Team Transfers Thread

[Flying_Monkey]

While we still don't know for sure where Cavendish is going, we are getting a better picture of what some of next year's teams will look like.

New Australian team, Green Edge, are getting a good squad together mixing Australian and bother experienced and hopeful overseas riders, very much in the way that Team Sky did. HTC, Omega Pharma-Lotto are no more, and there are rumours of a merger between Leopard Trek and Radio Shack (which wouldn't surprise me given their bike sponsors and the Shack's lack of a real individual post-Armstrong star right now),

But the biggest and so far most effective spenders appear to be BMC, who are assembling a real super team including Evans, Hushovd, Gilbert, and now Van Gaadaren and Pinotti too. I wonder whether this will hold together coherently or fall apart in infighting, but it's certainly looking like a stellar lineup.

Any other rumours, news and opinions on team transfers?

 

[raindog]

I'm keeping my eye on the scene and noticed today that McEwan has signed for GreenEdge. He'll race the first half of the season, then hang up his bike and take on a "tactical advisor" role.
Seems like a good move for both parties. I always liked Robbie.

EDIT
and of course, T Martin is confirmed at Pharma.

I think the BMC superstar line-up will work well.

 

[lukesdad]

I'm keeping my eye on the scene and noticed today that McEwan has signed for GreenEdge. He'll race the first half of the season, then hang up his bike and take on a "tactical advisor" role.
Seems like a good move for both parties. I always liked Robbie.

Id love to be a fly on the wall for the tatics talks. Something along the lines of , "when under the flame rouge go like feck cobber!"

 

[raindog]

yes, or "how to bang helmets like a man"

 

[rich p]

Well, another best kept secret(!) confirmed. Radioshack and Leopard Trek merge with Svengali Bruyneel as DS.

In other news, Goss is off to Greenedge so Cav will have a completely new lead-out train next year as well as a new team. My insider reports of Goss and Eisel signing for Sky were premature to say the least.

 

[raindog]

What about Cav at GreenEdge too........?

 

[raindog]

Puccio, a young Italian, just signed for Sky.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-sign-italian-neo-pro-puccio

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Puccio, a young Italian, just signed for Sky.


http://www.cyclingne...-neo-pro-puccio

And Luke Rowe too. Both good prospects.

Meanwhile Goss to Green Edge. No surprise there. But also Albasini. Slightly more surprising.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Richie Porte to Sky. Canny signing. If they are ever in the same line-up together, with Wiggins, Rogers, Thomas, and Dowsett, they are going to have a dream TTT squad! But he can climb too. Serious future GT contender.

 

[oldroadman]

Cav and Eisel to Sky. Add Porte, Thomas, Stannard, possibly Wiggins, and the train is obvious. Plus Sky has so many former world class pursuiters that they should be able to drive from as far out as they want and deliver the Manxman and Eisel just nicely.
Word had it that Froome's future at Sky was looking a bit iffy , until the Vuelta that is......

Any better guesses?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Any better guesses?

That sounds about right. It also looks like Sky will have the kind of line-up that can accomodate a sprint train and a serious set of domestiques to support bids for GC in the GTs at the same time, which is one thing that some people were worried about when it came to Cav. Not that he needs a train as much as some people reckon.

 

[PpPete]

I'm baffled by this one.

Bernaudeau wants to recruit a foreigner ....

So they don't have any established stars, but how earth is a foreigner going to fit into a team which is not only all-French but IIRC all from one region of France.

 

[oldroadman]

I'm baffled by this one.

Bernaudeau wants to recruit a foreigner ....

So they don't have any established stars, but how earth is a foreigner going to fit into a team which is not only all-French but IIRC all from one region of France.

He probably means someone from Lyon or Marseille areas! Just not the west coast of France..

 

[raindog]

I'm baffled by this one.

Bernaudeau wants to recruit a foreigner ....

So they don't have any established stars, but how earth is a foreigner going to fit into a team which is not only all-French but IIRC all from one region of France.

I posted about that somewhere else this morning. I wonder if Voeckler thinks of it as a slap in the face or if he agrees? For a small budget team I reckon they've had a fantastic season, and without more money, it's difficult to see who they could recruit.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I posted about that somewhere else this morning. I wonder if Voeckler thinks of it as a slap in the face or if he agrees? For a small budget team I reckon they've had a fantastic season, and without more money, it's difficult to see who they could recruit.

Someone coming off a drugs ban who no-one else is prepared to sign?