Taking into account the prospects for next year’s Tour de France, Belgian commentator Jeroen Vanbelleghem explained to Eurosport why Aleksandr Vlasov’s future at BORA-Hansgrohe might be in doubt.
“Logically, you have Primoz Roglic as the leader, and then seven more riders,” he begins. “Nico Denz is super strong, and you always have to take him with you to position yourself on the flat. The same goes for Bob Jungels. He’s not for the mountains, but he’s perfect. I also think Matteo Sobrero is a good rider, versatile. He’s good on the flat and in the time trial. He’s someone who can maintain a strong pace on medium mountains as well.
“Buchmann has evolved into a leader of the domestiques, and I had doubts about Kämna because he’s a loner,” Vanbelleghem continues. “Then I thought about the Giro, which Hindley won, where Kämna finally managed to beat Carapaz with his pace. Dani Martinez was a super helper for Bernal. Martinez isn’t a leader, but as a domestique without pressure, he can do that.”
In the midst of this, where does Vlasov fit in? “So, you still have a spot, and then I hesitate between two guys, but there’s actually no doubt. We’re not going for Alexander Vlasov. He’s not a servant and only thinks about himself. I’ve seen that enough,” Vanbelleghem says critically. “Vlasov won’t help Roglic, while Hindley is a bit more indifferent,” concludes the commentator.