Rider schedules for 2016.

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

Majka could win a GT based on ingenuity. He is the king of wheelsucking. He never takes a pull and mostly refuses to cooperate. Even in his Tour victories, he did that. The worst thing I've seen was when he sat on König's wheel for an entire climb and then outsprinting him in the finale. The exact opposite of the always-attacking Contador.

Podium in the Giro next year is very possible, I think. The Risoul stage must be his favorite.

How dare you strip Gerrans of his crown?

The likes of Gerrans and Matthews are a different kind of wheelsuckers. They are just hiding in a reduced peloton and then outsprinting the rest.

The way Majka does it is a lot weirder. He is using his rivals like they were his doms. As a chain around the leg.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Gotta love all the little digs at Alberto in damian13ster's posts. "Alberto is not a winner" Alberto is 100 times more of a winner than your boy Majka. Majka is no winner and he will never win a GT if he doesn't drastically change his riding style. Majka could have left and joined a team that is prepared to send all their best riders to help Majka achieve his goal of podiuming a GT when half of his opponents are in poor shape. He chose Oleg's big bucks, so he should STFU and stop being a spoilt brat. He should be grateful he even gets the chance to lead a GT. He should be grateful he gets the chance to learn from one of the best ever GT riders but he's being an ungrateful little ****. All he does is whine whine complain complain moan moan when things don't go 100% the way HE wants them to go. HE should get everything he wants. He should learn from Kreuziger. In 2013, he could have podiumed the Tour, but he was loyal to his team leader and obeyed the team orders. Maybe he was a little annoyed he couldn't go for his own changes. But at least he didn't WHINE about it in the media like Majka always does.
He already didn't have many fans, and he's losing them quickly, but the few fans he has are just as ridiculous and big-headed as he is.

Damn. Things escalated quickly. Of course Majka is not a better cyclist than Contador. It is not even close and I never suggested that it is. The fact is, when it comes to the Tour, Sky are the winners lately and Contador is a loser. And only because of his own faults, not team's or supporting riders.
And the fact is that in last 3 seasons Contador NEVER won a race or a stage that both he and Majka was riding. Don't you think that it is going to affect the morale of a rider who has to waste yet another season (Tour instead of Rio + Vuelta) for what is going to possibly be another winless campaing?

He might never win a GT. But he is definetely good enough to podium one and that level is enough not to be happy with being reduced to a domestique role. Especially since there are Olympics and Majka has shown that he can handle long distances, therefore top 10 or even top 5 is a possiblity. Once in a lifetime opportunity.

One question: what did Kreuziger achieve by not going for himself in 2013?
Why should that be a good thing? If he could podium then it would be better for him, and for the team. Why shouldn't he go for it?
Because a spoiled brat (using your language) who can't accept the fact that others are better at the moment didn't allow him to?
Isn't it a trait of a great leader to make sure that team around him feels good and that when there is an opportunity to reward them for all of their work, then they should be allowed a shot at a career achievement (Tour podium for Kreuziger)? If Roman could really go for the podium in 2013 then it was extremely selfish not to let him to. Actions of a sore loser



You have to realize that more riders than just 1-2 have ambitions and do not want to play a role of a well-paid slave for entire careers. Especially if their results justify getting a chance and especially with Rio coming up

Majka at this stage of his career is not in a position to demand sole leadership in every race he starts. He and his fans should learn how to deal with that. This is not a case of "he wants to not slave for another rider for a change and ride for himself". It's a case of a young rider with obvious talent who feels he is too good to ride for better riders.
He is extremely lucky that he has been given so many leadership opportunities by the team in past years, and next year he could lead in some one-week races and at the Giro, ride in support of Contador at the Tour and lead the Polish team in Rio. For a rider like Majka, that is nothing less than he deserves.

 

[damian13ster]

Nice of you to finally adjust your tone.
I would agree with that schedule if it wasnt for Rio. I also wouldnt mind him going for Tour if he didn't ride Giro before.
As the situation stands however, I think he should stand up to Oleg and do not use too much strength in Tour.

It is three-strikes and out for me.
Tinkoff used their 2nd best GT rider 3 times to slave in the Tour.
2013 - fail
2014 - fail
2015 - fail.

It is time to go for 2 leaders this year and actually send a semi-decent team to Giro/Vuelta.
The team is way too Tour-centric.

