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

[yaco]

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.

You forgot Scotson.

 

[tobydawq]

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

He's called Latour, not Letour, it means The Tower.

 

[RedheadDane]

You forgot Scotson.

He was one of my "previously mentioned".

Who is the sprint train? Guarnieri and Sinkeldam are both leaving. Geniets? Scotson?

He's called Latour, not Letour, it means The Tower.

I'm not talking about Latour. It was Hugo who brought up Latour!
How could you - of all people - forget about everyone's favourite riding cramp?

 

[tobydawq]

I'm not talking about Latour. It was Hugo who brought up Latour!
How could you - of all people - forget about everyone's favourite riding cramp?

Oh, okay, fair enough. He did snub the Vuelta this year, though, even though they also had a stage finishing in Bilbao.

 

[Earns1985]

Bora Boss Denk made his first impressions on the tour route and said the following:

"Certainly, this is not a Tour for time trialists, 22 kilometres are a bit short. But for Bora - hansgrohe that is rather positive because we don't necessarily have the time trial specialists in the line-up," said Denk and also named some riders he can imagine at the Tour next year. "I currently see names like Jai Hindley, Aleksandr Vlasov, Emanuel Buchmann or maybe Lennard Kämna."

 

[MADRAZO]

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

As far as I have read the new sprintteam for Demare will be with Scotson, Askey and Welten as the last 3 guys, in that order, with Konovalovas also there as 4. last sometimes or someone to pull the peloton.

I suppose guys like Penhöet, Stewart and Watson will be used mostly in different races than Demare and get their own chances.

Sinkeldam and Guarnieri should be tough to replace, even if they are getting older, but I suppose Askey has good potential as the second last guy, while Welten seems a bit of a risky and inexperienced pick as a final leadout guy, but perhaps it could turn out to fit him well, like it did with someone like Danny Van Poppel.

 

[RedheadDane]

... while Welten seems a bit of a risky and inexperienced pick as a final leadout guy, but perhaps it could turn out to fit him well, like it did with someone like Danny Van Poppel.

Maybe being surprisingly good leadouts is a family trait.

 

[MADRAZO]

Maybe being surprisingly good leadouts is a family trait.

I actually didn't know they were cussins, as I can see they are. It could well be then !

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Eddie Dunbar will probably lead Bike Exchange at the Giro. According to this article, he will be used as GC leader at a lot of the races Simon Yates won’t be at. https://www.stickybottle.com/latest...t-giro-says-bikeexchange-jayco-lead-director/

 

[yaco]

Dunbar will be a leader at a number of races during 2023 - He is riding the Giro, however I doubt very much he will ride for GC at the Giro - He could ride the TDU.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Dunbar will be a leader at a number of races during 2023 - He is riding the Giro, however I doubt very much he will ride for GC at the Giro - He could ride the TDU.

I was surprised by White’s comment about potentially leading at the Giro. But then again, they may just think why not let him give it a go, see where he’s at at the beginning of a three year contract. It’s not an obvious course for a flyweight climber to try GC at though.

 

[yaco]

I was surprised by White’s comment about potentially leading at the Giro. But then again, they may just think why not let him give it a go, see where he’s at at the beginning of a three year contract. It’s not an obvious course for a flyweight climber to try GC at though.

Dunbar will be happy that he actually gets to ride a GT and will have more opportunities at BEX - One thing is BEX always gives full support for the leaders, although some will say too much - Expect, Groenewegen to ride a different program in 2023 - More one day races and sprint friendly stage races in the front half of the season.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I was surprised by White’s comment about potentially leading at the Giro. But then again, they may just think why not let him give it a go, see where he’s at at the beginning of a three year contract. It’s not an obvious course for a flyweight climber to try GC at though.

Dunbar used to be a pretty good tter in the u23 ranks, despite his size. The Giro also features enough hard mountain stages to gain back time, it's not a bad route for climbers.

 

[KZD]

Alaphilippe returning to RVV in 2023. Seems like a pretty good decision especially after Quick Step's bad 2022 classics campaign (mostly in the cobbles).

