Transfers and Rumours 2011 > 2012

[Machu Picchu]

thought this was worth a mention - Marco Pinotti might be moving to Liquigas-Cannondale

So did I, that's why I put it in there

He’s back on his bike now and shouldn’t have a problem finding a new team, this is from a cyclingnews article:

Two years ago Pinotti was in talks with both Garmin and Team Sky before opting to stay with Slipstream. It is highly likely one of those team will secure his services and experience for 2012.

"I've been working on a deal with a new team but I don't want to say who it is just yet," he said.

"But I know I'm better off with an international team that has a global mentality. I want to keep learning form other people. Until a few years ago, Belgium, France, Spain and Italy dominated the sport. Now there are 20 leading cycling nations but I wouldn't write off Italian cycling. We've got the history, traditions, knowledge and passion on our side. By that I mean we put our hearts into cycling."

 

[Captain_Cavman]

...

Sky are possibly decreasing the roster slightly so it may be that he is a knees type signing, available, cheap, so give it a go.

...

They can hardly increase their roster. But I can only see three riders they'd definitely want to lose, Arvesen, Henderson and Pauwels.

Then there are a bunch that they might be prepared to lose if they needed the spaces dependent on contracts, Barry, Downing, Froome, Sutton, the two Italian climbers etc, and I suppose there are long term fitness worries over Augustyn and Rogers.

If Sivtsov, Henao, Cavendish and Eisel are all joining, then Sky are going to have to chop some they'd prefer to keep. Unless of course the likes of Hayman and Gerrans are off to Greenedge or elsewhere.

But there doesn't seem to be a lot of room to get 35 y.o. rouleurs just because they're cheap.

 

[sublimit]

I think there's room for Rasch, OK 35 but being a rouleur thats not such a big problem. Hayman will be a big loss because has more of a sprint and has been good this year early on.

Grabsch could be another option but I'm not sure where he's going.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Rumours going around that Steele van Hoff may be landing a pro contract. He's been dominating the NRS. Was only introduced to cylcing about 6 months ago (if my memory is correct) as he worked in a factory in Dandenong.

 

[ingsve]

i do take procyling.no with a large pinch of salt. They insisted the day before the tour squads that Arvesen was definately going to the tour (again, quoted Lungvist) and he wasnt. They then insisted that Arvesen was #1 reserve if EbH couldnt make it, he wasnt. And some of their Huschovd rumours over the last couple of years have been way off.

Their norwegian bias gets the better of them sometimes.

You might be the victim of bad google translate perhaps. procycling.no are usually not that bad. It's mostly their headlines that are a bit sensational though. The article in question doesn't say that Rasch is going to Sky by any means (other than the headline perhaps), only that they are one of several teams that have shown interest.

Regarding Arvesen and the Tour, what Ljungkvist said was that he fought to get Arvesen on the team but I don't recall him ever saying that Arvesen was definately on the team. The first reserve thing was just them repeating what Arvesen himself had said so it's hardly something they could be blamed for.

 

[Anonymous]

You might be the victim of bad google translate perhaps. procycling.no are usually not that bad. It's mostly their headlines that are a bit sensational though. The article in question doesn't say that Rasch is going to Sky by any means (other than the headline perhaps), only that they are one of several teams that have shown interest.

Regarding Arvesen and the Tour, what Ljungkvist said was that he fought to get Arvesen on the team but I don't recall him ever saying that Arvesen was definately on the team. The first reserve thing was just them repeating what Arvesen himself had said so it's hardly something they could be blamed for.

I think that is a very fair assesment

I think what happened is Marcus said that weeks before the tour so they reported "Arvesen likely to ride the tour", then when he didnt, they made the assumption that he was the automatic first reserve.

Its understandable them being Norwegian pushing their riders. But yes, their headlines are a bit sensationalist sometimes.

 

[Tuarts]

Rumours going around that Steele van Hoff may be landing a pro contract. He's been dominating the NRS. Was only introduced to cylcing about 6 months ago (if my memory is correct) as he worked in a factory in Dandenong.

If that's the case then its GE. He was linked to them a few days ago...but we may have the same rumour.

 

[jobiwan]

Degenkolb has been confirmed to Skil.

Link
English Translation

 

[AntonioRossi]

Degenkolb has been confirmed to Skil.

