WC Richmond: Team selections

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Who will do the work to contain the Belgians?

Who will do the work for the Belgian's themselves. Looks like too many leaders and too much ego to function well as a team.

Can't have too many leaders on this circuit. The tactics should be to send good guys from the start and force Spain and Italy to ride. With guys like Roelandts, you can do that. With guys like Maes, you control the race, but the Belgians should attack and send good riders in every break.

I think it's going to be opposite, Spain and Italy will send riders in the break and force Belgium and others to ride, cause they don't have clear favorite for this course. Belgians on the other hand are maybe the biggest favorites

 

[Vesica]

Re:

Germany long list:

Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin), Marcus Burghardt (BMC), John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin), Johannes Fröhlinger (Giant-Alpecin), Simon Geschke (Giant-Alpecin), Patrick Gretsch (AG2R-La Mondiale), Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Christian Knees (Sky), Paul Martens (LottoNL-Jumbo), Tony Martin (Etixx-Quickstep), Andreas Schillinger (Bora-Argon 18), Marcel Sieberg (Lotto-Soudal), Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar), Paul Voß (Bora-Argon 18)

Actually I can see the Germans doing very well with this selection on this course. Geschke, Burghardt, Knees and Der Pantzerwagen to make the race really hard, John Dynamite and The Gorilla (yes he's really improving in climbing) to finish it.

 

[BigMac]

Portugal's 'long' list: Rui Costa, Nelson Oliveira, José Gonçalves, André Cardoso and José Mendes. I think the first three are the obvious picks. Oliveira will do the ITT, too.

Daniela Reis will be in the ladies race.

4 will be selected for the u23 race from Luís Gomes, César Martingil, João Rodrigues, Ruben Guerreiro, Nuno Bico and Ruben Carvalho. Interesting to see what Guerreiro can do.

Also another 4 for the Juniors race from André Carvalho, Daniel Viegas, João Almeida, Jorge Magalhães and Marcelo Salvador.

 

[Billie]

Re: Re:

Germany long list:

Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin), Marcus Burghardt (BMC), John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin), Johannes Fröhlinger (Giant-Alpecin), Simon Geschke (Giant-Alpecin), Patrick Gretsch (AG2R-La Mondiale), Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Christian Knees (Sky), Paul Martens (LottoNL-Jumbo), Tony Martin (Etixx-Quickstep), Andreas Schillinger (Bora-Argon 18), Marcel Sieberg (Lotto-Soudal), Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar), Paul Voß (Bora-Argon 18)

Actually I can see the Germans doing very well with this selection on this course. Geschke, Burghardt, Knees and Der Pantzerwagen to make the race really hard, John Dynamite and The Gorilla (yes he's really improving in climbing) to finish it.

the Germans need to make he race as easy as possible cause they clearly have the fastest guy in a sprint

 

[dicanio_michael]

Re: Re:

Who will do the work to contain the Belgians?

Who will do the work for the Belgian's themselves. Looks like too many leaders and too much ego to function well as a team.

Can't have too many leaders on this circuit. The tactics should be to send good guys from the start and force Spain and Italy to ride. With guys like Roelandts, you can do that. With guys like Maes, you control the race, but the Belgians should attack and send good riders in every break.

Yes, exactly. I can't possibly understand why De Vreese and Wallays were also not even considered.

But then, Maes can be a decent bottle man.
Benoot is good bet to go for an attack in this route. And of course Van Avermaet will launch his famous attacks.

 

[rote_laterne]

Austria:
RR (3 of 5)
Matthias Brändle, Bernhard Eisel, Marco Haller, Patrick Konrad, Georg Prediger
U23 (5): Michael Gogl, Felix Großschartner, Gregor Mühlberger, Sebastian Schönberger, Alexander Wachter
reserve: Daniel Auer, Daniel Biedermann, Patrick Jäger, Daniel Paulus, Florian Schipflinger

ITT: Matthias Brändle, Lukas Pöstlberger
U23: Gregor Mühlberger

 

[crispy]

Re: Re:

...The Gorilla (yes he's really improving in climbing) to finish it.

