Why is Gerrans off TdeF squad

[volkswagen59]

Can anyone explain why Cervelo would leave Simon Gerrans out of their squad, especially when he's been in good form all season?

 

[Threshold]

he is tarnished by his association with LA... the Lance haters took revenge

 

[EricBikeCO]

There is more going on to this than we are told. Has to be. If you follow Twitter or Livestrong videos, he just spent 2 weeks with Lance and Levi in Aspen riding all kinds hideously steep stuff.

CTT has a great overall roster and the team they are sending seems strong. I fail to see how any one of those guys would be better at hauling Sastre around than Gerrans. He shredded at the Giro. Maybe they are afraid he's better than Sastre?

Being on form is sure not the only thing that gets you in. Look at Horner getting snubbed for Muravyey. 7 years pro. Fine. Palmares would be what? He has the most important experience of all - being Kazakh.

 

[ingsve]

People seem to miss the point that in a 25 man squad you need to share the jobs among the riders. You can't have the same guys in every race. Why should Gerrans get to ride both the Giro and the Tour when other domestiques that are at least equally good don't get to ride either?

Having ridden the Giro it's obvious that he wouldn't be the first choice to ride the Tour simply based on fair sharing of the workload.

 

[Jasper]

Fresh blood I say. Gerrans already did the Giro, and far from anonymous. He's also been racing almost non stop since february. That's a lot. We all know the Tour will most likely be decided in the final week, so why would the team DS take the risk of letting Sastre's chances on the critical moments depend on a domestique who might be over his limits and ends up being useless due to fatigue?

Sure, he might be gutted, sure you might be ****ed off because your favourite rider didn't make it into the Tour selection. But such things happen every year, and there's always a viable explanation. Why take it so personal? I mean, I'm a big fan of Serge Pauwels, who did a great job in the Giro as well. He's not going to the Tour, but you don't see me getting all angry

 

[issoisso]

Cervélo has three objectives:

1. Help Hushovd win stages
2. Help Sastre in the mountains
3. Help Sastre in the Team Time Trial

Gerrans is
1. Not a lead out man
2. Not a great climber
3. A pretty awful time triallist.

There's no reason to include Gerrans. At all.

You choose the riders that give the team the most toward those objectives. In that frame of mind, every one of the 7 chosen support riders offers more than Gerrans, and in most cases they offer something else which is extremely important and which Gerrans doesn't offer: experience.

 

[jonjungel]

Maybe they are afraid he's better than Sastre?

No, they are not. If Gerrans had been told to go for the GC, he would not make top 10. Probably not even top 20. Sastre will definately make top 10.

 

[Franklin]

I miss the "Gerrans is on the Uci list" option.

 

[Jasper]

There is more going on to this than we are told. Has to be. If you follow Twitter or Livestrong videos, he just spent 2 weeks with Lance and Levi in Aspen riding all kinds hideously steep stuff.

CTT has a great overall roster and the team they are sending seems strong. I fail to see how any one of those guys would be better at hauling Sastre around than Gerrans. He shredded at the Giro. Maybe they are afraid he's better than Sastre?

Yes. Gerrans is better than Sastre, and that's why Carlos fears him and plotted a plan to exclude him from the Tour team.


Seriously, these paranoid plots are funny to read. Riders from different teams train together all the time in their free time, it's ridiculous to think that Cervelo would target Gerrans for hanging around with some Astana boys prior to the Tour. Conflict of interests? I highly doubt it. Gerrans is a pro, he knows better.


Also, what Ingsve said.

 

[Bala Verde]

Yes. Gerrans is better than Sastre, and that's why Carlos fears him and plotted a plan to exclude him from the Tour team.


Seriously, these paranoid plots are funny to read. Riders from different teams train together all the time in their free time, it's ridiculous to think that Cervelo would target Gerrans for hanging around with some Astana boys prior to the Tour. Conflict of interests? I highly doubt it. Gerrans is a pro, he knows better.


Also, what Ingsve said.

+1

I also remember LA who encountered Hshvd in/around Nice on a training ride earlier this year. I think they rode the remainder of the training ride together. What the heck, Hshvd is still on the team!!! As you said, riders train together, perhpas because it's more enjoyable then to do your 6.5 hrs in the saddle all by yourself...

 

[Ibanez]

Maybe they are afraid he's better than Sastre?

