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News in January
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 17-01-2018 20:33
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Riis123 wrote:
Its basically a case of 'my mom spilled her cancer pills in my spaghetti, I didnt do anything wrong'.. Can this dude just have his ban so we can move on?... I don't want a season where this case is clouding it, especially the Giro and the Tour.
Hopefully this will be sorted by the Giro, although after proper arguing between Froome and the UCI, and then an almost inevitable CAS appeal (because i don't see Froome accepting a ban cleanly, nor the UCI letting Froome go easily) ... We could be hearing about this well into the late summer...
The process does need to be streamlined so these cases don't drag on for months and months. Ulissi took damn ages to sort out as well...
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| ivaneurope |
Posted on 20-01-2018 17:18
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And the Giro d'Italia wildcards are announced. As expected, Israel Cycling Academy got the nod. Androni will return after 2 years absence with Wilier and Bardiani(!) completing the quartet.
Notice that Bardiani were invited. After the double doping scandal before the 2017 Giro it was highly expected that this team would get the cold shoulder out of the Italian teams. Instead Nippo would miss again the Giro, redering Cunego's "I'll retire at the Giro" totally meaningless.
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| aldrofj |
Posted on 20-01-2018 18:02
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ivaneurope wrote:
And the Giro d'Italia wildcards are announced. As expected, Israel Cycling Academy got the nod. Androni will return after 2 years absence with Wilier and Bardiani(!) completing the quartet.
Notice that Bardiani were invited. After the double doping scandal before the 2017 Giro it was highly expected that this team would get the cold shoulder out of the Italian teams. Instead Nippo would miss again the Giro, redering Cunego's "I'll retire at the Giro" totally meaningless.
Katusha had a double doping scandal in 2015 and is still in WT. Astana had it more than once. Bardiani is a competitive team with Ciccone who has won a stage in 2016, Guardini, Barbin or Senni. They know how to animate a race and they have won 3 stages in 2014, 1 in 2015 and 2016.
Androni's selection surprises me more, because compared to Nippo's team (Cunego, Canola, Grosu), they only have Belletti, Cattaneo or Gavazzi, and Malucelli seems to be too young to do something.
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| ivaneurope |
Posted on 20-01-2018 18:12
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aldrofj wrote:
ivaneurope wrote:
And the Giro d'Italia wildcards are announced. As expected, Israel Cycling Academy got the nod. Androni will return after 2 years absence with Wilier and Bardiani(!) completing the quartet.
Notice that Bardiani were invited. After the double doping scandal before the 2017 Giro it was highly expected that this team would get the cold shoulder out of the Italian teams. Instead Nippo would miss again the Giro, redering Cunego's "I'll retire at the Giro" totally meaningless.
Katusha had a double doping scandal in 2015 and is still in WT. Astana had it more than once. Bardiani is a competitive team with Ciccone who has won a stage in 2016, Guardini, Barbin or Senni. They know how to animate a race and they have won 3 stages in 2014, 1 in 2015 and 2016.
Androni's selection surprises me more, because compared to Nippo's team (Cunego, Canola, Grosu), they only have Belletti, Cattaneo or Gavazzi, and Malucelli seems to be too young to do something.
Androni had to be invited as they are the 2017 Coppa Italia winners (i.e. the best Italian team in the local Continental UCI events), but back then they still had Bernal in their squad. Nippo doesn't seem to be as valuable as Androni since this team is more or less Japanese funded by Japanese corporation and it's primary objective is to prepare Japanese riders for Tokyo 2020 Olympics with modest success
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 20-01-2018 19:38
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I'm not even that surprised, the Giro's wildcard choices have been relatively odd in the past few years. Also, not long ago, Acqua Sapone weren't invited for some similar reasons that happened with Bardiani last year, maybe the interests are different, even though it was Cunego's last chance to ride the race. At least no RusVelo this year. |
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| Raziz |
Posted on 20-01-2018 22:08
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RusVelo last year was so strange, although I think it was for some sponsorship for other events, not too sure. |
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| df_Trek |
Posted on 21-01-2018 09:08
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Last year they deserved a WC after a solid '16 giro
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| ivaneurope |
Posted on 21-01-2018 13:00
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Raziz wrote:
RusVelo last year was so strange, although I think it was for some sponsorship for other events, not too sure.
They were invited after solid performance in 2016 - Stage win for Alexander Foliforov at the mountain TT
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| Raziz |
Posted on 21-01-2018 13:46
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ivaneurope wrote:
Raziz wrote:
RusVelo last year was so strange, although I think it was for some sponsorship for other events, not too sure.
They were invited after solid performance in 2016 - Stage win for Alexander Foliforov at the mountain TT
It was a sound decision this time to not invite them to prevent further tarnish of doping controversy surrounding the race. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 19:33
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| Yellow Jersey |
Posted on 21-01-2018 18:12
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Rumours of a virus in the hotel where most teams are staying in the Tour of San Juan, Nibali suspected to be ill
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 21-01-2018 19:06
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ivaneurope wrote:
Raziz wrote:
RusVelo last year was so strange, although I think it was for some sponsorship for other events, not too sure.
They were invited after solid performance in 2016 - Stage win for Alexander Foliforov at the mountain TT
It was because Gazprom became a main sponsor of the race mostly iirc.
