Not like Quick Step looks stronger than Ineos and Jumbo in this discipline.
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I think there are more weak links in those teams. And as i already mentioned, at QSA the weakest links are expendable. They don't have to wait for Devenyns or Vervaeke. At Ineos they do have to wait for their weakest links, since those are their GC guys.Not like Quick Step looks stronger than Ineos and Jumbo in this discipline.
JV must have a high level of confidence in Primoz's form to include him. If he can't hang on, though they'll drop him IMO. He may be "healed" enough to start but that much time off serious training presents an unknown and he may be a training domestique by the first mountain stage.I think there are more weak links in those teams. And as i already mentioned, at QSA the weakest links are expendable. They don't have to wait for Devenyns or Vervaeke. At Ineos they do have to wait for their weakest links, since those are their GC guys.
We were discussing the TTT specifically. Carapaz lost over a minute in 12k just two weeks ago. As for Jumbo, i can't see them taking him if he is that bad that he would be worse in the TTT than Kuss or Oomen. So even if he isn't in top shape, he will be one of the better TT'ers on that team.JV must have a high level of confidence in Primoz's form to include him. If he can't hang on, though they'll drop him IMO. He may be "healed" enough to start but that much time off serious training presents an unknown and he may be a training domestique by the first mountain stage.
Carapaz, on the other hand: he's a hard dude when he's on form and manages well without help in the mountainous stage. At this point he may be the real Dark Horse.
View: https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjiNaesen/status/1559190862910918657
This thread in a nutshell, and a rare occurrence that Lefebrve says something reasonable in one article.
I understand the TTT topic and was expanding on it as a long term strategy. At average, Primoz should be able to limp through a TTT if it isn't technical. If JV wants time and he can't seriously contribute he may get dropped just on lack of top end pacing rather than ride to keep him on.We were discussing the TTT specifically. Carapaz lost over a minute in 12k just two weeks ago. As for Jumbo, i can't see them taking him if he is that bad that he would be worse in the TTT than Kuss or Oomen. So even if he isn't in top shape, he will be one of the better TT'ers on that team.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now.Looks like Remco made Patrick a better and more empathetic person.
Doubt it, him winning would end the main debate in this thread.
a Jean Marie LaBlanc 70km TTT special would have probably sewed up the GC for Remco
Instead, Guillen went full Govenou with an ultra short TTT. Even Pescheux was better than this
Are we seriosly complaining that a TTT is too short and will not decide a Grand Tour on its own??
Yes, the TTT is too short
A long TTT forces the teams to decide if they bring TT specialists and leave the flyweight climbers at home, or do they go for climbing support and risk ceding big time in the TTT.
Eliminating this dilemma simply produces the youtube cycling we saw last decade where only short climbing bursts matter to win a GT
Yes, the TTT is too short
A long TTT forces the teams to decide if they bring TT specialists and leave the flyweight climbers at home, or do they go for climbing support and risk ceding big time in the TTT.
Eliminating this dilemma simply produces the youtube cycling we saw last decade where only short climbing bursts matter to win a GT
BEX fits your criteria - They've gone for ITT guys in their team.
Yes, the TTT is too short
A long TTT forces the teams to decide if they bring TT specialists and leave the flyweight climbers at home, or do they go for climbing support and risk ceding big time in the TTT.
Eliminating this dilemma simply produces the youtube cycling we saw last decade where only short climbing bursts matter to win a GT
It's a great discipline, i love watching it, but it should not affect GC since it will generally favor rich teams and squash any chances of outsiders taking the win or even podium in a GT GC. Maybe they could do with boni seconds instead of actual time gaps, with a 5s gap between spots. Team finishing first gets added 0s to overall time. Team in second gets added +5s to overall time... etc. There could still be 50s between spot 1 and 10, but if you are even remotely serious about going for GC, you could limit your losses, and you are sure not to lose 8 minutes in GC.Care to remind me when was the last time a TTT made the race better?
Or more TTT miles would make it for a better racing?
ITT is good and often a must, but not the TTT.
Care to remind me when was the last time a TTT made the race better?
Or more TTT miles would make it for a better racing?
ITT is good and often a must, but not the TTT.
Ineos has replaced De Plus with Plapp. That certainly changes things but they still need to bring more guys to the line since they can't leave it to their potential GC guys without the tempo dropping. Meaning they can't really drop anyone. As for Jumbo, in this comparison i think it might not be the best TT'ers on the squad that could decide the outcome, but the worst TT'ers on the squad. And then i think guys like Devenyns, Masnada, Serry... might outperform Kuss+Oomen+Harper...I just don’t see QS beating Jumbo. And Ineos and BEX likely will give them a run.
Nah, the discussion would shift to "yeah, he won the Vuelta, but the Tour is a different beast, and he hasn't shown himself against Pogacar/Vingegaard/etc yet".
I don't like the TTT for GC, because it gives the big budget teams an unfair advantage, especially today when GTs might be won by seconds not minutes. Cycling is a team sport, but GC isn't determined cumulatively within teams, but on an individual basis. Hence, the TTT should be a non-GC discipline.
Can think of many years. 2001-2003. Even 2009. The Schlecks didn't bring enough TT support and shipped a decent chunk of time
It makes teams actually have to think and plan, instead of using a robotic formula