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

[Anderis]

But now they have 4 or 5 guys who are all on a similar level as gc riders and all expect to be team leaders. Sorting out the pecking order will be hard and it's also gonna be hard to keep everyone happy. I'd understand signing one more gc rider and investing the rest of the money in domestiques and your classics team, but 3 additional gc riders seems to be a bit of an overkill to me...

How do you know they all expect to be team leaders? If Ineos can manage their ridiculous squad, so can Bora even more so. If those riders went to UAE or Ineos I bet we would all just assume they're going to be domestiques and not think twice about it but somehow when there's no Pogacar in the team, it's suddenly more of a problem even if that gives everyone more leadership opportunities and not fewer.

Even if someone is going to get unhappy, Bora can then choose the riders they want to support and stick to them long term while the others will leave. Still not a bad situation for the team- to have the internal competition that'll decide who's going to get support in the following years based on how well they've done. It's better to have too many good riders than too few.

Higuita has been in a team with Uran, Woods, Martinez and Carthy- pretty similar situation to the 2022 BORA- now it's going to be a problem for him? Hindley has one good GC result in a big race to his name in his entire life- will he now get upset that the team will not back him entirerly unless he can show the 2020 Giro level more consistently? I don't think so. I think you simply exaggerate.

Also there are rarely 4 or 5 guys on a similar level at the same time. Even if you think of them being in the same ballpark right now, I'm sure the road will tell otherwise next year because riders don't just have a constant form throughout their entiree careers.

Again, if Ineos hasn't imploded this year, I just don't see where's the problem for Bora whose riders don't even have half of the reasons to expect leadership in a good team based on their previous achievements.

 

[Lequack]

Alvaro Hodeg will join team UAE for the next 2 years

They really want to have a sprint team as well it seems.

 

[perico]

NIBALI HAS RESIGNED WITH TREK

well, Antonio Nibali that is.

CyclingPub.com - Trek-Segaredo announces contract extensions for five riders

www.cyclingpub.com

 

[Fantastico]

How do you know they all expect to be team leaders? If Ineos can manage their ridiculous squad, so can Bora even more so. If those riders went to UAE or Ineos I bet we would all just assume they're going to be domestiques and not think twice about it but somehow when there's no Pogacar in the team, it's suddenly more of a problem even if that gives everyone more leadership opportunities and not fewer.

Of course, you cannot be absolutely sure about all of them wanting to be leaders. And I agree that Mayomaniac's post may be a bit exagerrating.

But there's also some truth to it. I'm sure that at least Buchmann, Keldermann and Vlasov will be aiming to go for GC in GTs. Then you have Hindley who is a bit of an unknown as he only had one great Giro performance so far. But you also have Kämna, at least if he stays, who could develop into a GT rider soon.

I am also curious how they will manage the balancing act between putting even more focus on GC than the last few years, but at the same time adding Sam Bennett to their roster.

I'm also not fully convinced yet that Ineos manage their squad that well. In smaller races they maybe do. But in GTs this year, we did not really get to know. They basically crashed out or messed up a lot, which prevented them to even get into situations where a conflict of interest might have occured.

Even if someone is going to get unhappy, Bora can then choose the riders they want to support and stick to them long term while the others will leave.

In general, that's true. But they will also have long-term contracts with some of these riders. So it's not like they can get rid of them just after giving it a try for one year. At least not if they pay a lot and no other team is willing to buy one of their riders out of his contract.

 

[yaco]

21 year old Kiwi Corbin Strong (SEG Racing Academy / NZ track team) to Israel Start-Up Nation on a 3 year deal.

https://www.facebook.com/515137875256442/posts/3537631689673697

View: https://www.facebook.com/515137875256442/posts/3537631689673697/?d=n

He is an interesting prospect with a decent skill set - Every chance he'll forge a good career.

 

[Salvarani]

Of course, you cannot be absolutely sure about all of them wanting to be leaders. And I agree that Mayomaniac's post may be a bit exagerrating.

But there's also some truth to it. I'm sure that at least Buchmann, Keldermann and Vlasov will be aiming to go for GC in GTs. Then you have Hindley who is a bit of an unknown as he only had one great Giro performance so far. But you also have Kämna, at least if he stays, who could develop into a GT rider soon.

I am also curious how they will manage the balancing act between putting even more focus on GC than the last few years, but at the same time adding Sam Bennett to their roster.

I'm also not fully convinced yet that Ineos manage their squad that well. In smaller races they maybe do. But in GTs this year, we did not really get to know. They basically crashed out or messed up a lot, which prevented them to even get into situations where a conflict of interest might have occured.

