Which Spanish rider could they support, though? Jaime Roson? Rubén Fernández? Rafael Valls? There's not a lot of choice once you discount Valverde and Landa.
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DFA123 said:Wtf? This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read. Just complete nonsense.Koronin said:The Spanish fans basically said last year, either a Spanish leader for the Spanish GT or they'd en mass find a different team to support and for the most part Caja Rural was the pick simply because they are a Spanish Pro Conti team and were the only one before this year. They do seem to be looking at those three Pro Conti teams to give their support to and then just pick and choose specific riders they will support. Many think Movistar should register in another country because if they can't give them a Spanish leader for the Spanish GT they don't deserve to have their license in Spain. By the way the fans over there were POed that in 2016 Valverde wasn't supported in his attempt at a top 10 in all 3 GTs in one year. There is a large group that refuses to even acknowledge that Quintana won that GT. Basically a large group thought Valverde's attempt at history was more important. As for Valverde and the last time he attempted a GT as a GC rider he finished 3rd at the Giro in 2016. He was supposed to lead last year's Vuelta team but got hurt. It seems ignoring the team in general is more their most likely option and instead choosing another team to cheer for, which will be one of the Spanish pro conti teams.
shalgo said:Seriously though, where is Betancur? No races since the Giro, no tweets since May 30th, no Instagram posts since June 1st...
I think the answer lies within this statement. Movistar is not a big budget team - they spend about the same as the Lottos or DD, and significantly less than the likes of Katusha or BMC. This season they have basically chosen to spend the majority of their budget on three riders - who are then almost entirely responsible for getting them any results.wheresmybrakes said:What has been the problem with Movistar recently? Is it a rider problem or management problem? Preparation? form? Unzue? DS's? Surely with the budget and riders on roster, they would be able to win something of note. Apart from Grandad of the sport Valverde having some early season prep race wins (Valenciana, Abu Dhabi, Catalunya) and Soler in the PN, its been the odd stage win. Would sponsors not be questioning why the team have not been at least competitive in the GC's never mind going for the win. Using bad luck, crashes, illness and Team SKY as excuses can only go on for so long. Something doesn't seem right with them at the moment.
DFA123 said:I think the answer lies within this statement. Movistar is not a big budget team - they spend about the same as the Lottos or DD, and significantly less than the likes of Katusha or BMC. This season they have basically chosen to spend the majority of their budget on three riders - who are then almost entirely responsible for getting them any results.wheresmybrakes said:What has been the problem with Movistar recently? Is it a rider problem or management problem? Preparation? form? Unzue? DS's? Surely with the budget and riders on roster, they would be able to win something of note. Apart from Grandad of the sport Valverde having some early season prep race wins (Valenciana, Abu Dhabi, Catalunya) and Soler in the PN, its been the odd stage win. Would sponsors not be questioning why the team have not been at least competitive in the GC's never mind going for the win. Using bad luck, crashes, illness and Team SKY as excuses can only go on for so long. Something doesn't seem right with them at the moment.
Valverde has done more or less what you would expect. While Quintana and Landa have underperformed. Landa perhaps due to crashes, and Quintana seems to have struggled to peak correctly again. The fact that Soler and Carapaz have overperformed probably makes it a decent year though given their budget. Carapaz especially is very important to them for the Ecuador market. And I think with a decent GC showing by someone at the Vuelta the sponsors will be content, given their relatively modest investment.
Escarabajo said:Is Movistar has the average budget that everyone is saying then they are an spectacular team. Sorry but that's the truth. By all standards what they did in the Tour was a failure. Maybe but if you are getting your money's worth with that budget then is mission accomplished.
Moviestar said:I hope they will be in the market for Sosa, after they lost Bernal to Sky last year. It would also be typical Unzue if he would offer Alarcon a contract again, given the fact he was close to a move with Movistar last season.
Moviestar said:I hope they will be in the market for Sosa, after they lost Bernal to Sky last year. It would also be typical Unzue if he would offer Alarcon a contract again, given the fact he was close to a move with Movistar last season.
Koronin said:Moviestar said:I hope they will be in the market for Sosa, after they lost Bernal to Sky last year. It would also be typical Unzue if he would offer Alarcon a contract again, given the fact he was close to a move with Movistar last season.
There was talk that Movistar never was that interested in even talking with Bernal. This is apparently one of the points on contention between Quintana and Movistar management in that Movistar didn't do anything more than offer a token contract offer to Bernal and were not interested in negotiating while they were more interested in a couple of young Spaniards.
Angliru said:Koronin said:Moviestar said:I hope they will be in the market for Sosa, after they lost Bernal to Sky last year. It would also be typical Unzue if he would offer Alarcon a contract again, given the fact he was close to a move with Movistar last season.
There was talk that Movistar never was that interested in even talking with Bernal. This is apparently one of the points on contention between Quintana and Movistar management in that Movistar didn't do anything more than offer a token contract offer to Bernal and were not interested in negotiating while they were more interested in a couple of young Spaniards.
Could it also be a possibility with them having added Landa to the roster that adding Bernal would've been a further potentially threatening gesture to Quintana's status in the team on management's part? Not that I think that Quintana is a prima dona but the rumours of the static created in adding Landa to the team and then making him co-leader at the Tour, it seems adding another rider in a similar profile wouldn't go over well, even if he is Colombian.