Teams & Riders Team Movistar-thread

[Escarabajo]

Valv Piti, I accept your point. Besides these are professionals and should know to be prepare for a known race.

Koronin, I disagree with you about Anacona. In 2017 Giro he was very good. Not only in one stage.

 

[Koronin]

Apparently cereal (and not necessarily Wheaties) is the "breakfast of champions". LOL

 

[Gigs_98]

Who would have thought they won't get a single gt podium this year and especially who would have thought that with all their gc stars their highest finishing result in a gt this year would come from Richard Carapaz.

 

[Escarabajo]

Who would have thought they won't get a single gt podium this year and especially who would have thought that with all their gc stars their highest finishing result in a gt this year would come from Richard Carapaz.

There are so many explanations for this. But you are right.
Previous year accidents, crashes, age, strategic moves from Movistar and bad form from Quintana. They all cooperated for the results in the GT's.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I think Movistar need to go into a GT with one leader and full back up for that one leader. If that one leader then falls out of contention then its stage hunting. Going for the Tour with 3 and then the Vuelta with NQ and V was always gonna cause problems when they all have massive egos. There seems to be something not quite right when there are multiple leaders in that team. It's a shame, as on paper they seem to have a squad that could do a lot better than they are doing.

 

[Koronin]

I think Movistar need to go into a GT with one leader and full back up for that one leader. If that one leader then falls out of contention then its stage hunting. Going for the Tour with 3 and then the Vuelta with NQ and V was always gonna cause problems when they all have massive egos. There seems to be something not quite right when there are multiple leaders in that team. It's a shame, as on paper they seem to have a squad that could do a lot better than they are doing.

As long as Valverde is there he will always be free to race la Vuelta how he wants and to go after stages that suit him well. They'll never ask him to do anything else at that specific GT. However, with Valverde, if you listen to teammates and former teammates of his it sounds like he doesn't much of an ego. The others, well it's likely they do.

 

[Valv.Piti]

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

 

[glassmoon]

Next year they should try 3 leaders on Giro, 4 on the TdF and at least 3 on the Vuelta. Would be fun to watch it fail again...

 

[Laplaz]

Who would have thought Carapaz would be the highest placed rider from Movistar in GC in the 3 Grand Tours?

 

[Pantani_lives]

Movistar has given a masterclass in how to mess up a race. Valverde is obviously better on those hilly finishes in the first half of the Vuelta and in the time trial. In the meantime they keep telling Quintana that it's way to early to attack and they want to keep two riders high in the GC. Then they tell Quintana to wait in the stages of the third week, the stages that suit him best. It's a pity when a 28-year old has to sacrifice his chances for a 38-year old. He should have a team behind him that believes in him and fully supports him in his preparation and during the race. That isn't the case with Movistar.

 

[Arnout]

Re:

Movistar has given a masterclass in how to mess up a race. Valverde is obviously better on those hilly finishes in the first half of the Vuelta and in the time trial. In the meantime they keep telling Quintana that it's way to early to attack and they want to keep two riders high in the GC. Then they tell Quintana to wait in the stages of the third week, the stages that suit him best. It's a pity when a 28-year old has to sacrifice his chances for a 38-year old. He should have a team behind him that believes in him and fully supports him in his preparation and during the race. That isn't the case with Movistar.

I don’t think Movistar leadership is the brighest in the bunch but Quintana wasn’t up to par himself in the final week. He lost the race this Friday. Yesterday’s stage didn’t matter anymore for him (to be honest I didn’t see him winning the stage and I say that as a fan).

 

[Valv.Piti]

Quintana could possibly have won the stage, but he had burned way too many matches for it ever to happen on that stage. He needed to sit on wheels all day and even then, I don't think he would have won. He simply hasn't been strong enough. It was the right call to make him work for Valverde, no doubt.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

This. I don't even think it's really been a bad year. Quintana has slightly disappointed, Valverde has been about par, and Landa the same. While Carapaz and Soler have performed above expectations.

They've won marquee stages and finished in the top 10 in every single GT (top 5 in two of them), and have won 3 WT stage races. A way better return than many other teams with similar or bigger budgets like Trek, Katusha, UAE, Bahrain, BMC etc...

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

Quintana could possibly have won the stage, but he had burned way too many matches for it ever to happen on that stage. He needed to sit on wheels all day and even then, I don't think he would have won. He simply hasn't been strong enough. It was the right call to make him work for Valverde, no doubt.

