Transfers and Rumours 2011 > 2012

[The Hitch]

Okay. I don't think Samuel Sanchez will be much better than Schleck in the Tour's first TT. He used to be a better time trialist than he is now, IMO. Or, at least, a more consistent one. Gesink owned him at Pais Vasco, for example:

Gesink owned the lot of people. Didnt he beat "Greatest GC time trialist in the world" Cadel Evans, in Tirreno?

Besides Samu, unfortunately sucks outside of the Tour. Hes become kind of like Andy Schleck, though with slightly more balls in Paris Nice and Pais Vasco.

But he is a totaly different beast in the Tour. Even in the Dauphine, he was being dropped so early on some of the stages, I thought he was done for for the Tour for sure.

And a month later, from what we got to see he was possibly as good as anyone there bar Andy.

 

[Sylvester]

I don't think Lotto will even race the Tour du Haut-Var; as far as I know they never did before.

 

[Sylvester]

And while I'm here: Sporza talked with Kevin Hulsmans, who has signed with Farnese Vini to be a domestique de luxe for Pozzato.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't think Lotto will even race the Tour du Haut-Var; as far as I know they never did before.

My post said races like that. Not necessarily the race it self.

So I meant small hilly races or races with some cobbles in them to force a selection. Races at a level below World Tour.

 

[El Pistolero]

Gesink owned the lot of people. Didnt he beat "Greatest GC time trialist in the world" Cadel Evans, in Tirreno?

Besides Samu, unfortunately sucks outside of the Tour. Hes become kind of like Andy Schleck, though with slightly more balls in Paris Nice and Pais Vasco.

But he is a totaly different beast in the Tour. Even in the Dauphine, he was being dropped so early on some of the stages, I thought he was done for for the Tour for sure.

And a month later, from what we got to see he was possibly as good as anyone there bar Andy.

It was kinda obvious Sanchez was riding with his heart rate in mind at the Dauphiné.

He usually is pretty good at Paris-Nice, Pais Vasco, GP Miguel Indurain, Ardennes classics, Clasica San Sebastian, Vuelta a Burgos or the Giro di Lombardia. He's just not really a big winner.

 

[Michele]

And while I'm here: Sporza talked with Kevin Hulsmans, who has signed with Farnese Vini to be a domestique de luxe for Pozzato.

I ever wondered why a guy like Hulmans would be left out from any WT team.
Glad for him and Farnese.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

What's so strange about that?

tour haut var is a climbers race

 

[El Pistolero]

tour haut var is a climbers race

No, it's hilly.

 

[Pippo_San]

New recruits for LEOPARD TREK CT:

Jesus Ezquerra (21/ESP) champion of Cantabria, winner of Vuelta a Palencia and second in the Copa de Espana, 4th in Spanish ITT nationals, U23 I assume

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=45466

Other recruits include (according to this article) Girogio Brambilla (23/ITA) of De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia (2nd Paris-Roubaix Espoirs 2008, 3rd 2009) and Fabio Silvestre (21/POR), 3rd of Volta ao Alentejo 2010

http://www.cyclismactu.fr/news-transfert-un-espagnol-dans-la-reserve-de-radioshack-20973.html

José Azevedo will lead the team together with Adriano Baffi

Let's add to LEOPARD TREK CT also the young italian promise EUGENIO ALAFACI (born 1990), which is kind of a strange news considering he was recently announced by Zalf...
Anyway the news looks to be official since the guy posted a photo with his new team kit on his FB profile...

source (with photo): http://www3.varesenews.it/sport/articolo.php?id=220455

 

[Christian]

Let's add to LEOPARD TREK CT also the young italian promise EUGENIO ALAFACI (born 1990), which is kind of a strange news considering he was recently announced by Zalf...
Anyway the news looks to be official since the guy posted a photo with his new team kit on his FB profile...

source (with photo): http://www3.varesenews.it/sport/articolo.php?id=220455

Thanks for the info. Looks to be a pretty exciting team. Cool haircut

 

[Christian]

The official line-up according to biciciclismo:

Eugenio Alafaci (1990, Italia)
Giorgio Brambilla (1988, Italia)
Jesús Ezquerra (1990, España)
Olivier Hofstetter (1990, Suiza)
Bob Jungels (1992, Luxemburgo)
Julian Kern (1989, Alemania)
Alex Kirsch (1992, Luxemburgo)
Alexandre Pliuschin (1987, Moldavia)
Pit Schlechter (1990, Luxemburgo)
Fabio Silvestre (1990, Portugal)
Joel Zangerle (1988, Luxemburgo)

Julian Kern is the U23 European Champion. Weird to see Pliuschin step down so far! I don't know the swiss Hofstetter. The most promising Luxembourgians are of course Jungels and maybe Kirsch, I think the other two are mostly there to make up the numbers

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=45514

 

[jens_attacks]

according to gazzetta's pier bergonzi,danilo will sign with acqua e sapone tomorrow

https://twitter.com/#!/pierbergonzi

 

[auscyclefan94]

Gesink owned the lot of people. Didnt he beat "Greatest GC time trialist in the world" Cadel Evans, in Tirreno?

