Teams & Riders The Great Big Cycling Transfers, Extensions, and Rumours Thread

[yaco]

I wonder what is happening with Ben O'Connor. My understanding is he keen to stay with the team but there are issues with the team budget. Lets see what happens in the next few months.

 

[Lexman]

I wonder what is happening with Ben O'Connor. My understanding is he keen to stay with the team but there are issues with the team budget. Lets see what happens in the next few months.

with Decathlon just arriving they have budget issues?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

There is only one Alaphilippe replacement!

(Unfortunately, he's contracted for next year.)

Yes, it's very unfortunate that he has to stay at that croppy team, but it's his own fault for signing the contract.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

with Decathlon just arriving they have budget issues?

Well, they're overpaying Lafay massively. I don't expect there other contracts to be great neither.

 

[search]

Well, they're overpaying Lafay massively. I don't expect there other contracts to be great neither.

when Lafay signed, it was menetioned that the Ag2R deal is somewhere in the 1 million per year range, and that he actually had better offers from other teams. It's still a lot for a rider not racing, of course, but I wouldn't think it makes that much of a difference.

Sure, in general, they may have been a bit too lavish when spending those additional 3 million drom Decathlon deal (+money freed by GvA's retirement), but I guess the main problem is that all riders are somewhat overperforming now and consequently looking for more money (or already are earning more than expected, if their contracts include bonuses).

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

when Lafay signed, it was menetioned that the Ag2R deal is somewhere in the 1 million per year range, and that he actually had better offers from other teams. It's still a lot for a rider not racing, of course, but I wouldn't think it makes that much of a difference.

Sure, in general, they may have been a bit too lavish when spending those additional 3 million drom Decathlon deal (+money freed by GvA's retirement), but I guess the main problem is that all riders are somewhat overperforming now and consequently looking for more money (or already are earning more than expected, if their contracts include bonuses).

Yeah, you're paying 1 million a year for a dude who wins at best 2 races each year and with a huge stroke of luck won a TdF-stage.
I mean, I'm not surprised, they did the same with Bakelants and that turned out great.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yeah, you're paying 1 million a year for a dude who wins at best 2 races each year and with a huge stroke of luck won a TdF-stage.
I mean, I'm not surprised, they did the same with Bakelants and that turned out great.

If he had been able to race, then the bike boost might have given more than two wins this year, to be fair.

 

[Bolder]

If he had been able to race, then the bike boost might have given more than two wins this year, to be fair.

I've never seen such a jump in performance save for maybe Bahrain in 2021, when they went from 9 to 30 wins. Partly could be the bikes but just as likely the mental and material boost from Decathlon. They were really underperforming as Citroen, I think, so that's part of it.

 

[Anderis]

I've never seen such a jump in performance save for maybe Bahrain in 2021, when they went from 9 to 30 wins.

Quickstep?
2011: 8 wins
2012: 50 wins

 

[tobydawq]

Quickstep?
2011: 8 wins
2012: 50 wins

The Brian Holm effect.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I've never seen such a jump in performance save for maybe Bahrain in 2021, when they went from 9 to 30 wins. Partly could be the bikes but just as likely the mental and material boost from Decathlon. They were really underperforming as Citroen, I think, so that's part of it.

In Lafay's case, he was riding on Look bikes last year, and while they probably weren't the fastest around, they didn't exactly look like BMC's sack of rocks with cheese wheels attached to them either, so perhaps his improvement wouldn't have been as noticeable.

 

[Bolder]

Quickstep?
2011: 8 wins
2012: 50 wins

Was it that much? Wow.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

"I haven't even informed my team and yet Paret-Peintre's transfer is already in the newspaper” - Patrick Lefevere embarrassed by transfer leak

In the last few years, Soudal - Quick-Step have been making a concerted effort to adapt their whole role roster in order to better support Remco Evenepoel in his quest for Grand Tour victories. The la...

cyclinguptodate.com

Is that not a fairly blunt admission that he has broken the rules about contract talks with a rider from another team before August 1?

What sanctions are there on that?

 

[RedheadDane]

"I haven't even informed my team and yet Paret-Peintre's transfer is already in the newspaper” - Patrick Lefevere embarrassed by transfer leak

In the last few years, Soudal - Quick-Step have been making a concerted effort to adapt their whole role roster in order to better support Remco Evenepoel in his quest for Grand Tour victories. The la...

cyclinguptodate.com

Is that not a fairly blunt admission that he has broken the rules about contract talks with a rider from another team before August 1?

What sanctions are there on that?

Surely, talks are allowed, it's the public announcements that aren't allowed.
Talks are definitely happening, considering how frequent transfers are made public on August 1.

And newspapers write about rumours all the time.

 

[Samamba]

Surely, talks are allowed, it's the public announcements that aren't allowed.
Talks are definitely happening, considering how frequent transfers are made public on August 1.

And newspapers write about rumours all the time.

Technically you can't make a deal. But he also says there isn't a deal yet so even tho everyone does it, this isn't a public admission.

 

[RedheadDane]

Technically you can't make a deal. But he also says there isn't a deal yet so even tho everyone does it, this isn't a public admission.

He could have just ignored the whole thing, then people would have considered it nothing more than just a rumour.

 

[hfer07]

As many folks already pointed out: LULU should go to AG2R to conclude his career with glory.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

As many folks already pointed out: LULU should go to AG2R to conclude his career with glory.

I was sure Lulu had finished his career at Astana last year

 

[Roku]

Aleks Vlasov extension with Bora is now official. I can't find how many years he has extended with the team.

 

[Lexman]

Campenaerts rumored to leave Lotto

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Another ski mountaineer is giving cycling a go.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1798998874352398378

View: https://x.com/LidlTrek/status/1798998874352398378

 

[yaco]

Yates out and O'Connor in at Jayco.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Yates rumoured to go to Tudor, ISN or Visma-Lease a Bike

Revolving doors: Simon Yates out, Ben O’Connor in at Jayco AlUla

No confirmation until August 1 but both moves are in the works

www.globalcyclingnetwork.com

Be very interested to see if he can improve his level there like Adam did at UAE, though the mans not getting any younger.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Yates rumoured to go to Tudor, ISN or Visma-Lease a Bike

Revolving doors: Simon Yates out, Ben O’Connor in at Jayco AlUla

No confirmation until August 1 but both moves are in the works

www.globalcyclingnetwork.com

Be very interested to see if he can improve his level there like Adam did at UAE, though the mans not getting any younger.

I also wonder, I always see Jayco as a fun team to ride for, but perhaps the more ' professional' environment of a big team would be better for him.
I recall an interview with Simon last year where he was asked why he had not signed for another team, and he said no one had ever made him an offer.

 

[yaco]

I also wonder, I always see Jayco as a fun team to ride for, but perhaps the more ' professional' environment of a big team would be better for him.
I recall an interview with Simon last year where he was asked why he had not signed for another team, and he said no one had ever made him an offer.

He was always comfortable at Jayco because from day one he was a team leader. He thrived on the continuity of having the same staff, knowing the systems, choosing his race program and having full team support. I know that he was concerned at the 2023 TDF with the amount of support provided on the road for drinks and food. He considers that a lack of nutrition caused him to do poorly on stage 14 and 15, even though you have support riders, team care and neutral service where you can collect bottles and food. Anyway, he may have wanted a change after 10 years at Jayco.

Yes, the team is getting O'Connor but Jayco wanted both. O'Connor wanted to stay at but the team did not have enough budget. When you also have the PP brothers leaving with O'Connot you wonder what AG2R are doing with their budget.