Transfers and Rumours 2013 > 2014

[Afrank]

Now this is a good signing, he his a valuable asset for the team in almost every race.
About Rathe, I hope he gets a contract. He won his first race close to my hometown in the Volta a Portugal!

I'm really hoping so as well, he's from Portland, OR and has raced many of the same races I have and do race. Really hope to see him remain in the WT (or just find some team so he can keep racing) and find success in it.

 

[Njbb1995]

"George Nelson Bennett likes Cannondale Pro Cycling"

Just saw this on Facebook, Could it be an indication that Bennett has signed for Cannondale?

 

[Christian]

"George Nelson Bennett likes Cannondale Pro Cycling"

Just saw this on Facebook, Could it be an indication that Bennett has signed for Cannondale?

Hehe, nice find! I sure hope that it's the case!

Thanks for sharing

 

[Parrulo]

Hasn't bennett signed with Net-App with Machado?

 

[Njbb1995]

I think you are thinking of Sam Bennett the young Sprinter,
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/15642/Sam-Bennett-and-Tiago-Machado-snapped-up-by-NetApp-Endura.aspx

I am Talking about a different young Bennett, The Kiwi Climber from Radioshack.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bennett-to-remain-in-worldtour-for-2014

 

[Parrulo]

oh i see

when i read the news i only cared about the Machado part and skipped the Bennett part, so i always assumed it was the RS Bennett

 

[whittashau]

Cannondale do need actual climbers and he is talented while still being rather young, so a good signing imo.

 

[Cimber]

Poljanski and Kolar officially to Saxo

http://teamsaxotinkoff.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=4244&lang=uk

 

[jens_attacks]

what is with saxo signing only crrappy unknown riders?

hell i won't be surprised if saxo will sign me next

 

[Cimber]

what is with saxo signing only crrappy unknown riders?

hell i won't be surprised if saxo will sign me next

They are cheap...

Anyways, unknown is not necessarily = crappy

 

[whittashau]

They are cheap...

Anyways, unknown is not necessarily = crappy

Yes, but they could have picked up known quality riders who have or still are struggling to find a team like Ponzi, or Seeldrayers etc for what I would assume would be for very little money, but instead they go for complete unknowns? It baffles me.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yes, but they could have picked up known quality riders who have or still are struggling to find a team like Ponzi, or Seeldrayers etc for what I would assume would be for very little money, but instead they go for complete unknowns? It baffles me.

Ponzi however is a ticking timebomb (Mantova investigation)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Poljanski and Kolar officially to Saxo

http://teamsaxotinkoff.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=4244&lang=uk

Saxo are trying to bring their average age down

 

[trevim]

what is with saxo signing only crrappy unknown riders?

hell i won't be surprised if saxo will sign me next

Majka was also unknown. Let's wait and see.

 

[Wallenquist]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/samuel-sanchez-ive-got-no-offers

Pretty odd.
He said that he had no offers from other teams and he's still an Esukaltel's rider for the next two seasons. But that team vanished so i dont understand what is he talking about. Hard to belive noone offered him a contract (Wanty did, right ?). Either he's trying to increase media interest and expecting to recive some new offers or he already has a contract signed and just can't say a word becuase his new team expected it.

What do you think ?

 

[Liquigas]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/samuel-sanchez-ive-got-no-offers

Pretty odd.
He said that he had no offers from other teams and he's still an Esukaltel's rider for the next two seasons. But that team vanished so i dont understand what is he talking about. Hard to belive noone offered him a contract (Wanty did, right ?). Either he's trying to increase media interest and expecting to recive some new offers or he already has a contract signed and just can't say a word becuase his new team expected it.

What do you think ?

He prefers to take the money from his two years of contract left with Euskaltel and stay warm at home than to ride for much less money.

 

[Gloin22]

Sanchez won a stage of the Dauphiné, he can still be competitive. But it feels like he's stretching out his career a bit too long

Summarizes my view on Samu, he should just if he wants to stay in sport begin as a DS at Euskadi or some other team if possible.

 

[Jux1893]

He prefers to take the money from his two years of contract left with Euskaltel and stay warm at home than to ride for much less money.

I'm sorry but I don't understand how it would work.

If the team has folded, how can they pay him the previously accorded salaries? Won't he have a very tough time getting the money if the team simple denies him the salaries, and files for bankruptcy?

Does he has a realistic chance of getting the money for the two years? Who will pay him?

Sorry, but I never understood how this situation works in reality.

