Written by Navarone Cycling Team at 14:02 27/4-2021
New season, new format.
The positives:
- Sherard Rolf extending his TvA streak to 5 consecutive, an all-time high even without considering consecutive wins.
- The Helsinki team proving to be ready to win again if rng does not screw our captain. 2nd with a captain off day is as solid as it gets.
- In general, Antonov's campaing has been great, considering how bad rng has striked. Consistent top9s even in the face of more off days than not.
- Rejuvenation of some areas without losing punch in the others ie. Germano, Gudmund for only cash considerations.
- Clarification of the boundaries between the CB and the SP team - less TQ-SP profiles or SP - FR - TQ profiles, and more TQ - FR and SP - TQ profiles.
- The emergence of Borges as the dominant sprinter proves that, to a degree, certain riders can extend their useful life up to 36-37 YO even when facing top division competition. Management thinks Rolf is the type of rider that could also do so, as long as he's properly supported.
- Ochoa finally winning Essex Stage 3.
- Huynh proving that even while too young, inexperienced and without TF, is already a solid Astana candidate, with 5th.
- Karcev, Ezekwesili and Huynh results with the NT.
The negatives:
- Lack of economic manouverability for S57 and possibly S58 without getting rid of some assets.
- Ochoa, Upton and Karcev overlap to a degree, not in that they are similar riders, but in that perform a very similar function and target the same races given the team space left in our composition.
- Ochoa is vastly underused for a 233 sprinter.
- Too many one-trick-pony captains, too little great generic helpers - being addressed.
- Ochoa attacks the 'race problem' from the same angle as Borges, while being strictly worse. Borges' dominance means that if he is brought to Vuelta, Ochoa will even lose his niche there as a contender.
- Upton being hired was a long shot to try to get a one-and-done attempt at Cali. If he doesn't get that and needs to be longer with the team, we close ourselves to other options.
- A Cali + Astana all in (5 LOs in TF + 2 captains in TF) is not desirable because of the age difference. When Huynh will be old enough to deserve that shot, Upton will possibly be too old.
- Would be great to unify the Norwich - London, Vuelta SC and Cali teams under a single captain. Unfortunately, Ochoa's lack of HL is bad for Cali, and his unimpressive SP+TQ makes him a very long shot for N-L, even in TF and with wind. We can never ever sign in his best race (Nederlandse) because of being ranked too high. Karcev needs TF in both. Upton could be reasonable in Vuelta and Cali, but not N-L.
- We never find the moment to trigger a TF for Antwerpen - Huy because the best TQ riders are supporting Ochoa's TF.
- The easy solution to this conundrum seems to trade Ochoa, but there's emotional attachment.
- While it doesn't seem unlikely that the team can get some other TvA, Helsinki, or even maybe Vuelta GT SC, some missing palmares items seem to be further than ever, Norwich - London in particular.
- Complicated approach to TvA due to TF recharges.
- In general, complicated approaches to beginning of season races, and missing on too many races where we should be able to score, due to the focus on palmares.
- Rolf's continued success in TvA halts Ezekwesili progression.
A lot to think about.
Subscribers: 19
| |
Comments
I understand most. OCM next level :)
Very insightful reading (as always). Div1 is a harsh environment it seems ...
Haha, yes certainly. The last Germany Tour was one of those occasions.
Nice overview of your achievements, decisions and goals, Gerard. And Frank, I won't believe you don't fall asleep thinking about OCM from time to time :)
I don't, I have a baby :'D but on a serious note, is not exceedingly uncommon for me to fall asleep thinking about those things ...
How can you sleep at night lol
|
Other Team's Press Releases
|
|
|
