Here's Part 2 of Pavé's 2010 Tour de France Preview. You can read Part 1 here. Please share your comments and picks below.
AG2R
Like most of the French teams in this year’s Tour de France, AG2R comes to the race hoping to find relevance through stage wins, days spent in various leader’s jerseys, and maybe—if one of the riders proves particularly lucky—a top-15 placing in the final overall classification.
Last year, Rinaldo Nocentini saved the day in what would have been an otherwise anonymous showing for the squad. His eights day in yellow gave the team and its sponsors a solid week of good publicity in the midst of a race where the only excitement the team had been able to generate involved its terrible fashion sense.
This year, the bulk of last year’s Tour squad returns for AG2R with similar goals in its sights. Rinaldo Nocentini started the season on a tear, winning the Tour Méditerranéen and the first stage of the Tour du Haut Var before breaking his elbow in a crash in March. He’ll be on the hunt for an early breakaway, looking for a stage win, the polka dot jersey, and perhaps some more time in yellow.
The AG2R man you’ll hear the most about is Nicolas Roche. The 25-year-old Irishman, came close to winning two stages last year—he’s looking to put himself on the top step of a stage podium at least once. He’s also being touted as having an outside chance for a top-15 or top-20 overall placing in Paris. While I don’t quite see it, anything’s possible after you pass the first 15 or so overall contenders—all it takes is one big time gap in a breakaway and suddenly you’ve jumped 50 places (ask Oscar Pereiro or Davide Arroyo about that).
Man of the Hour: Roche leads a team of vagabonds and opportunists—there’s nothing standing between him and a stage win.
On the Hot Seat: Do you feel like John Gadret’s been knocking on the door of a major result for the past 3 or 4 years? He finished 13th in this year’s Giro d’Italia—does he have the legs for a top-15 in France or a stage win? Here’s a tip, John: follow Pierrick Fedrigo.
Up-and-Comer: AG2R’s chosen a roster of veterans with few true “up-and-comers” among them. Roche is an easy pick, but he’s received so much press of late that it’s hard to give him the label.
Just Happy to Be There: Considering he was thought by few to have a shot at returning in time for the Tour, Rinaldo Nocentini deserves credit for healing and riding himself into enough shape to come back in time for the event.
Feeling Left Out: I’m a bit surprised to see AG2R’s Tour veterans Cyril Dessel and Vladimir Efimkin were left off of this year’s squad—perhaps they feel the same?
Caisse d’Epargne
Eusebio Unzue has a bit of a problem. His title sponsor has announced it no longer intends to sponsor his Pro Tour squad and his best and most high-profile rider has just been suspended for 2 years for his “alleged” involvement in Operation Puerto. Clearly, this will be an important Tour de France for the Spanish team—if it wishes to avoid making it their last.
But there’s hope on the horizon, and his name is Luis Leon Sanchez. Sanchez has long been overshadowed by Valverde—and with good reason, as Valverde’s accolades and antics deserve the attention they have received. But with several major wins over the past few years, including some impressive results in weeklong stage races, it’s time to see what Sanchez can do in a grand tour when fully supported by his team.
Some might say that we’ve already seen what Sanchez can do—last year, for example, when Valverde was barred from racing in Italy and therefore had to skip the Tour. While I might tend to agree, I think Sanchez was still racing for stage wins more than GC success. He has two stages to his name now (from 2008 and 2009); it’s the perfect time to test his legs as an overall contender.
Sanchez can climb, time trial, and has the benefit of an experienced and dedicated team at his disposal. There’s no better time like the present to see if he can have his countrymen asking “Alejandro who?” by the end of July. The future of his team just might depend upon it.
Man of the Hour: Sanchez is entering his grand tour prime with a resume many riders would like have by the time they retired. Can he take his talent to the next level?
On the Hot Seat: Unzue’s been relatively quiet regarding his search for a new sponsor. That could be a good sign—or a very, very bad one.
Up-and-Comer: Rui Costa won Stage 8 of this year’s Tour de Suisse and then followed it up with the Portugese time trial championship. One of the youngest riders on Caisse d’Epargne, he gets his second shot after abandoning last year’s Tour before Stage 12. One interesting note: Costa was one of the lucky Caisse d’Epargne riders chosen to ride the cobbled classics this spring—he finished none of them.
Just Happy to Be There: At age 39, Christophe Moreau is in the twilight of his career and riding what is likely to be his final Tour de France. Can he go out with a bang?
Feeling Left Out: Alejandro Valverde’s missed the last two Tours de France. He still hopes to clear his name, but he might be better served by taking his lumps and resuming his career later.
Footon-Servetto
Have you ever gone on a blind date and quickly that realize you have nothing to talk about with the person sitting across from you?
Ring, Ring!
That’s how I’m feeling right now as I struggle to say something insightful about a squad most agree is in the Tour based less on merit and more on its Pro Tour contract.
Ring, Ring!
Footon’s won only a handful of races this year—unfortunately two of them were in Argentina and Australia (in January!), three were from the Circuit de Lorraine, and the last came in the 1.2 GP Judendorf-Strassengel.
Ring, Ring!
For Eros Capecchi, Manuel Cardoso, Markus Eibegger, Fabio Felline, and Iban Mayoz, the task will be simply making Footon’s presence felt—in breakaways, jersey competitions, and possibly, with a stage win.
Ring, Ring! I’m sorry I really have to take this.
Hello? ... What’s up? ... Really? Is he okay? ... Well, I’m with someone—can’t you take him? ... No? ... Okay, I’ll be right home. ... Yup, bye.
I hate to do this to you, but that was my roommate. Apparently my dog ate something on his walk tonight that’s made him pretty sick and I need to take him to the vet. My roommate’s late for work, otherwise he’d take him. This has been great, though. I’m pretty busy for the next 3 weeks or so, but let’s talk at the end of the month, okay?
Man of the Hour: Take your pick.
On the Hot Seat: Mauro Gianetti last brought a team to the Tour in 2008 with Saunier Duval. Left home last year, Gianetti—a man with a not-so-clean reputation—needs a scandal-free race in assure he’s invited again.
Up-and-Comer: Many of these men are riding their first Tours—while few merit consideration as true up-and-comer’s, let’s give Eros Capecchi credit for his second-place in the Dauphiné’s Stage 5 and 13th-place finish in his nation’s national championship. Could the all-rounder take a stage in France?
Just Happy to Be There: Fuji paid handsomely to sponsor Gianetti’s squad only to be left-out of last year’s race. This year they get a chance to—finally—reach the larger audience they were hoping for when they made the deal.
Feeling Left Out: Vacansoleil, Skil-Shimano, and Saur-Sojasun, the three teams who deserved to be in the race more than Footon-Servetto.
Garmin-Transitions
Don’t be fooled—despite its publicized GC aspirations, Garmin’s 2010 Tour roster is built around Tyler Farrar. Robert Hunter and Martijn Maaskant are in; Tom Danielson and Daniel Martin are out—that looks to me like the makings of a team for sprints, not mountains. With Mark Cavendish riding a notch or two below where he was last year, the time is right for Farrar to take the next step in his ascension as a field sprinter. Like Columbia-HTC last year, Garmin has—on paper at least—a squad that can control most flatter stages well into their latter phases, delivering it’s American star to the line in time to take what could be multiple stage wins.
Farrar’s been riding well enough as of late to even garner attention as an early contender for the yellow jersey. He’ll likely put himself in contention with a solid ride in the Prologue, possibly taking yellow as early as Stage 1. He should lose time in Stage 2, but Stage 3 might be another day suited to his talents—he’s a classics rider in the making who performed well in several cobbled races this spring.
All in all, look for Farrar to have earned Garmin its first two (yes, I said two) Tour stage wins by the end of the first week—thanks largely in part to the efforts of his teammates.
As for the GC, Bradley is Wiggins has left for Team Sky, leaving Christian Vande Velde to fend for himself in the mountains. Vande Velde claims to be in fine shape despite a broken collarbone in the Giro and a quiet Tour de Suisse. He’s not expected by many to have a serious shot at a high placing in Paris, something that might suit him as the race progresses and he can quietly follow wheels. A third-consecutive top-10 would be a fine result for the veteran American—a late-race stage win would be even better.
And the rest of the squad? David Zabriskie impressed in the final time trial in Switzerland—does he have another Prologue-winning ride in his legs? Johan Vansummeren is without a doubt my favorite domestique in the peloton—expect to see him pulling on the pavé and in the mountains—a stage win for the Belgian would be a welcome sight. And then there’s David Millar. It’s been a year of redemptive rides with Alexandre Vinokourov and Ivan Basso taking big wins—can Millar add a “clean” stage win to his resumé?
Man of the Hour: Tyler Farrar has just about an entire team built for him. Last year he learned how to contest field sprints in the Tour; now it’s time for him to win some.
On the Hot Seat: Christian Vande Velde gets a lot of credit from Jonathan Vaughters before each Tour, but much less following it. Following Vaughters’ unsuccessful bids to retain Bradley Wiggins and sign Alberto Contador, it’s safe to wonder just how much faith JV really has in Vande Velde’s Tour chances. Wiggins’ late departure all but assured Vande Velde one more year of Tour captaincy, but unless he pulls the result of a lifetime, look for this chance to be his last.
Up-and-Comer: This squad is built for success—now. There’s no more room for up-and-comers.
Just Glad to Be There: Martijn Maaskant’s top rides in the 2008 editions of Flanders and Roubaix are looking more and like flukes. Will Maaskant do enough to remain with the team for another year?
Feeling Left-Out: Daniel Martin was likely told last year that this year would be his Tour debut. How much longer will Martin be content to wait for his first crack at the Tour?
La Francaise des Jeux
FDJ’s Tour aspirations read much like other French teams with one exception: they actually have a candidate for a high overall placing in Paris thanks to Christophe Le Mevel. Last year’s 10th-place finisher, Le Mevel impressed many with a gutsy ride through the final week to hold onto his placing. Brimming with confidence, he returns this year hoping to prove he’s no one hit wonder.
As for the rest of the team, the usual stage win suspects abound, led by Sandy “Stop Talking About the Damn Dog” Casar and Remi “I Promise I’ll Win Something Someday” DiGregorio. In fact, from top to bottom, FDJ has a roster so jammed with opportunists that it looks as if Le Mevel will be left to his own devices in repeating last year’s top-10 ride. Either his team doesn’t think he has it in him, or they consider a stage win a more important goal.
Man of the Hour: Le Mevel’s been touted as France’s best (and only?) hope for a high placing in Paris—an honor he seems eager to accept. Le Mevel rode well in the Dauphiné, finishing 14th overall and riding with the leaders on the tough final two stages before finishing second in the French road championships. While 10th might be just about the best he can do in the Tour, adding a stage win would certainly warm the hearts of his countrymen—and sponsors.
On the Hot Seat: Okay, Monsieur DiGregorio, it’s time to show your mettle—or risk spending the rest of your career riding for Big Mat. You finished 19th in the Dauphiné and 19th on the Alpe d’Huez—but that’s far from what has been expected of you. A Tour stage, and all will be forgotten—at least until next year.
Up-and-Comer: The youngest rider on FDJ’s Tour roster, Wesley Sulzberger tackles his first Tour de France this July. Given the success English-speaking riders have enjoyed this season, it’s easy to see Sulzberger breaking through for his first big win.
Just Happy to Be There: Mathieu Ladagnous seems to have peaked a bit too early this season—as in, Etoile des Besseges-early. Either Marc Madiot knows something we don’t, or Ladagnous better make the best of his chances this July.
Feeling Left Out: His best days might have passed him by, but it’s a shame we won’t see 1997 Roubaix-winner Frédéric Guesdon on the pavé in Stage 3. Guesdon looked to be in fine shape during this spring’s early classics, but hasn’t done much since aside from a fifth-place in Stage 3 of the Route du Sud. Does a place behind the wheel of a team car beckon?
And that's it for Part 2! Come back tomorrow for Part 3.
Share your comments and insights below.
Showing posts with label garmin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garmin. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Monday Musette - Special Wednesday Edition
With so much going on this week, I thought a special edition of the Musette was in order. Here we go:
1. Tyler Farrar won today’s Scheldeprijs, continuing the fine form he’s displayed so far during this year’s Belgian Classics. It’s Farrar’s second win of the season following his victory in Stage 3a of the 3-Days of DePanne. More importantly, it’s the young American’s fifth major top-10 result on Belgian soil this season following his 3rd-place finish in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 9th-place in Ghent-Wevelgem, and 5th-place in the Tour of Flanders. All Tyler needs now is a solid finish in Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix to cap a fantastic spring for the Garmin rider. With Roubaix being a race known to favor the strong and powerful, Farrar’s streak might not be over.
As for the race itself, it pretty much went as expected. Filippo Pozzato was a last-minute addition to the start list; he finished in one of the front groups along with several other favorites for the Hell of the North on Sunday. Tom Boonen did hit the deck with about 37km to go, but was able to rejoin the leaders with enough time left to still finish 18th. I was a bit surprised to see Andre Greipel finish so poorly—especially after his team (and his mouth) worked so hard to position himself for the win.
2. Lost in the hoopla surrounding Sunday’s Tour of Flanders was an interesting Tweet from George Hincapie following some criticism he received from a fan via a comment at Podium Cafe.
First this:
Then this:
Not too sure if any of it's earth-shattering, but I find it interesting that the line between riders and fans grows increasingly thin thanks to sites like Twitter.
3. And speaking of George, check this out from his first year at Roubaix. Tears for Gears is a terrific site for fans of the 1990’s--it’s helping me getting over throwing away my old copies of Winning Magazine.
4. In case you missed it, here's this again:
5. The Tour of the Basque Country is underway, and all signs point to the controversial Alejandro Valverde having a terrific Ardennes campaign. Oscar Freire and Garmin’s young squad seem poised for some nice results as well. Freire currently leads the GC, but tomorrow’s “Queen” stage looks certain to shake things up. Stay-tuned.
