I'm sticking with guys from "english speaking" countries... Australia, USA, Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.
It's a big enough pool of talent to have a very good team.
I'm excited about the idea of Zabriskie being the team lead for '08... I'll be going after him hard. Hopefully he can manage both the TDF and Vuelta (I don't have any other strong options for that race). It may be asking a bit much.
I'm a continental squad. I'm not running the TDF and Vuelta the current season (2007). I'm planning for the 2008 season.
Right now the top riders aren't going to signe with my team. I've got no shot to land an Evans, Rogers, Danielson, or Leipheimer come transfer time. Cavendish (who I moved to my team with the editor) isn't going to re-sign with me either. But since I'll be pro tour in 2008, I've got to have some guys who can at least put up top 10's in the big 3 in 2008.
I'm targeting Zabriskie for a team lead in the 2008 TDF. I don't think I have a shot at winning, but I can maybe win a time trial and hopefully his climbing skills will be high enough to hang in the top 10-15.
I have a young rider named Augustyn with good potential who I'm targeting for the Giro. He's a 73 climber (67 average) now who I think can be decent by next Giro. That leaves the Vuelta. I'm trying to figure out what I should do in transfer season. I can:
1. Ignore tranfers and hope Phinney is developed enough to compete for a top 10-15 by that point in the 2008 season.
2. Ignore transfers and focus on another rider with less potential but higher current stats for the Vuelta (I'd be looking at guys who are 67 now with potentials around 5 or 6 I think)
3. Pick up a veteran transfer in October to ride the Vuelta. It couldn't be a top guy since they won't sign with me... I'd be going for someone like Horner.
I would go with all three. But put special emphasis on getting some good support riders for the mountains. It takes a good team to do well in the Grand Tours.
I think my mountain support will be up to par. I have a solid number of guys with MO attributes from 69-72 right now and most are young and still developing pretty well. If they're all around 75 by the time I need them in a grand tour I should be okay.
I'll probably have to review again in october. If my young guys develop quickly enough I might be able to plug them in a leader role and still get a top 10 and free up a roster spot for another youngster.
