End of taking the High Road?

[theyoungest]

I posted this in the transfer thread

I don't really agree with you on the "finding youngsters" part. EBH, Degenkolb, Tony Martin, Goss, etc... everyone saw those coming from a mile away. They never really signed a relatively unsung talent.

That's actually the one thing I didn't like about them: they scooped up the biggest talents from development teams, without funding a feeder team themselves.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

A very sad day for cycling, when the no. 1 team in the world can't find a sponsor and has to disband.

I'm pretty sure Libertine Seguros is planning a big party now the killer of excitement has stopped

 

[thehog]

A very sad day for cycling, when the no. 1 team in the world can't find a sponsor and has to disband.

The problem being was the way they won. It just wasn’t interesting. It was boring. Along with Cavendish’s petchulance which really didn’t help the sponsor hunt. HTC weren’t a team with a strategy. Throwing 50 guys at one guy winning the last 10 meters of a 200km bike race was boring. They should have been trying to win the Classics and other such races.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

What is the problem with this organization such that no sponsor will touch them regardless of their success?

Their star rider flipping the crowd off at races was not the best image. The current issue of Velonews has Cav flipping off the reader while wearing HTC kit. Perhaps Stapleton should have reigned in that sort of asshattery.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

from Shane Stokes on twitter. (@ssbike) expect it will appear on velonation at some point.

Thanks dim.

 

[just some guy]

Kind of a sad day, kind of ....... not really.

Will it be all aboard the sky train ? Or will they ride differently with Cav. Recon it will be more of the same - I hope not

 

[Richeypen]

Kind of a sad day, kind of ....... not really.

Will it be all aboard the sky train ? Or will they ride differently with Cav. Recon it will be more of the same - I hope not

They have been a lot more attacking this year, hope it doesnt change that.

 

[Nielsa]

Someone already posted that the TdF is Wiggins' main target next year, and the parcours might even turn out to be well suited for him. They can't afford to tire his domestiques by chasing breaks on the flats. If Cav goes to Sky, his train will probably be quite a bit smaller that the HTC train.

Maybe Skil-Shimano will be there to help Sky chase down breakaways.

 

[Thomsena]

Stapleton has some interesting points regarding the lack of sponsor activity in the sport. So did Vaughters about the TV appearance money which should be held to the teams like in all other sports and in the end lead to a economically healthier sport and also in terms of doping among the riders.

 

[hfer07]

I guess the dismantle of HTC is good in the sense that New teams like GEOX & Green Edge have more chances to apply for a Pro-Licence-so i wouldn't mourn on the news-but none the less I'd love to know what went behind doors during negotiations-the LA/Contador topic is a lame excuse to me, considering other Managers- like Gianetti -who has somehow managed to emerge from endless doping cases & get somehow the sponsors signature/backing...

 

[Polish]

Funny, because Stapleton has just said that Armstrong and Contador came up in every single conversation with sponsors.

Thanks a bunch lance. This is your ****ing legacy.

Again, I think you are confusing the "Lance Effect" with the "Hater Effect".
Or "The GJ Leak Effect". The "Novitsky Effect".

And it must have been frustrating for Stapleton - a Lance Fan himself.
Having to deal with the crap.

Also sad that HTC will not be able to race in the Pro Cycling Challenge/Tour of Colorado.
Great race that is shaping up to be.
Lance Effect right there.
Lance was the brains and brawn behind the race.
Should be a big success duh.

 

[Tuarts]

You have practically been unable to contain your glee as you hope they die so that Greenedge can get HTC's World Tour license.

What the ****? Dont put words or opinions in my mouth, you useless excuse for a wind up merchant. Another one for the ignore list..

Of course....have I ever been wrong?

Yes well, apparently it depends on where your cycling interests lie as to whether you can comment or not

Anyway, yes this is an unfortunate event to happen, can only hope the UCI are watching. Another optimist point is that the with so much competition for signings with WorldTour points, in starts making the lesser WT event a lot more important for teams and riders. Its not really an ideal format at the moment though.

 

[jens_attacks]

i hope jan ullrich and danilo hondo will bring sponsors and they will make this team like it used to be, t-mobile style,german team,no more sprint trains.

sad day for cycling.and i wasn't even a fan.

 

[cycledp]

The problem being was the way they won. It just wasn’t interesting. It was boring. Along with Cavendish’s petchulance which really didn’t help the sponsor hunt. HTC weren’t a team with a strategy. Throwing 50 guys at one guy winning the last 10 meters of a 200km bike race was boring. They should have been trying to win the Classics and other such races.

Well said. Sprints used to be exciting before Stapleton and Highroad ruined it with their train for Cavendish. No one cares about how many stages a team wins, you actually have to win races. What major races did they win? All I can remember is two Milan San-Remos, and that isn't much. No wonder no one wanted to sponsor them. Hopefully no one will use the train strategy in the future and make sprint stages exciting again.

 

[Mich78BEL]

The problem being was the way they won. It just wasn’t interesting. It was boring. Along with Cavendish’s petchulance which really didn’t help the sponsor hunt. HTC weren’t a team with a strategy. Throwing 50 guys at one guy winning the last 10 meters of a 200km bike race was boring. They should have been trying to win the Classics and other such races.

kind of agree, Cavendish winning (almost) every sprintstage in the race he entered and HTC-lead-out-train just don't make very compelling racing

 

[goggalor]

It's (almost) always sad to see a team close down, even when it's the most boring one in pro cycling. Hopefully a more compelling team will take their place.

