Tour Rider Selection and Roles

[dlwssonic]

I remember Navarro utterly failing to contain Schleck last year.

That's more typical of the scenario where BMC risk coming up short.

But there is sky which would not allow any attack while they still have their domestiques left.

Unless its sky themselves which do the attacking

 

[theyoungest]

Navarro clearly wasn't at his 2010 level last year. In 2010 he rode almost entire final climbs on the front (to Morzine even until the final kilometre), in 2011 he could only get as far as the bottom of the climb.

To say that BMC is stretched a bit thin in the mountains isn't really an exaggeration, is it dlwssonic? Van Garderen, maybe Cummings if he finds his legs, that's it. But it's okay, last year Evans won the Tour with an even weaker team.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

should be able to if he has planned his season around la vuelta.
Anyway I don't believe contador will need much help in the mountains.
Like navarro was nowhere in the giro 2011. And he also was pretty invisible in tour 2011, although he did do some work.
How about good ol noval

Navarros problem last year was that he had to "peak" for both the giro and the tour so he ended up being pretty bad in both... This year on the other hand we will probably see what he is good for once again. Agree with you that Conta won't need any help though

 

[dlwssonic]

Probably won't happen, but I think I'd enjoy that even more than Lance in 2010.

I would enjoy that happening to wiggins too

 

[roundabout]

Navarro clearly wasn't at his 2010 level last year. In 2010 he rode almost entire final climbs on the front (to Morzine even until the final kilometre), in 2011 he could only get as far as the bottom of the climb.

Yes, he can be very good, but his is no Piepoli. Now that was a mountain domestique. He could climb as well as his team leaders on most days.

 

[dlwssonic]

szmyd is sadly ageing and is becoming very inconsistent too.
I think the best is still frank, but they rarely use him as a super domestique like he was on verbier 09

 

[Climeon]

Thats what they say every race evans enters.
Few have those type of riders.
And TBH evans doesn't need one.
sky will help him out.
Dani isn't really a super domestique not in the league of szmyd or frank.

Evans lost the 2008 tour because he didn't have a super domestique and without one for this tour I can't see him breaking the sky train

 

[dlwssonic]

To say that BMC is stretched a bit thin in the mountains isn't really an exaggeration, is it dlwssonic? Van Garderen, maybe Cummings if he finds his legs, that's it. But it's okay, last year Evans won the Tour with an even weaker team.

Yes its fine, BMC have never been really strong in the mountains because that's the way they are.
Exactly I agree, its stronger than last year and having super strong mountain domestiques for evans isn't really that vital for him.
Moinard did a really good job in the crit international and was building up form in the dauphine. He should do OK.
TJVG will probably be evans last domestique, he also will be able to hang in there for a while.
Cummings has had a terribly unlucky season this year with 3 serious injuries.
He lacked the racing days and
He was building up form at suisse and I believe he will be better at le tour.
He is a pretty decent climber right?

Mountains have never been their strength.
BMC will be great on the flats and the hills.

 

[dlwssonic]

Evans lost the 2008 tour because he didn't have a super domestique and without one for this tour I can't see him breaking the sky train

But now Sky will do the chasing and BMC can just sit back.
I do believe however when the real racing starts wiggins will be only left with a domestique(froome) or none at all.
Rabo and RSNT in the mountains are very strong too and can break the sky train although I don't see the need for it.
Its not as if evans is gonna attack from 50km out from a big peloton

 

[LaFlorecita]

should be able to if he has planned his season around la vuelta.
Anyway I don't believe contador will need much help in the mountains.
Like navarro was nowhere in the giro 2011. And he also was pretty invisible in tour 2011, although he did do some work.
How about good ol noval

Noval's no mountain domestique... What he is I don't know.

 

[dlwssonic]

Noval's no mountain domestique... What he is I don't know.

Flats??
or just a plain old watercarrier?

 

[dlwssonic]

Bmc is probably the most international team.
1 australian
1 german
1 british
1 french
2 americans
1 italian
1 swiss
1 belgian

world peace baby

Anyway I'm interested to see why BMC chose cummings ahead of morabito.
Maybe morabito has been bad due to his crash at california while cummings has been on the rise in suisse and is improving.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Flats??
or just a plain old watercarrier?

Probably the latter. He used to be Alberto's roommate but now that's Jesus's task.

 

[airstream]

Noval is just a nice man to hang out with so he became Lance's helper and then Alberto's one.

 

[dlwssonic]

Probably the latter. He used to be Alberto's roommate but now that's Jesus's task.

A very important job indeed

 

[LaFlorecita]

Bmc is probably the most international team.
1 australian
1 german
1 british
1 french
2 americans
1 italian
1 swiss
1 belgian

world peace baby

Anyway I'm interested to see why BMC chose cummings ahead of morabito.
Maybe morabito has been bad due to his crash at california while cummings has been on the rise in suisse and is improving.

Blue = all anglophones. Plus Switzerland - Italia
Switzerland - Germany
France - Belgium
Switzerland - France

Not so international at all

They need a Russian, a Norwegian, a Spaniard, and an Arab.

