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Targets of grand tour riders in 2020

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Can we make a list, that people can add/correct and copy/paste in a new message? This is the situation as i understand it for the moment. I'm not sure if all the Tour guys have confirmed for Vuelta, or if this is just a general assumption in most cases.


Tour: Bernal, Froome, Thomas, Roglic, Kruijswijk, Dumoulin, Mollema, Pogacar, Higuita, Lopez, Mas, Valverde, Quintana, Uran, Formolo, Pinot, Bardet, Aru, Landa, Buchmann, Woods

Giro: Nibali, Carapaz, Carthy, G. Bennett, Fuglsang, Evenepoel, Knox, Soler, Kelderman, Ciccone, Zakarin, Majka

Vuelta: Valverde, Mas

What about: Yates x2, Costa, Kämna, CF Hagen, Hart, Sosa, Sivakov, Nieve, O'Connor, Dunbar, Madouas, Martinez...


Im fairly sure Kelderman has said not so long ago he wanted to do the Tour/Vuelta double instead of the Giro, which also makes perfect sense for him and also lets him ride the Ardennes.
 
Can we make a list, that people can add/correct and copy/paste in a new message? This is the situation as i understand it for the moment. I'm not sure if all the Tour guys have confirmed for Vuelta, or if this is just a general assumption in most cases.


Tour: Bernal, Froome, Thomas, Roglic, Kruijswijk, Dumoulin, Mollema, Pogacar, Higuita, Lopez, Mas, Valverde, Quintana, Uran, Formolo, Pinot, Bardet, Aru, Landa, Buchmann, Woods

Giro: Nibali, Carapaz, Carthy, G. Bennett, Fuglsang, Evenepoel, Knox, Soler, Kelderman, Ciccone, Zakarin, Majka

Vuelta: Valverde, Mas

What about: Yates x2, Costa, Kämna, CF Hagen, Hart, Sosa, Sivakov, Nieve, O'Connor, Dunbar, Madouas, Martinez...
The initial plan has been that Kämna will go to the tour to help Buchmann as a domestiques. Bora didn´t communicate anything about plans of their riders after the coronavirus, but I don´t see a reason why they should change their plan for Kämna.
 
The initial plan has been that Kämna will go to the tour to help Buchmann as a domestiques. Bora didn´t communicate anything about plans of their riders after the coronavirus, but I don´t see a reason why they should change their plan for Kämna.
The main thing is that their Ardennes guys will now probably ride the Tour instead of the Giro, so it wouldn't surprise me to see him at the Giro instead of them.
 
I know Simon said he wasn't sure about going to the Giro (as originally planned) anymore but i didn't see any confirmation that he is actually going to the TDF. Did you read this as confirmed anywhere?

My inside information - The original plans were for MS to ride for GC at the Giro and the Vuelta and stage hunt at the TDF - Think the same plan will still apply but with different riders, while the nature of the TDF course, means early successful stage hunting could lead to GC ambitions..
 
Can we make a list, that people can add/correct and copy/paste in a new message? This is the situation as i understand it for the moment. I'm not sure if all the Tour guys have confirmed for Vuelta, or if this is just a general assumption in most cases.


Tour: Bernal, Froome, Thomas, Roglic, Kruijswijk, Dumoulin, Mollema, Pogacar, Higuita, Lopez, Mas, Valverde, Quintana, Uran, Formolo, Pinot, Bardet, Aru, Landa, Buchmann, Woods

Giro: Nibali, Carapaz, Carthy, G. Bennett, Fuglsang, Evenepoel, Knox, Soler, Kelderman, Ciccone, Zakarin, Majka

Vuelta: Valverde, Mas

What about: Yates x2, Costa, Kämna, CF Hagen, Hart, Sosa, Sivakov, Nieve, O'Connor, Dunbar, Madouas, Martinez...

I think that Simon might join Adam in the Tour due to pressure from Mitchelton but maybe Nieve and Chaves could go to the Giro.

Costa will likely want to go to the Tour again but with Pogacar and Gaviria, he might not be there. If not he will likely do Ardenes + Vuelta

Sivakov will likely be in the Tour, he showed interest in riding it and he would be an important boost for the team.

Hart showed interest in riding the Giro so I believe he will be there while Sosa might join Dunbar in the Vuelta leadership because neither Bernal or Thomas seem interested in riding it.

Madouas will probably go to the Tour to help Pinot but if not, Ardennes + Vuelta would be a good alternative.

I haven't heard much about Martinez but he really should go to the Tour sine EF's team is already very strong and the Giro course suits him well.

Regarding the others, I think that Zakarin will go to the Tour rather than the Giro to help the team finding a new main sponsor.
 
Looks like hardly anyone will target the Vuelta. But maybe a lot of teams / riders will nonetheless take aim at it if their Tour / classics plans have not worked out and they are desperate for attention (especially the teams in immediate need of sponsors). Otherwise I'd say it looks like an easy win for any serious rider who wants it.
 