 

[Midnightfright]

Well said. Sprints used to be exciting before Stapleton and Highroad ruined it with their train for Cavendish. No one cares about how many stages a team wins, you actually have to win races. What major races did they win? All I can remember is two Milan San-Remos, and that isn't much. No wonder no one wanted to sponsor them. Hopefully no one will use the train strategy in the future and make sprint stages exciting again.

If that's all u can remember you either have a really bad memory or need to watch more cycling. What team had the leading rider for this years Paris-nice ? Or not as prestigious but even last years ATOC?

 

[Richeypen]

Well said. Sprints used to be exciting before Stapleton and Highroad ruined it with their train for Cavendish. No one cares about how many stages a team wins, you actually have to win races. What major races did they win? All I can remember is two Milan San-Remos, and that isn't much. No wonder no one wanted to sponsor them. Hopefully no one will use the train strategy in the future and make sprint stages exciting again.

Does Paris-Nice not count anymore?

 

[mastersracer]

Well said. Sprints used to be exciting before Stapleton and Highroad ruined it with their train for Cavendish. No one cares about how many stages a team wins, you actually have to win races. What major races did they win? All I can remember is two Milan San-Remos, and that isn't much. No wonder no one wanted to sponsor them. Hopefully no one will use the train strategy in the future and make sprint stages exciting again.

Really? Sprints were exciting way back in the day when Cipo's boys were driving the train. I'll bet a potential sponsor only cares about a team's ranking and exposure and that 1) a worldwide recession and 2) the negative image of cycling due to doping had a lot more to do with it than an ideological debate over whether sprints are more exciting or not with an organized lead out...

 

[Richeypen]

Really? Sprints were exciting way back in the day when Cipo's boys were driving the train. I'll bet a potential sponsor only cares about a team's ranking and exposure and that 1) a worldwide recession and 2) the negative image of cycling due to doping had a lot more to do with it than an ideological debate over whether sprints are more exciting or not with an organized lead out...

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[orbis_25]

Well said. Sprints used to be exciting before Stapleton and Highroad ruined it with their train for Cavendish. No one cares about how many stages a team wins, you actually have to win races. What major races did they win? All I can remember is two Milan San-Remos, and that isn't much. No wonder no one wanted to sponsor them. Hopefully no one will use the train strategy in the future and make sprint stages exciting again.

That's a little unfair. They've consistently won at least one classic a year for the last four years, and Tony Martin won Paris Nice this year. But I understand what you're saying. Their success in grand tour stages, especially at Le Tour, was a dominant part of their image. But let's face it, outside of the sport that's all that matters. I would love it if Highroad/all their other names won multiple Paris Roubaixs, Leiges, Milan-San Remos, Rondes, Lombardias, Giro overall titles... and had no success at Le Tour. I don't care about that.

But I'm not a sponsor. Highroad could win all the aforementioned races and have the cycling purists love them, but the general public would have no idea who they were. Le Tour is the biggest stage in the world and if you have success there, you reach a massive audience. That's what sponsors want (providing there's no recession and the world isn't constantly talking about doping).

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Really? Sprints were exciting way back in the day when Cipo's boys were driving the train. I'll bet a potential sponsor only cares about a team's ranking and exposure and that 1) a worldwide recession and 2) the negative image of cycling due to doping had a lot more to do with it than an ideological debate over whether sprints are more exciting or not with an organized lead out...

It could be that a high position in the Tour's final GC would have been more valuable to potential american sponsors than a bunch of boring sprint wins. 19th place with a rider from a country that few Americans can find on a map does not sound that great.

 

[Mellow Velo]

The problem being was the way they won. It just wasn’t interesting. It was boring. Along with Cavendish’s petchulance which really didn’t help the sponsor hunt. HTC weren’t a team with a strategy. Throwing 50 guys at one guy winning the last 10 meters of a 200km bike race was boring. They should have been trying to win the Classics and other such races.

I don't think this could be further from the truth.
Sponsors have zero interest in how racers are won, only in winners.
Cav is a huge bonus to them.

More likely, it is an indicator that the recent US debt crisis/possible recession has given potential sponsors cause to be cautious.
It also shows that the US cycling market is not the bottomless pit Mr Mcquaid and others, would have us believe.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Well said. Sprints used to be exciting before Stapleton and Highroad ruined it with their train for Cavendish. No one cares about how many stages a team wins, you actually have to win races. What major races did they win? All I can remember is two Milan San-Remos, and that isn't much. No wonder no one wanted to sponsor them. Hopefully no one will use the train strategy in the future and make sprint stages exciting again.

Fleche wallonne

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I don't really agree with you on the "finding youngsters" part. EBH, Degenkolb, Tony Martin, Goss, etc... everyone saw those coming from a mile away. They never really signed a relatively unsung talent.

That's actually the one thing I didn't like about them: they scooped up the biggest talents from development teams, without funding a feeder team themselves.

They did develop them well, EBH won Gent-Wevelgem
Degenkolb has won some races this year
Martin won Paris-Nice and the long ITT in TdF this year
Goss won Milano-San-Remo + Giro stage
And, Libertine will agree on this They had a very good women's team