UAE-Team Emirates thread

[CyclistAbi]

A bit sad for Almeida. After Giro i wished him to get a team where he could prove if he is a genuine GT contender or not. This is now i guess more or less over.

As for the rest. UAE keeps building and building but lets wait and see if they manage to build a solid team for at least one GT. Or is this already an ongoing plan to have enough quality to support Pogačar on Giro-Tour double?

 

[Red Rick]

A bit sad for Almeida. After Giro i wished him to get a team where he could prove if he is a genuine GT contender or not. This is now i guess more or less over.

As for the rest. UAE keeps building and building but lets wait and see if they manage to build a solid team for at least one GT. Or is this already an ongoing plan to have enough quality to support Pogačar on Giro-Tour double?

It's not over, he had plenty of offers, including ones for more money so I doubt he'd have signed for less money to be a pure domestique for Pogacar.

 

[CyclistAbi]

If he had offers for more money, would be considered a leader on a GT (such as the Tour) and the team around him would not be total rubbish. If he had that option on the table. Then in my opinion he did a stupid thing considering at what point of his career he currently is.

P.S. But likely Mendes was behind that table and obviously he knows best.

 

[Salvarani]

If he had offers for more money, would be considered a leader on a GT (such as the Tour) and the team around him would not be total rubbish. If he had that option on the table. Then in my opinion he did a stupid thing considering at what point of his career he currently is.

P.S. But likely Mendes was behind that table and obviously he knows best.

It is not just about the money. He is at a great team with everything at his disposal. He will only improve further, hopefully.

Look at Ineos and Jumbo, how many good riders and options do they have?

Almeida only has Pog ahead of him when it comes to GC at the team.

Carapaz has Bernal (and how many others do they have that you could possibly think of?).

Vingegaard has Roglic.

I think it should work out pretty good for him. This was the best option and place he could go at the moment if he wants to become a great GC-rider in the future. If it works out for him there, who knows. He is giving himself the best possible chance though. It is a step up.

 

[CyclistAbi]

I don't see it like that. At UAE Almeida will work for Pogačar and will need to set his (potential) GC ambitions aside. Going through such experience at DQS it should be perfectly clear to him. IMHO he could do the exact same thing at age 25 or 26. That is after making sure if his career will be all about GC or being a domestique.

 

[CyclistAbi]

As for other teams and potential GC talent.

Vingegaard is not in such bad position considering Roglič age. Carapaz is in a rather bad postilion considering his ability to TT.

 

[will-10]

There is a lot of racing on the calendar, and there are always unexpected opportunities as well. I know people on this forum love writing riders off as falling into a domestique-only role with moves like this but the reality is if you're good enough you get chances to show it.

On that note I'd expect Almeida will have plenty of opportunities as a leader at UAE whereas Soler probably won't, simply because Almeida is consistent and Soler isn't.

 

[Red Rick]

Nothing wrong with being 2nd in GT pecking order on a big team with a big wage. It's not liek Pogacar does 3 GTs a year. In fact he only did one this year. They're also signing more pure domestiques.

Now if Ayuso would get better than him quickly then he's got a problem.

 

[CyclistAbi]

If you are a genuine GC talent why put yourself in a position of relying on "unexpected", "other opportunities" ... It just makes no sense for Almeida. There are 3 GTs but at the Tour you work for Pogačar. If there is Giro-Tour double you work for Pogačar on at least one of them. Vuelta against fresh Roglič? Good luck with that.

Anyway. IMHO Almeida should first try out if he is a genuine GC contender or not. If not, after all other options, such as the one he got at UAE, are still widely open.

 

[groogster]

If you are a genuine GC talent why put yourself in a position of relying on "unexpected", "other opportunities" ... It just makes no sense for Almeida. There are 3 GTs but at the Tour you work for Pogačar. If there is Giro-Tour double you work for Pogačar on at least one of them. Vuelta against fresh Roglič? Good luck with that.

Anyway. IMHO Almeida should first try out if he is a genuine GC contender or not. If not, after all other options, such as the one he got at UAE, are still widely open.

