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

[Faserr]

I think Visma is already working out a
new contract for more years and more money.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sergio Samitier signs with Cofidis for three years.

He is a guy I've been waiting for the breakthrough of ever since he signed with Movistar as the 'next big thing' in Spanish cycling. Never really happened, and was probably never going to either. He came through during a bit of a dark ages in Spanish talent development it seems, as nobody else from that generation really made it big either, like Barcelo or Jaime Castrillo for example.

I think it's more about that that was when the top talents started looking beyond the traditional teams in Spain and also the cadet and junior teams were hit by the loss of so many pro teams post-financial crisis and post-Puerto, meaning fewer options for riders and more people staying in amateurs longer roadblocking the young guys or them getting disillusioned and quitting.

Lizarte starts to struggle to produce strong talent for Movistar at that point, having been their long-time feeder, but you have people like Enric Mas, Cristián Rodríguez and Iván García Cortina come from that same generation, they're both the same age as Samitier, but leaving Spain as espoirs.

From the 1995ers you also have Álex Aranburu who has done well with his niche along the lines of a Luísle or something, but I suspect Óscar Rodríguez is another to go in the same generation of never-quite-made-its you mention.

Barcelò in fairness to him had health problems that derailed him as well as the elder Castrillo, but 1996 also has Xuban Errazkin, a top prospect who went to Portugal and looked promising (14th in the Volta at 21!) only to then have tested positive and get yeeted from Avenir.

 

[pastronef]

Widar (unlike Segaert) was wearing non-team-sponsor-correct Oakley during the U23 race. Segaert had his Lotto team supplier EKOI glasses

 

[RedheadDane]

Widar (unlike Segaert) was wearing non-team-sponsor-correct Oakley during the U23 race. Segaert had his Lotto team supplier EKOI glasses

The thick plottens!

 

[Samamba]

Widar (unlike Segaert) was wearing non-team-sponsor-correct Oakley during the U23 race. Segaert had his Lotto team supplier EKOI glasses

Same with wheels btw, everyone knows he's leaving

 

[Salvarani]

Same with wheels btw, everyone knows he's leaving

Any rumors or guesses?

 

[Samamba]

Any rumors or guesses?

Red Bull