Transfers and Rumours 2018 > 2019

[Salvarani]

Re:

Concerning Trek Segafredo :
retiring is Gregory Rast who becomes DS

in comes Alex Kirsch or Piet Allegaert

and Porte who brings his own mecanic as well

not much budget available

they'll sign Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani) & Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Androni) as well...

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20180802_03646299

Interesting with Ciccone and Sosa going there.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Wait, is Porte actually confirmed?

Ciccone and Rosa are two extremely good signings. Trek is getting better and better.

Pretty sure Porte was confirmed for Trek. Bahrain have picked up some good riders from BMC.

 

[toolittle]

So far it does not look good for the ex-BMC team in 2019 (and yes, I know that today is 2 August).

Out:
Porte, Dennis, Teuns, Caruso, Bettiol, Wyss, (Kung?), (TvG?), (Frankiny?).

Stay:
GvA, Schar, van Hooydonck.

In:
van Keirsbulck (+ several current CCC guys, mainly prospects for the future).

Would be sad and disappointing if finally it ends with "GvA and 20+ other random guys" squad - especially given that it will be difficult not to compare them with the current (and former) BMC squad in terms of riders quality.

A BMC racing built around Alex Moos ...Memory came back just as happened yesterday. :lol:

 

[Gigs_98]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

 

[markene2]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Vino said he would love to keep him, but it was also a question of money, guess Astana will go all inn for Cort and Lutsenko next year, might not be bad if They can avoid the insane amount of crashes and bad luck next year

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Don't know that Astana is significantly stronger in the classics than DD.

Arguably a little better, but not by much....... and who says DD is done signing people?

 

[yaco]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Don't know that Astana is significantly stronger in the classics than DD.

Arguably a little better, but not by much....... and who says DD is done signing people?

Valgren got his two big wins because Astana had numbers in the final - This is no certainty to occur at DD,so he'll have to prove he is the strongest rider in the final.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Concerning Trek Segafredo :
retiring is Gregory Rast who becomes DS

in comes Alex Kirsch or Piet Allegaert

and Porte who brings his own mecanic as well

not much budget available

they'll sign Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani) & Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Androni) as well...

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20180802_03646299

Interesting with Ciccone and Sosa going there.

Goofy to put pen to paper with Trek only for a huge paycheck, when you had an AG2R offer to become their leader for Italian races as well!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Who on earth is 'Goofy' meant to refer to?

 

[staubsauger]

Re:

Who on earth is 'Goofy' meant to refer to?

Ciccone. I don't think Trek provides him a better career trajectory than AG2R could've done. Trek is one of this teams that got the cash, but misses the infrastructure. That's all I'm allowed to say here...

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Don't know that Astana is significantly stronger in the classics than DD.

Arguably a little better, but not by much....... and who says DD is done signing people?

Valgren got his two big wins because Astana had numbers in the final - This is no certainty to occur at DD,so he'll have to prove he is the strongest rider in the final.

Who are these great classics riders on Astana you are alluding to, that allowed Valgren to win?

 

[tobydawq]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Don't know that Astana is significantly stronger in the classics than DD.

Arguably a little better, but not by much....... and who says DD is done signing people?

Valgren got his two big wins because Astana had numbers in the final - This is no certainty to occur at DD,so he'll have to prove he is the strongest rider in the final.

Who are these great classics riders on Astana you are alluding to, that allowed Valgren to win?

Gatto, Lutsenko and Fuglsang.

Just rewatch the finales of Omloop and Amstel if you don't think he benefitted from teammates.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Valgren obviously won his classics by not being the strongest, but

a) having teammates in the front group
b) not being the favourite and thus not being the most watched rider
c) being able to explode on the flat for a few kms with good timing

Next year, he most likely won't have those teammates in the front group in those races and he will be more surveyed. That doesnt mean he can't win cause he is super strong, but it will be more difficult now.

 

[staubsauger]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Don't know that Astana is significantly stronger in the classics than DD.

Arguably a little better, but not by much....... and who says DD is done signing people?

