Gesink will ride Dwaars too in preparation for Tour de France. I guess it's the usual shared leadership at LottoNL, just stepped up, this time shared with Kelderman and Ten Dam? I prefer Gesink/Ten Dam/Kelderman combo over the former Mollema/Ten Dam Tour formula.
EDIT This really leaves no proper GC contenders for Giro and Vuelta though.
Edited by Shonak on 17-01-2015 11:27
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Oh god, that seems like a tough programme. Hopefully we will be fresh for the Vuelta, but on the other hand, he has shown that kind of resistence last year.. Interesting!
I don't get why one of those 3 don't attend the Giro, at least one of them will probably go for the Vuelta afterwards anyways though.
Fränky Schleck to kick off season with Andalucia and Mallorca, then to ride Paris-Nice again, with focus on Ardennes and later on prep for le Tour, according to radsport-news.com https://www.radspo..._91058.htm
I'm really looking forward to what he's capable of doing this season, I feel like there's still a big win, like Amstel e.g., left in him. But that probably won't happen.
He also says that he will be the first to ride for Mollema if the Dutch is stronger than him.
Riis123 wrote:
I don't get why one of those 3 don't attend the Giro, at least one of them will probably go for the Vuelta afterwards anyways though.
They probably end up sending all three riders to the Vuelta hehe... where each one does little. Super smort team schedule planning.
To be fair though, LottoNL probably wants best coverage for the Tour, especially since le Tour is in Netherlands this year. With Mollema leaving, they just have to send their guys there.
Edited by Shonak on 18-01-2015 14:56
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
I really doubt he has a win like that in him. He may end up ending in top-10 though, but I would rather put my money on Nerz in top-10 in Tour de France than Schleck winning an Ardennes-classic
... and neither of them probably won't end up in top-10 either, haha. Kelderman probably the only one with a chance there unless Ten Dam is having another go at the fountain of youth/suddenly one of the better climbers in the peloton.
San Luis starts tomorrow as well. Quintana, Betancar and Kwiatek attends. Should already give an indication of how serious Betancur will be this season, hopefully he will perform well. Nairos little brother Dayer will be there as well, I hope he will have an even better season than last year and continue his development, he is certainly a big talent. Another rider who I will follow is the dane John Ebsen, he reminds me off Michael Rasmussen, an outsider and a pure climber. First race on the Androni-team and I hope he will do well as he has stated that his biggest dream is to win on a big climb in Tour de France,, this season could be a step in that direction.
Riis123 wrote:
I really doubt he has a win like that in him. He may end up ending in top-10 though, but I would rather put my money on Nerz in top-10 in Tour de France than Schleck winning an Ardennes-classic
So umm.. How about when he won Amstel Gold in 2006?
trekbmc wrote:
Just saying that he has already won one.
But that has still nothing to do with it, lol. And yes, I was aware of that, after all he rode for Bjarne Riis in 2006 and since I am a dane, the hype was real. But he is past his prime and I see him as more of a climber and less of a ardennes-rider right now.
Riis123 wrote:
Nairos little brother Dayer will be there as well, I hope he will have an even better season than last year and continue his development, he is certainly a big talent.
Yeah, he should be great to watch again this seaosn. His win in Austria was great last year, still remember that very rainy stage up to Kitzbühler Horn. Hopefully he gets to ride the race again this year. Always nice when future GT giants & aspiring super climbers collect their first credits in Austria's mountains.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
trekbmc wrote:
Just saying that he has already won one.
But that has still nothing to do with it, lol. And yes, I was aware of that, after all he rode for Bjarne Riis in 2006 and since I am a dane, the hype was real. But he is past his prime and I see him as more of a climber and less of a ardennes-rider right now.
Riis123 wrote:
Nairos little brother Dayer will be there as well, I hope he will have an even better season than last year and continue his development, he is certainly a big talent.
Yeah, he should be great to watch again this seaosn. His win in Austria was great last year, still remember that very rainy stage up to Kitzbühler Horn. Hopefully he gets to ride the race again this year. Always nice when future GT giants & aspiring super climbers collect their first credits in Austria's mountains.
Unless... unless he is selected for the Tour. He will probably just ride the Vuelta or Giro tho (probably the Vuelta since Nairo is doing that as well), but could be cool with that many mountains this year.
George Bennett can lead Lotto NL at Vuelta. He would have got top 20/25 if he wasn't caught in crosswinds.
Also, Thibaut Pinot would have came second at Le Tour last year if he didn't get caught in crosswinds on stage 6 I think it was. He and Pierre Rolland lost 59 seconds.
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
I think thats pretty accurate as of right now, Van den Broeck doesnt go for the Tour though, that was a mistake on my part, he will take part of the Vuelta. Lesser riders who attend the Giro with legit top-10 hopes are Hesjedal, Formolo, Damian Caruso, Intxausti, Niemiec, Chernetzkii and Pellizotti. So it actually looks pretty decent so far! I especially like the Ag2R combo.
