World Tour Wildcards 2024

[Samu Cuenca]

one last ride for Euskaltel before they'll need to be top40 and top30 to get a wild card in 2025-2026?

I think you mean the first ride in a long sequence

 

[pastronef]

I think you mean the first ride in a long sequence

I fully understand loving a team just because it exists, mainly because it WAS the old Euskaltel-Euskadi of Mayo, Laiseka, Zubeldia, Samu Sanchez, Etxebarria etc.
it changed a lot and Euskaltel is just the shadow of that team, while its fans are still there. it is very hard though, they, for now, are one of the weakest conti teams, so there's a lot of hard road to get where they need to be for the 2025 and 2026 wild cards

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I fully understand loving a team just because it exists, mainly because it WAS the old Euskaltel-Euskadi of Mayo, Laiseka, Zubeldia, Samu Sanchez, Etxebarria etc.
it changed a lot and Euskaltel is just the shadow of that team, while its fans are still there. it is very hard though, they, for now, are one of the weakest conti teams, so there's a lot of hard road to get where they need to be for the 2025 and 2026 wild cards

Sure, there's no doubt the team isn't as strong as its predecessor, and perhaps it will never ever reach those heights either. However none of the current Spanish ProTeams have any riders who looks like they could finish in the top 10 in the Vuelta right now, and when their riders start showing some potential, they'll likely lose them to Movistar or other WT teams before they get to that level anyway.

These new wildcard rules can either mean the teams get forced to up their game, which could benefit Spanish cycling in the long run, but it could also end up killing off some of the teams. Maybe that won't necessarily be a bad thing, if it means the remaining teams grow stronger. We'll have to wait and see.

I don't mind there being stricter rules, but I think it's stupid that a ProTeam now has to monitor the results of some conti teams that scores a lot of points in weird races and which will never ever be in contention for the WT wildcards. Simply make it a rule that only the top 10 amongst ProTeams, for instance, can receive wildcards or open it up to conti teams as well.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Dude, Calzati had 2 top 15s in mass sprints!!! (14th & 15th).
Otherwise they actually had a rider in the top 50 on some of the harder stages and their best GC rider managed to get a top 75.

The only good thing was that they managed to get with 8 out of 9 rider to Paris.

Don't forget this wonderful gem from the TV program Strip-tease, who followed Brioches La Boulangère (during the Voeckler-mania) and RAGT.

If you understand french, it's a must see:

View: https://youtu.be/HF_VHmgZqbA?si=BD9a7tf1Q6HSna4X

 

[pastronef]

so what's the situation for 2025? which pro-conti teams are in the top 30 at the end of 2024? (to get the 2025 invitations)

 

[Samamba]

so what's the situation for 2025? which pro-conti teams are in the top 30 at the end of 2024? (to get the 2025 invitations)

It's top 40 (top 30 next year), so no problem for any team that would maybe get invited somewhere. Corratec is out of it, but it's not like they would be getting a Giro WC anymore. Euskatel is also not that safe (37 right now), but they also won't get a WC for Vuelta anyways (it's Burgos and Caja next year)

The Italian scene will also be interesting next year. Polit and Bardiani are 29th and 28th. So by no means are they going ot be making the top 30 comfortably. Bardiani obviously loses Pelizzari, Polit maybe Piganzoli.

 

[pastronef]

It's top 40 (top 30 next year), so no problem for any team that would maybe get invited somewhere. Corratec is out of it, but it's not like they would be getting a Giro WC anymore. Euskatel is also not that safe (37 right now), but they also won't get a WC for Vuelta anyways (it's Burgos and Caja next year)

are we sure Kern won't get a wild card after the wild Vuelta they had? also (Clinic-related) Caja-Maynar investigation still not closed
ps. I think Euskaltel's owners and managers have let go any will and hope. they'll keep going with a very weak pro-conti team in 2025, and if things keep going this way, who knows if they just go down to continental, like Arabay/Nicemetropole/Efapel and ride the national calendar and some others invitations in Europe

 

[Samamba]

are we sure Kern won't get a wild card after the wild Vuelta they had? also (Clinic-related) Caja-Maynar investigation still not closed
ps. I think Euskaltel's owners and managers have let go any will and hope. they'll keep going with a very weak pro-conti team in 2025, and if things keep going this way, who knows if they just go down to continental, like Arabay/Nicemetropole/Efapel and ride the national calendar and some others invitations in Europe

Well obviously the clinic thing could always change thing, but there are deals made about this. And yes I expect Euskatel to go down the conti road pretty soon as they will never make the top 30 next year and thus no Vuelta (which basically seems the only reason why they're ProConti anyways).

 

[pastronef]

Well obviously the clinic thing could always change thing, but there are deals made about this. And yes I expect Euskatel to go down the conti road pretty soon as they will never make the top 30 next year and thus no Vuelta (which basically seems the only reason why they're ProConti anyways).

from what we see the Euskaltel management doesn't care anymore. they probably know how much money they can spend, and will float. conti team is what i think when I look at them. yu can't live on memories and hope like their fans do for ateam that's not even a shadow of what they were until 2013.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

And yes I expect Euskatel to go down the conti road pretty soon as they will never make the top 30 next year and thus no Vuelta (which basically seems the only reason why they're ProConti anyways).

As a Conti team they would miss out on Itulzia, I guess that race is also a big motivation for them to stay as PCT if it possible?

 

[pastronef]

let's say Arkea will go Pro-conti from 2026, and if they won't be the 2 top teams with guaranteed wild cards, ASO will have to pick either them or Total for the Tour wild cards. I feel 2026 will be hard for some teams

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Jean Delatour with most of the best riders from 2003 gone though.

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R.A.G.T. in 2004 scored about 30% of Jean Delatour 2003 points (the points system stayed roughly the same).

It's probably not unreasonable to say that R.A.G.T. were the worst team invited to the Tour in the last 25 years at least.

I was too young to remember in 2004 but in my memories the worst I remember is the 2011 Saur-Sojasun team.

 

[Samamba]

let's say Arkea will go Pro-conti from 2026, and if they won't be the 2 top teams with guaranteed wild cards, ASO will have to pick either them or Total for the Tour wild cards. I feel 2026 will be hard for some teams

Technically they could choose both... I don't think they would, but they could. It is very realistic that they both won't be in the top 2 of ProTeams tho. If Albanese and Champoussin leave, that's even less points, I just don't see them beating Tudor and ChinAstana. Their squad simply isn't good enough and there will be a bad vibe.

I do think it's pretty obvious one of those teams will fold if it's clear they won't be at the TDF. Arkea will probably lose their last good riders like Mozzato, Biermans, Vauquelin, etc. when they realize there's a big chance they won't even be able to ride a GT.