Transfers and Rumours 2011 > 2012

[just some guy]

according to Omega-Pharma Gilberts contract had an option for one extra season with the team, an option that omega-pharma used some time ago.

Since they used the option they claim he is bound to them for one more season...

OK - I guess then when Gilbert said the only contact I´ve has with the team is through my lawyers makes more sense now - BMC don´t mind buying out contracts - Thanks for the clarification

 

[auscyclefan94]

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/110801_fusie_reactie_gilbert

Gilbert has interesting offers from BMC, Lotto, Quick Step (next year with Omega Pharma) and Astana.

He didn't want to hear the news about the merge between QS and OP in the press, he says he should have been informed.

Not going to Astana, he openly said that.

Didn't cyclingfever have links to the source last year? Some one the rumours are comical, everyday it seems new riders are being linked to GE.



Never seen anything mentioned for Brajkovic, Kroon, Hayman Roberts and best of all Millar signed a new contract at the tour! Nothing anything on other more likely GE riders like Teklehaimanot, Haussler etc etc. Really like spin wheel and throw a dart.

Kroon is not happy at BMC. He's also had two **** years at BMC tbh.

http://www.cyclingfever.com/transfers.html

According to this website TJVG and Bylthe have been confirmed to BMC. kroon is rumored to go to GE. santamorita and santambrogio have extended with BMC. there is also a rumor about pauwels to BMC.

Pauwels to BMC doesn't surprise me. He has family there. TJVG and Blythe have been known for ages about them moving to BMC.

It is very strange I agree - could be environment it is a strange one indeed. As you have said there is a core group at Sky maybe he was on the outer ???

I hate when such cliques happen in teams. Never works out well.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Anyone else surprised that Evans extended his contract by 2 years of which he will be racing till he is 37?

EDIT: I am not complaining!

 

[Sophistic]

whats shady about that?they have valid contracts...

 

[Ferminal]

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GEQ3DHG6D

A good run down of what's happening with the Belgians in the middle of this.

 

[boomcie]

BMC don´t mind buying out contracts

Reportedly 1.5 million €.

That's a lot of money on top of Gilbert's salary.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

in the meantime we might be heading for a legal battle as omega-pharma claims that, since they are the licenceholder for omega-pharma-lotto and they are continuing as main sponsor of the new omega-pharma-quickstep-team, all existing contracts with omega-pharma are still valid and that all the riders of whome the contracts aren't finished will either have to stay with them of buy off their contracts.

This would mean that riders like Gilbert, Vandenbroeck, Greipel,... will either ride for omega-pharma-quickstep next season or will have to pay big money to get out of their contract..

They are right though, I wouldn't let great riders like that just leave...

 

[just some guy]

Reportedly 1.5 million €.

That's a lot of money on top of Gilbert's salary.

Evans was about the same 1.2 I think.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans was about the same 1.2 I think.

Evans was on 1.8 mil at Lotto from what I read. It wasn't just BMC that paid that out.

 

[boomcie]

whats shady about that?they have valid contracts...

I knew this petty reply was going to surface.

The way they joined forces with ulterior motives is shady to me.

 

[just some guy]

Evans was on 1.8 mil at Lotto from what I read. It wasn't just BMC that paid that out.

Bet they have now

If Gilbert wants to leave and BMC want him - they will pay and maybe Gilbert pays some with a clause in his contract that if I win this or that or this plus that BMC repay Gilbert.

I´m just guessing but I recon that means it is a 2 horse race for Gilbert again.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I knew this petty reply was going to surface.

The way they joined forces with ulterior motives is shady to me.

Que ?

And if OP holds the licence, they also have the contracts. As such the riders should stay with OPL, they should've known this before they decided to sign anything else.

 

[NickBVK]

So if Omega Pharma have 1 license and Quick Step have 1 license, does that now mean that we officially have 1 license up for grabs in the WorldTour for 2012?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Only 1 belgian team and it is possible we will have 4 american teams, 1 british and 1 Australian team in the WT next year? Can't say I like that or that I would of imagined that!

 

[just some guy]

as an aside I did read somewhere that Lotto own the licence ????????

 

[boomcie]

Que ?

And if OP holds the licence, they also have the contracts. As such the riders should stay with OPL, they should've known this before they decided to sign anything else.

If BCC (the group behind OP) would not have been the main sponsor or financial administrator at the new team, all contracts would have been null and void. OP never informed its riders about its plans and thus left them assuming they were free riders.

Now, with VDB at Lotto and Gilbert in between teams they drop this bomb. That's just wicked. But heck, I guess I just hate business.

 

[boomcie]

as an aside I did read somewhere that Lotto own the licence ????????

That would surprise me. OP own it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Will Lotto be involved with any team at all now?

