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

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May 10, 2015
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If he don't want to work for Roglic, Pogacar, Remco or Vingegaard I would say it make sense yes!

No it wouldn't as there is an actual chance that he wouldn't even be able to ride WT races in 2026, so if he's signing anything more than a 1y contract he's taking a big risk.
 
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Apr 10, 2019
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No it wouldn't as there is an actual chance that he wouldn't even be able to ride WT races in 2026, so if he's signing anything more than a 1y contract he's taking a big risk.
Put a clause into the contract that allows him to leave if the team gets relegated and you're fine.

Any news about Philipsen? I guess the Carera brothers will try to negotiate a big money contract for him (and a nice cut for them).
 
May 10, 2015
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Put a clause into the contract that allows him to leave if the team gets relegated and you're fine.

Well I guess everyone has that clause in it, per UCI rules. But just like with Lotto/Israel it isn't the most handy clause cause you technically only know in december which teams the WT licenses get.

But it's still not the best choice imo. You get into a team where the athmosphere will be below 0 next year if they keep on going like this. A team that will be close to shuting down if they don't watch out. I just don't see Astana surviving if they aren't even good enough to secure guaranteed WCs. And ofcourse with Vlasov they might be, but they'll have to fight against Arkea/DSM/Cofidis (one of them, still likely it's Arkea), an improved Tudor (they will spend a lot of money again, they apparently already offered a multimillion dollar contract to Philipsen, also Hirschi ofcourse) and UNO X for 2 spots. It's not a good position to be in at all.

Philipsen would be dumb to leave Alpecin tho. Even if it means earning like 500k less than somewhere else. It's not worth it. He's benefitting so much from having Van der Poel in the team.
 
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Apr 10, 2019
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Well I guess everyone has that clause in it, per UCI rules. But just like with Lotto/Israel it isn't the most handy clause cause you technically only know in december which teams the WT licenses get.

But it's still not the best choice imo. You get into a team where the athmosphere will be below 0 next year if they keep on going like this. A team that will be close to shuting down if they don't watch out. I just don't see Astana surviving if they aren't even good enough to secure guaranteed WCs. And ofcourse with Vlasov they might be, but they'll have to fight against Arkea/DSM/Cofidis (one of them, still likely it's Arkea), an improved Tudor (they will spend a lot of money again, they apparently already offered a multimillion dollar contract to Philipsen, also Hirschi ofcourse) and UNO X for 2 spots. It's not a good position to be in at all.

Philipsen would be dumb to leave Alpecin tho. Even if it means earning like 500k less than somewhere else. It's not worth it. He's benefitting so much from having Van der Poel in the team.
Yeah, but his managers will be looking for a big money contract for him, otherwise I agree with you.
 
Jul 27, 2009
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I don't see how Astana gets any Grand Tour wildcard once they're relegated. Even with Vlasov as a team leader. He's not big enough.

Although you never know with the Giro d'Italia. If Astana extends their Italian rider contingent.
 
May 10, 2015
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I don't see how Astana gets any Grand Tour wildcard once they're relegated. Even with Vlasov as a team leader. He's not big enough.

Although you never know with the Giro d'Italia. If Astana extends their Italian rider contingent.

They won't if they're not top 2. Not a chance, but with a good GC rider they might be able to get top 2 even tho I think lots of good riders will leave after their contract cause of the upcoming relegation, so I doubt theyll be able to beat Tudor and for example Arkea.

Anyways. Vlasov set to stay with Bora.

View: https://twitter.com/cirogazzetta/status/1769320318479290770
 
Aug 29, 2009
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Thomas de Gendt now wants to continue for another year, although not in the World Tour:

(gt) “Yes, I will continue in 2025, but with less pressure, fewer obligations. [...] So I want to continue, to see something else, with a lower level of preparation. I want to ride in Asian races like the Tour of Japan, Korea, Taiwan…. These are professional races, but at a lower level. I want to discover another aspect of cycling. At the World Tour level, we ride in China, on the Tour of Guangxi, but they are the same riders as in Europe, with the same way of racing. There, I want to discover something else. My former teammate Raymond Kreder plays in a Japanese team and tells me a lot of good things about it, for example. But I don’t have anything concrete yet regarding a team.”

 
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Aug 1, 2016
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They won't if they're not top 2. Not a chance, but with a good GC rider they might be able to get top 2 even tho I think lots of good riders will leave after their contract cause of the upcoming relegation, so I doubt theyll be able to beat Tudor and for example Arkea.

Anyways. Vlasov set to stay with Bora.

View: https://twitter.com/cirogazzetta/status/1769320318479290770

Thankfully. Astana looked an awful destination for him.
 
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Sep 17, 2020
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May 10, 2015
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Yeah Tudor wanted to buy him out last year already, but UAE said no.
So this is as expected.

Really wouldn't want to be UNO X, Astana, Arkea or another team that relegates in 2026. Tudor will be nr 1 favorite to take guaranteed WCs in the next cycle if they keep spending millions.
 
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Apr 8, 2023
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Yeah Tudor wanted to buy him out last year already, but UAE said no.
So this is as expected.

Really wouldn't want to be UNO X, Astana, Arkea or another team that relegates in 2026. Tudor will be nr 1 favorite to take guaranteed WCs in the next cycle if they keep spending millions.
Bit of a step down from WT to Pro team at 25. Surprised nobody else would be interested, but then again Tudor is nearly the Swiss National Team and I guess they have some cash to spare.
 
May 10, 2015
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Which is honestly crazy. Even if the sheiks write you a blank cheque, extra money doesn't hurt.

We all know UAE loves their precious "easy" UCI points to pretend like they're by far the best team in the world. And well, Hirschi is good at that. 3000 UCI points last year, pretty insane.

Bit of a step down from WT to Pro team at 25. Surprised nobody else would be interested, but then again Tudor is nearly the Swiss National Team and I guess they have some cash to spare.

Not really Tudor will be like Israel or Lotto probably. Or atleast from 2026 onwards. Next year they will already be able to ride all one day WT races if UNO X doesn't quickly start scoring points. And they get the Giro invite. Not like Hirschi is that interested in stage race anyways.
 
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Oct 15, 2017
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We all know UAE loves their precious "easy" UCI points to pretend like they're by far the best team in the world. And well, Hirschi is good at that. 3000 UCI points last year, pretty insane.
With guys like Morgado and Christen, they will probably haul in those points and maybe more in the future. Fisher-Black proving his worth in weaker fields as well.

Hirschi has been a luxury thats maybe not needed anymore.
 
Dec 31, 2017
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They won't if they're not top 2. Not a chance, but with a good GC rider they might be able to get top 2 even tho I think lots of good riders will leave after their contract cause of the upcoming relegation, so I doubt theyll be able to beat Tudor and for example Arkea.

Anyways. Vlasov set to stay with Bora.

View: https://twitter.com/cirogazzetta/status/1769320318479290770
sad news for cycling, was hoping he would end up in Astana