Looks like hardly anyone will target the Vuelta. But maybe a lot of teams / riders will nonetheless take aim at it if their Tour / classics plans have not worked out and they are desperate for attention (especially the teams in immediate need of sponsors). Otherwise I'd say it looks like an easy win for any serious rider who wants it.

The only rider who right now whom is actually targeting la Vuelta and has flat out said la Vuelta is a main goal of this season is Valverde. He's said his plan is to use the Tour basically as training to get ready for the Ardennes and la Vuelta.
 
The question is, are they riding both for GC, or are they going stagehunting or on domestique duty in either one.
I suppose it depends on the rider and their performance in the Tour. I can see riders who have a disappointing first half of the Tour switching to stage hunting in the Tour and trying to go for GC in the Vuelta.
 
It appears Movistar has slightly changed their original plans of Valverde, Mas, and Soler to the Tour and Vuelta this year. Valverde and Mas will be going to the Tour and Vuelta as originally planned. However, Soler will be taking a team to the Giro. The Giro will include the two young Colombians, Juan Diego Alba, Einer Rubio, along with Betancur.
Can you tell us where you heard/read this, because it's been a week, but nowhere did i read confirmation for this :-(
Hope it's true though.

I haven't heard much about Martinez but he really should go to the Tour sine EF's team is already very strong and the Giro course suits him well.

Regarding the others, I think that Zakarin will go to the Tour rather than the Giro to help the team finding a new main sponsor.
Zakarin risks getting run over in the Tour, by a lot of superior riders. Might not even make the top 15. I don't know if that would be the best idea if he wanted to convince a new sponsor. Might be more worth it riding in the group of favorites in the Giro, than dangling at the back of a group behind the group of favorites in the TDF.

As for Martinez, your post isn't really clear, you mean you think he should ride the Giro?
 
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Can you tell us where you heard/read this, because it's been a week, but nowhere did i read confirmation for this :-(
Hope it's true though.


Zakarin risks getting run over in the Tour, by a lot of superior riders. Might not even make the top 15. I don't know if that would be the best idea if he wanted to convince a new sponsor. Might be more worth it riding in the group of favorites in the Giro, than dangling at the back of a group behind the group of favorites in the TDF.

As for Martinez, your post isn't really clear, you mean you think he should ride the Giro?

About Soler going to the Giro? Of course I can't find where I'd read that now. Go figure. I'd read it in one of the Spanish cycling publications (web site's article). Now I do remember the part about the Colombians on Movistar going to the Giro was speculation, but makes sense.
 
About Soler going to the Giro? Of course I can't find where I'd read that now. Go figure. I'd read it in one of the Spanish cycling publications (web site's article). Now I do remember the part about the Colombians on Movistar going to the Giro was speculation, but makes sense.
This it?

It's strange because it was published the same day all other publications claimed Soler would ride the TDF.
 
This it?

It's strange because it was published the same day all other publications claimed Soler would ride the TDF.

Yeah, that's it. Technically you could ride the Tour and then either the Giro or the Vuelta. So would be possible for him to ride the Tour then the Giro instead of going to the Vuelta with Mas and Valverde. I actually think the 3 Colombians would be going to the Giro and that actually makes sense.

I suspect some of the confusion may be that no one from the team has said where anyone is actually going to race. Valverde gave his revised calendar, so we know his plans. The team it's self rarely says who's going where until they have to. Likely we'll have a better idea about where riders are going by the end of June.
 
The Vuelta is going to have a strange field, besides the Spanish riders it's mainly goon be guys who are on a contract year and need results, young guys trying to ride for the gc the first time and superdomestiques who get their chance to shine.
Everyone who rides Tour-WC and Ardennes is gonna be cooked if he rides the Vuelta and I don't think too many of those who skip the Ardennes are going to ride the Vuelta.
I can't believe that finishing a GT in November won't have a negative impact on your spring prep, so it's mainly gonna be guys who only target gts and don't really have a spring peak. I could see Steven Kru and one of the 2 Ineos Brits, but many who are going to underperform at the Tour could try their luck at the Giro, maybe for stages or helping their teammates who target the gc.
Of course it's just me speculating until the wt calendar gets confirmed.
Who is going to show up at the Canadian classics durning the Tour and T-A, with the WC and the classics still to come and all the potential travel restrictions?
 
A rider i, and it seems everybody else, has been overlooking in the aftermath of the first (?) corona-wave, is Vlasov. He was also scheduled to ride the Giro originally.

