Team Ineos Discussion thread

[drebelo]

Re: Re:

Yeah, my point was that since he is competitive in E3 and Dwars, there must be a hidden cobbles rider in him.

I agree that PR is too difficult. It's for the pure specialist. I can't see him ever winning that. But the cobbles of Flanders are a more smooth.

Maybe he can do a Gilbert and win it later in his career? Liege is properly his main goal this year.

I definitely don't disagree that he can be a contender. Even on the flat cobbles in the 2014 Tour he was very impressive and with the best until he punctured so I think he has potential to win PR too but it will probably require a specific focus.

If nobody puts GT's stupid ideia in his head I believe that when he gets a litlle bit older and more experient he could dream in winning PR, but like you said that would require a specif focus and until he wins the other monuments that should better suit him ,like liege, there is no point in him focusing PR.

 

[fauniera]

Re: Team Sky Discussion thread

Sivakov has had a really bad winter, suffering from tendonitis.

http://www.velo-club.net/post/interview-pavel-sivakov-les-grands-tours-me-font-rever

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Yes! And we have two great wins today: Michał K. and Poels!

 

[Pricey_sky]

Remarkably Rowe will be back next week in the Abu Dhabi Tour, just 6 months after breaking his leg in multiple places:

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/luke-rowe-confirms-return-racing-abu-dhabi-tour-career-threatening-injury-368827

 

[lmrt]

In l'equipe today Poels said he is working towards starting the Giro alongside Froome

 

[jaylew]

Will Poels' broken collarbone change their plans?

 

[hazaran]

It's a collarbone, the Giro is in may. Plenty of time.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

After visiting teamsky website I'm afraid Kwiatek will be forced to help GT and forget about his dreams about overall victory..

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

After visiting teamsky website I'm afraid Kwiatek will be forced to help GT and forget about his dreams about overall victory..

How do you figure that? That seems completely unrealistic.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

After visiting teamsky website I'm afraid Kwiatek will be forced to help GT and forget about his dreams about overall victory..

How do you figure that? That seems completely unrealistic.

GT about his chances: "I just need some good luck, anything can happen".
Nothing about switching the roles in team.
And yes, he can beat Caruso, Keldermann and Landa in ITT. That's realistic.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

After visiting teamsky website I'm afraid Kwiatek will be forced to help GT and forget about his dreams about overall victory..

How do you figure that? That seems completely unrealistic.

GT about his chances: "I just need some good luck, anything can happen".
Nothing about switching the roles in team.
And yes, he can beat Caruso, Keldermann and Landa in ITT. That's realistic.

Surely, they'll switch roles. Tomorrow's stage even suits Kwiato better, so he might score some bonus seconds (he will definitely not be pulling if that's what you're afraid of). And Thomas won't be 30 seconds faster than Kwiato Tuesday.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Yes, there are some climbs and descents that suits Kwiatek perfectly. I hope you are right.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

After visiting teamsky website I'm afraid Kwiatek will be forced to help GT and forget about his dreams about overall victory..

How do you figure that? That seems completely unrealistic.

GT about his chances: "I just need some good luck, anything can happen".
Nothing about switching the roles in team.
And yes, he can beat Caruso, Keldermann and Landa in ITT. That's realistic.

Surely, they'll switch roles. Tomorrow's stage even suits Kwiato better, so he might score some bonus seconds (he will definitely not be pulling if that's what you're afraid of). And Thomas won't be 30 seconds faster than Kwiato Tuesday.

Nice, you were right.

 

[tobydawq]

Of course

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Team Sky Discussion thread

Hmm their cobbles campaign has been a massive letdown.

Everyone expected great things with Moscon and also Kwiat (in Flanders at least). But in the end Van Baarle has been their best finisher in both RVV and Roubaix, while not being in great form and not being their designated leader.
I'd say put some more trust and effort into Van Baarle next season.

 

[staubsauger]

What's the issue with Stannard since last spring? He's absolutely average. Weaker than back in 2010. That's shocking!

 

[MuskyOurSaviour]

Van Baarle was pretty weak, not sure how putting more trust in him would result in better performances. Always at the back and close to dropping. If he didn't get in the break at Ronde he'd finish nowhere

Stannard did a different approach this year in training and seems it totally failed although he said he felt better than ever

Rowe is clearly's Sky best cobbled rider so loosing him with leg break cost them any results.

They should reshuffle their DS team. Knaven achieved absolutely nothing and seems quite inept

 

[staubsauger]

The thing with Stannard is, he already was pretty weak last season as well. Given he's been a solid racer ever since back in his Landbouwkrediet days, I wouldn't even majorily consider clinic reasons. That's why in fact I'm this badly surprised. He always has been a strong locomotive at least. Remember how he brought back Voeckler at Across Flanders in 2013!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

@Musky: Van Baarle said he was worried about the wet cobbles and took it easy on purpose, he knew he had to chase back after every cobble stroke as a result. Yet he did better than the rest of the team..

That's why I said put some more effort and confidence in that guy so he doesn't take it easy on purpose. Let him ride more on cobble strokes so he isn't afraid when it's wet. Put a team around him, not mr racist or Kwiat for these races..

 

[Brullnux]

I wouldn't say Van Baarle is any better than Moscon. Moscon crashed once or twice today and was caught behind another one (the kristoff one) and was never able to catch on. But he's still been sky's most consistent rider, 8th in E3 and 12th at dwars. Van Baarle is very solid but isn't good enough, or with enough potential, to make Moscon or Rowe work for him. He should definitely have a free role or be protected, but not out and out leader. Higher up than Kwiat though, unless he becomes more consistent or just better

 

[EroicaStradeBianche]

I've read an interview with Tafi some days ago where he was asked about Moscon's chances at PR and He replied saying that sky is not the right team to perform on these cobbled classics. There is incompentence in The team, it's undeniable. The involution of Stannard has become spectacular. Rowe is a mistery after his incident. And both van baarle and moscon have been poor. Moscon at least was 8th in herelbeke, their best renault.

 

[EroicaStradeBianche]

*result

 

[Nirvana]

Moscon today was caught behind in the first sector then crashed, punctured, changed his bike and was again caught behind when Kristoff crashed with one Katusha, that's Roubaix.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

I've read an interview with Tafi some days ago where he was asked about Moscon's chances at PR and He replied saying that sky is not the right team to perform on these cobbled classics. There is incompentence in The team, it's undeniable. The involution of Stannard has become spectacular. Rowe is a mistery after his incident. And both van baarle and moscon have been poor. Moscon at least was 8th in herelbeke, their best renault.

Whilst he's still a decent workhorse for the GT's, Stannard has been extremely poor in the classics over the past 12 months, he's only 30, but perhaps he's fading or needs a new team to find a spark. Rowe just making it to the race yesterday was a minor miracle after his multiple leg fractures just a few months ago. He's still got enough ability to warrant a protected role next year.

Moscon seemed a little unlucky yesterday, but these things happen in Roubaix. He's shown he can be a strong rider in plenty of races. Van Baarle is ok, but I wouldn't be building a classics team around him for next year. A free role yes, but Moscon and Rowe should be the protected riders.

 

[SafeBet]

Moscon has been decent if unspectacular in this cobbled season. I was expecting a step forward after last year.