Astana

borisface
borisface Posts: 273
edited November 2015 in Pro race
Going well in the giro this year. The team look strong all round. They've obviously been training hard.
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Comments

  • RideOnTime
    RideOnTime Posts: 4,712
    astana_corima.jpg
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,599
    I'm sure it won't last... they'll have been kicked out by the start of next season.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    I was wondering if they had thought "fuck it, let's go out all guns blazing" when the rumours appeared that the UCI was going to revoke their World Tour licence.

    That's not fair though because they've really made the racing enjoyable for me. Fans complain if there's a lot of action and also if the racing is boring...

    It is amazing how strong the Giro squad is when you consider there's no Nibali, Fuglsang or Westra.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,309
    Nibali seemed to cruise a lot of the stages in the TdF last year. Now Astana is attacking like there is no tomorrow in a 3 week race. Team Sky and SaxTin riders are dropping off towards the finish in a natural sort of way...
    I guess that if their license is revoked, there will be a scrum to sign up their top riders (who won't be content to ride Pro Conti races only and hope for a wildcard) and there are plenty of them.
    It would be quite a move if it happened prior to the TdF.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Better DS helps..
    _
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    It's impressive. That's about all you can say about it really.

    They don't have any option but to chuck everything at it though. Aru knows he needs to use every climb he can to try and put time in Contador and Porte.
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]

    It's all a bit USPS-like for my tastes.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Consistently stronger than every other team by a distance. If it looks like a turd and smells like a turd...
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    SheffSimon wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]

    It's all a bit USPS-like for my tastes.

    So because Gatlin won a 100m by putting one foot in front of the other does it follow therefore that Usain Bolt is doping because he also runs 100m races putting one foot in front of the other?

    I assume that's what you mean, the tactic is way, way older than USPS
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]
    I agree. They've been aggressive in the first week because Aru is theoretically a weaker TTer and there is little for the GC rider in week 2. And they have a strong team of riders who have all riden strongly in the past.

    And despite all this their train hasn't been particularly effective at dropping contenders as other trains have been, it's served more to soften them up. The damage (to Uran in particular) has been done by attacks from Aru and Contador.

    (If I had been Contador I would have deliberately lost the jersey to Aru and let them do the work all week)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    ddraver wrote:
    SheffSimon wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]

    It's all a bit USPS-like for my tastes.

    So because Gatlin won a 100m by putting one foot in front of the other does it follow therefore that Usain Bolt is doping because he also runs 100m races putting one foot in front of the other?

    I assume that's what you mean, the tactic is way, way older than USPS

    Does anyone here think that Bolt isn't doping? Or any of the Jamaican sprint team?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Joelsim wrote:
    Does anyone here think that Bolt isn't doping?
    It's quite possible. He's been regarded as a once in a lifetime talent since he was 14. I think the gains from doping in men's sprinting tend to get greatly exaggerated.

    Anyway, that's a discussion for another thread.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Paolo Tiralongo did a two week GC ride back when the Ryder won. Rode like a lunatic then parked up in the third week.

    it is eye brow raising but I expect them to fade. then again its a quite week coming up before the TT and they can sit in the wheels while saxo controls the time gaps. Maybe recover for the final week. Even if they show in the mountains its not bonafide proof.



    they do seem above the rest, mind you sky have been hiding except Kiryrenka.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    RichN95 wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]
    I agree. They've been aggressive in the first week because Aru is theoretically a weaker TTer and there is little for the GC rider in week 2. And they have a strong team of riders who have all riden strongly in the past.

    And despite all this their train hasn't been particularly effective at dropping contenders as other trains have been, it's served more to soften them up. The damage (to Uran in particular) has been done by attacks from Aru and Contador.)

    Seconded, I think it's been to a particular plan and they'll be very quiet this week.

