Transfers and Rumours 2013 > 2014

[The Principal Sheep]

Yeh he is a Sky fanboy. I think it would be a good move for both, Brajkovic is never going to be a leader and needs a well regimented team to perform at his best.

Agreed, he has made several gracious comments to Sky in the past and so would seem very keen for move, sounds like his time at Astana is up and that he no longer truly believes in himself as a leader at GT level.

 

[One Man Grupetto]

Even though it would probavly be good for Frank to do some good races this fall.

No races at all in 2013 only to know there will be a contract for 2014, actually I hope he has other plans.

Time to give Savio at Androni a call...

 

[Afrank]

Normally I don't like hearing that riders I like may go to Sky, but in this case I think it would be a really good move for Jani.

 

[shades1]

i like the idea of the schlecks going to OPQS and think its highly possible .

to race well and get that real fire back they need to be together again .

this would also help them become better all round riders other than pure climbers , i dont believe it will effect cav in any way .

OPQS are a team moving forward fast and to add a couple of world class climbers has to be fantastic for the team .

sign um up !!

 

[Ney the Viking]

According to eb.dk Lefevere hasn't talked to Andy and says he really isnt interested in a Tour de France GC guy.
http://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/cykling/article2032873.ece

 

[Gloin22]

I thought every single year he wanted Contador

 

[trevim]

I thought every single year he wanted Contador

Lefevre usually wants every single rider

 

[shades1]

According to eb.dk Lefevere hasn't talked to Andy and says he really isnt interested in a Tour de France GC guy.
http://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/cykling/article2032873.ece

you see reports like this brushing off big transfers in all different sports then you wake up in the morning and open the paper and there it is . huge moves in any sport are mostly kept very quiet until the contract has been signed .

what we do know is that the brothers will want to be together , i really cannot imagine they will race apart ever . we are yet to see what andy is capable of just yet but hopefully over the next 2 weeks will see some of the old sparkle and teams that could find room will sit up and take notice .

we are talking about 2 of the greatest climbers of the modern era and if they can recapture the form of old what team in there right mind would ignore that other than sky whos team is already loaded with talent .

i really hope that OPQS interview is a smokescreen because i think it could be an awesome move for team + rider , it would certainly benefit andy to become better in other areas other than climbing and that would make him a real force in future GTs .

 

[theyoungest]

I wasnt talking about money. I was talking about the wasted time/talent.

What do you mean? What more do you think he could have gotten out of his career? I think he was perfectly fine at Euskaltel.

 

[MellowJohnny]

I can't see the Schlecks going to OPQS, they have the best sprinter (Cavendish) the best classics rider (Boonen) the best TT (Tony Martin) and the best young rider (Kwiatkowski).

 

[ElChingon]

I can't see the Schlecks going to OPQS, they have the best sprinter (Cavendish) the best classics rider (Boonen) the best TT (Tony Martin) and the best young rider (Kwiatkowski).

Schlecks would also add climbing classics strength, Boonen isn't doing LBL anytime soon, OPQS hasn't one one since Bettini.

 

[Gloin22]

Schlecks would also add climbing classics strength, Boonen isn't **** LBL anytime soon, OPQS hasn't one one since Bettini.

Ummm.. Kwiatkowski for his first Ardennes campaign did phenomenally well at Amstel and Fleche...

 

[Christian]

Teams that are member of the MPCC technically can't sign Fränk Schleck, which means they can't sign Andy.

Out of the current Tour peloton, that leaves according to Tageblatt Sky, BMC, Euskaltel, Movistar, Cannondale and OPQS. (Is Saxo part of the MPCC? Or did they just assume Schlecks and Riis would not work out anymore?)

If we take out the obvious like Sky, BMC, Euskaltel and Movistar, it only leaves Cannondale and OPQS.

Lefevere is quoted in this article as saying, "if I did sign a rider like that (GC rider), it would be someone younger than the Schlecks".

Which only leaves Cannondale. Fränk reunited with his old friend Basso? (No clinic pun intended) It's a possibility. But I think much less probable than the Schlecks staying with Trek.

Most teams can't sign them either because of moral or financial reasons. Others simply don't want to or don't have the need. They are facing very little options here.

http://www.tageblatt.lu/sport/dossier/tdf2013/story/Alles-deutet-auf-Verbleib-bei-Trek-hin-31493195

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Colombia is an option

 

[gruppeto993]

The OPQS rumour is quite ridiculous. They have Cav (and his sprint train), Martin (for TTT.ITT, sprint train), Chavanel (for stage wins), so how will they accommodate the schleks and their climbing domestiques for the tour??!

I think they will stay with trek for sure. Guercilena seems like he has the intention of signing Frank and keeping Andy. Plus without GC guys what will Trek do after April when the classics are over? So instead of looking around for other riders they might as well keep what they have.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Saxo is definitely not a member of mpcc

 

[The Principal Sheep]

Unless they're getting more sponsorship for next year Cannondale will unlikely have the finances, it was rumoured that they are willing to let Basso walk in order to bolster their support of Sagan so the Schlecks wouldn't make sense if true.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This is possibly the first time in recorded history that an established GC contender is available in the market and Lefevere has NOT thrown his hat into the ring.

Which makes me think that there might be some truth in it.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Unless they're getting more sponsorship for next year Cannondale will unlikely have the finances, it was rumoured that they are willing to let Basso walk in order to bolster their support of Sagan so the Schlecks wouldn't make sense if true.

Cannondale could use a secondary top end rider who can take some wins (or get close) and share the burden with Sagan. Basso's single race approach is too risky imo. Same with Schelcks where points becomes a problem.

Cannondale should hire somebody like Kwia, Spilak or T-Mart. A guy who can perform in multiple races every year and doesn't conflict too much with Sagan's agenda.

As for the Schelcks, Trek is the best option. Take a paycut and get things going again.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cannondale could use a secondary top end rider who can take some wins (or get close) and share the burden with Sagan. Basso's single race approach is too risky imo. Same with Schelcks where points becomes a problem.

Cannondale should hire somebody like Kwia, Spilak or T-Mart. A guy who can perform in multiple races every year and doesn't conflict too much with Sagan's agenda.

As for the Schelcks, Trek is the best option. Take a paycut and get things going again.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

yea, keep him too.

 

[PCutter]

I think the answer is IAM Cycling. Ambitions to step up, apparently some decent money behind them, Andy just needs to score some WT points to help the team make the leap.

 

[Christian]

I think the answer is IAM Cycling. Ambitions to step up, apparently some decent money behind them, Andy just needs to score some WT points to help the team make the leap.

Ah yes I had not thought about that, but it seems like a possibility

 

[Ramira]

I think the answer is IAM Cycling. Ambitions to step up, apparently some decent money behind them, Andy just needs to score some WT points to help the team make the leap.

From what I've heard I think it's not that likely IAM will be able to make the jump to PT (unless Andy would get a massive amount of points this TDF, but that would mean he's a serious contender and he has a lot more options anyway), and I doubt he would want to sign with a team which can't guarantee him a spot in the Tour next year.

 

[minessa]

Ah yes I had not thought about that, but it seems like a possibility

IAM Cycling is a MPCC member too. Here are all members http://www.mpcc.fr/index.php/en/membres-uk