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

[hatcher]

Agreed, when he was unable to hold Lars Bak's wheel on the Champs-Elysees, it became evident he's still too young, not strong enough to be part of a top lead-out train.
Swift has talent and pretty good results in lesser bunch sprints. Sky needs to give him more time, it's not good for a young rider to feel like dead weight on a team with ambitions to podium the GC & win bunch sprints.

Bak of course had sat at the back of the group for the entire time until he attacked. Not surprising nobody could stay with him.

 

[Tuarts]

Been playing around with likely "Aussie" pool of riders who GE might sign their riders from and where they stand at the moment. Taken all the ProTeam and ProConti riders as well as select riders from Conti ranks. The list:

Anyone I missed or anyones status linked incorrectly? To offer some clarification I think those on the US Circuit, apart from Walker are likely to stay there. Also the U/23 riders are looking like getting too old for the AIS but I doubt they wont be without a contract (be it at GE or Genesys).

If I had to guess a full squad now, combining the rumours (but ignoring the Cav one, which would completely change the dynamic) I'd say it'd be something like:

Aussies:
BOBRIDGE Jack (22)
MEYER Cameron (23)
MEYER Travis (22)
DAVIS Allan (31)
CLARKE Simon (25)
O'GRADY Stuart (37)
GOSS Matthew (24)
HOWARD Leigh (21)
LLOYD Matthew (28)
MCEWEN Robbie (39)
COOKE Baden (32)
ROBERTS Luke (34)
GERRANS Simon (31)
DOCKER Mitchell (24)
DURBRIDGE Luke (20) Neo
HEPBURN Michael (19) Neo
DENNIS Rohan (21)
WALKER Johnny (24)

Internationals:
TEKLEHAIMANOT Daniel (ERI) Neo
LANGEVELD Sebastian (NED)
WEENING Pieter (NED)
MOURIS Jens (NED)
VAITKUS Tomas
KROON Karsten (NED)
KEUKELEIRE Jens (BEL)
KIWI Joe (NZL)
Canada John (CAN)

This would mean squad of 28 riders, 18/28 (65%) Aussies and 3 neo-pros meaning they can fill another 2 spots to the full 30.

All conjecture of course, we are all dealing with a lot of unknowns with contracts and signings like Daniel T. could come out of nowhere too.

 

[just some guy]

If they want a couple of riders to get in breaks and try for KOM jerseys while going for sprint stages during GT for a couple of years.

Lloyd and Rory Sunderland be great fits.

I expect there to be some sets of brother connects @ greenedge.

Meyer done deal
Walker - 1 not riding but support
Clarke - maybe next year
Sulzburger

 

[ingsve]

Internationals:
TEKLEHAIMANOT Daniel (ERI) Neo
LANGEVELD Sebastian (NED)
WEENING Pieter (NED)
MOURIS Jens (NED)
VAITKUS Tomas
KROON Karsten (NED)
KEUKELEIRE Jens (BEL)
KIWI Joe (NZL)
Canada John (CAN)
de KORT Koen (NED)

de Kort has already extended with Skil-Shimano.

 

[janraaskalt]

KIWI Joe (NZL)
Canada John (CAN)

Are you sure?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Rory Sutherland deserves a chance to step up for sure.

 

[Tuarts]

@ingsve thanks, was wondering why rumours around him were so quiet.

@janraaskalt yes, a Kiwi and Canuck have been confirmed as signed

@LS I'm not so sure. He's got a good setup at HealthNet being no1 there. Be interesting to know if he wants to step up or not to the next level, even if it means being just a team member more often. As may be unlikely that GE are interested, with more a focus on developing GC contendors, Rory may not be the type of rider they're after.

Have to say though if they do have Weening, he'd be their designated GC guy surely?

 

[Andy99]

Tuarts....when you say 'too old', as in the case of Joe Lewis, I presume you refer to possibly becoming too old for their current development squads?

Top talent, Joe.

 

[janraaskalt]

@janraaskalt yes, a Kiwi and Canuck have been confirmed as signed

Any clue on who that might be. Maybe the Pegasus ones: Avery and Tuft?

You missed Jayco's Patrick Lane, who is riding rather well this year.

 

[gerrans for the win]

looking at the list i hope they get even half the linked riders..

hope they throw the house at cj an gerrans,tanner ,they would the best signings an build a team around.. all of the fly v boys i hope get a gig..

might not need a GC rider,might gain mins in TTT roberts,meyersx2,wurf,bobridge,rogers,lancaster.

just for giggles this could be the 2012 tour team brown,davis,robbie,cooke,goss,sutton,howard,renshaw,cantwell,

 

[Tuarts]

Tuarts....when you say 'too old', as in the case of Joe Lewis, I presume you refer to possibly becoming too old for their current development squads?

