Official Movistar Thread - New Unzue's Team

[Libertine Seguros]

David Arroyo Duran Giro d Italia 2010 2nd place.

Also your always talking up Ruben Plaza, maybe he can step up, and that young Caisse rider who you joke will sweep everything before him.

Arroyo is a great rider, and had two Giro top 10s before this year. He was on course for another good showing before the L'Aquila stage, but it was a bit fortunate that he was in that position - though he acquitted himself very well. I don't expect him to duplicate that achievement without the stars aligning correctly - or a few very good performances early in the season that results in him asserting himself as the team leader - as at present they will have many riders who are capable of laying claim to that (Arroyo 2nd in Giro, Bruseghin 3rd in Giro 2008, Plaza 5th in Vuelta 2005, Tondó doing well in Vuelta and 2007 Volta winner so good in long stage races, and potentially others stepping up too).

Plaza has a very suspect history but is riding with nothing against his name. He's not a guy I can see winning a GT any time soon but he is a very tidy and useful rider. He did well in the Tour by being able to conserve energy as others chased his teammates. The strength in numbers will be their main way to win things - they've injected themselves into the GC mix of the Giro and Tour despite not really having any right to be part of it, so the 1-2-3...-4...-5...-6? could be their best way to get up there in the mix. Plaza can certainly be part of that.

Madrazo has a lot of talent. He is talked up a lot. I think he has a lot of upside, and he's in the strange position of being overrated (most of those who know of him think the world of him, and I'm no different), and underrated (a great many don't know anything of him) at the same time.

Maybe he won't win the Tour until 2012 though

 

[hrotha]

Madrazo has a lot of talent. He is talked up a lot. I think he has a lot of upside, and he's in the strange position of being overrated (most of those who know of him think the world of him, and I'm no different), and underrated (a great many don't know anything of him) at the same time.

Don't you think they're taking it a bit too easy with Madrazo, even by Unzue standards? He's still 22, but they haven't really brought him to many top level races or anything. At his age Urán was riding the Tour (which, granted, was pretty odd, again by Unzue standards).

 

[The Hitch]

But Arroyo podiumed the same way any of their other solid potential top 10-15 guys could podium. Kudos to him, but that's not what Libertine was talking about.

Anyway, I think they're actually more interesting when they lack Valverde.

I was waiting for this point, so that i could respond to it as follows.

Caisse have tried to insert themselves into all 3 gts, despite not having a leader at any. It didnt work at the Tour though it was a great effort sending 3 to work with LLS on the Madeline stage.
It hasnt worked in the Vuelta but we are yet to hit the mountains, and they have been trying 1 2 3s. They can try a 1 2 3 4 5 with their riders next time.
It did work at the Giro. A bit lucky that Laquilla gave them 13 minutes, but they showed all season they are willing to work for this.

And with 5 great superdomestiques, they can try it again next year.

edit: i see LS has already posted a variation of this point

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Urán came to Europe very young and had already got some experience racing with Unibet, having done Catalunya, Romandie and the Tour de Suisse in 2007, and acquitted himself well, so I guess Unzué didn't feel the need to play careful. He has been very careful with Madrazo, certainly, but maybe he just feels that with the riders he has at his disposal it's best not to risk it. Also, the sponsorship problem may have come into it - he may have wanted to give Madrazo more races this year, but felt the need to fall back on tried and trusted riders to get results to point at in order to help the team get a sponsor.

 

[Michele]

Every rider is different; some need more time to adapt and some less.

 

[theswordsman]

Sergio Pardilla signed

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=30199

 

[DAOTEC]

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[hrotha]

I was waiting for this point, so that i could respond to it as follows.

Caisse have tried to insert themselves into all 3 gts, despite not having a leader at any. It didnt work at the Tour though it was a great effort sending 3 to work with LLS on the Madeline stage.
It hasnt worked in the Vuelta but we are yet to hit the mountains, and they have been trying 1 2 3s. They can try a 1 2 3 4 5 with their riders next time.
It did work at the Giro. A bit lucky that Laquilla gave them 13 minutes, but they showed all season they are willing to work for this.

And with 5 great superdomestiques, they can try it again next year.

edit: i see LS has already posted a variation of this point

I think the three of us were basically saying the same, honestly.

