2011 Signing Suggestions

[taiwan]

Tom Boonen says he'd like some quality support in the classics. patrick Lefévre has given every indication there will be BIG changes to the team next season. Who might fit the bill as a solid, sub-Boonen classics rider?

Omega Pharma are sort of interesting too, with Van Avermaet likely to leave for maybe BMC. They're looking for a finisher.

QST: I'm not talking about Bert.

 

[Ferminal]

We don't even know which teams will be around in 2011 A lot could happen on the sponsorship and doping front which could see a few teams out.

I wouldn't be surprised if Matthew Lloyd made the jump to BMC.

Roman to OPL still a possibility?

If Astana stays as it is I think Bertie will remain there. I think the only other possibility for him is an Alonso lead venture.

 

[joy118118]

If Astana stays as it is I think Bertie will remain there. I think the only other possibility for him is an Alonso lead venture.

There is still nothing about FA's team till now. Or they are going to steal a team just like what LA did?

 

[Moondance]

Lefevre desperately wants Contador. Quick-Step habve been trying for ages to get a GC contender for the GTs and after the failure of a couple of projects he now hopes to buy his way in. Probably wont succeed though... although if Contador does want to start leaving his mark on the classics then Quick-Step would be a pretty good destination for him. Although since he wants to ride both the Tour and the Giro to win next year, it wouldn't be the best destination for those goals. Quick-Step don't really have enough climbers to properly support him in both, even if Bertie-boy himself is strong enough.

Alonso, if he is going to get involved with cycling, will certainly be flashing the Santander millions. It'll probably be Contador's likeliest destination, and will likely consist of a lot of defections from a gutted/defunct Caisse team (who still haven't announced anything concrete with regards to keeping the team alive after this year).

 

[taiwan]

We don't even know which teams will be around in 2011 A lot could happen on the sponsorship and doping front which could see a few teams out.

I wouldn't be surprised if Matthew Lloyd made the jump to BMC.

Roman to OPL still a possibility?

He and Evans were said to get on well, weren't they.

Sponsorship: true, there are question marks over certain teams, but not over Quick Step or Omega Pharma so far. Milram's poss. still on the least solid ground, because Saxo's Saxo: they just took the Flanders Roubaix double, and Caisse, despite their value being damaged by Valverde's situation, are just a really successful team. Radioshack could suddenly cease to exist, but wouldn't release a lot of classics riders.

Kreuziger to OPL, with JVDB, Peraud, and Moreno would make quite a convincing team for stage races. I wonder if they would have to choose between him and a top sprinter, or if money isn't an object.

 

[Ibanez]

Lefevre desperately wants Contador. Quick-Step habve been trying for ages to get a GC contender for the GTs and after the failure of a couple of projects he now hopes to buy his way in. Probably wont succeed though... although if Contador does want to start leaving his mark on the classics then Quick-Step would be a pretty good destination for him. Although since he wants to ride both the Tour and the Giro to win next year, it wouldn't be the best destination for those goals. Quick-Step don't really have enough climbers to properly support him in both, even if Bertie-boy himself is strong enough.

Alonso, if he is going to get involved with cycling, will certainly be flashing the Santander millions. It'll probably be Contador's likeliest destination, and will likely consist of a lot of defections from a gutted/defunct Caisse team (who still haven't announced anything concrete with regards to keeping the team alive after this year).

I just can't see Contador in a QS kit. The best GT rider in the world, riding for a classics team. You can't do it all, QS have to stick to what they are good at.

 

[taiwan]

Alonso, if he is going to get involved with cycling, will certainly be flashing the Santander millions. It'll probably be Contador's likeliest destination, and will likely consist of a lot of defections from a gutted/defunct Caisse team (who still haven't announced anything concrete with regards to keeping the team alive after this year).

If the sponsorship arrives, the Contador>Caisse('s successor) solution just seems ideal. If Valverde's not there.

 

[Jamsque]

Didn't Lefévre say QuickStep were on the lookout for more sprinting talent recently? I think Greipel would be a smart move for them if so, although he'll probably want to go somewhere that will guarantee him top sprinter status at the Tour de France and Tommeke may not be willing to give that up just yet.

If not QS, then where for the Gorilla?

 

[Ferminal]

Didn't Lefévre say QuickStep were on the lookout for more sprinting talent recently? I think Greipel would be a smart move for them if so, although he'll probably want to go somewhere that will guarantee him top sprinter status at the Tour de France and Tommeke may not be willing to give that up just yet.

If not QS, then where for the Gorilla?

Milram, Lotto, Sky, Katusha.........BMC?

On second thoughts, no to Sky, unless Eddy makes his expected miraculous transformation into GC rider overnight.

 

[Jamsque]

Sky won't take him, they'll have their eye on luring Cav away from Columbia when his contract runs out at the end of next season.

Milram have already been burned by buying Cav's understudy and not getting results out of him, I think they will steer clear.

Lotto and Katyusha are good shouts, Lotto don't really have any top sprinting talent and as for Katyusha, well, they've got the cash and Robbie McEwen is still pretty fast but he's not getting any younger.

As for BMC, who knows.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Didn't Lefévre say QuickStep were on the lookout for more sprinting talent recently? I think Greipel would be a smart move for them if so, although he'll probably want to go somewhere that will guarantee him top sprinter status at the Tour de France and Tommeke may not be willing to give that up just yet.

If not QS, then where for the Gorilla?

Probably lotto

 

[taiwan]

Sky won't take him, they'll have their eye on luring Cav away from Columbia when his contract runs out at the end of next season.

