Thor confirms BMC! Better for Cadel?

[trevim]

Well Thor would be one of the best climbers of BMC if he was in the team this year.

I would like to hear what Cadel has to say if there's a TTT

 

[El Imbatido]

Maybe reading too much into Evans' comments? He didn't want a sprinter, fine. Thor isn't a sprinter now, he makes the TTT better and climbs mountains better than some of the domestiques that BMC brought to this year's TdF.

I assumed Evans' comments were related to bringing in a one-dimensional pure sprinter type who needs a train past the 3km mark and needs to be paced up mountains behind the grupetto.

Thank you....this is it. You guys are trying to create mountains out of molehills.

 

[Boeing]

Thank you....this is it. You guys are trying to create mountains out of molehills.

except for the part where he says "I was fairly clear about that and Jim was accepting of that, so it's under that basis that Thor comes to our team."

that is all

you guy

 

[Nielsa]

except for the part where he says "I was fairly clear about that and Jim was accepting of that, so it's under that basis that Thor comes to our team."

that is all

you guy

This could, quite conceivably, mean: "the basis that Thor comes to our team is that he agrees not to ride like a one-dimensional sprinter in the TdF". No?

Keep in mind Cadel is not a career politican, or a PR mouthpiece. Most of us are not schooled in making statements that are 100% clear in intent.

 

[goggalor]

Evans doesn't want anyone on his team that needs babysitting, that's pretty much it. We all know Thor can hold his own: he can help Evans in a TTT or on the flat/cobbles/from the break on mountain stages and he doesn't need much assistance to achieve his own modest goals. Evans was also very complimentary to Hushovd the whole Tour, so I doubt there will be any problems between the two.

I like that Evans is already making it clear that he'll be the sole leader for the Tour, though.

 

[jilbiker]

I'm not- and BTW if he wasn't implying Thor-then who is he referring to? we know he's not a pure sprinter nowadays, but Cadel seems to be bothered by the possibility of him "not being at his entire disposal" & rather go for stage hunting/green instead......
I still believe is wrong to do those sort of comments-specially at this moment when the team seems to be united & strong, so the balance can be disrupted with those kind of commentaries....

Cadel has always been a cry-baby for team support. i need all the help from my team, I need help from my fellow competitors, its all about me. Cadel will not have Thor in the TDF unless as a domestique....come'on a fellow world champion??

 

[dirkprovin]

Maybe some of the quotes from this article in this mornings SMH clarify Evans' line somewhat.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/evans-wants-hushovd-on-side-20110812-1iqso.html

WHILE Tour de France champion Cadel Evans is excited about what world champion Thor Hushovd will be able to offer as a new teammate next season, the Australian believes the two stars will still need to reinforce the boundary lines of their roles and priorities before the 2012 Tour starts.

Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) was named this week as a new recruit for the American BMC team for which Evans has ridden for the last two seasons.

The Norwegian is no longer the pure sprinter he was, when such qualities required a team to use vital manpower to lead him out in bunch sprints. How Hushovd has changed into a one day classic style racer was shown by his attacking flare that led to two stage wins, and eight days in the yellow jersey of leader, in this year's Tour. And in next year's he will be allowed to go for stage wins, so long as it does not compromise Evans's title defence.

Hushovd, who will also be allowed to focus on his primary goals of trying to win early season races - especially the cobblestoned Paris-Roubaix classic - will also be a huge asset for BMC should next year's Tour route include a team time trial.

Evans, speaking after his victory parade in Melbourne yesterday to celebrate his Tour win, is confident that all parameters have been outlined to Hushovd. He did reveal that he told BMC team president Jim Ochowicz that if he intended to select Hushovd for the Tour as a sprinter who would need riders to protect him then he would prefer to race the Giro d'Italia or Vuelta a Espana instead.

Evans said that Ochowicz explained to him that the purpose behind recruiting Hushovd ''was to get some guys on to the team [for] early on, so they didn't rely just on me for race wins at the start of the year. And someone like Thor Hushovd is certainly someone who can bring results like that.''