Its a very important season for him after a very unlucky year and two others in which he barely gave Quick Step any wins

 

[Red Rick]

Hindley wants to go to the Giro next year

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Hindley wants to go to the Giro next year

Good call.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/geraint-thomas-set-for-giro-ditalia-after-disappointing-tour-de-france-route/

Thomas confirmed for the Giro, as expected.

Halfway decent GC field already with Thomas, Almeida more or less confirmed, and Evenepoel and Hindley highly likely.

Mäder, Haig (and Arensman) also listed on PCS

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/geraint-thomas-set-for-giro-ditalia-after-disappointing-tour-de-france-route/

Thomas confirmed for the Giro, as expected.

Halfway decent GC field already with Thomas, Almeida more or less confirmed, and Evenepoel and Hindley highly likely.

Mäder, Haig (and Arensman) also listed on PCS

Thomas said bunch sprints are big iconic days, that gave me a good chuckle.

 

[Earns1985]

Hindley wants to go to the Giro next year

Hmmm a bit of a surprise for me here. If there is a route which is suited to him it´s this years tour route. I read that it´s not decided yet with the team, so let´s see.

Personally I would like to see him doing the giro. It´s important that enough climbers will go to the race, so that we will not see a Evenepoel one man show there. And Hindley will certainly attract the race a bit more if he shows up.

But only in the view of oportunities the tour route is clearly better for him, so let´s see which will be the final decicion of the team.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Alaphilippe returning to RVV in 2023. Seems like a pretty good decision especially after Quick Step's bad 2022 classics campaign (mostly in the cobbles).

Its a very important season for him after a very unlucky year and two others in which he barely gave Quick Step any wins

He blew a big chance at Liège in 2020 and they know his biggest rival in hilly classics is a teammate he can not chase and who will attack before him by definition, with a large probability to be successful in his attack. On the other hand, Asgreen also has to come back from an awful season. I had been anticipating it since Evenepoel won Liège. Going to RVV makes perfect sense for Ala.

 

[Earns1985]

Girmay dreams about the tour next year and also wants to ride the tour of flanders.

Giro-Etappensieger Girmay träumt vom Tour-Debüt | radsport-news.com

www.radsport-news.com

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Hmmm a bit of a surprise for me here. If there is a route which is suited to him it´s this years tour route. I read that it´s not decided yet with the team, so let´s see.

The 2023 Tour is medium mountain heavy. And has mountain stages that are somewhere in between medium and high mountain territory.

The Joux Plane and Le Bettex stages. The Grand Colombier finish, Puy de Dome. Le Markstein.

The queen stage of the Tour (Courchevel) is a ~ 6% grind fest for most of the way. When it goes uphill, at least.

The 2023 Giro suits him better, I think. It's not even that flat ITT-heavy.

 

[YavorD]

The 2023 Tour is medium mountain heavy. And has mountain stages that are somewhere in between medium and high mountain territory.

The Joux Plane and Le Bettex stages. The Grand Colombier finish, Puy de Dome. Le Markstein.

The queen stage of the Tour (Courchevel) is a ~ 6% grind fest for most of the way. When it goes uphill, at least.

The 2023 Giro suits him better, I think. It's not even that flat ITT-heavy.

I'm also not sold on "The Giro is for the TTers" thing.
You have 3 mountain stages that could/would be queen stages in most of the GT's recently and only 50ish km of TT. Besides, the best TT riders that are linked to the Giro (Almeida, Thomas, Evenepoel) can be vulnerable in the really tougt mountain stages so if climber in a good shape shows up, we can have a great battle.
I'd love to see Carapaz in the Giro, but he is riding the Tour, yeah?

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Tobias Foss visited a Norwegian Podcast ("Gode dager") this week and talked a bit about the coming season. He indicates that he will go for shorter stage races with ITTs and then probably not ride GT for GC this season. He said something along the lines that "If I can ride for a top 10 or a top 5 at the Giro, that doesn't mean anything if we have Primosz that can win".
I interpreter that as there is big talks in Jumbo about Roglic going to the Giro.

 

[RedheadDane]

Meanwhile, Van Vleuten just wants it all! Because of course she does...

Annemiek van Vleuten to target Vuelta-Tour-Giro treble again next season | Cycling Weekly