Rocky Highway: a Cobbles PowerPoll

Simply to kind my very own thoughts and get in gear for the upcoming barrage of cobbles goodness within the coming weeks right here’s a fast and soiled PowerPoll of the groups as we go into the holiest of holy durations of the yr. We’ve had a ton of racing already and as for cobbles we’ve seen opening weekend, Nokere and a few assorted small scraps to present us some pointers as to who’s the place this yr

1. Visma-LeaseABike

What have we seen? Properly opening weekend, and all different races appear to be a continuation of 2023 which is fairly rattling excellent news for somebody who had a yr like they’d. They received double and did it in some spectacular vogue. They raced with a democratic a number of pronged assault the place Wout van Aert was merely one of many awe inspiring weapons. Similar to early final yr there’s nothing that means that they received’t dominate the cobbled Monuments and it’s important to suppose that a company this good received’t wish to be repeating no matter errors that stopped that from taking place final yr.
What’s new? An already insane lineup is now bolstered with Jan Tratnik, who has accomplished his transformation into classics wizard, and an ever improing Matteo Jorgenson who brings one other dimension to the roster. In addition they have a stronger Kooij as a severe choice for the sprintier races which supplies them much more playing cards (though it could put extra of a query mark on which position Laporte is to play in all of this).
What’s their downside? It’s all about profitable one of many large ones this yr, particularly for Wout, and there are numerous indications that this can be as troublesome for them as final yr. Their greatest weapon is after they journey musketeer model, all for one and one for all, like they do within the smaller races however when it turns into extra the “setting issues up for Wout”-team then immediately they don’t look as terrifying anymore. And Wout one on one in opposition to MvdP all of us agree is just not going to work out for Visma fairly often, don’t we?

2. Alpecin-Deceuninck

What have we seen? There’s good trigger to name this the most effective classics workforce on this planet proper now and there’s an affordable probability they’ll transfer up on this rating as we get some extra races with Van der Poel on the beginning line. With Philipsen now a confirmed classics beast and just about accepted as the highest sprinter on this planet they’ve the 2 sharpest weapons of anybody. Add to that some terrific help and you’ve got a workforce with only a few chinks within the armor. That they had essentially the most depressing opening weekend of all the highest groups however they didn’t deliver their a-team, it was actually solely Jasper who upset and we’ve seen him come into his actual type since then.
What’s new? Jasper Philipsen. There’s no denying the distinction a yr makes in how we, and most significantly how the opposition, view him as a classics chief. The double menace they now possess make the calculations a lot tougher for everybody else to make as soon as we come deep within the finales.
What’s their downside? Theoretically a management complication between the 2 now that Jasper has risen in standing however that’s simply hypothesis. What now we have seen signifies the alternative actually. A few of their key lieutenants have had some damage points although and if Visma begin enjoying playing cards left and proper then Alpecin might come to wish all of the wholesome legs they’ll discover to be able to not get tactically verify mated.

Photograph by Ilario Biondi – Pool/Getty Photos

3. Lidl-Trek

What have we seen? As standard Trek had a really informal strategy to opening weekend, they actually appear to be essentially the most hardcore subscribers to the previous “can’t each crush Omloop and Ronde” line of thought. However they actually didn’t embarrass themselves and had some constructive indicators even when the massive outcomes weren’t there. With Pedersen entering into the lineup they need to be formidable once more.
What’s new? Most significantly they’ve added Tim Declerckq to supply working muscle however there’s additionally numerous pleasure on the prospect of Jonathan Milan including one other sharp dimension to their sport, In Omloop/KBK we noticed Toms Skuijns being an enormous weapon however sadly he’s too good at too many issues and received’t be part of the cobbles lineup within the coming weeks.
What’s their downside? Very like in Sanremo the opposite day the overall really feel is that Stuyven/Pedersen are very excellent, simply not the best possible when it comes all the way down to it. And so they don’t fairly have a viable plan on the best way to overcome that hole. Pogacar’s absence in Flanders could also be higher information for Lidl-Trek than for anybody else, the supersonic Kwaremont climbing hijinx actually hit their probabilities greater than anybody else and a extra “regular” Ronde ought to work of their favor.