+1.

By Friday the decision was already made.

Maybe Movistar change the approach next time and don't expire his aspirations based on Valverde's age. But with Landa it would be another story.

 

[Koronin]

Apparently Valverde said on Spanish TV in an interview yesterday that he is NOT doing the Tour next year and that he's going after the Vuelta next year. He's undecided whether he races the Giro yet, but he's considering it.

 

[Moviestar]

Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

Carapaz was the best Movi the last couple of days and after all the pulling for Valverde he still worked himself up to a 18th place. Quite impressive.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

Carapaz was the best Movi the last couple of days and after all the pulling for Valverde he still worked himself up to a 18th place. Quite impressive.

Next year I think you give Carapaz have another shot at the Giro. Valverde said he's not going to the Tour next year. He is going after another Vuelta and maybe go to the Giro again. I'm thinking maybe send Carapaz to the Giro again as race leader and send Valverde with him to teach/guide him? Send whoever the Tour and then the Vuelta send Valverde as sole leader with one more shot at trying for the overall or at least podium history. With him I'd again send Carapaz along with Soler and maybe Landa. Landa has said as long as he gets the Tour he's more than happy to race for Valverde at the Vuelta.

 

[Moviestar]

Could also be the possibly end of all the Colombians with Movistar: Anacona, Betancur, D.Quintana and N.Quintana.

Most of them have a 1-year contract remanining, but that says very little nowadays in the transfermercato with teams like UAE , Bahrein and Sky who can buy out those contracts relatively easy.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Could also be the possibly end of all the Colombians with Movistar: Anacona, Betancur, D.Quintana and N.Quintana.

Most of them have a 1-year contract remanining, but that says very little nowadays in the transfermercato with teams like UAE , Bahrein and Sky who can buy out those contracts relatively easy.

That wouldn't shock me at all. It also wouldn't hurt Movistar's wanting riders from South America as they'll still have 3 South Americans on the team: Carapaz (Ecuador), Amador (Costa Rica), and the kid from Argentina.
Also there have been rumors about Quintana leaving since last year.

 

[Moviestar]

Re: Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

Carapaz was the best Movi the last couple of days and after all the pulling for Valverde he still worked himself up to a 18th place. Quite impressive.

Next year I think you give Carapaz have another shot at the Giro. Valverde said he's not going to the Tour next year. He is going after another Vuelta and maybe go to the Giro again. I'm thinking maybe send Carapaz to the Giro again as race leader and send Valverde with him to teach/guide him? Send whoever the Tour and then the Vuelta send Valverde as sole leader with one more shot at trying for the overall or at least podium history. With him I'd again send Carapaz along with Soler and maybe Landa. Landa has said as long as he gets the Tour he's more than happy to race for Valverde at the Vuelta.

Yes, that could be a good move. I don't see Movistar playing a keyrole in the Tour like the previous years, the Tour is more and more for the machines. With Movistar i can only see Soler who could fit in that profile on the long term. I think it's waiting for some fresh blood in 2020 with a Mas perhaps.

 

[Moviestar]

Movistar interested in Ecuadorian Jonathan Caicedo

http://www.ciclismointernacional.com/dos-equipos-world-tour-se-disputan-al-ecuatoriano-jonathan-caicedo/

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

Carapaz was the best Movi the last couple of days and after all the pulling for Valverde he still worked himself up to a 18th place. Quite impressive.

Next year I think you give Carapaz have another shot at the Giro. Valverde said he's not going to the Tour next year. He is going after another Vuelta and maybe go to the Giro again. I'm thinking maybe send Carapaz to the Giro again as race leader and send Valverde with him to teach/guide him? Send whoever the Tour and then the Vuelta send Valverde as sole leader with one more shot at trying for the overall or at least podium history. With him I'd again send Carapaz along with Soler and maybe Landa. Landa has said as long as he gets the Tour he's more than happy to race for Valverde at the Vuelta.

Yes, that could be a good move. I don't see Movistar playing a keyrole in the Tour like the previous years, the Tour is more and more for the machines. With Movistar i can only see Soler who could fit in that profile on the long term. I think it's waiting for some fresh blood in 2020 with a Mas perhaps.

