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News in January
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 09-01-2018 13:37
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Good and fair wildcards. I think Cofidis finally will get a decent race, Jesus could do some stuff and Bouhanni just needs to get this shit together. Direct Energie is a no-brainer with Calmejane as well, lets not forget he won a stage last year. Same for Fortuneo and Barguill, you need him in the race.
Then its basically Coquard vs Martin and they picked Martin, Wanty also did decently last year. I would have went for the same teams. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 09-01-2018 13:41
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Prudhomme did a nice interview where he explained a bit more about how they pick wildcards. That they want to pick the best PCT team + the best French teams they can. This year whilst Vital have Coquard, who's more likely to perform than Bouhanni, Vital is a first year team and Prudhomme doesn't like picking first year teams and wants them to show they are a genuine team first.
So no surprises in selction, nice to hear some more of their reasoning.
And in ASO week, they've confirmed lots of their other race routes as well. I like the look of Norway this year 
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| df_Trek |
Posted on 09-01-2018 14:20
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I think WGG, Cofidis, DE, are among the best PCT, and they did also good things in recent years, and Fortuneo with Barguill is obviously to call, so regardless they are also 3 french teams the WC are deserved
I think they made the right choice
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| ivaneurope |
Posted on 09-01-2018 17:09
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aldrofj wrote:
ivaneurope wrote:
Why Vital Concept expect wildcard to be handed to them just because they're French team?
Because it was the case when Sojasun and especially Bretagne rode their first TDF. Since 2014, they seem to fucus more on the best PCT teams, like Wanty or Bora until 2016. When Bouygues, Cofidis and FDJ left the WT, it was very difficult to get a wildcard as a non-french team, only super-squads like BMC or Cervelo got it.
The thing is that neither French PCT teams like Vital Concept should take the Tour wildcards for granted just because they're French teams. Wanty and Cofidis are UCI Europe Tour's best teams. Direct Energie are from Vendee - the Grand Depart this year and popular team (even though Tommy Voeckler is no more). Fortuneo got the nod mainly due to Warren Barguil - the KOM winner - and their recent participation.
Vital Concept think that the nationality card is the only valid reason for them to get the nod. But hold on, you're new to the peloton and ASO don't want to take a gamble with some new unproven team. Perform well in the other races and the chances for invitation in 2019 would be greater.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 09-01-2018 19:35
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Riis123 wrote:
Good and fair wildcards. I think Cofidis finally will get a decent race, Jesus could do some stuff and Bouhanni just needs to get this shit together..
By Jesus I hope you mean Laporte not Herrada 
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
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| Shonak |
Posted on 09-01-2018 19:38
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jandal7 wrote:
Riis123 wrote:
Good and fair wildcards. I think Cofidis finally will get a decent race, Jesus could do some stuff and Bouhanni just needs to get this shit together..
By Jesus I hope you mean Laporte not Herrada
(hihi - always wanted to use that smiley)
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 21:21
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| Champ_Armstrong |
Posted on 10-01-2018 07:54
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With the amount cut to 8 riders I'm surprised they're only inviting 4 teams. Would be ideel with smaller but more teams. |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 10-01-2018 08:10
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Champ_Armstrong wrote:
With the amount cut to 8 riders I'm surprised they're only inviting 4 teams. Would be ideel with smaller but more teams.
The point of reducing team sizes was to make the peloton smaller and safer. Inviting more teams would defeat that purpose.
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| Champ_Armstrong |
Posted on 10-01-2018 08:34
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AbhishekLFC wrote:
Champ_Armstrong wrote:
With the amount cut to 8 riders I'm surprised they're only inviting 4 teams. Would be ideel with smaller but more teams.
The point of reducing team sizes was to make the peloton smaller and safer. Inviting more teams would defeat that purpose.
Thought the purpose was to avoid total dominance and keep it more competitive? |
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 10-01-2018 10:59
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Champ_Armstrong wrote:
AbhishekLFC wrote:
Champ_Armstrong wrote:
With the amount cut to 8 riders I'm surprised they're only inviting 4 teams. Would be ideel with smaller but more teams.