 

[Lanark]

If BCC (the group behind OP) would not have been the main sponsor or financial administrator at the new team, all contracts would have been null and void. OP never informed its riders about its plans and thus left them assuming they were free riders.

Now, with VDB at Lotto and Gilbert in between teams they drop this bomb. That's just wicked. But heck, I guess I just hate business.

Can't they read a newspaper? Everyone knew Omega Pharma were looking for a new team, it's not like this merger is coming out of left field, the only surprising thing is who they partner with (Quick-Step instead of all the other rumours about Vacansoleil, Leopard, HTC etc.), how is this a 'bomb'?

 

[boomcie]

Will Lotto be involved with any team at all now?

Unknown. They were in negotations with FDJ and Belgacom before if I'm not mistaken.

Can't they read a newspaper? Everyone knew Omega Pharma were looking for a new team, it's not like this merger is coming out of left field, the only surprising thing is who they partner with (Quick-Step instead of all the other rumours about Vacansoleil, Leopard, HTC etc.), how is this a 'bomb'?

It was reported a while back that they only wanted inject a 4.5 million into a new team. That's hardly enough to be a main sponsor at a big team.

The bomb is that they actually are the main sponsor now. If you were so sure this would happen, why didn't you state it at some point? It seems pretty relevant to me after all.

 

[Swabian Lass]

If BMC want Gilbert they'll be prepared to pay, I imagine this is an argument about how much they pay - it all comes down to money!

More interesting, I imagine OP can afford to pay Gilbert a fair amount. If he goes now, is he saying that he doesn't want to ride for a Belgian team.

 

[AussieGoddess]

but I cant imagine him wanting to stay either.

If he didnt want to stay when it was Omega-Pharma Lotto and there was just him for Classics, I cant imagine him being any happier with it being Omega-Pharma Quickstep and having to share races with Boonen

Belgian or not ..... he wants to be the one they build around. Their isnt room for another classics leader in a team with him.

 

[ansimi]

This Omega Pharma contract business seems very unpleasant.

When business relationships breakdown, they can be almost as messy and destructive as when personal relationships end. And it gets even worse when those business relationships also involve close personal relationships. Lots of hurt feelings and bitterness...

Taking a position that all the OPL riders are now under contract with the new Belgian super team is not the way to actually retain those riders' loyalty and service. Employees don't respond well to that sort of treatment. It seems like it might be just about money and maybe about hurting Lotto and/or some of the riders.

 

[just some guy]

1st false BMC Rumour - Rolland staying at Europcar - he was contracted anyway

staying with Europcar in 2012

Rolland confirmed he will ride for Europcar again next year as he's under contract until 2013. He played down rumours of any rift between himself and his team leader.

"Thomas and I racing in the same team won't be a problem. We showed it this year, didn't we?"

He also denied a rumour about a possible transfer to BMC, although he did comment that he would’ve been happy to ride for Cadel Evans in this year’s Tour. Rolland also revealed he admires Ivan Basso.

 

[Lanark]

It was reported a while back that they only wanted inject a 4.5 million into a new team. That's hardly enough to be a main sponsor at a big team.

The bomb is that they actually are the main sponsor now. If you were so sure this would happen, why didn't you state it at some point? It seems pretty relevant to me after all.

I don't really see the problem though. The riders knew that:

1) they signed a contract with BCC, knowing that if the current team remained (i.e. Omega Pharma as a main sponsor) that contract would remain valid.
2) they knew that Omega Pharma was really bussy trying to merge with another team.

Now, they couldn't know if Omega Pharma would succeed, or if they would become the main sponsor (but considering the fact that they had VDB, Greipel and Gilbert under contract, any team merging with Omega Pharma would have it in it's best interest to make Omega Pharma the main sponsor). But neither could Omega Pharma, this Quick-Step deal was only finalised a couple of days ago.

It would have been more classy if Omega Pharma immediately informed their employees, but the practical implications of that would have been minimal, because VDB and Gilbert had been in negotiations with other teams (and practically signed with them like VDB) for months, the riders were a bit opportunistic, they assumed that Omega Pharma would cease to exist, and unfortunately for them, it doesn't, but that's hardly faul play by Coucke & co. It's just an unfortunate, but unavoidable situation. Omega Pharma wanted a new co-sponsor, and they have every right to search for one, but that takes time, you can't blame the riders for looking for other teams in the meantime, because you don't know if and when Omega Pharma finds a new co-sponsor, and if it's too late in the season, it can get difficult finding a new team. But now Omega Pharma has found one, there is no reason not to hold the riders to their contracts.

The only party really suffering from this is Lotto, if they don't have VDB and Vanendert, chances of securing a World Tour license are extremely slim (they weren't good in the first place), unless they find the money to buy off those guys contracts, they'll little more than a glorified Topsport Vlaanderen, but hey, they pulled the plug on the Omega Pharma - Lotto team themselves (in by far their best year )