Radioshack tour short list

andyp

Classy management at Radioshack, Horner found out about missing the Tour via his wife who read it on the internet;

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/ ... ine_223336

Abdoujaparov

Seem to remember Horner getting stitched up in Tour selection a couple of years back (2009? 2010?). Again, he was slightly injured, but seemed to think he'd recovered just fine.

frenchfighter

andyp wrote:

Classy management at Radioshack, Horner found out about missing the Tour via his wife who read it on the internet;

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/ ... ine_223336

Yeah that is not good.

However if he needs to rest his back after doing a 1 week Tour and says he would need to after Swiss, then how does he propose to deal with it in a three week race that will be harder than TofC and TdS rolled into one?!

I'm not saying he is a bad rider by the way, far from it, as anyone who watches cycling from one season to the next knows. Didn't know he didnt make any of the 4 Olympics he was up for - that's pretty harsh.

cycling5280

“The team has put it out there that I have a severe back problem,” Horner said. “I don’t. I’m not injured. I’m not hurt. This is something I’ve had since 2006. It flares up, and it disappears, and I keep racing. I’ve had the best results of my career with this problem. Could it reoccur at the Tour de France? Sure, anything is possible. A knee injury is possible. A broken collarbone is possible. But I’m not going to let the team make it out like I have some devastating back problem, when I don’t.”

ddraver

So RNT's terrible mnagement isn't exclusive to the Schlecks then.....

I'd hate to be a lowly domestique or neo-pro there at the moment!

cycling5280

Pross wrote:

cycling5280 wrote:

Top 10...I don't see him as a GC contender. I thought that's what Andy is for? He can climb with the best and certainly fetch bottles and ride at the front on the rolling stages.

Didn't you start a thread a few weeks back that the Schlecks suck and Horner should be the Shack's main man for the Tour?

At the moment I would say Frank is their best hope on GC!

Andy still sucks and yes I agree Frank is their best bet assuming he doesn't just quit the race. Horner has had far better results than Andy this year and I'd could see Horner finishing in the top 20 even though I don't really consider him a GC contender. But in my opinion placing 2nd is the same as placing 20th. You came close to winning but you didn't.

timoid.

cycling5280 wrote:

But in my opinion placing 2nd is the same as placing 20th. You came close to winning but you didn't.

Except for the small matter of all that extra publicity and the UCI Points.

Without looking who finished 20th in the Tour last year. What team did he ride for?

Now who finished second? What team did he ride for?

blazing_saddles

cycling5280 wrote:

Andy still sucks and yes I agree Frank is their best bet assuming he doesn't just quit the race. Horner has had far better results than Andy this year and I'd could see Horner finishing in the top 20 even though I don't really consider him a GC contender. But in my opinion placing 2nd is the same as placing 20th. You came close to winning but you didn't.

If you consider 2nd no better than 20th, why all the moaning and gnashing of teeth over Horner's exclusion?
On the subject of sucking, we have his inability to time trial flat long flat courses, a la les Schlecks.

If he's got any shot at all, it's as undisputed leader at the Vuelta, not as mountain domestique, come third reserve leader at Le Tour.

cycling5280

Timoid. wrote:

cycling5280 wrote:

But in my opinion placing 2nd is the same as placing 20th. You came close to winning but you didn't.

Except for the small matter of all that extra publicity and the UCI Points.

Without looking who finished 20th in the Tour last year. What team did he ride for?

Now who finished second? What team did he ride for?

Speaking of UCI points why don't you check and see who is the highest ranked Radioshack rider to date. CHRIS HORNER. Another reason he should get a spot on the team.

cycling5280

ddraver wrote:

Love the way you think Horner would do more than one/both of the Schlecks...Hilarious!

He currently is ranked 25th UCI WorldTour points. Andy Schleck is not even ranked and Frank is not even in the top 100. I'd say Horner is holding his end of the bargain for Radioshack.

RichN95.

cycling5280 wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Love the way you think Horner would do more than one/both of the Schlecks...Hilarious!