6. Speaking of Pais Vasco, Francesco Gavazzi won today’s stage for Lampre, a squad in an uncomfortable spot thanks to some doping products found in the home of Lorenzo Bernucci. According to Bernucci, the products belong to his wife and brother. Sure they do, Lorenzo.
Some are already talking about Lampre being booted from the Tour—could Vacansoleil finally get its chance?
7. And last, but not least, I did a fantastic ride this past weekend called the Hell of Hunterdon. If you happen to live near Philadelphia, you need to participate in next year’s edition (or for that matter, in this year’s edition of its sister-event, the Fool’s Classic). Just over 76 miles in length, the ride includes about 12 miles (18 sections) of some of New Jersey’s finest unpaved and gravel roads—like L’Eroica, but without the wine, costumes, and vintage bikes. If you plan on doing Battenkill next year, you’re a fool if you don’t ride the HoH as training.
The ride’s organization was smooth and efficient, and free beer and pizza were offered to all finishers. While I was a guest of the organizer, the registration fee was nominal for such a wonderful day—especially for those who pre-registered. Better still, of the 100 or so people registered in advance, 28 of them won raffle prizes from companies including Lazer, Belgum Budder, and Classic Cycling Essentials. Be sure to bookmark the event’s website, and add it to your calendar for next spring.
8. And by the way, I'm looking for a pair of 700x23 Vittoria Open Tubular CX's with black rubber and tan/skin sidewalls.
I've also been inspired by a recent Twitter conversation to track down some Briko Stingers or Zens.
Drop me a line at paveblog@gmail.com if you think you can help me out.
Have a great Wednesday--our Paris-Roubaix coverage begins tomorrow!
1. Tyler Farrar won today’s Scheldeprijs, continuing the fine form he’s displayed so far during this year’s Belgian Classics. It’s Farrar’s second win of the season following his victory in Stage 3a of the 3-Days of DePanne. More importantly, it’s the young American’s fifth major top-10 result on Belgian soil this season following his 3rd-place finish in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, 9th-place in Ghent-Wevelgem, and 5th-place in the Tour of Flanders. All Tyler needs now is a solid finish in Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix to cap a fantastic spring for the Garmin rider. With Roubaix being a race known to favor the strong and powerful, Farrar’s streak might not be over.
As for the race itself, it pretty much went as expected. Filippo Pozzato was a last-minute addition to the start list; he finished in one of the front groups along with several other favorites for the Hell of the North on Sunday. Tom Boonen did hit the deck with about 37km to go, but was able to rejoin the leaders with enough time left to still finish 18th. I was a bit surprised to see Andre Greipel finish so poorly—especially after his team (and his mouth) worked so hard to position himself for the win.
2. Lost in the hoopla surrounding Sunday’s Tour of Flanders was an interesting Tweet from George Hincapie following some criticism he received from a fan via a comment at Podium Cafe.
First this:
Then this:
Not too sure if any of it's earth-shattering, but I find it interesting that the line between riders and fans grows increasingly thin thanks to sites like Twitter.
3. And speaking of George, check this out from his first year at Roubaix. Tears for Gears is a terrific site for fans of the 1990’s--it’s helping me getting over throwing away my old copies of Winning Magazine.
4. In case you missed it, here's this again:
5. The Tour of the Basque Country is underway, and all signs point to the controversial Alejandro Valverde having a terrific Ardennes campaign. Oscar Freire and Garmin’s young squad seem poised for some nice results as well. Freire currently leads the GC, but tomorrow’s “Queen” stage looks certain to shake things up. Stay-tuned.
6. Speaking of Pais Vasco, Francesco Gavazzi won today’s stage for Lampre, a squad in an uncomfortable spot thanks to some doping products found in the home of Lorenzo Bernucci. According to Bernucci, the products belong to his wife and brother. Sure they do, Lorenzo.
Some are already talking about Lampre being booted from the Tour—could Vacansoleil finally get its chance?
7. And last, but not least, I did a fantastic ride this past weekend called the Hell of Hunterdon. If you happen to live near Philadelphia, you need to participate in next year’s edition (or for that matter, in this year’s edition of its sister-event, the Fool’s Classic). Just over 76 miles in length, the ride includes about 12 miles (18 sections) of some of New Jersey’s finest unpaved and gravel roads—like L’Eroica, but without the wine, costumes, and vintage bikes. If you plan on doing Battenkill next year, you’re a fool if you don’t ride the HoH as training.
The ride’s organization was smooth and efficient, and free beer and pizza were offered to all finishers. While I was a guest of the organizer, the registration fee was nominal for such a wonderful day—especially for those who pre-registered. Better still, of the 100 or so people registered in advance, 28 of them won raffle prizes from companies including Lazer, Belgum Budder, and Classic Cycling Essentials. Be sure to bookmark the event’s website, and add it to your calendar for next spring.
8. And by the way, I'm looking for a pair of 700x23 Vittoria Open Tubular CX's with black rubber and tan/skin sidewalls.
I've also been inspired by a recent Twitter conversation to track down some Briko Stingers or Zens.
Drop me a line at paveblog@gmail.com if you think you can help me out.
Have a great Wednesday--our Paris-Roubaix coverage begins tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Pavé's 2010 Season Preview - Part 2 (Teams 15-11)
Here's Part 2 of Pavé's 2010 Season Preview. Today we're profiling teams 15-11 in our ranking. For teams 20-16, click here. Share your comments below!
But let’s face it, this is a team built around Damiano Cunego, a man who needs to dial-in his training a bit more to ensure his peaks line-up with his goals. The first order of business for Cunego—if he can stay healthy and avoid more falls like the one suffered recently in the Ruta del Sol—is Liege-Bastogne-Liege, a race he’s been “targeting” for years. If he wins, Lampre’s spring is an overwhelming success. From there, maybe the Giro and or Tour beckon Cunego, perhaps he steals a stage win or two before building once again for the autumn classics—and possibly Worlds.
Cunego has the talent to win races in a fashion similar to Alejandro Valverde; their impending showdown in the Ardennes will be a treat if they both arrive in form. The risk with Cunego is his inability to stick to his targets—or hit them squarely. He’s often peaks too early, something he’ll need to avoid in order to win Liege or the Tour of Lombardy. Hopefully he learned his lessons after 2009.
Man of the Hour: Without a doubt, Damiano Cunego.
On the Hot Seat: Giuseppe Saronni’s the man behind Lampre, and if he wants to keep his team in good shape he’ll need to do a better job than he did this past off-season. Essentially trading Ballan for Petacchi and Hondo is a bit of a desperate move; in effect trading quality wins for a quantity of wins. That might work for some, but when your title sponsor’s been backing you for over 20 years, they have a right to expect more.
Up-and-Comer: Diego Ulissi turns pro this year after several years as an amateur in Italy. Only 20 years old, Ulissi’s best known for winning the Junior World Road Race Championship in both 2006 and 2007. The only other person to do that? Giuseppe Palumbo. Here’s hoping Ulissi makes a better pro than he did.
Best Pick-up: He might have lost a step or two, but Alessandro Petacchi’s not entirely washed-up. He’ll earn Lampre wins on home soil, hopefully adding one or two more Giro stage wins to his total. Aside from the Giro, domestic one-day and stage races are his bread and butter now; the presence of Hondo gives him a lead-out man the lesser Italian competition will be hard-pressed to overcome.
Biggest Loss: Losing Alessandro Ballan takes away the first half of Lampre’s one-two punch for the spring classics, and further isolates team leader Damiano Cunego in fall races like the Vuelta and the Tour of Lombardy. If Ballan takes another Flanders—or better still, Paris-Roubaix—for BMC, Saronni will have a lot of explaining to do.
#14 – Radio Shack
Some will say I ranked this squad too low. But look at the facts—this team is built for one thing and one thing only: Lance Armstrong. Geert Steegmans was signed to give the team at least somewhat of a presence in the classics, but he’s already proven to be too fragile to be counted upon. Levi Leipheimer will win the Tour of California and maybe fare well in the Dauphiné and Vuelta and Andreas Kloden gets the Tour of Romandy and the Tour de Suisse. But those options aside, this team is built entirely around improving Lance’s chances to win an 8th Tour.
Unfortunately, his chances don’t look very good—at least on paper. For one, Lance is old. Yes, he raced to 3rd last year after several years off the bike. But whatever he gains this year from having another year of racing under his belt, he loses by virtue of being another year older. Worse, while he’s maturing, so are his main competitors. That levels the playing field, right? It would if Lance’s opponents were also pushing 40. But they’re approaching 30, the peak of most Grand Tour cyclists’ careers. So while Lance inches further and further away from his best years, his main challengers grow nearer and nearer to theirs. That’s not good. So, while most of 2010 might be a fun trip down memory lane for Lance, Bruyneel, and their boys, July might not prove to be the kind of trip they were expecting.
Man of the Hour: Is there really any doubt? Radio Shack hinges entirely upon the success of Lance Armstrong. All eyes are on him in every race he enters.
On the Hot Seat: I could say Lance, but he’s known for not letting pressure get to him. Instead, I’ll say Geert Steegmans. It was only 2 years ago when everyone thought Steegmans was the next greatest Belgian field sprinter/classics rider. Then came his move to Katusha, and it all went downhill from there. Steegmans seems to be a bit fragile to me—he’s already been all-but-ruled-out of the Omloop this weekend—and he seems to struggle when things don’t develop exactly as he was expecting. That said, he’s now riding for one of the most organized and best-directed teams in the sport—he’s running out of excuses.
Up-and-Comer: This one’s tougher to call as many of Radio Shack’s signings were relatively unknown before signing with Radio Shack, of course. Ivan Rovny finished 3rd in last year’s GP Isbergues, a hard man’s race at a time of year when the best one-day riders in northern Europe are gearing-up for Worlds. I’ll be watching him closely this spring.
Best Pick-up: Sébastien Rosseler has already rewarded the faith shown by Bruyneel with a stage win in last week’s Volta Algarve. I’m curious to see how he fares without Steegmans in Saturday’s Omloop. He’s a powerful rider, and he benefitted from several years at Quick Step. He could turn-out to be one of this weekend’s biggest surprises.
Biggest Loss: The Shack’s a new team; we’ll have to save this one for next year.
#13 – Garmin – Transitions
While on the ride, Garmin’s still not quite there when compared to the truly elite teams in the sport. There’s enough potential on the roster to easily make Jonathan Vaughters’ squad one of the top five or six in the world, but until we start seeing more wins we’ll have to be satisfied with just wondering “what if”.
Of Garmin’s potential big hitters, Tyler Farrar has the best chance to launch the squad into the big time. Perhaps no other rider showed more steady improvement throughout 2009. Tyler started the year with a win in Tirreno-Adriatico, before contesting the bunch sprints in the Tour, where he was a consistent top-5 finisher. August was his finest month, bringing wins in the Benelux Tour as well as the Hamburg Pro Tour event. The year ended with stage wins at Franco-Belge and of course, a win in the Vuelta. All in all, these were solid results—a season well done. Now though, it’s time for Farrar—and the rest of this relatively young squad—to take the next step.
A win in one of the monuments would start things off on the right foot. Farrar will certainly come to Milan-San Remo and possibly several of the cobbled classics (Ghent-Wevelgem) to follow as a favorite. With the experienced support of men like Julian Dean, Ryder Hesjedal, Martijn Maaskant, Johan Vansummeren, and Matt Wilson, Garmin could even be an outside player at Roubaix.
From there, the Grand Tours beckon, a place where the departure of Bradley Wiggins will certainly be felt. Christian Vande Velde has placed well in the last two Tours de France, and will continue to lead the team while younger riders like Daniel Martin gain experience. For Vande Velde, a top-5 in a fully-stacked Tour would be a terrific result—especially if it comes with a stage win (from anyone), and is perhaps at least one spot better than Wiggins (revenge is dish best served in July).
Garmin’s wild cards are David Zabriskie and Tom Danielson, two riders known for the sharp contrasts between their highs and lows. When going well, both have the ability to dominate their given disciplines; however, sickness, crashes, poor judgment, and just plain bad luck seem to target these two just when they appear to be hitting their stride. Perhaps 2010 will be the year they put all the bad voodoo behind them.
Man of the Hour: Tyler Farrar is America’s best chance for the a win in a major classic since George Hincapie—America’s other best chance for a win in a major classic. Farrar’s got the team he needs for success. Should he strike-out this spring, he’ll have the Tour to make amends, but the odds are bit longer there, as Mark Cavendish seems pretty unbeatable.
On the Hot Seat: I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, this year has to be Tom Danielson’s last chance to prove he’s worth keeping around. He was on track to end last season on a high note before succumbing to a stomach virus in the Vuelta. He’s started 2010 well with some promising showings in France. If he can pull it together in time for a top-10 finish in the Giro, he might earn his place on the Tour team in July. And from there, it’s anybody’s guess.
Up-and-Comer: Sometimes I wonder if Jonathan Vaughters spends more time thinking about the future than thinking about the present. That said, the signings of Jack Bobridge and Michael Kreder insures the strength of the squad over the next 5 years. Bobridge tore-up the track a few weeks ago in Australia and deepen an already strong time trial squad. Kreder’s performed well this past weekend in the Tour du Haut Var.
Best Pick-up: Johan Vansummeren will prove worth his weight in gold by mid-July. He’s a rouleur in every sense of the word—a proven performer on the pavé, he can sit on the front of a group for hours, slowly tapping away at a break’s lead. If Garmin wins both Roubaix and a Tour stage, I bet they’ll owe it all to this guy.
