Renshaw #1

[ImmaculateKadence]

Thought this deserved its own thread as it will undoubtedly effect the world's best sprinter and the sprint ranks as a whole.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-renshaw-to-be-number-one-sprinter-at-rabobank

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

not really. been discussed a lot in the transfers thread.

but yeah, we'll see how he goes. At best he probably could be a 2nd tier sprinter.. maybe like a Farrar. Not sure he has that speed tho.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Was it? I skimmed through the transfers thread and didn't see anything. Granted it was quick skimming just for the names in the last two or three pages. Anyway, if the thread fails, I won't be opposed to it getting shut down, but I suspect it will be talked about much in the future if it is in fact true, especially with all the Rabo fans in this forum .

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

yeah, maybe we need a sprinter thread in general. I dunno.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I honestly think Renshaw will do really good when riding for himself. He knows exactly where to be in the peloton and can keep his place like no-one else. He'll get a lot of victories imo

 

[theyoungest]

Like today, when he got 10th in an Eneco field sprint

No sorry, I don't think Renshaw can be an A level sprinter. I hope Rabo didn't go too far with the guaranteed Tour selection and all that crap. It's a good rider to add some experience from the best sprinting team in the world to the worst one, though.

 

[El Pistolero]

I honestly think Renshaw will do really good when riding for himself. He knows exactly where to be in the peloton and can keep his place like no-one else. He'll get a lot of victories imo

Nah, he's free to ride for him self now as well and he barely gets top 10.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

yeah, maybe we need a sprinter thread in general. I dunno.

I honestly think Renshaw will do really good when riding for himself. He knows exactly where to be in the peloton and can keep his place like no-one else. He'll get a lot of victories imo

That's what I was thinking. He may not get many victories in big races, but if he focuses his training on being the sprinter and not a leadout, he could potentially get a lot of wins. I don't think a top 10 today is indicative of his future performance. I remember the Tour in 2009 when his leadout basically formed a breakaway. He has the speed.

 

[joe1265]

definitely deserves it's own thread. If not for the speculative discussion on how Renshaw will do on his own, then surely for the discussion on how it will affect Cav.

For sure Renshaw gets a ton of credit for Cav's success, but weren't there two stages in this years TdF where Cav freelanced (ala Freire or McEwen) to wins without Renshaws leadout? The Cav of 2011/2012 may need less support from the leadout man than the 2009/2010 Cav.

Just my $0.02

 

[ingsve]

Renshaw will certainly not get a lot of wins but he will probably get a decent sprinters worth of wins. Something like 3-5 wins per year perhaps. It will ultimately depend on what types of races he will target. If he only tries for WT and GT type races then he will find it harder to win. He will certainly be able to compete for the types of wins that Hutarovich, Feillu, Casper, Bennati etc are getting each year.

 

[Kwibus]

I thought they signed him to do leadouts, because Bos needs a leadout badly.
It's a mistake if they let him ride as nr.1 sprinter.

 

[taiwan]

I thought they signed him to do leadouts, because Bos needs a leadout badly.
It's a mistake if they let him ride as nr.1 sprinter.

Rabo's programme for developing young riders is maybe the best, but their signings are sometimes questionable. Their two biggest signings this year disappeared without trace.

 

[l.Harm]

Not their fault Breschel was injured almost the entire season. LL Sanchez wasn't great but won at least a stage in the Tour and maybe he'll do something in the Vuelta. I think that two signings were not so bad, actually two good riders.

Signing of Renshaw would be questionable, I don't see him as a #1 sprinter. I think Matthew Goss would be better then.

 

[theyoungest]

Not their fault Breschel was injured almost the entire season. LL Sanchez wasn't great but won at least a stage in the Tour and maybe he'll do something in the Vuelta. I think that two signings were not so bad, actually two good riders.

Both good riders, sure. Breschel--if on form--is certainly a welcome addition. But although Luis Leon won a Tour stage, what does he really bring to the squad? Sometimes I wonder if Breukink c.s. think about this stuff before signing someone.

 

[l.Harm]

Before this year he showed he's good in the mountains. Not very good, but just good. He could be a help for Gesink there and maybe win a stage (what he did).

And it's not a coincedence that Rabobank sign Spanish riders, apparently it's an interesting market for the sponsor.

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

Renshaw needs Cav and Cav needs Renshaw.

 

[Angliru]

Both good riders, sure. Breschel--if on form--is certainly a welcome addition. But although Luis Leon won a Tour stage, what does he really bring to the squad? Sometimes I wonder if Breukink c.s. think about this stuff before signing someone.

Are we talking about the same LL Sanchez? Granted his season was a disappointment with of course the exception of his Tour stage win, but he's a contender in some of the week long stage races, especially Paris-Nice, and obviously his palmares shows that on the biggest stage in the sport, the Tour, he doesn't get stage fright and has delivered fairly regularly with stage wins. He's not a gc contender but he's resourceful enough to pick the right break to get into and then finish the job. I think going from his career long association with Spanish teams and then going to Rabobank, he maybe found the transition difficult. Still, as I stated, he delivered in the Tour.

