Transfers and Rumours 2015 > 2016

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Zaugg signed to IAM.

That's a good team for him, hopefully he gets the opportunity to lead at some races. He was massively underrated at Tinkoff-Saxo I feel.

Instead of signing climbing domestiques, Tinkoff are just losing them 2016 TDF team with Paulinho, Hernandez and Rovny _O_ maybe Noval can make a comeback

Have to look at signing climbing doms otherwise Sky, Movistar and Astana will be able to isolate Contador whenever they want.

That will happen either way, there are no good domestiques left on the market (well maybe Puma Darwin ), but as previous GTs have shown Froome/Quintana/whoever is leading Astana will have to be able to drop Contador, if they can't, they will have a very hard time beating him. I'm digging into my memory here, and I believe the only time Contador has lost a race because of his team was the 2014 Dauphiné, when Garmin got into a break and Contador's teammates were all 20 minutes behind after 10km of racing.

My point is, isolating Contador is not enough if you can't exploit the situation. Contador can just ride the Sky/Movi/Astana train.

 

[Velolover2]

There are getting less and less climbing doms available for Tinkoff-Saxo. And those on the team are either too old or not strong enough.

Who's left? Atapuma would be the best buy.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

There are getting less and less climbing doms available for Tinkoff-Saxo. And those on the team are either too old or not strong enough.

Who's left? Atapuma would be the best buy.

Atapuma, Siutsou, Santa, Ten Dam.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

There are getting less and less climbing doms available for Tinkoff-Saxo. And those on the team are either too old or not strong enough.

Who's left? Atapuma would be the best buy.

They have to go for Puma and Siutsou, I think I read somewhere they were in talks with 6 riders and would sign 1 or 2. Somewhere else I read they wanted to sign 1 more climbing specialist and 1 rider to support Sagan. But that was several weeks ago and I wouldn't be surprised if they sign no one or just 1 of their neo-pros and that's it. At least they extended some important riders.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Contador should be good with Majka who has shown to be able to climb superbly after the Giro, so I wouldnt have any real worries in terms of the Tour. I think he has shown that he primarily needs and wants rouleurs to keep him at the front of the race, his legs in the mountains will determine the rest.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

There are getting less and less climbing doms available for Tinkoff-Saxo. And those on the team are either too old or not strong enough.

Who's left? Atapuma would be the best buy.

Atapuma, Siutsou, Santa, Ten Dam.

I can't see Ten Dam on TS. I think he is going to Giant. And Santa is more of a puncheur.

But Siutsou and Atapuma would be great buys. Maybe Igor Anton if he is not going to Orica.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

There are getting less and less climbing doms available for Tinkoff-Saxo. And those on the team are either too old or not strong enough.

Who's left? Atapuma would be the best buy.

They have to go for Puma and Siutsou, I think I read somewhere they were in talks with 6 riders and would sign 1 or 2. Somewhere else I read they wanted to sign 1 more climbing specialist and 1 rider to support Sagan. But that was several weeks ago and I wouldn't be surprised if they sign no one or just 1 of their neo-pros and that's it. At least they extended some important riders.

I wouldn't be surprised if the helper for Sagan is Ballan. Him and Tosatto are training partners and Oleg doesn't care about riders' past.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Contador should be good with Majka who has shown to be able to climb superbly after the Giro, so I wouldnt have any real worries in terms of the Tour. I think he has shown that he primarily needs and wants rouleurs to keep him at the front of the race, his legs in the mountains will determine the rest.

I like Majka but I question his motivation to work for Contador, I seem to remember there was some stuff about him not wanting to race a GT as a domestique before leading one (i.e. excluding the possibility of riding the Tour as a domestique before leading the Vuelta) but that he doesn't want to ride the Giro because he doesn't like the weather (i.e. excluding the possibility of leading the Giro before rider the Tour as a domestique). Majka wasn't all that great at the Tour this year, as a domestique, anyway.
I'm calling it right now, Trofimov will be Contador's best domestique or Puma if they sign him

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't be surprised if the helper for Sagan is Ballan. Him and Tosatto are training partners and Oleg doesn't care about riders' past.

Oss I would guess

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Contador should be good with Majka who has shown to be able to climb superbly after the Giro, so I wouldnt have any real worries in terms of the Tour. I think he has shown that he primarily needs and wants rouleurs to keep him at the front of the race, his legs in the mountains will determine the rest.

I like Majka but I question his motivation to work for Contador, I seem to remember there was some stuff about him not wanting to race a GT as a domestique before leading one (i.e. excluding the possibility of riding the Tour as a domestique before leading the Vuelta) but that he doesn't want to ride the Giro because he doesn't like the weather (i.e. excluding the possibility of leading the Giro before rider the Tour as a domestique). Majka wasn't all that great at the Tour this year, as a domestique, anyway.
I'm calling it right now, Trofimov will be Contador's best domestique or Puma if they sign him

I thought I heard rumours of Majka leading the Giro. I guess we'll see!

And yes, if Majka doesnt ride the Tour, Trofimov for sure will be the best in the mountains, but regardless of how many mountain domestiques they have, they a) wont matter if Contador isnt as good or very close to Froome and b) still be worse than the Sky-powerhouse.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't be surprised if the helper for Sagan is Ballan. Him and Tosatto are training partners and Oleg doesn't care about riders' past.

Oss I would guess

I don't know, he is almost too good. Oleg tends to sign random or old riders.

Btw which teams are full other than Sky? Cannondale? AG2R is also close to the limit.

 

[damian13ster]

Tinkoff definetely needs 2 more climbing domestiques. They will only have good lineup for the Tour, other than that it will be absolute crap.

 

[Velolover2]

I don't even think Trofimov is Tour-level. A Giro-helper for Majka perhaps. Contador needs some real climbers to support him.

