So ... BMC

[Ripper]

What do folks think? Sucked out a bit too much blood at the last training camp? Some bad sh!t they imported?

I'm not saying there is any major team doping going on, but ....

 

[Martin318is]

What do folks think? Sucked out a bit too much blood at the last training camp? Some bad sh!t they imported?

I'm not saying there is any major team doping going on, but ....

then what are you saying? LOL

You appear to be implying that the reason that none of the riders in the team are meeting expectations is somehow drug related - and specific to the members of that team. If what you suggest is to be considered accurate, surely the only conclusion you can take from the fact that its only riders in that team is that it is team driven?

Anyway, no - I don't think that has anything to do with the lack of results so far.

 

[Ripper]

then what are you saying? LOL

Perhaps I'm just trolling

On a more serious note, when a whole team of superstars is having such a problem getting results, it does make me wonder a bit. Of course, there a number of plausible reasons for this, many of which have been discussed. But I am a bit curious. It is not like Andy R does not have his own history

So, I am curious of folks opinions on the matter. But I do not have some sort of fixed belief I am inflicting on everyone.

 

[danjo007]

perhaps you are, and have only just realized how stupid this thread is.

 

[airstream]

Their days haven't come so far. They signed Gilbert clearly realizing he will never repeat even something close to 2011 season. Evans is just getting older and can't deserve to spray efforts on all the races. A competitive Thor is yet to come. I don't understand what all that has to do with doping.

 

[Benotti69]

What do folks think? Sucked out a bit too much blood at the last training camp? Some bad sh!t they imported?

I'm not saying there is any major team doping going on, but ....

the soigneur caught with lots of PEDS begs to differ about 'major team doping going on'.........

 

[Alpechraxler]

Haha. You never remarked that there is this phenomen that people sharing enough time with each other often infect each other with a simple flu ?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Nah, they just have a lot of stars and are having trouble balancing those out. They have too many chiefs, not enough indians, and because of how star-studded their lineup is, other teams aren't willing to do the work for them, so they're burning out what few domestiques they have in the early running then being at the mercy of others later on. Also, lots of people competing for the same goals = potentially a lot of behind-the-scenes bickering and negotiating that detracts from the racing.

There's absolutely no reason for this thread to be in the Clinic instead of the Pro Road Cycling forum until there's something beyond idle speculation in it.

 

[Caruut]

What do folks think? Sucked out a bit too much blood at the last training camp? Some bad sh!t they imported?

I'm not saying there is any major team doping going on, but ....

This takes the mick, a bit, don't you think? It gets a bit OTT, but is still understandable, when people say "he's doing well, he must be doped". But now if a team is doing badly, it's because they've doped.

 

[roundabout]

Would it be fairer to say that it's more of a case of Gilbert and Evans (and Ballan I suppose) not doing as well as it was expected?

Last year they had a stage and GC win in Tirreno for Evans, second in the MSB and the stage in Sardegna for Ballan and a 3rd in the Tirreno stage for Evans.

Not really that many podium places when you think about it.

 

[Havetts]

it's because they've doped.

Or just because they've not this time.. I'll show myself out.

 

[Velodude]

Or could it be they are changing the season priorities to focus on one race?

I can recall a team back in the late 90s early 00s who had that approach.

 

[Ripper]

There's absolutely no reason for this thread to be in the Clinic instead of the Pro Road Cycling forum until there's something beyond idle speculation in it.

For the most part I agree. However, I wanted to open it up to thoughts on doping. That tends to cause some aggravation in the Pro Road Forum.

 

[Ripper]

This takes the mick, a bit, don't you think? It gets a bit OTT, but is still understandable, when people say "he's doing well, he must be doped". But now if a team is doing badly, it's because they've doped.

I hear what you are saying. Actually, I am not saying "they doped". I am asking what others think. FWIW, I like BMC as a team and can think of several reasons why they could be doing poorly as a team. But given that team doping has occurred in the past, and has resulted in an entire team's poor performance in the past, I find I still ask myself questions when there are patterns.

 

[Caruut]

I hear what you are saying. Actually, I am not saying "they doped". I am asking what others think. FWIW, I like BMC as a team and can think of several reasons why they could be doing poorly as a team. But given that team doping has occurred in the past, and has resulted in an entire team's poor performance in the past, I find I still ask myself questions when there are patterns.

