Transfers and Rumours 2018 > 2019

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

Either they are asking too much money or they do something wrong. It's not like it's impossible to find a new sponsor nowadays. Ochowicz managed it this year, Vaughters last year etc.

But did they find a sponsor that could ensure the wages of the riders Quick-Step have? Lefevere has a shitload of good riders on the roster and they dont ride for free. So yeah, he is probably asking for A LOT of money. But to keep the team successful, he has to. They did a good job scouting incredible talents over the last few years but now most of them want a better deal. Sure, they replaced Kwiatkowski with Alaphilippe, or Kittel with Viviani, or Cavendish with Gaviria. At first those guys were cheaper but now they want a second contract ...

This is true.

Then it's not a matter of not being able to find a new primary sponsor, as some people say. It's a matter of not being able to find a sponsor big enough to keep their current level of competitiveness. Which is something significantly less surprising.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

If QS can't find a new primary sponsor, I don't know what to say. Such a successful team.

Problem could be that Quick Step is staying as second sponsor. When they had Omega Pharma - Quick Step, everyone was still calling them Quick Step.

That's the problem like I said before. If Lefevre wants a new main sponsor, he needs to drop Quick Step completely. Ain't nobody is gonna fill in a big paycheck for sponsorship, when the team keeps getting called by the name of the minor co-sponsor!

 

[pastronef]

According to a story, Ivan Sosa wouldn't have signed a contract with Trek and his new manager is now trying to get him to Sky. (CN forum)

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1041463382816305153

 

[RedheadDane]

Adam Blythe to Lotto Soudal

 

[LaFlorecita]

According to a story, Ivan Sosa wouldn't have signed a contract with Trek and his new manager is now trying to get him to Sky. (CN forum)

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1041463382816305153

You're posting a rumor which originates from this forum

 

[DBotero]

According to a story, Ivan Sosa wouldn't have signed a contract with Trek and his new manager is now trying to get him to Sky. (CN forum)

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1041463382816305153

http://www.revistamundociclistico.c...rek-segafredo-y-el-team-sky-para-el-2019.html

 

[pastronef]

De la Parte to CCC

https://twitter.com/BMCProTeam/status/1041628005947383808

 

[yaco]

Re:

Adam Blythe to Lotto Soudal

An interesting development seeing Ewan and Blythe failed to establish a working relationship in 2016, hence Blythe not having his contract renewed.

 

[del1962]

Re:

Adam Blythe to Lotto Soudal

Will be part of Ewans sprint train, glad Adam got a contract for next year

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I’m glad he got a contract, but he’s a bit fortunate to get a promotion to the WT. Of Aquablue’s leaders he was probably the one who produced the least in terms of results as compared to the number of times others worked for him (not counting Nordhaug, who had a career ending illness). Presumably the reason he can get back to the WT is that he’s accepted that it’s time to largely put personal ambition aside and become a full time domestique - which would also explain why Lotto Soudal now think he can work for Ewan when that didn’t go well at Orica.

He’s a very good rider. He just isn’t fast enough to be a sprinter or even a hard race sprinter in today’s super deep sprint field.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

So that’s four Aquablue riders with new teams announced. Fingers crossed for Dunne, Norman Hansen, Denifl etc.

 

[dick the quick]

So as of today CCC’s squad composition looks like this:

- GvA + his helpers for the classics (GvA also as a nominal leader in the TdF)
- Mareczko trying his luck in pure (really flat) sprint stages/races
- Antunes, de la Parte, de Marchi, Geschke and Pauwels looking for stage win opportunities when it comes to a more demanding terrain (regardless whether it is a GT, another WT race or a below-WT race);
- no real TT specialists (Bevin and Rosskopf maybe, but with real chances rather in smaller races only)
- no GC ambitions for GTs and for a majority of one-week WT stage races

To sum up, it does not look particularly good when compared to other WT teams.

 

[claude cat]

Re: Re:

Adam Blythe to Lotto Soudal

Will be part of Ewans sprint train, glad Adam got a contract for next year

Didn't exactly bond well with Ewan when Blythe rode for GreenEdge for a year.

I think it's a little strange.

 

[DNP-Old]

Van Aert breaks with Roompot/Verandas with immediate effect.

 

[Tugboat]

Matt Hayman announces retirement. Last race will be the 2019 Tour Down Under.

https://www.greenedgecycling.com/news/mathew-hayman-the-time-has-come

 

[Anderis]

So as of today CCC’s squad composition looks like this:

- GvA + his helpers for the classics (GvA also as a nominal leader in the TdF)
- Mareczko trying his luck in pure (really flat) sprint stages/races
- Antunes, de la Parte, de Marchi, Geschke and Pauwels looking for stage win opportunities when it comes to a more demanding terrain (regardless whether it is a GT, another WT race or a below-WT race);
- no real TT specialists (Bevin and Rosskopf maybe, but with real chances rather in smaller races only)
- no GC ambitions for GTs and for a majority of one-week WT stage races

To sum up, it does not look particularly good when compared to other WT teams.

