Teams & Riders The Great Big Cycling Transfers and Rumours Thread

[Samu Cuenca]

I wonder if she will carry on CX when she goes there.....doesn't appear to be any CX expertise at that team.

They could always join forces with Canyon - SRAM and have one team for Bäckstedt and Ferguson.

 

[JosephD]

Just like the men's team, then. Clearly they need to be much more proactive in recruitment in the U23 and junior scenes.

Partnering with Hagens Berman Axeon was the first step to try and remedy this, they've already got Hamish McKenzie heading there for 2024 (his second U23 season), before he probably heads off to Jayco for 2025.

I do agree though, they've really taken their eyes off the ball in regards to their own local talent. Groves was let go, they didn't get Plapp, Strong, Thompson, Pithie etc...

 

[yaco]

Just like the men's team, then. Clearly they need to be much more proactive in recruitment in the U23 and junior scenes.

Management has a good handle on the upcoming under 23 and Junior talents but have too often chosen the wrong Aussie or been outbid read Plapp - The under 23 level in Australia is currently crap because of the two year COVID lockdown which resulted in next to no racing in Australia, although the junior ranks are looking good - Anyway Jayco's investment in Mercx's development team and the Liv racing team should provide benefits in upcoming years.

 

[yaco]

Partnering with Hagens Berman Axeon was the first step to try and remedy this, they've already got Hamish McKenzie heading there for 2024 (his second U23 season), before he probably heads off to Jayco for 2025.

I do agree though, they've really taken their eyes off the ball in regards to their own local talent. Groves was let go, they didn't get Plapp, Strong, Thompson, Pithie etc...

Groves was not let go. They were outbid by Alpecin in a canny piece of recruiting - Groves is extremely frustrating because at this time in 2021 his second year as a pro he had no contract because he spent most of the year crashing and was at the last minute that he was offered a one year contract by Jayco - They were outbid for Plapp who was offered a serious amount by Ineos and UAE - Jayco know the talent available but they need better tools to assess the talent.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Geoghegan Hart looked very strong this spring. Seemed to have made a major step up, even compared to when he won the Giro. I think he has the potential (in fact I can't for the life of me understand why Ineos let him go).

The potentially career altering injury is the big elephant in the room...

 

[pastronef]

Groves was not let go. They were outbid by Alpecin in a canny piece of recruiting - Groves is extremely frustrating

agree 100%. I would have loved to see him win with Jayco, woulda been great

 

[staubsauger]

The potentially career altering injury is the big elephant in the room...

Wasn't Tao rumored to Lidl already before his injury?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Wasn't Tao rumored to Lidl already before his injury?

Yeah, but do you still pay him the Same before seeing him Back in Action after his Crash? You'd think that teams would be careful since Froome went füll Iron extortionist...

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Yeah, but do you still pay him the Same before seeing him Back in Action after his Crash? You'd think that teams would be careful since Froome went füll Iron extortionist...

Definitively a good point, but I guess the fact Tao is 28 and Froome was 34 also comes into play here. One would think Tao has a lot better chances to make a succesful comeback.

 

[postmanhat]

They could always join forces with Canyon - SRAM and have one team for Bäckstedt and Ferguson.

Really hope something that happens. Watching those two develop is probably the thing I'm looking forward to most this winter.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Definitively a good point, but I guess the fact Tao is 28 and Froome was 34 also comes into play here. One would think Tao has a lot better chances to make a succesful comeback.

Yeah, but hip surgery/a severe hip injury is often a big problem for cyclist...

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah, but hip surgery/a severe hip injury is often a big problem for cyclist...

We dont really know when documents was signed though.

Could be a case of it being too late to back out of.

 

[pastronef]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1704151183500234969

View: https://www.twitter.com/dnlbenson/status/1704151183500234969

 

[joseph89]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1704152149729387001

View: https://twitter.com/EFprocycling/status/1704152149729387001?t=Cc244nZ3U09VMIW2_oT80A&s=19

Ineos WTF!!!!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

In more women's junior road/CX related news, Lauren Molengraaf will apparently be joining FDJ - SUEZ in what might be part of a new relationship between them and IGW/Tormans, but might also just be a way for them to secure her teams for CX/road/MTB.
There was a rumour going around about her signing with Parkhotel Valkenburg/VolkerWessels, but I don't know if that was ever actually a thing.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1704146935139991616

View: https://twitter.com/FDJ_SUEZ/status/1704146935139991616

 

[Libertine Seguros]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1704152149729387001

View: https://twitter.com/EFprocycling/status/1704152149729387001?t=Cc244nZ3U09VMIW2_oT80A&s=19

Ineos WTF!!!!

Well earned step up though.

Could just be that EF offer a bit more freedom, though it does seem like Vaughters has a pretty good scout within the British domestic scene and teams with them also picking up Rootkin-Gray and also having picked up Healy from Trinity a few years ago too.