Biggest Loss: Bradley Wiggins might not do better than his 4th place in the 2009 Tour, but his presence certainly helped Christian Vande Velde (sometimes 2 heads are better than one) as well as Garmin’s TTT squad. While Vaughters made the right choice in letting him flee to greener pastures (his price was too expensive), the squad lost some depth as a result.
#12 – Quick Step
It’s not good when your top Grand Tour rider’s name is Kevin Seeldraeyers. No offense to the guy, but one top-15 finish in a Grand Tour is hardly anything to write home about—especially when you’re from Belgium, a country not known (at least lately) for producing Grand Tour riders. But don’t get me wrong. Quick Step’s not pretending to be a team with serious Grand Tour aspirations (aside from the odd stage win here and there). And besides, if it were taking its Tour prospects seriously, then why make such a public attempt to sign Alberto Contador and his colleagues?
Quick Step’s clearly a team built almost exclusively for the Classics. Last year, the team won the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and the Classica San Sebastian. Clearly, with Tom Boonen, Stijn Devolder, Sylvain Chavanel, and Carlos Barredo in the fold, it’s hard to doubt this team’s chances in all but the hilliest of one-day races.
That said, I sense a bit of tension in the house. Stijn Devolder’ won the Ronde the last two years—some might say at the expense of Tom Boonen. Luckily, Boonen’s won Paris-Roubaix the last two years as well, perhaps lessening any potential wounds to his ego. The wild card is Chavanel, a rider who must be getting tired of playing 3rd fiddle. If Boonen and Devolder prove heavily marked by other favorites (or each other), Chavanel stands to profit the most. And don’t forget Barredo, he’s on the verge of rivaling Juan-Antonio Flecha as Spain’s best classics rider; if the cards play-out right, look for him to profit from Quick Step’s numeric advantage in spring races such as Dwars door Vlaanderen or E3 Harelbeke.
Man of the Hour: All eyes will be on Tom Boonen this season as he tries to show the world that he’s not a one-trick pony. Another classic is a must, but some Tour wins would go a long way as well.
On the Hot Seat: Devolder’s got to do more this year than just win Flanders. He’s too talented a rider to rest on his laurels.
Up-and-Comer: I teased before, but 14th in the Giro at the age of 22 is something Kevin Seeldraeyers should be proud of. While it’s still too early to call him the next Eddy Merckx, a top-15 result with little or no support is not something to ignore. Let’s see how he fares this year; then we’ll raise the bar in 2011.
Best Pick-up: His name’s hard to pronounce, but Branislau Samoilau is rumored to be the real deal. He came to Quick Step midway through the 2009 season. This year he’ll get his first shot at a Grand Tour, perhaps the Giro in support of Seeldraeyers.
Biggest Loss: Quick Step couldn’t win the Alberto Contador sweepstakes, a loss that will be felt this July. Signing Contador and his talented core of riders would have instantly made Quick Step one of the 5 best teams in the World.
#11 – Omega Pharma – Lotto
Last season, Silence-Lotto was to the autumn what Quick Step was to the spring—maybe even a bit better. And while Quick Step might have more top riders for the classics, Omega Pharma-Lotto has one who will consistently ride well from March to October: Philippe Gilbert. As a result, they head into the new season ranked a spot ahead of their compatriots.
Anyone who saw Gilbert dominate last October knows what I’m talking about. He’s had a quiet winter, racing peacefully down in Qatar and Oman. But this weekend we should see if he intends to pick-up where he ended in 2009. He’s already won the Omloop twice in the past; a 3rd time would be a terrific way to welcome himself back to the top step of a Belgian podium. Gilbert possesses a rare mix of power, acceleration, and aggression, attributes that make him a favorite in just about every monument from now until the end of April. With the exception of Roubaix (relax, Leif Hoste), Gilbert has the talent to win Milan-San Remo, Flanders, Amstel, and Liege—as well as any number of minor classics along the way. It’s a long stretch though, and he’ll have to see how his form develops before making promises. Still, that’s a not bad problem to have.
After Gilbert, there’s a huge drop-off though, making me a bit nervous about ranking them so high. The departure of Cadel Evans will be felt by the entire squad. Yes, Cuddles had a lackluster season until winning Worlds, but lackluster by Evans’ standards is still quite good compared to most. Evans played a big role in Gilbert’s autumn success too, forcing teams to address two captains rather than one. In the Ardennes, having a rider like Evans would take an enormous amount of pressure off Gilbert’s shoulders, while giving the competition two riders with which to contend.
In the Grand Tours, Lotto enters 2010 relying on Jurgen Vandenbroeck to develop perhaps a year or two earlier than some might have expected. Here again we see an effect of Evans’ departure. With Evans, Vandenbroeck might have had one more year to ride in the service of someone else, perhaps riding himself into a high placing if given the opportunity. This year, he’ll enter the race as “the man”—can he handle the pressure?
Man of the Hour: There’s perhaps no other rider I’m more eager to see come classics-time than Gilbert. In fact, he’s my early favorite for Saturday’s Omloop.
On the Hot Seat: Last year, I expected a lot from Greg Van Avermaet, but he failed to deliver. He needs a good season to protect his reputation as one of Belgium’s brightest young stars.
Up-and-Comer: Jurgen Vandenbroeck really should be spending one more season as everyone’s up-and-comer—not as Lotto’s designated leader for the Tour de France. He has the talent to ride a good race, but the pressure to succeed is something many young riders fail to anticipate. Let’s hope he can avoid the hype. Maybe he and Quick Step’s Seeldraeyers will be the ushers of a new era of Belgian Tour champions?
Best Pick-up: Jan Bakelants won a lot of races in 2008—his last race as an amateur—including the U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Triptych Ardennais. Now he heads to the Pro Tour following a year learning the ropes with Topsport-Vlaanderen. He reminds me of a young Philippe Gilbert—convenient for Lotto, no?
Biggest Loss: Evans is the obvious choice, for reasons I’ve already explained. However, don’t discount the effects of Johan Vansummeren’s transfer to Garmin. Leif Hoste fine-tunes his form perfectly for the second weekend in April. Vansummeren’s been a loyal and dedicated domestique at Roubaix, often spending large amounts of his time pulling Hoste into position. Without Vansummeren’s service, it’s hard to see Hoste even finishing in the top-10. Mark my words: Lotto’s loss will be Garmin’s gain.
And that’s it—the first half of our 2010 season preview is complete!
Share your feedback and comments below! And please, if you’re enjoying the preview, recommend us to a friend or follow us on Twitter. We still have much more planned for 2010!
And yes, we’ll be at NAHBS. Look for us at the Embrocation booth when we’re not walking around enjoying the sights.
Have a great day!
#15 – Lampre
Poor Lampre. Not only did they lose one of their best riders this past off-season—former World Champion and Tour of Flanders winner Alessandro Ballan—but they also almost didn’t even make it to the Pro Tour without the help of some last minute legal wrangling. Ballan’s departure takes away a contender for the cobbled classics and a stage winner in Grand Tours. Alessandro Petacchi and Danilo Hondo—quite possibly the oldest and most suspicious lead-out train ever assembled—add some sprint speed, giving Lampre it’s first legitimate sprinter since Jan Svorada.But let’s face it, this is a team built around Damiano Cunego, a man who needs to dial-in his training a bit more to ensure his peaks line-up with his goals. The first order of business for Cunego—if he can stay healthy and avoid more falls like the one suffered recently in the Ruta del Sol—is Liege-Bastogne-Liege, a race he’s been “targeting” for years. If he wins, Lampre’s spring is an overwhelming success. From there, maybe the Giro and or Tour beckon Cunego, perhaps he steals a stage win or two before building once again for the autumn classics—and possibly Worlds.
Cunego has the talent to win races in a fashion similar to Alejandro Valverde; their impending showdown in the Ardennes will be a treat if they both arrive in form. The risk with Cunego is his inability to stick to his targets—or hit them squarely. He’s often peaks too early, something he’ll need to avoid in order to win Liege or the Tour of Lombardy. Hopefully he learned his lessons after 2009.
Man of the Hour: Without a doubt, Damiano Cunego.
On the Hot Seat: Giuseppe Saronni’s the man behind Lampre, and if he wants to keep his team in good shape he’ll need to do a better job than he did this past off-season. Essentially trading Ballan for Petacchi and Hondo is a bit of a desperate move; in effect trading quality wins for a quantity of wins. That might work for some, but when your title sponsor’s been backing you for over 20 years, they have a right to expect more.
Up-and-Comer: Diego Ulissi turns pro this year after several years as an amateur in Italy. Only 20 years old, Ulissi’s best known for winning the Junior World Road Race Championship in both 2006 and 2007. The only other person to do that? Giuseppe Palumbo. Here’s hoping Ulissi makes a better pro than he did.
Fotoreporter Sirotti
Best Pick-up: He might have lost a step or two, but Alessandro Petacchi’s not entirely washed-up. He’ll earn Lampre wins on home soil, hopefully adding one or two more Giro stage wins to his total. Aside from the Giro, domestic one-day and stage races are his bread and butter now; the presence of Hondo gives him a lead-out man the lesser Italian competition will be hard-pressed to overcome.
Biggest Loss: Losing Alessandro Ballan takes away the first half of Lampre’s one-two punch for the spring classics, and further isolates team leader Damiano Cunego in fall races like the Vuelta and the Tour of Lombardy. If Ballan takes another Flanders—or better still, Paris-Roubaix—for BMC, Saronni will have a lot of explaining to do.
#14 – Radio Shack
Some will say I ranked this squad too low. But look at the facts—this team is built for one thing and one thing only: Lance Armstrong. Geert Steegmans was signed to give the team at least somewhat of a presence in the classics, but he’s already proven to be too fragile to be counted upon. Levi Leipheimer will win the Tour of California and maybe fare well in the Dauphiné and Vuelta and Andreas Kloden gets the Tour of Romandy and the Tour de Suisse. But those options aside, this team is built entirely around improving Lance’s chances to win an 8th Tour.
Unfortunately, his chances don’t look very good—at least on paper. For one, Lance is old. Yes, he raced to 3rd last year after several years off the bike. But whatever he gains this year from having another year of racing under his belt, he loses by virtue of being another year older. Worse, while he’s maturing, so are his main competitors. That levels the playing field, right? It would if Lance’s opponents were also pushing 40. But they’re approaching 30, the peak of most Grand Tour cyclists’ careers. So while Lance inches further and further away from his best years, his main challengers grow nearer and nearer to theirs. That’s not good. So, while most of 2010 might be a fun trip down memory lane for Lance, Bruyneel, and their boys, July might not prove to be the kind of trip they were expecting.
Fotoreporter Sirotti
Man of the Hour: Is there really any doubt? Radio Shack hinges entirely upon the success of Lance Armstrong. All eyes are on him in every race he enters.
On the Hot Seat: I could say Lance, but he’s known for not letting pressure get to him. Instead, I’ll say Geert Steegmans. It was only 2 years ago when everyone thought Steegmans was the next greatest Belgian field sprinter/classics rider. Then came his move to Katusha, and it all went downhill from there. Steegmans seems to be a bit fragile to me—he’s already been all-but-ruled-out of the Omloop this weekend—and he seems to struggle when things don’t develop exactly as he was expecting. That said, he’s now riding for one of the most organized and best-directed teams in the sport—he’s running out of excuses.
Up-and-Comer: This one’s tougher to call as many of Radio Shack’s signings were relatively unknown before signing with Radio Shack, of course. Ivan Rovny finished 3rd in last year’s GP Isbergues, a hard man’s race at a time of year when the best one-day riders in northern Europe are gearing-up for Worlds. I’ll be watching him closely this spring.
Best Pick-up: Sébastien Rosseler has already rewarded the faith shown by Bruyneel with a stage win in last week’s Volta Algarve. I’m curious to see how he fares without Steegmans in Saturday’s Omloop. He’s a powerful rider, and he benefitted from several years at Quick Step. He could turn-out to be one of this weekend’s biggest surprises.
Biggest Loss: The Shack’s a new team; we’ll have to save this one for next year.
#13 – Garmin – Transitions
While on the ride, Garmin’s still not quite there when compared to the truly elite teams in the sport. There’s enough potential on the roster to easily make Jonathan Vaughters’ squad one of the top five or six in the world, but until we start seeing more wins we’ll have to be satisfied with just wondering “what if”.
Of Garmin’s potential big hitters, Tyler Farrar has the best chance to launch the squad into the big time. Perhaps no other rider showed more steady improvement throughout 2009. Tyler started the year with a win in Tirreno-Adriatico, before contesting the bunch sprints in the Tour, where he was a consistent top-5 finisher. August was his finest month, bringing wins in the Benelux Tour as well as the Hamburg Pro Tour event. The year ended with stage wins at Franco-Belge and of course, a win in the Vuelta. All in all, these were solid results—a season well done. Now though, it’s time for Farrar—and the rest of this relatively young squad—to take the next step.
A win in one of the monuments would start things off on the right foot. Farrar will certainly come to Milan-San Remo and possibly several of the cobbled classics (Ghent-Wevelgem) to follow as a favorite. With the experienced support of men like Julian Dean, Ryder Hesjedal, Martijn Maaskant, Johan Vansummeren, and Matt Wilson, Garmin could even be an outside player at Roubaix.
From there, the Grand Tours beckon, a place where the departure of Bradley Wiggins will certainly be felt. Christian Vande Velde has placed well in the last two Tours de France, and will continue to lead the team while younger riders like Daniel Martin gain experience. For Vande Velde, a top-5 in a fully-stacked Tour would be a terrific result—especially if it comes with a stage win (from anyone), and is perhaps at least one spot better than Wiggins (revenge is dish best served in July).
Garmin’s wild cards are David Zabriskie and Tom Danielson, two riders known for the sharp contrasts between their highs and lows. When going well, both have the ability to dominate their given disciplines; however, sickness, crashes, poor judgment, and just plain bad luck seem to target these two just when they appear to be hitting their stride. Perhaps 2010 will be the year they put all the bad voodoo behind them.
