro Conti squads have.

 

[the asian]

It was expected that they will not get a WC for the Tour. So it's not a surprise.

Them being left out of the Giro is another matter.

Most expected them to get in at the expense of Yellow Fluo.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Don't think MTN offers much on the sporting side for any of the GT's at this point. However if they needed to be tested for purpose the Vuelta would be the best place.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

They would have done better than Sojasun did last year that's for sure. MTN's roster is quite solid, just missing a star name that bigger Pro Conti squads have.

what is solid about their team? they sucked last year, all their african riders. worse even that colombians. it will take 5 more years before they have a worthy african tour rider

 

[Arredondo]

what is solid about their team? they sucked last year, all their african riders. worse even that colombians. it will take 5 more years before they have a worthy african tour rider

With Kudus it will not take that long.

And Teklehaimanot is good enough for the WT, but he had difficulties with his visa, otherwise he would be a valuable rider for every WT-squad.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

With Kudus it will not take that long.

And Teklehaimanot is good enough for the WT, but he had difficulties with his visa, otherwise he would be a valuable rider for every WT-squad.

kudus is a puncher. not a gc rider. still he will be great, although many eritreans and ethiopians who ahd amazing talent at mtn have stopped progressing

 

[Arredondo]

kudus is a puncher. not a gc rider. still he will be great, although many eritreans and ethiopians who ahd amazing talent at mtn have stopped progressing

If you're talking about a African tour rider, it doesn't matter in what terrain he's good at.

I mean, Kudus is still a more than decent climber. And you don't know how he will progress.

 

[Afrank]

Not Italian and no Italian ties = no Giro
Not French, no French riders or ties and no GC contender = no Tour

Hopefully they get a Vuelta invite

Pretty much this, It's sad that the organizers give such preferential treatment to teams of their nationality. MTN definitely deserves to ride a grand tour, they would bring much more to both the Giro or Tour then Neri and Bretagne-Séché will.

 

[hrotha]

Pretty much this, It's sad that the organizers give such preferential treatment to teams of their nationality. MTN definitely deserves to ride a grand tour, they would bring much more to both the Giro or Tour then Neri and Bretagne-Séché will.

Funny, because I get the distinct impression all this MTN bandwagon and sense of entitlement owes its existence to nothing but their nationality.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Funny, because I get the distinct impression all this MTN bandwagon and sense of entitlement owes its existence to nothing but their nationality.

Agree, for my money its too much marketing and little reality. Personally I would welcome a powerful African team, but lets see some results along the way (in bigger races, non fluked). Assuming 4 wildcards for the Vuelta: Caja Rural and Cofidis seems 100% sure. MTN would be next on my list.

All the PCT teams here (from procyclingstats):

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI - VENEZUELA
BARDIANI - CSF PRO TEAM
BRETAGNE- SéCHé ENVIRONNEMENT
CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA
CCC POLSAT POLKOWICE
COFIDIS SOLUTIONS CRéDITS
DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING
IAM CYCLING
NERI SOTTOLI - YELLOW FLUO
RUSVELO
TEAM COLOMBIA
TEAM MTN QHUBEKA
TEAM NETAPP – ENDURA
TEAM NOVO NORDISK
TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PRESENTED BY MAXXIS
WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT

 

[Ferminal]

Yes, how dare organisers pick longstanding local teams. I'm sure MTN wouldn't be overlooked in an Atomic Jock Race GT.

 

[Afrank]

Funny, because I get the distinct impression all this MTN bandwagon and sense of entitlement owes its existence to nothing but their nationality.

Of course having the first Africon pro conti team in a GT is one of the benefits of inviting them. But for me personally its more about what they could bring to the race. MTN can field a much stronger team then Neri and Bretagne will be able to. And that would mean better and more exciting racing IMO.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Of course having the first Africon pro conti team in a GT is one of the benefits of inviting them. But for me personally its more about what they could bring to the race. MTN can field a much stronger team then Neri and Bretagne will be able to. And that would mean better and more exciting racing IMO.

I don't expect Bretagne to deliver any excitement to the race, but I'm just struggling to see who on MTN will provide the action. Ciolek will be up against Greipel/Cav/Kittel (plus all the 2nd tier sprinters) in the flat stages. Gerdeman hasn't deliver a meaningful result in years. Pardilla in the mountains? Maybe, if hes very lucky. Augustyn is a major gamble in any case.

The most interesting part of MTN are the other African riders imo, but most are very young and unproven.

