The Cav SKY drama

[Anonymous]

Isn't there a good chance that Nike will (continue to) do the kit for Radioschack? Their interests in cycling will still be strong minus Cav, plus Andy Schleck and Cancellara.

well bruyneel said that the new radioshack would continue to endorse livestrong etc. Although im sure leopard will have something to say about that.

 

[BillytheKid]

well bruyneel said that the new radioshack would continue to endorse livestrong etc. Although im sure leopard will have something to say about that.

Why's that? I can see the Livestrong logo reduce to a more minor placing on the jersey, but harmless in my mind anyway.

 

[rolfrae]

Wiggins tweeted earlier that he had bought his Pinarello. Is that something he would do if Pinarello were staying on as Sky sponsor? Could Specialized be about to sponsor Sky? Or is Wiggins just buying the bike because it's likely to get replaced by a 2012 edition?

Conjecture, conjecture, conjecture...

 

[Anonymous]

Wiggins tweeted earlier that he had bought his Pinarello. Is that something he would do if Pinarello were staying on as Sky sponsor? Could Specialized be about to sponsor Sky? Or is Wiggins just buying the bike because it's likely to get replaced by a 2012 edition?

Conjecture, conjecture, conjecture...

or fanning the flames (****stirring i think its called)

 

[rolfrae]

(****stirring i think its called)

We all know Wiggins likes a bit of that, and I like him all the more for it.

 

[Benotti69]

Wiggins tweeted earlier that he had bought his Pinarello. Is that something he would do if Pinarello were staying on as Sky sponsor? Could Specialized be about to sponsor Sky? Or is Wiggins just buying the bike because it's likely to get replaced by a 2012 edition?

Conjecture, conjecture, conjecture...

I imagine a star like Wiggin's would be given his bike if he wanted it! Maybe Pinarello got stroppy and demanded all the bikes back so he had too....

 

[just some guy]

I imagine a star like Wiggin's would be given his bike if he wanted it! Maybe Pinarello got stroppy and demanded all the bikes back so he had too....

Maybe the team was selling them ........ certain things cost money .....

Right I will be off then ........ I´ll grab me coat

 

[roadbiker]

Isn't there a good chance that Nike will (continue to) do the kit for Radioschack? Their interests in cycling will still be strong minus Cav, plus Andy Schleck and Cancellara.

According to the latest activities and infos from people who are close to the team, the new RadioShack-Nissan-Trek will ride in Craft!

 

[wirral]

If Cav joins Omega Pharma Quick Step, it solves Sky's Tour de France dilemma, namely, working for Cav on the flat or Wiggo in the mountains or try and do both and achieve neither very well.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

If Cav joins Omega Pharma Quick Step, it solves Sky's Tour de France dilemma, namely, working for Cav on the flat or FROOME in the mountains or try and do both and achieve neither very well.

There. Fixed it for you.

 

[bicing]

And there is the problem, Cavendish wants to be paid what he thinks he is worth, and he wants that amount to increase in certain situations. for example he was getting paid the same at htc after winning five stages of the tour as he was before it (although assumedly there were bonus's)

The sponsors and bikes are a small part of it. Ultimately it should make little difference to cavendish what bike he rides, except for the fact that Spec are happy to pay him a lot of money to ride theirs. If he rides pinarello he loses out on that money, so can pinarello compensate him. Glasses and shoes arent an issue.

The big argument is over image rights. Sky want full image rights, in other words they (and their sponsors) want to retain the right to use Cav's image as they please. Cavendish wants to retain his own image rights so he can choose how and when his image is used (and get financial recompense for it), with sky only able to use his image in joint commercial deals with the team, ie, website, team advertising etc.

If sky own his image rights he can no longer advertise nike, specialized etc. If he retains them, he can still do adverts for nike wearing nike shirts, shorts etc he just cant race in them. This of course goes against most teams policy of riders wearing team kit all the time, when training etc etc. The likely comprimise on kit would be that Cav could wear his own kit in personal things etc and wear non sky nike branded kit when training.

Sky offered 2.5m with them retaining naming rights, which honestly, is a bit of a mickey take, they are asking for too much, and hoping that Cav will join based on nationality etc. Quickstep were happy to offer 4m but wether or not he retained his naming rights in that situation I dont know.

