Steegmans plays second fiddle at the Shack!

[auscyclefan94]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/steegmans-wont-get-train-at-radioshack

Your thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

thoughts.. erm...

the article tells us nothing that we didnt already know..

If it wasnt a website i would say that article was a waste of paper..

 

[auscyclefan94]

thoughts.. erm...

the article tells us nothing that we didnt already know..

If it wasnt a website i would say that article was a waste of paper..

But now it's official out of bruyneels mouth.

 

[Publicus]

I don't think anyone thought that Steegman's would be getting protected at Team Lance. And if Gert did, then he's a fool.

 

[issoisso]

Bruyneel's recruitment policy baffles me.

He's by far the DS that has his teams riding the most controlled style with no random attacking and no working for sprinters or anything other than GC.

So why did he sign Steemans and Machado?

One's a sprinter. Sure he offers something in the cobbles, but he's a pure sprinter. He's not going to be able to do much work for GC riders at all.
The other is the most kamikaze attacker in the pro peloton, will attack given a quarter of a chance and not only has never fetched a water bottle for anyone, he also won't like the idea of having to do it at all.

Bruyneel baffled me this year.

 

[thehog]

Depends. Did they sign him telling him of a promised train? I think not. You'd have to be stupid to think they would be a train type team. I think they got him for the cobbles at the Tour. Bad selection. They don't need him. He doesn't need them. Wasted year for the chap. Ballan was lucky.

 

[Publicus]

I think we should all heed Johan's word:

"Mark my words, Steegmans will win at least 10 races next season," Bruyneel told Belgian magazine Knack. "For RadioShack, the transfer of Steegmans is an opportunity."

 

[Lifeshape]

Steegmans is a dangerous guy not to have on your team, especially in the spring. Better to have him on your team than not and have to work around him. I predict RS gives him several nods throughout the year.

 

[sTTevie]

One's a sprinter. Sure he offers something in the cobbles, but he's a pure sprinter. He's not going to be able to do much work for GC riders at all.

Steegmans isn't that bad in the mountains though, he's no mountain goat, but he could do some work for the team on that front

 

[Bala Verde]

IMO Steegmans hasn't really been able to show his alleged (Belgian Media) potential, or fulfill the expectations (too high?). He proved to be a great lead out sprinter before Boonen, but whenever he had to deliver (as a leader), he failed. From some sprints I remember he appeared to give up too early/easily, seemed too afraid (for a sprinter) when the sprinters starting jocking for positions. So from that perspective, I don't even know why he would deserve a train. He really needs to get his act together, if he actually possesses the qualities he is said to have.

On the other hand, I also don't see him perform well without one, which leaves me confused: "Why did they sign him...?"

 

[Anonymous]

All Steegmans has to do is mark Boonen, Devolder, Pozatto, Haussler, Hushovd, Flecha, Van Summeren, Gilbert and maybe Chavenal at RvV and PR. THAT'S IT.

He does that, he gets results. See? It's simple.

 

[luckyboy]

This was all pretty obvious.

Can't see him adding anything big to his TdF stage win. He's a good lead-out (as Bala Verde said), but over-rated.

Just realised he is 10 years older than me to the day

 

[Willy_Voet]

This was all pretty obvious.

Can't see him adding anything big to his TdF stage win. He's a good lead-out (as Bala Verde said), but over-rated.

Just realised he is 10 years older than me to the day

He'll be doing a lot better away from Katusha and that pesky PED clause in their contract.

 

[ingsve]

I don't really see Steegmans like a sprinter that any team would specifically build a train for. Yes, he's a decent sprinter but there are lots of sprinters of roughly the same caliber.

 

[kurtinsc]

Thor didn't have trains last year and won green.

I could see him winning 10 races. Most would be minor ones of course, but I don't think it's totally outside the realm of possibility.

I could also see him winning 1 or 2... or even 0. He's going to be on his own... the question is... can he win races on his own like some sprinters can.

 

[lhotse]

Folks: Sorry to chance topics but I know the Steegman's Katusha thing is like sooo...2009...but what it implies seems obvious. Or not?