Besides Samu, unfortunately sucks outside of the Tour. Hes become kind of like Andy Schleck, though with slightly more balls in Paris Nice and Pais Vasco.

But he is a totaly different beast in the Tour. Even in the Dauphine, he was being dropped so early on some of the stages, I thought he was done for for the Tour for sure.

And a month later, from what we got to see he was possibly as good as anyone there bar Andy.

so now you have to mock and make a cheap shot at Evans because some people think he is a better tt rider than AC? Classy....

 

[Netserk]

so now you have to mock and make a cheap shot at Evans because some people think he is a better tt rider than AC? Classy....

Does that include you?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Does that include you?

Put it this way, I have pickets up my ****.

 

[roundabout]

so now you have to mock and make a cheap shot at Evans because some people think he is a better tt rider than AC? Classy....

No, it goes even better. It's because some people think that Contador isn't easily a better time trialist than Evans in the Tour.

But I thought you already knew that Hitchens likes to distort posts and holds a grudge almost forever.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Gesink owned the lot of people. Didnt he beat "Greatest GC time trialist in the world" Cadel Evans, in Tirreno?

Besides Samu, unfortunately sucks outside of the Tour. Hes become kind of like Andy Schleck, though with slightly more balls in Paris Nice and Pais Vasco.

But he is a totaly different beast in the Tour. Even in the Dauphine, he was being dropped so early on some of the stages, I thought he was done for for the Tour for sure.

And a month later, from what we got to see he was possibly as good as anyone there bar Andy.

I disagree that Sanchez is a totally different beast at the Tour. His Dauphine wasn't much to write home about, but that doesn't mean much as it is a prep race. He did deliver in other stage races. It's just that his time trialing wasn't as consistent as it once was.

 

[Havetts]

Rafael Valls confirmed to Vacansoleil.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Cobo rumoured to Movistar who will have to find some more money though.

Glad that Valls found a team. I think Vacansoleil will fit him well. Vacansoleil will have a great season I think.

 

[canyonball]

Cobo rumoured to Movistar who will have to find some more money though.

So we have Unzue saying he would take Cobo, if he can't find a team. Does Cobo really wants to get back there? That's another story.

 

[The Hitch]

No, it goes even better. It's because some people think that Contador isn't easily a better time trialist than Evans in the Tour.

But I thought you already knew that Hitchens likes to distort posts and holds a grudge almost forever.

I never said that he was easily a better time trialist than Evans, just that he was better.

It was the airstreams, cineteqs and ACF's of this world who found it propostorous that anyone would believe that the gap was anything but huge. Of course they went the other way as to who the dominant rider was.

And I hold the incident in memory because the I was widely ridiculed by you and others for suggesting that Evans was anything but the best GC time trialist.

A month or so later, airstream in one of his regular hijacking of threads told me that my opinions on any cycling subject is worthless, because I believe that Evans is not superior in the tt department, hence insane.

so now you have to mock and make a cheap shot at Evans because some people think he is a better tt rider than AC? Classy....

Since when are you against gently mocking riders and their fans?

Maybe the key word here is "gently" since when you don't like what someone says, satire seems significantly below the level you are willing to rach, to get your point accross.

 

[ingsve]

So we have Unzue saying he would take Cobo, if he can't find a team. Does Cobo really wants to get back there? That's another story.

It would be intersting if he went there and did another 0-point season.

 

[just some guy]

It would be intersting if he went there and did another 0-point season.

in more ways than 1

 

[roundabout]

I never said that he was easily a better time trialist than Evans, just that he was better.

It was the airstreams, cineteqs and ACF's of this world who found it propostorous that anyone would believe that the gap was anything but huge. Of course they went the other way as to who the dominant rider was.

And I hold the incident in memory because the I was widely ridiculed by you and others for suggesting that Evans was anything but the best GC time trialist.

A month or so later, airstream in one of his regular hijacking of threads told me that my opinions on any cycling subject is worthless, because I believe that Evans is not superior in the tt department, hence insane.

You thought that Contador should beat Evans in both time trials even though to any rational observer it is far from certain.

And show me where you were "widely ridiculed" by me (unless offering actual results instead of mere opinion now counts as ridicule) and especially where I supported the idea that Evans is the best GC time trialist.

Thought so.

If you're going to hold a grudge try to make it factual next time.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So we have Unzue saying he would take Cobo, if he can't find a team. Does Cobo really wants to get back there? That's another story.

That's what I've maintained all along. I thought Cobo would have little interest in going back to Movistar, and I don't know how keen Movistar would be to have him.

Now we know Movistar are happy enough to have him, but we still don't know how keen Cobo will be.

Then again, last offseason Rui Costa left the team in a dispute over which races he got to do, before his positive test was revealed, and when he was free to ride again, he swiftly ended up back at Abarcá. Beggars can't be choosers, and Cobo may be best off taking the pay cut and riding for Unzué even at half speed rather than sitting the year out. And at least he'd get to defend his Vuelta, even if the team would probably be behind Valverde if he rides anyway.