Bonimenier
BANNED
If it was that rooted in the French culture, it wouldn't have been the only monument that didn't take place for 2 years.
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Well, as we all know, Covid does not give a crap to French culture. Covid laws restricted Paris Roubaix, and nobody could control that.
Yes, they could. No races in Belgium were cancelled at the same time. It seems like the prefect of the Nord region finds the race a nuisance.
The french generally don't care that much about cycling, only about the tour.
So also Ackermann announced today his schedule.
He will focus more on his sprint ability and less on his mountain ability. He is scheduled for the classics and later for the vuelta.
Challenge Mallorca
Étoile de Bessèges
Clasica Almeria
Volta ao Algarve
Opening Weekend
Tirreno-Adriatico
Classics
www.cyclingnews.com
The spring doesn´t look that bad. But after that?
Well, didn´t have much hope in a good schedule for him after his move to UAE and it became true. In smaller races he will get his chances for the win and for the vuelta. Wait for the vuelta? Isn´t that the race where Pogacar, Almeida and Ayuso also announced in the last days, that they will participate?
He will focus more on his sprint ability and less on his mountain ability. He is scheduled for the classics and later for the vuelta.
Challenge Mallorca
Étoile de Bessèges
Clasica Almeria
Volta ao Algarve
Opening Weekend
Tirreno-Adriatico
Classics
Ackermann: My comfort zone was too good at Bora-Hansgrohe
German looks ahead to Classics and Vuelta in debut season at UAE Team Emirates
www.cyclingnews.com
The spring doesn´t look that bad. But after that?
Well, didn´t have much hope in a good schedule for him after his move to UAE and it became true. In smaller races he will get his chances for the win and for the vuelta. Wait for the vuelta? Isn´t that the race where Pogacar, Almeida and Ayuso also announced in the last days, that they will participate?
I don't get the Ackermann transfer. UAE are already struggling to give Gaviria the races he wants, signing another top tier sprinter is pointless unless it's to replace Gaviria.
Bonimenier
BANNED
So many races/stages end in sprints. I don't think it hurts to have 2 or 3 sprinters in a team. It's how a team like QS manages to get a ridicilous amount of wins year in, year out. It's one of the reasons why Alpecin was so succesful last year.
Also neither one of them won a WT race last year, so calling them top tier sprinters might be a bit of an overstatement.
Though I do agree with the overall assessment of their 2021 seasons:
They also have Molano, who might not be good enough to get WT wins, but can podium them and win smaller races, too.
I think Ackermann realized that is last two seasons were not really good compared to 2019 and he was a bit lost at Bora. The Tour de France promise wasn't goot for him and the team. He probably felt a bit to safe at the beginning of the 2021 season and lost his winning spirit. The accident in italy of his leadout train at the beginning of 2021 of didn't help either.
He needs to get some wins in the smaller races and should try to get back to his 2019 shape in that way. If he really gets back to the top sprinters he can think about the Tour 2024 with another team.
He needs to get some wins in the smaller races and should try to get back to his 2019 shape in that way. If he really gets back to the top sprinters he can think about the Tour 2024 with another team.
Bonimenier
BANNED
No English broadcast for that race caused me to have no recollection of that race at all.
That's true, but three sprinters should still be more than doable to manage.
Sure, though they couldn't get it absolutely right with Kristoff last year.
But as long as they stay away from promising Ackermann a Tour spot, they'll be doing a better job than BORA did.
Bonimenier
BANNED
Jumbo Visma announced that Primoz Roglix and Jonas vingegaard will be joint leaders at the Tour.
WVA will go for the green jersey.
Kuss, Kruijsvijk and Dennis confirmed.
Giro team will be lead by Dumoulin and Foss.
Gesink and Kruijsvijk confirmed for Vuelta.
View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1480916562928353284?t=f8BLqps0x14ulcBoIkxsCQ&s=19
Personally I think it's a really stupid decision.
WVA will go for the green jersey.
Kuss, Kruijsvijk and Dennis confirmed.
Giro team will be lead by Dumoulin and Foss.
Gesink and Kruijsvijk confirmed for Vuelta.