" Steegmans joined RadioShack after having his contract with Katusha dissolved mid-season last year. Steegmans refused to sign the Russian squad’s new anti-doping charter, which required any rider found in violation of the charter to pay a substantial monetary fine to the squad."

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Decent sprinter, will probably win a few stages in smaller tours, but I don't expect him to be on the Tour team. That will be Astana from last year sans AC, plus Chris Horner. Steegmans could plausibly achieve 10 wins, if they are stages in races Like Eneco Tour, Tour of MO, etc. Maybe a stage or two at the Vuelta.

 

[BeachBum]

There are lots of races that Retirement Shack will be at, but the main stage race boys will NOT be at: San Remo, Gent Wevelgem, T-A, etc. Maybe the Giro and/or Vuelta as well. He won't get a train, but he'll have chances.

 

[Cerberus]

There are lots of races that Retirement Shack will be at, but the main stage race boys will NOT be at: San Remo, Gent Wevelgem, T-A, etc. Maybe the Giro and/or Vuelta as well. He won't get a train, but he'll have chances.

He might get chances in the classics, but can he do anything there? I don't know him well, but his Wiki page mentioned no classics results and the bookmaking site I found didn't even give odds of him winning Millan-Sanremo.

 

[Big GMaC]

All Steegmans has to do is mark Boonen, Devolder, Pozatto, Haussler, Hushovd, Flecha, Van Summeren, Gilbert and maybe Chavenal at RvV and PR. THAT'S IT.

He does that, he gets results. See? It's simple.

and cancellara and ebh and ......

 

[palmerq]

he looked quite good when he had a big leadout in gay paris in 2008.. seemed very fast when things go his way... but i dont think he is a great sprinter.. He coudll be a usefull guy for radioshack to have to get a extra wins ... Although i suppose it all depends how much they are paying him he was probably one of the best sprinters they could get who was out of contract(I doubt petacchi would want to go there and I cant think of anyone else for free).... I suspect the shack will give him some support in certain tdf stages when things line up for him... he wont beat cavendish anyway with or without a big train so it doesnt matter anyway :S

 

[craig1985]

This was all pretty obvious.

Can't see him adding anything big to his TdF stage win. He's a good lead-out (as Bala Verde said), but over-rated.

Just realised he is 10 years older than me to the day

If Steegmans rides the TdF, then I'm Bernard Hinault. Johan really does need to change his policy up a bit and look for stage wins. Nobody remembers/cares if one of your riders came 6th overall at the Tour of Poland, but people certainly do take note if one of your riders wins a stage. He will probably have to fend for himself at the Vuelta whilst Zubeldia, who nobody knows if he is in the race or not, unless you look at the start list, finishes in 12th place overall on the GC.

 

[il_fiammingo]

IMO Steegmans hasn't really been able to show his alleged (Belgian Media) potential, or fulfill the expectations (too high?). He proved to be a great lead out sprinter before Boonen, but whenever he had to deliver (as a leader), he failed. From some sprints I remember he appeared to give up too early/easily, seemed too afraid (for a sprinter) when the sprinters starting jocking for positions. So from that perspective, I don't even know why he would deserve a train. He really needs to get his act together, if he actually possesses the qualities he is said to have.

I couldn't agree more.

As far as classics are concerned, hist best spring campaign was his last year @ lotto. Since then he hardly ever animated the finale (partially due to injury). He was never able to profit from the team work as e.g. Devolder or Nuyens did. I also think he never got the legs like Devolder had, although he has the physique to do well in these races. For me, he is overrated.

 

[TRDean]

Bala..I agree here...I think the expectations are too high for him. I don't think he is a true sprinter either...

If I recall, the DS at QS said Steegmans rode like a teenager quite a bit and still had a lot to learn. That kinda states what you have in your post!!

 

[afpm90]

He might get chances in the classics, but can he do anything there? I don't know him well, but his Wiki page mentioned no classics results and the bookmaking site I found didn't even give odds of him winning Millan-Sanremo.

3th Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen (2007)
5th Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne (2007)

3th Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen (2006)
6th Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne (2006)
6th Omloop Het Volk (2006)

This are his better results at the Flanders classics. He has quality for this type of race, and we must take into account that most of the years he was working for Tom Boonen. If he's given the leadership in this races, which I think he will, he might obtain some good results.