One of the big motivations for talking with NetApp DS Ralph Denk is the Giro d'Italia's wildcard selection. Thought it might be nice to say more precisely what that is...
The Giro organizers are meeting tomorrow to make their wildcard decisions. Presumably word will get out almost immediately, though don't be surprised if we go another day or two before finding out.
They have four wildcards to issue for the Giro. But the RCS folks will make decisions about their other major races as well. There are only two available for Tirreno-Adriatico (which makes sense since so many teams are at Paris-Nice that week instead) as well as seven each for Milano-Sanremo and the Giro di Lombardia.
Fourteen teams applied for wildcards with RCS:
- Androni Giocattoli (Italy)
- Acqua & Sapone (Italy)
- Champion System (China)
- Colnago-CSF Inox (Ireland)
- Colombia-Coldeportes (take a guess)
- Farnese Vini (UK)
- Landbouwkrediet (Belgium)
- Project 1T4I (Netherlands)
- RusVelo (Russia)
- Saur Sojasun (France)
- Europcar (France)
- Team NetApp (Germany)
- Team Type 1 (USA)
- Utensilnord (Algeria)
Last year wildcards went to the two actual Italian teams and the two Italian teams registered overseas for reasons I can't understand. The Giro also got special dispensation for adding a 23rd team, Geox. Assuming just four wildcards this year (pending another special dispensation), let's handicap the selections... on the flip!
- Androni Giocattoli: Team of Sella and Rujano, plus Fabio Felline, a 21-year-old who finished Il Lombardia next to Cunego, Samu Sanchez and some others (he was 22nd). I'd make them a lock for a wildcard.
- Acqua & Sapone: Garzelli and DiLuca, two former Giro winners. Can the new RCS regime break the habit of including guys whom nobody outside Italy would prefer to have around, just because they're former winners? Maybe... In fact, the A&S selection decision might tell us a good bit about these new folks.
- Champion System: Kind of a mishmash of nationalities racing under a Chinese license. And that's got some cache, but I don't see anyone on the roster who the Italian public would care about. Craig Lewis? Jan Kirsipuu? Unless this application comes with a threat to withhold all equipment made in China, I don't see it passing.
- Colnago-CSF Inox: Team is 100% Italian, with lots of young guys coming up and Pozzovivo, Modolo and some others. These guys always get in, so I can't imagine why 2012 will be different.
- Colombia-Coldeportes: Brand new team, all Colombians. Fabio Duarte gives them a recognizable face, and a South American project would be cool to see in action, but my guess is the Giro let them pull things together for a year or so, then bring them in.
- Farnese Vini: Tough one... Adding Pippo Pozzato guarantees them invites to all the other RCS races, but I would not assume it helps with the Giro. The rest of this case comes down to guys like Oscar Gatto, stagewinner last year, and some other usual suspects. Personally I hope RCS has the guts to say no to this team, they don't really deserve it.
- Landbouwkrediet: What? Is there a cyclocross stage? No. Not a chance. Even if they weren't closing their road program after the season.
- Project 1T4I: The former Skil-Shimano squad. They have a very intriguing duo of stage hunters, Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb, and I am anxious to see what kind of season Ramon Sinkeldam puts up. But as few as none of them would actually wind up racing at the Giro, so I think this is a no.
- RusVelo: Russian project, all Russian riders, almost none of whom I know anything about. Can't see why the Giro would be tempted.
- Saur Sojasun: Middlin' French team. French riders -- particularly those with a hope of a Tour de France wildcard -- do not EVER do anything in Italy if they can help it. No chance.
- Europcar: Same basic team as Saur, so no. Except they have Voeckler, so maybe? Except he REALLY wants to save himself for the Tour. So no.
- Team NetApp: See article below. On the cusp.
- Team Type 1: Hm... they applied last year and didn't get in. Does that help garner sympathy for them this time around? I doubt it, new management and all, but maybe. Not sure if their lineup includes anyone whom RCS would be targeting. On the cusp.
- Utensilnord: How does a team of Italians riding under an Algerian license get named after Scandianvian dinnerware? I don't know, and I suspect we won't find out in May.
Predictions?
My picks
Androni, Colnago, NetApp and Farnese Vinny.
Chris Fontecchio - January 9, 2012
And RCS said
“OK, if you say so.”
