What Riders do the Pro Tour teams need/ not need?

[Rocksteady]

With all the talk about transfers, I thought I would open this thread asking who/what type of rider the different teams need to pick up and need to leave alone given their team personalities and budgets. What do you think?

I'll start with a few American teams.

RadioShack - These guys really need a sprinter that can work without a sprint train (because they won't get one). McEwen or Freire would be able to pick up some wins with little support. Some cobbled classic riders would be good too. More wins = better. Please, no more wheelsucking GC contenders. PLEASE.

HTC - HTC could use a GC guy but that really doesn't fit the teams goals. Maybe someone for the hilly classics (Ivanov, Purito) to go for the stages that Cav is going to get dropped on. Even with Greipel leaving, they don't need any more sprinters.

Garmin - I think that they have a pretty good balance on their team. True they could use a better GT rider, but VDV is pretty good when not hurt. No need for a sprinter(Farrar) or cobbles riders(Van Summeren, Maaskant) or hilly classics(Hesjedal). I think Le Mevel was a good call. Good for leading week long tours and as a super domestic/ co-leader for the GTs. No more time trialists please (there aren't that many team time trials in a year)

 

[kurtinsc]

Radioshack needs wins at the Tour more then anything.

The fact is that without Contador or Schleck... they have no realistic shot at winning the GC. And without Cav... sprint stage wins seem unlikely too.

And without Spartacus, the chance of a TT win seems pretty low.


So pretty much... they're screwed. Maybe some attacking climbers who can go for the polkadot?

 

[Rocksteady]

I'm hoping that the whole "Only race one race a year" thing was Armstrong and now that he is out of the team, they will be a more rounded team. I agree that they don't have much chance at the TDF if that stays their only goal for the year.

Although if Phinney turns into a Sparticus Jr in the coming years they may have a chance (he is in my PCM and that thing is like 100% accurate right )

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Radioshack don't need riders so much as they need a change of philosophy - they no longer have anybody who can win GCs at GTs, and all the riders they do have will only get good positions by doing a good TT and then sucking wheels. They need to allow the riders like Machado to be themselves, and to allow people like Popo and Paulinho to ride for themselves once in a while, because those guys will still be around when Lance, Levi, Horner and Klöden are all gone, and the team's looking incredibly directionless. They have a good support squad in place, but they don't have anybody who can lead them; Bruyneel's defensive philosophy has turned them all into riders scared to attack lest they lose the precious position their TT earnt them.

 

[Nick C.]

HTC had Kirchen but I unfortunately that's a moot point.

 

[Bernardus]

Rabobank - High level climbing domestique. A rider that can help during the Tour and is able to win stages/finish top 3 in GC in other races.

Cervelo - anyone who can ride a decent GC

 

[ingsve]

Going to HTC is the death of any GC rider. Unless you are very young and promising they aren't interested in someone who finishes 5-10th in the tour and anyone who could possibly podium a GT will never get the support as long as Cav is around. So in conclusion HTC doesn't need a GC rider, that would only be cruel.

 

[kurtinsc]

I'm hoping that the whole "Only race one race a year" thing was Armstrong and now that he is out of the team, they will be a more rounded team. I agree that they don't have much chance at the TDF if that stays their only goal for the year.

Although if Phinney turns into a Sparticus Jr in the coming years they may have a chance (he is in my PCM and that thing is like 100% accurate right )

As long as their sponsor is pretty much confined to just the US market... then I don't think it's an armstrong thing. I watched the Tour de france for a good 12 years before I started becoming more aware of races outside the Tour.

It's kind of like how the only open-wheeled race that US fans watch is the Indianapolis 500... it really is the Tour or nothing when it comes to the average person who watches any cycling over the course of a calendar year.


Now a US based team who's sponsors have a global focus can go in other directions (as shown by Garmin and Columbia-HTC), but that doesn't fit RS as a company.

 

[kurtinsc]

I would think Columbia should go for a real cobbled threat. right now I guess Eisel is their main guy. He's not horrible... but they could use an upgrade.

