Transfers and Rumours 2017 > 2018

[Squire]

Nothing is decided yet, but Kristoffer Halvorsen has been in talks with Lotto NL during Tour fo norway, in fact there have been conversations between them since last year.

They really want to get him. They even signed his lead-out man for this season in order to tempt him to come.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Would be a good fit, they really only have one other sprinter.

 

[HelloDolly]

So Landa & Zakarin to Bahrain
https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/868043364545036288

 

[Squire]

Re:

So Landa & Zakarin to Bahrain
https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/868043364545036288

Let me quote General McAullife's response to the Germans: Nuts!

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Hirt to a WT team? He is such a good climber when it comes to the high mountains.

He would be perfect for a smaller team like Lotto-Jumbo. The new quartet of Roglic, Kruijswijk, Bennett and Hirt.

After today's performance, I'm sure bigger teams like Katusha, Astana and BMC are looking to add another goat.

Or Sunweb, if Dumoulin wants a strong climber.

 

[deValtos]

Re:

So Landa & Zakarin to Bahrain
https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/868043364545036288

Well that can't be right. Zero reason for Zak to leave Katusha (unless its a huge pay rise?) Then surely neither would go to "support" Nibali.

 

[Ricco']

Re:

So Landa & Zakarin to Bahrain
https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/868043364545036288

I believed in that at first, then I opened the link and saw it was Beppe Conti stuff...

 

[Nirvana]

Re:

Quickstep still searching for a sponsor.

Some days ago Beppe Conti said that there is an italian sponsor for Quickstep and the only departing rider is Trentin, the others big names and key domestiques are all set to remain with Lefevere.

 

[Vasilis]

I heard that Landa actually wants to stay at Sky.
Can't remember the source though.

 

[deValtos]

Re:

I heard that Landa actually wants to stay at Sky.
Can't remember the source though.

It was Landa himself. After his stage win:

"I hope that's a sign of what I can do and helps people puts their faith in my ability so that I can perhaps stay here at Team Sky."

 

[Velolover2]

Any news about Hirt? He is too good for PCT.

 

[Jancouver]

Re:

Any news about Hirt? He is too good for PCT.

He is not that young, but considering this was his first GT, he did pretty well and other than the one day crisis on Etna where he lost 5min, he could have been in the top10.

CCC needs to keep him in order to get more GT invites. Overall CCC did pretty good job and were visible the whole 3 weeks ... maybe its only the orange jerseys

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re:

Any news about Hirt? He is too good for PCT.

There was an interview with him in czech news and he said he already got multiple World Tour offers. He will take a few days to think about it. I can't see him staying in CCC.

 

[staubsauger]

He should though and try to fulfill some kinda “Rasmussen of the Giro“ role in 2018. But that's wrong with the world tour. He probably signs elsewhere for a bigger paycheck and becomes a random rider on their squad.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hirt the next Roglic

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Hirt the next Roglic

Hirt is more of a pure climber.
The guy has always been a beast in the high mountains (remember Rettenbachferner 2015?), but it's great to see that he did so well in his first gt. If they get another wildcard one more year at CCC wouldn't be the worst option.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Problem is that CCC aren't a team like Direct Energie or Cofidis that can absolutely guarantee a GT invite and they also don't have the budget to pay a significantly increased salary. He will likely be a well compensated mountain dom on a WT team next year.

 

[staubsauger]

I thought that CCC increased their sponsorship a few years ago to a decent level. Their paychecks shouldn't be much lower than the ones from LottoNL and Lampre imho!

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

I thought that CCC increased their sponsorship a few years ago to a decent level. Their paychecks shouldn't be much lower than the ones from LottoNL and Lampre imho!

I thought the same, but last year they didn't resign De La Parte, so who knows?
It's not like they have many guys who earn a lot, but a team with Hirt, Grossschartner and Schlegel for the mountain stages (all of them have now finished their first gt) could be really fun and with Hirt's performance amother wildcard should be almost guaranteed.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

I thought that CCC increased their sponsorship a few years ago to a decent level. Their paychecks shouldn't be much lower than the ones from LottoNL and Lampre imho!

I thought the same, but last year they didn't resign De La Parte, so who knows?
It's not like they have many guys who earn a lot, but a team with Hirt, Grossschartner and Schlegel for the mountain stages (all of them have now finished their first gt) could be really fun and with Hirt's performance amother wildcard should be almost guaranteed.

Neither Grosschartner nor Schlegel looked much fun this Giro. Of course they can improve but it's unsure.

I think paychecks in CCC are very low compared to WT teams, at least most of them. It's hard life as a member of procontinental team at WT level, WT riders let you know that you are lesser form of life, so...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Cofidis and Direct Energie are, as far as I know, the only PCT teams with wage budgets competitive with the smallest WT teams. Cofidis being notorious overspenders supposedly pay their team of not very notable riders more than the runts of the WT litter. But the rest are well behind the WT in budge terms.

PCT teams are really very weak in this period, having been stripped of their best riders by a combination of the points system and escalating WT budgets driven by non commercial sponsors (rich man's toy teams and quasi national teams). A few years ago a rider like Hirt could make a splash at a GT and then the PCT outfit would try to hold onto him as their marquee leader. Nowadays anyone who shows high level ability at any discipline gets snapped up instantly. The exceptions are nearly always sprinters, basically because the talent pool is very deep at the moment and there isn't enough room at WT teams for all the second and third tier fast men. Also sprinters are a good investment for teams that will be riding a lot of lower level races, so if a PCT team can pay one rider well a sprinter makes sense.

I suspect that more than one WT team will offer him more than twice what CCC can offer and he will jump at it. Hopefully he goes somewhere where he can ride for his own chance at least sometimes.

 

[WheelofGear]

Belgian Lotto have a very few pure climbers. Valls hasn't been very impressive since his win in Oman.

Maybe that is a good place for Hirt? Could even get a chance to lead in a Grand Tour like the Vuelta.

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

I suspect that more than one WT team will offer him more than twice what CCC can offer and he will jump at it. Hopefully he goes somewhere where he can ride for his own chance at least sometimes.

Well that will probably turn out true. Rest depends on how he will do...he has some reserves I believe, at least in time trials which he wasn't training until now. He needs to work on it with someone, at CCC he didn't have much chances. In WT I believe most have their TT bike.

 

[Jancouver]

I can imagine Hirt going to Bora to replace Konig or Konrad. He can also help Majka. They do need another climber and he can be an outright leader for Giro or Vuelta.

 

[pastronef]

Re:

I can imagine Hirt going to Bora to replace Konig or Konrad. He can also help Majka. They do need another climber and he can be an outright leader for Giro or Vuelta.

Konig stays at Bora until 2019. he signed a 3 year deal