Jumbo - QuickStep merger

[theyoungest]

A pro conti team with what? 10 riders? And probably the worst ones out of QS. Their leader would be Merlier if he would stay, that's it, most would just choose an offer from another WT team or a better PCT team.

The chances of that happening are incredibly slim.

I know, but there's still the whole structure of staff and personnel that exists, and while maybe not quite at the level of Jumbo or Ineos, it's still better than most teams. Maybe riders like Van Wilder will want to stay there rather than playing second (third? fourth?) fiddle on a WT team.

 

[stekelegel]

Probables for the merger: team Evenepoel, Cattaneo, Vervaecke, Van Wilder. Lampaert for WVA. Others not needed or no place for them. That would leave a core around Alaphilippe looking for a new team, probably Merlier who would have no trouble finding another team and some olders guys or young guys missing out alltogether?
Any riders following roglic on the way out?

another thought: with the move being branded as a "merger", it might be easier for Jumbo to take over some QS staff (the best + the remco loyals) then it would be for Ineos? Also including logistics, with Jumbo and QS being benelux teams?

 

[Netserk]

Probables for the merger: team Evenepoel, Cattaneo, Vervaecke, Van Wilder. Lampaert for WVA. Others not needed or no place for them. That would leave a core around Alaphilippe looking for a new team, probably Merlier who would have no trouble finding another team and some olders guys or young guys missing out alltogether?
Any riders following roglic on the way out?

another thought: with the move being branded as a "merger", it might be easier for Jumbo to take over some QS staff (the best + the remco loyals) then it would be for Ineos? Also including logistics, with Jumbo and QS being benelux teams?

Those 5 plus Landa (too expensive not to take).

 

[joseph89]

As much as i would like remco to stay at the merged team it's best that he leaves for ineos. He gets leadership there and maybe 4 more riders get a spot on the merged team.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

A pro conti team with what? 10 riders? And probably the worst ones out of QS. Their leader would be Merlier if he would stay, that's it, most would just choose an offer from another WT team or a better PCT team.

The chances of that happening are incredibly slim.

This is how Peter Serry gets his first pro win at that tour of the Chinese lake.

 

[roundabout]

Seems ridiculous that it's even possible to go and carve up a team that has a WT license, 2 main sponsors signed up for multiple years and 23 out of 27 riders needed under contract.

If it ends up being a cherrypicking it would truly be one of the blackest days in cycling in recent times as it opens a door for a bigger team to gut any smaller team.

 

[theyoungest]

Seems ridiculous that it's even possible to go and carve up a team that has a WT license, 2 main sponsors signed up for multiple years and 23 out of 27 riders needed under contract.

If it ends up being a cherrypicking it would truly be one of the blackest days in cycling in recent times as it opens a door for a bigger team to gut any smaller team.

But that's not what's happening. Bakala wants this to happen. It's not like he's powerless in the face of the almighty Jumbo-Visma. In fact it's the other way around, he contacted them and he seems to be the driving force behind all of this. They didn't pressure him into it, or make it impossible to refuse.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

A pro conti team with what? 10 riders? And probably the worst ones out of QS. Their leader would be Merlier if he would stay, that's it, most would just choose an offer from another WT team or a better PCT team.

The chances of that happening are incredibly slim.

I agree it's unlikely, but QuickStep has 23 riders on contract for next year. If we assume 6 goes to the new team as reported in the article (Remco, Lampaert, Van Wilder, Vervaecke, Cattaneo, Landa?), Asgreen and Alaphilippe goes to a WT-team, Masnada goes to Polti, that would still leave 14 riders with some quality.

Merlier
Hirt
Vansevant
Casper Pedersen
Lamperti
Lecerf
Svrcek
Cerny
Serry
Huby
Warlop
Bastians
Gelders
Wangheluwe

I don't think there will be money or power (Lefevre) to continue as a team, but if there is they can also just bring up more guys from the development team and there are still a bunch of decent riders without a contract. One would think QuickStep and Cervelo and some other sponsors together could give such a team a decent ProConti-budget?

Maybe the leftovers can merge with a team like Bingoal or one of the many Belgian / Dutch Conti teams and create a new ProConti Team from the ashes? Just shooting from the hip I could see Bas Tietma being interested in leading such a project, merging the leftovers fron QuickStep with TDT-Unibet.

 

[Samamba]

I agree it's unlikely, but QuickStep has 23 riders on contract for next year. If we assume 6 goes to the new team as reported in the article (Remco, Lampaert, Van Wilder, Vervaecke, Cattaneo, Landa?), Asgreen and Alaphilippe goes to a WT-team, Masnada goes to Polti, that would still leave 14 riders with some quality.