4. Workforce UAE

What have we seen? Stunning issues actually for a workforce we don’t fairly see as one for April until Pogacar decides to parachute in and dominate. Politt and Wellens have been main components in opening weekend and the brand new child Antonio Morgado has been spectacular within the smaller midweek races. Even with out The Tufted One they could be a issue on the cobbles.
What’s new? Nils Politt provides huge energy, if not a lot brains, to UAE’s cobble line-up. That alone elevates them to relevancy, particularly within the large monuments, however additionally they now have a stable dash set-up for races like Brugge and Scheldeprijs so they’re fairly full now.
What’s their downside? Nobody ever mentioned Tim Wellens was reliable. He was nice in Omloop and on paper he’s a hazard man in any race with sufficient hellingen however he might additionally simply as simply disappear in races. And like Politt he actually struggles to seek out that final bit of the puzzle that permits him to win the necessary races. For that they’d have wanted Pogi, with out him it’s straightforward to see numerous sturdy placings and no wins.

Photograph by Luc Claessen/Getty Photos

5. Lotto-Dstny

What have we seen? A fluctuating efficiency curve from Arnaud De Lie who’s the crux of their classics squad. Flashes of brilliance but additionally indicators that issues aren’t working 100% clean this yr. After the gamble of skipping Kuurne and aiming for his native race Le Samyn backfired and resulted in a crash it’s been a grumpy bull. Fortunately for Lotto the season has in any other case been splendid however the Belgians need to De Lie to meet his promise.
What’s new? The expectations and stress on Arnaud De Lie. The squad is analogous in any other case with stable help for the cobbles, Campenaerts to liven issues up and Menten to grind out some unglamorous however important dash wins and podiums in smaller races. However that is the yr everyone seems to be searching for large issues to occur from De Lie in large races and that’s a primary for him. So much hangs on how he can deal with it and deal with a bit of adversity.
What’s their downside? They’re basically a one man present. Campenaerts will want some small miracle to drag off a win from his escapades, as fulfilling and admirable as they’re, and the remainder of the squad is sweet for some honorable prime 15s usually. So miracle boy must ship sooner or later.

6. Movistar

What have we seen? Pigs fly? Movistar in a cobbles powerpoll? Okay possibly they’re a bit of bit right here as a lark, however probably not. Oier Lazkano’s Kuurne (and Clasica Jaen) kinda give them a deserved spot up there. And there’s first rate folks round him too in Garcia Cortina, Jacobs and Norsgaard so it is a actual factor now.
What’s new? Spain might need a brand new classics ace in Lazkano if issues proceed the way in which they’re going. Plus they’ve completed the hip factor and picked up an Italian monitor man with classics potential in Manlio Moro. Add a Belgian DS in Roelandts who is aware of how the sauce is made on this a part of the world and you’ve got one thing.
What’s their downside? That is basically a one-man workforce aside until you fee Gaviria’s probabilities within the sprintier races (I don’t anymore, I gave up) since Cortina for no matter cause isn’t doing the approaching cobbles races which appears an odd alternative. Sadly Lazkano is seemingly nonetheless fairly uncomfortable with the stress and expectations that include all that promise but when they’ll get him in the precise headspace it could possibly be a unbelievable spring in Flanders for Movi.

7. Intermarche-Wanty

What have we seen? Biniam Girmay appears to be someplace close to his 2022 self once more they usually’ve been visibly current in a lot of the classics. High result’s Rex profitable Le Samyn which is a giant one for an area workforce even when it may not be a lot of an indicator for the most important races to return.
What’s new? Vito Braet has come on from the Flanders expertise program and appears to be making a direct influence, he’s already prepared for these races. Apart from that it’s primarily the identical previous gang and the important thing appears to be discovering new methods to have Girmay match coaching, racing and travels again dwelling work extra seamlessly to be able to deliver extra consistency.

