[Green Edge] Shayne Bannan, Gerry Ryan and an Aussie Pro Team for 2012?

[just some guy]

Wouldn't Cav then create the Goss v Cav problem all over again?

You assume Goss will leave HTC.

Smart move would be to stay for 2 more years. HTC have shown they are get at talent development and a lot who have left the set-up have performed below their best in other teams.

 

[ingsve]

According to a report on the cyclingweekly website....Greenedge are the favourites to sign Mark Cavendish for next year....

Well, in the same article they said that Quick Step doesn't have a bunch sprinter so I wouldn't put too much faith in what they're writing.

 

[Tuarts]

You assume Goss will leave HTC.

Smart move would be to stay for 2 more years. HTC have shown they are get at talent development and a lot who have left the set-up have performed below their best in other teams.

For all intents and purposes and as far as we know, Goss is their #1 target with his number of points.

 

[Sasquatch]

Goss won't be leaving HTC.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Goss won't be leaving HTC.

Do you think Leigh Howard will leave?

 

[Sydney21]

Do you think Leigh Howard will leave?

From interviews ive seen and read of Gossy he's more likely to leave than Howard. ON a different note I hope greenedge dont sign cav though... sprinting is the only thing apart from cadel that Aussies can do really well. You could argue cobbled classics too but i think unless haussler hits sweet form we are unlikely to win. I think its more important to get a world class stage racer. If RS fold Kloden would be nice with all his points too . Wishful thinking I suspect

 

[Sydney21]

'Though Matt White's new sports director role will not be formalised until later this year, he is ready to direct the cream of Australia's professional male road cyclists once GreenEDGE is free to launch its recruitment drive after August 1 - the official, though apparently not respected, beginning of world cycling's transfer period.'

Glad to read that Matt White will become director sportif. Logical outcome after sacking from Garmin.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cycl...ecruitments-20110526-1f68h.html#ixzz1Njf5fElZ

'The hundred-odd business cards the GreenEDGE bosses have collected in five days say it all.'

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cycl...-for-a-ride-20110528-1f9od.html#ixzz1NjfonZC9

 

[Sasquatch]

Do you think Leigh Howard will leave?

No way.

Leigh knows that he will be their number 1 sprinter in a year or two. If Cav leaves, which he will, it leaves Howard to take over the mantle of the number 1 sprinter.

Let's be serious here. Goss is not a pure sprinter and won't be able to beat guys like Cavendish etc. Howard will eventually. He is the pure sprinter type and not suited to classics like Goss and Degenkolb are.

If they continue to go down the route of having a bunch sprinter at the Tour de France, it will be Howard next year (If Cav leaves).

 

[auscyclefan94]

No way.

Leigh knows that he will be their number 1 sprinter in a year or two. If Cav leaves, which he will, it leaves Howard to take over the mantle of the number 1 sprinter.

Let's be serious here. Goss is not a pure sprinter and won't be able to beat guys like Cavendish etc. Howard will eventually. He is the pure sprinter type and not suited to classics like Goss and Degenkolb are.

If they continue to go down the route of having a bunch sprinter at the Tour de France, it will be Howard next year (If Cav leaves).

I guess you're right. Howard has the higher top end speed than Goss even though Matt can 'stay' better over the climbs.

For GreenEdge's sake, I kinda hope that they don't go for Davis or Mcewen.

 

[NickBVK]

 

[movingtarget]

I guess you're right. Howard has the higher top end speed than Goss even though Matt can 'stay' better over the climbs.

For GreenEdge's sake, I kinda hope that they don't go for Davis or Mcewen.

McEwen will probably do one more year at RShack and call it quits. He was going to retire this year. The Pegasus debacle will probably scare him off looking for another team at this stage. I doubt if they would go for Davis either. Maybe. But he does not win that often.

 

[greenedge]

Yeah i think Howard and Goss have to be targets. Also Australia is relatively new to cycling but we are becoming a powerhouse, which is good timing for GE to make a team to be PT hopefully. O' Grady also won Roubaix too and McEwan won 3 green jerseys along with Baden Cooke's one.

 

[Sydney21]

McEwen will probably do one more year at RShack and call it quits. He was going to retire this year. The Pegasus debacle will probably scare him off looking for another team at this stage. I doubt if they would go for Davis either. Maybe. But he does not win that often.

