Not a Lotto luck

[Laurent]

Gilbert, Hoste, Dekker, Lang and not a win between them. Cadel is the only rider with a win so far this season. I wonder what morale must be like and if they're going to turn it around for the rest of the Classics? What's going on with this team?

 

[Power13]

Are they still riding? Wouldn't know it by looking at some of the recent Belgian Semi-Classics....

 

[lookkg386]

They'll come out and win the next 3 classics now , look forward to bumping this thread if it happens

 

[Stani Kléber]

They have long been known as a chaotically-managed team. I think Lotto is the sponsor that has been in the sport for the most time, with their sponsorship beginning in the mid-1980s. With support like this, rain or shine, it is no wonder managers feel little pressure to get everything right.

Whether it is sloppy recruitment decisions in the support of Evans or the predominant use of "old" training methods (more kilometres = good), there are many small improvements to be made.

Of course, many other teams make the same mistakes and the team's lack of success so far is partly bad luck, Gilbert has been ill and Van Avermaet's time will come.

But the pressure on them in Belgium is enormous.

 

[sTTevie]

it's their worst season start since '85 ...

mostly because of the loss of McEwen ... he was always good for an early season (sprint) win ... and Lotto doesn't really have a real sprinter anymore (Roelandts isn't an all out sprinter in my eyes)

another thing is that a lot of pressure has been put on both young guns in the team, Van Avermaet en Roelandts ... too much pressure ... Van Avermaet was compared to Boonen in the pre-season ... but he's still very young and still has to mature as a rider ... although they are both very very good riders

Hoste ... don't really know what's wrong with him ... maybe over his peak???

Gilbert ... he had his focus on the Ardennes classics since the beginning of the season, with the change in strategy I think he won't be ready in time for the Ronde ... maybe Paris-Roubaix will be better ...

what also is said in the Belgian media is the choice of Lotto to put Tom Steels in charge of planning the training schedules of the riders ... but I think that's just media talking ...


but one win, in either De Ronde of Roubaix will be enough to blow away 2 months of criticism .... you gotta love cycling

 

[Mellow Velo]

The thing about luck is, sooner or later it is going to change.
Too many quality riders not to net something soon.
The problem is, figuring out when and where.

I don't think it'll happen during the next two weeks, unless it's in De Panne.

 

[Laurent]

Even the team don't think they have much chance according to the news today. If they win at De Panne though, it could set the ball rolling. Big if though

 

[ridley]

Talking about McEwen - yes he had a couple of early season wins in the past, but moving to Katusha did not bring any of those explosive early season wins either - but maybe a discussion for a topic on its own

 

[jaylew]

McEwen has won a couple of times this year but nothing too big - A stage of the TdU and a stage of Mallorca.

 

[Laurent]

yeah, only two wins so far this season. That's still one more than the entire Lotto team

 

[jaylew]

yeah, only two wins so far this season. That's still one more than the entire Lotto team

So true!

 

[Mellow Velo]

and boy, did they make a right royal c*ck up of today's stage.
Van Avermaet finishing third, after the 4 lotto riders decided to disrupt their own chase!

 

[Laurent]

not seen the results yet but it sounds like they're starting to panic

 

[il_fiammingo]

I read they also switched their carbon bikes for aluminum bikes (according to J. De Cauwer)...

 

[lookkg386]

I read they also switched their carbon bikes for aluminum bikes (according to J. De Cauwer)...

April 1st have anything to do with it?

 

[il_fiammingo]

April 1st have anything to do with it?

I read it on 31/3.

 

[*G*K*S*]

Talking about McEwen - yes he had a couple of early season wins in the past, but moving to Katusha did not bring any of those explosive early season wins either - but maybe a discussion for a topic on its own

Today at De Panne ManxMan picks up another win followed by McEwen and Chicchi.

Van Avermaet 9th.

