cycling4freaks.com

The name really fits the topic btw (in RKL definition of taka at least)

So here, I'll pick 3 riders from the top teams every month, and see how long they make it in their teams, and what impact they will have. The riders are the ones I think are the worst of the season.


Tayé Wedebiwana (ATB - Racing) 54 72 74 62 56 64.5 49 bought for $1,987,100
lacks both mountain and flat for a top classic, has too much tt, and not enough sprint to be a real winner. so expecting him to become too expensive for a helper and sold within 5 months max.



Manolito Flores(Bright) 49 70 50 75 53 73.3 45 bought for $2,204,442
basically he's a copy of his already existing rider that wasn't that successful(even though the pavés tour was made for him), way too much tt for a pavés leader,and too much pavés for a tt specialist, so definitely a waste of 2.2m here.




Keorapetse Kgositsile(Team FL) 49 73 51 51 54 70.3 53 bought for $1,545,527
his downhill is very bad, and the pavés not enough to be a leader, but will still make him expensive as a bad helper. so Team FL should be looking for better recruiters in the nest months.

Finally, we have it clear.

The OG r: respectful, curious, engaged, optimistic and handsome

The taka r: taking the piss, aggressive, loud and most likely very small!

I like the thread. Just a pity Haregot is already 22.

That said, FL barely sells and that's a great helper for his leader. So do your homework taka! Number 3 clearly should have been one of mine. Unstable managers sell more, so should also qualify here.

funny thread.

yeah, Tayé Wedebiwana is missing some mountain and flat BUT he is a harbormaster and wont leave my team before retirement.

Gundermann and Tshabalala had way better skills and failed in training, i am hoping here the other way around

I guess I deserve this after my december tour analysis. It has been done by the same person that recruited Keorapetse Kgositsile. Maybe that explains it .

Anyway, I think Walter Walkenhorst falls much more in this category than Keorapetse Kgositsile. Too much sprint, too much TT, hence more expensive than a similar rider had to be. Anyway, bad publicity is publicity too .

team fl wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 05, 2023 11:11 am

I guess I deserve this after my december tour analysis. It has been done by the same person that recruited Keorapetse Kgositsile. Maybe that explains it .

Anyway, I think Walter Walkenhorst falls much more in this category than Keorapetse Kgositsile. Too much sprint, too much TT, hence more expensive than a similar rider had to be. Anyway, bad publicity is publicity too .

Number3 wasn't easy to find, in the top teams. Walter imo even if he has more tt than he should, he is a pavés leader so won't race as much as KeoKgo.
so yes, he deserves his spot here... 55-86-51-79.4 looks bad but we'll see.

cataracs wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 05, 2023 8:43 pm

55-86-51-79.4 looks bad but we'll see.

I will take that skill set any day if that's what he ends up with. Perfect fit for a team that mainly rides for Abreha, Tsegaye or Giannelli. Can help early with his reg, can help in flat races, slighty hilly races and races with pavé. A versatile allrounder.

And even if he turnes not out that well, Quick is right: He won't be sold. He can still be used as a helper with some reg.

Edith says that I've just realised you see me as a top team

Not much to say about the previous list, as none has done anything important in their first season, just as Taka expected from the worst signings of November23.

For this new season I picked up another three. Besides the first rider, I had a hard time finding the other two, so big shout out to the scouts for not doing any bad job this time around.

Dirk Kastner(FSG Sattelpuper) 67-54-66-50-49-52.8-35 bought with $1,910,189
Not sure what's the pupper team thinking when they sign such a bad rider 80-62? maybe it isn't that bad if he gets crazy good trainings, but until then, he's deinitely one of if not the worsts buyings ever. For such a price many better options are possible.

Markus Stoll(Chemnitz Pro Cycling Team) 53-69-60-48-52-68.1-58, price $1,700,001
He leads the list of the worst "cheap" riders of the month. stevens and AAD also had bad deals in my opinion, but Markus is the worst! For this price the team could have looked for a much needed launcher or another flat rider instead.

Ibrahim Diallo(Brunsketti Swiss Team) 54-74-77-75-53-68.6-65, price $3,050,000
Couldn't ignore him, initial skills are very nice, 75tt is great, but you need low reg for such riders, 65 is way too much. For a small team ( 11 riders, 22M value) this was an insane transfer, he'll get very expensive very soon and will be sold!

There were a few other "pavés" specialist bought, but wrong time imo, and payed way too much for them (ATB/Gera/ can't remember who else) if you compare it with the Fausto Bonino(Meidcal) deal, you'll feel bad about your wasted money.

Missing Thor. Expensive, low mountain, he's as good as gone if he doesn't train really well.

Finally made it on the list

No bad transfers in 2024 so far?

Wanted to ask that as well!