Big Doopie
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He may win handily, but I'll bet you everything I own that it's not as easy as Nibali's win.
ooh. I had forgotten that one. You are right.
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Thanks!
He may win handily, but I'll bet you everything I own that it's not as easy as Nibali's win.
Thanks! Hopefully it'll start attracting a more interesting field in the future then thanks to the Slovenian wonderboys.Easier version of Pais Vasco.
He will use most of the Jumbo teamI don't doubt that he's ready, but what will be his team for the Tour?
De La Cruz, Majka & Polanc are a given, but guys like McNulty and Hirschi have underperformed a bit in their prep races and no idea about Formolo (who was set to ride Giro+Tour, that was the reason why he didn't race from MSR until LBL), one of those 3 will miss the Tour.
Bjerg for the flat stages is a no brainer for me, but do you bring Kristoff after a rather poor season or do you bring Trentin instead? Not bringing a sprinter at all and bringing Laengen instead wouldn't be the worst option.
I don't doubt that he's ready, but what will be his team for the Tour?
De La Cruz, Majka & Polanc are a given, but guys like McNulty and Hirschi have underperformed a bit in their prep races and no idea about Formolo (who was set to ride Giro+Tour, that was the reason why he didn't race from MSR until LBL), one of those 3 will miss the Tour.
Bjerg for the flat stages is a no brainer for me, but do you bring Kristoff after a rather poor season or do you bring Trentin instead? Not bringing a sprinter at all and bringing Laengen instead wouldn't be the worst option.
His climbing in the breakaways looked fine in the Tour de Suisse, I'd probably bring him.Looking at his results, De La Cruz should not be a given.
Ulissi recently said in an Interview with La Gazzetta (after he won that stage in Slovenia) that he surely won't be at the Tour.Majka and Polanc are shoe ins but the other spots are up for debate alright. I think McNulty will definitely be there and same can be said for Hirschi but Hirschi in particular needs to get into some form quickly. After that it's 3 from De La Cruz, Formolo, Bjerg, Laengen, Kristoff, Trentin and theres even a decent argument for Ulissi.
I don't think Kristoff or Trentin will be allowed sprint freely either. They'll be allowed if it's a small group and they have a chance (same as WVA last year) but I think they're mainly there to be road captains and they're good enough uphill to be of some use on lower slopes or hilly stages unlike a lot of the pure sprinters.
Ulissi recently said in an Interview with La Gazzetta (after he won that stage in Slovenia) that he surely won't be at the Tour.
The guy has never raced more than 1 gt per year in his career, has only raced the Tour once and hasn't raced the Vuelta since 2013, that's kinda crazy. One would think that a team would send the kind of rider that Ulissi is to the Vuelta as a stagehunter on a regular basis.
I agree about Kristoff or Trentin not being allowed to sprint freely, the team needs some experienced guys for the flat stages, mainly if the wind is blowing on some of the potential crosswind stages.
The team will
Pogacar
Majka
Formolo
Bjerg
Mcnulty
De La Cruz
Polanc
Hirschi
I would take out de la cruz or hirschi and put trentin in there.The team will
Pogacar
Majka
Formolo
Bjerg
Mcnulty
De La Cruz
Polanc
Hirschi
because he had a big block of racing, and finished he giro before slovenia.Why no Ulissi? Is it a joke? He placed second in the ToS, won the queen stage and was strong in the mountains.
because he had a big block of racing, and finished he giro before slovenia.
its normal for those coming off giro to be good in june. see pedrero in occitanie, sobrero in slovenia etc. but to take him on another grand tour in july is ridiculous
The guy also has never done 2 gts in one season before, so it would be a big gamble.Ok, this makes sense. His form could fall off the cliff at the Tour.
Not sure how much of a help uphill Mcnulty will be.
Yes, that was said when he was pulled from the giro. Not sure after seeing the last stage of the Basque country and Dauphine if that will happen. When Dombrowski won his stage he made a better impression uphill then Mcnulty ever did this season.Wasn't he pulled from the Giro - and a chance to ride for his own GC - specifically to go to the Tour?