TheFigurehead - January 10, 2012
Or more offical
link
TheFigurehead - January 10, 2012
Holy Crap!
I’m never right about stuff like this! Is this the year I win the VDS??
Chris Fontecchio - January 10, 2012
No.
tedvdw - January 10, 2012
ditto
umwolverine - January 10, 2012
My prediction would be the same four as last year
They fit the primary qualification of being Italian.
Androni Giocattoli are a given.
Farnese Vini are pretty likely. I can’t imagine they hold Andrea Guardini back this year, and while he may fall a step behind the Cavendishes and Farrars of the world…he may not. Marcel Kittel did a damn good job in his first GT last year.
Acqua e Sapone are also pretty likely. They still have Garzelli – KOM in ‘09 and ’11, and a stage winner in ’07 and ’10 (Acqua e Sapone snubbed in ’08). Add in Di Luca, and I’m really not sure Acquarone et al have the chutzpah to leave two former Giro winners at home.
From a sporting standpoint, I am nonplussed by Colnago. I think they probably will get in, because they’re Italian as fuck, but I wouldn’t expect them to be at all competitive except maybe a lucky/timely breakaway. I’d sooner see 1t4i, NetApp, or Team Type 1.
Aly Edge - January 9, 2012
I was going to say about Farnese...that is two of you that forgot about Guardini ;)
Really with Pozzato, Gatto and him that is some very good stage hunting material…perhaps Luca Mazzanti could show some of his old self
Also in terms of 1t4i, it all depends who is available. If they are banking on a TdF bid then they would be stretched thin over the course of the summer, if they have any Vuelta ambitions. The could bring Alexandre Geniez (who has confessed to prefering the Italian style of racing and being more comfortable) to lead for G.C. with guys like Bonnin, De Kort, Fröhlinger, Geschke and perhaps Degenkolb or Veelers for some sprints. The team is so young though that racing this and then the Tour will leave them stretched thin for anything else around it
Vlaanderen90 - January 9, 2012
besides guardini really needs to practice going up those little hills that are sprinkled thru-out the giro parcours
umwolverine - January 9, 2012
He does.
I love the kid but I wish I could smuggle him into a car and drive him to the top of every mountain just so he makes the time cut. On a flat flat flat stage he has a devastating burst though, and could easy nick a stage somewhere. I really hope we get to see this!
Albertina - January 10, 2012
Colnago isn't that bad IMO
Pozzovivo, Modolo, Battaglin…
broerie - January 10, 2012
Everybody has two or three riders that *could* do something
But when have they ever? Manuel Belletti won a stage from one of the aforementioned lucky/timely breakaways, but even he is now on a team guaranteed entry.
It’s not that I would expect Team Type 1 or Team NetApp to be oh so much more competitive (I would expect it of 1t4i), it’s just that I’d like to see some new riders on the sport’s second-biggest stage. Or do we still need to afford a slot for Stefano Pirazzi and his nutball suicide attacks?
And of course it’s your opinion. You’re the one providing it.
Aly Edge - January 10, 2012
I would really like to see how Modolo develops I have to say
Albertina - January 10, 2012
Preferences
Probably all the Italian teams, but I’d like to see the Colombians get in, as well as maybe 1T4I.
wannabe_scattista - January 9, 2012
+1 for the Colombians
Duarte was great in last years Trentino
broerie - January 10, 2012
Yep, I'd like to see this too
Albertina - January 10, 2012
"the two Italian teams registered overseas for reasons I can't understand."
Tax.
RollinRollinRolland - January 9, 2012
nice of rcs to make this decision for the giro, tirreno, and milano-sanremo before the vds deadline, isn't it?
umwolverine - January 9, 2012
Chris had a word with them.
ursula - January 10, 2012
You think his offer was actually refusable?
broerie - January 10, 2012
The whole thing about Champion system was that the new Giro head liked the globalization draw somewhat
and they are attractive. Kirsipuu wouldn’t come most likely (he is staying in Asia mostly) but I don’t think they’ll get in…this year.
RusVelo cracks me up…the team is filled up with half track riders and then a bunch of young talents and busts (Ivan Rovny)
Europcar is interesting in that they are much stronger than Saur but like you said, probably want to save up for the Tour…I can’t help but wonder if they sent Christophe Kern (who was flying at the Dauphine last year) and maybe Arashiro, Charteau, and their two Italians Pelucchi and Malacarne.