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 21-01-2018 21:35
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Good Giro wildcards, I would have picked the same 4 teams like I would have in the Tour. Good job by RCS and ASO there. Ciccone will have a great Giro - too bad Bernal isn't on Androni, but look out for the 19 year old Kevin Rivera who most likely will ride the Giro. I hope Rosa competes as well for that same team. Isreal was 100% all along, so thats that, but they have a decent team with Hermans, Sbaragli etc. Had it not been in Isreal tho...
I dont care about Nippo/Willier that much tbh, both are pretty bad teams, but Nippo has Jakub Maresszko and and of course the legendary Pippo Pozzato and Willier doesn't really have anything besides an old and way over the top Cunego. So good choices. I am happy Aqua Blue and Rusvelo didn't get the nod over those 4 teams. |
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| Yellow Jersey |
Posted on 21-01-2018 23:12
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Honestly imo Nippo deserved over Bardiani.. Yes Bardiani is a pure Italian team whilst Nippo also has a big Japanese influence (probably that was the decisive factor). I won't grind about the doping cases last year cause i don't have anything to add, but from a pure performance level Nippo is ahead. Marco Canola, Damiano Cunego (in his last season), plus Ponzi, Santaromita, Marangoni (all of them former WT Italian riders) and Grosu for the sprints.
And if speaking on a superficial level, Bardiani had 2 wins last season (plus two that were taken from Ruffoni), Nippo had 11 including races with high WT competition
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 22-01-2018 06:30
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Yeah, you can make a case for all these three Italians teams (Nippi, Bardiani and Selle Italia), But I think you gotta ask yourself if those riders are actually gonna have an impact in the race - while nice ProConti riders, matched against WT riders I don't think they really add something on the race. So while Bardiani is a very slim team and doesn't really have that much to offer, they have Ciccone who they obviously rate very highly in Italy. Unfortunately he got his season ruined by an early injury last year, but you just have to look at his stage win in 2016 to know there is something to him. You don't do that by accident.. So I like the fact that they got a chance again, even after the scandal but lets be honest, thats normal stuff in Italy really. But Ciccone can really be a difference maker and he is a young talent from Italy, so thats more or less the whole reason, I think. Thats and the fact its a 100% Italian team whereas Nippo is 50% Japanese omr something like that, I think? |
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| Champ_Armstrong |
Posted on 22-01-2018 09:02
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Apparently David Lappartient is busy trying to change the whole sport of cycling and with a totally no attitude for forgiveness.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 22-01-2018 22:02
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ringo182 wrote:
This is just going to drag on and on to a point where it is pointless suspending him as he has already served his suspension.
To be honest I think that's probably Sky's plan.
He have not served even a day of suspension yet. People here are mixing several things together. Froome is not provisionally suspended like Ulissi was since few weeks after that Giro, hence the ban cant be retroactive from the Vuelta date for Froome. He is cleared to race, so once he got his ban (and he has to be banned, as he had gone over the limit with prohibited substance) that ban will start from date of his suspension. I doubt we will see Froome race even a day in 2018, he will be banned for at least 9 months, but possibly for two years starting from the suspension date (which is not yet).
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 22-01-2018 22:06
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
He have not served even a day of suspension yet. People here are mixing several things together. Froome is not provisionally suspended like Ulissi was since few weeks after that Giro, hence the ban cant be retroactive from the Vuelta date for Froome. He is cleared to race, so once he got his ban ( and he has to be banned, as he had gone over the limit with prohibited substance) that ban will start from date of his suspension. I doubt we will see Froome race even a day in 2018, he will be banned for at least 9 months, but possibly for two years starting from the suspension date (which is not yet).
God how do we all wish this was true and so simple 
But given there's still not date for any hearings or tribunals or jurys or anything, i think we'll just about see Froome get some racing in. Doesn't seem like Sky will pull him from the planned schedule, so unless the UCI can get a ban on him before March, which could happen but i think it will take at least 3 or 4 more months to get a decision, he'll be in action even if only briefly
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 22-01-2018 22:12
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TheManxMissile wrote:
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
He have not served even a day of suspension yet. People here are mixing several things together. Froome is not provisionally suspended like Ulissi was since few weeks after that Giro, hence the ban cant be retroactive from the Vuelta date for Froome. He is cleared to race, so once he got his ban ( and he has to be banned, as he had gone over the limit with prohibited substance) that ban will start from date of his suspension. I doubt we will see Froome race even a day in 2018, he will be banned for at least 9 months, but possibly for two years starting from the suspension date (which is not yet).
God how do we all wish this was true and so simple
But given there's still not date for any hearings or tribunals or jurys or anything, i think we'll just about see Froome get some racing in. Doesn't seem like Sky will pull him from the planned schedule, so unless the UCI can get a ban on him before March, which could happen but i think it will take at least 3 or 4 more months to get a decision, he'll be in action even if only briefly
Yep, i agree, it was bad phrasing from me, as i have not thought in my post about him actually racing before the decision and that bolded part refered to racing after the decision. I am curious to see his racing programme, if SKY will put him into March lineups, or rather wait for April/Romandie, or even for the decision.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 22-01-2018 22:16
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Btw. i guess whole case will either way end at CAS, so the final say can be in the very distant future, which sucks as always with big doping cases and especially in cycling.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 22-01-2018 22:28
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Btw. i guess whole case will either way end at CAS, so the final say can be in the very distant future, which sucks as always with big doping cases and especially in cycling.
Oh yeah i fully expect this to go through CAS, and i've said it before but a truly final decision won't appear before the autumn. There's too much at stake for either side to back down before then.
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