Merlier
Hirt
Vansevant
Casper Pedersen
Lamperti
Lecerf
Svrcek
Cerny
Serry
Huby
Warlop
Bastians
Gelders
Wangheluwe

I don't think there will be money or power (Lefevre) to continue as a team, but if there is they can also just bring up more guys from the development team and there are still a bunch of decent riders without a contract. One would think QuickStep and Cervelo and some other sponsors together could give such a team a decent ProConti-budget?

Maybe the leftovers can merge with a team like Bingoal or one of the many Belgian / Dutch Conti teams and create a new ProConti Team from the ashes? Just shooting from the hip I could see Bas Tietma being interested in leading such a project, merging the leftovers fron QuickStep with TDT-Unibet.

Literally half of those riders would just get picked up by WT teams or top PCT teams. It's waaaay to late to just start a new Pro Conti team and convince those riders to be fine with being in one when they signed for a top WT team initially.

Bas fcking Tietema lmao

 

[Elos Anjos]

This is Manchester City buying out Barcelona to end it and then taking the best players. They kill two birds with one stone...not to mention that save the internal team dynamics it will be a mamoth of a team. Sure INEOS must have a word to say.

 

[roundabout]

But that's not what's happening. Bakala wants this to happen. It's not like he's powerless in the face of the almighty Jumbo-Visma. In fact it's the other way around, he contacted them and he seems to be the driving force behind all of this. They didn't pressure him into it, or make it impossible to refuse.

Jumbo Visma (or any bigger team) have enough means to make it worthwhile for a smaller team owner to kill off their team.

Or do you think Bakala (if it is his initiative) is doing it at loss to himself?

And it's the cherrypicking of assets that I mostly object to.

 

[Elos Anjos]

And I reckon after a too dominant season, instead of other teams and the UCI balancing the game and we have is more capital induced accumulation to create a team that is set to be the favourite in any kind of race.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Bas fcking Tietema lmao

What's wrong with Bas Tietema?
I think what he's done with his team is pretty impressive and it will be interesting to see how it goes when they step up to be a ProConti team and see if they will be able to keep growing.

 

[Berniece]

Those 5 plus Landa (too expensive not to take).

Landa has been told to find another team, according to Marca

 

[theyoungest]

Jumbo Visma (or any bigger team) have enough means to make it worthwhile for a smaller team owner to kill off their team.

Or do you think Bakala (if it is his initiative) is doing it at loss to himself?

And it's the cherrypicking of assets that I mostly object to.

It's not a charity. Bakala owns 80% of a team he no longer believes in. If you feel like your investment will go down the drain in the coming years you look for ways to save it. And of course you then keep the best parts for yourself... if you can.

 

[Netserk]

Landa has been told to find another team, according to Marca

I guess there must have been a relevant clause in his contract then.

 

[hrotha]

It's not a charity. Bakala owns 80% of a team he no longer believes in. If you feel like your investment will go down the drain in the coming years you look for ways to save it. And of course you then keep the best parts for yourself... if you can.

When did you become a shill

 

[IndianCyclist]

This is a nightmare for the rider and staff. Jumbo and Quickstep both have financing till 2024. They should at least wait till then to minimize the impact

 

[Berniece]

I guess there must have been a relevant clause in his contract then.

Could be, the way a dutch journalist told the story was as follows:

Marca said that riders and staff got a letter of resignation at SQS, according to their source. The dutch journalist checked this, and apparently not a lot if it was true. People he talked to, didn't get a letter of resignation. So his conclusion was that Marca being a Spanish media outlet, and Landa being the ONLY person of Spanish nationality in the riders and staff, it must have been Landa as a source, and thus Landa that got the message he can find a different team.

 

[theyoungest]

When did you become a shill

Maybe I'm just being realistic? I'd love for Bakala to be an altruistic Jesus but I don't think he is. And why should he be, is basically what I'm saying.

 

[Gratemans]

Landa has been told to find another team, according to Marca

So they finally, actually #freed Landa.

 

[hrotha]

Maybe I'm just being realistic? I'd love for Bakala to be an altruistic Jesus but I don't think he is. And why should he be, is basically what I'm saying.

Well it's a false dichotomy for starters. It's not like his only options are selfishly screwing over dozens of people and being an altruistic Jesus, and it's very interesting that you're choosing to frame it that way. Being realistic about what a-holes can legally get away with doesn't preclude moral judgment. Deffo looks like shilling to me. Could be simply a case of the ol' boot-licking, but considering your rabidly pro-Jumbo record I find that slightly less likely.

 

[perico]

That's funny. Vinge has one only one more GT than Remco. So Vinge must be barely a GT rider . Corona stopped Remco from winning his second GT.

He also has 1 more GT win than Simon Yates… who has the same # of GT wins as Remco. In fact so do TG Hart and Jai Hindley.

 

[perico]

Landa has been told to find another team, according to Marca

Nairo and Landa to return to Movistar to form a new trifecta?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Have you considered that the forum is not a hive mind and the hate might be coming from entirely different subsets of forumers

Have you ever considered that it’s coming from the majority that state that?