 

[JRanton]

Caja Rural's 2014 roster is complete (18 riders): http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=67027


Javier Aramendía
David Arroyo
Pello Bilbao
Karol Domagalski
Ramón Domene
Rubén Fernandez
Fabricio Ferrari
Omar Fraile
Marcos Garcia
Fernando Grijalba
Francesco Lasca
Ángel Madrazo
Luis Más
Antonio Molina
Heiner Parra
Antonio Piedra
Ametx Txurruka
Davide Vigano


New signings (seven): Pello Bilbao (Euskaltel), Fernando Grijalba (Amateur), Ángel Madrazo (Movistar), Lluis Más (Burgos BH-Castilla y Leon), Antonio Molina (Amateur), Heiner Parra (4-72 Colombia), Davide Vigano (Lampre-Merida).

Departures (seven): Andre Cardoso (Garmin-Sharp), Manuel Cardoso (?), Yelko Gomez (?), Francisco Moreno (?), Enzo Moyano (?), Danail Petrov (?), Ivan Velasco (?).

It was confirmed today that the team is now definitely complete for 2014 and is closed to any new riders (all of the budget has been spent): http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=67280

There had been some talk about Urtasun and L.L. Sanchez possibly joining the team but that isn't going to happen now.

 

[Christian]

Caja Rural's 2014 roster
New signings (seven): (...) Davide Vigano (Lampre-Merida).

Oh nice, I hadn't noticed that

 

[jens_attacks]

caja rural could have been a great team with all the options on the market

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Seguros RGA, while attached to the same group as Caja Rural, came on board mid-season before, so there's always the possibility that good results lead to more sponsor interest leads to some of these options being taken up. I suspect many riders will take the hit of a year out with the aim of being part of the nascent Alonso project for 2015, which may be too late for Samu but for guys like Luís León Sánchez may not be a problem. A year lost in peak years is bad, but it won't necessarily totally ruin a career. Gustavo César, Linus Gerdemann, Tino Zaballa and others have managed to get back into the game after sitting out a year, while others have taken several months into the season to get contracts or sat out the rest of the year after a suspension or injury break is up, so hope isn't totally up for those without contracts. Besides, roster spots could always come available when inevitable mid-season releases due to positive tests, clashes with management or sudden retirements take place.

Beyond that, there's always Portugal. OFM and Louletano are probably looking for some aging Spaniards on the cheap, but they'll probably leave it until May to pick up the scraps in order to save money and just bring them in for the Volta warmup events. I don't expect the likes of Samu to fall under that heading, but Urtasun and some of the other Euskaltel guys might. Garikoitz Bravo's already at Efapel along with Mestre, non-Euskaltel Basque Arkaitz Durán's gone to OFM, I could see some of the mid-career guys not old enough to go for retirement (Verdugo and Egoi Martínez, for example, may elect not to continue) looking at that as an option if the interest is there. I'm thinking of guys like Oroz and Rubén Pérez, although while the Portuguese scene is on the up it is still pretty low on cash, and teams are pretty small.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Why should anyone sign a guy like Oroz? He does not have exactly a lot to offer (apart from being Basque, which was of course enough for Euskaltel). Even crappy Portuguese Continental teams (and they are all crappy) could get dozens of better riders.

 

[JRanton]

Francois Parisien (Argos-Shimano) retires:

http://pedalmag.com/francois-parisien-announces-his-retirement/

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Why should anyone sign a guy like Oroz? He does not have exactly a lot to offer (apart from being Basque, which was of course enough for Euskaltel). Even crappy Portuguese Continental teams (and they are all crappy) could get dozens of better riders.

Brian Smith once said Alexandre Blain was signed to Endura a few years ago partly because of what he could bring to the team in terms of continental cycling experience to impart to the younger British riders, and partly because of his contacts. Iker Camaño similarly, who was not in a position dissimilar to somebody like Oroz now, albeit a couple of years younger at the time. A guy like Oroz is a decent workhorse. Nothing special, and sure I'd prefer if the Portuguese teams were elevating Portuguese talent. But Euskaltel guys without teams will likely come pretty cheap, with experience of the World Tour, and with contacts in France and Spain. If a team wants to get a bit more experience racing outside Portugal, increase the riders' all-round abilities etc., it could be valuable.

I mean, it might not, but it could be. Portuguese teams are very insular, and I would anticipate given the hideously small number of Spanish teams at present and the Spanish presence on most of the Portuguese teams (I think LA-Antarte and Banco BIC-Carmim are the only ones without Spaniards, though I'm not sure if Radio Popular are keeping theirs) they'll be invited to most Spanish non-WT races to make numbers up anyway.

Speaking of transfers, since this is the transfer thread, and Portuguese continental teams, and Spaniards racing for them, Efapel have signed Victor de la Parte, previously of SP Tableware. He rode for Caja Rural back in 2011 and was seen as a promising young talent, however if I remember correctly he was named in something and wound up off the road. He went to SP Tableware mid-season in 2012 and had good results in Romania and Bulgaria, now gets to return to the Iberian peninsula.