Being on form is sure not the only thing that gets you in. Look at Horner getting snubbed for Muravyey. 7 years pro. Fine. Palmares would be what? He has the most important experience of all - being Kazakh.

Or maybe because Horner has barely had time to train after recovering from his crash at the Giro? I never thought he would get a spot. Love the guy, but it wasn't going to happen.

And yes, Gerrans is definitely on a level with Sastre now after 2 breakaway GT stage wins.

 

[Escarabajo]

There should be one more option to the poll: None of the Above.

 

[BroDeal]

Where is the option for bio passport problems?

For us seppos who don't understand which end of the pineapple is the rough end and what a fair shake of the sauce bottle is, what does "Simon Gerrans should give Cervelo the flick" mean?

 

[hfer07]

He might innocently thought that a "threesome Broad Back mounting" with the Astana boys could have been perceived as a cool thing to do since LA is an "Icon".....


but seriously: Those "training Sessions" with the Astana crew brought too many doubts on him, specially for Sastre, who knows well enough what takes place in those friendly trainings & dinners together with LA.

 

[AlHooKoo]

When I first heard Gerrans did not get the nod, I thought it was a poor decision. However, I have to agree with this previous post, well done.

Cervélo has three objectives:

1. Help Hushovd win stages
2. Help Sastre in the mountains
3. Help Sastre in the Team Time Trial

Gerrans is
1. Not a lead out man
2. Not a great climber
3. A pretty awful time triallist.

There's no reason to include Gerrans. At all.

 

[mherm79]

When I first heard Gerrans did not get the nod, I thought it was a poor decision. However, I have to agree with this previous post, well done.

Cervélo has three objectives:

1. Help Hushovd win stages
2. Help Sastre in the mountains
3. Help Sastre in the Team Time Trial

Gerrans is
1. Not a lead out man
2. Not a great climber
3. A pretty awful time triallist.

I agree with these guys.

Gerrans TdF and Giro stage wins where solo efforts, the wins meant nothing to his teams GC chances.

Gerrans should go to a french team where solo, tv coverage, efforts are the main TdF aim (i.e. FdJeux or Cofidis)

 

[stevepedo]

So the race accomplishments of Gerrans replacement is what exactly?

 

[karlboss]

So the race accomplishments of Gerrans replacement is what exactly?

who exactly is his replacement?

sastre GC obvious
hushovd, haussler, I'd say these two are more reliable picks for stage wins
roulston and lancaster with a TTT i'd say i'd pick these 2 over gerrans
Cuesta, Machante gomez, Gustov, can gerrans help more in the hills than any of these?

hence gerrans takes a break.

and to give the flick, means throw away. ie move to another team.

 

[atolfree]

As an aussie I would like to see Simon Gerrans @ le tour. Gerrans has had a good season so far, but maybe he needs some down time before a possible start in the Vuelta?

 

[Trev_S]

Cervélo has three objectives:

1. Help Hushovd win stages
2. Help Sastre in the mountains
3. Help Sastre in the Team Time Trial

Gerrans is
1. Not a lead out man
2. Not a great climber
3. A pretty awful time triallist.

There's no reason to include Gerrans. At all.

You choose the riders that give the team the most toward those objectives. In that frame of mind, every one of the 7 chosen support riders offers more than Gerrans, and in most cases they offer something else which is extremely important and which Gerrans doesn't offer: experience.

+1

As an Aussie I would certainly wish to see Gerrans at the TDF but the with the obvious team goals, unfortunately Gerrans doesn't fit the bill as described above.

 

[Trev_S]

what does "Simon Gerrans should give Cervelo the flick" mean?

It means : - Simon Gerrans should leave Cervelo"

 

[auscyclefan94]

+1

As an Aussie I would certainly wish to see Gerrans at the TDF but the with the obvious team goals, unfortunately Gerrans doesn't fit the bill as described above.

Gerrans would be good on the flats for carlos but unfortunately you guys are right. what i don't see is how Cuesta or Marchante or Gustov have the form to ride welll for sastre and better th. 8 out of 9 riders selected for the tour rode the tour de suisse. the only one who didn't ride in switzerland was sastre himself. surprised sastre didn't select pauwels for tour. mabee hes tired...

 

[fox1981]

someone remind me which stage Gerrans won in the TDF last year?

 

[whipple]

someone remind me which stage Gerrans won in the TDF last year?

Stage 15 from memory, finished up top of Prato Nevoso

 

[fox1981]

Thats a fairly big hill isn't it?