Htc 2012.

[just some guy]

was reading this -
Team Sky prepares for an Appollonio future

The dream of Team Sky management to attract Mark Cavendish remains alive but they do have contingency plans in place. Up-and-coming Italian fast man Davide Appollonio adds another layer to Sky’s already overflowing sprint ranks. Appollonio, a native of the Molise region, finished fifth in stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia and his result is impressive for someone riding their first Giro d'Italia.

and this -

Siutsou primed and ready for first big crack at a Grand Tour

Got me thinking about HTC next year. If Cav goes HTC may change tacks to a GC type of setup and if they Keep Goss, Howard they will have a more rounded team. Siutsou with the Velits twins would have most teams getting excited.

It might be early days and all that but the behind the scenes contract work has begun.

The clean out at SKY if Cav goes to SKY will have many teams happy as well, with the points system the importance of a sprinter who regularly collects points is a must.

Thoughts

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Got me thinking about HTC next year. If Cav goes HTC may change tacks to a GC type of setup and if they Keep Goss, Howard they will have a more rounded team. Siutsou with the Velits twins would have most teams getting excited.

Forget Howard - they have Degenkolb. Sivtsov and the Velits brothers may be quite decent riders but they are no team leaders - and as far away from stardom as possible. Degenkolb may well be the next big thing. As neo-pro finishing top 20 in Roubaix his future is bright. Together with Tony Martin they have the two most promising young cyclists from Germany in one team. HTC should focus on them and build a post-Cav team around them.

 

[just some guy]

Forget Howard - they have Degenkolb. Sivtsov and the Velits brothers may be quite decent riders but they are no team leaders - and as far away from stardom as possible. Degenkolb may well be the next big thing. As neo-pro finishing top 20 in Roubaix his future is bright. Together with Tony Martin they have the two most promising young cyclists from Germany in one team. HTC should focus on them and build a post-Cav team around them.

Not saying Howard is a star but Goss will need a lead out man - Howard, same as Renshaw if he is smart will go with Cav.

 

[greenedge]

I like the Siutsou thread. It's good to hear that a rider who is not so talked up is going well. Hard luck crashing too. If Cav does go they will want to get Degenkolb to win more. They might also want to get a solid deal for Goss as he should and probably will go to GE. Feel sorry for Rogers in 2009 working for Cav and last yr after having won TOC

 

[just some guy]

Add in Tejay Van Garderen and they are 4 very good up and comers in the GC world.

 

[Midnightfright]

Cav to SKY could favour all parties , HTC get to concentrate more on the talented GC guys still having numerous very exciting young sprinter. SKY get the an uber sprinter who will guaranteed teamselves a British winner the tour and some of the numerous other sprinter that leave in the aftermath will fall in to the welcoming arms of teams desperate to get more points. Ps I.m posting from my HTC smartphone and whenever I type something critical of them it just changes it HTC rock or Cav is king.

 

[greenedge]

There is also now a hendo thread, auditioning for a TDF position. If cav stays Goss goes, if he does not Goss will probably still go.

 

[janraaskalt]

What about the rumours of sponsor HTC teaming up with BMC, taking Cavendish with them? Team Highroad would consider a merger with Team United Healthcare. Does that mean that Highroad's financial position would become worse?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Up-and-coming Italian fast man Davide Appollonio adds another layer to Sky’s already overflowing sprint ranks. Appollonio, a native of the Molise region, finished fifth in stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia and his result is impressive for someone riding their first Giro d'Italia.

6th in a giro stage. How is that impressive?
By beating Modolo, Lodewyck and Kristoff?

 

[just some guy]

What about the rumours of sponsor HTC teaming up with BMC, taking Cavendish with them? Team Highroad would consider a merger with Team United Healthcare. Does that mean that Highroad's financial position would become worse?

1st both BMC and Highroad are backed by men with more money than God so I don´t think there will be a problem.

Maybe it´s true and BMC have deep pockets and need a sprinter - but it is the right fit for the team, would Cadel and Cav/Renshaw work well together. Cadel has been in a team with Robbie M for years but he is a different sprinter than Can can´t see Cadel TT on a flat stage in the Tour to pull back a break for Cav in the next year or 2.

To start a Rumor I recon GOSS would be a good fit at BMC him and Cadel are looked after by Jason Baker ( think thats his name) They have a more quite personality and Goss would fit with the BMC classics team with Ballen soon to have a holiday.

if Cav stays at HTC/or Highroad then Goss may want out, everyone thinks Greenedge I don´t.

 

[just some guy]

6th in a giro stage. How is that impressive?
By beating Modolo, Lodewyck and Kristoff?

Don´t know, its good but impressive no but thats a cycling news article not my words

 

[janraaskalt]

if Cav stays at HTC/or Highroad then Goss may want out, everyone thinks Greenedge I don´t.

The strategy of Team Highroad has been to overload the team with sprinters. I think that is an excellent strategy for both publicity and team atmosphere. The downside is that every once in a while one of the sprinters chooses for another team to become the sole sprinter. The past years Cavendish has been the biggest attraction in sprinting; either he wins or someone beats Cav. HTC have always backed Cav, but I'm not sure they continue doing that. I think Cav will leave Highroad. BMC is a team in need of a good sprinter who can win big races. Kristoff and Phinney are not (yet) capable of winning those types of races. Another name I read as Cav's new team: GreenEdge... Would be weird considering all those Aussie sprinters.

 

[Anonymous]

6th in a giro stage. How is that impressive?
By beating Modolo, Lodewyck and Kristoff?