Man of the Hour: Tyler Farrar is America’s best chance for the a win in a major classic since George Hincapie—America’s other best chance for a win in a major classic. Farrar’s got the team he needs for success. Should he strike-out this spring, he’ll have the Tour to make amends, but the odds are bit longer there, as Mark Cavendish seems pretty unbeatable.
Fotoreporter Sirotti
Up-and-Comer: Sometimes I wonder if Jonathan Vaughters spends more time thinking about the future than thinking about the present. That said, the signings of Jack Bobridge and Michael Kreder insures the strength of the squad over the next 5 years. Bobridge tore-up the track a few weeks ago in Australia and deepen an already strong time trial squad. Kreder’s performed well this past weekend in the Tour du Haut Var.
Best Pick-up: Johan Vansummeren will prove worth his weight in gold by mid-July. He’s a rouleur in every sense of the word—a proven performer on the pavé, he can sit on the front of a group for hours, slowly tapping away at a break’s lead. If Garmin wins both Roubaix and a Tour stage, I bet they’ll owe it all to this guy.
Biggest Loss: Bradley Wiggins might not do better than his 4th place in the 2009 Tour, but his presence certainly helped Christian Vande Velde (sometimes 2 heads are better than one) as well as Garmin’s TTT squad. While Vaughters made the right choice in letting him flee to greener pastures (his price was too expensive), the squad lost some depth as a result.
#12 – Quick Step
It’s not good when your top Grand Tour rider’s name is Kevin Seeldraeyers. No offense to the guy, but one top-15 finish in a Grand Tour is hardly anything to write home about—especially when you’re from Belgium, a country not known (at least lately) for producing Grand Tour riders. But don’t get me wrong. Quick Step’s not pretending to be a team with serious Grand Tour aspirations (aside from the odd stage win here and there). And besides, if it were taking its Tour prospects seriously, then why make such a public attempt to sign Alberto Contador and his colleagues?
Quick Step’s clearly a team built almost exclusively for the Classics. Last year, the team won the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and the Classica San Sebastian. Clearly, with Tom Boonen, Stijn Devolder, Sylvain Chavanel, and Carlos Barredo in the fold, it’s hard to doubt this team’s chances in all but the hilliest of one-day races.
That said, I sense a bit of tension in the house. Stijn Devolder’ won the Ronde the last two years—some might say at the expense of Tom Boonen. Luckily, Boonen’s won Paris-Roubaix the last two years as well, perhaps lessening any potential wounds to his ego. The wild card is Chavanel, a rider who must be getting tired of playing 3rd fiddle. If Boonen and Devolder prove heavily marked by other favorites (or each other), Chavanel stands to profit the most. And don’t forget Barredo, he’s on the verge of rivaling Juan-Antonio Flecha as Spain’s best classics rider; if the cards play-out right, look for him to profit from Quick Step’s numeric advantage in spring races such as Dwars door Vlaanderen or E3 Harelbeke.
Photo: Tim VanWichelen
Man of the Hour: All eyes will be on Tom Boonen this season as he tries to show the world that he’s not a one-trick pony. Another classic is a must, but some Tour wins would go a long way as well.
On the Hot Seat: Devolder’s got to do more this year than just win Flanders. He’s too talented a rider to rest on his laurels.
Up-and-Comer: I teased before, but 14th in the Giro at the age of 22 is something Kevin Seeldraeyers should be proud of. While it’s still too early to call him the next Eddy Merckx, a top-15 result with little or no support is not something to ignore. Let’s see how he fares this year; then we’ll raise the bar in 2011.
Best Pick-up: His name’s hard to pronounce, but Branislau Samoilau is rumored to be the real deal. He came to Quick Step midway through the 2009 season. This year he’ll get his first shot at a Grand Tour, perhaps the Giro in support of Seeldraeyers.
Biggest Loss: Quick Step couldn’t win the Alberto Contador sweepstakes, a loss that will be felt this July. Signing Contador and his talented core of riders would have instantly made Quick Step one of the 5 best teams in the World.
#11 – Omega Pharma – Lotto
Last season, Silence-Lotto was to the autumn what Quick Step was to the spring—maybe even a bit better. And while Quick Step might have more top riders for the classics, Omega Pharma-Lotto has one who will consistently ride well from March to October: Philippe Gilbert. As a result, they head into the new season ranked a spot ahead of their compatriots.
Anyone who saw Gilbert dominate last October knows what I’m talking about. He’s had a quiet winter, racing peacefully down in Qatar and Oman. But this weekend we should see if he intends to pick-up where he ended in 2009. He’s already won the Omloop twice in the past; a 3rd time would be a terrific way to welcome himself back to the top step of a Belgian podium. Gilbert possesses a rare mix of power, acceleration, and aggression, attributes that make him a favorite in just about every monument from now until the end of April. With the exception of Roubaix (relax, Leif Hoste), Gilbert has the talent to win Milan-San Remo, Flanders, Amstel, and Liege—as well as any number of minor classics along the way. It’s a long stretch though, and he’ll have to see how his form develops before making promises. Still, that’s a not bad problem to have.
After Gilbert, there’s a huge drop-off though, making me a bit nervous about ranking them so high. The departure of Cadel Evans will be felt by the entire squad. Yes, Cuddles had a lackluster season until winning Worlds, but lackluster by Evans’ standards is still quite good compared to most. Evans played a big role in Gilbert’s autumn success too, forcing teams to address two captains rather than one. In the Ardennes, having a rider like Evans would take an enormous amount of pressure off Gilbert’s shoulders, while giving the competition two riders with which to contend.
In the Grand Tours, Lotto enters 2010 relying on Jurgen Vandenbroeck to develop perhaps a year or two earlier than some might have expected. Here again we see an effect of Evans’ departure. With Evans, Vandenbroeck might have had one more year to ride in the service of someone else, perhaps riding himself into a high placing if given the opportunity. This year, he’ll enter the race as “the man”—can he handle the pressure?
Man of the Hour: There’s perhaps no other rider I’m more eager to see come classics-time than Gilbert. In fact, he’s my early favorite for Saturday’s Omloop.
On the Hot Seat: Last year, I expected a lot from Greg Van Avermaet, but he failed to deliver. He needs a good season to protect his reputation as one of Belgium’s brightest young stars.
Up-and-Comer: Jurgen Vandenbroeck really should be spending one more season as everyone’s up-and-comer—not as Lotto’s designated leader for the Tour de France. He has the talent to ride a good race, but the pressure to succeed is something many young riders fail to anticipate. Let’s hope he can avoid the hype. Maybe he and Quick Step’s Seeldraeyers will be the ushers of a new era of Belgian Tour champions?
Best Pick-up: Jan Bakelants won a lot of races in 2008—his last race as an amateur—including the U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Triptych Ardennais. Now he heads to the Pro Tour following a year learning the ropes with Topsport-Vlaanderen. He reminds me of a young Philippe Gilbert—convenient for Lotto, no?
Biggest Loss: Evans is the obvious choice, for reasons I’ve already explained. However, don’t discount the effects of Johan Vansummeren’s transfer to Garmin. Leif Hoste fine-tunes his form perfectly for the second weekend in April. Vansummeren’s been a loyal and dedicated domestique at Roubaix, often spending large amounts of his time pulling Hoste into position. Without Vansummeren’s service, it’s hard to see Hoste even finishing in the top-10. Mark my words: Lotto’s loss will be Garmin’s gain.
And that’s it—the first half of our 2010 season preview is complete!
Share your feedback and comments below! And please, if you’re enjoying the preview, recommend us to a friend or follow us on Twitter. We still have much more planned for 2010!
And yes, we’ll be at NAHBS. Look for us at the Embrocation booth when we’re not walking around enjoying the sights.
Have a great day!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday Musette - Pavé News, Cyclocross, Service Courses, and UCI Record-Keeping
I’ll begin with some big news for Pavé. I’m pleased to announce that ace international cycling photographers Stefano Sirotti and Tim Van Wichelen will be providing images from the 2010 cycling season. Stefano’s contributions will begin shortly as he’s currently covering the Tour Down Under. Tim’s first major date is cyclocross Worlds in 2 weeks—but who knows what goodies he might offer between now and then. All in all, I’m hoping this is just the start of what we’re hoping will be a big year here at Pavé. As always, thanks for your continued reading and commenting—you’re the inspiration for all we do. (Oh boy, I’m starting to sound like Peter Cetera).
As for the rest of the Monday Musette:
1. All signs point to a serious showdown in Tabor, Czech Republic two weeks from now as the majority of the favorites for a cyclocross World Title are rounding themselves into form. Hometown favorite Zdenek Stybar took the World Cup honors in Roubaix yesterday, with Belgians Klaas Vantornout and Sven Nijs in 2nd and 3rd respectively. I'll leave the bulk of the commentary to Erik and his Wednesday Cross Report, but did you notice Erwin Vervecken and Bart Wellens in 4th and 5th place at less than a minute behind Stybar? These are two men not to be discounted in Tabor. Both have won Worlds before (Verwecken 3 times—once in Tabor—and Wellens twice) and both have the savvy and skill required to pull-off what some would consider a slight upset (not me). Furthermore, both have something to prove: Vervecken’s retiring and would love to go out with a bang; Wellens is eager to remind us that he still deserves to be mentioned with the giants of the sport. Working against them? They're Belgian--their biggest challenge might simply be making the team.
2. Last week, VeloNews provided a terrific glimpse behind the scenes at the Garmin-Transitions Service Course in Girona, Spain. It’s tough to imagine the amount of preparation that goes into running a professional cycling team—especially when you’re doing it on two continents. Do you have any idea how much space 22,000 water bottles occupy? Well, now you do.
Garmin’s mechanics face an additional challenge this year, as longtime wheel sponsor Zipp is out and Mavic is in. As a result, several hundred fresh tubulars will need to be glued—if you’re at a race hotel restaurant any time between now and May, Garmin’s mechanics should be easy to spot: they’ll be the ones with the menus sticking to their fingers.
And I wonder what Mavic will give them for the Classics? Raise your hand if you’d love to see an updated version of these Classics!
3. And lest we forget, there’s racing this week! Team Sky’s Greg Henderson took the season’s first blood, winning yesterday’s Cancer Council Helpline Classic. It was an impressive victory for Sky, albeit one that came after only 51km of racing. Things begin in earnest tomorrow, as the “real” racing gets underway in Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under. My pick for the overall win? André Greipel. My dark horse? Chris Sutton.
4. I’ve started writing Pavé’s team-by-team 2010 season preview and pre-season ranking (to be unveiled soon), and while printing rosters from the UCI’s website, I noticed something. Anyone missing? A quick perusal of other rosters revealed more errors, although none as glaring as omitting a former Tour de France champion and one of the sport’s hottest young talents. Next thing you know an 8-year-old boy will show-up on the USA’s No-Fly List! Thank heavens for Cycling Quotient.
5. And finally, are you going to NAHBS? We are; and while I’m not yet sure what the plan will be, I’d love to arrange some sort of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad viewing event. Any ideas?
As always, share your thoughts below.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Garmin vs. Sky - Wiggins Transfer Analysis
The dust has finally settled—Bradley Wiggins has officially signed with Team Sky. And now that the deal is done, the finality of the transfer has got me thinking: who now has the better team for the Tour de France? Does Sky truly have a core of riders capable of delivering Wiggins to the podium in Paris? And conversely, has Garmin lost its best chance for a high placing? While anything can and will happen between now and July, let’s take a look at how things might shape-up, beginning with Sky’s prospective 9-man Tour team:
Kurt Asle Arvesen surely deserves a spot—he’s a proven Grand Tour stage-winner and provides the experience and veteran savvy necessary for a new team to have success on the sport’s most challenging stage. Michael Barry’s another talented veteran, able to help on tougher days; he’ll provide unwavering service to his teammates. Edvald Boassen Hagen has to be included as well—he’s just too talented to leave at home. He’s a favorite for the Prologue and seems certain to grab a stage at some point. Look for him to be the bright spot for the team should Wiggins fail to deliver. Dario Cioni will get a ride—if he doesn’t ride the Giro. He’ll be a valuable and necessary asset for Wiggins in the mountains and can’t be left home. Simon Gerrans will also warrant a start—he’s another past stage-winner who can also help the team when it matters most. Thomas Lövkvist—if he’s not too miffed about losing his leadership to Wiggo—will also have a chance to prove himself should his captain falter. Maybe Wiggins takes the spotlight allowing Lövkvist to make a surprise of his own? So far then, including Wiggins, that’s 7 riders for 9 spots. Who’s left?
Of the rest of the roster*, I think it will come down to Sylvain Calzati, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Serge Pauwels—a tough choice. Pauwels is a dedicated team rider, someone willing to sacrifice his own chances for the sake of his team (as we all witnessed in this year’s Giro). Calzati and Flecha have both won stages in the Tour though, and would be two more cards for Sky to play from breakaways. I think Pauwels gets one spot (Scott Sunderland likes a good Belgian), and Flecha takes the other (he’s a bit more high-profile than Calzati). That makes nine:
Arvesen
Barry
Boassen Hagen
Cioni
Flecha
Gerrans
Lövkvist
Pauwels
Wiggins
On paper, it’s truly a solid team—a GC contender, former stage winners, veteran leadership, and young talent. Looking over these nine though, do you notice anything? Well, I see 4 riders who might look for stages when they should be looking to help Bradley Wiggins, only 2 riders capable of offering serious help on difficult stages, and 2 riders who’ve never even ridden the Tour before. Does this have the makings of podium spot for Wiggins?
I don’t think so.
