Saxo Bank's Weakness

[indurain666]

Sorry had a typo here, I meant that I knew that Leopard and BMC were much stronger than Saxo, but when a second division team such as Europcar is much more stronger then Riis should really consider hiring a few more guys next season if he really wants to build a team that can support a yellow jersey contender.

Mind you, this is almost same team that supported him during the Giro so perhaps they were all a bit out of shape not expecting to race the Tour...but that also means they need more guys...

Other than Riis, Alberto never gave too many "thanks to the team" during interviews..

2 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Supposed to be liutenant in the mountains, was nowhere to be seen, big dissappointment.

3 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) He was getting dropped all the time on the mountains

4 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Good roleur, probably pulled a few times during the TTT but he is just a shadow from the early 00s rider he supported Armstrong at USPS/Discovery

5 Richie Porte (Aus) Did a decent TDF, but support to the captain was negligible..

6 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den): Best domestique IMO, he somehow managed to hang in there and take a few turns pulling or fetching water bottles.

7 Nicki Sörensen (Den): Did not do too much..

8 Matteo Tosatto (Ita)Good roleur...when he was riding for MG-Technogym in the 90s...guy is 37 years old...gruppetto material,

9 Brian Vandborg (Den): DNF? crashed out?

I think Riis has some serious work to do here...

 

[roundabout]

I stopped reading at BMC being a bit out of Saxo Bank's league. Sorry.

 

[jsem94]

They should've had Gustav Larsson on this team. He could've proved invaluable.

 

[Antianti]

It's true that this years Saxo-team is miles behind last years. But we have to remember, that it's down to the old team riding under the Leopard name now. Last year didn't have a sponsor for his team at the right time and because of that his options were very limited. According to reports, he'll be able to show a bigger budget next year and we should see the beginning of the rebuilding of his team in the next months.

 

[RdBiker]

It's apparently quite hard to find good helpers since Riis couldn't find many new guys after half of his team went to Leopard.
The ones left weren't on their best either although I don't know if their best would've been enough. I remember thinking last year what awful support Andy had in the mountains. I think the only time I saw any of his teammates was for the first 5K of the Tourmalet until Andy and Contador went.

Riis maybe forgiven but next year he's got no excuses. Though if CAS suspend Contador he's in big trouble.

 

[luckyboy]

I always knew that the likes of Leopard and BMC were a bit out of their league

LOL

Cadel would've won this Tour by now if he had someone to work for him in the mountains.

Contador could do with a superdomestique in the mountains, but he gets by ok and probably Larsson should've been there for the TTT. He didn't lose this Tour because of his team that's for sure.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Europcar was stronger than all other teams, including BMC and Leopard. Leopard as team wasn't up to its normal standards. Nobody was expecting much of BMC. Nobody had a strong team this year, expect Europcar. Saxo indeed didn't blow the race apart like last year. But for a big part that is also due to its captain not being as strong.

 

[RedheadDane]

For starters I'd like to say that Vandborg is still in the race.

Also, from what I've heard the problem with Nicki is that he's had too much to do, basically taking over from people like O'Gready as Capitaine de la Route (or however you spell it) while at the same time playing protector on the flats, a role people like Noval and Tosatto should've had Think Tosatto has done okay though. Noval on the other hand...

But yeah, Larsen instead of Noval.

They [the Tour studie] actually had a visit by former team coach B.S. Christiansen who said that the main problem is that they aren't really a team anymore. Take the Everyone Speaks English rule Contador does speak it sometimes but has anyone ever heard the other three? Ok, gotta admit, I haven't heard them say anything but that's probably mostly because they never get interviewed by Danish television.

 

[Angliru]

It's true that this years Saxo-team is miles behind last years. But we have to remember, that it's down to the old team riding under the Leopard name now. Last year didn't have a sponsor for his team at the right time and because of that his options were very limited. According to reports, he'll be able to show a bigger budget next year and we should see the beginning of the rebuilding of his team in the next months.

Your post pretty much explains it. Also with the Giro in many of the rider's legs it was a bit much to expect them to be able to rival their opponent's teams. I expected a bit more from Chris Anker-Sorrenson since he didn't ride the Giro and Tossato.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Richie Porte and Brian Vandborg are for me the biggest dissapointments. Apart from the TTT, they did almost nothing. Best domestique this Tour must've been CAS. He shielded Alberto from the wind on the flat, and was (partially) there in the mountains.

 

[indurain666]

LOL

Cadel would've won this Tour by now if he had someone to work for him in the mountains.

Contador could do with a superdomestique in the mountains, but he gets by ok and probably Larsson should've been there for the TTT. He didn't lose this Tour because of his team that's for sure.

If you mean Saxo's weakness was the one and only reason of his defeat, I never said that. But to deny that he could have done better with a stronger team..I don't know...

He certainly could have used a guy or two chasing down AS yesterday

He could have used 8 or 9 guys helping him chase down Leopard on Stage 1.

 

[RedheadDane]

Your post pretty much explains it. Also with the Giro in many of the rider's legs it was a bit much to expect them to be able to rival their opponent's teams. I expected a bit more from Chris Anker-Sorrenson since he didn't ride the Giro and Tossato.

First of all, his name is Sørensen with one r and an o.
Also, you made it look as if there was a race called "Tossato".

 

[LaFlorecita]

For starters I'd like to say that Vandborg is still in the race.

Also, from what I've heard the problem with Nicki is that he's had too much to do, basically taking over from people like O'Gready as Capitaine de la Route (or however you spell it) while at the same time playing protector on the flats, a role people like Noval and Tosatto should've had Think Tosatto has done okay though. Noval on the other hand...

But yeah, Larsen instead of Noval.

They [the Tour studie] actually had a visit by former team coach B.S. Christiansen who said that the main problem is that they aren't really a team anymore. Take the Everyone Speaks English rule Contador does speak it sometimes but has anyone ever heard the other three? Ok, gotta admit, I haven't heard them say anything but that's probably mostly because they never get interviewed by Danish television.

Noval has been there on some stages, and obviously Contador wants him with him. Also Larsson is rumoured not to be a good teamplayer.

On the English part, those 3 Spanish guys don't speak English. They had to carry a dictionary around during the training camps.

 

[Angliru]

First of all, his name is Sørensen with one r and an o.
Also, you made it look as if there was a race called "Tossato".

But you know who I was talking about didn't you? Please excuse my lack of skill in the spelling of foreign names. I was too lazy verify it was spelled correctly. I was going to just put in his initials but just typing those initials may bring bad luck for a certain rider.

Yeah I could've phrased that last sentence better. I'll pm you next time to have you proof my posts for me.

 

[SiAp1984]

Best domestique this Tour must've been CAS. He shielded Alberto

No pun intended? ;-)

As for Noval, I never understood how this guy ever made it in a tour team.

 

[greenedge]

Porte did a good job at the start and works on early mountains. CAS was great. Noval was dropped early in the TTT, Vandborg failed and Tosatto i don't think brings much. I think Cooke and Larsson should have replaced 2 of those 3.

 

[Sørensen]

They have been a huge disappointment imo. I had expected a lot more from especially Porte, Nicky and Vandborg. In hindsight Larsson should definitely have had a spot. Time for Riis to go shopping for next year.

 

[42x16ss]

They have been a huge disappointment imo. I had expected a lot more from especially Porte, Nicky and Vandborg. In hindsight Larsson should definitely have had a spot. Time for Riis to go shopping for next year.

A very disappointing showing. When you look back at how each of those riders rode last year and what they are capable of it's obvious that there is something very wrong in the SBS squad. The sum of that team's parts should be capable of tearing the race apart at will.