Cycling’s 26 men squad for World Cup 2022
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| Team A: Fireworks in sight |
With days left for the World cup 2022 and all the bells for the road cycling season having already been rung, this is how far imagination and boredom can take you.
As national teams are slowly announcing their final 25 or 26 men squad, I have decided to throw in my pick from the world peloton.
Manager:
Tactics:
Football might not be evolving as fast as cycling but the traditional use of two forwards is extinct. Now even one main man is questionable. In our starting line up, we believe in the 4-1-4-1. However a back-up, more experienced team is also on the card.
Goalkeepers:
The choice was between presence and agility. As number 1, we took no risk and went for the tallest rider (2.02m) in the peloton, Team Movistar’s Mathias Noorsgard.
As back up, agility is prefered and there is no one like Thomas Pidcock. His 1.70m is questionable but his spring jump is an asset especially in case of penalty shootouts.
Defenders
As right back postion, there is Remco Evenepoel written all over it. Running up and down, over lapping, acceleration at any time and all day long.
Funnily, his back up is his old mate Joao Almeida, never giving up , always chasing. Being few meters behind the action is never good unless you are a master tackler who always shows up in the end.
Leader of the group and captain of the team, Tim Declercq’s abilities to pull the strings is second to nobody. He will be the one dictating everything.
As his back up, we will need an old style defender who can read the game and there is no better than Alejandro Valverde
Historically, the best defenders of the game have always been Italians and we had to include the best Italian in the peloton, Filippo Ganna. Reliable, intelligent, hard working and most importantly classy he got nothing to envy from Paolo Maldini.
As back up for Ganna, and possibly partnering Valverde or Declerq. A strong, powerful and fast reader of the game is needed and the one to fit it all is a Danish dynamite by the name of Mads Pedersen. While he would certianly prefer to be at the front of the action, his reliability and attacking mind will be a major bonus in building from the back.
Left back is a position that requires the most daring and smart men. Matej Mohoric is unique in that sense. He will not hesitate a second to risk his life for a header or a tackle.
Should things get more compact or rainy. Dylan Van Baarle is the main to turn to. As the reigning Paris-Roubaix winner, he is the one with the most adaptability.
Midfield
Victor Campanaerts’ calves size correspond to the amount of work he can be put to. He dictates the action by jumping on anything that moves right from the beginning. There is no better man than him as the anchor and motor of the team.
Alternative for Campanaerts will involve a more defensive approach with two players doing the the work for one.
Peter Sagan and Geraint Thomas are both proven winners whose experiences are valuable when the match is won and the clock need to be run down.
On the left wing, Tadej Pogacar can be relied upon for delivery entertainment and win. Never shying away from challengers, we totally see him trying some Joga Bonito.
On the right, it has to be Jonas Vingegaard. He won the Tour de France, will be wearing that number 7 and bends like Beckham. He recently bent the rule and hierarchy.
The team’s superstar and playmaker is none other that Wout Van Aert. Defence, tackling, dribbling, shot from far and visionary pass, goalkeeing. He can do everything with a touch of magic.
As back up team for a plan B, there is no one better than Primoz Roglic. Injury proned, he might not sustain a full 90 minutes but surely his power and perseverance will impact when called up.
When things do not work out, a two time world champion can be useful. With his sudden crescendo acceleration, Julian Alaphilippe will give nightmares to opposition defenders and raise fans out of their seats.
Attack
Just like the sprint trains, the role of traditional goal-scorers is diminishing. However Arnaud Démare remains as reliable as ever in delivering when he is properly supported.
Should goals be needed, Mark Cavendish can be called on. His 167 victories make him the active rider with the most win. Hard to find a better man to chase goals.
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| Team bis: Conservative, yet glamourous team |
Finally, as FIFA is currently requesting a list of 26. Here are 4 more names, we would be taking:
1. Jai Hindley: not sure how he fits but you do not leave a grand tour winner at home.
2. Magnus Sheffield: one for the future. He will probably not get any minute on the pitch but he will learn from the experience.
3. Magnus Cort Nielsen: Sometimes you just need an all rounder who can unlock things in different scenarios. Time-trial, climbing, sprinting and long solo raids, nothing is out of his moustache’s capabilities.
4. Christopher Froome: We do not need another goalkeeeper. We have Wout Van Aert for that. Bringing a 4 times Tour de France winner might be good for the group though in terms of been there, done that.
Greg Van Avermaet could also be included. He was playing football before starting his cycling career. Remco Evenepoel played in the PSV Eindhoven and Anderlecht youth sides.
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