Now Garmin. If I’m Jonathan Vaughters, I’m thinking of getting my first Tour stage win with Tyler Farrar. Mark Cavendish is a tough nut to crack, but his team’s diminished by the losses of Hincapie and Burghardt. Garmin bolstered its lead-out train this off-season, adding Robbie Hunter and Johan Vansummeren to the mix. It’s not an indomitable line-up, but it might be just enough to get Farrar over the line first on one or two occasions. So let’s start building Garmin’s Tour team with the following men:
Tyler Farrar
Robbie Hunter
Johan Vansummeren
Julian Dean
That leaves 5 spots. David Millar, Dave Zabriskie, and Christian Vande Velde are givens—barring something unforeseen, there’s no way Vaughters leaves them home, and for good reason. Like we saw at Sky, we’re left with 2 places for 3 riders: Ryder Hesjedal, Daniel Martin, and Tom Danielson.
Hesjedal gets a nod for his ability to support the team on a variety of terrain—as the Aussies used to say: “he’s a driver”. He can wind it up for sprints, or set the pace on climbs. Heck, he showed us in the Vuelta that he can win when the road goes uphill too! Frankly, it’s only a hunch, but I think Vaughters is done with Danielson. Yes, he rode a good Vuelta—for two weeks at least—but he just doesn’t seem to have the fortitude (intestinally and otherwise) necessary to succeed in a 3-week Grand Tour. Vaughters has given Danielson more than one opportunity to prove he has the makings of a Grand Tour contender, and he’s failed every time. Time to look elsewhere for the next Garmin GC surprise. On the other hand, Daniel Martin’s young, talented, and eager to prove himself; Vaughters can’t wait another year to see what he’s capable of. Thus, Martin gets the spot. Vaughters has scored two consecutive top-5 finishes with men previously thought to be incapable of such feats—I wonder what he’ll do with someone from whom we expect results. Here’s the final team:
Dean
Farrar
Hesjedal
Hunter
Martin
Millar
Vande Velde
Vansummeren
Zabriskie
So who’s got the better squad?
As much as I think Wiggins’ attitude stinks, it has to be said that Sky has the more impressive Tour team—on paper. With several riders capable of winning stages, and at least one chance for a good GC result, Sky will come to the race with a terrific chance of performing well. Garmin? There’s certainly potential, but more things will need to fall into place for the wins to start flowing. That said, there’s one advantage for Garmin: less pressure. Sky boasts a star-packed roster, now led by Bradley Wiggins. With the roster they’ve compiled, anything less than 2-3 stages and a Top-5 placing will be a disappointment. Furthermore, Garmin will certainly be racing with a chip on its shoulder—Sky (especially Wiggins) will get no favors from the boys in argyle.
So while some might be tempted to think Sky won the battle, they should be cautioned to remember that the way is not over. In fact, it’s only just begun.
In the end, it adds yet another intriguing sub-plot for a Tour that gets more and more interesting each day.
And it’s not even 2010 yet.
Your thoughts?
*Prospective roster data from Cycling Quotient. If you haven’t bookmarked this site yet, you should.
Kurt Asle Arvesen surely deserves a spot—he’s a proven Grand Tour stage-winner and provides the experience and veteran savvy necessary for a new team to have success on the sport’s most challenging stage. Michael Barry’s another talented veteran, able to help on tougher days; he’ll provide unwavering service to his teammates. Edvald Boassen Hagen has to be included as well—he’s just too talented to leave at home. He’s a favorite for the Prologue and seems certain to grab a stage at some point. Look for him to be the bright spot for the team should Wiggins fail to deliver. Dario Cioni will get a ride—if he doesn’t ride the Giro. He’ll be a valuable and necessary asset for Wiggins in the mountains and can’t be left home. Simon Gerrans will also warrant a start—he’s another past stage-winner who can also help the team when it matters most. Thomas Lövkvist—if he’s not too miffed about losing his leadership to Wiggo—will also have a chance to prove himself should his captain falter. Maybe Wiggins takes the spotlight allowing Lövkvist to make a surprise of his own? So far then, including Wiggins, that’s 7 riders for 9 spots. Who’s left?
Of the rest of the roster*, I think it will come down to Sylvain Calzati, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Serge Pauwels—a tough choice. Pauwels is a dedicated team rider, someone willing to sacrifice his own chances for the sake of his team (as we all witnessed in this year’s Giro). Calzati and Flecha have both won stages in the Tour though, and would be two more cards for Sky to play from breakaways. I think Pauwels gets one spot (Scott Sunderland likes a good Belgian), and Flecha takes the other (he’s a bit more high-profile than Calzati). That makes nine:
Arvesen
Barry
Boassen Hagen
Cioni
Flecha
Gerrans
Lövkvist
Pauwels
Wiggins
On paper, it’s truly a solid team—a GC contender, former stage winners, veteran leadership, and young talent. Looking over these nine though, do you notice anything? Well, I see 4 riders who might look for stages when they should be looking to help Bradley Wiggins, only 2 riders capable of offering serious help on difficult stages, and 2 riders who’ve never even ridden the Tour before. Does this have the makings of podium spot for Wiggins?
I don’t think so.
Now Garmin. If I’m Jonathan Vaughters, I’m thinking of getting my first Tour stage win with Tyler Farrar. Mark Cavendish is a tough nut to crack, but his team’s diminished by the losses of Hincapie and Burghardt. Garmin bolstered its lead-out train this off-season, adding Robbie Hunter and Johan Vansummeren to the mix. It’s not an indomitable line-up, but it might be just enough to get Farrar over the line first on one or two occasions. So let’s start building Garmin’s Tour team with the following men:
Tyler Farrar
Robbie Hunter
Johan Vansummeren
Julian Dean
That leaves 5 spots. David Millar, Dave Zabriskie, and Christian Vande Velde are givens—barring something unforeseen, there’s no way Vaughters leaves them home, and for good reason. Like we saw at Sky, we’re left with 2 places for 3 riders: Ryder Hesjedal, Daniel Martin, and Tom Danielson.
Hesjedal gets a nod for his ability to support the team on a variety of terrain—as the Aussies used to say: “he’s a driver”. He can wind it up for sprints, or set the pace on climbs. Heck, he showed us in the Vuelta that he can win when the road goes uphill too! Frankly, it’s only a hunch, but I think Vaughters is done with Danielson. Yes, he rode a good Vuelta—for two weeks at least—but he just doesn’t seem to have the fortitude (intestinally and otherwise) necessary to succeed in a 3-week Grand Tour. Vaughters has given Danielson more than one opportunity to prove he has the makings of a Grand Tour contender, and he’s failed every time. Time to look elsewhere for the next Garmin GC surprise. On the other hand, Daniel Martin’s young, talented, and eager to prove himself; Vaughters can’t wait another year to see what he’s capable of. Thus, Martin gets the spot. Vaughters has scored two consecutive top-5 finishes with men previously thought to be incapable of such feats—I wonder what he’ll do with someone from whom we expect results. Here’s the final team:
Dean
Farrar
Hesjedal
Hunter
Martin
Millar
Vande Velde
Vansummeren
Zabriskie
So who’s got the better squad?
As much as I think Wiggins’ attitude stinks, it has to be said that Sky has the more impressive Tour team—on paper. With several riders capable of winning stages, and at least one chance for a good GC result, Sky will come to the race with a terrific chance of performing well. Garmin? There’s certainly potential, but more things will need to fall into place for the wins to start flowing. That said, there’s one advantage for Garmin: less pressure. Sky boasts a star-packed roster, now led by Bradley Wiggins. With the roster they’ve compiled, anything less than 2-3 stages and a Top-5 placing will be a disappointment. Furthermore, Garmin will certainly be racing with a chip on its shoulder—Sky (especially Wiggins) will get no favors from the boys in argyle.
So while some might be tempted to think Sky won the battle, they should be cautioned to remember that the way is not over. In fact, it’s only just begun.
In the end, it adds yet another intriguing sub-plot for a Tour that gets more and more interesting each day.
And it’s not even 2010 yet.
Your thoughts?
*Prospective roster data from Cycling Quotient. If you haven’t bookmarked this site yet, you should.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Bradley Wiggins - Is Garmin Planning a Tea Party of its Own?
So Sky delayed the announcement of it’s final roster today, news that has sent everyone into yet another tizzy of speculation over the future of Bradley Wiggins. Sky’s been a rumored destination for Wiggins since his eye-opening 4th place in this year’s Tour. The problem? He has a year remaining on the contract he signed with Garmin before the 2009 season.
Garmin’s been relatively silent on the matter with both Jonathan Vaughters and Matt White saying little more than “he has one more year on his contract”. After following the situation for quite some time, I have to say that if I were Jonathan Vaughters, I’d let Wiggins go. Here’s why:
1. Money - Releasing Wiggins from his contract will certainly involve some form of a buyout—either by Wiggins, Sky, or some combination of the two. Given the fact that Sky reportedly offered Vincenzo Nibali—a rider who finished the Tour 3 places behind Wiggins—1 million pounds, gives Vaughters an idea of Wiggins' value to the British squad. The math is simple: take the difference between Wiggo’s 4th and Nibali’s 7th in this year’s Tour, add several World and Olympic titles, then multiply by the fact that Wiggins is British. Factor in the perceived exposure Garmin would have received with Wiggins riding for them in next year’s race, and you have a figure that would make the transfer worthwhile—for Garmin, at least.
Does Vaughters have the guts to make the move? I say yes. At first, he seemed to be a bit too loyal as a General Manager when he started, choosing to offer semi-lucrative long-term contracts to former teammates and riders he groomed while working his up through the ranks of the sport. However, Vaughters has shown himself lately to be quite a shrewd businessman, making decisions he might not have made previously. Not renewing the contracts of popular riders like Mike Friedman and possibly Danny Pate was a start; jettisoning long-time wheel sponsor Zipp for Mavic was a stronger indicator of Vaughters’ willingness to do what in the best business interests of his team.
Garmin's reminders in the press of Wiggins’ contractual status serve only to assure us all—and especially the management at Sky—that this is not about Wiggins; it's about his contract, setting the stage for the announcement of what could prove the largest buy-out in the sport’s history.
2. Alberto Contador - Did you find it ironic that Alberto Contador’s trying to negotiate a clause in his “contract” with Astana that frees him from the team should anyone test positive? (No word yet if he’s including himself.) It seems as if Contador desires to ride for a clean team—and he’s making it known publicly. Last week I wondered if one of the reasons Contador has not signed with Garmin is his suspicious past, offering Prentice Steffen as one possible bug in Vaughters' ear warning him of the risks of employing someone like Contador. Could it be that Contador’s using his negotiations with Astana to show Garmin that he’s worthy of a contract with one of the cleanest team in the sport? Absolutely! In the end, his apparent signability, combined with what could be an astronomical influx of money from a Wiggins buy-out, makes it even more plausible that Contador will be wearing orange and blue in the 2010 Tour—and Wiggins won’t.
3. Wiggins’ Attitude - Now things get tricky. It’s never a good idea for a manager—in any sport—to set the precedent that squeaky wheels get the grease. Sending a message to your athletes that all they need to do is whine to get their wishes creates chaos, undermining management’s ability to manage. That said, the fact that Wiggins has made little attempt to hide his desire to leave Garmin for Sky has to factor in Vaughters' plans. Wiggins recently compared winning the Tour to winning the Champions League, saying, “You need to be at Manchester United, but I'm playing at Wigan at the moment.” For American fans, this is the equivalent of saying that to win the World Series you need to be with the New York Yankees instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The statement is a clear slam of what Wiggins considers to be Garmin’s ability to deliver him to the top step in Paris.
Why would Vaughters want someone with a potentially cancerous attitude in his team bus? The short answer: he probably doesn’t, which is why most of his public remarks focus on Wiggins’ contractual status as opposed to his value to the team. If Vaughters wanted Wiggins to stay for the good of the team, he’d say so.
And can you blame him? A cycling team is a much more fragile team-environment than a football or baseball team. With only a handful of riders participating in any given race, combined with the pressure-cooker environment of a 3-week Grand Tour, it’s an understatement to say that the possible spread of one rider’s bad attitude is worrisome.
Right now, Vaughters is playing it smart, choosing to treat this as a business decision and not a personal one. Anything else would compromise his standing with his riders and staff.
4. Wiggins’ Ability - I’m sorry to say it, but I just don’t think Wiggins will prove able to live up to the hype. His value to Sky lies more in his nationality than his talent. Do you think they would be making such a push for him had he finished 37th in the Tour? I think not. Yes, he’s won various World and Olympic titles and proven himself to be more than capable against the clock, but victory in the Tour? Seriously?
Wiggins’ Tour result was one of those once-in-a-lifetime rides we see every few years. I’m not saying he can’t finish inside the top-10 again, but I’ll bet that 4th will be the highest result we ever see from him. Remember, by most accounts, this year’s Tour was not incredibly difficult; it favored a consistent rider like Wiggins. I wager that if this year’s Tour would have included 1-2 more summit finishes, this conversation wouldn’t be happening right now—Sky would have made Garmin a fair offer following Wiggo’s 12th place, and his bags would have been packed long ago.
It all comes down to a textbook case of risk vs. reward, where the risk lies with Sky and the reward with Garmin. Vaughters seems to be playing the role of shrewd GM, trying to “sell high” at the peak of Wiggins’ value. Can you imagine the look on Sky’s collective faces should they pay handsomely for Wiggins only to have him finish 11th in a 2010 Tour won by Contador—for Garmin—who was signed with the money the team received for Wiggins? Maybe the exposure Wiggins would receive with home viewing audience makes it worth the risk for Sky. But I'd rather win with a foreign rider than finish lower with someone from home.
In the end, look for a deal to be reached sometime soon, freeing Wiggins to leave Garmin for Sky. Maybe Vaughters and Sky’s management can find somewhere between Boulder and London to seal the deal, somewhere like…Boston?
