Targets of grand tour riders in 2020

[Rollthedice]

Brailsford: Carapaz for Giro, Bernal-Thomas Tour, Froome recovering, uncertain for now.

 

[Leinster]

Any Olympic medal would be huge for Dan as Ireland win very few medals but sadly the Irish national team have been pretty inept for quite a while now

As bad as Ireland have been at the Worlds, in recent years, they’ve been worse at the Olympics, forever.

 

[Breezy1985]

As bad as Ireland have been at the Worlds, in recent years, they’ve been worse at the Olympics, forever.

I understand small nations being behind in prep and support but it's the crap tactics I don't get

 

[Koronin]

I really think it depends on the individual. Of course in the cycling world the Tour means (much) more, but in the general public it's a bit different, especially for someone from a country that's not super successful in the Olympics. For someone like Roglic, Carapaz or Bernal for example I assume it would be close if they'd be bigger heroes in their countries for winning the 2020 Tour or the Olympic road race.
For French, British, Spanish guys I suppose the Tour is more a priority.

But anyway, I'm not fully convinced the race will be won by a GC rider, and it would be foolish to go all in for Tokyo if you have a half-realistic chance to win the Tour (or Giro/Vuelta), so mostly I agree.

Simon Yates and Alejandro Valverde have made the Olympics a higher priority than the Tour.

Just like with the hilly/mountainous Worlds a similar Olympics is more likely to be won by a good one day races than a pure GC rider. Yes there is some overlap as Valverde and Nibali are good at both.

 

[Breezy1985]

Simon Yates and Alejandro Valverde have made the Olympics a higher priority than the Tour.

Just like with the hilly/mountainous Worlds a similar Olympics is more likely to be won by a good one day races than a pure GC rider. Yes there is some overlap as Valverde and Nibali are good at both.

Which position is Bala targeting for the olympics 2nd ,3rd or 4th ?

 

[jaylew]

Which position is Bala targeting for the olympics 2nd ,3rd or 4th ?

My guess is the one he got at Worlds in 2018 but I don't know if that's possible at 40. Certainly not 4th. An Olympic medal is a huge thing so there's a chasm between 3rd and 4th.

 

[Koronin]

Which position is Bala targeting for the olympics 2nd ,3rd or 4th ?

That would be the gold, just like the 2018 Worlds. However, he's had horrible luck at the Olympics, unlike the Worlds where he the record number of podiums. For Bala a podium along with the medal would mean the world to him. At 40 for him I believe a medal is possible, even the gold.

 

[Blanco]

Which position is Bala targeting for the olympics 2nd ,3rd or 4th ?

For a guy that targets podium places most of the time, he has incredible number of wins...

 

[repre]

For a guy that targets podium places most of the time, he has incredible number of wins...

He is just unlucky

 

[rick james]

Which position is Bala targeting for the olympics 2nd ,3rd or 4th ?

 

[Breezy1985]

Well one thing we know for sure is Bala's fans get first place for sense of humour

 

[Blanco]

Well one thing we know for sure is Bala's fans get first place for sense of humour

No, it has to be you, definitely...

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1218246680467988480

View: https://twitter.com/TeamINEOS/status/1218246680467988480


^ looks like Carapaz will be sent to the Tour as a helper. (I suspect Sivakov will be in the Tour squad too, but without a Giro in his legs. )

Could be Sky/INEOS' strongest line-up ever.

 

[Red Rick]

La Vuelta be like

"Am I a joke to you"

 

[Mayomaniac]

La Vuelta be like

"Am I a joke to you"

Tbf, the Vuelta route is a joke.

 

[Red Rick]

Tbf, the Vuelta route is a joke.

So is the Tour's

Let's not pretend the Vuelta route is even close to as important for participation. It probably depends even more on Giro and Vuelta route than it does on the Vuelta route itself. Climbers see their shot at the Tour, Olympics or Worlds this year.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So is the Tour's

Let's not pretend the Vuelta route is even close to as important for participation. It probably depends even more on Giro and Vuelta route than it does on the Vuelta route itself. Climbers see their shot at the Tour, Olympics or Worlds this year.

