Teams & Riders The Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe team thread

[Oldman]

Uh...that's a pretty odd, pretty extremist way of framing it. Your prerogative I guess, but it really makes for an irrational conversation IMO.

You seem to be saying that if they don't bring all their top riders to a race, it's "bare bones". No, all teams have roles for their riders, and all teams are trying to maximize wins and sponsor value. Beating the crap out of guys by using them as domestiques when they could be more effective helping the team win other races is just...how teams are managed. To the team goals. This is why teams have domestiques.

I would imagine with RBH's fantastic roster, they will assign co-leaders to most of the biggest races and likely all of the GT's. Because that's sane. Some really good guys will be in support roles as climbing doms, and they'll have some roleurs to ride their faces off on the flats. Like every team...ever. No team looks at their roster and grabs the 8 or 9 strongest climbers/riders and calls that a team. They use their resources against team goals.

To what seems to be driving the irrational comments, Roglic will have his chances. He'll get better support in the races where he's the leader if the whole team isn't flogged every day at the Tour. Or he'll be a co-leader for the Tour again. They have a roster which can field numerous strong GT teams. No need to freak out.

The whole topic doesn't take into account that Red Bull wants winners in all events. That's how their marketing works on the global scale. The budget they now have provides all of the best available assets to accomplish that and you've told the truth on how it has to operate. Sporting on this level is almost never democratic but also is merit-based light. Meaning an emerging rider's role in a GT can be tweaked to maximize the desired win outcome. That's one of the reasons why Remco's prior GT teams didn't frighten anyone in stage race: they were lacking Plan B talent or chose not to use it when they should have. It's too dynamic an enterprise to solely support just one rider. UAE doesn't....Tadej just settles the order each race.

 

[HashRouge]

Two co-captains are possible, but after that it must be clear who is a helper and who is not.

I agree with this, but I don't know why that should be especially difficult for Red Bull to achieve. Only Roglic, Remco and Lipo have any real right to expect some form of (co-)leadership at the Tour, and even Roglic must be realising that his days as de facto Tour leader are over. The rest of the riders mentioned - Hindley, Vlasov, Martinez and Pellizzari would surely only expect to play a domestique role at the Tour. After all, Simon Yates won the Giro and then rode the Tour as a support rider for Vingegaard! I wouldn't send Roglic, and I don't honestly think they need all four of Hindley, Vlasov, Martinez and Pellizzari, but I certainly think they can send Lipo and Remco as co-leaders, alongside a hit squad of climbing domestiques.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Get cyclistabi in the team car!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Get cyclistabi in the team car!

Preferably one with plenty of airbags.

 

[Oldman]

I agree with this, but I don't know why that should be especially difficult for Red Bull to achieve. Only Roglic, Remco and Lipo have any real right to expect some form of (co-)leadership at the Tour, and even Roglic must be realising that his days as de facto Tour leader are over. The rest of the riders mentioned - Hindley, Vlasov, Martinez and Pellizzari would surely only expect to play a domestique role at the Tour. After all, Simon Yates won the Giro and then rode the Tour as a support rider for Vingegaard! I wouldn't send Roglic, and I don't honestly think they need all four of Hindley, Vlasov, Martinez and Pellizzari, but I certainly think they can send Lipo and Remco as co-leaders, alongside a hit squad of climbing domestiques.

That seems reasonable but Martinez, for example, may show some serious form to emerge as a co-leader for the Vuelta as could Hindley. One of the three you mentioned will likely have a challenge that changes status. Lining up several co-leaders in waiting was played out by Ayuso and it failed miserably. UAE had no choice but to encourage him to move along. Fortunately, they should've gotten some money for their trouble.