How are team members picked?
#1
Life is good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not far from the Withlacoochee Trail. 🚴🏻
Posts: 18,209
Bikes: 2018 Lynskey Helix Pro
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 522 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
10 Posts
Last year Victor Hugo Pena was in yellow after stages 4, 5, and 6. There was a great story about him in the July 2004 issue of Outside magazine. Yet he isn't on the TdF team this year. Why? How are the nine TdF team members selected? I guess past glory doesn't count for much.
#2
Elitist Jackass
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Georgia
Posts: 3,262
Bikes: Cannondale 2.8, Specialized S-works E5 road, GT Talera
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Tour team members are selected by their strengths and weaknesses. Past results are nice, but mean nothing if you are not riding well when it counts. Pena was quite tired during the 3rd week of the tour last year, and Postal was looking for someone who would be a bit stronger near the end of the tour. The route also dictates as to who comes along.
Past glory doesn't count for much, and neither do friendly favors, at least not at this level. It's all business
Past glory doesn't count for much, and neither do friendly favors, at least not at this level. It's all business
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
Originally Posted by Smoothie104
Tour team members are selected by their strengths and weaknesses. Past results are nice, but mean nothing if you are not riding well when it counts. Pena was quite tired during the 3rd week of the tour last year, and Postal was looking for someone who would be a bit stronger near the end of the tour. The route also dictates as to who comes along.
Past glory doesn't count for much, and neither do friendly favors, at least not at this level. It's all business
Past glory doesn't count for much, and neither do friendly favors, at least not at this level. It's all business
Noval's selection was explained as, "He was the most prepared/fit." Probably through no fault of his own, or perhaps because he's young and never ridden a TDF before, Noval's had problems so far. First, he got caught behind the crash in stage 3, and then he lost alot of time on stage 4, probably suffering the effects of his crash. Its hard to say for sure what the causes of his problems have been, but right now he is the weak link on the team, even if it is through no fault of his own.
#4
Elitist Jackass
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Georgia
Posts: 3,262
Bikes: Cannondale 2.8, Specialized S-works E5 road, GT Talera
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I was unaware of Penas performance, I had just seen an interview with Lance where he stated Pena was tired after the 3rd week etc.... wierd.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: n.w. superdrome
Posts: 17,688
Bikes: 1 trek, serotta, rih, de Reus, Pogliaghi and finally a Zieleman! and got a DeRosa
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
9 Posts
Noval wasn't caught up in the crash in stage 3, he caused it.
Apparently he hooked handlebars with Mayo and bang down they go.
He also crashed at least once on today's stage (5) he is a very
nervous boy. . .
Marty
Apparently he hooked handlebars with Mayo and bang down they go.
He also crashed at least once on today's stage (5) he is a very
nervous boy. . .
Marty
__________________
Sono pił lento di quel che sembra.
Odio la gente, tutti.
Want to upgrade your membership? Click Here.
Sono pił lento di quel che sembra.
Odio la gente, tutti.
Want to upgrade your membership? Click Here.
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
Originally Posted by lotek
Noval wasn't caught up in the crash in stage 3, he caused it.
Apparently he hooked handlebars with Mayo and bang down they go.
He also crashed at least once on today's stage (5) he is a very
nervous boy. . .
Marty
Apparently he hooked handlebars with Mayo and bang down they go.
He also crashed at least once on today's stage (5) he is a very
nervous boy. . .
Marty
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: n.w. superdrome
Posts: 17,688
Bikes: 1 trek, serotta, rih, de Reus, Pogliaghi and finally a Zieleman! and got a DeRosa
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
9 Posts
Don,
I read this in cyclingnews.com (they are interviewing Marco Velo)
I think his youth/inexperience are showing. He may be in better shape but he is
really nervous/twitchy.
Marty
I read this in cyclingnews.com (they are interviewing Marco Velo)
We were approaching the first pavé section yesterday and it was really nervous," Velo explained. "I was in third or fourth position and just in front of me, Noval (USPS) and Mayo (Euskaltel) hooked their handlebars and crashed in front of me.
really nervous/twitchy.
Marty
__________________
Sono pił lento di quel che sembra.
Odio la gente, tutti.
Want to upgrade your membership? Click Here.
Sono pił lento di quel che sembra.
Odio la gente, tutti.
Want to upgrade your membership? Click Here.
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
I liked Lefevere's comments on what happened at the start of the cobbles. To paraphrase he said that "it's better to lose 15 secs to the leaders and not crash fighting for a good position into the cobbles than to crash and lose the race. But you can't tell the Spanish riders that; they get into a panic and panic is not a good adviser".