He currently is ranked 25th UCI WorldTour points. Andy Schleck is not even ranked and Frank is not even in the top 100. I'd say Horner is holding his end of the bargain for Radioshack.

Numbers 1 and 2 on the UCI World rankings won't be at the Tour, either.

Seriously, he wasn't fit for the Tour de Suisse and he needed a week to recover his back after the Tour of California. His fitness can't be relied on - he's 40 for god's sake. They just can't risk it. He's a very good rider, but he's not the team leader and they have other riders that can do the mountain domestique jobs.

Besides, if Bruyneel is intending to win Andy Schleck the Tour by his usual tactic of putting a climbing paceline on the final climb, he might as well drive up the M1 and give Wiggins the Yellow Jersey himself.

ddraver

Oh so 2nd is better than 20th now...?

cycling5280

ddraver wrote:

Oh so 2nd is better than 20th now...?

same difference...you didn't win.

ddraver

But "Horner currently is ranked 25th UCI WorldTour points. Andy Schleck is not even ranked and Frank is not even in the top 100. I'd say Horner is holding his end of the bargain for Radioshack."

Or are they equal...cos they ve won nothing?

Man I'm getting sucked in again arent I...? Seriously lil Buddy, try and put at least one cogent argument together...

cycling5280

RichN95 wrote:

cycling5280 wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Love the way you think Horner would do more than one/both of the Schlecks...Hilarious!

He currently is ranked 25th UCI WorldTour points. Andy Schleck is not even ranked and Frank is not even in the top 100. I'd say Horner is holding his end of the bargain for Radioshack.

Numbers 1 and 2 on the UCI World rankings won't be at the Tour, either.

Seriously, he wasn't fit for the Tour de Suisse and he needed a week to recover his back after the Tour of California. His fitness can't be relied on - he's 40 for god's sake. They just can't risk it. He's a very good rider, but his not the team leader and they have other riders that can do the mountain domestique jobs.

Besides, if Bruyneel is intending to win Andy Schleck the Tour by his usual tactic of putting a climbing paceline on the final climb, he might as well drive up the M1 and give Wiggins the Yellow Jersey himself.

Risk it? They are taking the biggest gamble, long shot whatever you want to call it for Andy to even podium let alone win. I'm not saying Horner should replace Andy as the leader but he certainly deserves a spot on the team. I'm not buying the age argument given his results this year. Andy is injured and clearly a long ways away from any Tour winning form so it would make sense to let Frank take the team lead in the Tour and have Andy not race the Tour and get his a$$ kicked in the Vuelta by Contador. He can take 2nd in a different grand tour. Wiggins?? He raced the Dauphine with his Tour form. He's done.

cycling5280

ddraver wrote:

But "Horner currently is ranked 25th UCI WorldTour points. Andy Schleck is not even ranked and Frank is not even in the top 100. I'd say Horner is holding his end of the bargain for Radioshack."

Or are they equal...cos they ve won nothing?

Man I'm getting sucked in again arent I...? Seriously lil Buddy, try and put at least one cogent argument together...

Why don't you research Andy's overall GC stage wins vs. Horner's and you'll see how equal they are. Let me remind you Andy doesn't count his Tour win so he has no GC wins. Taking 2nd in the Tour for a decade doesn't mean sh!t.

RichN95.

cycling5280 wrote:

Risk it? They are taking the biggest gamble, long shot whatever you want to call it for Andy to even podium let alone win. I'm not saying Horner should replace Andy as the leader but he certainly deserves a spot on the team. I'm not buying the age argument given his results this year. Andy is injured and clearly a long ways away from any Tour winning form so it would make sense to let Frank take the team lead in the Tour and have Andy not race the Tour and get his a$$ kicked in the Vuelta by Contador. He can take 2nd in a different grand tour. Wiggins?? He raced the Dauphine with his Tour form. He's done.

I know Andy looks terrible, but the Schlecks are worth the risk because they're the only ones on that team can win the Tour. Without them, the team are just looking for breakaways and maybe a top ten. What Horner can do as a domestique is not much different to what Kloden, Fuglsang, Zubeldia and Monfort can do. And they've not been injured.

ddraver

Using your own logic - Exactly - so he's equal with Horner...exactly equal!

