Thomas gets joint leadership at PR

sonny73

Rightly so: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... ubaix.html

Pross

Definately - he will be my PTP pick as well!

rick_chasey

That's a shame.

He should have the same status at Sky as Devolder had or Chavanel has at QS...

Flecha has a considerable record at Roubaix.

Thomas should be the joker - not a joint leader.

shinyhelmut

Does it really matter what they are telling the press?

andyjr

Well deserved, but shouldn't they be keeping this to themselves rather than letting the cat out the bag & heaping pressure on G?

LangerDan

"If you go in with one person, you are going to risk losing everything," Sky's coach, Rod Ellingworth said.

"Look at 'Def Leopard' [team Leopard-Trek], they were totally relying on Cancellara. He has one problem, and they're nailed.

Yeah, but even when "nailed", Chinny still got a podium and nearly won. Sky finished 6th and 7th in a 7 man group

rick_chasey

ShinyHelmut wrote:

Does it really matter what they are telling the press?

I think it does.

Fans will be expecting Thomas to get the leadership treatment (handing over wheels and the like) - if he doesn't get it, he and his fans will get annoyed.

There's no reason to tell the press anything unless it's actually the case - then it has the benefit to make said rider feel more valued.

LangerDan

andyjr wrote:

Well deserved, but shouldn't they be keeping this to themselves rather than letting the cat out the bag & heaping pressure on G?

Thomas is undoubtedly a top-class talent - and will be 25 next month, the same age (more or less) as the likes of Nibali, Kreuziger and Scleckette. Why shouldn't he have pressure applied at this stage in his career? I'd guess he's well-capable of dealing with it.

Tom BB

Good to hear......although I think its pobably a few years too early to be expecting him too win. Then again, he looks to be in brilliant form and P-R will suit him more than Flanders. Good outside bet for a podium I suppose

rick_chasey

LangerDan wrote:

andyjr wrote:

Well deserved, but shouldn't they be keeping this to themselves rather than letting the cat out the bag & heaping pressure on G?

Thomas is undoubtedly a top-class talent - and will be 25 next month, the same age (more or less) as the likes of Nibali, Kreuziger and Scleckette. Why shouldn't he have pressure applied at this stage in his career? I'd guess he's well-capable of dealing with it.

How often has Thomas ridden Roubaix?

inkyfingers

Of course it could be a clever bit of tactics, play up GT as a leader then get him to keep attacking in the final 40km to try and wear out the opposition and then hope that Flecha can save himelf for a big go later in the race. Thats the beauty of the sport, we won't know until it unfolds in front of our eyes! In fact, often the riders and managers don't know either as the race can play out in an endless variety of ways due to crashes or punctures.

I also thought that Boassen Hagen looked better at Flanders than I expected him to after his recent injury so he could be another card to play for Sky, he may not be capable of winning, but he's too good for the favourites to risk letting him get too far in front.

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

LangerDan wrote:

andyjr wrote:

Well deserved, but shouldn't they be keeping this to themselves rather than letting the cat out the bag & heaping pressure on G?

Thomas is undoubtedly a top-class talent - and will be 25 next month, the same age (more or less) as the likes of Nibali, Kreuziger and Scleckette. Why shouldn't he have pressure applied at this stage in his career? I'd guess he's well-capable of dealing with it.

How often has Thomas ridden Roubaix?[/quote

I think he rode the full version for the first time last year, but he has won the junior version which I know doesn't always mean much, but at least he'll know the later, important parts of the race reasonably well.

I don't think he can win this year, a top 10 would be a good achievement. Flecha has to be Sky's main focus, but it doesn't stop them trying to get Thomas or EBH into the mix as wild cards.

LangerDan

Rick Chasey wrote:

LangerDan wrote:

andyjr wrote:

Well deserved, but shouldn't they be keeping this to themselves rather than letting the cat out the bag & heaping pressure on G?

Thomas is undoubtedly a top-class talent - and will be 25 next month, the same age (more or less) as the likes of Nibali, Kreuziger and Scleckette. Why shouldn't he have pressure applied at this stage in his career? I'd guess he's well-capable of dealing with it.

How often has Thomas ridden Roubaix?

Didn't he win the "junior" Roubaix. Though having said that, Stephen Roche won the amateur version 30 years ago and wasn't exactly a "cobbles monster" for the remainder of his career.

rick_chasey

Even Boonen didn't ride his first Roubaix as the team leader in 2002 - he was there for Hincape - and even then Boonen was faster for him.

(He even uttered the harsh words afterwards "If only Hincape was a little stronger, then we would have caught Museeuw [ who was on a canc esq solo])

It makes sense for Thomas to learn the ropes from soemone who's genuinely experienced.

Tom Butcher

I think it's time for him to go into these races being used as a possible winner - maybe not as team leader but not as a super domestique - as Rick says a wild card like Devolder was at QS and possibly Chavanel is now.

He's a young rider but not that young - he's coming into his prime now and it's a relatively short career. I think he's a possible winner - not a big favourite but certainly with as much chance as you'd have given Nuyens coming into Flanders or O'Grady coming into Roubaix a few years ago.

eh

People have short memories, remember last years TDF cobbled stage, the one that ended Franks hopes, who was 2nd that day?

G is an obvious choice for joint team leader. all the other teams will have done their homework anyway, so it won't be a surprise to them.

andyp

By that reasoning, can we expect Team Leopard to have joint leaders with Cancellara and Andy Schleck?

