Transfers and Rumours 2017 > 2018

[MatParker117]

Re: Re:

[ote="[url=http://forum.cyclingnews.com/viewtopic.php?p=2125771#p2125771]Brullnux[/url]"]

I heard Sky were looking to sign Contador ...

Go wash your mouth out

They had brief talks prior to Sky signing Wiggins.

I know that. Dodged a bullet, he would have ended up like EBH.

think for a moment about this, if Sky signed Alberto from 2010, the view we all have on Team Sky would be completely different. in 2010 the vitriol wasnt there yet. the minds werent still bugged with the Sky-problem.

things would have been very different. so very different.

dont think about Contador signing for Sky 7 years ago at the beginning of Sky in 2010, with the sky-bugged mind of the last 4-5 years

You're probably right. There wouldn't have been the improbable transformations, maybe the marginal gains stuff would have been toned down and the riding would be more aggressive (you'd hope) with a rider like Contador.

Why didn't they sign him? Sponsors wanting a British rider, I imagine, as Contador in 2010 was a far more attractive proposition than Wiggins was. Or was it money? Or just the Brailsford ethos?[/quote]

Couldn't get him out of his Astana deal.

 

[ciranda]

Re:

I absolutely hated SKY from the first second. The way they only signed cyclists from honest nations or whatever, the ugly jerseys, how crazy implausible and arrogant the idea of a TDF winner from Great Britain in five years was, the money, etc.

The team was very easy to hate from the start.

There are some rumors about Hirt to Astana.

I actually expected him to go to a team like that.

What do you mean?
Non anglo-saxon?
Not competitive in today's cycling?
Eastern european? (Astana is not eastern european, more russian central asian)
Because he likes strongly colored jerseys?

 

[Akuryo]

Re: Re:

I absolutely hated SKY from the first second. The way they only signed cyclists from honest nations or whatever, the ugly jerseys, how crazy implausible and arrogant the idea of a TDF winner from Great Britain in five years was, the money, etc.

The team was very easy to hate from the start.

There are some rumors about Hirt to Astana.

I actually expected him to go to a team like that.

What do you mean?
Non anglo-saxon?
Not competitive in today's cycling?
Eastern european? (Astana is not eastern european, more russian central asian)
Because he likes strongly colored jerseys?

Why so complicated? Astana is a team interested in bolstering their climbing support and Hirt fits the profile. Reason enough for you?

 

[ciranda]

No because I don't know what team like that means.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

There are some rumors about Hirt to Astana.

I actually expected him to go to a team like that.

What do you mean?
Non anglo-saxon?
Not competitive in today's cycling?
Eastern european? (Astana is not eastern european, more russian central asian)
Because he likes strongly colored jerseys?

Probably one which is not that big at the moment and has room for him to fit in and grow. Astana, UAE, those teams. The middle to low ones.

 

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

There are some rumors about Hirt to Astana.

I actually expected him to go to a team like that.

What do you mean?
Non anglo-saxon?
Not competitive in today's cycling?
Eastern european? (Astana is not eastern european, more russian central asian)
Because he likes strongly colored jerseys?

Probably one which is not that big at the moment and has room for him to fit in and grow. Astana, UAE, those teams. The middle to low ones.

Yeah. A slightly "chaotic" team where you can be a lone wolf.

 

[ciranda]

Cool, yeah I think that would be a good choice for him.

 

[Colonel]

Re: 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

My comment was more related to Konig's ongoing health issues as he may be forced to retire ... we should have an answer in the next few weeks

Kong is a Vegetarian with a knee problem that he wont show up to Doctors appointments for or take their analysis and prescription. Neither are sustainable in Pro Tour level cycling

 

[pastronef]

Re: 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

My comment was more related to Konig's ongoing health issues as he may be forced to retire ... we should have an answer in the next few weeks

Konig is a Vegetarian with a knee problem that he wont show up to Doctors appointments for or take their analysis and prescription. Neither are sustainable in Pro Tour level cycling

is that true? never heard of that
he won stage in Vuelta and was top10 in both Vuelta and Giro

 

[May0maniac]

According to La Gazzetta Bahrain are interested in signing Formolo, Caruso and Landa.
Landa signing with them would make little sense, same as Formolo, both of them would want to be the team leader at the Giro and that would only happen if Nibali rides the Tour, the whole team his built around him. Caruso on the other hand, that wouldn't surprise me, another old Liquigas buddy for Nibali.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: 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

My comment was more related to Konig's ongoing health issues as he may be forced to retire ... we should have an answer in the next few weeks

Konig is a Vegetarian with a knee problem that he wont show up to Doctors appointments for or take their analysis and prescription. Neither are sustainable in Pro Tour level cycling

is that true? never heard of that
he won stage in Vuelta and was top10 in both Vuelta and Giro

As for the question - he used to be vegetarian as late as beginning of this year, whethet it's true now is a guess. Certainyl it didn't matter because he reached his best level being vegetarian, so... About the knee I don't know.
Top ten in Vuelta, Giro and Tour actually. Last year being very near podium at Vuelta, one of the strongest there even climbing better than Froome and Quintana actually and very near stage win (but he miscalculated his effort so weaker Frank take stage win despite König chased him down mightily.
Looks like he is capable of being Pro Tour level.