Milram have already been burned by buying Cav's understudy and not getting results out of him, I think they will steer clear.

Lotto and Katyusha are good shouts, Lotto don't really have any top sprinting talent and as for Katyusha, well, they've got the cash and Robbie McEwen is still pretty fast but he's not getting any younger.

As for BMC, who knows.

I read that Greipel trains with Milram riders already, if that helps. I think it would be a good place for him to go: he'll be most useful for marketing in Germany, it's a Protour team, so he'll get to ride the big races, they're set up for sprints (although maybe lacking big roleurs (sp?)/ time triallists to ride on the front before the lead out), and I think he'd improve their results.

Pretty sure OPL confirmed their interest in him.

Quick step could be decent as long as Boonen definitely doesn't want to contest the sprints at the Tour, because then there's the Columbia problem again.

 

[TRDean]

He and Evans were said to get on well, weren't they.

Sponsorship: true, there are question marks over certain teams, but not over Quick Step or Omega Pharma so far. Milram's poss. still on the least solid ground, because Saxo's Saxo: they just took the Flanders Roubaix double, and Caisse, despite their value being damaged by Valverde's situation, are just a really successful team. Radioshack could suddenly cease to exist, but wouldn't release a lot of classics riders.

Kreuziger to OPL, with JVDB, Peraud, and Moreno would make quite a convincing team for stage races. I wonder if they would have to choose between him and a top sprinter, or if money isn't an object.

I thought Kreuziger was tightly linked to Sky?

 

[sportzchick]

Please please PLEASE can BMC get some decent climbers!!!!!!

 

[p e t e r]

Hadn't Bjorn Leukemans been linked to Quick Step after his excellent classics season?

He was rather linked to Katusha (link).

 

[tgsgirl]

I read that Greipel trains with Milram riders already

The Rabo guys in Spain just posted pictures of training with some of the Caisse riders, and all the guys from the Kempen region in Belgium (that's Boonen's territory) frequently train together (my brother runs into them from time to time), so that shouldn't really be taken as an indication.

I've been saying since the beginning of the year that Greipel to Lotto would be perfect. For QST, I'd say Bjorn Leukemans (Boonen and Bjorn get along fine, and Tombo sent Leukemans a text after Roubaix saying "thanks for doing your part of the work"). And if they're smart, either of the Belgian teams should snatch up Bert De Waele while they're at it.

 

[VeloCity]

I think the only other possibility for [Contador] is an Alonso lead venture.

RadioShack may be on the hunt for a GC rider next season

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Bert de Waele should stay on Landbouwkrediet. It gives me a good underdog to cheer for.

Greipel to Milram would be odd (the team don't necessarily exist next year) but perhaps there is a deal of a sponsor saving the team IF Greipel comes? Ciolek can be reappropriated as a leadout man, because we know he's good at that from the 2008 Tour, but then what of Roger Kluge, who's had some good results this year?

No, Lotto is much more sensible for the big man. He can use his powerful 'deflecting criticism' skills from the patronising mockery of Cavendish to the whiny moaning of Hoste.

 

[zapata]

didn't lefevre say outright that he wants greipel, just the other day?

 

[tgsgirl]

didn't lefevre say outright that he wants greipel, just the other day?

Lefevre says many things, not all necessarily true

 

[zapata]

and to be fair, what he said was "greipel, or someone like that": http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quick-step-shopping-for-sprinters

 

[taiwan]

The Rabo guys in Spain just posted pictures of training with some of the Caisse riders, and all the guys from the Kempen region in Belgium (that's Boonen's territory) frequently train together (my brother runs into them from time to time), so that shouldn't really be taken as an indication.

No I wasn't taking that as an indication that he was heading to Milram, just a minor covenience or something. This was the article.

For Quick Step: is there any chance William Bonnet of BBox could go? Cassics rider and sprinter, but maybe not quite someone that can be with Tommeke in the finale of the Paris-Roubaix. A couple of Liquigas guys were good in the Spring. Oss, for example
(without checking his results) and they wouldn't miss just one of many talents. Maybe Cervélo could spare one of their solid classics veterans, like Hunt, Hammond or Klier.

I thought Kreuziger was tightly linked to Sky?

Did not know that. I understand he's sure to leave Liquigas, but I'munsure whether there's a source for the Lotto link or whether it's all speculation.

 

[taiwan]

I thought Kreuziger was tightly linked to Sky?

Did not know that. I understand he's sure to leave Liquigas, but I'munsure whether there's a source for the Lotto link or whether it's all speculation.

 

[theswordsman]

I just can't see Contador in a QS kit. The best GT rider in the world, riding for a classics team. You can't do it all, QS have to stick to what they are good at.

LeFevre said last week that nothing can be done about Contador until after the Tour de France, but he might speak to him at the Dauphine. He also said he's going to watch the young riders on his team closely to see how they perform on the climbs of the Tour. Last year the offer to Contador was that he could bring four or five riders with him. LeFevre saved the money and left room on the roster. If he does do some housecleaning as threatened, I think a serious offer will be made.

Vacansoleil is looking for a second sponsor so they can afford to hire a strong GC contender & get invited to the big races, like BMC did this year. Of course, the revisions planned by the UCI for next year might foil them once again.

 

[tgsgirl]

No I wasn't taking that as an indication that he was heading to Milram, just a minor covenience or something

Alrighty!

Bonnet sounds good. If they want someone who's always there in the classics they should just sign Canc, haha (2009 not included). How about Steve Chainel? Shouldn't be too expensive.