Where will Bmc get their 1st win?

[Ferminal]

Their home tour.

 

[rick bensco]

Big George will get a win in Cali. CE will not have a team again in the Giro and therefore BMC will have only one win all year until maybe a lucky day at the TDF.

 

[Tugboat]

Cadel or Hincapie should ride the Nevada City Classic... if Armstrong can win there, it must be easy pickings.

 

[movingtarget]

Bmc

Should be able to pick up a stage of the Giro or better and possibly a stage of the Tour of California. Evan's has the abilty to win Liege or Fleche but there are always a couple of riders better on the day. Evan's sometimes goes a little early at the finish but he really does not have a choice because he cannot outkick the better sprinters even on the hills. I think Evan's should risk attacks from a long way out and rely more on his time trial abilities as he is too closely marked near the end of races. Some of the Russian riders have had good wins by using those tactics. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Take a risk.

 

[Notso Swift]

Ok, wait a second. BMC was a pro continental team last year. They were racing Gila and one or two Euro races when they could get an invite.

Sure, now they've added some pro caliber talent, but let's face it. They're still in the building phase. Cut these guys some slack. They're not quite where OPL is right now.

I agree with this

As for Giro, 2 of the start list are out with the Lampre thing at the moment, guys that would have been really helpers (and they would have helped Kroon at Amstel, maybe Ballan being there would have meant Evans wasn't pulling turns 30 km for the finish and would have been better at the end (still 11th though... working for Kroon)

So the Euro Team (presume Romanie will be similar to Giro, that is normal) has a couple of guys in it that have never raced the top echelon of PT events, Monuments and just some smaller Classics/semi-classics
As all of us in the arm chair know that an extra 60 km (and 5 kph...) make a little bit of a difference... just a little

IMHO Cadel went to BMC to take some pressure OFF himself, because they are NOT expected to set the world on fire.
After all he has been doing the last few years basically solo any way (OK Horner was a good domestic, but none of the others seemed to make the last climb)

BMC only really have the capacity to field one good team at the moment, splitting it isn't a wise move, IMO.... but then a cycling team is more about selling product than wins, I know my LBS has sold more BMC bikes this year than all of last year, and he did that by the end of the first quarter.

 

[Frosty]

Chance for a Cadel win on this stage?

http://www.tourderomandie.ch/main/course/parcours-etapes/profils-des-etapes/etape-3/index.html

Not sure who else is riding though.

FWIW i was looking at betfair last night and they had Evans down as the favourite for the overall at the Giro. Looking down the list of other contenders though it doesnt look like the strongest field. Just think the team support might be the crucial factor

 

[auscyclefan94]

Ok, wait a second. BMC was a pro continental team last year. They were racing Gila and one or two Euro races when they could get an invite.

Sure, now they've added some pro caliber talent, but let's face it. They're still in the building phase. Cut these guys some slack. They're not quite where OPL is right now.

I think OPL lotto only having 1 win up to now is much more dissapoining than bmc not winning yet. For the star riders in Lotto, they should be doing much better.

Just to clarify, no romandie for evans.

Personally last night showed me that evans is in good shape.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think OPL lotto only having 1 win up to now is much more dissapoining than bmc not winning yet. For the star riders in Lotto, they should be doing much better.

Just to clarify, no romandie for evans.

Personally last night showed me that evans is in good shape.

Lotto haven't had a bad season though. Hoste's been a huge letdown, sure, but Gilbert's won the first race he's approached with anything like full commitment, Peraud was top 10 in Paris-Nice and top 5 in País Vasco... that duck egg next to the win column was the only real monkey on the back.

Evans looks to be in good shape, so he's coming into form at the right time, but as has been noted before, he's got a support squad that, to be honest, makes Lotto look like they fully backed him.

As for this-

IMHO Cadel went to BMC to take some pressure OFF himself, because they are NOT expected to set the world on fire.