Valgren got his two big wins because Astana had numbers in the final - This is no certainty to occur at DD,so he'll have to prove he is the strongest rider in the final.

Who are these great classics riders on Astana you are alluding to, that allowed Valgren to win?

Gatto, Lutsenko and Fuglsang.

Just rewatch the finales of Omloop and Amstel if you don't think he benefitted from teammates.

Laurens de Vreese always does his share of work in the classics as well. Although this year he's been a bit poor in performance and might not be re-newed.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I don't think valgren's move was very smart. I doubt he'll win many classics by being the strongest but he could get a lot of tactical wins. Now if he goes to DD as a stage hunter I get the decision as he'll have a lot of freedom there but if his goal is to win many classics he should have gone to a stronger team of simply stayed at Astana.

Don't know that Astana is significantly stronger in the classics than DD.

Arguably a little better, but not by much....... and who says DD is done signing people?

Valgren got his two big wins because Astana had numbers in the final - This is no certainty to occur at DD,so he'll have to prove he is the strongest rider in the final.

Who are these great classics riders on Astana you are alluding to, that allowed Valgren to win?

Gatto, Lutsenko and Fuglsang.

Just rewatch the finales of Omloop and Amstel if you don't think he benefitted from teammates.

Sure bud, he won because of his teammates :lol:

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re:

Valgren obviously won his classics by not being the strongest, but

a) having teammates in the front group
b) not being the favourite and thus not being the most watched rider
c) being able to explode on the flat for a few kms with good timing

Next year, he most likely won't have those teammates in the front group in those races and he will be more surveyed. That doesnt mean he can't win cause he is super strong, but it will be more difficult now.

C is all you need, with Pauwels, Boasson Hagen, Slagter, Vermote - and a couple of good signings for the classics squad.

The rest is just BS.....

At Het Niuwsbladt he had zero help from teammates in the front group - his attack was the first one and it stuck..... at Amstel, sure, Fuglsang was there, but if he had not attacked, Valverde or Alaphilippe would have - and the result been the same, they all needed to drop Sagan.

As for not being the most watched rider...... in both races, all the riders he sat with know very well how good he is, and when he has to strike to win - so it's not like anybody underestimated him.... you will not have heard a single rider say that, after either race.... quite the contrary, people wised up to Valgren in 2017 - the slow ones that is

I have noticed a tendency with you...... every time it has to do with a danish rider, you seem to be extraordinarily critical, despite living in Denmark...... it's odd, and makes me wonder as to your motives.

 

[Akuryo]

Sure bud, he won because of his teammates :lol:

I dont know why you are laughing? In those races Astana had "strength in numbers" which allowed Valgren to get away. In Amstel it was Cort, Gatto and Lutsenko. In Amstel it was Fuglsang but because no team had more than one helper they could not be reeled in. Of course he had to have the legs to finish it off, but he surely benefited from a strong sqaud. Just like Terpstra probably wouldnt have won Roubaix without Boonen and Stybar in the group of favorites in 2014.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Sure bud, he won because of his teammates :lol:

I dont know why you are laughing? In those races Astana had "strength in numbers" which allowed Valgren to get away. In Amstel it was Cort, Gatto and Lutsenko. In Amstel it was Fuglsang but because no team had more than one helper they could not be reeled in. Of course he had to have the legs to finish it off, but he surely benefited from a strong sqaud. Just like Terpstra probably wouldnt have won Roubaix without Boonen and Stybar in the group of favorites in 2014.

Read above

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Lars Michaelsen, DS at Astana and currently doing Tour of Denmark with the team, let something slip in an interview today.

Apparently the structure on Astana is such, that none of the teams DSs have input on, what riders are in the squad.

He also said, as a for instance, that he had no idea if the team had negotiated with Valgren or how, despite being his main DS at the team.

I find that both shocking and laughable.

 

[mrhender]

I've often wondered why Valgren have not performed better at TT's. Will be interesting to see if that will change at DD. They prolly didn't sign him to become 10th in tds, yet he has mentioned losing more weight so let's see.