Yeah, it looks like they will have the weakest roster among WT teams by a margin. And if GvA doesn't have a good season for whatever reason, they risk being the weakest team WT has had in years. Damn, if you are a WT team and Pauwels is your best climber while you don't even have a better sprinter than Mareczko, then good luck.

It's particularly disappointing because there were some decent riders linked with the team. I will not mention Thomas, because there was no chance to lure him into the team that has no climbing support at all. But there were rumours about Majka, Mollema, Henao and McNulty. To include any of them in their 2019 roster would be a step forward. Now you end up with Pauwels being the best climber, the most promising youg rider between Will Barta and Szymon Sajnok, Mareczko the best sprinter. GvA probably the only rider who wouldn't be just a domestique with some freedom for breakaways at best in most of other teams (apart from Mareczko getting his chances, mostly in smaller races, as a number 2 or 3 sprinter).

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah, it looks like they will have the weakest roster among WT teams by a margin.

Dimension Data takes great offence at this! Valgren is about their only exciting rider and he is not GVA's level. Cummings is done, EBH is not reliable at the top level, Kreuziger and Gasparotto are ageing and only show in the Ardennes anyway, then O'Connor and Meintjes seem like they can scrape an anonymous GT top ten, sure... I would rather risk everything on GVA than take that roster.

 

[staubsauger]

Mareczko is a fine sprinter IMHO. If the polish core build a nice sprint train around him he's a good leader for the Giro d'Italia! Mareczko can challenge Viviani, who won't repeat his 2018 to full extent anyway.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Ciccone to Trek-Segafredo.

Will Larry Warbasse be the marquee signature of AG2R this transfer window? :Neutral:

 

[Anderis]

Yeah, it looks like they will have the weakest roster among WT teams by a margin.

Dimension Data takes great offence at this! Valgren is about their only exciting rider and he is not GVA's level. Cummings is done, EBH is not reliable at the top level, Kreuziger and Gasparotto are ageing and only show in the Ardennes anyway, then O'Connor and Meintjes seem like they can scrape an anonymous GT top ten, sure... I would rather risk everything on GVA than take that roster.

I don't know. Looking at their 2018 results, it's not so obvious that Van Avermaet >> Valgren in 2019. And besides Valgren, there are about 4 other riders at DDD I would take over 2nd best rider of CCC. That's a significant disproportion. 2018 version of GvA might not be enough to outweight this. They need him to repeat his 2016-2017 form.

Mareczko is a fine sprinter IMHO. If the polish core build a nice sprint train around him he's a good leader for the Giro d'Italia!

A nice sprint train? Unless they announce some new riders capable of that job, they would need to commit riders like Bevin, Van Hoecke and Ventoso to lead-out and hope it works out well (because, let's be honest, they won't use GvA as a lead-out man to Mareczko). Considering the talent shortages in that team, I'm not sure it will happen. Especially Bevin could be useful elsewhere. I wouldn't hope for much support for Mareczko. If he rides the Giro, there will certainly be teams with better sprint trains there.

 

[janraaskalt]

Re:

Mareczko is a fine sprinter IMHO. If the polish core build a nice sprint train around him he's a good leader for the Giro d'Italia! Mareczko can challenge Viviani, who won't repeat his 2018 to full extent anyway.

Sure Mareczko is fast, but his sprint train must also be capable to flattening hills and mountains.

 

[RedheadDane]

Norman to Corendon-Circus
(Sorry, only have a Danish link)

Ultra short resume: He's been looking at all three levels, the determining factor was the ability to ride on the track for 2020.

 

[Tim Booth]

Stefan Denifl to CCC

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Good move for Denifl. He should be the GC rider or mountain stage hunter in pretty much any race he wants. He won’t have any support, but he also wouldn’t get that kind of freedom at any other WT team. Nice also to see Lasse Norman get a pro contract and the calendar should suit him.

So that’s six Aquablue riders accounted for. Good luck to the rest of them. There are still guys with a good level like Dunne and Archbold with no team announced, but it could be tricky for some to stay in the pro ranks.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Mareczko is a fine sprinter IMHO. If the polish core build a nice sprint train around him he's a good leader for the Giro d'Italia! Mareczko can challenge Viviani, who won't repeat his 2018 to full extent anyway.

Sure Mareczko is fast, but his sprint train must also be capable to flattening hills and mountains.

And until now the guy has never finished a gt, last year he refused to finish the Giro and just quit.