Link
English Translation

and now tony martin to skil and they will get a protour license
but seems like a step down for Degenkolb, but I guess we will find out next year

 

[ingsve]

and now tony martin to skil and they will get a protour license
but seems like a step down for Degenkolb, but I guess we will find out next year

Well, any team will pretty much be a step down for most HTC riders.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Well, any team will pretty much be a step down for most HTC riders.

It still seems a bit strange to go to the same team as Kittel. Who will be top banana?

 

[ingsve]

It still seems a bit strange to go to the same team as Kittel. Who will be top banana?

Depends on the race I would think. They were old team mates at Thüringen Energie Team so I don't think there will be any friction between them.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Depends on the race I would think. They were old team mates at Thüringen Energie Team so I don't think there will be any friction between them.

Or maybe there will just because of that.

 

[jobiwan]

Koldo Fernandez close to signing with Garmin!?!?

Link
English Translation

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Or maybe there will just because of that.

Yea, I remember Kittel spending a lot of his u23 time leading Degenkolb out, and I think he'll be pretty satisfied with being able to say that he shouldn't be being asked to do that anymore.

 

[ingsve]

Yea, I remember Kittel spending a lot of his u23 time leading Degenkolb out, and I think he'll be pretty satisfied with being able to say that he shouldn't be being asked to do that anymore.

I doubt Kittel would be relegated to any such role. He is clearly faster than Degenkolb and should be the first choice on any finish where he manages to stay with the peloton. He also has the benefit of already being their sprinter while Degenkolb would be the newcomer.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I doubt Kittel would be relegated to any such role. He is clearly faster than Degenkolb

People have such short memories.

Degenkolb beat Kittel 3 days in a row earlier this year too. And yet after 1 race people are willing to just assume they know when neither has a big enough body of work to make a proper judgement.

I'm inclined to think their old team manager didn't give Degenkolb priority just because he liked his face, but time will tell.

 

[eleven]

Hermans to Leopard confirmed

http://www.leopardtrek.lu/news/leopard-trek-adds-ben-hermans-its-2012-roster

I know I said it a couple of days ago, but when is Radioshack going to turn this around. Do they have a reduced budget under their new sponsorship agreements?

I'm confident Hermans will be back under the Radioshack banner in short order.

 

[jobiwan]

I'm confident Hermans will be back under the Radioshack banner in short order.

Hermans signed a two year deal with Leopard, so I doubt it.

 

[superconfex]

cav and renshaw to rabo two year deal is that true? Bit left field if it is

 

[theyoungest]

People have such short memories.

Degenkolb beat Kittel 3 days in a row earlier this year too. And yet after 1 race people are willing to just assume they know when neither has a big enough body of work to make a proper judgement.

I'm inclined to think their old team manager didn't give Degenkolb priority just because he liked his face, but time will tell.

Kittel never really focused on his sprinting, until this year. And I'm inclined to say that on a flat finish, he's simply faster. For now.

Degenkolb is more a Michael Matthews-type sprinter, for the harder stages and finishes.

 

[FF'Wilco]

People have such short memories.

Degenkolb beat Kittel 3 days in a row earlier this year too. And yet after 1 race people are willing to just assume they know when neither has a big enough body of work to make a proper judgement.

I'm inclined to think their old team manager didn't give Degenkolb priority just because he liked his face, but time will tell.

If you are talking about Bayern Rundfahrt then please note that those finishes were after quite hard, hilly stages which suit Degenkolb way more than Kittel. Since may and first stage of Dunkirk Kittel lost only one pan flat stage, it was one of the stages of Delta Tour.


About their cooperation in the Thüringer times, Kittel was more like a fast time trialer than a sprinter. He changed his training this winter and focused on sprints mostly. His TT abilities arent so good now; just look at the German TT champs.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

People have such short memories.

Degenkolb beat Kittel 3 days in a row earlier this year too. And yet after 1 race people are willing to just assume they know when neither has a big enough body of work to make a proper judgement.

I'm inclined to think their old team manager didn't give Degenkolb priority just because he liked his face, but time will tell.

Kittel came through the ranks as a time triallist first and a sprinter second, and it was that that led to him being put in to lead Degenkolb out as Degenkolb was showing his sprint burst while Kittel was still thought of as a pure time triallist.

 

[The Hitch]

cav and renshaw to rabo two year deal is that true? Bit left field if it is

WTF?

Where did this come from?

 

[janraaskalt]

WTF?

Where did this come from?

Cav and Renshaw are inseparable. Renshaw is going to Rabobank. QED