2017 'PRO' cycling discussion.

[tmr5555]

Fairly some shoulders on this lad

the "teradactyl"

[CrankAddictsRich]

140 mm?

I know pros like it long and low but that's a hefty reach for a climber, no?

Well, he's probably on a size 49 frame.

[seaneT1]

Scully won the last stage of the rute du sud.. cannondale drapac team seems to be on a roll! What will we seen next from them this season, a big GC win maybe? Doubt but let's hope for it! It would be a nice change o pace!

[davidalone]

Scully won the last stage of the rute du sud.. cannondale drapac team seems to be on a roll! What will we seen next from them this season, a big GC win maybe? Doubt but let's hope for it! It would be a nice change o pace!

good work from Cannondale no doubt but then again they've underperformed so much for the past few seasons that an improvement in performance was bound to happen sooner or later.

The team I've been most impressed with over the past few seasons has been Ag2r (tiny budget but punching way above their weight) and this season Lotto NL-Jumbo. Lotto has been quiet over the past 2 years but suddenly they've popped up with big wins this season ( bennet with ToC overall GC, Van emden with a stage win at Giro, wins for groenewegen and roglic all over the place, and lots of podiums...)

[Rondje]

Scully won the last stage of the rute du sud.. cannondale drapac team seems to be on a roll! What will we seen next from them this season, a big GC win maybe? Doubt but let's hope for it! It would be a nice change o pace!

good work from Cannondale no doubt but then again they've underperformed so much for the past few seasons that an improvement in performance was bound to happen sooner or later.

The team I've been most impressed with over the past few seasons has been Ag2r (tiny budget but punching way above their weight) and this season Lotto NL-Jumbo. Lotto has been quiet over the past 2 years but suddenly they've popped up with big wins this season ( bennet with ToC overall GC, Van emden with a stage win at Giro, wins for groenewegen and roglic all over the place, and lots of podiums...)

I noticed the same, it's interesting to see, LottoNL seem to have changed focus to win in smaller races but by winning in those they also started to win more in (6) WT races. Let's see if Groenewegen (2x win, 1x 2nd with Greipel and Kittel in the mix at Ster ZLM), or Roglic/Gesink can grab a stage in the TDF. It's the first time they don't go to the TDF with a GC in mind.

Cannondale got 4 wins in 1 month? I suppose a stage in the TDF by Rolland and maybe a top 10/15 for Uran or Talansky would be the icing on the cake.

[Antoine]

The team I've been most impressed with over the past few seasons has been Ag2r (tiny budget but punching way above their weight) and this season Lotto NL-Jumbo.

that's rather Direct Energy who has a tiny budget
AG2r has a decent budget and a great sponsor (faithful and not too demanding), they have been able to hire some good riders for this year (Naesen, Frank, ..., and Holst-Enger who apparently is not adapting well).
But maybe they are focusing too much on Bardet.

[TurboKoo]

...

140 mm?

I know pros like it long and low but that's a hefty reach for a climber, no?

Well, he's probably on a size 49 frame.

To me it looks like 52cm but my eyes could be wrong

[Kjetil]

Holst-Enger who apparently is not adapting well

He's been on and off sick haalf winter, and has not trained well. Could of course be in need of a different kind of guidance. He's not too smart to be a bike rider, and if he could get some results to match his heartthrob looks (that's what she said) everything should be fine and dandy. If not Joker will probably pick him up and make a bike rider of him again, like they did with Stake Laengen.

[Imaking20]

The team I've been most impressed with over the past few seasons has been Ag2r (tiny budget but punching way above their weight)

I must be missing all of this. Pozzovivo seems like he's always there or thereabouts, but lacks what it takes to win much. To be honest, I think AG2R is just as underwhelming as Cannondale's reputation.
Bardet is becoming pretty exciting to watch - and Frank is a pretty solid rider. But there are also several exciting riders on Cannondale... just not in the GC ranks

[micky]

I wouldn't forget Naesen who did some impressive rides this year and next year Ag2r could perhaps have Trentin on board for Classics.

[Imaking20]

Good point. Naesen has definitely had some quality top-10 results this year.

[LeDuke]

I'm interested to see who will make the cut for BMC and Sky this year. So many riders on each team capable of contributing in different ways.

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[Rondje]

Just saw a photo on Instagram of Poels doing a recon with Thomas in the Pyrenees, Thomas is a sure shot, but it would be a surprise if Poels makes the cut. He been important in the previous years, but haven't shown any form since his knee injury this year.

[seaneT1]

Can't wait to see the rosters for the Tour...anyone has a new rider in mind that could be a surpise in the GC? Any riders to have an eye for on for the mountains this year?

[petepeterson]

Can't wait for the Vuelta