Rider schedules and targets for 2023 (also rumours and opinions allowed)

[Devil's Elbow]

This one probably belongs here.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1585264233654243329

 

[QueenStagiaire]

This one probably belongs here.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1585264233654243329

They might actually have forgotten what the climbs are like by the time the Giro starts

 

[Filippo_3467]

Nice detailed forecast. I also think, that Kooij definetly deserves a GT spot next year. Because Jumbo always focuses their tour squad for GC, the giro would be the obvious choice, but could still be a difficult issue, if Roglic will ride the giro for GC, but let´s see.
I think the tour will have less TT kilometers, so could be possible that more climbers without TT skills will prefer the tour rather then the giro this year. One obvious candidate for this is Carapaz. He explained his switch to EF with the opoortunity to lead the team for the tour GC, so I think he can be locked in for the tour. I think Ayuso will go for Vuelta GC, at least he said this. 2 GC will be two much for his age I think. I am also interested in Rodriguez GC plans for next year...

I agree that he is probably choosing the Tour leadership himself. In my opinion the Giro would be the better option, those 4500+ elevation stages seems just perfect for him. Of course TT would be an issue but in the end all of them have to crack Remco in the high mountains if they don't want to ride for 2nd.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

UAE will definitely have some issues to satisfy all their leaders in the future. For next year the plan seems solid with Almeida to the giro, Pogacar to the tour and Ayuso to the vuelta.
Ayuso 3rd place with 19 years is a big statement. He has a long time contract until 2028 as well as Almeida until 2026 and Pogacar until 2027. Almeida has been signed with the words: "Almeida didn´t come to us to work for anyone". Whether it stays that way depends, of course, on his further development. Ayuso is a super talent and would of course like to achieve the biggest prices in cycling in the future. For 2023 it will still work I think. It could be in the end the same allocation of their leaders like this year. Perhaps a switch from Almeida from vuelta to tour support and perhaps Pogacar as an adition to the vuelta, but otherwise the same..

This scenario will more than likely mean Pogacar will be screwed teamwise at the tour too.

They really need to put their srrongest riders in that tour team. I dont care if Almeida or Ayuso have been promised the liberty not to work for anybody, against jumbo UAE has no other choice.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

This scenario will more than likely mean Pogacar will be screwed teamwise at the tour too.

They really need to put their srrongest riders in that tour team. I dont care if Almeida or Ayuso have been promised the liberty not to work for anybody, against jumbo UAE has no other choice.

Pogacar, Almeida, Yates, Majka, Soler, Bennett, Bjerg, McNulty sounds like a very strong team for me. I agree that they need to send the best team, and I think that Almeida at least will do the Tour. I don't think that Ayuso will, Yates is a better bet imo.

Send a team with Almeida, Trentin, Ulissi, Covi and Formolo as the core to the Giro, and Ayuso and Yates as the leaders to the Vuelta is what I would do.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

Pogacar, Almeida, Yates, Majka, Soler, Bennett, Bjerg, McNulty sounds like a very strong team for me. I agree that they need to send the best team, and I think that Almeida at least will do the Tour. I don't think that Ayuso will, Yates is a better bet imo.

Send a team with Almeida, Trentin, Ulissi, Covi and Formolo as the core to the Giro, and Ayuso and Yates as the leaders to the Vuelta is what I would do.

Agree with this option although maybe would keep Soler out of the tour team

 

[Eeslliw]

Pogacar, Almeida, Yates, Majka, Soler, Bennett, Bjerg, McNulty sounds like a very strong team for me

Great team for mountains but very bad for everything else. Who will help Pogi with positioning on hectic days? Or chase dangerous breakaway all day? Almeida, Yates, Majka, Bennett, McNulty all those guys are bad at fighting for positions in the peloton. They lack power and strenght for that type of racing.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Great team for mountains but very bad for everything else. Who will help Pogi with positioning on hectic days? Or chase dangerous breakaway all day? Almeida, Yates, Majka, Bennett, McNulty all those guys are bad at fighting for positions in the peloton. They lack power and strenght for that type of racing.

You could for sure take someone like Laengen instead of, say, Bennett. That's definitely a viable option.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ok, with this Tour route you send guys like MAL, Landa and Simon Yates to the Tour. Hindley to the Tour is also an easy call, I guess also Soler?

 

[Earns1985]

Ok, with this Tour route you send guys like MAL, Landa and Simon Yates to the Tour. Hindley to the Tour is also an easy call, I guess also Soler?

Yes, the tour is really one for the climbers. I think we can log-in Carapaz and Hindley here. Just hope, that enough climbers will still go to the giro, so that it will not become boring.

 

[pink_jersey]

Remco vs. Almeida vs. Roglic vs. Thomas showdown in the Giro
Pogacar vs Vingo in the TdF with the likes of Mas, Gaudu, Hindley, Carapaz, Landa, Simon Yates, MAL, Martinez fighting for the 3rd spot on the podium.

 

[ChiefMasterPro]

Bardet and Gaudu (fun fact, both are french) are known for there bad TT skills, therefore the Tour suits them well.