I wouldn't be shocked if after next year they let both Landa and Quintana go and go after Mas. Then you'd have Valverde as team leader/teacher/mentor (or any other role that way you can think of), with 3 young kids ready to make their mark on the GTs and other racers. With Valverde, Carapaz, Soler, and Mas that would be an interesting group as you'd have riders with different abilities and maybe be better able to match riders to races as well. Although Valverde will pretty much get what he wants although at this point I think it's best to match him to races that fit him and send him to Flanders please. Even Sagan thinks Valverde can win Flanders if he'd just race it a couple of times.

 

[Moviestar]

Re: Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

Carapaz was the best Movi the last couple of days and after all the pulling for Valverde he still worked himself up to a 18th place. Quite impressive.

Next year I think you give Carapaz have another shot at the Giro. Valverde said he's not going to the Tour next year. He is going after another Vuelta and maybe go to the Giro again. I'm thinking maybe send Carapaz to the Giro again as race leader and send Valverde with him to teach/guide him? Send whoever the Tour and then the Vuelta send Valverde as sole leader with one more shot at trying for the overall or at least podium history. With him I'd again send Carapaz along with Soler and maybe Landa. Landa has said as long as he gets the Tour he's more than happy to race for Valverde at the Vuelta.

Yes, that could be a good move. I don't see Movistar playing a keyrole in the Tour like the previous years, the Tour is more and more for the machines. With Movistar i can only see Soler who could fit in that profile on the long term. I think it's waiting for some fresh blood in 2020 with a Mas perhaps.

I wouldn't be shocked if after next year they let both Landa and Quintana go and go after Mas. Then you'd have Valverde as team leader/teacher/mentor (or any other role that way you can think of), with 3 young kids ready to make their mark on the GTs and other racers. With Valverde, Carapaz, Soler, and Mas that would be an interesting group as you'd have riders with different abilities and maybe be better able to match riders to races as well. Although Valverde will pretty much get what he wants although at this point I think it's best to match him to races that fit him and send him to Flanders please. Even Sagan thinks Valverde can win Flanders if he'd just race it a couple of times.

I indeed would rather see Valverde more focussing on the one day races and just ride one GT: Vuelta.

 

[mariposa]

Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

+1. The relatively disappointing end to to La Vuelta shouldn't let us forget the good things. Even La Vuelta wasn't exactly a disaster.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

All this too many leaders is nonsense. They have co-existed just fine, they just haven't had the legs and Landa crashed so we didnt get to see him at 100% and obviously didnt ride the Vuelta.

Bad year, it happens. On the positive side Soler and especially Carapaz have done great things this year and they are the future. And they will do everything to lure Mas into their team I think.

Carapaz was the best Movi the last couple of days and after all the pulling for Valverde he still worked himself up to a 18th place. Quite impressive.

Next year I think you give Carapaz have another shot at the Giro. Valverde said he's not going to the Tour next year. He is going after another Vuelta and maybe go to the Giro again. I'm thinking maybe send Carapaz to the Giro again as race leader and send Valverde with him to teach/guide him? Send whoever the Tour and then the Vuelta send Valverde as sole leader with one more shot at trying for the overall or at least podium history. With him I'd again send Carapaz along with Soler and maybe Landa. Landa has said as long as he gets the Tour he's more than happy to race for Valverde at the Vuelta.

Yes, that could be a good move. I don't see Movistar playing a keyrole in the Tour like the previous years, the Tour is more and more for the machines. With Movistar i can only see Soler who could fit in that profile on the long term. I think it's waiting for some fresh blood in 2020 with a Mas perhaps.

I wouldn't be shocked if after next year they let both Landa and Quintana go and go after Mas. Then you'd have Valverde as team leader/teacher/mentor (or any other role that way you can think of), with 3 young kids ready to make their mark on the GTs and other racers. With Valverde, Carapaz, Soler, and Mas that would be an interesting group as you'd have riders with different abilities and maybe be better able to match riders to races as well. Although Valverde will pretty much get what he wants although at this point I think it's best to match him to races that fit him and send him to Flanders please. Even Sagan thinks Valverde can win Flanders if he'd just race it a couple of times.

I indeed would rather see Valverde more focussing on the one day races and just ride one GT: Vuelta.[/quote]


I wouldn't mind that either, although with a few of the one week races, as I'm sure he'll be going back to Andalucia this year. I'm not sure he's ready to stop racing 2 Grand Tours and he did say he wanted to go back to the Giro at some point, so I can see him giving the Giro one more try. Although I think it would be better in a support role for either Carapaz or Soler due to knowing he's going to have some issues in the high mountains.