 

[theyoungest]

Are we talking about the same LL Sanchez? Granted his season was a disappointment with of course the exception of his Tour stage win, but he's a contender in some of the week long stage races, especially Paris-Nice, and obviously his palmares shows that on the biggest stage in the sport, the Tour, he doesn't get stage fright and has delivered fairly regularly with stage wins. He's not a gc contender but he's resourceful enough to pick the right break to get into and then finish the job. I think going from his career long association with Spanish teams and then going to Rabobank, he maybe found the transition difficult. Still, as I stated, he delivered in the Tour.

I know, but his stage wins and his overall win in Paris-Nice were all down to good tactics more than anything else, and that's not something Rabo are traditionally known for. The team was reportedly disappointed with his season before the Tour, and that's why I wonder what they expected he would bring to the team. Because I didn't think he was all that bad, he just didn't make the same tactical moves he did on Caisse.

Now they're signing Renshaw to win GT stages for them (apparently), so I wonder if they'll be disappointed if it turns out he's incapable of doing that.

 

[William H]

Renshaw needs Cav and Cav needs Renshaw.

Just like Cav needed Hincapie and Ciolek.

 

[Angliru]

I know, but his stage wins and his overall win in Paris-Nice were all down to good tactics more than anything else, and that's not something Rabo are traditionally known for. The team was reportedly disappointed with his season before the Tour, and that's why I wonder what they expected he would bring to the team. Because I didn't think he was all that bad, he just didn't make the same tactical moves he did on Caisse.

Now they're signing Renshaw to win GT stages for them (apparently), so I wonder if they'll be disappointed if it turns out he's incapable of doing that.

I wish I could remember where I read it but there was some explanation given for LLS's lack of form leading up to the Tour. Had to have been one of the cyclng mags.

I guess Rabo is gearing up for Freire's retirement, of course not that Renshaw is anywhere in the same galaxy as Oscar in his prime but they have to start somewhere.

 

[hfer07]

What interests me about this transfer is the fact that Sprinting competition has just gotten more interesting and leveled, since the supporters of Cavendish are now seeking their own glory, after working tirelessly for him-and some of them are as good as some of the other sprinters out there-ala Tyler Farrar......
I think Renshaw will be fine & having a Dutch team to influence a bit on his background, he may well develop into a more complete rider with a fair shot at the classics.....
good for him

 

[palmerq]

Interesting transfer, could be good for everyone, I dont think renshaw will win an amazing amount of races, but I think he will win enough to justify him being number 1 sprinter at rabobank, also I think he is more suited to going for points jerseys in my opinion he could be very consistent here even though he probably wont win many stages he can get a high placing regulary and who knows with some luck(like freire in 2009) he might win one... he will be good for winning the shorter sprinter stage races like the tour of qatar and so on... I don't have great faith in bos and he isn't a young guy either so rabobank need someone to do the sprinting.

Only problem I see is that rabobank must have paid a lot to outbid sky, hopefully he is worth it for them.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Renshaw needs Cav and Cav needs Renshaw.

They're the best lead out and sprinter in the world, respectively. Together almost unbeatable. But Cav with Swift/Thomas/EBH leading out, wins a lot more races than Renshaw with Bos/Matthews/any other sprinter in the world. Renshaw needs Cav more. He's a smart guy and has seen what Cav can do without him. I'm sure he'll understand this.

Maybe he's gone purely for the pay packet, or maybe he just thinks that he's reached the top of his profession and wants to just try his hand at something else, ie. going for wins himself. He may know that he'll never be one of the very few top guys, but maybe, at this stage of his career, picking up some smaller wins might be a more attractive and motivating prospect than more of the same.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Why is everyone assuming Renshaw is getting bought as sprinter? In all reports I read he is always listed as leadout, mostly for Bos who gets more and more used to road racing. Renshaw isn't a top sprinter. Of the guys currently in HTC, he doesn't even rank top 3. He is however the best leadout guy around, so why would anyone assume he is hired for anything else?

 

[Ragerod]

Maybe he's gone purely for the pay packet, or maybe he just thinks that he's reached the top of his profession and wants to just try his hand at something else, ie. going for wins himself. He may know that he'll never be one of the very few top guys, but maybe, at this stage of his career, picking up some smaller wins might be a more attractive and motivating prospect than more of the same.

I don't think he's gone for money, that's just a nice bonus.

Renshaw's 28, entering the prime of his career and without actually testing himself against the best at the biggest races nobody will know how good he can be and all we can do is speculate. Renshaw might only be a top 10 guy but he could be better and steal a stage win at a GT. It'll be tough but the last TDF sprint he got to contest he came 2nd and with a bit of luck he could go one better.

If it doesn't work out he'll only be 30 or 31 and can go back to being an elite lead-out man.