The Vuelta is going to have a strange field, besides the Spanish riders it's mainly goon be guys who are on a contract year and need results, young guys trying to ride for the gc the first time and superdomestiques who get their chance to shine.
Everyone who rides Tour-WC and Ardennes is gonna be cooked if he rides the Vuelta and I don't think too many of those who skip the Ardennes are going to ride the Vuelta.
I can't believe that finishing a GT in November won't have a negative impact on your spring prep, so it's mainly gonna be guys who only target gts and don't really have a spring peak. I could see Steven Kru and one of the 2 Ineos Brits, but many who are going to underperform at the Tour could try their luck at the Giro, maybe for stages or helping their teammates who target the gc.
Of course it's just me speculating until the wt calendar gets confirmed.
Who is going to show up at the Canadian classics durning the Tour and T-A, with the WC and the classics still to come and all the potential travel restrictions?

I can see a guy like De Gendt go for Tour and Vuelta, skipping the classics. Seems perfect for him. Not for GC, but to wreak havoc in stages.
 
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The Vuelta is going to have a strange field, besides the Spanish riders it's mainly goon be guys who are on a contract year and need results, young guys trying to ride for the gc the first time and superdomestiques who get their chance to shine.
Everyone who rides Tour-WC and Ardennes is gonna be cooked if he rides the Vuelta and I don't think too many of those who skip the Ardennes are going to ride the Vuelta.
I can't believe that finishing a GT in November won't have a negative impact on your spring prep, so it's mainly gonna be guys who only target gts and don't really have a spring peak. I could see Steven Kru and one of the 2 Ineos Brits, but many who are going to underperform at the Tour could try their luck at the Giro, maybe for stages or helping their teammates who target the gc.
Of course it's just me speculating until the wt calendar gets confirmed.
Who is going to show up at the Canadian classics durning the Tour and T-A, with the WC and the classics still to come and all the potential travel restrictions?

Canadian races will only occur if there are travel restrictions and plenty of exemptions are being given out for sports to go ahead - The two Canadian races will be a good lead into the Worlds and the Giro.
 
Canadian races will only occur if there are travel restrictions and plenty of exemptions are being given out for sports to go ahead - The two Canadian races will be a good lead into the Worlds and the Giro.
Most riders who will ride the Giro will most likely ride Tirreno and not the Canadian races. I highly doubt the Canadian races will have a lot of a decent riders at the start. Wouldn't be surprised if a lot of teams will decide to skip them.
 
Most riders who will ride the Giro will most likely ride Tirreno and not the Canadian races. I highly doubt the Canadian races will have a lot of a decent riders at the start. Wouldn't be surprised if a lot of teams will decide to skip them.
Indeed, there is the extra cost to consider in a time when money is tight as well, on top of being able to avoid crowded places with Covid still lurking around the corner with a transatlantic trip. At least, i could imagine that might play a role.
 
Indeed, there is the extra cost to consider in a time when money is tight as well, on top of being able to avoid crowded places with Covid still lurking around the corner with a transatlantic trip. At least, i could imagine that might play a role.
Yeah, thoses races actually happening would surprise me a bit.
Vlasov and Fuglsang, that's not a bad Astana team for the Giro. Add a few of the less experienced climbers and things could get interesting.
 
I rider i, and it seems everybody else, has been overlooking in the aftermath of the first (?) corona-wave, is Vlasov. He was also scheduled to ride the Giro originally.



I can see a guy like De Gendt go for Tour and Vuelta, skipping the classics. Seems perfect for him. Not for GC, but to wreak havoc in stages.
Of course, it seems we never get a really clear picture of a Vuelta field, even in a normal year, until we find out who crashes out of (or gets sick in) the Tour in the early going, or performs poorly and go to the Vuelta to make up for that. Sometimes we good surprisingly good Vuelta fields we wouldn’t have expected. But it’s true that the November date could alter a rider’s or team’s thinking about doing so this year.
 
The Vuelta is going to have a strange field, besides the Spanish riders it's mainly goon be guys who are on a contract year and need results, young guys trying to ride for the gc the first time and superdomestiques who get their chance to shine.
Everyone who rides Tour-WC and Ardennes is gonna be cooked if he rides the Vuelta and I don't think too many of those who skip the Ardennes are going to ride the Vuelta.
I can't believe that finishing a GT in November won't have a negative impact on your spring prep, so it's mainly gonna be guys who only target gts and don't really have a spring peak. I could see Steven Kru and one of the 2 Ineos Brits, but many who are going to underperform at the Tour could try their luck at the Giro, maybe for stages or helping their teammates who target the gc.
Of course it's just me speculating until the wt calendar gets confirmed.
Who is going to show up at the Canadian classics durning the Tour and T-A, with the WC and the classics still to come and all the potential travel restrictions?

I've read where some DS's are saying Tour, Worlds, Ardennes for some riders and no second GT as that would be asking too much from anyone.

Likely the only rider racing la Vuelta for GC and then having to be ready for the winter/spring calendar is Valverde. He also seems the only one crazy enough to attempt Tour (with 3 lead up 1 day races), Worlds, Ardennes, Vuelta. Although he's saying he's going to the Tour to help teammates he'll still be up there in GC because he doesn't know any other way to race.

At this point with how the virus is acting I actually do think we'll get at minimum the races scheduled for August.
 
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