Well done with the pro teams

[auscyclefan94]

Yea, Krisoff maybe is the better climber than AleJet but, if i'm not mistaken, the last sprint stage is 12 and then he'll surely withdraw. I can predict Kristoff at SanRemo even top-5 but don't think it's good idea for him to ride Giro...

well clearly the tdf is out of the question and he wanted to do the vuelta but the team that will be sent their is full of climbers and roleurs so he is out of the question there.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I don't want to focus on belittling BMC's efforts to join the top rank of teams, since of the American teams, they, like Garmin, have been content to build team strength slowly. They appear to be in the sport for the long run, which is good.

However, did they get the nod as to how to go about getting there?

Ask anyone on here, what type of rider BMC needed to sign for 2011 and the last option would have been more classics riders.
No more one-day specialists, rather some competent stage racers, one of whom could step up, were Cadel injured or unavailable. Plus a couple of guys who could offer genuine support in the high mountains, over 3 weeks.

So, why did they not shop for these guys, rather bought another clutch of Springtime guys who can't cut the big cols?
My guess is, mountain domestiques bring with them few, if any, qualifying points..............

 

[Kvinto]

Well on the other hand with the lack of top sprinters at Giro he can even win the stage what would be imposible at tdf

 

[theyoungest]

You are still very wrong. Last year they did not have evans.

Of course I mean last year in cycling terms, i.e. 2010.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I don't want to focus on belittling BMC's efforts to join the top rank of teams, since of the American teams, they, like Garmin, have been content to build team strength slowly. They appear to be in the sport for the long run, which is good.

However, did they get the nod as to how to go about getting there?

Ask anyone on here, what type of rider BMC needed to sign for 2011 and the last option would have been more classics riders.
No more one-day specialists, rather some competent stage racers, one of whom could step up, were Cadel injured or unavailable. Plus a couple of guys who could offer genuine support in the high mountains, over 3 weeks.

So, why did they not shop for these guys, rather bought another clutch of Springtime guys who can't cut the big cols?
My guess is, mountain domestiques bring with them few, if any, qualifying points..............

Well I think Morabito, santambrogio, frank, moinard and tschopp will be sufficient mountain goats. I think if you look at morzine, cadel was one of the last gc riders to have a teammate with him which was Morabito. I agree that they aren't any super domestiques but I think they will do the job required.

 

[Random Numbers]

Well, we have 18 PT teams. But I still can't recognize if PT status guarantee participation in races from HIS-calendar If it's true, only 4 Grand Tour invitations remain (7 wild cards for other HIS races). It means that Tour de France teamlist is completed: 18 PT teams + FDJ + Europcar (BBox) + Cofidis + Geox and we'll hear Saurs indignation again. But what's about Giro and Vuelta? Whether PT teams would be able to refuse their invitation like Euskadi did at Giro 09,10? Because as an example I really don't know what startlist can Team Evans put in for italian grand tour?

Giro: Androni (Sella & Rujano), Farnese Vini (Visconti), Colnago (Pozzovivo), and Aqua & Sapone (Garzelli). That is unless Geox promises to send Menchov in which case i guess A&S would have to go. However Zomegnan has indicated that RCS might go with the top 17 UCI World Ranking Teams instead of the 18 ProTeams, which means that they might throw out AG2R, Team Lux, or Vacansoleil. My money is on AG2R getting the boot and that the four Italian pro-conti teams and Geox are in.
Also, if Zomegnan says "screw you" to UCI and goes for the old World Ranking agreement I guess anybody might opt out if they want to. However rumours on this site has it that Euskaltel is riding the Giro.

Vuelta: Geox, Andalucia almost certainly invited. Caja Rural ha upgraded to Pro-conti and should have a decent shot. If there is a 22nd team Cofidis (Moncoutie) have made a good impression in the recent editions.

Other races: Might be though to get into the Italian and French races with so may Italian and French Pro-conti teams.

 

[Parrulo]

Well I think Morabito, santambrogio, frank, moinard and tschopp will be sufficient mountain goats. I think if you look at morzine, cadel was one of the last gc riders to have a teammate with him which was Morabito. I agree that they aren't any super domestiques but I think they will do the job required.

yes those guys are decent. but cadel needes some1 like navarro.

if you look at the other teams with GT guys on the level of cadel. almost every had 1 or 2 guys at least that can really do some damage as domestiques. assuming contador isn't banned he has navarro and noval. besides porte may ride the tour in support. the shlecks have fuglsang, gerdeman, jens(the man is a monster so he is a super domestique) and may 1 or 2 other guys. liquigas has szymd and pellizotti and 1 or 2 other guys, if the shack starts using his talents(janek and machado) they could use levi kloden and horner as 3 decent domestiques besides an on form paulinho can do a lot of damage but seems like he is always wasted in the early part of the stages rather then the last climb wich is dumb. geox has cobo, blanco, valls as good domestiques, samu and anton have eachother(euskaltel seems to work as one and i can see those guys helping eachother) nieve, sicard, txurruka. columbia has the velits martin and TJVG that depend on the situation can all be domoestiques working for one of them. gesink has TGBM and boom and 1 or 2 other guys on a decent level.