I don't live far from Richmond and I rode the course this weekend and came away with the conclusion that Greipel is a big favorite because I don't think climbing ability matters much. The "climbs" on this course are really just short hills that I don't think will dislodge any sprinters. The last 5k in particular are really technical with short, steep hills and many corners so I think it'll be all about positioning and bike handling - skills that most sprinters excel at.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

...The Gorilla (yes he's really improving in climbing) to finish it.

I don't live far from Richmond and I rode the course this weekend and came away with the conclusion that Greipel is a big favorite because I don't think climbing ability matters much. The "climbs" on this course are really just short hills that I don't think will dislodge any sprinters. The last 5k in particular are really technical with short, steep hills and many corners so I think it'll be all about positioning and bike handling - skills that most sprinters excel at.

I think the key is how hard the race is ridden earlier. The climbs may not be very difficult, but if you are doing them 40 times at a consistently hard pace throughout the race, it will really take it's toll on the faster guys. If, as usual, the first 200km are pretty much soft pedalled, then I agree that Greipel is a great shout. One concern would be how he could do without his Lotto train (Germany have great riders but won't be so fine tuned); also whether or not Degenkolb will be consiered at least joint leader.

 

[crispy]

Agreed about the leadout trains (or lack thereof). Germany will have a strong team but we'll see if they're well-drilled enough to keep it together and lead out Greipel. Degenkolb will probably be a joint leader too but he seems to be lacking a little something in the Vuelta.

 

[TMP402]

Re:

Agreed about the leadout trains (or lack thereof). Germany will have a strong team but we'll see if they're well-drilled enough to keep it together and lead out Greipel. Degenkolb will probably be a joint leader too but he seems to be lacking a little something in the Vuelta.

So far he's had his worst season since 2009, it's just that 2 of his 5 wins have been monuments. The other three were stages of Dubai and Bayern - and that was in May.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

The New Zealand team is:

Elite women: Linda Villumsen (United Healthcare – time trial, road race), Rushlee Buchanan (United Healthcare – road race), Jo Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO-SVB – road race). Reserve – Emily Collins (TeamTIBCO-SVB), Jaime Nielsen (BePink LaClassica – time trial).

Elite men: Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory - time trial, road race), Greg Henderson (Lotto Soudal – road race), Sam Bewley (Orica GreenEdge - time trial, road race).

All three New Zealand elite riders are competing for their professional teams in the team time trial.

Under-23 men: James Oram (Axeon Cycling – time trial, road race), Dion Smith (Hincapie Racing – road race), Hayden McCormick (Lotto Soudal – road race).

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Agreed about the leadout trains (or lack thereof). Germany will have a strong team but we'll see if they're well-drilled enough to keep it together and lead out Greipel. Degenkolb will probably be a joint leader too but he seems to be lacking a little something in the Vuelta.

The WC's can't be treated as just another one day race though, you have to think of it in a similar vein to a monument. Going on track record, I actually think that Degenkolb is the more likely of the two to get a nice result after 260km+ of hard racing.

Races this long are a totally different beast, unless they are very, very flat (like 2002 or 2011 worlds).

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

Agreed about the leadout trains (or lack thereof). Germany will have a strong team but we'll see if they're well-drilled enough to keep it together and lead out Greipel. Degenkolb will probably be a joint leader too but he seems to be lacking a little something in the Vuelta.

So far he's had his worst season since 2009, it's just that 2 of his 5 wins have been monuments. The other three were stages of Dubai and Bayern - and that was in May.

Worst season? Winning two monuments is better than anything he has ever won.

It's clear to see he has been focusing on improving in the classics as his climbing and endurance is as good as ever. His top speed has dropped though, but it won't matter as much after 260 k.

 

[fayeva77]

Slovakia nomination:

Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo)
Juraj Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo)
Michael Kolář (Tinkoff Saxo)
Peter Velits (BMC)
Martin Velits (Etixx-Quick-Step)
Patrik Tybor (Kemo Dukla Trenčín)
Marek Čanecký (Amplatz-BMC)

only 3 riders will be selected from them for RR.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Agreed about the leadout trains (or lack thereof). Germany will have a strong team but we'll see if they're well-drilled enough to keep it together and lead out Greipel. Degenkolb will probably be a joint leader too but he seems to be lacking a little something in the Vuelta.

