Rider schedules for 2016.

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Yep, GuyIncognito. Being the nerd that I am, I've read enough articles to tell that Sky's Giro and Tour squads are almost settled. Landa was bought to lead the Giro. Thomas' role next year is being Froome's new Porte. They will share the same calendar.

My guess is that team Froome (+ Thomas, Poels, Roche, Boswell) will ride (perhaps Down Under for the UCI points), Paris-Nice, Catalunya, Romandie, Dauphine, Tour.

And team Landa (+ Intxausti, Nieve, Henao, Kiry) will ride Oman, Tirreno–Adriatico, Pais Vasco (Landa's home race), Tirreno–Adriatico, Giro.

From what I know, Froome will also ride the Vuelta. So only one GT for Landa.

Froome is not riding the Vuelta in 2016...he has 3 objectives ... Tour, Olympic TT & Olympic RR gold

Landa will be given leadership in Giro which he has expressed a desire to ride.but with Nibali, Valverde & Dumoulin , etc I think he will find it hard to win
As he has never won one GT yet & SKY have other riders I think he will have one leadership guarantee and will ride in support of Froome at the Tour.ridiculous to say that a rider who has not won a GT would automatically be given leadership in 2 while other riders have no opportunities

Same old rubbish on here as last year . A rider does a good race and he is going to win everything according to 'experts' here . These boards last year had Pinot, Bardet, Konig leading everything in 2015. The peloton is full of very good climbers and riders that have podiumed in GTs and won more races than Landa. He is a good rider but he is not the second coming

Problems for Landa aren't Nibali ,Valverde ecc but the route of the Giro tailored for Nibali with 60 kms of ITT and only a real MTF (Risoul).
Roccaraso , Sestola are ridicolous to make differences and S.Anna Di Vinadio is long just 3km preceded by 8kms of technical descent where Nibali is the best....

 

[staubsauger]

Landa ain't no bad descender as well if my memory is correctly!? He has to limit his losses in the tt. If he manages to lose only 2-2.45 minutes on Nibali his pink dream ain't done at all.

Maybe Landa does the Vuelta as well. But I wouldn't be surprised if he does a typical Sky super peak for T-A, Basque, Giro + TdS and rests a lot until the Italian fall classics.

 

[JRanton]

Re:

Yep, GuyIncognito. Being the nerd that I am, I've read enough articles to tell that Sky's Giro and Tour squads are almost settled. Landa was bought to lead the Giro. Thomas' role next year is being Froome's new Porte. They will share the same calendar.

My guess is that team Froome (+ Thomas, Poels, Roche, Boswell) will ride (perhaps Down Under for the UCI points), Paris-Nice, Catalunya, Romandie, Dauphine, Tour.

And team Landa (+ Intxausti, Nieve, Henao, Kiry) will ride Oman, Tirreno–Adriatico, Pais Vasco (Landa's home race), Tirreno–Adriatico, Giro.

From what I know, Froome will also ride the Vuelta. So only one GT for Landa.

Where have you read that Thomas will be riding regularly with Froome before the Tour? How would that make sense when Thomas wants opportunities for himself and now with Porte leaving he's probably Sky's 2nd best one week stage racer? Look at this year when he rode Suisse for instance. He hasn't given up the classics just so that he can be plan B to Froome all season long.

 

[hrotha]

Jesus, how did we come to think of a GT with 60 km of ITT as favouring the time-trialists (which Nibali isn't regardless)?

If Landa is the strongest climber, he'll be fine as long as he uses his cards right.

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

Jesus, how did we come to think of a GT with 60 km of ITT as favouring the time-trialists (which Nibali isn't regardless)?

If Landa is the strongest climber, he'll be fine as long as he uses his cards right.

It's quite simple actually: MTF are ridicolous this year( except Risoul ) and the two tapponi Corvara a San'Anna are eventually downhill finish.

 

[hrotha]

So Landa shouldn't wait for the final climb to move. What's the problem?

 

[Velolover2]

People keep saying that Valverde will ride the Giro. I'll wear pink cycling outfit if that happens.

And Porte sets it straight, didn't leave Team Sky for BMC just to target the Giro d'Italia. It's a "in your face" to those pundits who keeps enforcing "Porte for Giro" as he isn't good enough to ride the Tour at a high level.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/porte-i-didnt-leave-team-sky-for-bmc-just-to-target-the-giro-ditalia/

After two failed attempts, he is hungry for a new adventure: Tour De France as a leader.

I think it's getting more and more obvious, that it will be Tejay Van Garderen we will see in the Giro which suits him well with the long and mountain time trial.