Its his first grand tour, hes 21, and hes placed, 6th (stage 3), 5th (stage 6), 5th (stage 8), 5th (stage 10) without a leadout train, pretty much just Russ Downing as his leadout. (and four other podiums this year with no leadout)

I would say thats a pretty promising performance. Yes, he may only be the 5th or 6th best sprinter in the giro, but hes young and hes coming in consistently in the top five every day.

Hes only 21 and technically still a neopro

 

[auscyclefan94]

Its his first grand tour, hes 21, and hes placed, 6th (stage 3), 5th (stage 6), 5th (stage 8), 5th (stage 10) without a leadout train, pretty much just Russ Downing as his leadout. (and four other podiums this year with no leadout)

I would say thats a pretty promising performance. Yes, he may only be the 5th or 6th best sprinter in the giro, but hes young and hes coming in consistently in the top five every day.

Hes only 21 and technically still a neopro

No leadout? I'm pretty sure he had a leadout just about every stage.

The person talking about Goss coming to BMC, i think that would be good for BMC though if he gets the support at the tour that he deserves is questionable. Cadel and BMC still definetly think that cadel can do a high gc for at least this year and next year.

I think BMC should go after boonen. Hincapie is past his best even though he still can get top 10's and ballan is in a bit of trouble with the italians. boonen can still collect wins in sprints as he is still quite quick and we all know he is one of the best of all time on the cobbles.

 

[just some guy]

If Cav does end up at SKY for a large sum of cash - what happens to Wiggins/Mick/Lövqvist ?

and have Wiggins and Can really kissed and made up after the Olympics thing ?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Its his first grand tour, hes 21, and hes placed, 6th (stage 3), 5th (stage 6), 5th (stage 8), 5th (stage 10) without a leadout train, pretty much just Russ Downing as his leadout. (and four other podiums this year with no leadout)

I would say thats a pretty promising performance. Yes, he may only be the 5th or 6th best sprinter in the giro, but hes young and hes coming in consistently in the top five every day.

Hes only 21 and technically still a neopro

Didn't know about the other stages. This makes it more impressive indeed...

 

[Sneekes]

No leadout? I'm pretty sure he had a leadout just about every stage.

He didn't have a leadout on the stage won by Gatto.
He's had a one-man leadout in the others (normally Downing as TSF says), but I guess the point is that he's not had a 5-man train dumping him at the front and then fading back to 5th as has been the case with some other Sky sprinters last year. He's earned his placings - and as he's a 21 year old in his first GT - I'm impressed with that, if he continues to develop he could become a top class sprinter.

As a Sky fan I kind of hope they don't get Cav - I'd much rather they maintain their cobbled classics team, and develop their Ardennes classics and Grand Tour GC teams.

 

[nobilis]

I think that Appollonio is overrated. Was it last year's tour de vendée when he could barely stay on Haussler's wheel annd got beaten finally by Koldo Fernandez?

 

[hatcher]

I think that Appollonio is overrated. Was it last year's tour de vendée when he could barely stay on Haussler's wheel annd got beaten finally by Koldo Fernandez?

Haussler went ridiculously early, and left Appollonio out in front with still half a kilometre to go. No wonder he faded.

 

[El Pistolero]

No leadout? I'm pretty sure he had a leadout just about every stage.

The person talking about Goss coming to BMC, i think that would be good for BMC though if he gets the support at the tour that he deserves is questionable. Cadel and BMC still definetly think that cadel can do a high gc for at least this year and next year.

I think BMC should go after boonen. Hincapie is past his best even though he still can get top 10's and ballan is in a bit of trouble with the italians. boonen can still collect wins in sprints as he is still quite quick and we all know he is one of the best of all time on the cobbles.

Doubt Boonen will leave quickstep.

But they need a Boonen, Cancellara or Gilbert. Gilbert would probably be the best bet for BMC as he and Cadel can work well together as shown in the past. And at least Cadel would have something that somewhat resembles a domestique when it goes uphill.

 

[Mambo95]

and have Wiggins and Can really kissed and made up after the Olympics thing ?

They did that a couple of years ago.

 

[Midnightfright]

Doubt Boonen will leave quickstep.

But they need a Boonen, Cancellara or Gilbert. Gilbert would probably be the best bet for BMC as he and Cadel can work well together as shown in the past. And at least Cadel would have something that somewhat resembles a domestique when it goes uphill.

Don't u mean that Gilbert would have a capable domestique in cadel?

 

[Anonymous]

I think that Appollonio is overrated. Was it last year's tour de vendée when he could barely stay on Haussler's wheel annd got beaten finally by Koldo Fernandez?

yeh, a 20 year old neo pro struggling to hold hausslers wheel. Ims urprised anyone even signed him for this year based on that.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

They did that a couple of years ago.

And whether Sky give a damn what Wiggins thinks any more is debatable.



On HTC, I think they desperately need to keep/recruit/develop a top class sprinter or two. Their whole M.O. relies on picking up wins just about every time they race; and sprinting is the only area which gets wins without necessarily having the best in the business, e.g. Greipel.

They've lost Greipel, to lose Cavendish and Goss too would completely stuff them - up and coming Germans notwithstanding.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If all goes swimmingly, the team will vanish into the ether, and the riders can all end up on more interesting teams.

All told though, if Cavendish goes, an American sponsor for an "American" team, TJVG should be the future, with the Velits brothers as a stopgap. They seem to be able to pick somebody at random from their squad and tell them to focus on the GC for a particular race, and then they can (even though they're still doing leadouts), so why not turn that magic touch to the GC?