Top talent, Joe.

Too old for the U/23 squads, yes.

Any clue on who that might be. Maybe the Pegasus ones: Avery and Tuft?

You missed Jayco's Patrick Lane, who is riding rather well this year.

A few have been speculated. Likely Kiwi is Henderson or Roulston, Canadian possibly Barry, Rollin, Meier but really could be anyone.

 

[greenedge]

LS i never did say Rogers was better than Levi. The operative word was MIGHT. I also acknowledged the fact that Levi podiumed in 07. I don't think i have ever said Rogers would have won in 07 either. He did have to do a lot of work for Cav last year ( just like Tony/ Peter this year ) and he beat Levi who i think is more often than not in top form for the ToC than the TDF.

i don't hate Levi and i am sorry that i maybe offended everyone with a sort of stupid post.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

@LS I'm not so sure. He's got a good setup at HealthNet being no1 there. Be interesting to know if he wants to step up or not to the next level, even if it means being just a team member more often. As may be unlikely that GE are interested, with more a focus on developing GC contendors, Rory may not be the type of rider they're after.

Have to say though if they do have Weening, he'd be their designated GC guy surely?

And if they're developing GC contenders (possible but I just wonder if the likes of Goss and Renshaw are targets if GC men may fall by the wayside) then those GC men will need some decent helpers. Sutherland and Lloyd fit the bill there as well as allowing them to pick up some placements in short stage races without putting too much pressure on the youngsters too soon.

LS i never did say Rogers was better than Levi. The operative word was MIGHT. I also acknowledged the fact that Levi podiumed in 07. I don't think i have ever said Rogers would have won in 07 either. He did have to do a lot of work for Cav last year ( just like Tony/ Peter this year ) and he beat Levi who i think is more often than not in top form for the ToC than the TDF.

i don't hate Levi and i am sorry that i maybe offended everyone with a sort of stupid post.

Rogers might be better than Levi in a GC in the same way as Yauheni Hutarovich might be better than Mark Cavendish in a sprint. Just because he did a better job once and has put in some good showings in his own right doesn't mean he can be better than somebody who, like him or loathe him, has been a genuine GC threat to multiple GTs, something Mick Rogers has never been. Rogers himself acknowledges that one week racing is where he is at now.

 

[Night Rider]

A few have been speculated. Likely Kiwi is Henderson or Roulston

Probably Roulston (or even Sergent). With all the speculation of Australian sprinters they will have more of a need for Roulston leading the train than Henderson at the end of it.

 

[Tuarts]

Luke Roberts is in talks with GE

Keeping one eye on twitter and Pozzato's name has popped up again. Also Keukeleire has just been linked to signing with Katusha...

 

[NickBVK]

_GreenEDGE_ GreenEDGE Cycling
Our next signing to be announced later today - An Australian with a record matched by few....

McEwen or O'Grady

 

[Tigerion]

Well SBS has it down as o'grady

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/32086/Reports:-O'Grady-signs-with-Greenedge

Which if I am correct bring another 4 UCI points with it

 

[Ferminal]

Which is copying a report from the same organisation which said it was a done deal a week ago.

Maybe Stuart has "NOW SIGNED" a contract.

 

[Ferminal]

Done

http://www.greenedgecycling.com/news/ogrady-brings-experience

 

[The Falcon]

thats a big signing, i am surprised O'Grady is coming across, i guess he was true to his word about always wanting to ride on an Australian team, and the financial arrangement was workable..

 

[diggercuz]

Its a great signing in my very lowly opinion. His experience will prove extremely valuable for the next young crop of young guys coming through and i believe he will make an excellent DS in the future also.

Great signing.

 

[AussieGoddess]

well done Greenedge!!!

I think Stuey will be awesome for them. That kind of experience is fantastic.

Now they just need someone with some actual points, and we will be off

 

[bikeit]

Great, great news. GE needs the statesman of Australian cycling and Stuie will bring so much experience and grit to the team. Maybe e can bring Jens with him Also lined himself to be DS in 2013 for sure!

 

[Sydney21]

Yes a great signing. Integral to giving the team credibility too. He's a very popular rider so he may encourage a few other strong riders to put pen to paper.

I see Gossy as the key signing now. If he comes I am confident the team will be very competative in the sprints and classics as stated.

 

[El Imbatido]

They will have a pretty decent team but i hope that don't go all Katusha in the big races and go all nationalistic and just ignore their good foreign talent ie. Katusha at the Tour sucked mega-big balls with their Russian only policy