Sebastian Henao, LLS, Mikel Landa, Michael Matthews, Colbrelli, Gilbert, Slagter, Basso, Jose Herrada, Greipel and Chavanel are furthermore scheduled to start.
Edited by Riis123 on 19-01-2015 10:11
Ok, several things to look out for now that we have estasblished which riders will ride which races (not 100%, obviously).
How will Majka handle his packed schedule? I cant imagine he will produce results the whole year which his schedule pretty much is made up for, but he showed last year he was capable of riding 2 GTs on a high level.
Which one of König/Porte (or both, or potentially none) will help Froome out in the Tour after the Giro and which shape will they come in? If none, that leaves a rather weak Sky-team in the mountains.
Will Betancur have a couple of months off after a busy spring including the Giro and be nothing worth past June like last year, or will he be able to manage himself better and produce the whole year alá Valverde?
Will Contador finally be able to be succesfull in the Tour, this time after a potentially hard Giro d Italia? Same thing can be said for Urán who has had trouble with 2 GTs in a year.
How will Movistar manage both Quintana and Valverde in Tour de France and the Vuelta?
Will Aru's only goal with the Tour be to help Nibali, or will he be given a somewhat free role?
All the frenchman seem once again focused on doing well in the Tour (none has scheduled Vuelta nor Giro), so will they be able to eclipse last year?
Was last year the beginning of the end for Rodriguez, or will he redeem himself in either the Tour or the Vuelta or one/multiple other week stage races/ardennes?
Who will win the first big fight between the big 4 in T-A, which is the only one scheduled before the Tour?
Mhm, some thoughts on that:
I don't think Majka will produce much early in the season, he'll probably peak hard in late Tour 'till Vuelta. Will probably be helper anyway in most races to Contador and Kreuziger(?)
Probably both. König has said that it has been his and the team's plan to ride one GT as a (co-)leader and the other as helper. I think Roche was called a lux. domestique for Froome at Tour. Porte is probably a good boy too.
Dunno about Betancur, he'll be an enigma as usual. I can imagine actually him coming back to 2013 level. But yeah, if he does a worthwhile Ardennes and Giro, I doubt we'll see anything form him till World Championships (... as if). I hope he scores some great results though. Paris-Nice was class last year. Probably the only colombian rider I'm really cheering for at times.
I thought Peraud wanted to do Giro this year, but maybe next one? The French won't get a guy on the podium this year though, certainly not two guys. Too much competition with Bertie, Vroom Vroom, Q and Nibs. But I guess everybody said that last year too?
And yes, Contador will be successful in the Tour, and in the Giro.
EDIT: About Aru, it only makes sense to give Aru a free role when Nibali is not challenging for the overall win anymore, which should be at some point in the Tour. So, maybe in third week? I guess he's actually pretty determined to help Nibali though.
Actually, a follow-up question: Aru is pretty damn amazing. He has shown that he can cope with two Grand Tours very well. How about Nibali with some sort of problems (crash, form drop, whatever) and him not challenging for the win anymore, and instead Aru takes over mid-Tour as captain? Hmhm... it's pretty unrealistic but anyway, would be kinda a fun scenario.
Edited by Shonak on 19-01-2015 19:38
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
I remember reading that he shares leadership with Ion Izagirre. We'll be great to see them contending for the GC in duo manner like they did in Poland last year, and hopefully both take stage wins, again. It's high time for some basque glory in Italy's Mountains though, so I hope both have further improved on their climbing; been some time since Igor Anton had his Zoncolan rampage. Edited by Shonak on 19-01-2015 20:24
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
I remember reading that he shares leadership with Ion Izagirre. We'll be great to see them contending for the GC in duo manner like they did in Poland last year, and hopefully both take stage wins, again. It's high time for some basque glory in Italy's Mountains though, so I hope both have further improved on their climbing; been some time since Igor Anton had his Zoncolan rampage.
I actually think I read that as well, but couldnt find it anywhere. That will definetely be fun to watch, allthough I dont think Ion is capable of riding the GC in GTs, hopefully I will be proven wrong though. Reminds me of LLS as a rider... could end up making a career off of those 1 week stage races and stages in the Tour. But lets see what he have in store... hopefully one of them will attend the Tour as well, could be rather thin with those climbers in July.
I legit thought he could at least go top-3 that year. Next day he cometletely vanished.. damn you 2010 Vuelta. But that was an insane win though.
Edited by Riis123 on 19-01-2015 20:30
Additionally to known Pais Vasco, Pinot will also ride Tirreno-Adriatico and Criterium International but no more Catalyuna. He'll compete in Ardennes and Tour de Romandie too, the race before le Tour isn't decided yet though. His tart of the season is Marseillaise, first stage race Tour of Oman.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
He will probably just ride the Vuelta or Giro tho (probably the Vuelta since Nairo is doing that as well), but could be cool with that many mountains this year.