In general, that's true. But they will also have long-term contracts with some of these riders. So it's not like they can get rid of them just after giving it a try for one year. At least not if they pay a lot and no other team is willing to buy one of their riders out of his contract.

Why do you think they will be putting more focus on GTs, when it comes to GC?

They have one of the better squads in the peloton that can challenge and win races and stages throughout the year in all sort of races. I think thats what the main objective is to remain among the best teams in the peloton.

 

[Anderis]

In general, that's true. But they will also have long-term contracts with some of these riders. So it's not like they can get rid of them just after giving it a try for one year. At least not if they pay a lot and no other team is willing to buy one of their riders out of his contract.

If those riders are really unhappy about their situation within the team, terminating the contract with a mutual agreement will not be a problem from the team's point of view- as the original argument was about riders being unhappy with their situation within the team, not the team being unhappy about riders.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I would guess that none of the GC guys at Bora have been promised outright team leadership. None of them will be getting full team support at the Tour or probably the other GTs unless they demonstrate that they are contenders to win. They will all have been promised the opportunity to ride for GC in a GT and they will all get that.

 

[AlfaLum]

To be honest i think it is not that difficult for Bora at the moment.

You have Vlasov who will probably get the captaincy in the Giro/Vuelta. Then you have Buchmann and Kelderman who will probably share those duties in the Tour. You have Schachmann to get captaincy in most of the one week races he starts, and maybe get another shared shot at La Vuelta if he does well this year.

Kamna (for now), Konrad and Grossschartner are not captains for a big team like Bora. They are likely to realize that and will be happy with freedom to go for some stages in the WT stage races and a captaincy in the smaller races.

Higuita and Hindley will probably expect to be second captain/domestiques in the bigger races they ride. And then will expect some additional freedom in the rest of the races. Higuita probably also as a second captain just below Schachmann in the one day races if he manages to step up a level.

All in all i think it is a very manageable situation for Bora, with no rider being able to claim full captaincy in all the races they ride. But with many differences in expectations in how often they will captain in a race.

 

[BlueRoads]

Bora-Neuzugang Vlasov: “Ich will eine Grand Tour gewinnen“ | radsport-news.com

www.radsport-news.com

Vlasov wants to win a GT

...

at Bora - hansgrohe he should have his chances in the big tours, for which the team with Emanuel Buchmann and Wilco Kelderman already has two captains to show. The number could even double with Hindley and Vlasov. “We will definitely consider the Grand Tours with Aleksandr. In the medium term, the goal is the Tour de France, but he too still has to learn and develop, which may be easier at the Giro or the Vuelta, ”team manager Ralph Denk already indicated that the Russian champions of 2019 will initially be with the two smaller of the three-week tours will receive free travel.

At the tour, Vlasov would first have to put himself in the service of Buchmann, who will be considering the Tour of France again in 2022 after his unfortunate Giro debut. “In general, we are now very broadly positioned in the field of classification drivers, but that was also our goal. Each of the guys will get their chances, "announced Denk and made it clear that Bora - hansgrohe wants to compete with big teams like Ineos Grenadiers, Jumbo - Visma or UAE Emirates in the future:" I am confident that we will form a great team that it opens up tactical possibilities for us and enables us to be at the forefront. "

The fact that Vlasov was awarded a three-year contract also indicates the long-term nature of the company. "It will be about continuing to work hard with Bora - hansgrohe in order to develop myself further, because one day I would like to win one of the big three tours," said the newcomer, who will be leaving the Kazakh team after two years at Astana. extremely self-confident.

However, Vlasov not only has ambitions in the difficult stage races, as he noted: "I also think that I have opportunities in difficult one-day races, I was already third in the Lombardy Tour (2020) and a victory at a monument would of course be very nice", is the name of his other goals that he wants to achieve in the Bora - hansgrohe jersey.

 

[Anderis]

Chaves to EF confirmed:

Esteban Chaves joins team - EF Pro Cycling

Chaves joins EF Education–NIPPO with an illustrious palmares to back him up. A two-time grand tour podium finisher and Monument winner, Chaves has been at the top of the sport of cycling ever since he entered the WorldTour in 2014, with his signature smile there every step of the way.

www.efprocycling.com

 

[Offline]

They really want to have a sprint team as well it seems.

Yes but they terrible at building it. Pascal Ackermann, Fernando Gaviria, Sebastián Molano and Álvaro Hodeg can all win on the WT. But who and what is the led-out train?
Oliveira brothers seems alright, but not more than that. Matteo Trentin is amazing, but he'll still go for own chances.

