Team Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux

[MartinGT]

I've searched for this thread but can't find it! I cannot there isn't one!

After a great classics season it was nice to see Hermans finishing 5th on todays stage.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Most improved team so far this year. Obviously, they have good leaders now in Biniam and Kristoff, but I’ve been very impressed by the performances of their riders a tier down from those two. The other guys in the top half of their roster. They’ve had genuine strength in depth in the classics, not just miracle performances by isolated leaders.

Presumably the big stage races will be less fertile ground for them, but it would be nice to see them take some more GT stages after their three last year.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Great that they were able to to get an extended contract nailed down with Biniam. I presume this means that the sponsors made extra money available to up his salary to a million a year as reports suggested a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Good marketing for sponsors, Girmay is the biggest name rider outside of Europe/ Colombia and Ecuador.

 

[Bonimenier]

Does anyone know how long the contracts for the main sponsors for still run? I can imagine that new sponsors would be interested to sponsor the team with a guy like Girmay there.

 

[tobydawq]

Good marketing for sponsors, Girmay is the biggest name rider outside of Europe/ Colombia and Ecuador.

Is that a fact?

Bigger than Lutsenko, Woods, Kuss, McNulty, Ewan, Haig, Matthews, Powless, Impey?

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Is that a fact?

Bigger than Lutsenko, Woods, Kuss, McNulty, Ewan, Haig, Matthews, Powless, Impey?

I completely forgot about Australia, and I argue that the only ones who I would give a pass for the Americas/Africa/Asia would be Woods, who is bigger. Everybody else I feel like is below Girmay in terms of recognition, and this is coming from an American who loves all American riders.

 

[Nick2413]

This team has been very strong in the classics this year and seems to be more relevant every day. Excited to see this guy’s progression with a decent team.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I've searched for this thread but can't find it! I cannot there isn't one!

Dude. It's right here.

 

[AlfaLum]

Is that a fact?

Bigger than Lutsenko, Woods, Kuss, McNulty, Ewan, Haig, Matthews, Powless, Impey?

Probably Powless and Impey are bigger names. But the others…

 

[tobydawq]

Probably Powless and Impey are bigger names. But the others…

Huh?

They're the smallest names from the list, if you ask me...

 

[AlfaLum]

Huh?

They're the smallest names from the list, if you ask me...

Yes that’s why I wanted to respond with sarcasm to let you know that they don’t belong there.

But my attempt failed

 

[Ricco']

For casual cycling fans or people outside cycling, I think there's a good chance Ghirmay is already more known than any name of that list bar Ewan and possibly Matthews due to his historical achievement in GW.

I have a couple of friends who don't follow cycling that much and were aware of who he was after GW. They don't know who are Haig, Woods, Impey, Lutsenko, etc.

For marketing value, he sells a lot more than most of cyclists now. I would only rank Ewan higher and on certain markets. In broader Europe, in my analysis, I think Ghirmay image is more marketable than Ewan's.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yes that’s why I wanted to respond with sarcasm to let you know that they don’t belong there.

But my attempt failed

Yeah, you've got this sarcasm thing down to a T.

 

[Netserk]

Is that a fact?

Bigger than Lutsenko, Woods, Kuss, McNulty, Ewan, Haig, Matthews, Powless, Impey?

All part of Greater Europe, though I'm uncertain about Lutsenko's ancestry.

 

[gunara]

All part of Greater Europe, though I'm uncertain about Lutsenko's ancestry.

Not less European than Ewan, I guess

 

[AlfaLum]

Yeah, you've got this sarcasm thing down to a T.

Listen you can overhype all those little Belgians if you want. But don’t T about my sarcasm.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Listen you can overhype all those little Belgians if you want. But don’t T about my sarcasm.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNMMV_Bn6Gw

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Good marketing for sponsors, Girmay is the biggest name rider outside of Europe/ Colombia and Ecuador.

I'm not sure that a French supermarket or a Belgian building merchant is particularly preoccupied with their name being known in Africa, Asia and non Andean Latin America.

 

[Roku]

Is that a fact?

Bigger than Lutsenko, Woods, Kuss, McNulty, Ewan, Haig, Matthews, Powless, Impey?

Sporting-wise, he is probably a level below many of those riders.

However, given his background and achievements, marketing-wise he is a much relevant name than almost all of them.

Being the first black rider to win a well established cobbled Classic has surpassed the feats of almost every name in that list, excluding Ewan.

 

[tobydawq]

Sporting-wise, he is probably a level below many of those riders.

However, given his background and achievements, marketing-wise he is a much relevant name than almost all of them.

Being the first black rider to win a well established cobbled Classic has surpassed the feats of almost every name in that list, excluding Ewan.

Also Matthews? I don't think so.

I of course forgot Louis Meintjes on my list

 

[Roku]

Also Matthews? I don't think so.

I of course forgot Louis Meintjes on my list

Matthews and Rusty are the other two I would consider.

The point is, PR wise, who do you think is more relevant as of now? We could argue about one or the other but I think he is one of the most popular riders as of now and, in terms of brand exposure, that is extremely relevant.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Also Matthews? I don't think so.

I of course forgot Louis Meintjes on my list

If you follow cycling (and possibly were away on vacation sometime last month), you would absolutely be correct.
But to someone who doesn't follow cycling, Michael Matthews might just as well be called John Doe. Someone who doesn't follow cycling might also have heard about the first African kid who won a big cycling race last month.

 

[Netserk]

Matthews and Rusty are the other two I would consider.

The point is, PR wise, who do you think is more relevant as of now? We could argue about one or the other but I think he is one of the most popular riders as of now and, in terms of brand exposure, that is extremely relevant.

It's extremely overrated. He promotes local brands, not global brands.

 

[tobydawq]

If you follow cycling (and possibly were away on vacation sometime last month), you would absolutely be correct.
But to someone who doesn't follow cycling, Michael Matthews might just as well be called John Doe. Someone who doesn't follow cycling might also have heard about the first African kid who won a big cycling race last month.

Matthews won green in the Tour one year. Please don't tell me that's less visible than winning Gent-Wevelgem.