Ben Swift TDF Points Jersey

cal_stewart
cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
edited April 2014 in Pro race
Could Ben Swift if he continues in his current form and Sky give him a place in the team for the TDF, be Sagans biggest challenger?
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Comments

  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    He'd have to do it on his own.

    Michael Matthews and Alexander Kristoff are my two outsiders.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Doubt it, he won't place high enough in the bunch sprints. I'd like to be wrong though.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    It's likely the only Jersey they have a chance of winning so I guess they should give it some focus.

    He would be a good candidate given his ability on the hills but a green jersey winner also needs to be a a top sprinter in the big bunch gallops and I dont think he is.

    He would be a good one to send out in breaks and go for stage wins on the rolling stages.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Pross wrote:
    Doubt it, he won't place high enough in the bunch sprints. I'd like to be wrong though.


    Agree. And he'd have to do it on his own each time, which apart from anything else, can be dangerous stuff at the Tour.

    I'd expect/hope to see Demare put in a bit of a challenge to Sagan, too. And yeah, maybe Matthews (surely OGE will give up on backing Goss at the Tour this year....)
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    MM is a bit of a lightweight imo.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Doubt it, he won't place high enough in the bunch sprints. I'd like to be wrong though.


    Agree. And he'd have to do it on his own each time, which apart from anything else, can be dangerous stuff at the Tour.

    I'd expect/hope to see Demare put in a bit of a challenge to Sagan, too. And yeah, maybe Matthews (surely OGE will give up on backing Goss at the Tour this year....)

    Give up on Gossy? Say it ain't so

    If, and only if, Sagan crashes, Kristoff could be dangerous. Sneaky Norwegian see.
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  • gsvbagpuss
    gsvbagpuss Posts: 272
    Matthew HARLEY Goss? Surely not.

    Does Swift even get a TdF slot, given Froome needs all the diesels he can get to take on Contador? Would like to see it - he's had an amazing start to the year
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    GSVBagpuss wrote:
    Does Swift even get a TdF slot, given Froome needs all the diesels he can get to take on Contador? Would like to see it - he's had an amazing start to the year
    He's got a chance. Particularly if EBH is doing the Giro. And being from Yorkshire is a big factor in his favour.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Good point and if they race hard enough those Yorkshire stages could be his sort of race.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Pross wrote:
    Good point and if they race hard enough those Yorkshire stages could be his sort of race.


    He's making it a bit harder for them to leave him out, that's for sure
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    He isn't on the PCS list as yet

    http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Tou ... -Startlist
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Joelsim wrote:
    He isn't on the PCS list as yet

    http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Tou ... -Startlist


    PCS just piece together their guesses at team startlists from rider interviews and media stories. Around 14 Sky riders (according to EBH) were told at the beginning of the season that they're in the running for the Tour team.

    Last year they announced the team line-up 9 days before the Tour start.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    agree as would Fabian Canc be riding this year? - he said he didn't go last yr as there was no prologue - same this yr.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    GSVBagpuss wrote:
    Does Swift even get a TdF slot, given Froome needs all the diesels he can get to take on Contador? Would like to see it - he's had an amazing start to the year

    Swift can climb a bit, I don't think Froome needs to worry about the diesel for the tour. I think he's still favourite by a long way.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Even if Froome stomps all over the field at Romandie, if he loses to Bert at the Dauphine...Bert will go into the Tour as favourite
  • Nickoo
    Nickoo Posts: 85
    He wont win the intermediate sprints and has no chance in a sprint finish with the big boys
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    If Alberto's climbing has improved anything like as much as his TT, I don't think the margin either way is minutes. I think Froome will opt for classics guys for crosswind/cobbled/lumpy stage protection, and mountain goats. I doubt they'd take Swift for his finishing alone.
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  • cal_stewart
    cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    IMHO I don't think Swift is that much slower than Sagan in a Sprint
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  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Pross wrote:
    Good point and if they race hard enough those Yorkshire stages could be his sort of race.
    The first stage could be something for him; that would be great. The second is way too hard, even for Sagan I reckon. More a stage for Valverde, Ulissi or Kwia. That being said, considering Swifty's from Rotherham and the finish of stage 2 is nearer to R'ham than Sheffield, what would be better than winning there? Don't see it happening though
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    Cal_Stewart wrote:
    IMHO I don't think Swift is that much slower than Sagan in a Sprint

    But there is the problem
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Their history suggests Sagan is fractionally quicker, but much of that history is from 2+ years ago. This year Swift beat Sagan in MSR (3rd vs 10th), and Sagan beat Swift twice in Oman (4th vs 2nd, and 11th vs 10th).

    I reckon Sagan might have a bit more competition in the reduced bunch sprints this year. We could well see the likes of Swift, Meersman, Matthews/Goss, Kristoff, Kwiatkowski, Degenkolb giving him a run for his money on them. Whether there's anyone that can compete with him over those sprints, and bunch sprints, and intermediate sprints is another matter entirely.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Goss? The bloke from Bros?

    I shan't be putting any money on him. Kristoff perhaps...
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Cal_Stewart wrote:
    Could Ben Swift if he continues in his current form and Sky give him a place in the team for the TDF, be Sagans biggest challenger?

    No, he's not good enough. An amazing performance at MSR doesn't suddenly make him all that and a bag of chips girlfriend.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    TMR wrote:
    Cal_Stewart wrote:
    Could Ben Swift if he continues in his current form and Sky give him a place in the team for the TDF, be Sagans biggest challenger?

    No, he's not good enough. An amazing performance at MSR doesn't suddenly make him all that and a bag of chips girlfriend.

    Did you see his win in Pais Vasco?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    iainf72 wrote:
    Did you see his win in Pais Vasco?

    I didn't Iain. I will have a look and see if I can grab a download then see if I feel any differently. I'm taking nothing away from his exceptional MSR performance, but I don't think he's a realistic prospect for the maillot vert. There's clearly a World of difference between a one day Classic and a 3 week Tour.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    TMR wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Did you see his win in Pais Vasco?

    I didn't Iain. I will have a look and see if I can grab a download then see if I feel any differently. I'm taking nothing away from his exceptional MSR performance, but I don't think he's a realistic prospect for the maillot vert. There's clearly a World of difference between a one day Classic and a 3 week Tour.

    The Pais Vasco one is more telling. Brutal finish and he survived a very tough final 30km. It was more a Sagan'esqe performance, and I think that's why people are suggesting maybe he could go for green. I reckon he'd be capable but you ain't doing it on a team going for the GC.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Just watched it on YT. Not bad at all, but I didn't see anything to change my mind. I wish him the best of luck though.

    Am just getting to the end of Cav's latest book; the comments he made about SKY and what it was like to ride for them were interesting. He had a shocking relationship with Sean Yates, must have made it hard.

    If Cav struggled to get them to support him as World Champion, then I fear Ben is going to struggle mightily.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    Agree he's got no chance with Sky, not only will he not get support I doubt he'd even be allowed to go for it. Whether he's good enough, probably not but I'd reserve judgement until he's had a bit more freedom to ride for himself.
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  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    TMR wrote:
    Am just getting to the end of Cav's latest book; the comments he made about SKY and what it was like to ride for them were interesting. He had a shocking relationship with Sean Yates, must have made it hard.
    Care to elaborate?v I've not bought it.
  • Essex Rouleur
    Essex Rouleur Posts: 98
    Hes got about as much chance as i have.

    So none basically.

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