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

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Anderis

May 10, 2013
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Salvarani said:
Feel like AG2R might have gotten a bigger budget for next year, with Citroen co-sponsoring next year, if Im not mistaken.

Signing a slew of riders and only really Bardet (?) and Latour (?) leaving. Definitely a shift.

Sarreau and Touze signed for next year now also.
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"Only" Bardet and Latour leaving? That's like 2 out of their 3 best riders.

Van Avermaet is so far the only big signing confirmed and Jungels is another one rumoured. That's not bad but unless they have another big one in their pocket, they'll end up being much weaker in the GC department and that's certainly not good when they don't have a top sprinter either! Very strong for classics but the cycling season is so much more than that.
 
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Naico

Sep 26, 2015
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My personal opinion is that AG2R is just overshooting it here. With Bardet en Latour leaving, they have an extra transfer budget of around 8M€ a year.
I love Van Avermaet, he will keep getting results and he's good for publicity,..but signing a 35 year old for 3 years and a big salary ? I have my doubts...
They'll sign Jungels. Which is a very good signing. But again, probably at a high price (Jungels saw the l'équipe list of high earners and complained to DQS about not earning enough).
They signed some ok guys with potential, but Sarreau is just an ok sprinter that wins nationally. Others are ok punchers, but not more than that.
I hope they kept some budget for the next years because it now looks like they have a team of classic riders (very good though) and punchers. Jungels can get you a top 10 in GC but he won't have much support. Too many riders with the same profile, racing the same races.
With a budget of around €22-23M that's just not enough in my book. Not enough dept, not enough presence on all fronts.
It just looks like they won the lottery and went on an online shopping spree the next day.

Dewulf was a great signing though! Lots and lots of potential at a reasonable price.
 
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Naico

Sep 26, 2015
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DNP-Old said:
Woods to Israel. What an abomination of a team.
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He's still under contract with EF for next year...That would mean that he bought himself out (through ISUN) or that EF is in trouble. But then again, Bettiol signed a new 1y contract..
Mmmmhh..My guess is option one and EF receiving some extra needed cash.
 
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Anderis

May 10, 2013
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I'm deeply concerned for EF. As mentioned earlier, Woods had a contract with them for 2021. He was a guy who seemed happy with the team and a great fit, so whatever is the reason for him getting out of the contract, it doesn't seem positive for the team.

The situation kind of reminds me their 2017 sponsorship trouble- they did announce extensions of Uran's and Van Baarle's contracts but there were no new signings and no rumours about new riders joining the team. It's exactly the same this year so far. And the fact that Bettiol only extended for one year is not calming me down either, it's unusual for high-profile riders of that age to sign only one year deals, seems like he was not certain the team will be able to provide him what he wants long-term.

Even if the team's existence is not under threat, it seems that they're just letting good riders go, probably means they are going to operate under a compromised budget again, which is @#$%&. 2019 and 2020 looked so promising after the previous years of struggle, instability and insufficient budget. Don't tell me the team is coming back into that territory again. :( I was looking forward to them continuing their upwards trend with riders like Bettiol, Higuita and Martinez entering their peak.

Or maybe I'm just underestimating Vaughters and he just got rid of an oldish rider who would never come back to his former level after breaking his leg this spring? ;)
 
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Salvarani

Oct 15, 2017
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Anderis said:
"Only" Bardet and Latour leaving? That's like 2 out of their 3 best riders.

Van Avermaet is so far the only big signing confirmed and Jungels is another one rumoured. That's not bad but unless they have another big one in their pocket, they'll end up being much weaker in the GC department and that's certainly not good when they don't have a top sprinter either! Very strong for classics but the cycling season is so much more than that.
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You reading too much into the "only" that I wrote my friend.

Im very vell aware that they are their "best" riders as of now. And maybe the reason they are leaving is that they have underperformed lately. The riders that are signing, so far, is definitely a "shift". Another word I that wrote that you could highlight. They seem or are aiming to be focused more on one-day races and classics.
 
