Teams and riders for the classics

[AntonioRossi]

So the first semi - classic is less than 2 weeks away : Omloop and Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne. Besides Garmin - Cervelo and BMC, are there other teams that have such strong classics squad?

Garmin - Cervelo : Farrar, Hushovd, Haussler (Maaskant) (Hesjedal)
BMC - Hincapie, Kroon, Ballan, Quinziato, Van Avermeat (Evans)
Liquigas - Oss, (Sagan?)
Rabobank - (Breschel?) Boom, Langeveld, (Freire)
Katusha - Pozzato ? Paolini ?
Astana - Vino, Maxim Iglinksy (Davis?)
Leopard - Cancellara (Bennati?)
HTC - Eisel - sprinters only like Cav, Goss, Renshaw? Any real potential?
Omega - Gilbert, Greipel
Sky - Boassen Hagen, Flecha (Geraint thomas?)
Quickstep - Boonen, Terpstra
Shack - ?

Am I missing any one?

What other riders do you think can do a top 5 or top 10 in any of the spring classics? Do you guys think Sagan will go for the classics?

Who deserves a win in any of the spring classics?

 

[Eric8-A]

For Garmin you forgot Johan Van Summeren, Andreas Klier, Brett Lancaster, Roger Hammond and possible Set Vanmarcke. Although he might be too young for these races.

Katusha has Leif Hoste, Mikhail Ignatiev, and Alexander Kolobnev. Oh, and Danilo Di Luca.

Leopard: Staurt O' Grady. He has won Paris Roubaix in the past. I would like to see Maxime Monfort up there as well.

Columbia, not really the biggest threat in the classics. Sure Berny won Ghent Wevelgem, but so what.

 

[taiwan]

First of all, good thread.

Vacansoleil - Leukemans, Devolder
Saxo - Nuyens
Katusha - Hoste, Kuschynski
Quick Step - Chavanel

If we're talking hilly classics too, then there are more, obviously.

 

[AntonioRossi]

On paper then, Garmin - Cervelo really should dominate right? Do any of you think that they will win any classics?
Cancellera and Boonen might be the biggest threats again? Boonen is in great form. Haussler and Farrar too, any idea on Hushovd's form?

 

[AntonioRossi]

If we're talking hilly classics too, then there are more, obviously.

any spring classics
1 Omloop het Nieuwsblad
2 Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne
3 Milaan - San Remo
4 Dwars door Vlaanderen
5 E3 prijs Vlaanderen
6 Gent - Wevelgem
7 Ronde van Vlaanderen
8 Scheldeprijs
9 Parijs - Roubaix
10 Brabantse Pijl

Keep ardennes classics out of this thread please.

Thanks Jaylew for the tip

 

[jaylew]

Quickstep - Chavanel and possibly Steegmans
BMC - Burghardt

We should keep Ardennes classics separate or the thread becomes too expansive and we have to start including GT riders as well.

 

[taiwan]

Garmin are ****ing stacked. As long as the huge expectations don't work against them they should be able to win one race at the very least. They have the depth, but I believe they have potential race winners too, in Haussler and Hushovd, with Farrar worth watching in less selective races. Others like Hammond and Vansummeren have the pedigree too: they can't be counted out.

If Hushovd has raced at all this year, I haven't noticed, so not much to say about his form. TBH I expect more from Haussler though.

It was funny in an earlier thread how little mention there was of Cancellara. I overlooked him myself, ridiculous when you consider what he did last year.

 

[AntonioRossi]

Garmin are ****ing stacked. As long as the huge expectations don't work against them they should be able to win one race at the very least. They have the depth, but I believe they have potential race winners too, in Haussler and Hushovd, with Farrar worth watching in less selective races. Others like Hammond and Vansummeren have the pedigree too: they can't be counted out.

If Hushovd has raced at all this year, I haven't noticed, so not much to say about his form. TBH I expect more from Haussler though.

I really hope Haussler's form continues through the classics.

But who does HTC send to these races? Is it only Eisel than can win or can get a podium spot?
Milan San Remo seems to be the only chance for guys like Cav

 

[taiwan]

I really hope Haussler's form continues through the classics.

But who does HTC send to these races? Is it only Eisel than can win or can get a podium spot?
Milan San Remo seems to be the only chance for guys like Cav

I seem to remember hearing that Matt Goss was targetting the classics this year. Hayden Roulston would be another one to watch on that team.

 

[Eric8-A]

On paper then, Garmin - Cervelo really should dominate right? Do any of you think that they will win any classics?
Cancellera and Boonen might be the biggest threats again? Boonen is in great form. Haussler and Farrar too, any idea on Hushovd's form?

That's what the word in the peloton is. It's really hard to say. Garmin is the team I root for and it would be nice to see them win a major classic. Paris Roubaix seems to be the one they have the biggest shot at winning with Thor. Out of the 9 or 8 guys they'll send the these races, I can see at least four or five at the end. That's my scenario, someone that's capable of shielding Thor. As for the Ardennes, they have Hesjedal and Dan Martin.

Garmin should put Haussler aside to go for Milan San Remo.

HTC seems to lack a good classics roster. Eisel won't be in the mix for any of the big spring classics. Winning Ghent-Wevelgem doesn't mean anything.

Hopefully Garmin uses the huge hype and expectations of their classics squad to their advantage to really go out there and deliver some results. And I'm not talking about podiums.

And Cavendish will not win San Remo again this year. I just don't see it. People said the reason he won was because of Hincapie and I agree with that. He said that he was back in good form earlier this month, but it really doesn't seem like it.