    RichN95 wrote:
    If I had been Contador I would have deliberately lost the jersey to Aru and let them do the work all week

    Now THAT would have been bold. And would Stumpy Oleg McNolegs let him do it?
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Salsiccia1 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    If I had been Contador I would have deliberately lost the jersey to Aru and let them do the work all week

    Now THAT would have been bold. And would Stumpy Oleg McNolegs let him do it?
    I don't think Contador would have considered it. He has this record of never having lost a GT leader's jersey once he has it (courtrooms aside). I think he's quite proud of that.
    Armstrong would have been happy to lose it (especially to a local). For all his faults, he was expectional at piecing together a GT.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Marmot-Ground-Hog-1-1024x768.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    RichN95 wrote:
    Armstrong would have been happy to lose it (especially to a local). For all his faults, he was expectional at piecing together a GT.
    In other words he was good at scheming a GT win with the least effort.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    deejay wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Armstrong would have been happy to lose it (especially to a local). For all his faults, he was expectional at piecing together a GT.
    In other words he was good at scheming a GT win with the least effort.
    Yes.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]

    In fairness, they're going about it in a more exciting style than Sky would
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    I think that's like arguing between military Grey and light grey
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Skyradar operators are talking down Astana's performance so that when Porte cruises to victory on the back of a dominant TT, 'he only beat a developing 24 year-old Aru and a dislocated Contador'.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    ddraver wrote:
    SheffSimon wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    I don't see anything too special about what they re doing. The Mountain train has been a standard tactic for time immemorial - the cycling equivalent of playing 4-4-2 - I like what they re doing by treating it more like a modern sprint team and swarming to the front later on.

    It's not like Astana have anything else on their racing horizons than GTs either so they ve built a squad of 2 GT teams. [**Frenchie hyperbole alert**] if they were sky we'd be saying how boring and formulaic they are but they re not british so we give them a pass [/**Frenchie hyperbole alert**]

    It's all a bit USPS-like for my tastes.

    So because Gatlin won a 100m by putting one foot in front of the other does it follow therefore that Usain Bolt is doping because he also runs 100m races putting one foot in front of the other?

    I assume that's what you mean, the tactic is way, way older than USPS

    Not a tactic I noticed watching the tour through the 80's...not saying it didn't happen but I didn't notice it happening. Unlike USPS, who seemed to have an endless supply of riders who could hammer away on the front on a climb all day long.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    suddenly a lot fewer* marmots around here...?!?

    *thankyou King Stannis
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Which monster took all the marmots?

    0512b320cf9d9b05f48e053055c651e252b999c643aaf073a6c1179296c6fa8e.jpg
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    ddraver wrote:
    suddenly a lot fewer* marmots around here...?!?

    *thankyou King Stannis

    I don't get the reference, but I've not watched last night's episode. Do we have to have a no GoT spoiler rule on the forum?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    suddenly a lot fewer* marmots around here...?!?

    *thankyou King Stannis

    I don't get the reference, but I've not watched last night's episode. Do we have to have a no GoT spoiler rule on the forum?
    It was a minor thing (from last week I think). He just muttered a less/fewer grammar correction.

    However, in the latest episode Stannis did raise a marmot army.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    so minor that I totally missed it and actually read about it in an episode review I was mindlessly looking at one commute...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Ah fair enough.

    He could do with recruiting the guy from Ventoux, with his boar and all
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    suddenly a lot fewer* marmots around here...?!?

    *thankyou King Stannis

    I don't get the reference, but I've not watched last night's episode. Do we have to have a no GoT spoiler rule on the forum?

    Ooo that reminds me, I have that to watch this evening.

    Anyway a marmot is a groundhog. There's lots of them that live on the Stelvio.
    RichN95 wrote:
    He just muttered a less/fewer grammar correction.

    I wasn't a big fan of Stannis until that. I'm warming to the man.
    RichN95 wrote:
    However, in the latest episode Stannis did raise a marmot army.

    That better actually be true or I'll set my groundhog on you!
    Correlation is not causation.

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