 

[Velolover2]

JRanton, Thomas will lead Down Under, Algarve, (Flanders?), and Suisse. And perhaps co-leading Paris-Nice with Froome. That's a lot of stage racing. If things goes well and he gets his top 5 in the Tour, he'll perhaps lead a Grand Tour in the future.

 

[Velolover2]

Thomas could try defending his E3 title and ride Flanders and let Stannard lead the flat ones (GW and Roubaix).. but let's see what their plan is. It's risky to ride the classics if he has to be there for Froome.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

JRanton, Thomas will lead Down Under, Algarve, (Flanders?), and Suisse. And perhaps co-leading Paris-Nice with Froome. That's a lot of stage racing. If things goes well and he gets his top 5 in the Tour, he'll perhaps lead a Grand Tour in the future.

Think Kwiatkowski might co-lead in Australia with DVP there for the sprints.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

JRanton, Thomas will lead Down Under, Algarve, (Flanders?), and Suisse. And perhaps co-leading Paris-Nice with Froome. That's a lot of stage racing. If things goes well and he gets his top 5 in the Tour, he'll perhaps lead a Grand Tour in the future.

Think Kwiatkowski might co-lead in Australia with DVP there for the sprints.

Yeah maybe.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

People keep saying that Valverde will ride the Giro. I'll wear pink cycling outfit if that happens.

And Porte sets it straight, didn't leave Team Sky for BMC just to target the Giro d'Italia. It's a "in your face" to those pundits who keeps enforcing "Porte for Giro" as he isn't good enough to ride the Tour at a high level.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/porte-i-didnt-leave-team-sky-for-bmc-just-to-target-the-giro-ditalia/

After two failed attempts, he is hungry for a new adventure: Tour De France as a leader.

I think it's getting more and more obvious, that it will be Tejay Van Garderen we will see in the Giro which suits him well with the long and mountain time trial.

All I have heard so far is co-leadership for Tejay and Porte. Tejay doesnt strike me as a guy who wants to spend a year of his prime in order to pursue the Giro.

And I dont know who you refer to by saying 'people keep saying', but I think many of us just would wish Valverde would attempt the Giro. I havent seen anyone claiming he would with certainty.

 

[Velolover2]

I just hope that Tejay will ride the Giro just like you hope that Valverde will ride it. But we both know it ain't gonna happen.

BMC and Movistar will bring their B-teams with Caruso and Amador as their leaders.

 

[staubsauger]

TJ seems to be less suited to the Giro than Leipheimer and Klöden were. No matter how many tt's there may be he might always crack badly on the one steep col in the Dolomites.

That said, Serhiy Honchar managed to be second in 2004, of course.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I just hope that Tejay will ride the Giro just like you hope that Valverde will ride it. But we both know it ain't gonna happen.

BMC and Movistar will bring their B-teams with Caruso and Amador as their leaders.

You just wrote that you thought it was getting more and more obvious that T.J will ride the Tour......

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

I just hope that Tejay will ride the Giro just like you hope that Valverde will ride it. But we both know it ain't gonna happen.

BMC and Movistar will bring their B-teams with Caruso and Amador as their leaders.

You just wrote that you thought it was getting more and more obvious that T.J will ride the Tour......

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

TJ seems to be less suited to the Giro than Leipheimer and Klöden were. No matter how many tt's there may be he might always crack badly on the one steep col in the Dolomites.

That said, Serhiy Honchar managed to be second in 2004, of course.

At least there is no Mur-stages which is his achilles' heel. But he has expressed that he wants to improve his "punch" before.

http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/tejay_van_garderen_want_improve_his_explosiveness/

Anybody know if there is any time bonuses in the Giro?

 

[Ruby United]

Re: Re:

I think Thomas should ride the Giro if he wnats to win a GT & with 3 TT stages he has a better chance than Landa

Setting aside the lunacy of thinking Thomas has a chance of winning the Giro, the three TTs are a prologue, a 40km one with several climbs, and a mountain TT. In the first Landa will barely lose any time, in the second he'll lose less time than he did this year and in the third he would do far better than Thomas, possibly win it.

Do you seriously not see the difference between a flat TT and a mountain climb?

maybe if you want to engage ina debate with someone you might hold off the scarcastic arrogant comments
My opinion is not lunancy.. Thomas has as good a chance of wining the Giro as anyone excluding the top 4 GT riders. The parcours is not just TTs but there is not all that amount of high mountain finishes as we have seen in other years

I don't think Thomas will ride the Giro and will stick with Froome for the Tour and will be sacrificed for the yellow jersey.Hence why I think he should at least ride PR .

