Teams and riders for the classics

[AntonioRossi]

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.

Katusha stronger than BMC? It is possible..

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Katusha stronger than BMC? It is possible..

The problem BMC have is too many Indians, not enough Chiefs. They have lots of good classics riders, and plenty who are decent threats, but I just don't see anybody there I can realistically see winning the biggest classics. They could plant 3, maybe even 4 guys in the top 10 of them, and get wins in races like Brabantse Pijl, KBK or E3 and so on, but I just don't see anybody on their team who is realistically going to win de Ronde or Roubaix.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The problem BMC have is too many Indians, not enough Chiefs. They have lots of good classics riders, and plenty who are decent threats, but I just don't see anybody there I can realistically see winning the biggest classics. They could plant 3, maybe even 4 guys in the top 10 of them, and get wins in races like Brabantse Pijl, KBK or E3 and so on, but I just don't see anybody on their team who is realistically going to win de Ronde or Roubaix.

Just quoting as this encapsulates my line of thought on garmin. Obviously they're a much better team than BMC, but by fusing 2 teams with absolutely top notch support riders but limited leaders, they've almost got too much depth, without the top class finishers that would make serious classics wins likely.

Before someone bites my head off, I fully expect Garmin to win several cobbles races - but I would be pretty surprised if they won either monument.

 

[jaylew]

I couldn't disagree more. No leaders? In the three monuments coming up they have 5 podium finishes in the last two seasons. That their best results have come recently says they are primed to take the next step.

Haussler has 2nds in MSR and RVV and Hushovd has a 2nd and 3rd at P-R and a 3rd at MSR. And they both can sprint. That doesn't sound limited to me.

 

[Anonymous]

Sky - known so far.

Omloop Complete
Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Michael Barry, Russell Downing, Juan Antonio Flecha, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mathew Hayman, Jeremy Hunt and Ian Stannard

KBK Complete
Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Juan Antonio Flecha, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mathew Hayman, Greg Henderson, Jeremy Hunt, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton and Geraint Thomas

MSR
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen

Dwaars dor Vlaanderen
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen, Hunt

gent Wevelgem
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen

Flanders
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen, Hunt

Roubaix
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen, Hunt, Flecha, Thomas

Amstel
Boasson Hagen, Uran, Arvesen

Uran also down to ride Liege Bastogne Liege

 

[Daniel Benson]

Is flecha not doing flanders?

 

[ingsve]

Is flecha not doing flanders?

Of course he is. It's just not official yet. They only have official teams for february out so far. The others are based on what the riders have listed themselves on their own websites etc.

 

[taiwan]

Is flecha not doing flanders?

Just not confirmed yet, by the looks of things.

 

[FignonLeGrand]

Sure Berny won Ghent Wevelgem, but so what.

So its the only Classic Hushovd has won isnt it, wouldnt that make it the only classic Garmin has won then?

I dont understand why Garmin are so nailed on to win everything, Hushovd is the only class rider with a classics Pedigeee, Haussler looked good before being injured but who knows, and Farrar will have no chance of staying with a final selection in a monument.

Everyone also rights of Sky but isnt Flecha almost guaranteed to be in a final selection at one of the classics and then who knows.

Think everyone is a little too excited by Garmin they have a great squad but only so many can be at any one race, last year Millar was their stand out performer and he is surely a GT rider.

 

[Anonymous]

Is flecha not doing flanders?

I would assume so, they are just the ones that are definate. March schedules arent out for a few days yet and april not till mid march.

 

[taiwan]

So its the only Classic Hushovd has won isnt it, wouldnt that make it the only classic Garmin has won then?

I dont understand why Garmin are so nailed on to win everything, Hushovd is the only class rider with a classics Pedigeee, Haussler looked good before being injured but who knows, and Farrar will have no chance of staying with a final selection in a monument.

Everyone also rights of Sky but isnt Flecha almost guaranteed to be in a final selection at one of the classics and then who knows.

Think everyone is a little too excited by Garmin they have a great squad but only so many can be at any one race, last year Millar was their stand out performer and he is surely a GT rider.

Garmin won the Scheldeprijs last year with Farrar. Hushovd did win the Omloop Het * on Cervelo, but I can't remember them winning any others.

[edit] 2nd in MSR, 2nd in Flanders and 2nd in the Omloop will do for a classics pedigree. Hammond, Vansummeren and Maaskant have all been top ten in Roubaix. And Millar: I'd call him a TT specialist really, but if he can ride like that in Flanders, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Farrar (5th) was better than expected in that race too. Cervelo were one of the strongest classics teams before the merger, and they're deeper now. Sky don't look bad, but I wouldn't really give them or any other team the advantage over Garvelo. Katusha are prolly closest for me.

But far be it from me to be a cheerleader for Garvelo, it's just that you can't deny they're looking good.

 

[AntonioRossi]

Is flecha not doing flanders?

I really hope he is. Great guy to watch

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I think roelandts is better then his palmares suggest. I can see him coming top ten I'n a few races. Probably not one of the monuments tho.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

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

great post

 

[pedaling squares]

Sky - known so far.

Thanks Dim.

 

[AntonioRossi]

is EBH in good form?

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Ok, people, guy gets a podium in Amstel and shows consistent riding thoughout all spring and noone remembers him?

Sad face.

Enrico Gasparotto.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Sky - known so far.

Omloop Complete
Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Michael Barry, Russell Downing, Juan Antonio Flecha, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mathew Hayman, Jeremy Hunt and Ian Stannard

KBK Complete
Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Juan Antonio Flecha, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mathew Hayman, Greg Henderson, Jeremy Hunt, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton and Geraint Thomas

MSR
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen

Dwaars dor Vlaanderen
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen, Hunt

gent Wevelgem
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen

Flanders
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen, Hunt

Roubaix
Arvesen, Barry, Boasson Hagen, Hunt, Flecha, Thomas

Amstel
Boasson Hagen, Uran, Arvesen

Uran also down to ride Liege Bastogne Liege

Who do think is going to lead in those races for them? With my minimal knowledge I'd guess where Flecha is not present it would be Edvald, and where both Edvald and Flecha are present I'd guess either with the edge to Flecha.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Is flecha not doing flanders?

Wiggins on his twitter was saying that Flech was already very excited about Flanders. He's riding. it is the classic that suits him the best

 

[ingsve]

Ok, people, guy gets a podium in Amstel and shows consistent riding thoughout all spring and noone remembers him?

Sad face.

Enrico Gasparotto.

We're talking about cobbled classics and I view Gasparotto more as an ardennes rider, that's why I left him off the Astana list.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'd imagine BMC would be something like

Ronde van Vlaanderen
Hincapie
Burghardt
Ballan
Kroon
Schar
Murphy
Quinziato
Van avermaet
Zahner?

Paris Roubaix
Hincapie
Burghardt
Ballan
Kroon
Schar
Murphy
Quinziato
Phinney
Kohler?

 

[ingsve]

is EBH in good form?

Oman will be his first race of the year so you can't really know before that.

 

[joy118118]

i see the names of Matthews and Phinney. Hype!

 

[TRDean]

May get attacked for this...

But there are some Skil riders who, while not favorites for the semi classics, could actually pull off a win...

Roger Kluge has shown good form this season

Tom Veelers made the final selection at PR last season and is shooting for a top 10 placing

Marcel Kittel, while pretty young, is showing good form...same with Mitchell Docker

And if the weather is really crappy...van Hummel most likely could be around and you never know what could happen.

This is the best team they have fielded..and a top placing may be in the offing this season! At least some of us hope so!!

 

[Anonymous]

is EBH in good form?

Dunno, ask again on tuesday when his season starts.