 

[AntonioRossi]

HTC seems to lack a good classics roster. Eisel won't be in the mix for any of the big spring classics. Winning Ghent-Wevelgem doesn't mean anything

I am not a HTC fan at all, but I love Eisel. Eisel can definitely get a few podium spots if HTC gives him support.

 

[whittashau]

I am not a HTC fan at all, but I love Eisel. Eisel can definitely get a few podium spots if HTC gives him support.

Hayden Roulston has the talent to be a good classics rider if given the opportunity.

 

[ultimobici]

Winning Ghent-Wevelgem doesn't mean anything.

How do you come to that conclusion? Have a look at the winners, both recent and not so recent. They aren't exactly also rans, are they?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gent–Wevelgem#Winners

And Cavendish will not win San Remo again this year. I just don't see it. People said the reason he won was because of Hincapie and I agree with that. He said that he was back in good form earlier this month, but it really doesn't seem like it.

We're barely a fortnight into February. You'd have a point if you had waited until Tirreno-Adriatico had started before writing off Cavendish.

 

[online-rider]

Bobby Traskel.

 

[ingsve]

I know there was a thread back in october for this so I went back and looked what I had compiled back then and added a few more teams.

This is the top cobbles team with leaders and potential domestiques. There might be a few additions or substitutions from late transfers etc.

Sky:
Flecha
Hayman
Thomas
EBH
Arvesen
Wiggins (wants to do roubaix)
Stannard
Hunt

Garmin:
Hushovd
Haussler
Van Summeren
Maaskant
Klier
Hammond
Farrar
Millar
Rasch

Rabobank:
Breschel
Boom
Wynants
Langeveld
Tjallingi
Van Emden
Leezer
Matthews

Quick Step:
Boonen
Chavanel
Terpstra
Steegmans
De Weert
Maes
Capelle

Luxembourg:
Cancellara
Klemme
O'Grady
Posthuma
Stamsnijder
Weylandt
Tosatto
Lund

Vacansoleil:
Devolder
Leukemans
Hoogerland
De Gendt
Marcato
Van Leijen
Gardeyn

BMC:
Ballan
Burghardt
Hincapie
Van Avermaet
Quinziato
Kroon
Schär
Phinney

Saxo Bank:
Nuyens
Larsson
Klostergard
Cooke
Haedo

Katyusha:
Hoste
Pozzatto
Ignatiev
Paolini
Vandenbergh
Trussov

Astana:
Vaitkus
Davis
Lorenzetto
Iglinskiy

HTC:
Eisel
Rasmussen
Bak
Roulston
Goss
Cavendish

Liquigas:
Oss
Sagan
Guarnieri
Sabatini
Viviani?

Radioshack
Rosseler
Lequatre
Irizar
Popovych
Rast
Muravyev
Beppu

 

[Hugo Koblet]

For HTC, Alex Rasmussen will be racing the spring classics. I seem to remeber having read that Cavendish wants to do them too.

 

[theyoungest]

BMC:
Ballan
Klemme
O'Grady
Posthuma
Stamsnijder
Weylandt
Tosatto
Lund

Team BMC-Luxembank?

 

[ingsve]

Team BMC-Luxembank?

Hmm, strange. Must have highlighted some part any copypasted it weirdly. Fixed it now.

 

[ingsve]

For HTC, Alex Rasmussen will be racing the spring classics. I seem to remeber having read that Cavendish wants to do them too.

He was talking more about wanting to win classics but that was more in the future. I'm sure he will still ride some of them even this year thoough. He rode RVV at least last year

 

[Barrus]

For HTC, Alex Rasmussen will be racing the spring classics. I seem to remeber having read that Cavendish wants to do them too.

Yes, but Cav stated that this year he wanted to ride in support of the other riders so that he can get more experience in the classics

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, but Cav stated that this year he wanted to ride in support of the other riders so that he can get more experience in the classics

Not to Cav bash as he does what he does very well. He will have to improve significantly if he's to be of any use to his teamates in the classics.

He was off the back very early in Flanders last year. He was not able to fight for his position and the moment the climbs started he was gone.

He does have Zabel helping, but Cav will have to take some risks (and some wind) to stay near the front when the race gets hard.

 

[ultimobici]

Not to Cav bash as he does what he does very well. He will have to improve significantly if he's to be of any use to his teamates in the classics.

He was off the back very early in Flanders last year. He was not able to fight for his position and the moment the climbs started he was gone.

He does have Zabel helping, but Cav will have to take some risks (and some wind) to stay near the front when the race gets hard.

To be fair, last year Cav was nowhere near where he wanted to be after his dental issues earlier on.

 

[sublimit]

Simon Gerrans hasn't been mentioned yet, he might figure at some point.

Goss will be dangerous again and proven in these type of races. Monfort maybe.

 

[ingsve]

Simon Gerrans hasn't been mentioned yet, he might figure at some point.

Well, we were steering clear of the ardennes where he will be riding.

 

[taiwan]

I like the look of Katusha in these races. I think they may be the second strongest team after Garmin-Cervelo. Their depth is good. They looked good on paper in previous years though, and haven't been maybe as successful as you would expect.

Ingsve apparently missed Omega Pharma-Lotto in his ideal teams. Antonio Rossi lists only Gilbert and Greipel (who I amn't expecting anything from in the classics). Surely they can't be that shallow. Can Roelandts be a threat? Van de Walle? Sieberg (I must admit I don't know much about some of their younger signings)?