So far he's had his worst season since 2009, it's just that 2 of his 5 wins have been monuments. The other three were stages of Dubai and Bayern - and that was in May.

Worst season? Winning two monuments is better than anything he has ever won.

It's clear to see he has been focusing on improving in the classics as his climbing and endurance is as good as ever. His top speed has dropped though, but it won't matter as much after 260 k.

I meant in terms of wins, which I didn't express properly.

 

[rote_laterne]

Re:

Austria:
RR (3 of 5)
Matthias Brändle, Bernhard Eisel, Marco Haller, Patrick Konrad, Georg Prediger
U23 (5): Michael Gogl, Felix Großschartner, Gregor Mühlberger, Sebastian Schönberger, Alexander Wachter
reserve: Daniel Auer, Daniel Biedermann, Patrick Jäger, Daniel Paulus, Florian Schipflinger

ITT: Matthias Brändle, Lukas Pöstlberger
U23: Gregor Mühlberger

RR: Haller, Eisel, Preidler
Preidler to support Haller, Eisel to support whoever leads Great Sky

Preidler and Brändle are expected to ride the TTT.

Women RR: Martina Ritter, Sarah Rijkes
Women ITT: Martina Ritter

 

[fowlyetti]

Great Britain Elite men

Ian Stannard
Mark Cavendish
Ben Swift
Stephen Cummings
Geraint Thomas
Andy Fenn
Luke Rowe
Scott Thwaites
Alex Dowsett

.... Not impressed

Elite women

Lizzie Armitstead
Lucy Garner
Alice Barnes
Molly Weaver
Jessie Walker
Hayley Simmonds

... Not much support for Armitstead

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Great Britain Elite men

Ian Stannard
Mark Cavendish
Ben Swift
Stephen Cummings
Geraint Thomas
Andy Fenn
Luke Rowe
Scott Thwaites
Alex Dowsett

.... Not impressed

Elite women

Lizzie Armitstead
Lucy Garner
Alice Barnes
Molly Weaver
Jessie Walker
Hayley Simmonds

... Not much support for Armitstead

Surprise surprise, GB go all in for Cav

Nobody with any influence seems to know anything about bike racing

 

[BigMac]

Such a waste of slots.

 

[fowlyetti]

Re: Re:

Great Britain Elite men

Ian Stannard
Mark Cavendish
Ben Swift
Stephen Cummings
Geraint Thomas
Andy Fenn
Luke Rowe
Scott Thwaites
Alex Dowsett

.... Not impressed

Elite women

Lizzie Armitstead
Lucy Garner
Alice Barnes
Molly Weaver
Jessie Walker
Hayley Simmonds

... Not much support for Armitstead

Surprise surprise, GB go all in for Cav

Nobody with any influence seems to know anything about bike racing

Rumour Cav might have broken collarbone at TOB. If so, might have to be a late reshuffle

 

[Pricey_sky]

Shocked at the GB announcement, ridiculous decision.

Having said that it appears Cav may not make the worlds so it should change. Yates twins please!!

 

[Jonhard]

Re:

Great Britain

Elite women

Lizzie Armitstead
Lucy Garner
Alice Barnes
Molly Weaver
Jessie Walker
Hayley Simmonds

... Not much support for Armitstead

Always been a thin squad, but there is more experience there this year than last. That said, I have no idea why none of Dani King, Amy Roberts or Anna Christian are in. The first two are likely to be in Wiggle's TTT squad.

 

[BigMac]

Today USACycling announces the final spot.

I will be veeeeery mad if they don't pick Lawson.

 

[DFA123]

That's great for the race. GB going in with a super strong team for the flat, reeling in every break or interesting attack - all for a rider that has no chance of winning.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

That's great for the race. GB going in with a super strong team for the flat, reeling in every break or interesting attack - all for a rider that has no chance of winning.

Germans and Australians will have similar teams for Degenkolb and Matthews/Gerrans who admittedly have better chances than Cav.