 

[DAOTEC]

El Torro

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[Angliru]

I've been reading a book on the history of the Vuelta and this Caisse team reminds me of the Kas team's that was quite strong in the Vuelta years ago.
Consistently placing multiple riders in the Tour and Vuelta's gc top 1-15
I've grown a strong admiration for this team and especially Jose Manuel Fuente, the Vuelta winner in '72 and '74.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

José Manuel Fuente is one of my absolute all time favourite riders. His '74 Giro campaign makes for interesting reading, winning five stages but losing the maglia rosa after not eating on the way to San Remo in stage 14. He attacked Merckx over and over again in the mountains, going solo, often on the first mountain of the day, day after day, and taking two further stages including the queen stage to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, but came up short.

He's absolutely the kind of rider I mourn the lack of.

DAOTEC, why is Xavier Tondó missing from your list of Movistar riders?

 

[theswordsman]

The Belarusian Branislau Samoilau (Quick Step) and Lithuanian Ignatas Konovalovas (Cervélo) will be the next two seasons with Team Movistar. 25 and 24 years respectively, Eusebio Unzue tab two runners off-road and equipment that have untapped talents.

Samoilau defends both the mountain and in the time trials and has fought in the Quick Step (2009-2010) and the Acqua e Sapone (2007-2008).

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=30234

 

[DAOTEC]

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[Quinan]

Daotec,

Forget (at least in this moment) the following names:
1. Francisco Ventoso. It is not sure. Also, I think Unzue won't sign
2. Oscar Pujol. It is not sure
3. Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez. It is not sure that he can continue
4. Alejandro Valverde. It is not a rider for 2011
5. Rigoberto Uran. Maybe he will run for Sky
6. Daniel Diaz. It is not sure
7. Luciano André Pagliarini. It is not sure
8. Maxi Richeze. It is not sure
9. Mexican. It is not sure
10. Alberto Contador. It is impossible for 2011.

It means the team has only 17 names confirmed.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

daniel diaz is 100% sure

 

[DAOTEC]

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[Machu Picchu]

with regards to Valverde, I seem to recall there being talk of him returning July/August 2011, is that still a possibility or will 2012 be more likely ?_?

 

[Ferminal]

with regards to Valverde, I seem to recall there being talk of him returning July/August 2011, is that still a possibility or will 2012 be more likely ?_?

It's impossible that he will be riding before January 1, 2012. Somehow I don't think he would qualify for an early guilty plea or "assisting investigators".

Although I could be wrong, in which case the systems is far worse than any of us thought.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

valverde can start racing in italy from may 2011

 

[Zaschrona]

valverde can start racing in italy from may 2011

No, he can't. He has worldwide ban to 31st December 2011.

 

[DAOTEC]

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[jaylew]

Daotec,

Forget (at least in this moment) the following names:
1. Francisco Ventoso. It is not sure. Also, I think Unzue won't sign
2. Oscar Pujol. It is not sure
3. Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez. It is not sure that he can continue
4. Alejandro Valverde. It is not a rider for 2011
5. Rigoberto Uran. Maybe he will run for Sky
6. Daniel Diaz. It is not sure
7. Luciano André Pagliarini. It is not sure
8. Maxi Richeze. It is not sure
9. Mexican. It is not sure
10. Alberto Contador. It is impossible for 2011.

It means the team has only 17 names confirmed.

I thought Ventoso was confirmed. I hope he still signs and he and Rojas can motivate each other. Any word on Cobo staying? What a horrible year he's had.

 

[theswordsman]

Txente Garcia Acosta extended for another year. Sorry, I'm not familiar with him, but saw three stories about the renewal each with a different first name


http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2...a-acosta-seguira-un-ano-mas-con-eusebio-unzue

 

[DAOTEC]

Contador becoming a Movistar ... it was close

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[Libertine Seguros]

Txente Garcia Acosta extended for another year. Sorry, I'm not familiar with him, but saw three stories about the renewal each with a different first name


http://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.com/2...a-acosta-seguira-un-ano-mas-con-eusebio-unzue

José Vicente Garcia Acosta (often shortened to Chente or Txente) has been at Unzué's teams since time immemorial. He was there to be a domestique for Indurain. I think he turned pro in 1995. He spent about 1000km of the 2009 Vuelta on the front.

One of the Anglophone pros who twitters, can't remember who, wrote after a race earlier in the season that they'd been really excited to do a bunch of work pacing the bunch with Garcia, because "if I can become half the domestique he is I'll be proud".