Jumbo - QuickStep merger

[SafeBet]

I don't think Jayco has a good enough team for a Tour winning challenge.

Yates, Matthews, Harper and Hamilton that's pretty much it, the rest are rouleurs.

Zana and Dunbar are talented climbers. Plapp and Schmid have signed for them as well.
It's of course not a Jumbo/UAE level team but it's getting stronger (although I think not all of these riders would ride the Tour supporting Roglic). They also have very good equipment and performance coaches.

Not the first option on the table for Rogla but I wouldn't rule them out considering the new funds coming from AlUla.

 

[Boehmand]

They could do a combination of those 4/Dunbar/ Zana/Scmid and someone like Walscheid,Scotson or Durbridge as the flat water carrier.

They pretty much have to load the team for the Tour but it would be strong enough if Roglic can compete with Pog and Vingegaard.

But the problem is, only Yates is still there when it is down to 20-25 in the mountains.

It's just too flimsy, and as you say they'd have to focus everything on the Tour, except for races Groenewegen can win.

 

[theyoungest]

If amazon and Specialized are coming with all this money what the hell is the point of a merger?
What is Soudal-QS bringing to the table???

Yeah, that's what I was wondering as well. Plugge was probably betting on multiple options, which is of course smart if one of them falls through. The only thing they would now need Soudal-QS for is the deal they have with Specialized, it seems.

Oh, and Remco Evenepoel, of course. If Roglic is gone they need someone of his calibre to keep their team at the same level.

 

[Boehmand]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering as well. Plugge was probably betting on multiple options, which is of course smart if one of them falls through. The only thing they would now need Soudal-QS for is the deal they have with Specialized, it seems.

This merger only works if they get Evenepoel as part of the deal.

With him it makes sense for a big Belgian sponsor like Soudal, because they get both Van Aert and Evenepoel, the two biggest Belgian stars, and the team can claim to be THE Benelux team to support (forgetting for a moment that Van Der Poel exists ).

Without Evenepoel Soudal may just as well just switch their sponsorship to JV, instead of needing the teams to merge.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Dylan will of course be needing his 5 helpers again but Roglic can have Harper for the tour if he wants.

 

[saunaking]

So what then, for Patrick and Remco to take the back seat?

Of course Patrick is going to take a back seat. Remco too, or he will be encouraged to leave. He is the 3rd best stage racer on this team if it merges, he can target the Giro or Vuelta I guess

 

[Anderis]

But the problem is, only Yates is still there when it is down to 20-25 in the mountains.

Dunbar was on the verge of finishing the Giro in the top5 overall, surely he's capable of being with the last 20-25 riders in the mountains as well?

 

[CyclistAbi]

Of course Patrick is going to take a back seat. Remco too, or he will be encouraged to leave. He is the 3rd best stage racer on this team if it merges, he can target the Giro or Vuelta I guess

Popcorn ready.

 

[Sciatic]

Is he? When did Amazon complete such merger successfully. In the past couple of years. In my opinion geezer still has the touch.

Did you notice “Prime” was capitalized?

 

[samhocking]

Only Jumbo. QS has no money issues, but Lefevere wants out, and this is a good time to exit.

I think more-likely Bakala and Kok want to merge and Lefevere . Kok is a bit if a

 

[CyclistAbi]

Did you notice “Prime” was capitalized?

Exactly. Until they merge with Netflix, Patrick > Prime.

 

[FroomeWagon]

Interesting comment from Pete Kennaugh on todays podcast. Said he was at a gig with Bessel Kok who is part of the 80% ownership of Quickstep team along with Bakala. Extremely wealthy. Pete said the discussion was around them and other teams creating a new cycling league along the lines of motogp consisting of super teams and every rider races every race. This might well explain this merger being preparation for that happening. Quite the twist!

This would be a threat to ASO correct? Maybe they are trying to bring ASO to the negotiating table. It has always been in ASO's interest to have weaker teams and more of them. Perhaps the wealthy teams are trying to band together in order to take on ASO?

 

[CyclistAbi]

One thing to consider is Patrick was put in between a rock and a hard place. This escalated to such heights, that Remco needed to be reminded of his contract. So Patrick more or less never could fulfil demands, by Remco and his agent, the father. Salary, GC team ... in the realms of SOQ. What would hence happen is Patrick would lose Remco, eventually, due to other team, like Ineos. And then he would end up with basically nothing. Now, the ball is on Remco. Patrick got him a GC team, arguably the best in the peloton. Salary likely not a real issue, due to all sponsors lining up. Remco now out of his contract, due to the merger. If Remco will still chose Ineos, then Patrick doesn't end up with nothing. He is still in the board of a team, that likely will stay on top or near the top in forseabel future. Patrick having a say in it. As said, the ball is now on Remco, will he chose arguably the best team in the peloton, what basically Remco and his agent demanded, or not. Salary shouldn't be an issue. We'll see.