So do you pick the 20-something who won a thrilling breakaway stage last year and wore the Yellow Jersey (albeit not for long) or the 40yr old with the bad back?

cycling5280

ddraver wrote:

Using your own logic - Exactly - so he's equal with Horner...exactly equal!

So do you pick the 20-something who won a thrilling breakaway stage last year and wore the Yellow Jersey (albeit not for long) or the 40yr old with the bad back?

Again I'm no pushing for Horner to get on the Tour roster as the team leader but since you asked. Horner. Horner's back is not an injury and it's something he has dealt with helping Contador, Lance and even Cadel back in the day and he has won for himself. He's simple a guy who like Voigt loves to race his bike, races his bike well and doesn't quit often. He is clearly a top domestique for Radioshack. No confidence in Andy at this point. He makes quitting too easy of an option when things are not going his way.

cycling5280

RichN95 wrote:

cycling5280 wrote:

Risk it? They are taking the biggest gamble, long shot whatever you want to call it for Andy to even podium let alone win. I'm not saying Horner should replace Andy as the leader but he certainly deserves a spot on the team. I'm not buying the age argument given his results this year. Andy is injured and clearly a long ways away from any Tour winning form so it would make sense to let Frank take the team lead in the Tour and have Andy not race the Tour and get his a$$ kicked in the Vuelta by Contador. He can take 2nd in a different grand tour. Wiggins?? He raced the Dauphine with his Tour form. He's done.

I know Andy looks terrible, but the Schlecks are worth the risk because they're the only ones on that team can win the Tour. Without them, the team are just looking for breakaways and maybe a top ten. What Horner can do as a domestique is not much different to what Kloden, Fuglsang, Zubeldia and Monfort can do. And they've not been injured.

I think Radioshack should switch tactics and target stage wins instead of the overall. I would argue a few stage wins is way better than another 2nd or 3rd place finish in the GC.

shinyhelmut

And do you really think Horner has more chance of a stage win than schleck jr?

cycling5280

ShinyHelmut wrote:

And do you really think Horner has more chance of a stage win than schleck jr?

Apparently you did not watch the Dauphine and Andy's pathetic form. Yes Horner has just as good of a chance for a stage win than Andy.

iainf72

cycling5280 wrote:

ShinyHelmut wrote:

And do you really think Horner has more chance of a stage win than schleck jr?

Apparently you did not watch the Dauphine and Andy's pathetic form. Yes Horner has just as good of a chance for a stage win than Andy.

He's never won one before, why is he going to manage this year?

cycling5280

iainf72 wrote:

cycling5280 wrote:

ShinyHelmut wrote:

And do you really think Horner has more chance of a stage win than schleck jr?

Apparently you did not watch the Dauphine and Andy's pathetic form. Yes Horner has just as good of a chance for a stage win than Andy.

He's never won one before, why is he going to manage this year?

I don't know? Ask Andy himself.

ddraver

Iain was talkign about Horner - Schleck has won one - last year remember? It was a bit good! And the year before that...

iainf72

So basically, Horner earned his exclusion by not wanting to do the TdS.

No mystery, it was his choice.

Well, that's what Bruyneel says and he's a genius

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

So basically, Horner earned his exclusion by not wanting to do the TdS.

No mystery, it was his choice.

Well, that's what Bruyneel says and he's a genius

People who live in the area he does tend to have outstanding judgement when it comes to professional cycling.


Just saying...

frenchfighter

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/ ... ion_223554

And Kloden says he is 100% in agreement with this.

cycling5280

frenchfighter wrote:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/bruyneel-clarifies-radioshack-stance-on-horner-decision_223554

And Kloden says he is 100% in agreement with this.

If that's what Bruyneel really stated at the beginning of the year then yeah Horner shouldn't make the long list but then why is Jens Voigt on the long list. He did not race the Dauphine and he's not racing the Tour de Suisse. I just wish Johan would admit he has no real say in who goes. Leopard has him by his panties.

ddraver

can't say I sympathise...