 

[yaco]

It looks like Demare will go the Giro because FDJ always split there GC and sprint trains - Another option could be to wait for the Vuelta route - If it's suitable then Demare could fully focus on the Classics.

 

[RedheadDane]

It looks like Demare will go the Giro because FDJ always split there GC and sprint trains - Another option could be to wait for the Vuelta route - If it's suitable then Demare could fully focus on the Classics.

Who is the sprint train? Guarnieri and Sinkeldam are both leaving. Geniets? Scotson?
But anyway, perfect!

 

[Mayomaniac]

Remco vs. Almeida vs. Roglic vs. Thomas showdown in the Giro
Pogacar vs Vingo in the TdF with the likes of Mas, Gaudu, Hindley, Carapaz, Landa, Simon Yates, MAL, Martinez fighting for the 3rd spot on the podium.

I guess Vlasov will be another potential podium candidate at the Giro. I guess one of Mäder or Caruso will join Haig at the Giro, while the other one rides the Tour with Landa. I do wonder what Ineos will do with Arensman? On paper the Giro suits him well, but with him and Thomas there the Tour team looks a bit shallow. Dani Martinez, Sivakov and maybe a first Tour for Carlos Rodriguez?
If I'm Trek I'm bringing Ciccone to the Tour and take it day by day. If it goes well the first half of the race he rides for the gc, otherwise he takes it easy on a few mountain stages (gruppetto mode) and goes in the breakaway on the other ones.

 

[Red Rick]

Ok, with this Tour route you send guys like MAL, Landa and Simon Yates to the Tour. Hindley to the Tour is also an easy call, I guess also Soler?

You announce last and then ponder if you like your odds of a 3rd place in the Tour vs a 2nd place in the Giro.

 

[yaco]

Who is the sprint train? Guarnieri and Sinkeldam are both leaving. Geniets? Scotson?
But anyway, perfect!

Demare always has the team riding in his service - It's like you never watch cycling - FDJ's recent history is splitting Demare from Pinot/Gaudu in Gt's.

 

[yaco]

I suspect one or two of the climber types will gravitate to the Giro because they will back themselves to finish third behind Roglic/Evenepoel - They'll hope that Thomas has a bad Giro.

 

[RedheadDane]

Demare always has the team riding in his service - It's like you never watch cycling - FDJ's recent history is splitting Demare from Pinot/Gaudu in Gt's.

I know that. I'm just wondering who the sprint train is, what with two of the key riders leaving the team.

Also, both Demare and Gaudu did the Tour last year.

 

[yaco]

I know that. I'm just wondering who the sprint train is, what with two of the key riders leaving the team.

Also, both Demare and Gaudu did the Tour last year.

Because Pinot the then GC rider rode the Giro.

 

[RedheadDane]

Because Pinot the then GC rider rode the Giro.

Well, he had been supposed to anyway... And I think Gaudu had already started growing into a GC rider role at that point.

Anyway; I'm still curious about why you thought my post about wondering who the sprint train might be meant that I didn't know FDJ often sends a sprint train when Demare does a GT.
But just to drop some more names, other than the ones already mentioned; Konovalovas seems to be a major part too. Davy? Penhoët also seems very talented, though it might be a bit early to include him as a part of the GT sprint train. Askey? Stewart? And of course I'd include Pinot as a free electron.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

It looks like Demare will go the Giro because FDJ always split there GC and sprint trains - Another option could be to wait for the Vuelta route - If it's suitable then Demare could fully focus on the Classics.

I'd love to see Demare focus 100% on the classics. I think he could do well there. Also, in my opinion, both Gaudu and Demare should do the Tour. The Tour is so important for a French team that they should throw everything but the kitchen sink at the that race. Something like Demare, Gaudu, Madouas, Küng, Armirail, Molard and whoever two leadoutriders Demare needs. I think they could make that work.

 

[RedheadDane]

Also, in my opinion, both Gaudu and Demare should do the Tour. The Tour is so important for a French team that they should throw everything but the kitchen sink at the that race.

Especially considering that with the Vingegaards, Pogacars, and potential Evenepoels of the World, the very best Gaudu can hope for would probably be third, and that alone would require the sun, the moon, and the stars to be perfectly alligned.
Of course, there's no guarantee the "two-way approach" will work. Didn't work so well for them last year, what with Gaudu exploding out of the GC battle on the Ventoux stage, and Demare exploding all out of the race on the Tignes stage.

---

And it seems we're all forgetting about the rider, who absolutely "has" to do the Tour, if for no other reason than his name.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

And it seems we're all forgetting about the rider, who absolutely "has to do the Tour, if for no other reason than his name.

Who would that be? If you're talking about Latour, then I don't think anyone is forgetting him, he's just not riding for FDJ

 

[RedheadDane]

Who would that be? If you're talking about Latour, then I don't think anyone is forgetting him, he's just not riding for FDJ

The "---" meant that I am no longer talking in the context of FDJ. Look at where the race is starting.