 

[TRDean]

I was happy to see Kenny van Hummel in 5th today. He is coming around now and I expect big things this season from him. Just sayin!!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Let's face facts morale is down because nobody likes Cadel and his dogs not to mention all those stuffed animals he likes to cuddle.


http://www.chaoscyclingclub.com

 

[Caisse d eparagne 1]

Can`t imagine that they will win any of the classics either. Yes, they have a strong team, but Quick Step is much better and not to mention Rabobank, Katusha and Colombia. Hoste, Gilbert and Dekker hasn`t shown any results so far this season either

 

[Captain Chaos]

Can`t imagine that they will win any of the classics either. Yes, they have a strong team, but Quick Step is much better and not to mention Rabobank, Katusha and Colombia. Hoste, Gilbert and Dekker hasn`t shown any results so far this season either

Like I said, Cadel is sucking the life out of this team. mcRob's career has certainly been extended bye bolting this sinking ship. Maybe 2 2nd placement finishes to Cav isn't the McRob of a couple years ago but it's better than last year.

Gilbert is starting to look like 2008's flash in the pan and Dekker is a flop. To think I thought he was better than Andy Schleck 2 years ago!

Cadel won't even podium at le Tour this year and S lotto needs to kick him to the curb!

 

[Epicycle]

Lotto should be improved in the Grand Tours this year with the additions of Wegelius and Lang. Van Den Broeck and Lloyd are a year older and people forget that Dekker is still only 24. If they can get those guys to the Tour de France healthy and in good form Cadel will be well served.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Dekker is not a flop. He has had an incredible amount of bad luck so far.

To sum it up:
Besseges: fall at 55 km/h, had to give up, lucky he didn't broke anything
Ruta del Sol: wound infected (due to besseges), had to ride on antibiotics (try it, it isn't nice), and cracked the cartilage between his ribs, probably because they weren't fully healed from the ball in besseges
Kuurne: Could not train in the week before Kuurne because of the injury to his ribs. Rode anyway and finished, despite the cobbles probably not having a good effect on his injuries.
Tirreno: Was in the 1st group after the 1st stage, felt well. And then, fell in the 2nd stage, he was riding in front when Kl?den fell. Dekker bumped in against him and injured his knee.
MSR: Flat tire 2km from the Cipressa, that's bad luck.
Settimana: Got sick after a few days, tried to continue, but had to abandon.

Now tell me, which of this is Dekkers fault? And until Romandie last year, he did very well (3rd Castilla y Leon, 3rd Basque Tour, 5th agr, 5th fleche, 6th LBL, 2nd in Romandie before quitting).

And to compare to 'wonderboy' A.Schleck, Schleck abandoned in the Tirreno, which was supposedly his first season goal, and he was in the same group as Dekker in MSR, and about 80th place in Criterium International.
So is A.Schleck a flop then?


Don't judge if you don't know the facts.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Dekker is not a flop. He has had an incredible amount of bad luck so far.

To sum it up:
Besseges: fall at 55 km/h, had to give up, lucky he didn't broke anything
Ruta del Sol: wound infected (due to besseges), had to ride on antibiotics (try it, it isn't nice), and cracked the cartilage between his ribs, probably because they weren't fully healed from the ball in besseges
Kuurne: Could not train in the week before Kuurne because of the injury to his ribs. Rode anyway and finished, despite the cobbles probably not having a good effect on his injuries.
Tirreno: Was in the 1st group after the 1st stage, felt well. And then, fell in the 2nd stage, he was riding in front when Kl?den fell. Dekker bumped in against him and injured his knee.
MSR: Flat tire 2km from the Cipressa, that's bad luck.
Settimana: Got sick after a few days, tried to continue, but had to abandon.

Now tell me, which of this is Dekkers fault? And until Romandie last year, he did very well (3rd Castilla y Leon, 3rd Basque Tour, 5th agr, 5th fleche, 6th LBL, 2nd in Romandie before quitting).

And to compare to 'wonderboy' A.Schleck, Schleck abandoned in the Tirreno, which was supposedly his first season goal, and he was in the same group as Dekker in MSR, and about 80th place in Criterium International.
So is A.Schleck a flop then?

You sound like me defending Tommy Gun! Look I was gung about Dekker and maybe he'll return to the potential everyone thought he had but until then I'll go with Schleck (who bye the way I'm no fan of). When he does something amazing I'll give it to him but until then I'll say he's following the path of Popo.

Don't judge if you don't know the facts.

This is a forum and everything is subjective. I respect you defense of Dekker but in one persons book your statistics are facts and in another's they are excuses.

just sayin'

 

[Captain Chaos]

Bye the way dekker fan, what was the deal and rabobank? Never got that story.