Super teams for the classics next year

[theyoungest]

More interesting might be Rabobanks ability to take a great many one day riders with potential and watch them do nothing. Its telling that the only successful Raborider is Freire in the classics, a rider who specializes on doing things of his own back. For euro spent is there a worst team than Rabobank in the classics?

I don't know if you've seen BMC this year, but I'd argue those guys are quite a bit more expensive and quite a bit more ineffective. Rabo have Lars Boom, whom everybody expected way too much from in his first classics season, and Sebastian Langeveld, who has potential but let's not overdo it, he's not the next Erik Dekker or something. Oh, and they also had Nick Nuyens, a born winner

Next year, with Breschel added to the roster, and with Boom hopefully not fading away after 200 kms, they could play a bigger role.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Is that list only for people who might win a classic or also for people who might end top 10? Since some of those sure aren't going to win one.

 

[tgsgirl]

Didn't Van Avermaet sign with BMC already?

Yeah, he did.

 

[oboy77]

How about Liquigas? Sagan will surely be trying his luck in spring classics. Nibali can be serious contender too while preparing for the Giro.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

I'd be interested to see how EBH performs in the classics with an early season without injury. With the form he showed in Canada he must be a danger man, particularly in the cobbled classics.

I fancy Rabobank to have a strong classics season next year.

 

[luckyboy]

http://www.feltet.dk/index.php?id_parent=262&id=276&id_nyhed=27377

This one should be very up-to-date. In danish though, but I'm sure you'll understand it

Ah cool, thanks. Think I remember looking at this last year. Must bookmark it

Is that list only for people who might win a classic or also for people who might end top 10? Since some of those sure aren't going to win one.

Just put everyone I could think of who would be contenders & then added in the guys who'll be supporting and are pretty good as well. They've all had a placing at least at semi-classics or shown some potential at least.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

List of hills & cobbled guys in next year's teams. Probably missed some out (updated a few now). Garmin looks like too many cooks to me..

Rabobank
Matti Breschel
Oscar Freire
Robert Gesink
Lars Boom

I think LL Sanchez and Carlos Barredo, both winners of Clasica San Sebastian, deserve a mention at Rabobank.
So does Sebastian Langeveld, although dissapointing this year, promising the years before.

 

[taiwan]

Don't forget about Marcato. Next year could be a breakthrough year for him

I agree. I was sort of surprised he wasn't selected for the Azzuri this year.

 

[search]

How about Liquigas? Sagan will surely be trying his luck in spring classics. Nibali can be serious contender too while preparing for the Giro.

don't forget about Oss, 13th at Strade Bianche (first appearance) and 5th at Gent Wevelgem, that was quite impressive. Quinziato also had some good results on the cobbles in the last years. Liquigas should be competitive

 

[CraZyCaLL]

...Quinziato also had some good results on the cobbles in the last years. Liquigas should be competitive

Quinziato will ride for BMC in 2011

 

[search]

ah, okay, thanks, I didn't pick up that information

 

[Anonymous]

Garmin-Cervelo potential northern classics riders:

Tyler Farrar
Roger Hammond
Heinrich Haussler
Thor Hushovd
Andrea Klier
Brett Lancaster
Daniel Lloyd
Martijn Maaskant
Johan Van Summeren

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/09/news/roger-hammond-makes-garmin-cervelo-the-800-pound-gorilla-in-the-2011-classics_143153


That's a pretty strong line up.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Depends on which classics you mean. If you mean the 5 monuments, it is hard to point out a team who has the strongest riders for all of those. Rabobank has Freire and Gesink for 3 out of 5, but their cobbles-team is lacking I think. While Garmin has a great team for the cobbles, but is in my opinion lacking for the hill classics. BMC doesn't have a top sprinter, neither does Katusha. Quickstep has neither a topsprinter nor a real contender for the hill classics.

So probably Garmin I think.

Boonen does not count as a top sprinter? I would say katusha are the best.

Didn't Van Avermaet sign with BMC already?

I would also add Matthew Hayman to Sky.

Yep and with Phinney now it should be a strong team.

BMC's classic teams don't look too bad either

Cobbles
Hincapie
Ballan
Van avermaet
Burghardt
Phinney
Qunziato
Kroon
Schar
Murphy

Ardennes
Evans
Kroon
Moinard
Van Avermaet
Santambrogio
Morabito
Frank
Bookwalter
ballan

 

[taiwan]

...BMC's classic teams don't look too bad either...

Unless they're all performing much better than last year, we could be looking at Evans and maybe Phinney being the only factors in the spring, sorry.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Unless they're all performing much better than last year, we could be looking at Evans and maybe Phinney being the only factors in the spring, sorry.

I disagree. I don't see how all those guys could peform bad being on the one team. None of them in the cobbles had a great year so i see at least a few of them doing much better.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

That is a risk but it looks like they are shaping up more like the powerhouse Mapei teams that would have 3 or 4 guys in the finale of RvV and P-R.

Boonen can't win either of those by himself. Only Cancellara can. So, imo, Garmin will be very tough to deal with.

Actually, Boonen would(could) have won 2008 RvV without Devolder.

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, Boonen would(could) have won 2008 RvV without Devolder.

I agree. Probably in 2009 too.

I don't see Boonen's chances as high in 2010. His team won't give him as many options and other teams are better.

But, we will see. It would be a mistake to underestimate Boonen but I think he will have a more difficult time.

 

[mr. tibbs]

I agree. Probably in 2009 too.

I don't see Boonen's chances as high in 2010. His team won't give him as many options and other teams are better.

But, we will see. It would be a mistake to underestimate Boonen but I think he will have a more difficult time.

Boonen may have a more dificult time, but his last two wins in PR were pretty dominant. Once the races hit the Arenberg, he started dictating the show, and he didn't really need a team. He was doing the same thing this year, but, well, we all saw how that played out: there was another big kid in the sand box who was able to do a little dictating of his own.

Despite their great lineups, I have a hard time seeing any of these other teams eclipsing the Spartacus V Boonen cobbles show. I do have high hopes for Haussler and Maaskant, but I think the only real challengers are Pippo P and Hushovd. And maybe Hoste. If it’s for the win, though, I have to give a PR/RVV sprint finale to Boonen any day. (And if it’s not a small sprint finish, then that means Cancellara is winning. Probably by a minute or more.)

The moral of the story: When you're Cancellara or Boonen on stones, you ARE a super team.