That is kind of my thought. They have a pretty good sprint lead out and with the budget increase, I could see him landing there for a year or two.

Maybe Arkea, with some budget possibly cleared up with Quintana moving on and Dan McLay converting to a leadout role?

That is an interesting thought. Quintana leaving also frees up a few of his mountain domestiques (Dayer, etc) whose contracts are tied to him.

Vaughters has also said that if Rigo stays another year, which I believe he confirmed, then there wouldn't be any scratch left to sign Cav.

All Cav wants, is a Pepsi ... just ONE Pepsi!!

Wait - I meant "TDF Stage Win" but ... y'know ...

---

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Tsk tsk, I'd have expected you to have written at least a post about Track Worlds and put in a few praises for your fellow hometown competitor (from San Diego).

In other news, Ganna smashes the field in the IP...

He did, just in the wrong thread!

I think Evenepoel is going to end up joining Ineos. They want him badly and will pay whatever it takes to buy out his contract. Also here is an interesting quote from Ganna referencing WvA and Evenepoel targeting the hour record:

“If they do I’m happy… but I think I have the best team for trying to do this,” Ganna said. “Maybe if they joined the team they can try.

Is Ganna insinuating that He has an idea that Evenepoel is going to join the team? Also Evenepoel made recent comments that he does not want to share leadership at any of the grand tours with quick-step sprinters. In a roundabout way he’s making it clear that if he goes to the tour he wants seven dedicated riders to support him, and at this point only INEOS can offer that.


To me it seems like a Evenepoel has really has good racing strategy, he knows how to win. Pogachar has definitely erred at times. One last thought about Evenepoel: Nine seconds faster in that worlds time trial and he’s the first Mens double world road/TT champion.

If something was in the works in a serious manner, more than Dave B and Don Lefevre's WhatsApp chats, I don't think Ganna would be the one to know about it. I suspect he was just alluding to the resources Ineos has + Bigham being in the team being a huge advantage.

Evenepoel has shown some seriously bad strategy at times, but this year was a coming of age in my opinion. Besides getting worked over by Colbrelli in that sprint months ago, he has been tactically more astute and during the Vuelta his racing instincts were mostly, but not always, good.

Having a Belgian World Champion and grand tour winner cannot be understated for QS. With Remco's talent, I don't see them ever taking him to a grand tour and also including a sprint train and sprinter. Maybe I'm wrong, but Patrick for all of his faults knows what he has. I suppose everyone has a price, but I would be stunned to see Remco leave at this point.

Jen was imperious. She has no weak event in the omnium, though did make a mistake by attempting and failing to take a lap in the tempo race.

I don't know why she didn't race team pursuit, and did standalone elimination instead on the same day. I guess USAC trying to go for as many medals as possible?

But that TP team already down big without Dygert isn't going to anywhere without Jen.

Strong words from Ganna. Though I'd be a little quiet given Jumbo-Visma dominated Ineos this year in TT. Tobias Foss at Worlds, WvA and Vingegaard 1-2 in Stage 20 of the TdF.

Granted I'm aware as anyone that track is not the same as TT.

Also, Bigham "Biggie?" doesn't seem to have any strong team or national loyalty - he seems like a mercenary from the Order of the Knights of Aero. Jumbo-Visma could just hire him away.

Women's madison is quite good. Fun with the French crowd cheering the strong French team.

Again no Jen for the U.S., which is again odd to me given it's after all her primary events, and she's very good at madison. Maybe the omnium is just too tiring, but I have to think that a fatigued Valente is still better than Williams or Jastrab.

I can't really see remco or WvA trying it anytime soon. Even if they have the power/aero, sounds like riding on the track takes some technical skill that they've never developed, and it wouldn't be a fast or easy process given the remainder of their schedule. I also kinda feel like the hour is at the point where you're not going to get it without dialed track skills. You'd know way better than I do if that's true though. Any thoughts there?

Oh, that's all true, I don't see WvA or Evenepoel caring much, except maybe as a late-career deal, like Wiggins did.

And Wiggins was a trackie. I agree I don't see Wout or Remco dedicating the time to learning track riding (and they would need to) while their careers are in full swing. Do the Jens or Wiggo thing and do it on your way out. And for them "on the way out" could be a lot younger than Jens or Wiggo were. Some interesting recent interviews with MvdP and Pog where it seems like a lot of the current generation don't expect to have long careers.

Wait, i thought Valente just won the omnium, alas my post?

https://www.teamusa.org/...nium-World-Champ-Too

She won it yesterday. I was just speculating about her not doing the TP the day prior to the omnium, or the madison the day after.

No offense to the other Vuelta GC guys but 2nd at the Tour is way more impressive than the field Remco beat. Sure, Pog gambled and lost at Flanders—which is crazy for a GC guy to have had an easy 2nd—and bonked one stage at the Tour, but I read that not counting three stage race victories, he won 24% of the times. That’s borderline ridiculous, and if you look at it across the range of races from Strade to stage races to Lombardia, even more so.

Agree Pog had a great season. One that has been underappreciated by most people, 24% win rate is incredible. However Remco won when it mattered. The biggest winning time in the worlds since 1968. And nine seconds faster on that crazy TT course and he’s double world champ. Foss took some big risks in the corners, that’s what the underdog does of course.

I don’t think Pog could’ve take him at the Vuelta, esp if Remco does not crash.

Gotcha. Reading comp fail on my part

Pog won Strade, GP Montreal, Varesine, Lombardia, 3 stages of the Tour, UAE and Tirreno. Add 5th at MSR, 4th at Flanders, and 2nd at the Tour. He also topped the UCI points ranking (700+ over Remco) and won more WT races. I consider those winning when it counts, and incredibly versatile across every type of race.


Highly doubtful Remco beats a fit Pog at the Vuelta; only one guy has managed to do that (and largely because Roglic and Wout sold out for him) in the past three years, and in far deeper fields. The two squared off this year at Tirreno and Pog easily dismantled him in the mountains. Remco can win from far out and is a better TTer but has no chance to beat him in a sprint. His margin at Worlds was impressive but that’s also in part because Wout was lurking in what was left of the peloton.

Wierlifts is reporting he has a contract with B&B. For me, that's about a 99% confirmation. Also coming will be Stevie Willians, Sinkeldam, Bol, Schultz and Richeze.

https://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/mark-cavendish-lijkt-contract-beet-te-hebben-bij-bb-hotels/

nice send off for Gilbert, even black tie affair
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/philippe-gilbert-gets-perfect-star-studded-send-off-on-the-cauberg/

Impressive riding from Van Emple. Got quite a bit of skills (hopping the barriers) and a good engine. Apparently she's a former football player as well.

A bit disappointing to see her teammate impeding her on the final set of barriers.

Damn "washed up" footie players taking over the sport /s

I’m with you that Pog would’ve won Vuelta if he targeted it this year. However Remco was at a new level and did far better in the mountains than expected, possibly even Pog level in the first 1.5 weeks. If he continues progressing I could see him getting in the mix even during the Tour, especially if tactics keep Pog focused more on Vingegaard. Remco’s ability to win from so far out is very unique and surpasses the exploits of evensome of Pog’s performances, and could be a key factor in a GT. Next year’s Tour is rumoured to have a lot of TT’ing as well, could be very interesting.