Transfers and Rumours 2011 > 2012

[jobiwan]

replacement for Lofkvist? (who will not be riding the vuelta despite that being in his season plans. My hunch is hes leaving - Barry, Henderson, Nordhaug also not going to the Vuelta)

Lofkvist is both riding the Vuelta AND staying with Sky.
CyclingNews Link

 

[Metal earth]

Menchov, Rasmussen, Freire.

They acquired them between 2002-2005, kind of a long time ago don't you think? I do think it was a little bit too early to let Menchov go (granted he is not a world beater this season), but the team is a little bit too short on GC riders. Although Kruiswijk can fill that gap after his impressive Giro and some more talent is on the way.
When it comes down to really contending for the victory in sprints, classics, cobbles or GC Rabobank just falls short in my opinion.

Besides I think we can all agree Freire is pretty much done at this point unfortunately.

 

[theyoungest]

That is true, I forgot about Brechel, too bad he hasn't had the chance to showcase much this year. My point is that they have one of the biggest budgets in pro cycling, but their squad isn't really that strong and broad. I wish they would go for the really big names ocassionally, just to relieve some of the pressure on the Dutch guys.

That's the usual misconception in Holland, that Rabo have this gigantic budget, but they also fund a development team and an offroad team with it.

And with Luis Leon they signed last year's number 4 or whatever on the UCI rankings, plus with Breschel they had the up and coming man of Saxo's classics squad. They both failed to deliver, for various reasons, but don't say Rabo didn't sign any big names. And I would argue that there aren't many teams with a "broader" selection (as you would call it) than Rabo's.

edit: the team is short on GC riders? The Tour is the first big stage race where they didn't have anyone in the top-10, I think.

 

[l.Harm]

Gesink, Mollema, Kruijswijk.. enough GC riders.

 

[hatcher]

Lofkvist is both riding the Vuelta AND staying with Sky.
CyclingNews Link

I'm happy to hear that. Clearly he had an atrocious Giro, but that doesn't make him a bad rider.

 

[theyoungest]

Gesink, Mollema, Kruijswijk.. enough GC riders.

Well, not really, but luckily those guys aren't the only GC riders at Rabo.

 

[Metal earth]

That's the usual misconception in Holland, that Rabo have this gigantic budget, but they also fund a development team and an offroad team with it.

And with Luis Leon they signed last year's number 4 or whatever on the UCI rankings, plus with Breschel they had the up and coming man of Saxo's classics squad. They both failed to deliver, for various reasons, but don't say Rabo didn't sign any big names. And I would argue that there aren't many teams with a "broader" selection (as you would call it) than Rabo's.

edit: the team is short on GC riders? The Tour is the first big stage race where they didn't have anyone in the top-10, I think.

It's true that the budget is a bit streched, but they do have some room left. LL Sanchez had a remarkable season last year, but I doubt he will be able to reproduce such a season. Breschel will be good, but will not win a big classic I think.

Maybe the team is broad enough, but they lack winning types nowadays. I doubt Mollema or Gesink will ever win something big, Kruiswijk might. But that is all they have for the GC at the moment, so yes they lack real contenders.

The Vuelta 2010 they had no one in the top ten! Oh wait you probably meant just this season, my bad.

 

[l.Harm]

I mean contenders for top 10 in a GC.

 

[theyoungest]

I doubt Mollema or Gesink will ever win something big, Kruiswijk might.

Kruijswijk: one pro win. A 9th spot in the Giro.

Gesink: 10 pro wins. 3 GT top-10s.

Yeah, my bet would also be on Kruijswijk to win something big

 

[Anonymous]

Lofkvist is both riding the Vuelta AND staying with Sky.
CyclingNews Link

been pulled from the Tour du Poitou-Charentes squad. quick response from sky to the rumours

 

[Task_Force]

according to wielerland.nl the velits brothers signed for OPQ.. is gonna be a nice line-up this way for them..

 

[jobiwan]

Omega Pharma-Quick Step confirm Peter Velits, Martin Velits, and Stijn Vandenbergh.

Biciclismo
English Link

 

[LaFleur]

What are OmegaPQS doing? Sounds to me like VDB and Greipel will be staying in Lotto...

We can cross off another 2 from HTC too, thinks that HTC have quit already..

 

[ingsve]

I think by now it must be clear that HTC won't exist next year, at least not as a ProTeam. The other teams are having a feast on their roster.

 

[jobiwan]

Astarloza confirmed with Euskaltel and starting Burgos
(I know everyone knew this but I'm putting it here because I haven't seen it here )

Biciclismo
In English

 

[Sophistic]

Ok, OPQS is now gonna have a team of Boonen, Gilbert, VDB, Greipel, VE, Chavanel, Velits and lots of riders from QS and OPL....
Gilbert-VDB-Greipel should call their bluff and say ok fine, we are all gonna stay and we are looking forward to our first check.

 

[Metal earth]

Kruijswijk: one pro win. A 9th spot in the Giro.

Gesink: 10 pro wins. 3 GT top-10s.

Yeah, my bet would also be on Kruijswijk to win something big

He is younger than Gesink, has a better acceleration uphill (something which will hinder Gesink from winning anything big) and recuperated strong in the Giro. He also won impressively in the Tour de Suisse.

Gesink is an awesome rider, but he is mentally frail, a poor bike handler and has virtually no acceleration uphill. If he wants to win a classic or a mountain stage he would have to attack from very far out. But I will be very happy if I'm proven wrong.

 

[El Pistolero]

He is younger than Gesink, has a better acceleration uphill (something which will hinder Gesink from winning anything big) and recuperated strong in the Giro. He also won impressively in the Tour de Suisse.

Gesink is an awesome rider, but he is mentally frail, a poor bike handler and has virtually no acceleration uphill. If he wants to win a classic or a mountain stage he would have to attack from very far out. But I will be very happy if I'm proven wrong.

Did you watch Montreal and Giro del Emilia?

That's 3 classics already he won. Giro del Emilia is probably the third most important one day race in Italy. Montreal is World Tour thus had a strong field(obviously not comparable to the Ardennes classics, but still.).

 

[taiwan]

Skil-Shimano sign Patrick Gretsch.

Former teammate of Kittel's from Thueringer Energie Team, isn't he?

 

[Lupetto]

Former teammate of Kittel's from Thueringer Energie Team, isn't he?

Yes, they were teammates from 2007-2009.

 

[theyoungest]

He is younger than Gesink, has a better acceleration uphill (something which will hinder Gesink from winning anything big) and recuperated strong in the Giro. He also won impressively in the Tour de Suisse.

Gesink is an awesome rider, but he is mentally frail, a poor bike handler and has virtually no acceleration uphill. If he wants to win a classic or a mountain stage he would have to attack from very far out. But I will be very happy if I'm proven wrong.

Virtually no acceleration indeed.

 

[trevim]

Virtually no acceleration indeed.

I even thought he was really explosive when I first saw him in the Vuelta 2009

 

[alexcta]

Garmin - Cervelo Signs Rosseler : http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=41734

 

[Anonymous]

Wonder if Rujano is still planning to ride the veulta with sky or movistar. Hes not in movistars initial selection.

 

[The Sheep]

Virtually no acceleration indeed.

apparently Gesink sucks now after the last Tour