The only problem is that people like acf94 built up huge expectations of what Cadel would now be able to achieve because of the monkey off his back re: a really high profile major win (the Worlds), and what he could now do with a team that fully backed him... and yet expectations have had to be progressively lowered as it emerges that BMC really aren't that strong, and have no depth to their squad. acf94 is the eternal optimist re: Cadel though, and always trumps him up as a potential winner for each race. Part of me wants Cadel to win the Giro so that, you know, at the end of his career he can look back on it and say that he did at least achieve some of his potential, with a World Championship and a Grand Tour, but then again he'll be racing against riders I like, like Sastre, so I don't want him to win. It'd be a real shame for him if his fascination with the Tour meant that the Worlds was his only major win, because he is too good a bike rider to retire without adding anything major to that palmarès.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Lotto haven't had a bad season though. Hoste's been a huge letdown, sure, but Gilbert's won the first race he's approached with anything like full commitment, Peraud was top 10 in Paris-Nice and top 5 in País Vasco... that duck egg next to the win column was the only real monkey on the back.

Evans looks to be in good shape, so he's coming into form at the right time, but as has been noted before, he's got a support squad that, to be honest, makes Lotto look like they fully backed him.

As for this-


The only problem is that people like acf94 built up huge expectations of what Cadel would now be able to achieve because of the monkey off his back re: a really high profile major win (the Worlds), and what he could now do with a team that fully backed him... and yet expectations have had to be progressively lowered as it emerges that BMC really aren't that strong, and have no depth to their squad. acf94 is the eternal optimist re: Cadel though, and always trumps him up as a potential winner for each race. Part of me wants Cadel to win the Giro so that, you know, at the end of his career he can look back on it and say that he did at least achieve some of his potential, with a World Championship and a Grand Tour, but then again he'll be racing against riders I like, like Sastre, so I don't want him to win. It'd be a real shame for him if his fascination with the Tour meant that the Worlds was his only major win, because he is too good a bike rider to retire without adding anything major to that palmarès.

SAying BMC have no to little depth is wrong. I think they are a young squad.
Barton 21
Beyer 23
Bookwalter 26
Frank 23
Frei 25
Kohler 24
Kristoff 22
Murphy 25
Schar 23
Wyss 24

48% of the current team are under 26. Their younger riders have actually shown a bit more than the older guys. Just going on past results you can see why Evans would be a favourite at leige or fleche and why he can win. Then you chuck in what he did last night and there you go.

I think calling me the "eternal optimist" is a very funny but kind and true of putting my support. Appreciate that you just don't slag him off like others do!

 

[tgsgirl]

SAying BMC have no to little depth is wrong. I think they are a young squad.

How is "they are young" evidence that saying they have little depth is incorrect?

 

[auscyclefan94]

How is "they are young" evidence that saying they have little depth is incorrect?

depth is to do with the quality of riders and how they can ride. nothing wrong with the quality of riders but lack experience.

 

[powderpuff]

+1 agreed Timmy....if Cadel doesnt get a win this weekend ..then Romandie might be their first win this season..

Not racing Romandie as far as I know

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not racing Romandie as far as I know

blaxland is one of the converted, he has come to see the light and has learned to love evans!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

But at present, that lack of experience affects the quality of the support they can offer Cadel, and therefore there is little depth to the squad. The loss of Ballan and Santambrogio has exposed them. They've spent out on a thimbleful of big names, and while the youngsters have potential, beyond that thimbleful of big names they don't have anybody you can rely on for results like other teams have. There is no 'plan B' for BMC, because they don't have backup riders of sufficient quality. It isn't like Saxo or Liquigas or Katyusha where, if the main target rider is underperforming there's a good follow-up option, it's that, if Evans (or Ballan or Kroon or Hincapie, depending on which race) underperforms, the team fail their objectives. That's what I mean by lacking depth.

 

[auscyclefan94]

But at present, that lack of experience affects the quality of the support they can offer Cadel, and therefore there is little depth to the squad. The loss of Ballan and Santambrogio has exposed them. They've spent out on a thimbleful of big names, and while the youngsters have potential, beyond that thimbleful of big names they don't have anybody you can rely on for results like other teams have. There is no 'plan B' for BMC, because they don't have backup riders of sufficient quality. It isn't like Saxo or Liquigas or Katyusha where, if the main target rider is underperforming there's a good follow-up option, it's that, if Evans (or Ballan or Kroon or Hincapie, depending on which race) underperforms, the team fail their objectives. That's what I mean by lacking depth.