 

[ManicJack]

though it does seem like Vaughters has a pretty good scout within the British domestic scene and teams with them also picking up Rootkin-Gray and also having picked up Healy from Trinity a few years ago too.

What? Did you just give Vaughters some credit? 😉

 

[Anderis]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1704152149729387001

View: https://twitter.com/EFprocycling/status/1704152149729387001?t=Cc244nZ3U09VMIW2_oT80A&s=19

Ineos WTF!!!!

I had hoped that EF would refresh their roster for flatter races in this transfer period but their best signings seem rather climbing focused.

With Rafferty, Ryan and Nerukar they're adding a lot of exciting talent, though.

That's 5th neo-pro and Markel Beloki was rumoured as 6th. That's a lot of neo-pros for one transfer window. I wonder who's going to leave. So far only Cort is confirmed.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What? Did you just give Vaughters some credit? 😉

I give him a lot of credit for his negotiation skills. How he's managed to kill at least two teams and go through... is it two or three mergers now? And yet still he's able to retain overall control each time. It's genuinely really impressive. He's managed to persuade people he runs the cleanest team in the business while also at one time having the highest number of convicted dopers of any team at the top tier on his roster, and he's managed to convince a parade of sponsors to jump ship from other teams too. His powers of persuasion behind closed doors, at the negotiation table or his salesman pitches must be top notch.

I joke about how people still buy his snake oil after fifteen years plenty and can't believe there's still people out there who he's convinced to hang on his every word thinking he is some benevolent force in the sport that isn't out for his own gain, but that's something he's clearly very good at too.

 

[ManicJack]

I give him a lot of credit for his negotiation skills. How he's managed to kill at least two teams and go through... is it two or three mergers now? And yet still he's able to retain overall control each time. It's genuinely really impressive. He's managed to persuade people he runs the cleanest team in the business while also at one time having the highest number of convicted dopers of any team at the top tier on his roster, and he's managed to convince a parade of sponsors to jump ship from other teams too. His powers of persuasion behind closed doors, at the negotiation table or his salesman pitches must be top notch.

I joke about how people still buy his snake oil after fifteen years plenty and can't believe there's still people out there who he's convinced to hang on his every word thinking he is some benevolent force in the sport that isn't out for his own gain, but that's something he's clearly very good at too.

It's that MBA from DU. As powerful as their hockey program. 😉

 

[Bolder]

Geoghegan Hart looked very strong this spring. Seemed to have made a major step up, even compared to when he won the Giro. I think he has the potential (in fact I can't for the life of me understand why Ineos let him go).

I think there's something going on at Ineos that isn't yet apparent, not necessarily related to rider performance.

I agree that Tao was looking great until disaster struck at the Giro. But he's also been a little inconsistent and maybe Ineos didn't trust him as a protected rider.

Does anyone know exactly what happened to his hip?

 

[Samamba]

Well earned step up though.

Could just be that EF offer a bit more freedom, though it does seem like Vaughters has a pretty good scout within the British domestic scene and teams with them also picking up Rootkin-Gray and also having picked up Healy from Trinity a few years ago too.

It's not like you need a brilliant scout to spot these guys. They are/were all pretty well known.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Well earned step up though.

Could just be that EF offer a bit more freedom, though it does seem like Vaughters has a pretty good scout within the British domestic scene and teams with them also picking up Rootkin-Gray and also having picked up Healy from Trinity a few years ago too.

I mean scouting hasn't been a problem with Vaughters over the last decade, getting the most out of riders and keeping them, well that's another story...

 

[Axel Hangleck]

In more women's junior road/CX related news, Lauren Molengraaf will apparently be joining FDJ - SUEZ in what might be part of a new relationship between them and IGW/Tormans, but might also just be a way for them to secure her teams for CX/road/MTB.
There was a rumour going around about her signing with Parkhotel Valkenburg/VolkerWessels, but I don't know if that was ever actually a thing.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1704146935139991616

View: https://twitter.com/FDJ_SUEZ/status/1704146935139991616

I always thought she'd end up at Alpecin, as she regularly features on Puck's GoPro course rides - a recent one calling the Japanese groupset manufacturer 'Shitmano'.
But it's an interesting move, riding for 3 different teams.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I always thought she'd end up at Alpecin, as she regularly features on Puck's GoPro course rides - a recent one calling the Japanese groupset manufacturer 'Shitmano'.
But it's an interesting move, riding for 3 different teams.

Due to the PV rumour, which both PCS and FC had fallen for, I was thinking she would end up at SD Worx in a few years, but that can of course still happen.
But yeah, with her and Puck's relationship in mind, it would have made perfect sense for her to go to Alpecin/Fenix-Deceuninck instead.

The Roodhooft brothers have signed Xaydée Van Sinaey to their CX family, and I assume she's going to ride for them on the road as well.