I agree, but at least the Tour route could be fixed pretty easy by adding a flat ITT that is a least mid length around stage 12 or so.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Bernal will still need a bonus of a couple minutes going into the PdBF ITT to be safe. I think forumers are too hard on the TDF course as per usual, but we'll see.

Of course, if he's far and away the best climber it's over. But he wasn't last year. Only at high altitude. This time there's only one high altitude finish - although it may be the hardest paved MTF in France, but still, plenty of other low and medium altitude mountain stages where he could potentially lose time to other GC specialists.

 

[Red Rick]

Bernal will still need a bonus of a couple minutes going into the PdBF ITT to be safe. I think forumers are too hard on the TDF course as per usual, but we'll see.

Of course, if he's far and away the best climber it's over. But he wasn't last year. Only at high altitude. This time there's only one high altitude finish - although it may be the hardest paved MTF in France, but still, plenty of other low and medium altitude mountain stages where he could potentially lose time to other GC specialists.

Pacing of the route is an issue too. If you're good in the Alps you're good in the ITT too.

 

[del1962]

Bernal will still need a bonus of a couple minutes going into the PdBF ITT to be safe. I think forumers are too hard on the TDF course as per usual, but we'll see.

Of course, if he's far and away the best climber it's over. But he wasn't last year. Only at high altitude. This time there's only one high altitude finish - although it may be the hardest paved MTF in France, but still, plenty of other low and medium altitude mountain stages where he could potentially lose time to other GC specialists.

As an uphill mountain ITT he should be ok

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

As an uphill mountain ITT he should be ok

it's only a 6km climb. The rest is flat or false flat.

 

[Escarabajo]

Bernal will still need a bonus of a couple minutes going into the PdBF ITT to be safe. I think forumers are too hard on the TDF course as per usual, but we'll see.

Of course, if he's far and away the best climber it's over. But he wasn't last year. Only at high altitude. This time there's only one high altitude finish - although it may be the hardest paved MTF in France, but still, plenty of other low and medium altitude mountain stages where he could potentially lose time to other GC specialists.

Why?
two things are on his favor for that TT. In the third week is almost about recuperation or who has energy left and second it still has a good portion of mountain in it.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Why?
two things are on his favor for that TT. In the third week is almost about recuperation or who has energy left and second it still has a good portion of mountain in it.

True, but it's a pretty long effort. I rate the more natural TTers higher, even though it's on day 20. Gaps will be relatively big IMO.

 

[Earns1985]

So with the corona crisis, the entire cycling calendar was thrown into confusion. New dates for the big events have now been set and I really hope that everything can now take place as planned.
In the last few days you could read that some of the riders are setting their previous goals again. But some others confirmed their goals as well.

Here are the goals before the Corona crisis:

Giro: Nibali, Bardet, Fuglsang, S.Yates, Majka, Zakarin, Keldermann, G. Bennett, Formolo, Konrad, van Garderen, Schachmann, Evenepoel and Carapaz

Tour:
Bernal, Froome, Roglic, Dumoulin, Kruiswijk, Buchmann, Pinot, Lopez, Porte, Valverde, Mas, Quintana, Latour, Aru, Pogacar, Landa, Poels, Alaphilippe, Barguil, Dan Martin, Mollema, Woods, Uran and Thomas

What I heard is that Bardet has changed his target to the Tour de France.
Evenepoel confirmed the giro as his main target.
Jumbo confirmed that Dumoulin, Roglic and Kruiswijk are all going to the tour. Bennett will lead the giro.
Uran confirmes the tour.
Nibali confirmes the giro.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ciccone will also be at the Giro with Nibali, even if I'm not sure if I'd already call him a gc rider at this stage.
Formolo has said that he'll ride the Tour instead of the Giro because of LBL and he has never ridden the Tour.