Richie Porte Discussion Thread.

[Jelantik]

I think sky just have a realization. Taking off richie from Giro, put it with Froome at TDF. Froome needs him for the Tour as the last man of his train. Especially with contador is back with his form and strong kreuziger. Besides Porte's chance to win Giro is not that great with Purito looks flying in catalunya and Quintana is not far behind.

 

[Bookbuild]

Porte has a better ITT than Purito and Quintana, if it's less than half a minute, he can still manage to make up the time

 

[Hugo Koblet]

So what's the plan for Sky if Richie withdraws from the Giro? Send Kennaugh? Nieve?

 

[rainman]

There's an option missing from the poll : none of the above

 

[Pricey_sky]

So what's the plan for Sky if Richie withdraws from the Giro? Send Kennaugh? Nieve?

I hope they keep Kennaugh in the Tour squad, keep on learning with the main dawg!

 

[Afrank]

So what's the plan for Sky if Richie withdraws from the Giro? Send Kennaugh? Nieve?

Send Wiggo back to Italy. Then take bets on how far he makes it and how many times he throws his bike.

 

[ILovecycling]

So what's the plan for Sky if Richie withdraws from the Giro? Send Kennaugh? Nieve?

Nieve is reasonalbe pick methinks.I think they want to save Ken for Tour.
On the other hand I dont think Nieve is a good rider for GC

 

[Pippo_San]

Speculation I say. I think he's still gonna ride the Giro and smash it. He's just trying to take some pressure off, with everything that happened.

 

[trevim]

If they send Nieve to hunt stages in the Giro, I will love Sky forever
[Although I'm not sure that any of the Giro stages deserves to be won by Nieve. I'll have to look at the profiles.]

 

[Jspear]

If they send Nieve to hunt stages in the Giro, I will love Sky forever
[Although I'm not sure that any of the Giro stages deserves to be won by Nieve. I'll have to look at the profiles.]

If Porte actually steps out of the Giro, then they should just go and do stage hunting. Nieve would fill that role well. They should just accept it. They won't always be able to be the top dogs for the GC. They could give their riders who are lower down on the food chain a chance to ride for themselves.

 

[greenedge]

I hope they let Porte do the Giro, his setback should keep him fresh for the 3rd week.

If not they've always got the option of sending Froome

 

[Jelantik]

I hope they let Porte do the Giro, his setback should keep him fresh for the 3rd week.

If not they've always got the option of sending Froome

LOL.. alberto will smooke him at TDF if Froome shows up with Giro leg.

 

[movingtarget]

I hope they let Porte do the Giro, his setback should keep him fresh for the 3rd week.

If not they've always got the option of sending Froome

I think that's true about Porte but one more setback and it has to be the Tour. Personally I would like to see Rodriguez win the Giro simply because I would like to see him win a GT but it will be tough and the TT won't help.

 

[JRanton]

I don't see the sense in moving Nieve to the Giro considering they initially planned to take both Nieve and Henao to the Tour with Froome. A fresh Porte, without the Giro in his legs, would essentially replace Henao in the Tour line-up.

I'm assuming there's no chance Henao will show up at the Tour, even if he gets the all clear after the testing in Colombia. Vuelta, Worlds, Lombardia would make more sense.

 

[CycloAndy]

I don't see the sense in moving Nieve to the Giro considering they initially planned to take both Nieve and Henao to the Tour with Froome. A fresh Porte, without the Giro in his legs, would essentially replace Henao in the Tour line-up.

I tend to agree, but they need to send somebody with GC/stage aspirations. Lopez, Kiri, EBH and Swift could get a few stages between them but might still be seen as a disappointing GT.

 

[Afrank]

Sending EBH and Swift to go for the sprint stages would probably be the best alternative if Porte is unable to compete. Swift especially has been showing good form lately. Maybe also their Italians Cataldo and Puccio to fight for the hillier stages.

 

[ILovecycling]

Sending EBH and Swift to go for the sprint stages would probably be the best alternative if Porte is unable to compete. Swift especially has been showing good form lately. Maybe also their Italians Cataldo and Puccio to fight for the hillier stages.

Thats a best possible scenario methinks.BS is in good shape,so he should be able to score couple of podiums and maybe one stage win.

 

[Jelantik]

Well, it's too bad. Sky's ambition to dominate all GT races now is unravelling after Uran left and Henao benched. Now they will concentrate to put all their egg into one basket: TDF. So sorry for Richie. He has a high hope to lead the Giro. Maybe Sky can send G as their GT leader .

It's weird to see sky only hunting for stages win. This year, they haven't seem to dominate like in the past of 2 years.

 

[movingtarget]

Well, it's too bad. Sky's ambition to dominate all GT races now is unravelling after Uran left and Henao benched. Now they will concentrate to put all their egg into one basket: TDF. So sorry for Richie. He has a high hope to lead the Giro. Maybe Sky can send G as their GT leader .

It's weird to see sky only hunting for stages win. This year, they haven't seem to dominate like in the past of 2 years.

Anyone gets gastro or misses races with back problems, they are going to struggle. Obviously Sky will have problems mirroring the successes of the last two years this year. But the year is only three months old and Porte and Froome still have plenty of time for the Tour.

 

[JRanton]

I tend to agree, but they need to send somebody with GC/stage aspirations. Lopez, Kiri, EBH and Swift could get a few stages between them but might still be seen as a disappointing GT.

Cataldo could try and sneak a top 10. That's about the best they can hope for if Porte doesn't make it. With Contador back in form it makes no sense at all to waste someone like Nieve at the Giro trying to get a top 10 finish.

 

[The Hitch]

Now they will concentrate to put all their egg into one basket: TDF.

I think you mixed up the word "now" with "like they always have"

 

[JRanton]

I think you mixed up the word "now" with "like they always have"

I'd agree with the exception of last year when they sent a very strong team to support Wiggins. That left Sky with no fresh options to replace the likes of Lopez and Kiryienka in the Tour line-up.

 

[no_slipstream]

Has to win 1 grand tour, before a double or treble.

Will do none of the above, over rated as anyone in world sport right now.

Too inconsistent, and just like Frank Schleck before his ban, prone to a bad

day in the mountains.

 

[greenedge]

Yeah but unlike Frank he can Time-Trial well.

 

[GJB123]

Anyone gets gastro or misses races with back problems, they are going to struggle. Obviously Sky will have problems mirroring the successes of the last two years this year. But the year is only three months old and Porte and Froome still have plenty of time for the Tour.

That's exactly what was said this time last year of Contador.