Here's hoping the Sky doesn't indeed prove to be the limit for Wiggins.
Your thoughts? Share them below.
Garmin’s been relatively silent on the matter with both Jonathan Vaughters and Matt White saying little more than “he has one more year on his contract”. After following the situation for quite some time, I have to say that if I were Jonathan Vaughters, I’d let Wiggins go. Here’s why:
1. Money - Releasing Wiggins from his contract will certainly involve some form of a buyout—either by Wiggins, Sky, or some combination of the two. Given the fact that Sky reportedly offered Vincenzo Nibali—a rider who finished the Tour 3 places behind Wiggins—1 million pounds, gives Vaughters an idea of Wiggins' value to the British squad. The math is simple: take the difference between Wiggo’s 4th and Nibali’s 7th in this year’s Tour, add several World and Olympic titles, then multiply by the fact that Wiggins is British. Factor in the perceived exposure Garmin would have received with Wiggins riding for them in next year’s race, and you have a figure that would make the transfer worthwhile—for Garmin, at least.
Does Vaughters have the guts to make the move? I say yes. At first, he seemed to be a bit too loyal as a General Manager when he started, choosing to offer semi-lucrative long-term contracts to former teammates and riders he groomed while working his up through the ranks of the sport. However, Vaughters has shown himself lately to be quite a shrewd businessman, making decisions he might not have made previously. Not renewing the contracts of popular riders like Mike Friedman and possibly Danny Pate was a start; jettisoning long-time wheel sponsor Zipp for Mavic was a stronger indicator of Vaughters’ willingness to do what in the best business interests of his team.
Garmin's reminders in the press of Wiggins’ contractual status serve only to assure us all—and especially the management at Sky—that this is not about Wiggins; it's about his contract, setting the stage for the announcement of what could prove the largest buy-out in the sport’s history.
2. Alberto Contador - Did you find it ironic that Alberto Contador’s trying to negotiate a clause in his “contract” with Astana that frees him from the team should anyone test positive? (No word yet if he’s including himself.) It seems as if Contador desires to ride for a clean team—and he’s making it known publicly. Last week I wondered if one of the reasons Contador has not signed with Garmin is his suspicious past, offering Prentice Steffen as one possible bug in Vaughters' ear warning him of the risks of employing someone like Contador. Could it be that Contador’s using his negotiations with Astana to show Garmin that he’s worthy of a contract with one of the cleanest team in the sport? Absolutely! In the end, his apparent signability, combined with what could be an astronomical influx of money from a Wiggins buy-out, makes it even more plausible that Contador will be wearing orange and blue in the 2010 Tour—and Wiggins won’t.
3. Wiggins’ Attitude - Now things get tricky. It’s never a good idea for a manager—in any sport—to set the precedent that squeaky wheels get the grease. Sending a message to your athletes that all they need to do is whine to get their wishes creates chaos, undermining management’s ability to manage. That said, the fact that Wiggins has made little attempt to hide his desire to leave Garmin for Sky has to factor in Vaughters' plans. Wiggins recently compared winning the Tour to winning the Champions League, saying, “You need to be at Manchester United, but I'm playing at Wigan at the moment.” For American fans, this is the equivalent of saying that to win the World Series you need to be with the New York Yankees instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The statement is a clear slam of what Wiggins considers to be Garmin’s ability to deliver him to the top step in Paris.
Why would Vaughters want someone with a potentially cancerous attitude in his team bus? The short answer: he probably doesn’t, which is why most of his public remarks focus on Wiggins’ contractual status as opposed to his value to the team. If Vaughters wanted Wiggins to stay for the good of the team, he’d say so.
And can you blame him? A cycling team is a much more fragile team-environment than a football or baseball team. With only a handful of riders participating in any given race, combined with the pressure-cooker environment of a 3-week Grand Tour, it’s an understatement to say that the possible spread of one rider’s bad attitude is worrisome.
Right now, Vaughters is playing it smart, choosing to treat this as a business decision and not a personal one. Anything else would compromise his standing with his riders and staff.
4. Wiggins’ Ability - I’m sorry to say it, but I just don’t think Wiggins will prove able to live up to the hype. His value to Sky lies more in his nationality than his talent. Do you think they would be making such a push for him had he finished 37th in the Tour? I think not. Yes, he’s won various World and Olympic titles and proven himself to be more than capable against the clock, but victory in the Tour? Seriously?
Wiggins’ Tour result was one of those once-in-a-lifetime rides we see every few years. I’m not saying he can’t finish inside the top-10 again, but I’ll bet that 4th will be the highest result we ever see from him. Remember, by most accounts, this year’s Tour was not incredibly difficult; it favored a consistent rider like Wiggins. I wager that if this year’s Tour would have included 1-2 more summit finishes, this conversation wouldn’t be happening right now—Sky would have made Garmin a fair offer following Wiggo’s 12th place, and his bags would have been packed long ago.
It all comes down to a textbook case of risk vs. reward, where the risk lies with Sky and the reward with Garmin. Vaughters seems to be playing the role of shrewd GM, trying to “sell high” at the peak of Wiggins’ value. Can you imagine the look on Sky’s collective faces should they pay handsomely for Wiggins only to have him finish 11th in a 2010 Tour won by Contador—for Garmin—who was signed with the money the team received for Wiggins? Maybe the exposure Wiggins would receive with home viewing audience makes it worth the risk for Sky. But I'd rather win with a foreign rider than finish lower with someone from home.
In the end, look for a deal to be reached sometime soon, freeing Wiggins to leave Garmin for Sky. Maybe Vaughters and Sky’s management can find somewhere between Boulder and London to seal the deal, somewhere like…Boston?
Here's hoping the Sky doesn't indeed prove to be the limit for Wiggins.
Your thoughts? Share them below.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Alberto Contador - "What's a guy to do?"
Yesterday it was announced by a representative from the Kazak Cycling Federation that Alberto Contador will indeed be honoring the final year of his contract and riding for Team Astana in 2010.
I'm sorry, Mr. Proskurin, but I’m not buying it.
Can you blame me?
It’s not as if we’ve been receiving accurate information regarding the situation at Astana. Since spring we’ve been inundated with nothing but conflicting reports, inaccurate sound bites, and contradictory quotes from individuals supposed to be working for the same team (Red Kite Prayer’s discourse on the matter shines more light on this). Riders are transferring, then they’re not. Riders are returning from suspension, then they’re not—until they do. Directors are leaving, then they’re staying, then they’re leaving. Paperwork’s being filed on time, then it isn’t, but then it was.
Confused? You should be.
It all contributes to a current state of affairs in which we absolutely cannot believe anything we hear until we hear it again…from the same person…on separate days. (Sure enough, hours after I began this piece, Contador announced that he was still making his decision.)
But for now, let’s give Astana the benefit of the doubt and assume the official was correct. If so, we have to ask: why would Contador stay with such an incredibly mis-managed organization? He's received plenty of offers from several Pro Tour teams, right?
Well, yes, he has—sorta. At least that’s what we’ve been led to believe. Garmin’s been a rumored destination since before the Tour--Caisse d'Epargne as well. Quick Step's Patrick Lefevere has done everything short of taking-up residency in Spain to get Contador to make the move North. That said, when you at these teams closely, reasons exist why no accord has been reached; one or both parties might be a bit apprehensive to seal the deal.
Let’s begin with the obvious choice: Caisse d’Epargne. While Contador would love to ride for a Spanish team—especially one with Grand Tour pedigree—he might be a bit hesitant about riding for a team already containing Alejandro Valverde. While he's not a threat to Contador's Tour-status, Valverde is certainly a contender in several of the races Contador uses during his Tour build-up. It will take some pretty sophisticated scheduling to keep Valverde and Contador in races where their talents and objectives will not overlap. Maybe Contador realizes this; or maybe management isn’t quite ready to put their money behind another horse--a horse that did win them the Vuelta. Overall, if Caisse and Contador were truly a match made in heaven, it would certainly have happened by now.
Garmin entered the sweepstakes in June when it looked like Astana didn’t even have the tenge to make it through July. Had it happened, Contador would have given them an instant contender--maybe a victory--and Jonathan Vaughters claimed to have had the capital necessary to bring the Spaniard into the fold. But then Astana secured some last-minute funds, entered the race, and well, the rest was history. But as fall began rumors began to re-circulate that Contador was once again being courted by JV.
But a funny thing might have happened on the way to a Contador-Garmin deal—well actually, several things did. First of all, Contador won the Tour outright, which has certainly driven the price for his services higher than they were pre-Tour. Team Radio Shack was also finalized, giving Garmin an instant US-registered rival in the races that garner the bulk of its exposure with home fans. Contador and his savvy team of advisors surely know this, adding even more value to his services should he provide them to the boys in argyle. Then there’s Bradley Wiggins, Garmin’s latest rouleur-turned-Tour-contender. While the result was the same, Wiggo’s performance this year was far better than Christian Vande Velde’s in 2008—better enough that maybe Vaughters thinks he has all the manpower he needs (even if Wiggo wants out). And last but certainly not least, let’s not forget that Garmin’s supposed to be the cleanest team in cycling and has Dr. Prentice Steffen, a well-known watchdog for suspected dopers, at the head of it’s medical staff. Steffen allegedly tried to the blow the whistle when approached by riders about doping during his term at US Postal. Maybe he smells a rat, and is encouraging Vaughters to re-think the acquisition of a suspected cheat. I could be completely off-base, but no deal has gone down--maybe for one or more of these reasons.
Finally we have Quick Step, a team looking to add a rider capable of winning races in France that don't involve cobblestones. Patrick Lefevere has tried this before, but unfortunately he’s chosen poorly. Remember the Juan Manuel Garate experiment? How about Stefan Shumacher? Even though Lefevere’s luck finding GC talent hasn’t worked the way he hoped, it hasn't stopped him from pursuing Contador (and his 4 trusted domestiques). Whether or not his bank account is up to the challenge is another story though, especially since Contador’s counsel likely realizes that the pressure is on Quick Step to live-up to the victories earned by Silence-Lotto at the end of this season--their salary demands are likely to have reflected that.
That said, I think Contador’s apprehensive for another reason. Allow me to explain with a trivia question: name the last rider—from any country—to win a Grand Tour for a Belgian team. Go ahead and take your time, I’ll wait.
[Jeopardy Theme Song]
The answer is Greg Lemond, who won the 1989 Tour de France for José De Cauwer’s Team ADR. For whatever reason, Belgian teams are not well-built to be GC powerhouses anymore—especially in the Tour de France, the race Contador cares about the most. Maybe it’s because the Classics are a bigger part of Belgium's national cycling culture or maybe it’s the single-day kermis mentality. But whatever the cause, Belgian teams just don’t seem able to get themselves over the hump in 3-week races. Silence-Lotto’s made a valiant effort recently, but there’s a big difference between the top step of the podium and the other two.
I suspect Contador thinks he won’t get the support at Quick Step he requires to win the Tour for a 3rd time. Even if he brings 4 teammates, will the team have what it takes to overcome The Shack and Saxo Bank? It’s possible, but not likely. The team's just not built for it. No wonder he hasn't signed yet.
In the end, it's becoming more and more likely Contador will stay at Astana. And maybe it's indeed the best move for him right now. His contract is rumored to be filled with provisions designed to protect him should things go sour (such as freeing him to sign somewhere else should Astana remain uninvited to the Tour). And if he does overcome Astana's shaky management and suspicious funding to find success, he'll be able to demand the richest contract in the sport's history.
Thanks for reading! Share your comments below.
I'm sorry, Mr. Proskurin, but I’m not buying it.
Can you blame me?
It’s not as if we’ve been receiving accurate information regarding the situation at Astana. Since spring we’ve been inundated with nothing but conflicting reports, inaccurate sound bites, and contradictory quotes from individuals supposed to be working for the same team (Red Kite Prayer’s discourse on the matter shines more light on this). Riders are transferring, then they’re not. Riders are returning from suspension, then they’re not—until they do. Directors are leaving, then they’re staying, then they’re leaving. Paperwork’s being filed on time, then it isn’t, but then it was.
Confused? You should be.
It all contributes to a current state of affairs in which we absolutely cannot believe anything we hear until we hear it again…from the same person…on separate days. (Sure enough, hours after I began this piece, Contador announced that he was still making his decision.)
But for now, let’s give Astana the benefit of the doubt and assume the official was correct. If so, we have to ask: why would Contador stay with such an incredibly mis-managed organization? He's received plenty of offers from several Pro Tour teams, right?
Well, yes, he has—sorta. At least that’s what we’ve been led to believe. Garmin’s been a rumored destination since before the Tour--Caisse d'Epargne as well. Quick Step's Patrick Lefevere has done everything short of taking-up residency in Spain to get Contador to make the move North. That said, when you at these teams closely, reasons exist why no accord has been reached; one or both parties might be a bit apprehensive to seal the deal.
Let’s begin with the obvious choice: Caisse d’Epargne. While Contador would love to ride for a Spanish team—especially one with Grand Tour pedigree—he might be a bit hesitant about riding for a team already containing Alejandro Valverde. While he's not a threat to Contador's Tour-status, Valverde is certainly a contender in several of the races Contador uses during his Tour build-up. It will take some pretty sophisticated scheduling to keep Valverde and Contador in races where their talents and objectives will not overlap. Maybe Contador realizes this; or maybe management isn’t quite ready to put their money behind another horse--a horse that did win them the Vuelta. Overall, if Caisse and Contador were truly a match made in heaven, it would certainly have happened by now.
Garmin entered the sweepstakes in June when it looked like Astana didn’t even have the tenge to make it through July. Had it happened, Contador would have given them an instant contender--maybe a victory--and Jonathan Vaughters claimed to have had the capital necessary to bring the Spaniard into the fold. But then Astana secured some last-minute funds, entered the race, and well, the rest was history. But as fall began rumors began to re-circulate that Contador was once again being courted by JV.