this are just some teams that i think are stronger then BMC domestique wise. and some if not most have weaker GT contenders then evans.


p.s. good news on caja rural riding the vuelta. i want to see what vitor rodrigues can do

 

[Kvinto]

Giro: Androni (Sella & Rujano), Farnese Vini (Visconti), Colnago (Pozzovivo), and Aqua & Sapone (Garzelli). That is unless Geox promises to send Menchov in which case i guess A&S would have to go. However Zomegnan has indicated that RCS might go with the top 17 UCI World Ranking Teams instead of the 18 ProTeams, which means that they might throw out AG2R, Team Lux, or Vacansoleil. My money is on AG2R getting the boot and that the four Italian pro-conti teams and Geox are in.
Also, if Zomegnan says "screw you" to UCI and goes for the old World Ranking agreement I guess anybody might opt out if they want to. However rumours on this site has it that Euskaltel is riding the Giro.

Vuelta: Geox, Andalucia almost certainly invited. Caja Rural ha upgraded to Pro-conti and should have a decent shot. If there is a 22nd team Cofidis (Moncoutie) have made a good impression in the recent editions.

Other races: Might be though to get into the Italian and French races with so may Italian and French Pro-conti teams.

Menchov doesn't need Giro, his goal is to win TDF. But some PT teams are not interested to ride all three GTs, if i'm not mistaken, Euskadi boss said that they will ride Giro if it'll be necessary. There's also still no agreement between UCI, ASO and RCS Sports about GT invitations so we have to wait and see

 

[ingsve]

Rafael Valls Ferri
Juan Jose Cobo
David De La Fuente
Fabio Felline
Fabio Andres Duarte
David Blanco Rodriguez
Mauricio Alberto Ardila

= nothing else?

Compare this with the depth of Euskaltel.

Yes, none of those riders are a selling point compared to the top 7-8 riders in for example Vacansoleil or this years team Sky as LS talked about in the general news thread.

Valls, Felline, Duarte, Duran are all young talents and are not yet established PT riders. All teams have young talents and until they actually get more results they are not a selling point.

De la Fuente and Ardila are anonymous helpers are all teams have riders like that.

The only riders that could perhaps be something is Cobo who used to be at a good level but right now he's an uncertain card after the year he had and David Blanco has races an obscure calender for most years so it's hard to know how he stands up in the PT.

 

[MADRAZO]

Rafael Valls Ferri
Juan Jose Cobo
David De La Fuente
Fabio Felline
Fabio Andres Duarte
David Blanco Rodriguez
Mauricio Alberto Ardila

= nothing else?

Compare this with the depth of Euskaltel.

I can only agree. The names from Geox are perhaps not the most well known besides Menchov and Sastre, but still we are talkking of some very strong and very talented riders.

Blanco is easily a top 10 GC in the Giro/Vuelta or a tophelper in the TDF and Cobo could be the same if he finds his form.

Felline is one of the most talented and exiting riders in the peloton

And Duarte, Ratto, Valls and Kump are also huge talents ready for big results.

Duran and Brändle has solid potential and already can do well.

And Ardila, De La Fuente, Eibegger and M. Wyss are solid strong helpers and Colli a decent sprinter.


All in all a very strong and deep squad. Perhaps not so strong in classics though Felline, Ratto, Duarte, Kump, Colli and also Alberio has some potential but clearly strong enough to deserve a protourspot ahead of teams like BMC, Vacansoleil and Ag2r most of all.

Hopefully they will still get some GT-wildcards.

 

[Arnout]

Menchov doesn't need Giro, his goal is to win TDF. But some PT teams are not interested to ride all three GTs, if i'm not mistaken, Euskadi boss said that they will ride Giro if it'll be necessary. There's also still no agreement between UCI, ASO and RCS Sports about GT invitations so we have to wait and see

Euskaltel changed it mind. Anton and Nieve are confirmed for the Giro.

 

[ingsve]

Quick Step great depth? You're kiding right?

At least compared to Geox they do.

Boonen and Chavanel are fairly equal to Menchov and Sastre in stature depending on how you rank GTs vs monuments.

Other than that they have Chicchi, Ciolek, Terpstra, Pineau who are above anything Geox has apart from the two leaders and then you have Devenyns, Cataldo, de Weert, Malacarne, Reda, Vandewalle etc who are at least equal to the riders put forward for Geox.

 

[Kvinto]

Euskaltel changed it mind. Anton and Nieve are confirmed for the Giro.

I have nothing against this. Besides Giro's route is good for Anton. He'll be the favourite

 

[ingsve]

Yea, Krisoff maybe is the better climber than AleJet but, if i'm not mistaken, the last sprint stage is 12 and then he'll surely withdraw. I can predict Kristoff at SanRemo even top-5 but don't think it's good idea for him to ride Giro...

