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The Tracker Season Preview
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| Paul23 |
Posted on 06-02-2015 16:10
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Nice review once again, but why does everyone think the transfer season was bad for OPQS? We got younger, more allround and we still have big chances on the cobbles.
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| knockout |
Posted on 06-02-2015 16:11
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7735
Joined: 21-12-2010
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Great preview. I agree with a lot of what is written and i really enjoyed reading.
One thing I'd like to add:
I could mention a lot of their other names, but fact is that instead of perfecting other areas, they've managed to go all-in on every terrain and the progress have been equal to each other.
I see it differently. The uphill part of the squad has stayed as strong as it is while only the sprint department has really improved. With Calzone & Lobato + a great leadout we should get quite some results from flat stages as well.
Our cobbles department has slightly improved with Flecha as new signing but he is not good enough to score any points. It's like expecting GT points from Evans. Tbh, I mainly signed him as part of the leadout and as powerhouse for flad roads.
And our TTT team has been weakened. Intxausti, Castroviejo & Dowsett will all be missed hugely as they were the core of our TTT line-up and seing that there are two GT TTTs this season hurts but i had to make victims for strengthening my sprinting department.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 09:08
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| jaxika |
Posted on 06-02-2015 17:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3148
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Very nice review written.
Some thougths i need to add.
If i wished i can remained with the last years team (with Porte and Cataldo) and with an about 100k for buying another support. BUT, after the hateness against Sky i decided to make a more userfriendly Sky Team and bringing home the missing UK star, Cavendish. Additopn for this, we strenghtened the sprimting department and adding another UK riders to the team. Personnaly i think we are less stronger then last year, but a better team as a team community.
Edited by jaxika on 06-02-2015 17:23
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 06-02-2015 17:30
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3906
Joined: 29-01-2013
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Ollfardh wrote:
Well, maybe give both rankings, that might be interesting to compare 
Oh, and the ranking for each stat could be nice as well!
Easy there, we can't be giving away the rankings of the missing teams just yet, can we? 
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| Shonak |
Posted on 06-02-2015 18:27
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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Calzone not even mentioned once in Movistar preview.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 06-02-2015 19:48
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4478
Joined: 30-07-2012
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Man, I REALLY don't agree with your summation of Orica.
1. We have 28 riders. 14 of them are Australian. That's quite a bit.
2. We have 28 riders. 8 are over 30 by my count.
3. I really don't understand how we've lost more than we've gained.
In: Anacona, Birt, Cimolai, Evans, Ewan, Johnson, Lodewyck, Moinard
Out: Cooke, T. Meyer, Meier, Teklehaimanot, Beppu, Mouris, G. Nieve, Favre, Hepburn
Tell me how the Out column is better than the In column
4. We have one of the world's greatest young talents in Ewan, as well as Meyer, Anacona and Matthews who are all young some of our main riders. As well as the custom riders Johnson with 80 MO, and Birt who won two stages at the Vuelta last year.
5. You really underestimate the upgrades I've made on Meyer and Howard. Remember Meyer at the Tour? Yeah, he's got better secondary stats now. Remember Howard constistently scoring points in a few less important races? Probably not, but his SP has improved by 2, and ACC by 1. Also remember Langeveld's 2nd at P-R.
Anyway, all people are entitled to their opinion, but I've just decided to put up a list (which I could make a lot longer) about why I disagree with you. I'll be aiming for a Top 10 this season.
Although, your prediction of 15th doesn't really bother me. It's you criticising my managing style that annoysme, a lot. During transfers, I tried, bordering on desperately, to sign Porte, Sutton, Hayman, Renshaw, Bobridge, Dennis, and to a lesser extent Tanner, Von Hoffe and Morton. I think you'll notice that they are all Australian.
Just because I haven't done a full Atlantius (no offense mate, I really love what you're doing) and just made my team completely Australian even though it strongly causes detriment to my team, doesn't mean I don't care about team culture.
Edited by Cycleman123 on 06-02-2015 19:56
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| Paul23 |
Posted on 06-02-2015 19:56
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4411
Joined: 10-08-2011
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@cycöeman: you miss Porte and Dennis...