The point of reducing team sizes was to make the peloton smaller and safer. Inviting more teams would defeat that purpose.
Thought the purpose was to avoid total dominance and keep it more competitive?
Its both, I think |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-01-2018 11:20
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Riis123 wrote:
Champ_Armstrong wrote:
AbhishekLFC wrote:
Champ_Armstrong wrote:
With the amount cut to 8 riders I'm surprised they're only inviting 4 teams. Would be ideel with smaller but more teams.
The point of reducing team sizes was to make the peloton smaller and safer. Inviting more teams would defeat that purpose.
Thought the purpose was to avoid total dominance and keep it more competitive?
Its both, I think
It's attempting to reduce big team domination in the disguise of safety Not that either will happen imo.
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| df_Trek |
Posted on 10-01-2018 11:22
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TheManxMissile wrote:
It's attempting to reduce big team domination in the disguise of safety Not that either will happen imo.
i agree 
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| Champ_Armstrong |
Posted on 10-01-2018 12:15
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8 or 9 can't really see what difference it will make. Big teams will still dominate and safety? If you want safety you do not became a pro cyclist. |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 10-01-2018 12:32
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I think it's fair for any professional athlete to assume that the governing body at least tries to make their sport as less risky as possible. And not facilitate in adding to it. So yeah, they're trying, which is thoughtful. Will it work, maybe not. Because the main problems are everything else other than the cyclists!
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| Champ_Armstrong |
Posted on 10-01-2018 12:55
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AbhishekLFC wrote:
Will it work, maybe not. Because the main problems are everything else other than the cyclists!
Do not always agree in this. Look how dangerously they're riding in finals, descents, sprints, cobbles. This is not curling. You have to take risks in order to win. |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 10-01-2018 13:26
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Champ_Armstrong wrote:
AbhishekLFC wrote:
Will it work, maybe not. Because the main problems are everything else other than the cyclists!
Do not always agree in this. Look how dangerously they're riding in finals, descents, sprints, cobbles. This is not curling. You have to take risks in order to win.
Ah Curling, Quidditch for Muggles 
On a serious note, did not mean cycling isn't dangerous in itself. Just that there seems to be too many external elements these days which add to the danger!
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 10-01-2018 13:38
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They could make sprinting safer by taking out roundabouts and 90 degree corners in the last kilometre. It's just common sense when planning a route.
"Ringo is exactly right", Shonak - 8 September 2016
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| df_Trek |
Posted on 10-01-2018 13:42
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ringo182 wrote:
They could make sprinting safer by taking out roundabouts and 90 degree corners in the last kilometre. It's just common sense when planning a route.
true, but after this you have an outcome like
kittel
kittel
kittel
kittel
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| matt17br |
Posted on 10-01-2018 14:09
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df_Trek wrote:
ringo182 wrote:
They could make sprinting safer by taking out roundabouts and 90 degree corners in the last kilometre. It's just common sense when planning a route.
true, but after this you have an outcome like
kittel
kittel
kittel
kittel
Pretty much, sprint stages are boring as they are, taking out some of the elements that contribute to making them more unpredictable would just be bad. Positioning, cornering and risk taking in general absolutely need to be in a sprinter's skillset.
I don't think most sprinters would be willing to sacrifice a couple of mass-crashes per year to just see the fastest man win every single time.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-01-2018 14:48
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ringo182 wrote:
They could make sprinting safer by taking out roundabouts and 90 degree corners in the last kilometre. It's just common sense when planning a route.
We can make Roubaix and RVV safer by taking out the cobbles.
We can make mounains safer by removeing descents.
We can make climbing safer by banning fans from sides of the road.
We can make cycling safer easily, but we'll kill it at the same time.
Things can be improved by adding more catch fences on hard descents. By using more fences and policing on climbs. By not leaving solid metal posts in the road in Pais Vasco. But taking away all challenge... no thanks...
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