Compromise will be reached. Cav will wear Adidas kit on the bike, but do commercials for nike, and maybe even wear nike branding for non-team functions etc. But id be willing to bet he will have to take less than the 2.5m on offer. The bike issue will be harder, its not about what bike he rides (so branding a spec as a pinarello wont work), its about what the branding is on his bike. That will be down to pinarello to stump up the cash to get cavendish on board. The other option is for Adidas to cough up the cash that Nike currently do, but if that happens, Cav wants that to be a personal sponsorship from Adidas for which he is paid, outside of their sponsorship of the team. Adidas if they have any sense will do the deal. Its fairly common for people to switch brands, Nani and Alves is football both switched from Nike to Adidas last year, there was a hoo hah a few years ago when several college football teams switched allegiance.

cavendish has the right idea in principle after being underpaid at HTC, but he also has to be careful he doesnt join the wrong team on the basis of personal sponsors.

My hunch is hes been talking to and taking advice from Armstrong.

Awesome, interesting insight TSF. Thanks a lot!
Part of me hopes Cav signs for OP-QST, it would just be hilarious and twister on many levels. Regarding sponsorship and $, Armstrong is a good person to be talking to!

 

[taiwan]

All goes to show Specialized are BIG hitters in the sport whatever happens. We're speculating that they may have four Protour teams on their bikes next season.

 

[simo1733]

What do Nike sponsor for Cavendish at the moment.

 

[Praetor]

There. Fixed it for you.

I think Froome will be lucky to get a top 10 in the Tour, I don't think his Vuelta results means a lot when talking about the Tour, it's hardly impressive to be at Cobo or Mollema's level.

 

[palmerq]

Awesome, interesting insight TSF. Thanks a lot!
Part of me hopes Cav signs for OP-QST, it would just be hilarious and twister on many levels.

It would be really funny :S, wasn't cavendish and holm always saying they would be at the same team next year, and holm is at quick step now isn't he? I guess boonen wouldnt be so happy with cavendish on the team he never seemed to like him... Can't see it happening though surely he will end up at sky

 

[taiwan]

What do Nike sponsor for Cavendish at the moment.

Shoes (unavailable to public) and casualwear for the whole of HTC, I think.

 

[SlowBloke]

Image Rights\Sponsors

Given that Cav knew that if he won the World Championships, he would do so wearing a GB kit covered in the Sky logo, was it not sensible of him to sort out the image rights stuff? Sky would get to pick up all the WC money shots otherwise.

I'm sure that all roads do lead to Texas - have you forgotten the "come back" Giro video love in?

I've been doubting the Sky move for some time, given the lack of actual announcements. Could be hard-nosed negotiations, could be better offers elsewhere.

Specialised also have signed that deal with McLaren – they will need to shift a fair few bikes to cover that one.

 

[Anonymous]

It would be really funny :S, wasn't cavendish and holm always saying they would be at the same team next year, and holm is at quick step now isn't he? I guess boonen wouldnt be so happy with cavendish on the team he never seemed to like him... Can't see it happening though surely he will end up at sky

Quickstep have released Engels, so thats them down to 29 riders now.

 

[palmerq]

Quickstep have released Engels, so thats them down to 29 riders now.

poor engels was he out of contract or just got the boot?

 

[Ragerod]

It would be really funny :S, wasn't cavendish and holm always saying they would be at the same team next year, and holm is at quick step now isn't he? I guess boonen wouldnt be so happy with cavendish on the team he never seemed to like him... Can't see it happening though surely he will end up at sky

Boonen may not like at first but having Cavendish on the team will reduce the need for Boonen to participate in bunch sprints, allow him to focus solely on the classics and could possibly get him out of riding the GTs.

 

[Boardslide]

Shoes (unavailable to public) and casualwear for the whole of HTC, I think.

I think the shoes would be the main area of concern as they are custom made and come complete with a personal fitting service.

 

[just some guy]

Boonen may not like at first but having Cavendish on the team will reduce the need for Boonen to participate in bunch sprints, allow him to focus solely on the classics and could possibly get him out of riding the GTs.

or move into a Thor type stage hunter sprinter from small groups.

 

[palmerq]

Boonen may not like at first but having Cavendish on the team will reduce the need for Boonen to participate in bunch sprints, allow him to focus solely on the classics and could possibly get him out of riding the GTs.

I just get the feeling he doesnt like cavendish personally so he may have some problem with him being there, I am probably wrong though.. It is good for boonen though and both can fit in the one team easily enough.

 

[Task_Force]

poor engels was he out of contract or just got the boot?

he was out of contract and wasnt needed anymore with the merger.. He is now thinking of stopping if he cant find another team

 

[MartinGT]

If he does join Holm and Co I will be a little sad. I like TSF avatar