Photograph by Luc Claessen/Getty Photos

What’s their downside? They’re nonetheless basically a moneyball squad of plucky outsiders combating to supply a complete that’s larger than the sum of its components and in todays excessive octane World Tour that’s a troublesome ask. They actually need their diamond within the tough Girmay to be at the easiest we all know he’s able to to succeed in the true heights. And thus far they’ll’t fairly appear to get him there.

8. Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale

What have we seen? Imagine it or not, Oliver Naessen again close to the entrance of motorcycle races. Not a trajectory anybody was anticipating. Possibly a bit of more room with out previous Greg round served him nicely? Both approach he led a plucky band of franco-belgians to some first rate early outcomes.
What’s new?Twentyone yr previous Pierre Gautherat is strictly talking not new since he in his second yr at Ag2r however he clearly seems to have made large strides ahead. Whereas the load continues to be on Naessen, many eyes is likely to be on him to see the place the Decathlon classics future is likely to be heading.
What’s their downside? Oliver Naessen doesn’t win you the massive races. He doesn’t even win you the medium sized races frankly and possibilities of that immediately altering are slim, particularly when the Galacticos present up in full type. So Decathlon are seemingly searching for some honorable prime 10s in actuality.

9 Groupama-FDJ

What have we seen? They’ve had one among this spring’s revelations in Laurence Pithie even when it hasn’t fairly paid off in precise outcomes. In the meantime Stefan Küng is sort of clearly slowly working up his diesel to be primed for early April so it’s exhausting to evaluate based mostly on that. The proof can be within the Monument Pudding.
What’s new? Basically that their youth motion is edging ever nearer to maturity. Their largest younger aces Gregoire and Martinez actually aren’t going to be of any assistance on the cobbles although so they’re relying on the following tier guys like Pithie, Askey and Watson to take steps from being terrific Coupe de France sharks to being components within the classics
What’s their downside? Küng is a beast however nobody thus far has any earthly concept the best way to really convert that into getting him that first large large race win. Madouas will seemingly parachute in to supply some sturdy inserting like he often does. The kiddos talked about will seemingly do nicely, they’re just too good to not. However, and it’s a giant however I can not lie, there actually is not any sense that there’s somebody at Groupama with some grasp plan to make all these items match collectively into what could possibly be a classics powerhouse to problem the Bigs. Not but anyway.

10 Soudal-QuickStep

What have we seen? I’ll inform you what we haven’t seen, which is Pat Lefevere’s head exploding (or him no less than spewing a gallon of acid in a newspaper column) however that actually says far more about how the main target of this workforce has shifted than it does in regards to the workforce’s efficiency. That they had their standard disappointing Omloop however then didn’t bounce again in Kuurne, in reality they have been maybe much more of a non-factor. Merlier is basically saving their bacon with the promise of extra dash wins in semi-classics. It’s not the glamorous approach however it will get the job completed. Type of.
What’s new? Quick youngsters. Like all the time at QuickStep, when issues seem like they’re going downhill Pat pulls some loopy abilities out his Mallorca tanned bottom and immediately issues begin to look kinda scorching once more. Luke Lamperti is the classics related man this yr and all indications are it’s panning out nicely. The opposite traditional Lef-style gamble made this yr is bringing Gianni “The Jerk” Moscon and see if they’ll do the previous QS magic and rejuvenate a fading star’s profession with a carrot / bull-whip of a low wage/excessive bonus one-year contract. How nicely that’s working continues to be TBD however I’ll say it’s not wanting like a miracle resurrection thus far. Ronde van Vlaanderen is on Easter Sunday although so…….
What’s their downside? They only don’t have the most effective or the strongest classics guys on their roster anymore. They’ve first rate second tier guys, a bruised confidence and maybe a bit of little bit of an identification disaster concerning the best way to take races on now on this new actuality they’re residing. How that develops relies upon an ideal deal on if their scorching new youngsters could make them rise from the ashes like they’ve completed earlier than, and if that’s the case how briskly? Large wins and podiums (outdoors dash wins for Timmy in doubtful races like Scheldeprijs) this yr looks as if a stretch.