 

[Arredondo]

So NO Giro for Purito. He will do the Tour and then Rio. Logical thing to do. Now he can target Fleche and Liege 110%, without thinking about the Giro.

http://ciclismo.as.com/ciclismo/2015/10/23/mas_ciclismo/1445631041_276127.html

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

So NO Giro for Purito. He will do the Tour and then Rio. Logical thing to do. Now he can target Fleche and Liege 110%, without thinking about the Giro.

http://ciclismo.as.com/ciclismo/2015/10/23/mas_ciclismo/1445631041_276127.html

That probably means that we'll get Zakarin at the Giro.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Nice of you to finally adjust your tone.
I would agree with that schedule if it wasnt for Rio. I also wouldnt mind him going for Tour if he didn't ride Giro before.
As the situation stands however, I think he should stand up to Oleg and do not use too much strength in Tour.

It is three-strikes and out for me.
Tinkoff used their 2nd best GT rider 3 times to slave in the Tour.
2013 - fail
2014 - fail
2015 - fail.

It is time to go for 2 leaders this year and actually send a semi-decent team to Giro/Vuelta.
The team is way too Tour-centric.

Well they do have a Vuelta and Giro win in both 2014 and 15.

But he is definetely good enough to podium one and that level is enough not to be happy with being reduced to a domestique role.

He has been given leadership roles. If he doesn't want to "slave away" in the Tour then he should capitalize more on these opportunities. For the last 3 years, he's been given an opportunity to lead a gt. Perhaps if he had won one of those he would be given more freedom.

 

[staubsauger]

Tinkoff ain't Tour centred at all. In fact the Giro is and always has been Oleg Tinkov's favorite race.

He has stated that multiple times.

Regarding Majka: Ain't nobody forced him to prolong his contract. CCC would've given him full leadership. Only his paycheck would've been lower.

 

[Escarabajo]

Gotta love all the little digs at Alberto in damian13ster's posts. "Alberto is not a winner" Alberto is 100 times more of a winner than your boy Majka. Majka is no winner and he will never win a GT if he doesn't drastically change his riding style. Majka could have left and joined a team that is prepared to send all their best riders to help Majka achieve his goal of podiuming a GT when half of his opponents are in poor shape. He chose Oleg's big bucks, so he should STFU and stop being a spoilt brat. He should be grateful he even gets the chance to lead a GT. He should be grateful he gets the chance to learn from one of the best ever GT riders but he's being an ungrateful little ****. All he does is whine whine complain complain moan moan when things don't go 100% the way HE wants them to go. HE should get everything he wants. He should learn from Kreuziger. In 2013, he could have podiumed the Tour, but he was loyal to his team leader and obeyed the team orders. Maybe he was a little annoyed he couldn't go for his own changes. But at least he didn't WHINE about it in the media like Majka always does.
He already didn't have many fans, and he's losing them quickly, but the few fans he has are just as ridiculous and big-headed as he is.

He has the same digs at Quintana. So don't worry. He defends his preferred riders no matter what.

About Majka he can choose to leave the team and lead in his new team. Somehow I feel he has no issues with staying at Tinkoff. I think he is happy and his time will come in the future.

 

[skidmark]

Gotta love all the little digs at Alberto in damian13ster's posts. "Alberto is not a winner" Alberto is 100 times more of a winner than your boy Majka. Majka is no winner and he will never win a GT if he doesn't drastically change his riding style. Majka could have left and joined a team that is prepared to send all their best riders to help Majka achieve his goal of podiuming a GT when half of his opponents are in poor shape. He chose Oleg's big bucks, so he should STFU and stop being a spoilt brat. He should be grateful he even gets the chance to lead a GT. He should be grateful he gets the chance to learn from one of the best ever GT riders but he's being an ungrateful little ****. All he does is whine whine complain complain moan moan when things don't go 100% the way HE wants them to go. HE should get everything he wants. He should learn from Kreuziger. In 2013, he could have podiumed the Tour, but he was loyal to his team leader and obeyed the team orders. Maybe he was a little annoyed he couldn't go for his own changes. But at least he didn't WHINE about it in the media like Majka always does.
He already didn't have many fans, and he's losing them quickly, but the few fans he has are just as ridiculous and big-headed as he is.

