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maltiv said:"Luckily" they have covered that part now with Nieve, who (unlike Porte) gets better the more mountains you add...
Jelantik said:I wonder what Porte will be thinking, if what Brailsford has hinted about not splitting the team for two grand tour would happen. Sky would be too powerful if Wiggins, Porte are only targeted tour. I wonder how 'buddy-buddy' Porter would like to sacrifice his chances for him to make a name on the GT and help his buddy to win another TDF.
happytramp said:Surely no professional cyclist on earth could prefer 3rd in the Tour over winning the Giro. If they do, they need their head examined.
EnacheV said:Porte will go as leader at the Giro, with a weak team. What's the problem ? After he confirms as leader he can make demands for the future.
karlboss said:Without doubling up the giro team could be Porte, Henao, Cataldo, Puccio, Knees, Zandio, Lopez, Eisel, Dombrowski?
Depending on team goals, OPQS, Astana, Movistar may able to muster something stronger, but if you can't win the Giro with that team likely you can't win the Giro (as Wiggins showed this year).
IndianCyclist said:The Schlecks prefer that.
karlboss said:Without doubling up the giro team could be Porte, Henao, Cataldo, Puccio, Knees, Zandio, Lopez, Eisel, Dombrowski?
Depending on team goals, OPQS, Astana, Movistar may able to muster something stronger, but if you can't win the Giro with that team likely you can't win the Giro (as Wiggins showed this year).
Jason kenny? Not sure how much support he will be in the mountainsPeter von said:Henao AND Cataldo?
i guess on paper that would still leave Nieve, 90% Porte, Kenny, Kiry and what ever Wiggins turns out to be like next year.
MatParker117 said:Giro:
Porte, Deignan, Cataldo, Lopez, Edmonson, Dombrowski, Puccio, Stannard, Eisel
Tour:
Froome, Nieve, Henao, Porte, Siutsou, Kiriyenka, Thomas, Wiggins, Boasson Hagen
CycloAndy said:Do you really think Wiggins will do the tour? Brailsford would be mental to pick him unless something drastically changes psychologically for Wiggins. He just doesn't have the right attitude to be a domestique, particularly for Froome. Can't see him putting in the effort to train for it. I think Wiggins will have a go at Paris-roubaix and then maybe the hour record then retire. Would much rather Stannard, Knees or Eisel took his place.
MatParker117 said:Why not take a shot at a Stage win?
Peter von said:Henao AND Cataldo?
i guess on paper that would still leave Nieve, 90% Porte, Kenny, Kiry and what ever Wiggins turns out to be like next year. Should be enough, but only if they don't suffer injury or bad form, and that's sort of a big if, especially for SKY.
Especially i think Henao will be in France, if they time his form correctly he could really make a difference there.
Either way a weak team for SKY is at least mediocre for most other teams.
karlboss said:Depending on team goals, OPQS, Astana, Movistar may able to muster something stronger, but if you can't win the Giro with that team likely you can't win the Giro (as Wiggins showed this year).
CycloAndy said:I think Brailsfords statement on not sending their best domestiques to the giro, like they did last year, is mainly aimed at Henao and Nieve. So I doubt Henao will do the giro. Deignan will. The only other change is Eisel, as don't think he'll have recovered from the classics? Danny Pate will probably be chosen instead, particularly if Dombrowski is picked. Not the best team around but like you say still capable of challenging for the win (or podium if Quintana goes).
greenedge said:Katusha....
karlboss said:I said without doubling up, but it's almost certain Porte will, but without doubling up for the tour that still leaves, Froome, Wiggins, Nieve, Kennaugh, Thomas, Kiry, Siutsou, EBH and Stannard. Would you really put Porte in and then try to find a place for Henao too? When Henao could be used as a second leader for Giro and Vuelta?
I note others left Kennaugh out, is that as he hasn't renegotiated yet?
Either way to call the Giro team I put down mediocre is insulting, if it entered the Tour it'd be mediocre compared to the big teams, but in the Giro it's a top team for sure.
greenedge said:If Dombrowski rides, why not Edmonson too (maybe too much inexperience)?
Peter von said:My point is that a manager can't just pick his nine Tour riders before the season has even started, there's got to be competition within the team to get the most out of everyone and as a safeguard against injury or bad form.
I would most definitely put Henao in that team if he earned it in training and earlier races, with the exception of Porte he could well be their best climbing dom. I also think it's the natural progression for Henao to move on and become a dom in the Tour instead of the giro, and that this would go better with his probable leadership in some hilly classics.
This year SKY had the Giro as a rather high priority, IMO because of Wiggins. Wiggo was at the beginning of the year still the biggest star on team SKY and infamous for needing a strong team, so SKY had to give him a very strong team, and of cause they very confident he could win it. Porte is still unproven in comparison and won't be overtaking Froome in the internal team rankings for the foreseeable future(or maybe i just jinxed Froome )
I wrote that a weak team for SKY is mediocre for other teams, i didn't refer to the nine riders you put down as they would be in among the top 3 teams in the giro, easy. I will admit i could have chosen my word more carefully, i do apologize if that caused any inconvenience.
Edit: When you say doubling up did you mean that riders wouldn't do both races or that you wouldn't pick reserves?
karlboss said:No rider does tour and giro
karlboss said:No rider does tour and giro