Or maybe BMC will have Ballan, Hincapie et al riding for Cadel Evans?

inkyfingers

andyp wrote:

Or maybe BMC will have Ballan, Hincapie et al riding for Cadel Evans?

Joking aside, I always thought that Evans might be a useful rider on the cobbles. He probably doesn't have the sprint or the demon acceleration to win a cobbled classic but I could see him being in the top 10 at a race like Flanders where serious endurance and clever tactics can get you a good result.

eh

Andy maybe not, but Cadel if he were to ride for sure. However, that wasn't really my point, people were saying he didn't have much credentials for joint team leader status, but the evidence suggests otherwise; Junior P-R winner, 2nd cobbled stage of TDF, 10th Flanders. Plus he has excellent form taking 2nd the other week.

andyp

I know, I was kidding. But do you not think Flecha (1 x 2nd, 2 x 3rd places at Roubaix) deserves sole team leadership?

eh

I biased so no

However, seriously I think Rod Ellingworth has a very good point,especially regarding one day racing as its always better to have two leaders as it gives you options.

andyp

For sure, but if it comes down to the finish and you have superior numbers then you need to make them count. On Sunday they had two riders in the break of twelve but didn't really have a plan so took it in turns to try and get away, only to come in 10th and 11th. It might have made more sense to protect one rider, and then the other one rides to keep him in contention for the finish.

sing_for_absolution

Haven't posted here for a while, but after seeing the Ronde, I wanted to post how great it is to see Geraint Thomas up there in the toughest one-day classics.

Definitely deserves joint-leader status. Really impressive during the mini P-R stage of the TDF last year.

rebs

I really hope he has a good P-R. But judging by the PTP votes, I really hope no-one is realyl expecting him to be an real contender to win. If he gets another top 10 that will be amazing.

Just hope no-one is getting too carried away. I'd hate to see people bashing the fella for not doing well.

rick_chasey

rebs wrote:

I really hope he has a good P-R. But judging by the PTP votes, I really hope no-one is realyl expecting him to be an real contender to win. If he gets another top 10 that will be amazing.

Just hope no-one is getting too carried away. I'd hate to see people bashing the fella for not doing well.

Ah he did well in Dwars and did well in the Ronde. His classics season is set, whether he has a bad roubaix or not.

sing_for_absolution

Rick Chasey wrote:

rebs wrote:

I really hope he has a good P-R. But judging by the PTP votes, I really hope no-one is realyl expecting him to be an real contender to win. If he gets another top 10 that will be amazing.

Just hope no-one is getting too carried away. I'd hate to see people bashing the fella for not doing well.

Ah he did well in Dwars and did well in the Ronde. His classics season is set, whether he has a bad roubaix or not.

As Harmon said when he lead Flecha towards the Bosberg. One day, he won't have to work for others.

Tom Butcher

rebs wrote:

I really hope he has a good P-R. But judging by the PTP votes, I really hope no-one is realyl expecting him to be an real contender to win. If he gets another top 10 that will be amazing.

Just hope no-one is getting too carried away. I'd hate to see people bashing the fella for not doing well.

I think he's moved on a level from top 10 being amazing - if he comes into the velodrome in the lead group then I'd have that down as an amazing ride - a top 10 is pretty much what I'm expecting if he's allowed to ride for himself.

Agree we don't want to knock him if it doesn't come off though - he's clearly on the right lines whatever happens on Sunday.

rick_chasey

sing_for_absolution wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

rebs wrote:

I really hope he has a good P-R. But judging by the PTP votes, I really hope no-one is realyl expecting him to be an real contender to win. If he gets another top 10 that will be amazing.

Just hope no-one is getting too carried away. I'd hate to see people bashing the fella for not doing well.

Ah he did well in Dwars and did well in the Ronde. His classics season is set, whether he has a bad roubaix or not.

As Harmon said when he lead Flecha towards the Bosberg. One day, he won't have to work for others.

Don't get me wrong - he did very well - but he did well because the position he was in - i.e. not the marked leader - worked to his advantage.

It's easy(er?) for him to get into a break ahead like he did in Dwars when his teammate is considered a genuine contender and heavyweight in cobbled races. He can profit from riders turning around and looking at Flecha.

He profited in the same way Devolder has done, or Chavanel, or O'Grady, etc etc.

Having said that, his efforts in the Ronde finale were impressive and show how good his legs are. Whether he has that ability of the real big guys to be a genuine leader and favourite we'll have to see, since his road career is still very young.

Tusher

It is, but sooner or later the boy will win.

Gingerflash

"shouldn't they be keeping this to themselves rather than letting the cat out the bag"

I doubt Leopard, QS, Garmin etc will pay too much attention to press statements.

They will be well aware of the abilities and form of Flecha and Thomas.

As for pressure, Thomas is already a highly paid, leading rider at one of the richest teams in cycling. He'll know all about pressure, expectation and responsibility.

I think Thomas has a good chance of top 5. Cancellara is likely to be really revved up to have this one though. I suspect Garmin will come good too, with Hushovd.

Tom Butcher

How fast is Thomas in a sprint - faster than Flecha ? At times when he's led out Boasson Hagen he's looked very rapid which is why I was a bit disappointed Nuyens came round him the other week. He should be pretty comfortable with the finish in Roubaix if it comes down to that. I'm wondering if him and Flecha are both in the lead group with a few k to go which one sits and waits and which one (if any) goes for a long one.