Then in reference to the days when he rode with Australian sprinter and triple green jersey winner Robbie McEwen on his former Belgian team that is now named Omega Pharma-Lotto, Evans said: ''I said, 'Look Jim, if you want to bring a sprinter, I don't want to ride the Tour with a sprinter because I've done that, I've done my share. If I do the Tour I want to do it for the win, or I can go for Tour of Italy or Tour of Spain. I was very clear about that and Jim was accepting of that. But it is under that basis that Thor comes to our team. I would expect him to do the Tour. So we go there, and if there is a team time trial, he's a great rider for that. But he also comes to the team understanding that - having won the Tour now - that to win the Tour every one in the team has to be dedicated to one cause, especially in the modern era where teams are so specialised in what they are going for. Of course, that is going to [need to be] reiterated again and we are going to have to be very clear on this. But Thor is also someone who, in his own right, can win stages which also takes a bit of pressure off me. But a guy as strong as that, when he is on your team … they are always very, very valuable.''[/I]

 

[cineteq]

I like that Evans is already making it clear that he'll be the sole leader for the Tour, though.

You go it...unlike JV's wishy-washy plans for Thor this year...not very clear and disrespectful.

 

[cineteq]

Cadel has always been a cry-baby for team support. i need all the help from my team, I need help from my fellow competitors, its all about me. Cadel will not have Thor in the TDF unless as a domestique....come'on a fellow world champion??

I don't know if you read the news, but Cadel won the TdF this year....

 

[Wallace]

Cadel has always been a cry-baby for team support. i need all the help from my team, I need help from my fellow competitors, its all about me. Cadel will not have Thor in the TDF unless as a domestique....come'on a fellow world champion??

You clearly have a personal dislike for Cadel, which is your prerogative, but it seems to me that after having actually won the race, Cadel probably has a pretty good idea of what is necessary for a team and a rider to win the Tour.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

You clearly have a personal dislike for Cadel, which is your prerogative, but it seems to me that after having actually won the race, Cadel probably has a pretty good idea of what is necessary for a team and a rider to win the Tour.

Apparently it requires your rivals to crash out, be off form, get injured, be tired from a previous grand tour, or not be invited to the race. Evans' knowledge of what it take to win does not come from getting lucky one year and actually winning. It comes from racing the Tour for many years at a high level.

 

[cineteq]

Ochowicz clarifies: Hushovd will ride Tour de France, but will play team role

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/9...ce-but-will-play-team-role.aspx#ixzz1UqGn0DJF

 

[maltiv]

Ochowicz clarifies: Hushovd will ride Tour de France, but will play team role

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/9...ce-but-will-play-team-role.aspx#ixzz1UqGn0DJF

So Hushovd left Garmin so that he wouldn't have to be a domestique (which he practically never was), to join BMC where he will have to be a domestique. Makes a lot sense. However, he is considering to skip the TDF next year to focus on the olympics, but he might drop that idea when he realizes that the course is more or less tailor-made for Cavendish.

 

[spalco]

Don't really agree with Cadel, Thor would be a much better teammate for Cadel, in possible TTT's and cobbles.

I think Thor could be an incredible teammate period. I understand where Evans is coming from, but you just don't leave a guy like Hushovd at home if he's fit and motivated.

 

[Karl Max]

I think Thor could be an incredible teammate period. I understand where Evans is coming from, but you just don't leave a guy like Hushovd at home if he's fit and motivated.

JV just did leav him at home, and he was fit and motivated for the Vuelta.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

JV just did leav him at home, and he was fit and motivated for the Vuelta.

Why should JV let Thor accumulate points when those points will move to BMC next season? Why not let riders who are staying have a crack at a stage win? If Thor went to the Vuelta, he would end up grumbling as usual.

 

[ingsve]

Why should JV let Thor accumulate points when those points will move to BMC next season? Why not let riders who are staying have a crack at a stage win? If Thor went to the Vuelta, he would end up grumbling as usual.

I don't think Vaughters is thinking about points. Garmin is by no means in danger of not having enough points so I doubt that would be a motivation. It probably has more to do with giving other riders a shot.

 

[The Barb]

If there's a team time trial Cadel should want Thor for that stage alone.