 

[will10]

Yes, how dare organisers pick longstanding local teams. I'm sure MTN wouldn't be overlooked in an Atomic Jock Race GT.

I agree, but nonetheless Bretagne's Tour wildcard came as a little bit of a surprise to me. Honestly, I wasn't even sure they were Pro Continental.

 

[argyllflyer]

I agree, but nonetheless Bretagne's Tour wildcard came as a little bit of a surprise to me. Honestly, I wasn't even sure they were Pro Continental.

They've been ProConti for three years but generally were overlooked for wildcards in favour of the bigger PC French outfits, all of which have either gone WT or bust apart from Cofidis. At the 2011 Tour, there were 4 French wildcards - FDJ, Europcar, Saur Sojasun and Cofidis. Bretagne were overlooked.

Anyway, what this boils down to is ASO wanting French teams who are likely to fight to get in breaks on the boring flat days when a sprint is inevitable to keep French viewers switched on. Pretty sure last year one of the Cofidis riders did a solo ride for about the first 100km.

 

[Roude Leiw]

I agree, but nonetheless Bretagne's Tour wildcard came as a little bit of a surprise to me. Honestly, I wasn't even sure they were Pro Continental.

Not really, both Feillu brothers are there, so that gives the frenchies someone to root for in the sprints besides demare/bouhanni and in the mountains. They were sure axps hell told that ASO wants to see them in every breakaway on every stage.... And they will probably comply, 3 french WT means less escape artists in doomed from the start breakaways. I am not sure ASO could get the same leverage on MTN

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

They've been ProConti for three years but generally were overlooked for wildcards in favour of the bigger PC French outfits, all of which have either gone WT or bust apart from Cofidis. At the 2011 Tour, there were 4 French wildcards - FDJ, Europcar, Saur Sojasun and Cofidis. Bretagne were overlooked.

Anyway, what this boils down to is ASO wanting French teams who are likely to fight to get in breaks on the boring flat days when a sprint is inevitable to keep French viewers switched on. Pretty sure last year one of the Cofidis riders did a solo ride for about the first 100km.

it has nothing to do with french viewers watching some random french guy in a boring flat stage. it's about securing sponsors in france and a small hope of such a team having the new voeckler

 

[Roude Leiw]

On top don't they have this young climber who finished in the top 10 in argentina? Can't remember his name and can't be bothered to go look for it now

 

[Dazed and Confused]

On top don't they have this young climber who finished in the top 10 in argentina? Can't remember his name and can't be bothered to go look for it now

6 SEPúLVEDA Eduardo Bretagne- Séché Environnement 16 24 3:43

He wasn't even in the break on stage 1.

So its Brice and Eduardo in the mountains.

 

[hrotha]

So yeah, they do have a crap team, but that was never the point.

 

[Froome19]

Not really, both Feillu brothers are there, so that gives the frenchies someone to root for in the sprints besides demare/bouhanni and in the mountains. They were sure axps hell told that ASO wants to see them in every breakaway on every stage.... And they will probably comply, 3 french WT means less escape artists in doomed from the start breakaways. I am not sure ASO could get the same leverage on MTN

Well not really leverage there, they would be foolish if they did anything but attack from the gun and get into breaks.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Yes, how dare organisers pick longstanding local teams. I'm sure MTN wouldn't be overlooked in an Atomic Jock Race GT.

There is a balance to be struck between supporting local outfits and inviting new teams from further afield. When there are three or four local PC teams and the race organisers invite them every year no matter what that is a problem. The local teams don't have to be any good and, conversely they can disgrace the race with impunity (see under YF-Neri), while interesting teams from elsewhere are locked out unless they can stump up a full Pro Tour budget.

However, this is right now only a Giro problem. With only two French teams and one Spanish team eligible for wild cards, no matter how nationalistic the invite policies are, the Tour and Vuelta have multiple slots available. If they make boring choices, it's not simply because of pandering to the local teams.

The Tour selections are fine in my view, two local teams, which is important even though both are pretty bad, the strongest PC team in theory and the PC team that actually did something memorable with a Vuelta invite. Not exciting choices but reasonable.

The Giro selections on the other hand are marred by the nationalist inclusion of a third local team which really should be on the naughty step. The Vuelta could make up for that if it actually made some unexpected choices, which it has leeway to do with only one local PC team. It will probably make boring choices though, starting with the seemingly inevitable Cofidis, a team completely unworthy of two (2!) GT invites every year.