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 06-02-2015 20:10
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
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Cycleman123 wrote:
3. I really don't understand how we've lost more than we've gained.
In: Anacona, Birt, Cimolai, Evans, Ewan, Johnson, Lodewyck, Moinard
Out: Cooke, T. Meyer, Meier, Teklehaimanot, Beppu, Mouris, G. Nieve, Favre, Hepburn
Tell me how the Out column is better than the In column
Evans
just Evans
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| sgdanny |
Posted on 06-02-2015 20:46
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3591
Joined: 18-03-2014
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@Cycleman
First of all : Calm down  My goal for this preview was not to take each rider and compare each of what they're capable of, but how the team has taken form by comparing the teams themselves.
I agree with you that the team has been upgraded, but comparing it to the other teams, I would say that the team isn't as strong as the others in Top 11 (not an Evans joke, just that the Top 11 teams are stronger than the 12+)
I'm sad to see that you took this personally, since it's just a preview with my thoughts and since I'm managing an PCT team, then I can't help being a little rude to these WT teams ^^
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 06-02-2015 21:08
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3906
Joined: 29-01-2013
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Your team didn't get much worse, but if you look at the teams ahead of you, do you really think you've got what it takes to crack the Top 10? Just look at what you wrote yourself, say point 5: You're looking at someone who got you an unbelievably flukey Top 10 at Le Tour and someone who "scored consistently in not so important races" to get you there? I'm sorry, I don't think so. The argument with Ewan is kinda invalid if you consider most teams got themselves outstanding talents - the Yates', for example. And I'm not fully sure what the point in saying "I wanted rider a, b and c" is. I'd like Kittel at Garmin too - does that make Garmin a better team? (Of course never mind the fact that the inquiries in to Dennis, von Hoff and Morton didn't seem overly serious - certainly not "desperate".
Sorry if that came off very harsh or something, but I do believe Danny got Orica pretty spot on.
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| knockout |
Posted on 06-02-2015 21:17
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7735
Joined: 21-12-2010
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Shonak wrote:
Calzone not even mentioned once in Movistar preview.
He'll be in the spotlight soon enough
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| nacho63 |
Posted on 06-02-2015 21:22
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Sprinter
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To add to Dippo and Danny, nothing is personal, we looked at the teams and we all placed Orica at 15th and a top 10 is very very optimistic, you'll just have to prove us wrong. |
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| Bikex |
Posted on 06-02-2015 23:22
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Team Leader
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As much I was looking forward to see what you'd write about Katusha, I am very disappointed about how it turned out. Basically I agree on nothing of which you've written there, some stuff is even so wrong that it's not a matter of oppinion.
I'm okay with getting rated 11th, in Ollfardhs preview Katusha also gets 11th. I think that's quite realistic, allthough I'm optimistic that I'm able to get into the top 10.
...
Katusha wasn't the brightest in the Transfer Season and all great achievents are in the hands of 3 people.
So you are telling me that I was acting dumb in the transfers? Just because I made different decisions than you would've made? Last season all achievements were in the hands of 4 people which is also not that much of a difference.
Imagine the Sagan scenario, where Kreuziger crashes on the 5th stage of TdF and suddenly Katusha are battling the bottom tier teams?
Exactly that's why the faith of the team is put into 3 hands, if Kreuziger crashes then there are still Kristoff and Spilak, neglecting the fact that Kreuziger won't ride the tdf. A Sagan scenario is already not possible as Katusha isn't only focused on 1 rider.
..Sprinters part..
Alone the fact that you treat Kristoff as a pure sprinter prooves to me that you didn't really look at the stats of my riders. Kristoff is a classics rider, he can be counted to the outsiders for every cobbled classic and for the ones that could end in a sprint he is even one of the top favourites.
Right sorry time for some positive words like, Why sell one of the best mountain trains, so you can get a young climber which will end on the same level just with less support?
Wow thank you for those positive words. In my oppinion you could've spared them out.
Well that's the best I can come up with and now let's be serious cause someone needs help.