 

[Brullnux]

He was going extremely well, but isn't better than Quintana and Froome slightly hyperbolic?

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

He was going extremely well, but isn't better than Quintana and Froome slightly hyperbolic?

Sorry, you're right. I was gonna write "even climbing better than Froome and Quintana on occasion actually". I didn't want to get to polemic who was better overall. That will remain an unaswered question given Formigal stage. König was improving towards the end, Quintana and Froome fading though.

 

[May0maniac]

Some rumours:
- Gorka Izagirre to Bahrain, maybe also Damiano Caruso, but Porte seems to rate him pretty high, so BMC will try to keep him.
- Kittel to Katusha and Kristoff to Astana
- Kristoffer Halvorsen to Sky
- Gallopin to Katusha or AG2R.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: 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

My comment was more related to Konig's ongoing health issues as he may be forced to retire ... we should have an answer in the next few weeks

Kong is a Vegetarian with a knee problem that he wont show up to Doctors appointments for or take their analysis and prescription. Neither are sustainable in Pro Tour level cycling

What has being a vegetarian got to do with this discussion? Surely you don't mean that being a Veg isn't sustainable with being a pro athlete

 

[LaFlorecita]

Tom Dumoulin signed a contract until 2022 (I guess that means 2018-2021?) https://twitter.com/TeamSunweb/status/872100659776151552

 

[can3478]

Re:

Some rumours:
- Gorka Izagirre to Bahrain, maybe also Damiano Caruso, but Porte seems to rate him pretty high, so BMC will try to keep him.
- Kittel to Katusha and Kristoff to Astana
- Kristoffer Halvorsen to Sky
- Gallopin to Katusha or AG2R.

QS can't afford 2 top tier sprinters. I can see Kittel joining his friend, Tony Martin at Katusha.

If I'm not mistaken, Katusha is a team with big budget. In the case of QS doesn't find new sponsor, maybe more Quick Steppers may join Katusha?

 

[Der Effe]

Re: 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

My comment was more related to Konig's ongoing health issues as he may be forced to retire ... we should have an answer in the next few weeks

Kong is a Vegetarian with a knee problem that he wont show up to Doctors appointments for or take their analysis and prescription. Neither are sustainable in Pro Tour level cycling

What has being a vegetarian got to do with this discussion? Surely you don't mean that being a Veg isn't sustainable with being a pro athlete

In all fairness, it all went downhill for Contador once he gave up the meat.

 

[Breh]

Re: Re:

Some rumours:
- Gorka Izagirre to Bahrain, maybe also Damiano Caruso, but Porte seems to rate him pretty high, so BMC will try to keep him.
- Kittel to Katusha and Kristoff to Astana
- Kristoffer Halvorsen to Sky
- Gallopin to Katusha or AG2R.

QS can't afford 2 top tier sprinters. I can see Kittel joining his friend, Tony Martin at Katusha.

If I'm not mistaken, Katusha is a team with big budget. In the case of QS doesn't find new sponsor, maybe more Quick Steppers may join Katusha?

If a team like Quick-Step cant find a new sponsor, there's something very wrong in this sport.

 

[pastronef]

Re:

Tom Dumoulin signed a contract until 2022 (I guess that means 2018-2021?) https://twitter.com/TeamSunweb/status/872100659776151552

he already had a 2018 deal. so he upped for 4 more years: 2019-20-21-22

 

[Ruudz0r]

Re: Re:

Tom Dumoulin signed a contract until 2022 (I guess that means 2018-2021?) https://twitter.com/TeamSunweb/status/872100659776151552

he already had a 2018 deal. so he upped for 4 more years: 2019-20-21-22

he upped for 3 years

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

Tom Dumoulin signed a contract until 2022 (I guess that means 2018-2021?) https://twitter.com/TeamSunweb/status/872100659776151552

he already had a 2018 deal. so he upped for 4 more years: 2019-20-21-22

he upped for 3 years

yes, I saw it now. not including 2022
thx

 

[Gloin22]

Dem pointless cycling contracts, Sunbweb will probably withdraw in 2 years after winning all Grand Tours at once

 

[Chomsky]

Re:

I heard Sky were looking to sign Contador ...

While I think you are being sarcastic it would be a good move for Contador. Rather than wasting his time hoping for a 7 to 10 placement in the Tour he could ride the Vuelta and Giro and be competitive. While he might not be able to compete with the top echelon of riders when they are on form he has always shown the ability to keep his form throughout the year and has made a career out of beating riders who are tired and not in peak condition.

It would give Sky another alternative for tge Giro and an opportunity to win the Vuelta. While his asking price might not be worth the performance his name recognition and hype factor should more than pay his salary.

 

[Alexandre B.]

"Froome rêve de BMC" headlines L'Équipe frontpage.

The reunion?