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Parker

Mar 4, 2011
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Anderis said:
I'm deeply concerned for EF. As mentioned earlier, Woods had a contract with them for 2021. He was a guy who seemed happy with the team and a great fit, so whatever is the reason for him getting out of the contract, it doesn't seem positive for the team.
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I wouldn't worry. Read his comments in the statement. His coach is head of performance at Israel SUN and the owner Sylvain Adams funded him when he was trying to break into the pros. So very strong links to that team.
 
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Anderis

May 10, 2013
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You only gave a reason for why Woods would go to that team but not why he would get out of contract early. I find it worrying when put in context (short contract extension for Bettiol, no new signings or rumours etc).
 
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Parker

Mar 4, 2011
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Anderis said:
You only gave a reason for why Woods would go to that team but not why he would get out of contract early. I find it worrying when put in context (short contract extension for Bettiol, no new signings or rumours etc).
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That assumes he does have one more year. And contracts aren't prison sentences you can negotiate leaving. And Woods may have had an agreement with EF regarding Israel SUN. The short extension for Bettiol is more alarming I'd agree
 
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Mayomaniac

Mayomaniac

Apr 10, 2019
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If JV managed to get Israel to buy Woods out of his contract after such a severe injury, then the old snakeoil salesman deserves some praise.
 
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jarvo

Aug 3, 2017
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Pure speculation, but Michael Valgren commented on a picture of Geraint Thomas instagram on his phone, with something along the lines of "hey Dave, the Valgren guy is available" DO you think Valgren to Ineos to bolster the classics team could happen? like i said, pure speculation based on that comment on instagram
 
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Salvarani

Oct 15, 2017
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jarvo said:
Pure speculation, but Michael Valgren commented on a picture of Geraint Thomas instagram on his phone, with something along the lines of "hey Dave, the Valgren guy is available" DO you think Valgren to Ineos to bolster the classics team could happen? like i said, pure speculation based on that comment on instagram
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Having a pretty bad season at NTT so wouldnt be surprised he might be looking for a new team. Or at least he wasnt that good in the few races he raced before the break. He is usually good in the fall, at least the past 3 seasons, so maybe he could turn it around.
 
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Anderis

May 10, 2013
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Parker said:
That assumes he does have one more year. And contracts aren't prison sentences you can negotiate leaving. And Woods may have had an agreement with EF regarding Israel SUN. The short extension for Bettiol is more alarming I'd agree
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You don't seem to understand my concern.

He 100% did have at least one more year in his contract. They announced contract extension in 2019 and it was explicitly stated on their official website that it was a "multi-year extension".

Yes, there was probably some sort of agreement to terminate the contract. But how is that not a bad for a team to lose a good rider anyway? The only time it would be not concerning is if they brought an even better rider to replace him. But so far there are no signs that this is going to happen.
The most likely reason for terminating a contract of a rider of Woods' caliber is either being so short on budget that they need to get creative or something going wrong within the team so that the rider would like to jump ship and is not being motivated to stay. Otherwise why not enforce the contract?

I don't think his recovery from the injury was a big concern. If he was able to finish 36th in Strade Bianche already, just 5 months after breaking his femur, he should be an asset next year in races that suit him for whatever team he was going to ride for.
 
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sir fly

sir fly

Feb 24, 2014
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Thought Haig would spend a long time at Mitchelton, but...
Ah well.
Suppose certainty plays a role these days.
 
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yaco

Jun 20, 2015
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Previously posted that the ownership uncertainty would cause Mitchelton to lose riders - Haig was unhappy with the pay cuts during the lockdown, though he is joining a team that also reduced salaries during lockdown - It will be a busy period for MItchelton as they only have seven riders contracted for 2021.
 
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WKA311

WKA311

Oct 5, 2011
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Kevin Vermaerke signs with Sunweb for three years. Very interesting rider for hilly races, won U23 Liege in his first year at that level in 2019. Sunweb continues with amassing bright young talents.
 
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