 

[Ryaguas]

Rabobank - High level climbing domestique. A rider that can help during the Tour and is able to win stages/finish top 3 in GC in other races.

Cervelo - anyone who can ride a decent GC

That's why The Rabobus was looking to sign Carlos Barredo... Well They are still looking for him... If He hasn't decided yet is cuz He has serious offers on the table... one from SBS to work with Alberto... mmm I read few weeks ago that He deleted that option but I don't think so...

About Cervélo pffff... Forget it... They are just going to concentrate in Hilly Classics and Cobbles...

mmmm as We already know... QuickStep... They seriously need a GC contender...

SBS needs a Top Top Top Top climber who can pace Contador in the very high mountains at Frank's level... They have Chris Anker and Dani but... they are not at the same level of Frank... also SBS is needing more rider for cobbles classics... with O'grady, Breschel out... they lost a lot of power...

Lampre-ISD needs more Domestiques for the mountains...

Team Movistar needs an instructor to teach Soler how to handle his bike to avoid crashes!

Katusha needs more domestiques for mountains too... Purito was totally alone in Le Tour... Dani Moreno is not enough...

Astana needs ppl who can seriously do TT... cuz They have ppl for the mountains with their new signs (Petrov, Masciarelli, Tiralongo, Kiserlovski)

OmegaPharma needs ppl for high mountains w/o Dani Moreno They lost the better climber that they had...

mmmm HTC needs less sprinters... they have so much sprinters that is almost sick...

Sky need a real GC contender... and Erik Zabel for the trains!

Well I'll think in others requirements =D

 

[boardhanger]

Fact. I listened to a 'TwoFreds' cycling podcast which interviewed a guy in the USA who runs racing. He said US coverage average is about 100,000 regular diehard viewers. Europe 3-4million same diehard viewers. I don't think RadioShack has Euro operations? correct me if i'm wrong. My point is I don't see incentive in the current roster. I hope i'm wrong.

 

[jaylew]

The French teams - top riders of any variety. A top GT guy, a top sprinter, a top cobbled or hilly classics guy, a top week-long stage race guy, a top TTer, anything...

 

[karlboss]

Rabobank - High level climbing domestique. A rider that can help during the Tour and is able to win stages/finish top 3 in GC in other races.

Cervelo - anyone who can ride a decent GC

Did you deliberately describe Gesink? Though now without menchov he will have to step up for 2011.

 

[tretow95]

The Shack, i think brajkovic will be a serious GT contender this year if they give him a leader role above levi and kloden.

HTC are pretty rounded, maybe someone who can compete cconsistenly in stage races, because rogers is losing it hopefully tejay will be able to compete in stage races but is still too young to be a threat in GTs

 

[Bernardus]

Did you deliberately describe Gesink? Though now without menchov he will have to step up for 2011.

In what way was I describing Gesink? This Tour he was already a team leader without domestique duties, next year he'll be the main contender for the white jersey. High level climbing domestiques are riders like Szmyd, Kiriyenka and Piepoli.

 

[karlboss]

In what way was I describing Gesink? This Tour he was already a team leader without domestique duties, next year he'll be the main contender for the white jersey. High level climbing domestiques are riders like Szmyd, Kiriyenka and Piepoli.

He looked to perform domestique duties just fine on the tourmalet, and has the capacity to finish top 3 in other races...unlike szmyd and kiryilenka, depending on how far down you drop the standard. It's not an insult to call him a domestique, look at Frank Schleck, Kloden, Heras, and the list goes on.

Though you are right, it is likely he was co leader going in.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

About Cervélo pffff... Forget it... They are just going to concentrate in Hilly Classics and Cobbles...

In that case, Tondó would become a sought-after free agent. I think he'd be a good fit at Movistar.

Lampre-ISD needs more Domestiques for the mountains...

Cunego is a pretty good one, since that'll probably be his job in the GTs now.

Team Movistar needs an instructor to teach Soler how to handle his bike to avoid crashes!

Soler just makes me sad. So much talent, but a cycling style that makes Escartin look like Cancellara.