View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1480916562928353284?t=f8BLqps0x14ulcBoIkxsCQ&s=19
Personally I think it's a really stupid decision.
Jakobsen:
-Valenciana
-Algarve
-Kuurne Brussel Kuurne
-Paris Nice
-De Panne Classic
-Gent Wevelgem
-Dwars door Vlaanderen
-Scheldeprijs
-Tour de France
-Valenciana
-Algarve
-Kuurne Brussel Kuurne
-Paris Nice
-De Panne Classic
-Gent Wevelgem
-Dwars door Vlaanderen
-Scheldeprijs
-Tour de France
Thibaut Pinot
-Tour du Var
-Tirreno Adriatico
-Tour du Jura
-Tour of the Alps
-Tour de Romandie
-Tour de Suisse
-Tour de France
View: https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1480901849939124225?t=ArZEHKoxdP1frbWWjEtEpw&s=19
-Tour du Var
-Tirreno Adriatico
-Tour du Jura
-Tour of the Alps
-Tour de Romandie
-Tour de Suisse
-Tour de France
View: https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1480901849939124225?t=ArZEHKoxdP1frbWWjEtEpw&s=19
At least I'll be able to see him in person at the start of stage 4 of Tour of the Alpes, that's the one thing I really like.
I just hope he stickt 100% to stagehunting at the Tour. Two years ago, I would have believed he could have gotten a good result, but now - with his back injury, and Pogacar getting involved in stuff - I don't. However, I suppose there's a possibility that the French public will expect him to at least try for the GC, but there's a pretty easy solution to that:
It's a well-known fact that he's not exactly great in the crosswinds, so he can hope it's windy on stage 2, then he can just chill at the back while they go over the bridge, while Küng sticks Gaudu in his pocket, and gets him across.
Well, I like Tom Dumoulin targeting a grand tour once again. Because the tour is impossible for him, the second best option is the giro without that much pressure. So I am really looking forward to it. Foss as a young co-leader (same as this year) makes also sense.
The six riders for the tour had also been expectable with what have been communicated before. I like the two leader approach which (theoretically) could lead to interesting tactics. But we will see, if this will really happen.
For the CQ game I am curious if they will offer a giro spot for at least one of their young sprinters (Kooij, van Dijke or Dekker). I think the spring results will decide about that..
Yeah, but why he left for UAE, if it wasn´t about the money? There are plenty of smaller teams where he more or less surely could ride the tour or at least the giro. A perfect move had been for example Ewan from Mitchelton to Lotto. Last season Ewan could participate in every of the three grand tours and could go for stage wins in every grand tour. Which sprinter doesn´t dream about that? So as a sprinter when I want to ride grand tours I would definitly not select a team with top GC riders.
I think every promise of a Tour spot is predicated on an assumption that the rider in question maintains his level up to the Tour. Ackermann performed so badly in the spring of 2021 that it would have been absurd to take him to the Tour, especially as it was always going to br a bit messy with both him and Sagan on the team.
I never understand why people feel this way. Why would it be so bad if he went for a GC result? He has plenty of stage wins already, there's no reason to piss it away, deliberately.
I'm not saying he can beat Pogacar and Roglic, and the cobbled stage doesn't exactly scream "Pinot" but he should try to keep in contention.
But maybe that's just me who doesn't really care that much about cheap breakaway stage wins (I know nothing is completely cheap in the Tour).
I don't think BORA did anything wrong at all, but if UAE wants to keep him happy and motivated it wouldn't be the best idea to make the same kind of promise. There would be no problem in saying he only gets a spot if he delivers prior to the race.
Though it will always be difficult for him to get into the Tour squad, unless Pogacar is unavailable.
Okay, maybe deliberately losing time on stage 2 would be overdoing it a bit. He can stay in the front group, but on his bike, not in Küng's pocket, otherwise Küng's pocket's gonna be somewhat crowded.
But I'd definitely not be surprised that if push came to shove, the focus would be on Gaudu for the GC, rather than Pinot. He - Pinot - has said himself that he doesn't really want to be the guy everyone rides for anymore.
And of course part of it is egotistical: I don't think I could take any more heartbreak...
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