Nevertheless, I probably wouldn't bring Cavendish to the ORR...
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Simon Yates in hilly one day races:Adam Yates is the only currently active Brit who has results in hilly, one day races. The rest are one of the other.
Simon Yates in hilly one day races:
- 1st Prueba Villafranca-Ordiziako Klasika (2016)
- 1st Gran Premio Miguel Indurain (2017)
- 2nd Circuito de Getxo (2016)
- 2nd Prueba Villafranca-Ordiziako Klasika (2018)
- 7nd Classica San Sebastian (2016)
Roglic Tour and Dumoulin Giro seems from a parcours view to be the better fits so that is a good decision.
Also Roglic could medal in the Olympic TT but it’s far from certain he will contend so it makes a lot more sense for Tom to make this a key aim as he is top 3 in the world on almost every kind of ITT route.
no idea if he really counts as a "Grand Tour rider" yet, but according to an article in Austrian "Kronen Zeitung", Patrick Konrad will do the Giro again (and aims for a Top 5 in GC)
Kämna and Mühlberger are really strong in the high mountains, but you're right, it looks a bit weird.Weird that then now both Konrad and Schachmann goes to the Giro with Majka, when the team has constantly been talking about being allin for Buchmann in the TDF even casting doubt over Sagans participation earlier. Looks like it will be mostly for Sagan in the TDF once again then, leaving Buchmann with worse helpers than last year. But he will likely just be following Ineos and Jumbo most of the time anyway.
It´s really interesting to see that 5 of 6 key riders from Bora will target the giro as one of their main target:Weird that then now both Konrad and Schachmann goes to the Giro with Majka, when the team has constantly been talking about being allin for Buchmann in the TDF even casting doubt over Sagans participation earlier. Looks like it will be mostly for Sagan in the TDF once again then, leaving Buchmann with worse helpers than last year. But he will likely just be following Ineos and Jumbo most of the time anyway.
It´s really interesting to see that 5 of 6 key riders from Bora will target the giro as one of their main target:
Ackermann
Sagan
Majka
Konrad
Schachmann
If we assume that Ackermann´s sprint train (Selig, Schwarzmann) will also be at the start, Bora´s team for the giro is already nearly fixed. 5 month before the strat of the race..
I guess there's still a chance to see him (or Fabbro, as an Italian) instead of Schwarzmann. Especially if they can convince Sagan to do some work for Ackermann in the flat arrivals.I would also expect those 2 to start (Selig certainly and Schwarzmann very likely) and then I guess its also very likely that the last spot goes to Benedetti to pull in the peloton. Indeed its extraordinarily early planning, but I guess that can be a good advantage in the preparations, and it will be a strong Giro-team for sure. The big surprise for me is not saving Konrad for the TDF. I would have thought they'd use someone like Poljanski instead as Majka helper.
I guess there's still a chance to see him (or Fabbro, as an Italian) instead of Schwarzmann. Especially if they can convince Sagan to do some work for Ackermann in the flat arrivals.
Makes sense if he's co leader with Adam Yates or Thomas though.Hes got the physical skills for it but I just dont think hehas the instincts for following the right moves making the right attacks
Kämna and Mühlberger are really strong in the high mountains, but you're right, it looks a bit weird.
The reason he went to Giro and Vuelta was because he was banned from TDF / all ASO events. Its crazy to me that you forgot or don't want to remember Alberto being hugely focused on TDF. He talked all kinds of hype and trash then just didn't deliver post-Bruyneel but it still happened. If you don't believe me there's many articles quoting him saying things like "The big objective is to try and win the most important races on the calendar, first and foremost the Tour de France," even late in his career when he wasn't the best.
Honestly riding the Giro in 2015 seemed like a weird decision to me but whatever. After that I don't know what his true GT level was anymore as he literally managed to crash in almost every stage race he did after that. I'm not saying he would be a favorite in most of the GTs after 2015, but there were a few weaker ones he could've won with some decent fortunes.And you seem to forget that 2015 was the last year Contador looked like he had a real shot at winning the Tour (he was 32) and what did he do? He rode the Giro and the Tour. He won just about every stage race he competed in 2014 except Catalonia. In fact, I don’t think Froome finished ahead of him in a stage race the entire season. The only year post-Bruyneel he didn’t win a GT (on the road) from 2010-15 was 2013, which is the one year he truly flopped. 2010-11 aren’t in the record books but he doesn’t qualify as a flop performance wise since he won what he competed in.
And you seem to forget that 2015 was the last year Contador looked like he had a real shot at winning the Tour (he was 32) and what did he do? He rode the Giro and the Tour. He won just about every stage race he competed in 2014 except Catalonia. In fact, I don’t think Froome finished ahead of him in a stage race the entire season. The only year post-Bruyneel he didn’t win a GT (on the road) from 2010-15 was 2013, which is the one year he truly flopped. 2010-11 aren’t in the record books but he doesn’t qualify as a flop performance wise since he won what he competed in.
Contador wanted, and he's been right in doing so, to take another shot at the double. After erratic 2011, 2015 was the season to do it... 2014 is the best indicator form-wise.Honestly riding the Giro in 2015 seemed like a weird decision to me but whatever. After that I don't know what his true GT level was anymore as he literally managed to crash in almost every stage race he did after that. I'm not saying he would be a favorite in most of the GTs after 2015, but there were a few weaker ones he could've won with some decent fortunes.
Right year would have been 2009.Contador wanted, and he's been right in doing so, to take another shot at the double. After erratic 2011, 2015 was the season to do it... 2014 is the best indicator form-wise.
However, his absence from racing and especially the emergence of Froome disrupted his career curve to the point it's been pretty obvious it was a too big goal. Without the hiatus, and everything in relation to it, maybe the right season to target the double was some earlier one, but it's been what it's been.
The publicity the effort generated shouldn't be forgotten. The sport pulled huge value out of it.
Even 2013 he was second best to an exceptional Froome at the TDF. If Contador didn't go win or bust he would have finished second, he needed to be more conservative and use Rogers and Kreuziger better. Then again, we may not have seen Froome so eager to put time into him and lose time to Quintana and Purito at Semnoz.And you seem to forget that 2015 was the last year Contador looked like he had a real shot at winning the Tour (he was 32) and what did he do? He rode the Giro and the Tour. He won just about every stage race he competed in 2014 except Catalonia. In fact, I don’t think Froome finished ahead of him in a stage race the entire season. The only year post-Bruyneel he didn’t win a GT (on the road) from 2010-15 was 2013, which is the one year he truly flopped. 2010-11 aren’t in the record books but he doesn’t qualify as a flop performance wise since he won what he competed in.
I actually forgot about Groβschartner, my bad. I guess Konrad is riding the Giro because he wants to target the Olympics and I guess Majka wants to try to get another Medal.With both of them and possibly Großschartner and/or Majka doing it as his 2nd GT he should be fine.
Not at all. He ended just about where he should've. Both Purito and especially Quintana were stronger than him, and I think even Valverde was stronger but didn't finish ahead because of that 10 min loss at stage 13.Even 2013 he was second best to an exceptional Froome at the TDF. If Contador didn't go win or bust he would have finished second, he needed to be more conservative and use Rogers and Kreuziger better. Then again, we may not have seen Froome so eager to put time into him and lose time to Quintana and Purito at Semnoz.
Not at all. He ended just about where he should've. Both Purito and especially Quintana were stronger than him, and I think even Valverde was stronger but didn't finish ahead because of that 10 min loss at stage 13.