Predictions: Androni, Acqua e Sapone, Farnese Vini and either TT1 or NetApp
Vlaanderen90 - January 9, 2012
P.S. Utensilnord is Irish registered (new sponsor for the Ceramica Flaminia/DeRosa/LPR team)
Vlaanderen90 - January 9, 2012
Bah!
CQ with conflicting messages…
Chris Fontecchio - January 10, 2012
Europcar has not applied for a Giro-spot, only the other RCS races
Interesting blog by RCS boss Aquarone on the wild card selections here
Jens - January 10, 2012
Wonder if that means Androni are pitched in with the rest of them
or are still “guaranteed” a place at the giro as winners of the Italian league
andrewp - January 10, 2012
They made a big show about the win guaranteeing them a spot
so I assume they are in.
Jens - January 10, 2012
Perhaps not
From Cyclingnews, though it was more than a month ago.
TheFigurehead - January 10, 2012
Well, this sounds very good on paper. In any case, the early selection of
the teams is the real take away from this imo.
Uphill - January 10, 2012
Ja, the "ethics" and "marketing activities" is pretty fluffy stuff
but early notice really makes for fair play among the teams. The TdF should do this too instead of having some teams killing themselves early to impress, only to have little juice left for the actual Tour in July.
Jens - January 10, 2012
You mean, do exactly what they did last year?
Or are they not this year?
Aly Edge - January 10, 2012
Sven nys for the giro!
He’d probably win it too you know.
tgsgirl - January 10, 2012 via iPhone app
Wouldn't be the first time Landbouwkrediet has a rider on the Giro podium
broerie - January 10, 2012
Well, that was the next Merckx
(That worked out well btw. Was the first Merckx Lance’s bitch too?)
Jens - January 10, 2012
Bahaha. Can he hulk it up a whole mountain?
Albertina - January 10, 2012
Sprinter/break or GC focus.
Colombia-Coldeportes: Mainly GC or at least some havoc
A&S: GC and/or KOM related
Androni Giocattoli: GC
The rest of the “real” contenders appears to be more sprinter/break oriented.
Perhaps the selection process will include a view to which one of the competitions in the Giro needs a bit of tuning.
Uphill - January 10, 2012
my prediction: one big foreign team ….. and then a bribe scandal just as the Giro is starting
/cynical
Willj - January 10, 2012
Maybe the bribe scandal will be drowned out by the bio-passport announcements the week before the Giro?
Jens - January 10, 2012
Oooo polemica! I simply cannot wait.
Albertina - January 10, 2012
According to Jose Been, Ainara Hernando and Mikel Conde on Twitter, it's
Farnese, Androni, Colnago and NetApp. Not sure this is official yet, but they’re usually all right…
Albertina - January 10, 2012
Yep, looks like this is official.
http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=46465
Albertina - January 10, 2012
I missed it before my “picks post”. A&S out? noooo. I would leave Conago at home nod doubt. I also do not agree with NetApp when you consider the alternatives. Sad :(
pmrlo - January 10, 2012
A&S and Colombia Coldeportes are invited to Tirreno Adriatico but not to the Giro, and no NetApp in Tirreno.
Albertina - January 10, 2012
My picks:
Colombia-Coldeportes, Androni, A&S, Farnese Vini.
pmrlo - January 10, 2012
RCS wildcards
Giro d’Italia wildcards: Androni Giocattoli, Colnago-CSF Inox, Farnese Vini-Selle Italia, Team NetApp.
Tirreno-Adriatico: Acqua & Sapone, Colnago-CSF Inox, Colombia-Coldeportes, Farnese Vini-Selle Italia.
Milan-San Remo: Acqua & Sapone, Colnago-CSF Inox, Colombia-Coldeportes, Farnese Vini-Selle Italia, Project 1t4I, Team Type 1 – Sanofi, Utensilnord Named.
Tour of Lombardy: Acqua & Sapone, Androni Giocattoli, Colnago-CSF Inox, Colombia-Coldeportes, Farnese Vini-Selle Italia, Project 1t4I, Utensilnord Named.
Aly Edge - January 10, 2012
According to
CN. But I thought only two wildcards for Tirreno-Adriatico?
Aly Edge - January 10, 2012
According to
Gazetta dello sport The committe decided to give 4 wild cards for tirreno, instead of two.
pmrlo - January 10, 2012
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