Damn. Things escalated quickly. Of course Majka is not a better cyclist than Contador. It is not even close and I never suggested that it is. The fact is, when it comes to the Tour, Sky are the winners lately and Contador is a loser. And only because of his own faults, not team's or supporting riders.
And the fact is that in last 3 seasons Contador NEVER won a race or a stage that both he and Majka was riding. Don't you think that it is going to affect the morale of a rider who has to waste yet another season (Tour instead of Rio + Vuelta) for what is going to possibly be another winless campaing?

He might never win a GT. But he is definetely good enough to podium one and that level is enough not to be happy with being reduced to a domestique role. Especially since there are Olympics and Majka has shown that he can handle long distances, therefore top 10 or even top 5 is a possiblity. Once in a lifetime opportunity.

One question: what did Kreuziger achieve by not going for himself in 2013?
Why should that be a good thing? If he could podium then it would be better for him, and for the team. Why shouldn't he go for it?
Because a spoiled brat (using your language) who can't accept the fact that others are better at the moment didn't allow him to?
Isn't it a trait of a great leader to make sure that team around him feels good and that when there is an opportunity to reward them for all of their work, then they should be allowed a shot at a career achievement (Tour podium for Kreuziger)? If Roman could really go for the podium in 2013 then it was extremely selfish not to let him to. Actions of a sore loser



You have to realize that more riders than just 1-2 have ambitions and do not want to play a role of a well-paid slave for entire careers. Especially if their results justify getting a chance and especially with Rio coming up

re: Kreuziger 2013 - that's a pretty simplistic boiling down of it. Sure, the writing was on the wall, especially in hindsight, and Alberto wasn't going to win the Tour. But Kreuziger certainly wasn't going to get to the podium for sure either. Contador had, to that point, won 7 GTs (minus two officially), Kreuziger had finished on the podium in none. On the one hand, as a detached fan I can say 'aww Kreuz should have his shot if Alberto isn't going to win', on the other hand if I'm a team director, rider, or really anyone who has an actual stake in it, I'm saying 'Alberto is clearly our best chance at getting a result in this race'. Even if he hasn't looked good, he's got the track record and talent, and his, let's say, 1 in 100 chance to win the Tour is something I'd take over Kreuz's 1 in 10 chance to podium. Because if it's a podium you're chasing as a team, Alberto is still the best bet. Until the third week they were about on the same time; tie goes to the rider with the better track record, if I'm deciding. So yeah, it's a bit simplistic to suggest a rider is 'selfish' because a whole team that has focused their season around a goal decides to continue to pursue that goal.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador:
Algarve or Ruta del Sol
Paris-Nice or Tirreno
Catalunya
Dauphiné
Tour
Olympics
No Pais Vasco I would like for him to get a 2nd trident at Tirreno, otoh it would be interesting to see him back in Paris-Nice.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Contador:
Algarve or Ruta del Sol
Paris-Nice or Tirreno
Catalunya
Dauphiné
Tour
Olympics
No Pais Vasco I would like for him to get a 2nd trident at Tirreno, otoh it would be interesting to see him back in Paris-Nice.

He doesn't want to face Landa again.

 

[Velolover2]

Landa: Tirreno-Adriatico, Vuelta al País Vasco, Giro. I told you so. I'm always right when it comes to schedules.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mikel-landa-next-year-im-going-all-out-100-percent/

I'm pretty sure that means Paris-Nice (debut?), Catalunya and Romandie for Froome which is the perfect build-up for the Tour.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Paris-Nice (debut?)

Would be, yes

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

Paris-Nice (debut?)

Would be, yes

From what I heard there should be one or even two time trials in Paris-Nice next year so that make sense.

T-A should be without ITTs but there might be a TTT.

 

[TheYouyou7]

Re:

Landa: Tirreno-Adriatico, Vuelta al País Vasco, Giro. I told you so. I'm always right when it comes to schedules.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mikel-landa-next-year-im-going-all-out-100-percent/

I'm pretty sure that means Paris-Nice (debut?), Catalunya and Romandie for Froome which is the perfect build-up for the Tour.

It's not the best build-up, Romandie is ***, it comes too late.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Landa: Tirreno-Adriatico, Vuelta al País Vasco, Giro. I told you so. I'm always right when it comes to schedules.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mikel-landa-next-year-im-going-all-out-100-percent/

I'm pretty sure that means Paris-Nice (debut?), Catalunya and Romandie for Froome which is the perfect build-up for the Tour.

