Team Katusha...

[Alpe d'Huez]

Team Katusha is now the #1 ranked team in UCI rankings. Article here.

This has to be a very happy day, and relief for them. For those that don't recall, after having the biggest budget of any team last year, their season was nothing short of disappointing. Robbie McEwen got hurt early and basically missed the entire season. Antonio Colom ended up suspended for doping, Pozatto was caught behind Hushovd's crash at P-R, and the team could hardly put anything together in the Tour aside from Ivanov's quiet stage win. They had also targeted the TTT there, but finished a disappointing sixth behind Astana. Then dropped to 9th overall when it was over. They also weren't given a berth in the Vuelta at all.

So here's to a great team finding themselves on top.

 

[Ashtabula]

Those long breakaways Ignatiev is often in seem only to count if he wins; He's got 6 points, same as Boom, probably for the stage win in TA. Even though he shows the flag for international television for hours on end.

 

[JA.Tri]

Hear! Hear! Love the way the team animates the race.

Have always been fond of Robbie (and unfortunately injury has "robbed" him of a fitting finale), I will always recall with much pleasure his awesome win over the peloton in England. A real shame he has not been able to deliver the team some wins.

Anyway for heart and endeavour...cheers

 

[Ferminal]

Rodriguez is the key.

 

[theswordsman]

Those long breakaways Ignatiev is often in seem only to count if he wins; He's got 6 points, same as Boom, probably for the stage win in TA. Even though he shows the flag for international television for hours on end.

Yeah. You have to finish top five in a stage to get points. Top ten in final general classification for a regular or classic gets points. For grand tours, top twenty in the final GC earn them.

If anyone wants to look, there's a link called "Points scale" to the top right of this page. It also shows every race that gives points, including the new Canadian ones.

http://www.uci.ch/templates/BUILTIN-NOFRAMES/Template3/layout.asp?MenuId=MTU2NzU&LangId=1

You could also click "Detailed gained points" to see how many points each rider earned and where.

Click on the Team standings, then "points details (below the other two) and you can see which riders were the five counted for the team.

 

[karlboss]

They seem to have been visible, but not winning much. I'm still waiting for them to pick up a solid GC guy and Sprinter.

 

[python]

they must have had the longest roster of the pt teams already and picking up another two guys mid season (caruso and gusev). why do they need so many riders ?

 

[brianf7]

Have always been fond of Robbie (and unfortunately injury has "robbed" him of a fitting finale), I will always recall with much pleasure his awesome win over the peloton in England. A real shame he has not been able to deliver the team some wins.

Anyway for heart and endeavour...cheers

Robbie wanted to win that stage of the TDF in England and when he sets his mind on something like that he can do it.

Van Summeran paced him to the back of the pelaton and Robbie rode through it to take the win. No other significant help.

Watch him do it in Geelong in September. he is smartsome think he is not up to it but wait and see.

I saw him riding up that Geelong finish several times in January just planning his moves looking for pointers. He is not done yet.

 

[valentius borealis]

Robbie wanted to win that stage of the TDF in England and when he sets his mind on something like that he can do it.

Van Summeran paced him to the back of the pelaton and Robbie rode through it to take the win. No other significant help.

He actually had 6 teammates pacing him back to the peleton.

 

[craig1985]

they must have had the longest roster of the pt teams already and picking up another two guys mid season (caruso and gusev). why do they need so many riders ?

Not sure about Carusom but Gusev is Russian, so I guess that counts.

 

[Christian]

Team Katusha is now the #1 ranked team in UCI rankings. Article here.

This has to be a very happy day, and relief for them. For those that don't recall, after having the biggest budget of any team last year, their season was nothing short of disappointing. Robbie McEwen got hurt early and basically missed the entire season. Antonio Colom ended up suspended for doping, Pozatto was caught behind Hushovd's crash at P-R, and the team could hardly put anything together in the Tour aside from Ivanov's quiet stage win. They had also targeted the TTT there, but finished a disappointing sixth behind Astana. Then dropped to 9th overall when it was over. They also weren't given a berth in the Vuelta at all.

So here's to a great team finding themselves on top.

Yup great team. I was really sceptical about them at first but they often animate races and that's a good thing. I think they'll be the only wildcard team to do so in the TdF.

Plus in addition to MacEwen, Colom and Pozzatto count in the Kim Kirchen fiasco so far this season. But it's not over yet, with a good performance in Switzerland and TdF he could still save it.