 

[FroomeWagon]

I wonder how bad his agent is that he never let INEOS know that Roglic was looking for a new team...

I am not sure that is what is implied.

Maybe INEOS knew he was looking for a new team, made an offer, but Roglic decided to join a different team. Furthermore, perhaps Roglic and his new team aren't ready to announce the signing yet.

 

[tobydawq]

But the problem is, only Yates is still there when it is down to 20-25 in the mountains.

It's just too flimsy, and as you say they'd have to focus everything on the Tour, except for races Groenewegen can win.

Can somebody tell him that Dunbar was 4th in the Giro until the final two stages? I'm afraid Broccoli has me on ignore.

Edit: I see that Anderis already had said that.

 

[Berniece]

One thing to consider is Patrick was put in between a rock and a hard place. This escalated to such heights, that Remco needed to be reminded of his contract. So Patrick more or less never could fulfil demands, by Remco and his agent, the father. Salary, GC team ... in the realms of SOQ. What would hence happen is Patrick would lose Remco, eventually, due to other team, like Ineos. And then he would end up with basically nothing. Now, the ball is on Remco. Patrick got him a GC team, arguably the best in the peloton. Salary likely not a real issue, due to all sponsors lining up. Remco now out of his contract, due to the merger. If Remco will still chose Ineos, then Patrick doesn't end up with nothing. He is still in the board of a team, that likely will stay on top or near the top in forseabel future. Patrick having a say in it. As said, the ball is now on Remco, will he chose arguably the best team in the peloton, what basically Remco and his agent demanded, or not. Salary shouldn't be an issue. We'll see.

Jumbo and INEOS were the requesting side, Lefevere it’s just open to listening. Has nothing to do with what Remco wants

 

[yaco]

Dylan will of course be needing his 5 helpers again but Roglic can have Harper for the tour if he wants.

What is the relevance of this post - If a miracle happens and Roglic goes to Jayco, then Groenewegen will not be at the TDF.

 

[Unchained]

I personally find the Amazon cycling affiliation a bit spooky. In the US Amazon is increasing seen as being a bit of a predator. Because marketing psychology is not my area of expertise I am a bit baffled by bike racing and products and services and brands in cycling.. Let's just say strange bedfellows, but for US bike racing fans seeing Amazon on a kit may soften the images of a behemoth that consumes everything in it's path..bike racing wouldn't have been my obvious next step forward for Amazon but I have been surprised almost daily for years in all aspects of life.
Will a new team Amazon use electric vehicles? Who knows!!!!

 

[samhocking]

This would be a threat to ASO correct? Maybe they are trying to bring ASO to the negotiating table. It has always been in ASO's interest to have weaker teams and more of them. Perhaps the wealthy teams are trying to band together in order to take on ASO?

I think they made good money off the wildcard system but that system has ended under UCI rules. I can quite easily see a Superleague being proposed to ASO and UCI remaining. What are UCI gonna do, ban riders from racing all the ASO races. That will probably suit such a league in fact if they did, it will then breakaway cleanly.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I always assumed that Musk would be the one involved in some whacky cycling related stuff (Like making His own GT, Tour de Trump style), Not Bezos. Oh well, you never know what's gonna happen...

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I wonder if some sort of closed Super League could struggle with goodwill from local authorities etc when it comes to road closure etc. Traditional races have a lot of goodwill on gras root level I think will be hard to bring over to a new super league.

 

[ManicJack]

I'd think very carefully if I was Apple or Amazon whether cycling is a sport I want to get involved with...one "incident" and you've got a major PR headache.

Apple maybe, but Amazon? Bezos is a walking anti aging clinic steroid cabinet. He would probably be shocked to find out that they weren't doing more.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Jumbo and INEOS were the requesting side, Lefevere it’s just open to listening. Has nothing to do with what Remco wants

So Remco didn't have to shush both Patricks around a month back? What was that about then? If everything was just perfect at SOQ. One Patrick now did what was expected of him, the other one is now on the move.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

I hope that the new Super League is called The Nail Series. Then I'd watch.

 

[Berniece]

So Remco didn't have to shush both Patricks around a month back? What was that about then? If everything was just perfect at SOQ. One Patrick now did what was expected of him, the other one is now on the move.

That’s Remco saying they should stfu