It's not the best build-up, Romandie is ****, it comes too late.

Late is good, it decreases the gap between spring races and the Dauphiné. It's clearly worked well so far.

 

[TheYouyou7]

Re: Re:

Landa: Tirreno-Adriatico, Vuelta al País Vasco, Giro. I told you so. I'm always right when it comes to schedules.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mikel-landa-next-year-im-going-all-out-100-percent/

I'm pretty sure that means Paris-Nice (debut?), Catalunya and Romandie for Froome which is the perfect build-up for the Tour.

It's not the best build-up, Romandie is ****, it comes too late.

Late is good, it decreases the gap between spring races and the Dauphiné. It's clearly worked well so far.

But this year, they will all target the Olympics. It's better to get a real pause.

 

[Velolover2]

Riding five stage races before the Tour and Olympics is not a big of deal, TheYouyou7. Six is, but five isn't. Racing 4 or 5 before the Tour is the normal.

Algarve (or Andalucia or Oman), Paris-Nice, Catalunya, Romandie, Dauphine would be a healthy schedule for Froome. Not that heavy race.

 

[robin440]

Majka will lead the team in the Tour of croatia, the what the organiser said at the tinkoff training camp.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re: Re:

Landa: Tirreno-Adriatico, Vuelta al País Vasco, Giro. I told you so. I'm always right when it comes to schedules.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mikel-landa-next-year-im-going-all-out-100-percent/

I'm pretty sure that means Paris-Nice (debut?), Catalunya and Romandie for Froome which is the perfect build-up for the Tour.

It's not the best build-up, Romandie is ****, it comes too late.

Late is good, it decreases the gap between spring races and the Dauphiné. It's clearly worked well so far.

But this year, they will all target the Olympics. It's better to get a real pause.

It's not like Froome (or Quintana or several of the other GC men) will have the slightest chance of winning the Olympics road race, so...

 

[Anderis]

Skujins' calendar will include Flanders, Ardennes and California. That's big for a first year in WT.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/skujins-signs-two-year-deal-with-cannondale-garmin/

 

[JRanton]

Re:

Landa: Tirreno-Adriatico, Vuelta al País Vasco, Giro. I told you so. I'm always right when it comes to schedules.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mikel-landa-next-year-im-going-all-out-100-percent/

I'm pretty sure that means Paris-Nice (debut?), Catalunya and Romandie for Froome which is the perfect build-up for the Tour.

Thomas will lead at Paris-Nice. Landa will probably be riding for Froome at Tirreno.

 

[HelloDolly]

Sp Thomas will be a protected rider at the Tour. He has indeed earned a leadership role but can't see how having 2 protected riders will help SKY win the Tour overall because as we saw at this years Tour Froome needed a totally dedicated team. Without Porte and Thomas sacrificing himself things may be harder for Froome. I think Landa will ride the Tour and as Porte did do nothing in the first 2 weeks and be called into play in the 3rd week. SKY will need him . And SKY main objective is to win the Tour

Both Poels and Nieve are not enough .Poles is particularly good on the long climbs but is not consistent. Good one day , gone the next
There is also no guarantee that Nieve will be in top form as his form comes and goes throughout the season. Very poor at the Giro this year and hence why he wasn't picked for the Tour. Konig didn't do much in the way of climbing at the Tour as he was probably knackered from the Giro.
(Roche and Kwait will be there for the lower MTNs/hills)

it maybe having so many choices and riders to keep happy will work against SKY . Brailsford will have to keep alot of balls in the air

 

[Brullnux]

Really? Thomas ahead of Landa in the GC pecking order at Sky? Aru I can just about understand but Thomas?

I don't know if Landa is 100% for Tirreno even if he is number 2 but this guy should be leading stage races, so split the Froome/Landa calendar and send one to PN and one to TA. Try Froome at PN considering over the last 3 years when he's been good, he's never won TA. I know Thomas is the loyal Team Sky PR puppet who never says anything negative about the team but most teams should ride to win, and IMO Landa offers a better option than Thomas.

If I were Brrailsford I'd keep Landa's and Froome's schedule as distant as possible, like Astana do with Nibali and Aru.

 

[MatParker1711]

Fun problem for Brailsford to have this season with all these GC riders I suspect Kwait, Benat, Henao, Kennaugh, Roche & Konig know what will be expected of them.