But a funny thing might have happened on the way to a Contador-Garmin deal—well actually, several things did. First of all, Contador won the Tour outright, which has certainly driven the price for his services higher than they were pre-Tour. Team Radio Shack was also finalized, giving Garmin an instant US-registered rival in the races that garner the bulk of its exposure with home fans. Contador and his savvy team of advisors surely know this, adding even more value to his services should he provide them to the boys in argyle. Then there’s Bradley Wiggins, Garmin’s latest rouleur-turned-Tour-contender. While the result was the same, Wiggo’s performance this year was far better than Christian Vande Velde’s in 2008—better enough that maybe Vaughters thinks he has all the manpower he needs (even if Wiggo wants out). And last but certainly not least, let’s not forget that Garmin’s supposed to be the cleanest team in cycling and has Dr. Prentice Steffen, a well-known watchdog for suspected dopers, at the head of it’s medical staff. Steffen allegedly tried to the blow the whistle when approached by riders about doping during his term at US Postal. Maybe he smells a rat, and is encouraging Vaughters to re-think the acquisition of a suspected cheat. I could be completely off-base, but no deal has gone down--maybe for one or more of these reasons.
Finally we have Quick Step, a team looking to add a rider capable of winning races in France that don't involve cobblestones. Patrick Lefevere has tried this before, but unfortunately he’s chosen poorly. Remember the Juan Manuel Garate experiment? How about Stefan Shumacher? Even though Lefevere’s luck finding GC talent hasn’t worked the way he hoped, it hasn't stopped him from pursuing Contador (and his 4 trusted domestiques). Whether or not his bank account is up to the challenge is another story though, especially since Contador’s counsel likely realizes that the pressure is on Quick Step to live-up to the victories earned by Silence-Lotto at the end of this season--their salary demands are likely to have reflected that.
That said, I think Contador’s apprehensive for another reason. Allow me to explain with a trivia question: name the last rider—from any country—to win a Grand Tour for a Belgian team. Go ahead and take your time, I’ll wait.
[Jeopardy Theme Song]
The answer is Greg Lemond, who won the 1989 Tour de France for José De Cauwer’s Team ADR. For whatever reason, Belgian teams are not well-built to be GC powerhouses anymore—especially in the Tour de France, the race Contador cares about the most. Maybe it’s because the Classics are a bigger part of Belgium's national cycling culture or maybe it’s the single-day kermis mentality. But whatever the cause, Belgian teams just don’t seem able to get themselves over the hump in 3-week races. Silence-Lotto’s made a valiant effort recently, but there’s a big difference between the top step of the podium and the other two.
I suspect Contador thinks he won’t get the support at Quick Step he requires to win the Tour for a 3rd time. Even if he brings 4 teammates, will the team have what it takes to overcome The Shack and Saxo Bank? It’s possible, but not likely. The team's just not built for it. No wonder he hasn't signed yet.
In the end, it's becoming more and more likely Contador will stay at Astana. And maybe it's indeed the best move for him right now. His contract is rumored to be filled with provisions designed to protect him should things go sour (such as freeing him to sign somewhere else should Astana remain uninvited to the Tour). And if he does overcome Astana's shaky management and suspicious funding to find success, he'll be able to demand the richest contract in the sport's history.
Thanks for reading! Share your comments below.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Monday Musette - Vuelta, Waiting for Cadel, Worlds, etc...
Here's our thoughts for Monday:
1. As we predicted, this weekend's stages at the Vuelta have separated the men from the boys--or have they? As it stands after today's Stage 15 we have 6 riders within 1:54 of one another. Of those, Valverde, Sanchez, Evans, and Basso seem the most lilely to take the overall win thanks to their superior time trialing abilities. For my money, look for Evans to unleash some serious revenge on the others for not waiting for him to have his wheel changed following a flat tire in Saturday's stage, thus costing him a minute on GC. Assuming of course that no one gains serious time on the last summit finish.
2. And speaking of Saturday, should they have waited for Cadel? Had he been in the golden jersey, yes. He wasn't though, so they can technically claim they had no obligation. That said, was there really any reason not to have waited? He flatted near the top of a climb; they could have easily coasted for a bit, allowing him to regain contact before descending to Sierra Nevada. Also, they weren't really chasing anyone and there were no contenders chasing from behind. Seems to me that Cadel's reputation for being a bit of a brat might have caught up with him. Regardless, waiting would have been the most sporting gesture. Two wrongs never make a right--unless you're talking about Danilo DiLuca.
3. Here's perhaps the most overwrought Cyclingnews line ever: "As he basks again in Vuelta glory this Sunday eve--a fortnight before the World Championships--Cunego will surely now be starting to hear the dulcet tones of Switzerland's siren worlds song."
4. Paris-Brussels was won by Matthew Goss, a rider with a serious future in the Spring Classics. Romain Feillu took the win Sunday in Fourmies. Too bad the course for Worlds isn't a bit flatter; he might have earned an invitation.
5. And speaking of Worlds, the Italian and German Worlds teams have been announced. No real surprises other than the fact that zee Germans apparently think this year's race is being held in Zolder, Belgium.
6. Did you hear (courtesy of Cycling Quotient) that Garmin will not be renewing the contracts of Mike Friedman, Jason Donald, Kilian Patour and Blake Caldwell? Hans Dekkers (Landbouwkrediet) and Chris Sutton (Sky) are also leaving, along with several riders yet to be confirmed. Just thought you'd like to know.
That's it for today. Hopefully you're enjoying the waning days of summer.
What's on your mind? The Vuleta? Worlds?
Share your comments below.
1. As we predicted, this weekend's stages at the Vuelta have separated the men from the boys--or have they? As it stands after today's Stage 15 we have 6 riders within 1:54 of one another. Of those, Valverde, Sanchez, Evans, and Basso seem the most lilely to take the overall win thanks to their superior time trialing abilities. For my money, look for Evans to unleash some serious revenge on the others for not waiting for him to have his wheel changed following a flat tire in Saturday's stage, thus costing him a minute on GC. Assuming of course that no one gains serious time on the last summit finish.
2. And speaking of Saturday, should they have waited for Cadel? Had he been in the golden jersey, yes. He wasn't though, so they can technically claim they had no obligation. That said, was there really any reason not to have waited? He flatted near the top of a climb; they could have easily coasted for a bit, allowing him to regain contact before descending to Sierra Nevada. Also, they weren't really chasing anyone and there were no contenders chasing from behind. Seems to me that Cadel's reputation for being a bit of a brat might have caught up with him. Regardless, waiting would have been the most sporting gesture. Two wrongs never make a right--unless you're talking about Danilo DiLuca.
3. Here's perhaps the most overwrought Cyclingnews line ever: "As he basks again in Vuelta glory this Sunday eve--a fortnight before the World Championships--Cunego will surely now be starting to hear the dulcet tones of Switzerland's siren worlds song."
4. Paris-Brussels was won by Matthew Goss, a rider with a serious future in the Spring Classics. Romain Feillu took the win Sunday in Fourmies. Too bad the course for Worlds isn't a bit flatter; he might have earned an invitation.
5. And speaking of Worlds, the Italian and German Worlds teams have been announced. No real surprises other than the fact that zee Germans apparently think this year's race is being held in Zolder, Belgium.
6. Did you hear (courtesy of Cycling Quotient) that Garmin will not be renewing the contracts of Mike Friedman, Jason Donald, Kilian Patour and Blake Caldwell? Hans Dekkers (Landbouwkrediet) and Chris Sutton (Sky) are also leaving, along with several riders yet to be confirmed. Just thought you'd like to know.
That's it for today. Hopefully you're enjoying the waning days of summer.
What's on your mind? The Vuleta? Worlds?
Share your comments below.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
New Embrocation Column - An Open Letter to Jonathan Vaughters
Pavé's posted a new column over at Embrocation. You can read it here.
Feel free to come back and share your comments below.
Feel free to come back and share your comments below.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Transfer Period Opens - Win, Lose, or Draw
I’m no Burt Reynolds or Dom DeLuise, but I know a good game of Win, Lose, or Draw when I see one. Yesterday gave us our first chance to sketch-out some team rosters for 2010. So, let’s pick-up a marker and head to the easel:
First, the Winners:
1. BMC has to be considered the major winner of the 2009 transfer season having assembled a top-notch Classics squad. Alessandro Ballan brings talent and panache along with his palmares; Marcus Burghart is a man for the future (who's already happened to have won several races). George Hincapie comes to provide the experience necessary to guide the rest to victory year-round. Look for Ballan to make the push for Flanders, Burghart for Ghent-Wevelgem, and Hincapie for Roubaix. And don’t forget Karsten Kroon—he’s no slouch either and could bring the team another win a week after Roubaix at the Amstel Gold Race. Overall, it was a pretty impressive haul for Jim Ochowicz and John Lelangue. Now they must hope for the invitations they need to get their riders in the best races. With this roster, it shouldn't be a problem.
2. The next winner is Liquigas, who won simply by staying put. They announced that the bulk of their roster is staying-put, including wunderkinds Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger. Even Ivan Basso returns for another year in the green and blue, perhaps spurning an offer to ride with Lance at Radio Shack? Kuchynski and Quinziato remain for the Classics, along with talented domestiques like Willems and Vandborg. And don't forget Franco Pellisotti, he'll be back as well. Sometimes the best moves are the ones not made, I guess.
And now, the Losers:
1. Lampre should be chided for letting Ballan go. For an Italian team, losing homegrown talent has to be considered a disappointment. His replacement? Alessandro Petacchi. Sure, he’ll bring stage wins in the Giro, but he’s getting older, is no stranger to scandal, and he was probably overpaid. What’s Saronni thinking?
2. It was inevitable; Columbia-HTC had to start losing sometime. With so much talent, choices had to be made. Right now, Burghart, Hincapie, and Kirchen are the biggest names to depart, but Edvald Boassen Hagen and Thomas Lokvist are likely to leave as well. Columbia’s re-stocked a bit, signing young talent from around the world as well as up-and-comers like Martin and Peter Velits. But the riders they lose will leave a mark in the win column for sure, especially Hincapie, whose guidance and veteran leadership will be missed in the Classics and the Tour.
These teams get a Draw:
1. Team Sky certainly wants to make a splash, choosing to wait a week or so to announce it’s full roster—maybe to finalize a few more names, perhaps to ensure the spotlight’s all their own. Rumors are swirling as to whom they’ll sign, with Boassen Hagen and Simon Gerrans topping the list. Whenever it happens, it will be exciting to see the final shape of the UK’s first Pro Tour team. Until that time though, judgment must be reserved.
2. Garmin made some noise, signing young talent and some classics help in the form of Johan Vansummeren. That said, I was hoping for more. They need a rider with the talent and experience necessary to help the younger guys start to win bigger races. Vansummeren might bring that, but it’s hard to tell given the role he played at Silence-Lotto. For now they get a draw, but if they don’t start contending in the Monuments soon or hit the podium at the Tour, it could turn-out to be a loss.
3. Radio Shack made a splash from the Tour to now, but let's look at their signings objectively. Clearly, this is a team for Lance. He's surrounded himself with dedicated riders willing to sacrifice their own aspirations for his sake. But honestly, does Lance have the legs left to match his ambition? I think not. Radio Shack will come to the Tour fully loaded, but if Lance can't hang with the other favorites, which rider will pick-up the mantle? Levi? Popo? And what about the Classics? Yes, Geert Steegmans is a talented rider and well-suited to the Northern races, but he's very inconsistent and has never shown the ability to deliver as a protected rider. So for now, The Shack gets a draw, but like Slipstream, time will tell the true merits of its acquisitions.
Otherwise, it was a relatively quiet September 1st.
What about you? Which teams did I miss? Share your thoughts below.
First, the Winners:
1. BMC has to be considered the major winner of the 2009 transfer season having assembled a top-notch Classics squad. Alessandro Ballan brings talent and panache along with his palmares; Marcus Burghart is a man for the future (who's already happened to have won several races). George Hincapie comes to provide the experience necessary to guide the rest to victory year-round. Look for Ballan to make the push for Flanders, Burghart for Ghent-Wevelgem, and Hincapie for Roubaix. And don’t forget Karsten Kroon—he’s no slouch either and could bring the team another win a week after Roubaix at the Amstel Gold Race. Overall, it was a pretty impressive haul for Jim Ochowicz and John Lelangue. Now they must hope for the invitations they need to get their riders in the best races. With this roster, it shouldn't be a problem.
2. The next winner is Liquigas, who won simply by staying put. They announced that the bulk of their roster is staying-put, including wunderkinds Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger. Even Ivan Basso returns for another year in the green and blue, perhaps spurning an offer to ride with Lance at Radio Shack? Kuchynski and Quinziato remain for the Classics, along with talented domestiques like Willems and Vandborg. And don't forget Franco Pellisotti, he'll be back as well. Sometimes the best moves are the ones not made, I guess.
And now, the Losers:
1. Lampre should be chided for letting Ballan go. For an Italian team, losing homegrown talent has to be considered a disappointment. His replacement? Alessandro Petacchi. Sure, he’ll bring stage wins in the Giro, but he’s getting older, is no stranger to scandal, and he was probably overpaid. What’s Saronni thinking?
2. It was inevitable; Columbia-HTC had to start losing sometime. With so much talent, choices had to be made. Right now, Burghart, Hincapie, and Kirchen are the biggest names to depart, but Edvald Boassen Hagen and Thomas Lokvist are likely to leave as well. Columbia’s re-stocked a bit, signing young talent from around the world as well as up-and-comers like Martin and Peter Velits. But the riders they lose will leave a mark in the win column for sure, especially Hincapie, whose guidance and veteran leadership will be missed in the Classics and the Tour.