+1

Surely by now evans knows what it is like to be lonely on climbs.

It is also a bit harder for evans in that sense as BMC could be seen as 1 dimensional.

 

[tgsgirl]

depth is to do with the quality of riders and how they can ride. nothing wrong with the quality of riders but lack experience.

You don't know that it's just experience they're lacking. So far Jeff Louder and Brent Bookwalter - to pick two random names - aren't setting the world on fire nor showing any signs that they will, someday. From the top of my head, the only BMC youngsters which I find worth taking note off are Alexander Kristoff and Danilo Wyss (and the latter is probably because he got me some unexpected fantasy game points in TDU).

But, yeah, I'm willing to cut the kids some slack because they're young. This wasn't about the depth of the riders though, but about the depth of the team as a whole.

 

[Jonathan]

The Giro has a lot of stages, and some of them are decided in a more traditional style, if you know what I mean. I expect BMC can take at least one of them. In my opinion, their riders are not favorites for the Ardennes classics, although Evans surprised me positively in Limburg.

By the way, there is no option for the Henninger Turm, but BMC has a serious contender there. Could be their first.

 

[powderpuff]

BMC already have a win, they signed Cadel and are getting more media time than they could have hoped for. Sure they are yet to win on the road but that will come, they have been selected for the TdF, Giro and just about every other major race; what better result could someone trying to draw attention to their team and sponsors want. BMC is a young team and they will be stretched to the limit over the next couple of months but with time they could evolve into a pretty damn good team.

The continual bagging of Cadel will continue but hey that's life in forumland. But Cadel is now being talked about for his racing and the positive nature of it, not about him not getting on with his team.

 

[auscyclefan94]

You don't know that it's just experience they're lacking. So far Jeff Louder and Brent Bookwalter - to pick two random names - aren't setting the world on fire nor showing any signs that they will, someday. From the top of my head, the only BMC youngsters which I find worth taking note off are Alexander Kristoff and Danilo Wyss (and the latter is probably because he got me some unexpected fantasy game points in TDU).

But, yeah, I'm willing to cut the kids some slack because they're young. This wasn't about the depth of the riders though, but about the depth of the team as a whole.

Can't say I agree with you. Louder is 35 and booklwalter was late into cycling supposedly.

Frank, Frei and Chad Beyer you can also take note of for the future. Not sure about any others in the pro ranks for bmc.

 

[tgsgirl]

Louder's 35? Ha, didn't know that Maybe I have him confused with someone else... maybe I'm just stupid.

And I'm not saying Frank & Frei (did they sign both for comedy value?) are bad riders, just that the only one out of BMC I'd put in a "new great young kids" list alongside the likes of Sagan, Keukeleire*, Modolo and Sicard, is Alexander Kristoff.


*probably can't use his real name here, can I LibertySeguros

 

[Fourier]

Wasn't Hincapie BMC's man for the spring classics?
Inspired by Cadel's win in the WC, they are now attempting to set him up for a win in a one-day race. Maybe that's not really the right move.

 

[powderpuff]

Wasn't Hincapie BMC's man for the spring classics?
Inspired by Cadel's win in the WC, they are now attempting to set him up for a win in a one-day race. Maybe that's not really the right move.

Cadel has always liked FW and LBL; BMC is not trying anything new, its a time of the season when Cadel really likes to challenge himself to see what level he is at.

 

[Archibald]

reckon their first win will come from someone like Kroon or even Wyss in a smaller event than those listed...

or are wins counting for only pro-tour events?

 

[mortand]

By the way, there is no option for the Henninger Turm, but BMC has a serious contender there. Could be their first.

They're not participating in that race, apparently. That's unfortunate, seeing Karsten Kroon's at least looking like he's heading for some kind of form, and Henninger Turm's his race (if any).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It's the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt actually

I used to live on the route, just as they're coming back towards the city centre. I like the new finish too - much better spot for it, really scenic, nice wide roads, and not as far from the gradients. The Mammolshain is an absolute crippler of a climb.