 

[BlueRoads]

Yes but they terrible at building it. Pascal Ackermann, Fernando Gaviria, Sebastián Molano and Álvaro Hodeg can all win on the WT. But who and what is the led-out train?
Oliveira brothers seems alright, but not more than that. Matteo Trentin is amazing, but he'll still go for own chances.

Almeida for Ackermann, Pogacar for Hodeg!
On a serious note I think they still have some spots for 22 left, so there might be more signings in that department. And Gaviria and Molano are not signed for next year yet?

 

[Roku]

I don't think there will be many problems at BORA. Vlasov should be main leader for GT with co-leadership duties in certain one week races and classics. while Keldermann and Buchmann would be alternate leaders (Vlasov Giro/Vuelta, Keldermann/Buchmann Tour)

Hindley should be in domestique duties until he is able to prove 2020 Giro wasn't a fluke / a consequence of a subpar field and a strange year (i think he would match well as Vlasov domestique)

Higuita co-leader for Ardennes with Schachmann and stage hunter / domestique in certain stages for GT.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

Almeida for Ackermann, Pogacar for Hodeg!
On a serious note I think they still have some spots for 22 left, so there might be more signings in that department. And Gaviria and Molano are not signed for next year yet?

Yeah but Gaviria and Molano are end of contract.

Gaviria has been rumoured to leave for a long time. Molano would stay but only rumours for now.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

George Bennett to UAE for 2 years

 

[carolina]

So at UAE everyone got a 2 year deal except for Almeida who got 5. At Bora everyone got a 3 year deal.

I think this might be the big reason for his choice. UAE is clearly confident in him and he'll be the leader after Pogacar.

 

[Tinnekeisabella]

So at UAE everyone got a 2 year deal except for Almeida who got 5. At Bora everyone got a 3 year deal.

I think this might be the big reason for his choice. UAE is clearly confident in him and he'll be the leader after Pogacar.

Fisher Black has 3,5 years. Ayuso 4.5, but they are younger of course.

 

[Lequack]

I think this might be the big reason for his choice. UAE is clearly confident in him and he'll be the leader after Pogacar.

Probably after Pogacar and Almeida and McNulty.

 

[Salvarani]

Yeah but Gaviria and Molano are end of contract.

Gaviria has been rumoured to leave for a long time. Molano would stay but only rumours for now.

Molano is listed on PCS for next year for now, so maybe only Gaviria will be the leaving.

Ackermann as a clear number 1. Hodeg probably next in line. Molano lead-out and perhaps able to get a couple of wins of his own at some lower category races.

Trentin most likely lead-out as well in bigger bunch sprints. He will have classics, one-day races and some medium hard stages to go for here and there. Seems like he lacks some speed and acceleration these days to challenge the best sprinters.

 

[42x16ss]

Probably after Pogacar and Almeida and McNulty.

Bennett is ahead of McNulty for now and just behind Almeida. If UAE are smart they'll get Bennett and Pogacar working together similar to Sastre and Basso at CSC in the GTs

 

[hayneplane]

Bora certainly have a lot of cards in their hand but none are sure fire aces so they will need some luck to go their way to win big races.

I see it as:

Vlasov - most potential maybe Giro+Vuelta 22 as leader then Tour 23 as leader/co-leader depending on previous results
Keldermann/Buchmann - Co-leaders for Tour 22
Hindley - Superdom to Vlasov in Giro 22 and more chances if he shows well there
Higuita/Schachmann - Co-leaders for Ardennes classics and Italian Falls classics plus chances in 1 week races like Basque Country
Konrad/Grosschartner - Stage hunting in Tour+Vuelta and possible leadership in races like Turkey, Poland etc

One of the above to go Vuelta 22 as superdom or co-leader to Vlasov based on form and fitness

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Bennett is ahead of McNulty for now and just behind Almeida. If UAE are smart they'll get Bennett and Pogacar working together similar to Sastre and Basso at CSC in the GTs

I think, it's become clear now that Bennett doesn't have Sastre's level though. He can be a great domestique, but it doens't look like he will ever be able to break into the top 5 in a GT, whereas Almeida was only fractions and failed team tactics away from doing that in both of his first two attempts, while possilby being the strongest rider on occasion.

 

[Ricco']

I've seen some news on colombian websites (mostly from the past week) which said that Kristoff's departure would open the way for Gaviria to stay with a one year contract extension.

 

[Anderis]

Not sure why any big team would consider Bennett as a potential leader or a co-leader at this point of his career. Will be 32 next year with a career best of 8th overall in a GT and 6th in a major one week race and a failure on his last attempt to a GT leadership in this year's Giro.