Katusha needs more domestiques for mountains too... Purito was totally alone in Le Tour... Dani Moreno is not enough...

If they don't try to have Karpets do all 3 GTs next year then maybe they'll have a chance. They also signed Giampaolo Caruso during the season who'll be useful for that purpose once he can actually target the races Katyusha have planned for him.

 

[Bernardus]

He looked to perform domestique duties just fine on the tourmalet, and has the capacity to finish top 3 in other races...unlike szmyd and kiryilenka, depending on how far down you drop the standard. It's not an insult to call him a domestique, look at Frank Schleck, Kloden, Heras, and the list goes on.

Though you are right, it is likely he was co leader going in.

I never said that it's a bad thing to be a helper, some of them are my favorite riders. But saying Gesink was a domestique this Tour who will have to step it up to become a team leader is slightly bizarre. The way he was riding on the Tourmalet is how he will always ride, it has little to do with him being a domestique or a team leader. Next year without a rider like Menchov in his team, he'll just take the lead to ride his own tempo again.

 

[undencem]

HTC had Kirchen but I unfortunately that's a moot point.

Marco Pinotti(HTC Columbia) is a good GC contender for Grand Tours

I think Euskaltel Euskadi also needs sprinters and I am looking forward to see Haedo brothers(Saxobank) more in Grand Tours , challenging Cav.

New Lampre-ISD needs a top star for Grand Tours . Cunego is not enough !

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Marco Pinotti(HTC Columbia) is a good GC contender for Grand Tours

I think Euskaltel Euskadi also needs sprinters and I am looking forward to see Haedo brothers(Saxobank) more in Grand Tours , challenging Cav.

New Lampre-ISD needs a top star for Grand Tours . Cunego is not enough !

I wouldn't say Pinotti is a 'good' GC contender for Grand Tours, but he can do a job. He's not an upgrade on Kirchen in GT contention stakes, at least.

Euskaltel have a sprinter or two, but their selection policy kinda prohibits being able to properly go for sprints considering how little flat terrain there is in the Basque country.

Lampre-ISD have signed Scarponi, he'll be their top star for Grand Tours.

 

[Nick C.]

With Kirchen, if I quoted it would have been clearer, I was more referencing the hilly classics and uphill stages than GC. But a guy like Tony Martin you have no idea, if he can't climb, if he could but is missing a little something b/c he is doing leadout in the last 5 K, or if he doesn't bother b/c he needs to save himself for his real job which is the leadout.

 

[L'arriviste]

OK, lot's of replies on who's needed.

Who might not be needed? Here are just a few ideas for some half-baked or overcooked (not necessarily firm opinions and probably ignorant of individual circumstances):

Rabo - Brown
Sky - Pauwels, Calzati, Portal
Katusha - Karpets
RShack - McCartney
Cervélo - Klier

 

[ingsve]

Cervélo - Klier

You're kidding right? He's the backbone of their classics team and has the role of road captain in the classics. He would be a superb addition to any classics team.

 

[Luis Ocaña]

SBS needs a Top Top Top Top climber who can pace Contador in the very high mountains at Frank's level... They have Chris Anker and Dani but... they are not at the same level of Frank... also SBS is needing more rider for cobbles classics... with O'grady, Breschel out... they lost a lot of power...

Mission impossible. No one of Frank's level and with any kind of ambition will ever ride in a domestique role.

OmegaPharma needs ppl for high mountains w/o Dani Moreno They lost the better climber that they had...

Actually, Peraud is even a better climber than Dani. Missed out on the TdF because of an injury, but lined up in the Vuelta. No idea about his form, though.

The OP-L squad for 2011 will be very well balanced. JVDB for the TdF, Gilbert for the classics, Greipel for the bunch sprints and young Belgian talent (Bakelants, De Greef) for the Giro/Vuelta.

 

[Rocksteady]

Thanks for all the great info guys (and gals). Any thoughts on LeakyGas? Another sprinter perhaps with the loss of Chicchi and Doping investigations on Petacchi?

Or some Classics riders?