His point still stands though. The tt's provide Thomas no advantage

 

[Arredondo]

Purito will ride the Tour, it's his big goal together with the Olympic Games in Rio.

But ofcourse Catalunya and Ardennes races will be targets too.

It could be his last season too, he said in an interview with local tv in Andorra.

http://www.andorradifusio.ad/esports/purito-rodriguez-es-planteja-la-propera-temporada-com-la-darrera#.Vhe7PSav5lU.twitter

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Purito will ride the Tour, it's his big goal together with the Olympic Games in Rio.

But ofcourse Catalunya and Ardennes races will be targets too.

It could be his last season too, he said in an interview with local tv in Andorra.

http://www.andorradifusio.ad/esports/purito-rodriguez-es-planteja-la-propera-temporada-com-la-darrera#.Vhe7PSav5lU.twitter

He just said take he takes it year by year. I'm pretty sure that he will take another season for 2017. Liege and perhaps the WC Road Race is too tempting.

Still don't get why he will ride the Tour when he has a better chance in the Giro (not as many big names). Maybe it's because of Andorra and he could just go as a stage hunter and then target the Vuelta.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Purito will ride the Tour, it's his big goal together with the Olympic Games in Rio.

But ofcourse Catalunya and Ardennes races will be targets too.

It could be his last season too, he said in an interview with local tv in Andorra.

http://www.andorradifusio.ad/esports/purito-rodriguez-es-planteja-la-propera-temporada-com-la-darrera#.Vhe7PSav5lU.twitter

But he always says that it could be his last. I'm pretty sure that he will take another season for 2017. Liege and perhaps the WC Road Race is too tempting.

Still don't get why he will ride the Tour when he has a better chance in the Giro (not as many big names). Maybe it's because of Andora and he could just go as a stage hunter and then target the Vuelta.

Best thing he can do. Just stage hunt like you said, and it's the best preparation for Rio. And because he doesn't ride the Giro, he can be in super shape in the Ardennes races without thinking of holding something back because of the Giro.

And i think he will continue indeed, if he still can fight with the best. But it's not a rider like Basso who will continue till it's getting painfull, because he wants to spend more time with his children and wife. As much as he loves the sport, he will retire when he feels he's below the best for good.

 

[Velolover2]

Yes, he will continue until the end of 2017. Same as Valverde.

Pais Vasco tends to be better suited for him, but maybe he is lacking the freshness for the Ardennes. So Catalunya is fine I guess.

Dubai, Oman, Strade Bianche (I hope so!), T-A, Catalunya, Dauphine, Tour, Rio, Vuelta, Milano-Torino, Lombardia is my guess.

 

[pink_jersey]

Re:

Yes, he will continue until the end of 2017. Same as Valverde.

Pais Vasco tends to be better suited for him, but maybe he is lacking the freshness for the Ardennes. So Catalunya is fine I guess.

Dubai, Oman, Strade Bianche (I hope so!), T-A, Catalunya, Dauphine, Tour, Rio, Vuelta, Milano-Torino, Lombardia is my guess.

Without Dubai and it's perfect.Also, add Ardennes.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

Yes, he will continue until the end of 2017. Same as Valverde.

Pais Vasco tends to be better suited for him, but maybe he is lacking the freshness for the Ardennes. So Catalunya is fine I guess.

Dubai, Oman, Strade Bianche (I hope so!), T-A, Catalunya, Dauphine, Tour, Rio, Vuelta, Milano-Torino, Lombardia is my guess.

Without Dubai and it's perfect.Also, add Ardennes.

Yeah I agree. No Dubai, unless he needs some k's in his leg. And the Ardennes of course.

 

[WheelofGear]

That link was days before Mauro Vegni announced that Rodriguez would be on the start list of the Giro. I'm sure he will ride the Tour of Italy.

Same with Valverde, no question about that. It's now or never. If they ride it, they will both be in top 5 at the very least. Scoring points and being on the top of the World Tour is extremely important these days.

Once their bosses see that Contador, Froome, Porte, Aru and Quintana is showing up for the Tour, they can't milk their Spanish cash cows for WT points. The Giro is a goldmine in terms of points. The fact that Caruso, Amador, Trofimov and König can be up there tells you about the standard. It will be a Landa vs. Nibali show if we doesn't get a better field.

Valverde, Purito, Pinot, Rui Costa, Tejay Van Garderen, Dan Martin.. all these guys should be forced to ride the Giro whatever they like it or not.