The only thing that will happen is that Pogacar gets to choose the GT (Tour de France) and Almeida get the 2nd or 3 rd choice as the leader. Almeida won’t be domestique in a GT for Pogacar. He will have his own domestiques and probably will do the giro or if Pogacar does the Giro and the tour then he will do La Vuelta. As it goes he will be leader in UAE that’s for sure.

 

[CyclistAbi]

The only thing that will happen is that Pogacar gets to choose the GT (Tour de France) and Almeida get the 2nd or 3 rd choice as the leader. Almeida won’t be domestique in a GT for Pogacar. He will have his own domestiques and probably will do the giro or if Pogacar does the Giro and the tour then he will do La Vuelta. As it goes he will be leader in UAE that’s for sure.

Nah.

 

[Salvarani]

I don't see it like that. At UAE Almeida will work for Pogačar and will need to set his (potential) GC ambitions aside. Going through such experience at DQS it should be perfectly clear to him. IMHO he could do the exact same thing at age 25 or 26. That is after making sure if his career will be all about GC or being a domestique.

I mean logically. It should be better to be at a team that really focus on GTs to develop at. He still has a lot to learn. Training with the group they have at UAE, being a part of a strong squad, should only be beneficial and make him stronger in the best of worlds.

He is only 24 next year also. It is tough to be the sole leader and actually knowing how to lead your team at that age without having won or been a part of something yet. If you are not an exceptional talent.

In a few years if he wins some races or get on the podium and so on at a GT. He might/should consider leaving to be the face and the star of a team. Thats when he should do that.

I dont think that is a good or the best option for him now though, if he wants to improve and have a better chance at winning in the future.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Salvarani

Going through the DQS training he now has it or doesn't have it. No additional training is needed regarding that.

@all

I am OK with Almeida working for Pogačar. It's a job and somebody has to do it. What i am saying is, for me, it's a shame i won't get to see if Almeida is a genuine GC contender or not. But OK said what i wanted to say and lets move on.

 

[Salvarani]

@Salvarani

Going through the DQS training he now has it or doesn't have it. No additional training is needed regarding that.

Ok.

 

[groogster]

@Salvarani

Going through the DQS training he now has it or doesn't have it. No additional training is needed regarding that.

@all

I am OK with Almeida working for Pogačar. It's a job and somebody has to do it. What i am saying is, for me, it's a shame i won't get to see if Almeida is a genuine GC contender or not. But OK said what i wanted to say and lets move on.

But why do you see it like that? Do you think that UAE made 5 year contracts only with Pogacar and Almeida and 2 years contracts with the others so that Almeida turns into a superdomestique for Pogacar? It’s pretty obvious that Pogacar will have the priority in chosing the GT and Almeida will have the 2nd choice. And mark my words Almeida will not do domestique role for Pogacar in any GT next season. He will have his own domestiques to work for him, probably for the Giro.
He did said that his priority in choosing the next team would be Leadership opportunities so if he went with UAE means that UAE promised him leadership in a GT. Another thing UAE is signing good domestiques in serious numbers and that means that they mean serious business in GC for next season.

 

[groogster]

For everyone and for the guys that spend the money “UAE” it’s obvious by now that Pogacar can win GT with the domestiques that UAE gave him só if they spend so much money on Almeida it means that they are ready and willing to have a shot at all the 3 GT and as we all now it can’t be made with only one rider. That’s why the signed Almeida… they are going all in against Ineos and Jumbo. It will be an amazing 2022 season

 

[SHAD0W93]

Or he goes to the Tour and surprise he is up there in GC too against Bernal-Carapaz and Roglic-Vingegaard with Pogacar and he attacks. But he’s definitely leading a GT and races. Ackermann is the confusing choice in my opinion.

 

[Salvarani]

Or he goes to the Tour and surprise he is up there in GC too against Bernal-Carapaz and Roglic-Vingegaard with Pogacar and he attacks. But he’s definitely leading a GT and races. Ackermann is the confusing choice in my opinion.