I think GreenEdge is a very different case to Pegasus so I dont think McEwen will be scared off. I actually think that Robbie and Stuey might both find themselves riding for Greenedge next year as part of a transition into a role after cycling. The problem with Robbie and Alby are that there is never a race where they are the in the top 3 fastest riders so they will be hard-pressed to find a win. Would be lovely if they were keen to transition into the leadout job for someone younger and faster like Gossy, Howard, Heinrich, Renshaw or CJ. Those for me are the guys fast enough to be competative in sprints with a good leadout. Have I left anyone out?

 

[greenedge]

Those are all good valid sprinting options but we would need a classics rider/leader to base our team around and that rider will have to be foreign. However HTC are mainly built around Cav so it could be feasible. To build it around Goss.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Those are all good valid sprinting options but we would need a classics rider/leader to base our team around and that rider will have to be foreign. However HTC are mainly built around Cav so it could be feasible. To build it around Goss.

...Haussler?

 

[the_kman]

Man im so pumped for this team. Its been overdue and we definitely have the talent for it. I rekon they need haussler. mccewen's days are over but theres plenty more sprinters in oz.

Whats most needed are some strong experienced all rounders if we wanna get a rider right up the GC in a grand tour. Kloden is too old too unfortunatly or he would be perfect.

heaps of great young talent though so the next decade is gonna be a good one.

 

[greenedge]

True Libertine. Either of them. Probably Goss for some races and Haussler for others. No idea which one will sign though i think both will. ( fingers crossed )

 

[Sydney21]

Those are all good valid sprinting options but we would need a classics rider/leader to base our team around and that rider will have to be foreign. However HTC are mainly built around Cav so it could be feasible. To build it around Goss.

Yea Haussler is the obvious one. But Matt Hayman, Stuey O'Grady and Baden Cooke are all Aussies capable of top 10-ing in Flanders and Roubaix in the right form with the right luck and team. The other decent Aussie cobbles guys are Docker, Goss, Sutton, Tanner and Clarke.

I think it is important to be competative in the week long stage races for the overall GC so that whilst most of the team can be dedicated to sprint's/stages there must be a few good climbers too. That way not all of the teams eggs are in one basket and they can be active on all stages. Apart from Porte I dont see any other Aussies who can do that job (Rogers could but i imagine he's still contracted, obviously Evans is contracted, not sure bot Rory Sutherland, Matt Lloyd would be good but cant TT so well so wouldnt be suited to all stage races, and Gerro is better off riding Ardennes and shooting for GT stages IMO) I think this is the hole that can be plugged by a couple of strong foreign riders of the Brajovic, Lovkvist sort of type who could would also have to bring some WT points with them. The other option would be to just buy Gilbert because having him wouldn't really hinder the chances of any Australians.

 

[Andy99]

Any news on sponsors or who is bank-rolling this yet?

I may have mised something, but I don't recall hearing anything being confirmed or any rumours or otherwise....

 

[Ferminal]

Any news on sponsors or who is bank-rolling this yet?

I may have mised something, but I don't recall hearing anything being confirmed or any rumours or otherwise....

Ryan or some sort of partnership involving Ryan is providing the cash, I think. The cash is guaranteed for a few seasons, and is there to help them out without having to find a sponsor. Ideally they will find a sponsor too, but I guess the plan is that the team shouldn't be dependent on that in its early stages.

 

[Andy99]

Ryan or some sort of partnership involving Ryan is providing the cash, I think. The cash is guaranteed for a few seasons, and is there to help them out without having to find a sponsor. Ideally they will find a sponsor too, but I guess the plan is that the team shouldn't be dependent on that in its early stages.

Ta. Sounds good. I guess along the lines of Leopard and how Highroad functioned for a period.

 

[NickBVK]

Docker is a big talent and was in breaks in both Flanders and Roubaix, definitely a future rider.

Clarke definitely not one for the cobbles, he was there to make up numbers he even admitted this but he put in great efforts nonetheless.

 

[greenedge]

Cadel described Simon Clarke as one of the best young riders he's ever seen after he worked so hard for him at Mendrisio. Simon Clarke is a climber. Docker is one who could go solidly at one week races and smaller classics and maybe go well at one big classic. Bobridge, Meyers and Durbridge shall be combinations of both as well as being great ITT'S

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cadel described Simon Clarke as one of the best young riders he's ever seen after he worked so hard for him at Mendrisio. Simon Clarke is a climber. Docker is one who could go solidly at one week races and smaller classics and maybe go well at one big classic. Bobridge, Meyers and Durbridge shall be combinations of both as well as being great ITT'S

Clarke will be a big force in the Ardennes in coming years. He has attacked so many times this year and has been a big asset to Astana.

 

[movingtarget]

Clarke and Docker are riders to watch. Been very impressed with them so far.