The Tour Wild Cards

[Anonymous]

There where a couple of old threads on this but i cant find them.

So with the first part of the season underway how are the contenders for the wild cards doing..

Bearing in mind three of the following wont make it:

BMC
Cervelo Test Team
Garmin-Transitions
Saur-Sojasun
Skil-Shimano
Team Radio Shack
Team Sky
Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team

and Katusha are a possible ommision as well.

Garmin assumedly are a shoe in, along with Radio Shack. Sky seem to have put forward one hell of an argument for their inclusion, leaving Saur, Cervelo, Skil, Vaconsoliel and BMC fighting it out for two spots.

Assumption would be Cervelo get one, leaving BMC in a dogfight with the other three. Of those SAUR surely have put up the best fight in the early season.

As the biggest team there (of the remaining four), what do BMC need to do, and when do they need to do it. My feeling is if they dont do something during Paris-Nice they could be in deap trouble?

 

[BroDeal]

Whatever happened to talk that the ASO might reduce team size to include more teams. That is the ideal solution?

 

[Anonymous]

Thats would should happen, 8 riders per team wouldnt affect things, but would allow two more teams in, but looks like they are determined to stick with 9.

If not for the presence of Lance I think Radioshack would be seriously in danger, but I have a feeling they could do nothing between now and July and still get an invite. Both they and BMC have had very poor starts to the year. Cervelo havnt done much but at least theyve been in the action a bit.

Vaconsoliel had a good showing in Besseges, and Qatar, Saur have been putting themselves about and picked up the win in Oman, Garmin have at least threatened and I think are almost certainly guaranteed a tour spot.

At the moment on merit it should be
Sky
Vaconsoleil
Saur
Garmin
Cervelo

BMC
Skil Shimano
and Radioshack should miss out..

I appreciate heres a long way to go before decisions are made, but they cant afford to start falling behind this early in the season.

 

[Willy_Voet]

I think BMC is on par with Sky. No results yet, but current world champion and perennial 2nd or 3rd place getter.

I would rank wild cards as:

1. Garmin
2. Radioshack
3. Cervelo
4. BMC = Sky

6+ everyone else

 

[luckyboy]

This is the thread

Anyway, it'll be all the PT teams (14 agreement, Shack, Sky, Katusha, Garmin too), Bbox (agreement), Cofidis (agreement), Cervelo (WC), and one from BMC, Vacansoleil, Saur and Skil (WC), Most probably BMC.

 

[craig1985]

There where a couple of old threads on this but i cant find them.

So with the first part of the season underway how are the contenders for the wild cards doing..

Bearing in mind three of the following wont make it:

BMC
Cervelo Test Team
Garmin-Transitions
Saur-Sojasun
Skil-Shimano
Team Radio Shack
Team Sky
Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team

and Katusha are a possible ommision as well.

Garmin assumedly are a shoe in, along with Radio Shack. Sky seem to have put forward one hell of an argument for their inclusion, leaving Saur, Cervelo, Skil, Vaconsoliel and BMC fighting it out for two spots.

Assumption would be Cervelo get one, leaving BMC in a dogfight with the other three. Of those SAUR surely have put up the best fight in the early season.

As the biggest team there (of the remaining four), what do BMC need to do, and when do they need to do it. My feeling is if they dont do something during Paris-Nice they could be in deap trouble?

BMC are not racing Paris-Nice. I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times, BMC will get in because they have friends in very high places at ASO. Their DS/Team manager, John Lelangue, is a former ASO employee.

I would say they are in. Might also depend if Hincapie is going to ride, and from I've read, George wants to stay at home during July to be with his family and work on his growing business empire with his brother.

 

[Anonymous]

BMC are not racing Paris-Nice.

My bad.. i assumed they where

 

[Mambo95]

Radioshack, Sky, Cervelo and Garmin are 99% certain.

The last two places are between Katusha, BMC and Vacansoliel. I expect Vacansoliel to miss out.

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah Katusha'll get in.

It's BMC's former ASO employee vs Vacansoleil's Feillu's then

 

[theswordsman]

I believe it was earlier in the year that the number two guy under Prudhomme resigned, and some teams hoping for wild cards were worried because he was the one that knew them well.

Prudhomme said he wanted to let the teams know early Spring, so I guess they'll have Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico to impress, and maybe even Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. By then it should be pretty clear who might be strong in stage races for the year.

I was hoping for a twenty team limit, but oh well. Sastre is hurting Cervelo's chances by refusing to talk about anything past the Giro. I hate that Radio Shack is apparently getting a free pass after deciding they can't do the Giro d'Italia because they need all their leaders in California, and not being invited to Tirenno-Adriatico.

I suggested to a Cycling Weekly writer on twitter that Team Sky would fall in the category of one leader teams and might miss an invite if Wigans (you're welcome) was injured or riding poorly. He told me that they'd be invited no matter who they brought because blah blah blah "it's about more than sport". I don't read him any more.

I hope BMC makes it, and whatever other teams will appreciate the invitation and get out there and race every couple of days.

 

[craig1985]

I would laugh so hard if SKY don't get an invite. Then what will blackcat do? Seriously, I have to shout this guy dinner at Reb Loadster.

 

[BroDeal]

I
I suggested to a Cycling Weekly writer on twitter that Team Sky would fall in the category of one leader teams and might miss an invite if Wigans (you're welcome) was injured or riding poorly. He told me that they'd be invited no matter who they brought because blah blah blah "it's about more than sport". I don't read him any more.

