Transfers and Rumours 2011 > 2012

[hatcher]

I'd be very surprised if Sky let Rogers go unless the medical staff say his problems are likely to linger into next year. Froome I have a really hard time seeing them let go.

Possoni and Cioni could both be in trouble.

 

[hrotha]

thanks for the biggest laugh of my day

Come on, BMC will be interested.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd be very surprised if Sky let Rogers go unless the medical staff say his problems are likely to linger into next year. Froome I have a really hard time seeing them let go.

Possoni and Cioni could both be in trouble.

Froome is the least likely to go of those i listed.

Possoni has had some half decent gc results with not a particulary strong team behind him. But both he and Cioni could benefit from the fact that Sky will want to keep a reasonable italian presence. They are one of the co-sponsors (sky italia), the sky website is dual language (english and italian) and i think they will want to keep them around. Certainly if they bring in another young italian.

a lot of talk as well that Lofkvist will move on. To be honest, I cant even remember seeing him race this year

 

[Duartista]

Lofkvist is one of those riders that doesn't seem to have really found a niche. I also think he suffered a bit from the fact that his main target this season, the Giro, was a race totally unsuited to him.

 

[hatcher]

Lofkvist had a good pre-Giro season. Top 10 in Tirreno, and 5th or so in another short stage race (which one escapes me). Obviously he had an awful Giro, but he's still a good rider. His real problem seems to be his TTing has become a real weakness, which stops him really contending those Tirreno type races; he should have been top 3 at least this year.

 

[Spider1964]

Fwiw, i believe that 8 riders will be leaving sky. My guess at the eight.

Henderson
Sutton
Pauwells
Carlstrom
Arvesen
Hunt
Augustyn
Rogers

Possibly, Barry, Froome, or Downing.

Note that who i think will go, and who i want to go are not the same thing.

Rapha Condor Sharp have been at the top of the results in UK domestic cycling this year, Zak Dempster is only 23 and has won a few this year, any chance of him moving to Sky or as a product of the AIS, could he be at Greenedge?

 

[Eric8-A]

The Hushovd and Gilbert move to BMC can actually work. They're both different riders. Thor's a rider for the sping/cobbled classics, and Gilbert is one for the holly/adrennes classics. The thing is will that move fly with GVA?

As far as Garmin goes, I think only Travis Meyer will stay with them. Jacky Bobby and Cam Meyer will move to GreenEdge. If they go on to scout U23's, it will be best that they invest in riders that are able to climb and contend in stages races, rather than sprinters and classics riders.

Anybody have a clue as to where Pippo might go. For some reason I keep thinking Astana.

 

[maltiv]

Lofkvist had a good pre-Giro season. Top 10 in Tirreno, and 5th or so in another short stage race (which one escapes me). Obviously he had an awful Giro, but he's still a good rider. His real problem seems to be his TTing has become a real weakness, which stops him really contending those Tirreno type races; he should have been top 3 at least this year.

I find that very weird, he had a really good TT earlier and almost every other rider who has joined Sky have improved their TT, but Löfkvist's ability to time trial has vanished completely at the same time as his climbing hasn't improved.

 

[Nielsa]

Arvesen will almost certainly be a DS but wether its at sky is another matter, they have a lot of ds's now.

There serious work being done on getting sponsors for a Norwegian team - not for next season though, it's still a few years off. Lots of hints have been dropped recently from Hushovd and other cycling figures in Norway.

IIRC, EBH is contracted for another year with Sky - so they may be gearing up for creating a team when his contract is up. Probably needs to be a World tour license to get into the TdF, as we saw with Geox & Menchov. (There needs to be TdF guarantee for Norwegian sponsors - little value for them otherwise.)
Or maybe they will just make a Pro Continental team and sign Coppel + Brice Feillu. Voila, TdF entry.

P.S. Gilbert and Hushovd in BMC will be nice - they both live in Monaco and are training buddies. I think I read somewhere that Hushovd was Phil's best man in his wedding - not sure as I can't find the article now.

 

[Ferminal]

Where will Augustyn go? He was the next big thing a few years ago wasn't he?

 

[ingsve]

I find that very weird, he had a really good TT earlier and almost every other rider who has joined Sky have improved their TT, but Löfkvist's ability to time trial has vanished completely at the same time as his climbing hasn't improved.

From what I know he has been focusing his training more on becoming a better climber so that may be a reason why his ITT has been lacking. He still seems to be able to do well in prologues though.

 

[LukeSchmid]

Where will Augustyn go? He was the next big thing a few years ago wasn't he?

BMC of course, along with 200 others it seems

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Where will Augustyn go? He was the next big thing a few years ago wasn't he?

his engine isn't big enough though, used to be huge talent. back to being pro in sotuh africa I think

 

[theyoungest]

From what I know he has been focusing his training more on becoming a better climber so that may be a reason why his ITT has been lacking. He still seems to be able to do well in prologues though.

Whatever you have changed, undo it Tommy! You used to be better, at both time trialing and climbing.

 

[greenedge]

GE. I think the Aussie approach will help a lot of riders and they would be a good choice to go to.

 

[just some guy]

Whatever you have changed, undo it Tommy! You used to be better, at both time trialing and climbing.

Ive never heard Thomas Löfkvist referred to as Tommy - Götland I have however, but Thomas being called Tommy be all weird.

 

[sublimit]

Pauwels is too good for BMC. Probably end up in Belgium for a second tier team?

out of the list of riders likely to leave Sky - Augustyn seems to have the most talent but the injuries/illness is such a shame for him. We wiill never know how good he could of been.

 

[Midnightfright]

Pauwels is too good for BMC. Probably end up in Belgium for a second tier team?

out of the list of riders likely to leave Sky - Augustyn seems to have the most talent but the injuries/illness is such a shame for him. We wiill never know how good he could of been.

He's still young, there's plenty time still. Maybe if he goes to a smaller team he will get more opportunities to prove himself

 

[Christian]

B. Bozic - no new contract at Vacansoleil?

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-transfert-borut-bozic-pas-prolonge-chez-vacansoleil-17705.html

 

[Michele]

Bad bad bad.

 

[vala-vala]

GreenEDGE

Thomas Vaitkus to GreenEDGE for 2 years.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Pauwels is too good for BMC. Probably end up in Belgium for a second tier team?

out of the list of riders likely to leave Sky - Augustyn seems to have the most talent but the injuries/illness is such a shame for him. We wiill never know how good he could of been.

pauwels has a relation working at BMC so it is likely.

 

[Bala Verde]

Gijs Van Hoecke (19), Arthur Vanoverberghe (21) and Zico Waeytens (19) will turn pro at the start of 2012 with Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator.

 

[US Patent Exploding Cyclist]

Does anyone have more details on the Omega Pharma - Vacansoleil merger with respect to rider transfers.

Link here

 

[sprinter]

Augustyn leaving Sky

About Augustyn leavin Sky, where does that rumour come from? I should imagine they would want to get their money's worth now that he is healthy. I see he is in the lineup for San Sebastian this weekend.