Ackermann could get some wins in some one-day races and in some stage races.

Kristoff leaving the team and how is it with Gaviria?

They have Trentin but he is not a pure sprinter, and is more a rider for the classics and their cobbles team. A strong lead-out in the bigger bunch sprints perhaps at this stage of his career.

Should be room for Ackermann on the team and if grabs a couple of wins here and there, he does his job.

 

[groogster]

Or he goes to the Tour and surprise he is up there in GC too against Bernal-Carapaz and Roglic-Vingegaard with Pogacar and he attacks. But he’s definitely leading a GT and races. Ackermann is the confusing choice in my opinion.

Ackermann for one day races for sure.. pretty clear for me

 

[SHAD0W93]

Ackermann could get some wins in some one-day races and in some stage races.

Kristoff leaving the team and how is it with Gaviria?

They have Trentin but he is not a pure sprinter, and is more a rider for the classics and their cobbles team. A strong lead-out in the bigger bunch sprints perhaps at this stage of his career.

Should be room for Ackermann on the team and if grabs a couple of wins here and there, he does his job.

But he most likely will just have leadership or be able to go the Vuelta. He won’t be as much of a priority and it’s not like Kristoff or Gaviria. They have 25 wins combined at UAE, 13 and 12 respectively. Ackermann has won 35 times in that same timeframe. But he wants to ride the Tour and it will be hard with how UAE is set up. He will continue what he was doing in Bora with maybe no GT now. That’s with Sagan leaving Bora.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I don't get why Ackermann would sign with them, besides money of course. With Almeida also signing there won't be a lot of chances to ride gts with a proper sprint train for him. They d hav Trentin and the Oliveira twins, who can do a good leadout, but if was him UAE wouldn't be my first choice. For all of their other flaws DSM would be a good team for a fast sprinter, they have the train, but lack a top guy. Then there is always Quickstep, even if the old fart wil always try to lowball you.

Back to UAE, IMO they should give more chances to Pogi's domestiques in one day races or shorter stage races that suit them. I'm mainly thinking about an in shape Hirschi and Formolo getting the chance to be the 2 teamleaders in hilly one day races. If you don't give them the chance to ride for themself in races other than gts you have to overpay them and they are probably still going to leave your team.

 

[Salvarani]

But he most likely will just have leadership or be able to go the Vuelta. He won’t be as much of a priority and it’s not like Kristoff or Gaviria. They have 25 wins combined at UAE, 13 and 12 respectively. Ackermann has won 35 times in that same timeframe. But he wants to ride the Tour and it will be hard with how UAE is set up. He will continue what he was doing in Bora with maybe no GT now. That’s with Sagan leaving Bora.

Yeah, but Bora at the same time is signing Bennett so where does that leave Ackermann? Who hasnt had the best of seasons this year. It is not like he can demand something. He is not the best sprinter around, right now, and there is not many teams to choose from. He needs a bit of a kickstart. UAE is one of the better destinations he could get imo, and Im sure money is also a factor. Better than lets say ISN, EF, DSM and so on where he realistically might have gone if he does not stay at Bora. Who probably didnt want a situation with two sprinters again and sort of going in a new direction with their team, after Sagan.

Maybe he should have got the chance to race the Tour in the past, but this year he did not warrant a spot. Maybe he understands that also. He will surely get to race Giro or Vuelta next year, or maybe both.

 

[Froome]

Nah.

He's right. Joao almeida will be too much well paid to just be a domestique of pogacar.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

I don’t see Almeida being their Giro leader anytime soon.

I think def next year, Almeida will be purely be a helper for Pogacar, who will be likely do 2 grandtours then.

But Almeida has a long contract so it could be they agreed on Almeida being purely a helper first and then getting the leader role in non-Pogacar GT’s after like 2 years.

He is still young, he needs to grow a bit before he can go out for the real GT wins, but what better way to learn than in the shadow of master Pogacar? 5 years contract so no pressure to grow in the next year.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

I also do not see any chance for Ackermann to do the tour. Not when Tadej is riding it.