Transfers and Rumours 2014 > 2015

[lenric]

more like 20 years old and euskaltel was older and look how they ended up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belkin_Pro_Cycling_Team

30 years old, 10 more than Euskaltel

But truth be told, age doesn't matter that much to a sponsor, but it's just sad to see such an iconic team going away.

WillemS

Damn, Plugge sounded very resignated. Hope they do well in Tour de France so that they can attract some sponsors.

 

[infeXio]

Magnus Cort just announced in the Danish news that he's riding for Greenedge next season

 

[Gloin22]

WHAT A signing..

http://www.greenedgecycling.com/news/magnus-cort-signs-three-year-deal-with-orica-greenedge

 

[LaFlorecita]

Not happy at all with that. Don't like Orica at all. But I guess it's a good choice.....

 

[Dazed and Confused]

WHAT A signing..

http://www.greenedgecycling.com/news/magnus-cort-signs-three-year-deal-with-orica-greenedge

Now Orica just need a young-ish cobbles rider.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

So Ewan has a leadout man now then...

 

[Gloin22]

Herpburn -Howson - Durbridge - Cort - Ewan

Youth train

 

[Arnout]

I intuitively started out disliking Orica when they started but they've really won me over lately, if I were a young talent I wouldn't think twice when they approached me.

 

[Catwhoorg]

OGE or Garmin would be preferable to Sky for young English language talent.

They seem to develop them, not try to burn em out.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I intuitively started out disliking Orica when they started but they've really won me over lately, if I were a young talent I wouldn't think twice when they approached me.

To a point - they've been good for some riders because they don't have viable leaders so people get a fair crack at riding for themselves. If they keep getting good young talents, that won't be true for much longer.

 

[Arnout]

To a point - they've been good for some riders because they don't have viable leaders so people get a fair crack at riding for themselves. If they keep getting good young talents, that won't be true for much longer.

True of course, but look at Giant Shimano who refuse to select their only (and French) hopeful for in the mountains of the Tour because they want to focus on the boring boring sprint... Of course Goss is no Kittel but I don't see that happening with Orica Greenedge.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I'm just a bit surprised by this one - Cort and Ewan have such similar skill sets, which are not miles away from Gerrans or Albasini too. Can't see how they both get the same level of opportunity that their GC riders get. From the press release it sounds like Cort is going to be pushed down the cobbles route for that reason.

 

[ciranda]

Cort is not a sprinter at all though, just really fast.

Hard uphill finishes are kind of his specialty I guess, but he is a rider that attacks and is very good on harder hills if not mountains so far.

 

[Fzotrlool]

Don't they have a lot of versatile sprinters already?

Matthews, Gerrans, Albasini, Impey, Howard and to a lesser extent Goss.

 

[LaFlorecita]

So Ewan has a leadout man now then...

Oh god. Please don't joke about that

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema's managers already offered him to Saxo Tinkoff among others, but Tinkoff said Mollema was too expensive.

Anyway, that's early. No faith in a new sponsor for Belkin it seems

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belkin_Pro_Cycling_Team

30 years old, 10 more than Euskaltel

But truth be told, age doesn't matter that much to a sponsor, but it's just sad to see such an iconic team going away.

WillemS

Damn, Plugge sounded very resignated. Hope they do well in Tour de France so that they can attract some sponsors.

rabobank had absolutely nothing to do with anything prior to novell team in 1995, and even that is debatable

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Cort is not a sprinter at all though, just really fast.

Hard uphill finishes are kind of his specialty I guess, but he is a rider that attacks and is very good on harder hills if not mountains so far.

this is cortrect. coprt is perhaops a classics guy, ewan a sprinter with a good engine it seems

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Mollema's managers already offered him to Saxo Tinkoff among others, but Tinkoff said Mollema was too expensive.

Anyway, that's early. No faith in a new sponsor for Belkin it seems

mollema should be happy with any team. why would anyoen want a boring rider that can finish top 6 tops in a gt and nbever attacks

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

actually, the 3 times he did attack, he won.

crans montana, vuelta stage, both last year, and poland stage win few years ago

should attack far more often. ofcourse with the risk of finishing 28th instead of 5th, but would be more cool

 

[pastronef]

Mollema's managers already offered him to Saxo Tinkoff among others, but Tinkoff said Mollema was too expensive.

Anyway, that's early. No faith in a new sponsor for Belkin it seems

that should ring a bell to his other team mates, and to other teams. nice deals to have from a bad situation

 

[Der Effe]

mollema should be happy with any team. why would anyoen want a boring rider that can finish top 6 tops in a gt and nbever attacks

At least his teammates won't have to carry the burden of listening to you.

 

[Gloin22]

Don't they have a lot of versatile sprinters already?

Matthews, Gerrans, Albasini, Impey, Howard and to a lesser extent Goss.

Gerrans might be leaving.

Albasini is not getting younger.

Impey is okay, but not amazing.

Howard clearly not good enough, if he was good he would break through by now.

Goss, lol.

Matthews is the really only one.

 

[dirkprovin]

Gerrans might be leaving.

Albasini is not getting younger.

Impey is okay, but not amazing.

Howard clearly not good enough, if he was good he would break through by now.

Goss, lol.

Matthews is the really only one.

Only the latter three could really be classified as sprinters with the first 3 more "puncheurs" with fast finishes.

Gerrans IS likely to get a substantial pay rise but where exactly is he likely to go that he will get (1) the numero uno status for his targeted races and (2) the level of team support that he already enjoys ?

Albasini is older but still brings in good results every year. In many ways similar characteristics to Gerrans albeit maybe a better climber.

Impey is probably more of a sprinter than the previous two ... and can serve as a key lead-out man but has shown a capacity to bring in results/good finishes and points in his own right.

Howard has proven completely insipid and, whilst not fully certain of his contract status, may be struggling to be retained or even stay in top level competition.

Goss looks completely gone. How much is physical and how much is between his ears is open to speculation but he will be facing a major wage cut to even stay at OGE ...... and one could hardly see any other WT team expressing any interest in him given his 2013-14 form-line.

Interesting to know where exactly Matthews direction lies. He's quick but maybe not in the echelon of the very top guys but his capacity to go uphill points towards the spring classics and selective GT stages ..... and maybe the odd run at GT points jerseys ?

 

[Bushman]

I'm just a bit surprised by this one - Cort and Ewan have such similar skill sets, which are not miles away from Gerrans or Albasini too. Can't see how they both get the same level of opportunity that their GC riders get. From the press release it sounds like Cort is going to be pushed down the cobbles route for that reason.

Nah, they are not really similar. As Ryo said, Cort is not a sprinter, he is more of a classics rider with a fast finish, Ewan is a pure sprinter with a good ability to survive harder parcours.