These teams get a Draw:
1. Team Sky certainly wants to make a splash, choosing to wait a week or so to announce it’s full roster—maybe to finalize a few more names, perhaps to ensure the spotlight’s all their own. Rumors are swirling as to whom they’ll sign, with Boassen Hagen and Simon Gerrans topping the list. Whenever it happens, it will be exciting to see the final shape of the UK’s first Pro Tour team. Until that time though, judgment must be reserved.
2. Garmin made some noise, signing young talent and some classics help in the form of Johan Vansummeren. That said, I was hoping for more. They need a rider with the talent and experience necessary to help the younger guys start to win bigger races. Vansummeren might bring that, but it’s hard to tell given the role he played at Silence-Lotto. For now they get a draw, but if they don’t start contending in the Monuments soon or hit the podium at the Tour, it could turn-out to be a loss.
3. Radio Shack made a splash from the Tour to now, but let's look at their signings objectively. Clearly, this is a team for Lance. He's surrounded himself with dedicated riders willing to sacrifice their own aspirations for his sake. But honestly, does Lance have the legs left to match his ambition? I think not. Radio Shack will come to the Tour fully loaded, but if Lance can't hang with the other favorites, which rider will pick-up the mantle? Levi? Popo? And what about the Classics? Yes, Geert Steegmans is a talented rider and well-suited to the Northern races, but he's very inconsistent and has never shown the ability to deliver as a protected rider. So for now, The Shack gets a draw, but like Slipstream, time will tell the true merits of its acquisitions.
Otherwise, it was a relatively quiet September 1st.
What about you? Which teams did I miss? Share your thoughts below.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Should E-N-E-C-O Equal R-E-S-P-E-C-T?
Admit it, you've spent more time over the past week reading about Leadville than this week's ENECO Tour. It's okay, you're among friends.
I made the same mistake. In my Embrocation column this week, I intimated that the ENECO Tour (among several other August races) doesn’t hold the same amount of prestige (and therefore doesn't warrant much attention) as races in other months. But after following the coverage of the Benelux Tour’s first 3 days, I can’t help but wonder if we might all be wrong. Does the ENECO Tour deserve more respect than it’s getting?
First, take a look at the parcours. Were you surprised to learn the race is 8 days long? That’s as long as Paris-Nice and a day longer than Tirreno-Adriatico. A few stages top 200km and there are two days of individual time trials—albeit short ones. And don’t let those sprint finishes fool you, this race has some hills. Remember those climbs we spent most of April covering? Well, many of them return here: the bergs of Amstel, the muurs of Flanders, and the cols of the Ardennes. For example, the Muur de Geraardsbergen left it’s mark yesterday with about 76km to go, reducing the field with it’s steep cobbled pitch. The Ardennes are yet to come; look for the real GC battle to sort itself out there.
But what really impressed me was the event’s startlist (click "Deelnemers")—it’s quite stellar for an August week-long stage race. Quick Step brought Tom Boonen and Sylvain Chavanel (Chavanel won the race Prologue). Garmin--along with current race leader Tyler Farrar--brought Bradley Wiggins, fresh from his 4th-place in the Tour. And speaking of high finishers in the Tour, how about Vincenzo Nibali? He’s there too. Andreas Kloden took the line for Astana; he would have been a candidate for the win had he not crashed and injured his wrist yesterday. Columbia brought 4 men capable of winning the overall: Tony Martin, Maxime Monfort, Thomas Lövkvist, and Michael Rogers. Edvald Boassen Hagen is there too, looking to continue his good run of summer form. Silence-Lotto took the line with Greg Van Avermaet, Jurgen Van Den Broeck, and Johan Vansummeren—what, no Cadel? Rabobank brings Classics men Juan Antonio Flecha and Nick Nuyens. If this were the Start List for Paris-Nice or the Tour of California, would it be getting more press?
And speaking of respect, it’s also time to give some to the race’s current leader and double stage winner, Tyler Farrar. Young Farrar’s entered 4 races this week (not counting today’s stage), winning 3 of them and finishing 2nd in the fourth. It’s a testament to not only Farrar’s blossoming talent, but also to the confidence that comes from getting your first big win. Tyler’s been ready to boil over since this year’s Tour, when he finished 2nd almost as many time as Mark Cavendish finished 1st. Sunday’s win in the Vattenfall Cyclassics was just the result Tyler and his Garmin teammates needed to top-off their confidence, as their performances in ENECO have clearly illustrated.
So maybe we all need to spend a little less time thinking about transfers and a little more time focusing on the great racing going-on right under our noses.
What are your thoughts? Share them below.
I made the same mistake. In my Embrocation column this week, I intimated that the ENECO Tour (among several other August races) doesn’t hold the same amount of prestige (and therefore doesn't warrant much attention) as races in other months. But after following the coverage of the Benelux Tour’s first 3 days, I can’t help but wonder if we might all be wrong. Does the ENECO Tour deserve more respect than it’s getting?
First, take a look at the parcours. Were you surprised to learn the race is 8 days long? That’s as long as Paris-Nice and a day longer than Tirreno-Adriatico. A few stages top 200km and there are two days of individual time trials—albeit short ones. And don’t let those sprint finishes fool you, this race has some hills. Remember those climbs we spent most of April covering? Well, many of them return here: the bergs of Amstel, the muurs of Flanders, and the cols of the Ardennes. For example, the Muur de Geraardsbergen left it’s mark yesterday with about 76km to go, reducing the field with it’s steep cobbled pitch. The Ardennes are yet to come; look for the real GC battle to sort itself out there.
But what really impressed me was the event’s startlist (click "Deelnemers")—it’s quite stellar for an August week-long stage race. Quick Step brought Tom Boonen and Sylvain Chavanel (Chavanel won the race Prologue). Garmin--along with current race leader Tyler Farrar--brought Bradley Wiggins, fresh from his 4th-place in the Tour. And speaking of high finishers in the Tour, how about Vincenzo Nibali? He’s there too. Andreas Kloden took the line for Astana; he would have been a candidate for the win had he not crashed and injured his wrist yesterday. Columbia brought 4 men capable of winning the overall: Tony Martin, Maxime Monfort, Thomas Lövkvist, and Michael Rogers. Edvald Boassen Hagen is there too, looking to continue his good run of summer form. Silence-Lotto took the line with Greg Van Avermaet, Jurgen Van Den Broeck, and Johan Vansummeren—what, no Cadel? Rabobank brings Classics men Juan Antonio Flecha and Nick Nuyens. If this were the Start List for Paris-Nice or the Tour of California, would it be getting more press?
And speaking of respect, it’s also time to give some to the race’s current leader and double stage winner, Tyler Farrar. Young Farrar’s entered 4 races this week (not counting today’s stage), winning 3 of them and finishing 2nd in the fourth. It’s a testament to not only Farrar’s blossoming talent, but also to the confidence that comes from getting your first big win. Tyler’s been ready to boil over since this year’s Tour, when he finished 2nd almost as many time as Mark Cavendish finished 1st. Sunday’s win in the Vattenfall Cyclassics was just the result Tyler and his Garmin teammates needed to top-off their confidence, as their performances in ENECO have clearly illustrated.
So maybe we all need to spend a little less time thinking about transfers and a little more time focusing on the great racing going-on right under our noses.
What are your thoughts? Share them below.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tour de France - Stage 12 - Wrap-up
Milram missed-out on another opportunity for a stage win today, begging the question:
Well, I practically gave you one: Milram.
Two more should be easy since it’s the first year they’ve participated: Skil-Shimano and Katusha.
The fourth? Garmin-Slipstream.
Of the four, Milram has to be the most disappointing. They’ve been in the race since 2006, and after more than 3 tries still have no wins to their credit. And with riders like Alessandro Petacchi, Erik Zabel, Gerald Ciolek, Fabian Wegmann, and Linus Gerdemann, you can’t say that haven’t had the firepower (though the latter two have been on the team only since the beginning of this season). Milram’s been an active presence at the front on most days. Several times they’ve placed a rider in the day’s big break, and on several sprint stages they’ve been seen working to set-up their sprinter. So you can't say they haven't tried.
But no wins since 2006? Milram Corporate is either the most patient or the most oblivious title sponsor in the sport. Or maybe General Manager Gerry Van Gerwen (a really nice guy, by the way) has some pretty "interesting" photos of the company’s President/CEO?
Skil-Shimano deserves a bit of a pass as it’s their first go-round in le Grand Boucle. The team's made its presence known in breakaways and has made an attempt here and there to set-up Kenny Van Hummel in the sprints. If they keep it up, a stage win could be in their future (but people have been saying that about Milram since 2006).
However, Katusha has more reason to be a bit disappointed. Mikael Ignatiev’s been in a few breakaways, but that’s pretty much it. We've all been waiting for Filippo Pozatto to show himself at some point, but he’s received more headlines for his jersey design than his results. Worse still is the fact that Robbie McEwen and Geert Steegmans, the team’s two best stage options, didn’t even start! I still see Pozatto or Ignatiev taking a stage later in the race, but if they don’t, this will be the last year Katusha is given the benefit of the doubt.
And finally, there’s Garmin-(We Ride in the Winner’s)Slipstream. Close, but no cigar seems to be the motto for Jonathan Vaughters and his riders—close to the stage win, close to the podium. Despite the near-misses, there are positives though: Tyler Farrar’s consistently crept closer and closer to a sprint win and still could get one in the final week. Bradley Wiggins and Christian Vande Velde both lie in reach of the podium on the GC (but both need to lose some time in order to have a shout for a mountain stage win). As for breakaways, I think it’s safe to say the team is content to preserve its energies for the remaining critical stages.
This is the second year for the cleanest team in cycling to participate in the sport’s biggest race. At some point though, they’ll need to do more than just "be there". Will they take the next step between now and Paris?
What do you think?
Can you name the teams in this year’s Tour that have never won a stage?
Cue the Jeopardy music…and don’t read down if you don’t want it spoiled.
Here’s a hint: there are 4.
Had enough? Okay, here are the answers:
Well, I practically gave you one: Milram.
Two more should be easy since it’s the first year they’ve participated: Skil-Shimano and Katusha.
The fourth? Garmin-Slipstream.
Of the four, Milram has to be the most disappointing. They’ve been in the race since 2006, and after more than 3 tries still have no wins to their credit. And with riders like Alessandro Petacchi, Erik Zabel, Gerald Ciolek, Fabian Wegmann, and Linus Gerdemann, you can’t say that haven’t had the firepower (though the latter two have been on the team only since the beginning of this season). Milram’s been an active presence at the front on most days. Several times they’ve placed a rider in the day’s big break, and on several sprint stages they’ve been seen working to set-up their sprinter. So you can't say they haven't tried.
But no wins since 2006? Milram Corporate is either the most patient or the most oblivious title sponsor in the sport. Or maybe General Manager Gerry Van Gerwen (a really nice guy, by the way) has some pretty "interesting" photos of the company’s President/CEO?
Skil-Shimano deserves a bit of a pass as it’s their first go-round in le Grand Boucle. The team's made its presence known in breakaways and has made an attempt here and there to set-up Kenny Van Hummel in the sprints. If they keep it up, a stage win could be in their future (but people have been saying that about Milram since 2006).
However, Katusha has more reason to be a bit disappointed. Mikael Ignatiev’s been in a few breakaways, but that’s pretty much it. We've all been waiting for Filippo Pozatto to show himself at some point, but he’s received more headlines for his jersey design than his results. Worse still is the fact that Robbie McEwen and Geert Steegmans, the team’s two best stage options, didn’t even start! I still see Pozatto or Ignatiev taking a stage later in the race, but if they don’t, this will be the last year Katusha is given the benefit of the doubt.
And finally, there’s Garmin-(We Ride in the Winner’s)Slipstream. Close, but no cigar seems to be the motto for Jonathan Vaughters and his riders—close to the stage win, close to the podium. Despite the near-misses, there are positives though: Tyler Farrar’s consistently crept closer and closer to a sprint win and still could get one in the final week. Bradley Wiggins and Christian Vande Velde both lie in reach of the podium on the GC (but both need to lose some time in order to have a shout for a mountain stage win). As for breakaways, I think it’s safe to say the team is content to preserve its energies for the remaining critical stages.
This is the second year for the cleanest team in cycling to participate in the sport’s biggest race. At some point though, they’ll need to do more than just "be there". Will they take the next step between now and Paris?
What do you think?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Giro Stage 18 - Another Garmin Near-miss
Poor Danny Pate. In case you missed today's final kilometer, the American with the penchant for near-misses narrowly missed another big win. At first, I thought he went too soon, but on a second look at the film, notice how he keeps looking down at his cassette. The sprint was on a bricked/stoned boulevard that might have led to some chain slippage. Was he not in the proper gear? His cadence seems a bit high, and Scarponi rides away from him seemingly at ease. I find it hard to believe he mis-timed it or was surprised by the grade--especially since they rode through the line on the lap before.
Regardless, it's yet another in a long line of Garmin "close but no cigar's". I really hate to say this, but I'm starting to think Cavendish had a point. Maybe Jon Vaughters is the Billy Beane of professional cycling and the rest of us just don't understand the method behind his apparent roster-building madness. Maybe this is exactly the point he's trying to prove in fielding what is often claimed to be the world's cleanest team. For now though, it just reaffirms my long-held belief that a team of rouleurs and time-trialists is great for sitting at the front of races, but not the best for winning them.
And don't give me that "what about stages in Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico?" stuff. Unless your team is French, at this point in the year these wins are rendered almost moot. Without looking it up or mentioning the overall winner, can you name one stage winner from the 2008 editions of these races? Okay, I'm sure some of you might, but for the rest of us, these races are merely indicators of--hopefully--bigger things to come.
Maybe Garmin will reward us come July. I, for one, am pulling for them; but I'm getting impatient.
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