There haven't been any WT races so far and the first of those where climbers can win are still about a month away. Teams like Lotto and Cofidis could easily have sent one or two capable climbers here instead of to a race with stiffer competition in Europe this week or the next.
WT teams have their best riders preparing for actual important races cause that's what they're supposed to do at this moment of the year. They aren't in good form right now and choose certain races because they're perfect as preparation for their goals. This madness about getting UCI points has gone too far. Expecting certain world class riders to be in form early to go for UCI points, basically sacrificing their big goals, is ridiculous. WT teams should prove themselves in WT races or other races that have a good field, not in Oman or some random Coupe de France race where only French teams are participating. I'd rather relegate to PCT if that means I've did everything I could to perform in the actual important races (certainly for sponsors) than being WT but having to pay the UCI every year just to not being able to focus on exactly what the WT stands for, WT races.
I always forget about the UAE Tour.
Still, though, I'd question the program of some of these teams. For example Lotto next week are going to Ruta del Sol, Tour du Var and the UAE Tour. If the current startlists are correct Ewan is in the latter while De Buyst is racing in Spain, and then in the Var, which has a strong startlist for a 2.1 in a week with three bigger races going on too, they have their Ardennes team plus De Lie in a race with one hilly stage followed by two days of climbing. I know there are other priorities than UCI points and I don't want to single out Lotto (just using them as an example) but it is the kind of planning that will look stupid in retrospect if they end up falling short.
De Buyst in Oman literally wouldn't change anything. Not going to Oman isn't a mistake, it's a choice cause they can't send 3 different teams to 3 different races each weak. It would just burn out every good rider before the interesting races even start. I know there's certain other teams doing that, but that will also be the reason why they will be nowhere to be seen in the classic season. Good on them but I know what i want.
I do agree about not riding Murcia or Almeria, that's just plain stupid if it is because they didn't choose to. 1 raceday difference isn't gonna mess with your schedule. Sending a team with De Lie to Almeria would've been easy points, while they're just gonna lose lots of points to the 3 teams above them.
But take Ewan for example. His main goal is obviously MSR right now. He knows what he needs to ride to be at his best shape for that day. Do you really want a world class rider to change up his schedule and as a result not be in topform that day just so he can get some UCI points? Is that what's cycling is about now? I've literally seen guys with pretty big Twitter accounts chat *** on LTS for letting Ewan ride the Giro instead of some French races or for not letting him ride Denain (2 days before MSR) or Bredene (1 day before MSR), like seriously? How do you expect leaders of small teams to beat leaders of big teams in big races when those small teams need to be fighting for UCI points in random races every week?
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