The 6th strongest Sky man is stronger than his best helper.

 

[staubsauger]

Ain't Pellizotti and Sella up for grab as well!?

Santa was rumored to Astana days ago and he would clearly fit into their classics squad. Astana somehow is the number one Italian squad nowadays.

Ten Dam signs anywhere where he can realize his US adventure as long as he's still competitive.

In fact that really leaves Sivtsov, Atapuma and Pellizotti as possible domestique signings for Tinkoff. Plus maybe someone as Ballan/Oss for Sagan and/or a(nother) random Russian guy from RusVelo.

Majka, Kreuziger, Rogers, Atapuma, Sivtsov, Pellizotti, Trofimov wouldn't even sound that bad on paper for a support team. Plus the option to replace one name above with Poljanski and even Basso!? That's better than this year at least.

 

[damian13ster]

Re:

Ain't Pellizotti and Sella up for grab as well!?

Santa was rumored to Astana days ago and he would clearly fit into their classics squad. Astana somehow is the number one Italian squad nowadays.

Ten Dam signs anywhere where he can realize his US adventure as long as he's still competitive.

In fact that really leaves Sivtsov, Atapuma and Pellizotti as possible domestique signings for Tinkoff. Plus maybe someone as Ballan/Oss for Sagan and/or a(nother) random Russian guy from RusVelo.

Majka, Kreuziger, Rogers, Atapuma, Sivtsov, Pellizotti, Trofimov wouldn't even sound that bad on paper for a support team. Plus the option to replace one name above with Poljanski and even Basso!? That's better than this year at least.

Isnt Kiserlovski with the team as well? Plus you need to have some firepower for Giro and Vuelta as well. This year's lineup were a disgrace. Tinkoff is more Tour-focused than any other team in cycling

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I don't even think Trofimov is Tour-level. A Giro-helper for Majka perhaps. Contador needs some real climbers to support him.

The 6th strongest Sky man is stronger than his best helper.

Currently there are no stronger climbers than Trofimov on the market.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

I don't even think Trofimov is Tour-level. A Giro-helper for Majka perhaps. Contador needs some real climbers to support him.

The 6th strongest Sky man is stronger than his best helper.

Yeah Kwiatkowski and Golas will rip Tinkoff apart anytime they want.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re:

Tinkoff definetely needs 2 more climbing domestiques. They will only have good lineup for the Tour, other than that it will be absolute crap.

They will probably sign Cobo or get Basso for two bags of pasta.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

I don't even think Trofimov is Tour-level. A Giro-helper for Majka perhaps. Contador needs some real climbers to support him.

The 6th strongest Sky man is stronger than his best helper.

Currently there are no stronger climbers than Trofimov on the market.

Moreno definitely is, but I can't see him signing with TS.

Other than Moreno, I'm struggling to find one looking at this list.

http://www.procyclingstats.com/statistics.php?statistic=contract_free_riders

 

[Velolover2]

Rebellin?

With the right team, I actually think he still could do better than Kreuziger in the classics.

 

[Velolover2]

There is also Acevedo for Cannondale. Atapuma, Acevedo and Contador would make a nice trio in the mountains.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Ain't Pellizotti and Sella up for grab as well!?

Santa was rumored to Astana days ago and he would clearly fit into their classics squad. Astana somehow is the number one Italian squad nowadays.

Ten Dam signs anywhere where he can realize his US adventure as long as he's still competitive.

In fact that really leaves Sivtsov, Atapuma and Pellizotti as possible domestique signings for Tinkoff. Plus maybe someone as Ballan/Oss for Sagan and/or a(nother) random Russian guy from RusVelo.

Majka, Kreuziger, Rogers, Atapuma, Sivtsov, Pellizotti, Trofimov wouldn't even sound that bad on paper for a support team. Plus the option to replace one name above with Poljanski and even Basso!? That's better than this year at least.

Isnt Kiserlovski with the team as well? Plus you need to have some firepower for Giro and Vuelta as well. This year's lineup were a disgrace. Tinkoff is more Tour-focused than any other team in cycling

Yeah, I forgot about Kiserlovski and as well about Hansen who was a decent domestique for Majka at the Vuelta.

Actually, Tinkoff's major grand tour always is the Giro, it's Contador who focusses on the Tour and therefore the strongest team is expected to be there, of course.

But with Majka being leader at the Giro, Oleg's favorite gt, they really need more climbers for him as well. At least Poljanski, Hansen + 1 for at least a decent support. Pellizotti ain't completely done. He's old, but was still somehow competitive at least at the Giro.

I don't see any other (semi) useful domestiques than him, Atapuma and Sivtvsov that Tinkoff still can sign for next year, anyway.

That said, Franco is 38 next year. Maybe he can sign for one year and take over the team together with Basso and a Italian sponsor if Oleg disappears after Contador ends his career. (100% pure speculation!!!!)

Edith says: "Okay, there are even some more decent options left than Franco looking at the PCS list. Let's see what Oleg does."

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I don't even think Trofimov is Tour-level. A Giro-helper for Majka perhaps. Contador needs some real climbers to support him.

The 6th strongest Sky man is stronger than his best helper.

Currently there are no stronger climbers than Trofimov on the market.

Moreno definitely is, but I can't see him signing with TS.

Other than Moreno, I'm struggling to find one looking at this list.

http://www.procyclingstats.com/statistics.php?statistic=contract_free_riders

I'm not counting Moreno as a free rider, he's already signed I think.

 

[Velolover2]

I wonder where Nocentini will end up. He said he would continue until he turned 40. Maybe Tinkoff-Saxo?

 

[karldoubleu]

Seen that Russ downing has raced his last race for Cult Energy. Wonder where he will end up, ONE pro or NFTO again?