 

[dlwssonic]

Blue = all anglophones. Plus Switzerland - Italia
Switzerland - Germany
France - Belgium
Switzerland - France

Not so international at all

They need a Russian, a Norwegian, a Spaniard, and an Arab.

well BMC doesn't have a spaniard
nearly all of the russians are at katusha
Hushovd has a virus infection
and medhi sohrabi is at OPQS

still its very international compared to the other teams.
I don't think there is any team like it.

 

[roundabout]

Blue = all anglophones. Plus Switzerland - Italia
Switzerland - Germany
France - Belgium
Switzerland - France

Not so international at all

They need a Russian, a Norwegian, a Spaniard, and an Arab.

Switzerland - Germany I can understand, but what connection does Michael Schär have with France or Italy?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Switzerland - Germany I can understand, but what connection does Michael Schär have with France or Italy?

I was just making a connection between the countries.. In Switzerland there are also Italian and French parts. (I think)

 

[qwerty16]

well BMC doesn't have a spaniard
nearly all of the russians are at katusha
Hushovd has a virus infection
and medhi sohrabi is at OPQS

still its very international compared to the other teams.
I don't think there is any team like it.

Actually Radioshack also have 8 different nationalities in their squad too, and overall they has way more different nationalities on their team than BMC.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Evans lost the 2008 tour because he didn't have a super domestique and without one for this tour I can't see him breaking the sky train

He doesn't have to i think. In fact, Sky could -unwillingly- be doing a lot of work in Evans' favor. Say Samu, Gesink, Frank, JvdB, Nibali... attack, Sky will be doing the work for Wiggins. Evans can just profit from Sky. He just has to try and drop Wiggins when Wiggins is isolated in the final km's of the climb and/or downhill (maybe try to bridge if Sky is struggling). If Sky (including Wiggins) turns out to be weaker than expected, he just has to try to follow the others and finish it off in the ITT. I think that would be his best bet. So i'm not saying he doesn't need a superdomestique, but i don't agree with the statement that he has to break the sky train.

 

[karlboss]

He doesn't have to i think. In fact, Sky could -unwillingly- be doing a lot of work in Evans' favor. Say Samu, Gesink, Frank, JvdB, Nibali... attack, Sky will be doing the work for Wiggins. Evans can just profit from Sky. He just has to try and drop Wiggins when Wiggins is isolated in the final km's of the climb and/or downhill (maybe try to bridge if Sky is struggling). If Sky (including Wiggins) turns out to be weaker than expected, he just has to try to follow the others and finish it off in the ITT. I think that would be his best bet. So i'm not saying he doesn't need a superdomestique, but i don't agree with the statement that he has to break the sky train.

I agree.
Evans and Menchov are the probably the only guys who don't need to try and break the Sky train and for the times that it may be useful I expect Gilbert to be Evans' man. If Gilbert finds any sort of form he's the perfect guy to launch an attack uphill or downhill.

 

[Krebs cycle]

I agree.
Evans and Menchov are the probably the only guys who don't need to try and break the Sky train and for the times that it may be useful I expect Gilbert to be Evans' man. If Gilbert finds any sort of form he's the perfect guy to launch an attack uphill or downhill.

The downhill finishes are perceived as an apparent weakness of Wiggins, so I reckon we will see Gilbert get into breakaways on those days, so that if or when Evans drops Wiggins on the final climb, he then has a strong team member to pull him to the line on the downhill/flat. I also think that if we see a situation in which 2 or 3 GC contenders find themselves with a gap on Wiggins on a downhill run, they will all want to drive hard. So the question is whether the Team Sky domestiques who featured in the Dauphine are still there in that situation and able to help Wiggins pull back time.

For the mtn finishes, its very rare that the domestiques are still there when the actual time gaps appear between the GC contenders so at that point its usually mano-a-mano anyway.

 

[buster1]

Interesting to see BMC leave out MORABITO I thought he would be almost a definate at the start of the year. CUMMINGS imo is a good inclusion for the team and will bolster the climbing stocks but I would have prefered if he and MORABITO had been included in the team to slightly bolster the climbing maybe at the expense of a strong man. Considering theyve already got BURGHARDT and HINCAPIE I would have got rid of one of QUINZIATO or SCHAR - probably SCHAR. However all considered they have a stronger line up than last year and hopefully TJ can really step up and be consistently strong in the big mountains.

 

[Orvieto]

He doesn't have to i think. In fact, Sky could -unwillingly- be doing a lot of work in Evans' favor. Say Samu, Gesink, Frank, JvdB, Nibali... attack, Sky will be doing the work for Wiggins. Evans can just profit from Sky. He just has to try and drop Wiggins when Wiggins is isolated in the final km's of the climb and/or downhill (maybe try to bridge if Sky is struggling). If Sky (including Wiggins) turns out to be weaker than expected, he just has to try to follow the others and finish it off in the ITT. I think that would be his best bet. So i'm not saying he doesn't need a superdomestique, but i don't agree with the statement that he has to break the sky train.

That sky train is dual purpose remember. It's supposed to deliver sprint wins for Cavendish as well as protect Wiggins. That's a lot of days they have to work. If I'm a DS for one of the other GC contenders I tell my guys to do no work at all on sprint stages or I license someone to get in the break and make Sky pull all day. Stages 13 and 15 are sprint stages followed by mountain stages. GC teams ought to be smart enough to see those as opportunities to wear down the Sky domestiques.