I would mostly call it a way to get a taste for the GT atmosphere for the future and as ACF94 pointed out the Tour and Vuelta is out of the question so this is what's left over.

 

[Kwibus]

Euskaltel changed it mind. Anton and Nieve are confirmed for the Giro.

Really? Do you have a reference?
If it's true that would be great. I mean this Giro is made for a team like Euskaltel. Anton and Nieve and some other small climbers will have the time of their lives with all those mountainstages. Anton will also be a favourite for the podium if stays on his bike for 3 weeks.

 

[Kvinto]

I would mostly call it a way to get a taste for the GT atmosphere for the future and as ACF94 pointed out the Tour and Vuelta is out of the question so this is what's left over.

I agree, but main point was that he'll ride Giro mainly because BMC doesn't have strong enough team to ride 3 GTs, so they'll put Kristoff into the startlist as the team leader to taste the GT atmosphere and maybe try to win the stage before he'll inevitably withdraws.
On the other hand we see Colnago, Acqua Sapone and Geox. One of them will not start Giro. Don't what to think who is stronger/weaker; what is fair/unfair but it's reality and I can't say that everything is obvious.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

whilst nibali chances are further reduced (imo).

ricco, anton and scarponi should beat him on this course.

One of them will not start Giro. Don't what to think who is stronger/weaker; what is fair/unfair but it's reality and I can't say that everything is obvious.

is this confirmed?
PT really doesn't guarantee giro entry.

 

[Arnout]

Really? Do you have a reference?
If it's true that would be great. I mean this Giro is made for a team like Euskaltel. Anton and Nieve and some other small climbers will have the time of their lives with all those mountainstages. Anton will also be a favourite for the podium if stays on his bike for 3 weeks.

http://www.deia.com/2010/11/23/deportes/ciclismo/anton-al-giro-samuel-al-tour

 

[Kvinto]

is this confirmed?
PT really doesn't guarantee giro entry.

Nothing is 100% confirmed till all teams will be officialy announced. We only think what will be if UCI and Zomegnan would come to agreement and all 18 PT teams gain invitation to Giro. Androni and Farnese Vini 99% confirmed. Only 2 vacancies left...

 

[Matthijs]

On the Giro:
Garzelli animated the race for more then a decade. Won it once, KOM-jersey, several stages. I can't see the Giro without this long-term Italian team. It's easy, any PT who do not send any decent leader could drop out. I think of BMC, but also RadioShack, Euskaltel. As it should be, what for a PT team are you if you don't have a decent squad for the 2nd most important race of the season?

Quick step not strong in dept? Men did you ever watched something on the cobbles? There aren't that many teams who can dominate one part of the season for years and years (and years...) Not only the two Monuments, but all cobbled races.

 

[theyoungest]

Quick step not strong in dept? Men did you ever watched something on the cobbles? There aren't that many teams who can dominate one part of the season for years and years (and years...) Not only the two Monuments, but all cobbled races.

We're not talking about the days of yore... this year, QST really weren't that impressive in the classics (except for Boonen, of course).

 

[Arnout]

On the Giro:
Garzelli animated the race for more then a decade. Won it once, KOM-jersey, several stages. I can't see the Giro without this long-term Italian team. It's easy, any PT who do not send any decent leader could drop out. I think of BMC, but also RadioShack, Euskaltel. As it should be, what for a PT team are you if you don't have a decent squad for the 2nd most important race of the season?

If Anton is not a decent leader, only three teams will start in the Giro.

 

[Mambo95]

I think all of the PT teams will be invited to all the GTs.

There will four wildcards for each:

Giro: Androni, Acqua & Sapone, Farense V, Geox
Tour: Europcar, Cofidis, FdJ, Geox
Vuelta: Andulacia, Geox, Cofidis, FdJ (or a Spanish team I've not heard of).

I don't see anyone undeservedly missing out really.

 

[ingsve]

I agree, but main point was that he'll ride Giro mainly because BMC doesn't have strong enough team to ride 3 GTs, so they'll put Kristoff into the startlist as the team leader to taste the GT atmosphere and maybe try to win the stage before he'll inevitably withdraws.
On the other hand we see Colnago, Acqua Sapone and Geox. One of them will not start Giro. Don't what to think who is stronger/weaker; what is fair/unfair but it's reality and I can't say that everything is obvious.

Well, I think Kristoff would have gotten a GT start this year even if their overall squad had been stronger than it is. BMC believes in Kristoff and they probably see him as a future contender for GT stages so they would need to school him in GTs sooner or later anyway.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

****ed at Geox's rejection.
RS's license should be withdrawn, even though that seems unrealistic, but come on, what has Radioshack done?????
How many seasons wins did they have?
I was really hoping to see Geox in action next year. And now with only Ag2r in ProTour, it will be harder for Geox to get an invitation for the Tour.