Blimey, when was that?

 

[Ripper]

Blimey, when was that?

I think there have been a few times with the team doping - USPS, Mapei, etc.

I think it was PDM that everyone got sick, but I can check on that if it is important.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think there have been a few times with the team doping - USPS, Mapei, etc.

I think it was PDM that everyone got sick, but I can check on that if it is important.

T-Mobile as well, Vuelta 2004.

Six riders got vomiting and cramps in week 1 of the race, five dropping out. They claimed it was food poisoning but the hotel they stayed in after stage 4 (it was stage 5 they started dropping out, three on that day alone) tested their food and T-Mobile absolved them of blame...

 

[blackcat]

konecny Evans and Zabel held out. Which made me deluded thinking CE possibly, could not be on a program.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

There are more suspicious team than BMC at this stage of the season. That's if you want to suspect any team.

 

[The Hitch]

T-Mobile as well, Vuelta 2004.

Six riders got vomiting and cramps in week 1 of the race, five dropping out. They claimed it was food poisoning but the hotel they stayed in after stage 4 (it was stage 5 they started dropping out, three on that day alone) tested their food and T-Mobile absolved them of blame...

Who was the 1 who stayed on? Very impressive to do so in that scenario.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Who was the 1 who stayed on? Very impressive to do so in that scenario.

T-Mobile Team (TMO)

181 Alexandre Vinokourov - DNS Etapa 18
(Vino was team leader and was among the many T-Mobilers that lost 17 minutes on Stage 5, finishing almost last, then another 13 the next day. He then lost 6 minutes in a 40km TT and a further 20 minutes over 2 mountain stages, before having a good Sierra Nevada ITT in week 3)

182 Santiago Botero - DNF Etapa 5

183 Cadel Evans - 60
(Evans, unlike the rest of the team, thrived on stage 5, finishing 6th on the day. He performed at a reasonable level for the rest of the week, before coming in with the autobus on Xorret del Catí. After that he was a non-factor in the race, but there are no real terrible results)

184 Torsten Hiekmann - DNF Etapa 5

185 Andreas Klier - DNF Etapa 6
(Klier finished by Vino's side in the last group on stage 5, then climbed off early the next day)

186 Tomas Konecny - DNF Etapa 9
(Konecny finished well on stage 5, 56" down and in the main bunch, then came in with the bus for two days, was almost last in the ITT and climbed off in the mountains a day later)

187 Stefan Schreck - 58
(finished in the bus on stage 5 with Vino and Klier, didn't finish any stage in the top 40, but never outside the top 90 in the last two weeks, so wasn't too bad)

188 Steffen Wesemann - DNF Etapa 5

189 Erik Zabel - 43 (+ points classification)
(finished in the main bunch, in the top 30, on stage 5, then was 2nd two days running after that. Even managed to lose less than 2 minutes on Xorret del Catí)

 

[zigmeister]

When you have 10 chiefs and no indians....you have a problem. And it isn't doping related, it is ego related.

Good luck managing that madness. Like most NBA team, there are always the prima donnas. If they whine like a bunch of babies enough, they will fire the coach and find another thinking that will solve the problem.

 

[DirtyWorks]

When you have 10 chiefs and no indians....you have a problem. And it isn't doping related, it is ego related.

Good luck managing that madness. Like most NBA team, there are always the prima donnas. If they whine like a bunch of babies enough, they will fire the coach and find another thinking that will solve the problem.

While I agree there's probably too many chiefs, you also have the problem of those chiefs all having hooks dangling off the back of their bikes. The minute a chief attacks SOMEONE will jump on their wheel and just sit there knowing full well they are doing a great job sticking to the BMC star.

If we see no results, then a May(?) team training camp in Tenerife followed by *amazing* results in July, then I think it will be time to dust off this thread.

 

[Benotti69]

<snip>

If we see no results, then a May(?) team training camp in Tenerife followed by *amazing* results in July, then I think it will be time to dust off this thread.

I wonder will Rihs be stupid enough to take big risks again. I hope he has bought out McQuaid, met the head of the Lausanne lab and the Cologne lab too...

 

[Semper Fidelis]

perhaps you are, and have only just realized how stupid this thread is.

hey man are you or is your avatar holding a giant CORNDOG? I am very hungry ...grrrrrrrrrr