That rider will probably be Cees Bol.There will be a time when the real news will be that "X rider wants to renew his contract with DSM".
That rider will probably be Cees Bol.There will be a time when the real news will be that "X rider wants to renew his contract with DSM".
I dunno, with every new departure it just gets harder and harder to say “well it worked in 2017, and Bardet seems happy, and look at all the names that got their start there…”I get the feeling that it's an environment that you either thrive in or you don't. Some riders deal well with being molly-coddled and given clear and inflexible instructions to get the best out of them, but for others they really don't need that and that inflexibility is suffocating.
Hope the team folds.What will Vandenabeele do now?
Apologies if it's not clear, I was still talking about the women's team at that point. There's some significant stability including among top riders at the team in the women's team - Soek and Mackaij have been there 8 years (Soek is now retiring), Kirchmann 6, Lippert, Labous and Rivera 5 (Coryn is now moving on, but I suspect that's more about Wiebes' success taking away from her opportunities than anything else). There's a stability in the core of the team that just doesn't feel like it's there in the men's team. The final paragraph was my conclusion that there is enough evidence to suggest the women's team shares the philosophy with the men's at least, but that the way it is implemented seems to generate a lot more discord among the men's team which suggests that the man-management is the biggest problem.I dunno, with every new departure it just gets harder and harder to say “well it worked in 2017, and Bardet seems happy, and look at all the names that got their start there…”
They keep losing key riders, and I’ve never seen a cycling team have so many guys walk away mid-contract. Something isn’t right.
The atmosphere within the team is very, very bad, I don't think anyone doubts that anymore.I agree it‘s strange, so many riders leave DSM before end of contract. Either the athmosphere within the team is bad, or they pay very badly (or both).
From outside, the team looks very innovative and professional, it seems to be a real top team.
Results-wise, 2021 has been a really disappointing year for them...
It’s clearly both; “You don’t pay me enough to put up with this.”I agree it‘s strange, so many riders leave DSM before end of contract. Either the athmosphere within the team is bad, or they pay very badly (or both).
From outside, the team looks very innovative and professional, it seems to be a real top team.
Results-wise, 2021 has been a really disappointing year for them...
Difficult to say... In fact, they actually had nice victories in the past. Certainly, all teams make sure that most things from within the team stay hidden from the public.And what do you mean about it looking to being a top team and innovative and professional? The people at the steering wheel are control freaks of the worst kind, I don't know how that in any way can be interpreted as something good.
DSM pays pretty well to my knowledge. If someone asks you to crawl through cow droppings, you wouldn't do it. Is that a matter of not getting paid enough? I'm sure you would do it if someone told you you'd get a million bucks for it, but that's not really what's wrong with the situation.It’s clearly both; “You don’t pay me enough to put up with this.”
They have shown glimpses of innovation in the past, their attacking riding at the 2020 Tour was a joy to watch. But no professional environment loses talent the way they do if run by competent managers.
It is said that they are just all slowly leading out Cees Bols exitThat rider will probably be Cees Bol.
Leknessund did want to leave. They convinced him to stay through to the most rudimentairy of ways.So, what's the status this transfer-season? Gall already broke his contract, while Benoot and Van Wilder want to? Leknessund was rumoured to wanting to break his contract, but it turned out to be just that; rumours. Or he wanted to, but reached an agreement with the team.
Hindley, Storer, Kanter, Roche, and Sütterlin are all just contracts expiring, and getting a better offer elsewhere/just wanting something new, right? Well... Roche realised he's old, and is stopping.
Do we know how they convinced him?Leknessund did want to leave. They convinced him to stay through to the most rudimentairy of ways.
It is no public knowledge.Do we know how they convinced him?
So, could be a case of "Listening to what he had to say"?It is no public knowledge.
Storer had no interest in renewing after last year's camp incidentSo, what's the status this transfer-season? Gall already broke his contract, while Benoot and Van Wilder want to? Leknessund was rumoured to wanting to break his contract, but it turned out to be just that; rumours. Or he wanted to, but reached an agreement with the team.
Hindley, Storer, Kanter, Roche, and Sütterlin are all just contracts expiring, and getting a better offer elsewhere/just wanting something new, right? Well... Roche realised he's old, and is stopping.
Here's a theory.Read somewhere today that Roche didn't want to stop but they didn't renew his contract.
Anyways, I also read why Vervaeke wanted to leave. Apparently he was paired with a loud snorer during the 2018 Giro. He asked the team multiple times to switch rooms, they denied. The fourth or fifth day he asked the doctor for sleeping tablets because it was awful and he felt terrible and exhausted. They still refused and he abandoned. He taught about stopping.
(I really should remember saving those articles but I was stuck in a boring meeting at work with time to kill.)
So, the cat's out of the bag. Van Wilder and DSM are going to court. I'm not a lawyer, but i'm seeing some issues here, that maybe DSM overlooked from a tactical pespective. While DSM may think this is as simple as having a signed agreement, i believe going to court opens up a possible shitstorm raining down on them, as the court could waver any signed NDA they may have had with former riders, and allow testimonies under oath that can establish a pattern in how they treat their riders. Former teammates who would hesitate to lash out in the press or media now suddenly might be called to witness and testify under oath. Frankly i don't understand they let it come to this. I know Van Wilder asked his lawyers to suggest settling out of court, but supposedly DSM didn't want to budge on the fee and left him no other option. Now if they "win" they get to keep a disgruntled rider or they can cash in a modest fee corresponding his current wages. Big whoop. But if they lose... what does that tell the outside world about them? All the coocoo stories are true. Good luck finding a rider to commit to their ways in the future. We wouldn't even need to hear or know what has been said in court, to understand they have lost touch with reality. Because otherwise they would never have let it come to this and lose. Not to forget, all that just to stick it to Van Wilder. Genius. They have so little to gain, and so much to lose. In fact, they may want to make that their slogan, it's fitting.Sh!t's gonna hit the fan, countdown has begun. Implosion eminent.
Of course not. My point was that some people around here seem to think that whenever a rider leaves it must always be because he's in conflict with the team, and that management can't possibly do anything right, refusing to even have an honest discussion with riders. In Storer's case, it could have been something as simple as telling management that he thought their reaction to the shampoo story was too harsh, and that they shouldn't bother trying to get him to sign an extention, but he would of course stay for the rest of his contract. Of course, he probably also had the disadvantage of - at that time - not being a big name, likely making other teams less willing to invest a bunch of money to buy him out of his contract. Ironically, though, he then went on to become the team's most succesfull rider this year, but of course at that time he'd already signed with FDJ.Storer had no interest in renewing after last year's camp incident
That's just a terrible situation all-around. After all; someone had to be roomates with "Snoring Guy", and if the poor guy already had a bit of a reputation, it's possible the others weren't exactly lining up to switch rooms with Vervaeke. And of course, if the situation had happened just a year earlier, the solution would have been simple:Anyways, I also read why Vervaeke wanted to leave. Apparently he was paired with a loud snorer during the 2018 Giro. He asked the team multiple times to switch rooms, they denied. The fourth or fifth day he asked the doctor for sleeping tablets because it was awful and he felt terrible and exhausted. They still refused and he abandoned. He taught about stopping.