Slackerprince

Isn't it about time for Katusha to designate another guy for the GC?
I like Rodriguez and think he's a great guy, but at his age, with so
many near-misses, perhaps it's time to use him as a pure climber or super-domestique.
Sounds harsh, but how many more times will the team use him for their GC effort?

S

Giacomo 1 

Who did you have in mind?

My guess is that great GC riders aren't all that easy to come by. And steady top 5/top 10 GC finishers are pretty marketable and still bring in a good buck for themselves and the team.

dahoss2002

+100.. Purito earns his way.

Zinger

He does earn his way but I don't think I'll be picking him for a grand tour win anymore as I did for last year's TDF. He's good and managed to podium alright but whoever said he was a career runner up guy has turned out to be right so far.

Sometimes these things go to who wants it the most.

Giacomo 1 

Again though.

Who do you replace him with?

Zinger

If I'm team owner I'm going to start looking for someone not in his late thirties pretty soon. But you're right. I have no one in mind capable of making the podium in grand tours.

As far as picking winners as a fan goes, Purito is passing his prime.

Slackerprince

Kristoff is ripe for an upgrade.
How about Bradley Wiggins?


S

Zinger

There.

He's also getting old but for now he'd be good to pick up.

bruin11

Kristoff???

canam73

Kristoff might win a points jersey, but he will never contest the overall in a grand tour.

Wiggins will be 35 by the time the next TDF rolls around. And his only GT win was while being paced by the best team in the Peloton (at the time), including Froome who probably could have beaten him that year and is younger.

My picks would be young guys like Fabio Aru and Rafal Majka, both of whom are sitting on teams behind GT winners and could be looking for a chance to shine on their own.

Leinster

Quintana is already a GT winner, and will be pushing out from behind Valverde next year. Uran or Betancur should be GC threats in the years to come.

Is it too early to call people like Kwiatkowski and Talansky riders who will consistently disappoint in the big events?

Slackerprince

Posts 10 & 11 state some good options.
They need to find someone developed who can climb AND TT.

I've been impressed by this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pim_Ligthart


S

Giacomo 1 

Yeah, those are two good guys for the job, although I don't believe either are very good TT riders, one of Purito's problems. One has to wonder how long Aru will sit behind Nibali before he makes a move.

I was thinking about Thibaut Pinot from FDR, who had a great TDF, but he was invisible during the Veulta, so I'm not sure how to read him yet. Garmin has 3 GC contenders in Talansky, Hesjedal and Martin, so maybe one of them will look to make a move?

canam73

Pinot already is his team's GC guy. He might be happier with more support, but I don't think moving to Katusha would do it.

Garmin always seems like a mess strategy wise, and now they will have the dregs from Cannondale to work in to the mix. They certainly have some good riders, but for them along with BMC the sum always seems less than the parts.

Slackerprince

Good points, but Tejay is poised for a BIG win. Van Avermaet is very strong, as well as Phinney. Now, if they can just get it together!
It will be interesting to see what Frankenteam is created from Garmin/C'Dale.


S

Leinster

Talansky, Hesjedal and Martin are all part of Argyledale's plans for next season. Per Vaughters; After Martin's 7th at the Vuelta (finally proving he can crack a top 10), he's probably going to think he's in contention for more than just Liege and Wallonne. And Hesjedal's about to turn 34, so Giro winner or not, you have to reckon his role at a GT will be super-domestique rather than GC contender. Talansky's the youngest of the 3, so has the most to look forward to.


I'd look more at Pinot's Tour form than Vuelta form as to what he can do. I suspect he never went into the Vuelta thinking about GC at all, more likely planning to help Bouhanni pick up stage wins.

Giacomo 1 

Good post, thanks for the info on Garmins plans.

They definitely have a strong team for the mountains and classics.

I have to believe that Hesjedal wanted to be in the GC hunt for the Veulta, but he got caught out of the lead group on a flat, crosswind stage early on, and his GC hopes were dashed. His fault really for riding so far back, but he is a real competitor on the climbs.

Talansky is one of America's great hopes for a great GC rider. I think TJ will get it done first, but Talansky will be right there. We might one day see a fight between these two for a GT win.

Martin doesn't really do it for me in the GT's. He has a weird riding style climbing the mountains. I know, I know, he does get results!

So will Tyler Farrar go back to being competitive in the sprints, or does Cannondale bring a sprinter with them? It was reported that Farrar was trying to become a spring classics rider, and in the process, he lost some of his speed...

A bit off topic, sorry!

canam73

Farrar wasn't resigned. He is riding with Mtn qhubeka next season.

Giacomo 1 

Not a huge surprise I guess.

At first glance it looks like a step backwards for Tyler, but I don't think Garmin has been giving him much support the last two seasons. Maybe this new team will key on him and give him some good leadouts so he can get competitive in the sprints again. Garmin has been going for the GC wins lately,not sprint wins.

canam73

Maybe, but they also signed Matt Goss and Edvald Boasson-Hagen and already have Gerald Ciolek, so he is going to have to prove his form (and bike handling skills) continuously if he wants to be a favored rider.

jyl

I read an interview with Farrar in which he said his role at MTN Qhubeka will be leadout and maybe classics.