 

[Balleballe]

Cadel on twitter:

"Checking the news..... I so want Thor #godofthunder on our Tour team next year.... Why do people say otherwise?"

 

[Maxiton]

I think this story is much ado about nothing. Cadel seems concerned to establish that things are different now - i.e. devoted to his winning - and will stay different. After his atrocious experiences at Lotto, his concern is completely understandable.

However, given how easy easy it is for such quotes to be taken out of context, and given that (deservedly) large egos are often easily bruised, Cadel would be well advised to be less forthcoming to the press about such matters. Now he'll need to call Thor to smooth things over.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Maybe some of the quotes from this article in this mornings SMH clarify Evans' line somewhat.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/evans-wants-hushovd-on-side-20110812-1iqso.html

WHILE Tour de France champion Cadel Evans is excited about what world champion Thor Hushovd will be able to offer as a new teammate next season, the Australian believes the two stars will still need to reinforce the boundary lines of their roles and priorities before the 2012 Tour starts.

Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) was named this week as a new recruit for the American BMC team for which Evans has ridden for the last two seasons.

The Norwegian is no longer the pure sprinter he was, when such qualities required a team to use vital manpower to lead him out in bunch sprints. How Hushovd has changed into a one day classic style racer was shown by his attacking flare that led to two stage wins, and eight days in the yellow jersey of leader, in this year's Tour. And in next year's he will be allowed to go for stage wins, so long as it does not compromise Evans's title defence.

Hushovd, who will also be allowed to focus on his primary goals of trying to win early season races - especially the cobblestoned Paris-Roubaix classic - will also be a huge asset for BMC should next year's Tour route include a team time trial.

Evans, speaking after his victory parade in Melbourne yesterday to celebrate his Tour win, is confident that all parameters have been outlined to Hushovd. He did reveal that he told BMC team president Jim Ochowicz that if he intended to select Hushovd for the Tour as a sprinter who would need riders to protect him then he would prefer to race the Giro d'Italia or Vuelta a Espana instead.

Evans said that Ochowicz explained to him that the purpose behind recruiting Hushovd ''was to get some guys on to the team [for] early on, so they didn't rely just on me for race wins at the start of the year. And someone like Thor Hushovd is certainly someone who can bring results like that.''

Then in reference to the days when he rode with Australian sprinter and triple green jersey winner Robbie McEwen on his former Belgian team that is now named Omega Pharma-Lotto, Evans said: ''I said, 'Look Jim, if you want to bring a sprinter, I don't want to ride the Tour with a sprinter because I've done that, I've done my share. If I do the Tour I want to do it for the win, or I can go for Tour of Italy or Tour of Spain. I was very clear about that and Jim was accepting of that. But it is under that basis that Thor comes to our team. I would expect him to do the Tour. So we go there, and if there is a team time trial, he's a great rider for that. But he also comes to the team understanding that - having won the Tour now - that to win the Tour every one in the team has to be dedicated to one cause, especially in the modern era where teams are so specialised in what they are going for. Of course, that is going to [need to be] reiterated again and we are going to have to be very clear on this. But Thor is also someone who, in his own right, can win stages which also takes a bit of pressure off me. But a guy as strong as that, when he is on your team … they are always very, very valuable.''[/I]

This. The comments seemed to be edited very well on some of thecycling news sites. It is understandable why he would want it around him. He is the tour de france champion I am sure Alberto or Andy wouldn't have another sprinter in the team.

Quite clearly Gilbert won't be joining BMC, nor, it seems, anyone with the remotest interest in the GC of GT's.

IMO, Cadel is being an tool. What happens if he gets a mid/long term injury?
He said it himself: nowadays, it's essential to get results which in turn deliver qualifying points.
If he doesn't deliver, the team is on shaky ground.
He's had a golden season, this year. No guarantee he won't have a lousy one, next year.

Clearly, if Thor wasn't in direct competiton with Farrar, at Garmin, or hadn't been offered a hefty chunk of money, he'd be regretting his choice of BMC.........if he isn't already.

I would expect such a moronic post from you.

I am sure Gilbert will be most relieved to hear that

It is my opinion about things, like you have one about issues. I don't see the problem.