I need help?! Are you kidding me? That's the second time you arrogantly critisize my managing skills and it's not even the part yet which is flagged as "My Oppinion". I totally see why Cycleman got upset as well btw.
Jan Barta, Roman Kreuziger and Marko Kump for Purito, Moreno and Vicioso is just not great enough for a team with bigger standards than being under the 10th spot in the rankings.
You mentioning Vicioso here again totally gives me the impression that you didn't look at riders stats. Vicioso was one of the most worthless riders at my team and already far into the declining age. I might would'vbe kept him though if I would've had the money.
And getting Kreuziger for Purito can be explained by the fact that already next season Kreuziger will be the better rider.
The team has gotten younger and green passages are far from certain for this team, but I do say that the Age Average shows some sort of progress.
Leaving out the part with the green passages, that's finally something positive here, thanks.
The next generation is here and it's colorful, but this won't be enough for me to become fond of this team, but as an big fan of Jan Barta I can find a soft spot approaching. Identity is lost and even though part of that identity was foreign, I still can't figure out the right spot for Katusha.
I don't see why you think Katusha became more colorful, as it now kind of has a regional focus. Of course a teams identity kind of gets lost when loosing two of the best riders but in my oppinion that old identity has been traded away for a new better identity, especially as apparently bonus points can be gathered through a more regional focus (Eastern Europe/Russia for me).
Easter European with a touch of Nordic sense is the new formula
I don't get that Nordic Touch part, as Kristoff is the only Nordic rider. I wouldn't say CCC has an Icelandic or Andorran touch just because of one rider from there.
So that's it with my feedback then and I also want to thank you for writing those previews, which certainly isn't easy. And I'd like to point out that nothing of that critic is personal, but in some parts I just got carried away by the rage I was in, when reading your statements on my managerial skills in the transfers. I had the feeling I had to defend myself/my team here in some parts.
Edited by Bikex on 06-02-2015 23:27
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 06-02-2015 23:27
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4478
Joined: 30-07-2012
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Sorry, I know nothing is personal. No harsh feelings
Also, Paul, what the hell are you talking about? I didn't get any of those riders, but I was making the point that I tried to.
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 06-02-2015 23:33
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
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Calm down guys, or soon all previews will be gone
It's good to have such a heavy discussion though, the manager RP aspect is really working out well. There's a little Patrick Lefevere in all of you
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 07-02-2015 00:05
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Team Leader
Posts: 7366
Joined: 11-07-2014
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Ollfardh wrote:
Calm down guys, or soon all previews will be gone
Even Brewer's ones?! 
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| Paul23 |
Posted on 07-02-2015 00:28
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4411
Joined: 10-08-2011
PCM$: 400.00
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Cycleman123 wrote:
Sorry, I know nothing is personal. No harsh feelings
Also, Paul, what the hell are you talking about? I didn't get any of those riders, but I was making the point that I tried to.
But guess who got them...
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| mvhoogdalem |
Posted on 07-02-2015 00:29
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2244
Joined: 30-06-2010
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While I agree that nothing is personal, the Orica and Katusha ones weren't the greatest.
I mean, you criticize Katusha for putting all their money on Kreuziger and don't understand the trade for Rodriguez. But wasn't Rodriguez the one that gave up on the last mountain stage in the Vuelta and costing Katusha lots of points. |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 07-02-2015 00:54
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4478
Joined: 30-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Paul23 wrote:
Cycleman123 wrote:
Sorry, I know nothing is personal. No harsh feelings
Also, Paul, what the hell are you talking about? I didn't get any of those riders, but I was making the point that I tried to.
But guess who got them...
You did. So what?
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 07-02-2015 13:51
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3906
Joined: 29-01-2013
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I agree Bikex, Spilak and Kristoff will save your season should Kreuziger fail, just like they did last year when Purito did. Oh wait, they didn't.
And I'm not even sure if it made loads of sense nationality wise - you gave up a clear Spanish-Russian focus for a patchwork of Eastern European riders, and someone who has the highest HI stat in the whole game for someone who nearly got beaten by Hesjedal at the Giro.
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