If Wigans were hit by a bus then Sky could still put together a good TdF squad that would animate the race despite not having a a GC hopeful. The same could be said, although not quite as strongly, for BMC. Skil Shimano not so much.

 

[auscyclefan94]

were bmc really expected to get wins at any of the races so far? they were expected to well at het volk but hopefully they will do something tonight?!

Willy_Voet, I hope you are joking about BMC being on par with Sky. Sky has gone awesome so far!

craig1985, Hincapie said at Down Under that if BMC get an invite, he'll be there!

 

[craig1985]

If Wigans were hit by a bus then Sky could still put together a good TdF squad that would animate the race despite not having a a GC hopeful. The same could be said, although not quite as strongly, for BMC. Skil Shimano not so much.

I'm more interested in seeing what EBH can do, more so then Wiggi(ga)ns. I'm tipping him for a stage win, somewhere.

 

[El Imbatido]

I personally wouldn't mind if BMC did not get an invite to the TdF. It would give Cadel a chance to win the Vuelta. Which he would have a very good chance.

 

[Inner Peace]

I personally wouldn't mind if BMC did not get an invite to the TdF. It would give Cadel a chance to win the Vuelta. Which he would have a very good chance.

It sounds like BMC are battling with Saur, Skil and Vacan... all teams that will contribute one extra guy in a breakaway on flat stages, that Columbia will chase down anyway, or a mountain breakaway, that Contador will catch anyway.

Personally, I'd rather see the rainbow on GC podium, than 9 extra breakaway specialists...

 

[Willy_Voet]

Willy_Voet, I hope you are joking about BMC being on par with Sky. Sky has gone awesome so far!

If BMC sends all of their 'A' team, they are just as solid as Sky. As for results so far, there was that race in the sandbox and Flecha finally won something where it's cold.

For that matter Griepel is ahead in UCI points than all of Sky. He should pick 8 guys and HTC can send a 'B' team.

 

[bianchigirl]

It's a shame ASO can't simply select all the teams as they used to - can't believe that Milram or Footon would get a ride if they weren't preselected.

 

[Moondance]

If BMC sends all of their 'A' team, they are just as solid as Sky. As for results so far, there was that race in the sandbox and Flecha finally won something where it's cold.

For that matter Griepel is ahead in UCI points than all of Sky. He should pick 8 guys and HTC can send a 'B' team.

If BMC sends their A-Team (Evans, Hincapie, Ballan, etc.) they'd have a pretty good team, but probably not as strong as Sky's A-Team (Wiggins, EBH, Lovkvist etc.). The question is though, will BMC field their A-Team? They've said that they're going to seriously target the Giro, and this year's Giro isn't particularly forgiving. I doubt that the BMC A-Team could seriously ride the Giro and then 34 days later be at the start of the Tour, ready and kicking.

I'd say that Sky are well on course in proving that they fully deserve a spot. They have a good GC card to play with Wiggins and Lovkvist, good stage hunters and they're one of the few teams who seem perfectly willing to stand up to the Columbia sprint machine.

 

[Big GMaC]

He should pick 8 guys and HTC can send a 'B' team.

The Andre Griepel Pro Cycling Team?

Some photos from their recent training camp:

1. Leadership Struggle

2. Recovery Sessions

3. Management seeks a different style of rider, more bear-ish in nature

 

[blackcat]

I would laugh so hard if SKY don't get an invite. Then what will blackcat do? Seriously, I have to shout this guy dinner at Reb Loadster.

why thankyou Craig. I will have to treat you to a steak dinner at Outback Steakhouse, with a starter of the bloomin' onion.

 

[TRDean]

Thats would should happen, 8 riders per team wouldnt affect things, but would allow two more teams in, but looks like they are determined to stick with 9.

If not for the presence of Lance I think Radioshack would be seriously in danger, but I have a feeling they could do nothing between now and July and still get an invite. Both they and BMC have had very poor starts to the year. Cervelo havnt done much but at least theyve been in the action a bit.

Vaconsoliel had a good showing in Besseges, and Qatar, Saur have been putting themselves about and picked up the win in Oman, Garmin have at least threatened and I think are almost certainly guaranteed a tour spot.

At the moment on merit it should be
Sky
Vaconsoleil
Saur
Garmin
Cervelo

BMC
Skil Shimano
and Radioshack should miss out..

I appreciate heres a long way to go before decisions are made, but they cant afford to start falling behind this early in the season.

Going off yesterdays results Dim...Skil had a very good race. Three riders in the top 25, with Veelers coming in 9th...not too bad. Curvers in the lead group all day...I'd say Skil did better than most teams yesterday. The only thing they really lack (when van Hummel isn't racing) is a strong finisher.

 

[Andy99]

might have missed something - but what have Garmin done to deserve a ride?

do they have any GC contenders?

 

[Moondance]

might have missed something - but what have Garmin done to deserve a ride?

do they have any GC contenders?

Vande Velde, two consecutive top 10s, and last year he was riding for Wiggins a lot but still managed 8th.

Also have a good sprinter in Farrar and last year they were one of the only teams not named Columbia, Saxo or Astana who actually tried to make the race at some points. They haven't had the best of season starts so far, but they'll pick up.

 

[Condorman]

......
Sky
Vacansoleil
Saur
Garmin
Cervelo

BMC
Skil Shimano
and Radioshack should miss out..

....

Vacansoleil are more exciting to watch, plus their cars are better looking