 

[auscyclefan94]

btw, If thor hadn't announced that he was leaving Garmin before la vuelta he would be riding it. No doubt.

Have a read of this

@dimspace: "This is going to be confusing, Henderson working for Lotto, Gilbert working for BMC, and Renshaw leading out Theo Bos #eneco"

@vaughters: ".... Now THAT is why the transfer system needs a bit of work...."

 

[muscat]

Hushov just signed the contract & Evans is already "cutting him off" from the teams's Tour? Is that wise at all? even if Thor is a 100% focused on P-R , the classics and the Olympics- I think Evan's comments are just wrong-not because he isn't entitled to do so, but because is too soon make that kind of demand-considering that every Pro cyclist-no matter what is his schedule- The Tour is the most important race in the World & is the most desirable to participate in-so I think is a bit precipitated to make such suggestion-it's like already setting a wall for him from the start-not so good at all....

While Thor might have beaten the curse of the rainbow jersey on the road and had a mega tour de France, I think from the s..t that has been flying in his direction over the last 2 days he is suffering from another version of the curse off the road. Even his biggest rivals like Cancellara and Cavandish must have sympathy for him at present.

Jv has treated him with contempt all season, which is well documented in the cycling world and has shown no respect for his previous experience or of the rainbow jersey. And the final flourish yesterday is to leave him out of the Vuelta at short notice when he knows it is in Thors plan to prepare for defence of the WC. He claims it is to give others a chance but if that is the case why is Farrar doing his 3rd GT this year. Has any other WC had to endure this amount of crap from their team?

Then today 2 days after Thor signs for BMC, Cadel Evans has a classic GC prima donna hissy fit!

This year, as Cadel appeared to be the best of a bad bunch of GC after crashes I hoped he would stop the boring Schlecks from getting the yellow jersey. Do not follow a particular rider, just who is best on the day but there are some whos aproach I don't like. Mistakenly I thought he was a reasonable sportman and cyclist who did not need a whole team of 8 slaves sacrificing themselves so he could win races. I thought he was capable of winning races with minimum asistance. After this comment it is obvious he is no different from other GC riders who think the team and the world exists for their ambitions only. In his eyes, the careers and ambitions of any other rider are immaterial.

What concerns me most about his comment is that he chose not to say anything until after Thor had signed. Why did he not publicly voice these comments earlier? The question is did the management of BMC tell Thor of Cadel’s demands before he signed? If they didn’t and he has been stuffed by yet another dodgy american business man, I hope there is a cooling off period on both sides for the contract, or that Thor has access to a very good contracts lawyer.

Interestingly last month BMC said that they would not renew the contract of Norwegian sprinter Alexander Kristoff. Was that at Cadels request? Does he hate sprinters that much or does he not like Norwegians or is it that he dislikes large Norwegian sprinters who make him feel physically inferior? Does he feel threatened that they will outshine him on the team? Why did he wait until he was on the safely on the other side of the world before to saying it? After this I think it would be wise for Gilbert to stay well clear of BMC.

 

[hrotha]

btw, If thor hadn't announced that he was leaving Garmin before la vuelta he would be riding it. No doubt.

Have a read of this

@dimspace: "This is going to be confusing, Henderson working for Lotto, Gilbert working for BMC, and Renshaw leading out Theo Bos #eneco"

@vaughters: ".... Now THAT is why the transfer system needs a bit of work...."

JV, if you happen to read this... how would you fix the transfer system? It seems to me this kind of stuff is unavoidable unless you only allow transfers after the end of the season, which would have some significant drawbacks.

 

[Anonymous]

Jv has treated him with contempt all season, which is well documented in the cycling world and has shown no respect for his previous experience or of the rainbow jersey. And the final flourish yesterday is to leave him out of the Vuelta at short notice when he knows it is in Thors plan to prepare for defence of the WC. He claims it is to give others a chance but if that is the case why is Farrar doing his 3rd GT this year. Has any other WC had to endure this amount of crap from their team?

But if we are to believe what Dan Benson just tweeted, Thor signed for BMC for next year as early as MARCH

Thor signs a contract in March. Who knew Cuddles would go and win the Tour? Hence the problems now. The only winner in the mess? Agents.