 

[staubsauger]

Re:

Lars Michaelsen, DS at Astana and currently doing Tour of Denmark with the team, let something slip in an interview today.

Apparently the structure on Astana is such, that none of the teams DSs have input on, what riders are in the squad.

He also said, as a for instance, that he had no idea if the team had negotiated with Valgren or how, despite being his main DS at the team.

I find that both shocking and laughable.

It's proven *** IMHO, since Martinelli built a whole Italian core around him! Keeps having his influence despite being only a sports director these days.

Why would a second tier sports director like Michaelsen get any influence on the recruiting anyway. He's there to do his job. Everything else is between Vino, Shefer & Martinelli primarily.

 

[jmdirt]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Djm6c9oU0AAvN72.jpg

 

[Anderis]

A highly speculative Polish article mentions Thomas, Majka, Mollema, WIsniowski and Mareczko as riders potentially joining CCC next year.

Robert Krajewski from CCC said that they have already reached an agreement with around 85% of the team for 2019 and he didn't want to deny that they are negotiating with Thomas.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/kolarstwo/769366/anglicy-spekuluja-zwyciezca-tdf-pojedzie-w-2019-roku-w-polskim-zespole

 

[The_Beach]

Re: Re:

Valgren obviously won his classics by not being the strongest, but

a) having teammates in the front group
b) not being the favourite and thus not being the most watched rider
c) being able to explode on the flat for a few kms with good timing

Next year, he most likely won't have those teammates in the front group in those races and he will be more surveyed. That doesnt mean he can't win cause he is super strong, but it will be more difficult now.

C is all you need, with Pauwels, Boasson Hagen, Slagter, Vermote - and a couple of good signings for the classics squad.

The rest is just BS.....

At Het Niuwsbladt he had zero help from teammates in the front group - his attack was the first one and it stuck..... at Amstel, sure, Fuglsang was there, but if he had not attacked, Valverde or Alaphilippe would have - and the result been the same, they all needed to drop Sagan.

As for not being the most watched rider...... in both races, all the riders he sat with know very well how good he is, and when he has to strike to win - so it's not like anybody underestimated him.... you will not have heard a single rider say that, after either race.... quite the contrary, people wised up to Valgren in 2017 - the slow ones that is

I have noticed a tendency with you...... every time it has to do with a danish rider, you seem to be extraordinarily critical, despite living in Denmark...... it's odd, and makes me wonder as to your motives.

This is simply not true, I think you have to rewatch the final 15 k again. And regarding your point about Amstel, the result wouldn't had been the same, if Alaphilippe or Valverde had attacked, there were no climbs left, and Valverde, Alaphilippe and Sagan were clearly marking each other. That's why it was the three "lesser" names in the group who got away in the final.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Valgren obviously won his classics by not being the strongest, but

a) having teammates in the front group
b) not being the favourite and thus not being the most watched rider
c) being able to explode on the flat for a few kms with good timing

Next year, he most likely won't have those teammates in the front group in those races and he will be more surveyed. That doesnt mean he can't win cause he is super strong, but it will be more difficult now.

C is all you need, with Pauwels, Boasson Hagen, Slagter, Vermote - and a couple of good signings for the classics squad.

The rest is just BS.....

At Het Niuwsbladt he had zero help from teammates in the front group - his attack was the first one and it stuck..... at Amstel, sure, Fuglsang was there, but if he had not attacked, Valverde or Alaphilippe would have - and the result been the same, they all needed to drop Sagan.

As for not being the most watched rider...... in both races, all the riders he sat with know very well how good he is, and when he has to strike to win - so it's not like anybody underestimated him.... you will not have heard a single rider say that, after either race.... quite the contrary, people wised up to Valgren in 2017 - the slow ones that is

I have noticed a tendency with you...... every time it has to do with a danish rider, you seem to be extraordinarily critical, despite living in Denmark...... it's odd, and makes me wonder as to your motives.

Oh come on, Astana was by far the strongest team in Omloop and Valgren profited from that. It was a Terpstra Roubaix 2014 win as someone pointed out. The team mattered less in Amstel, but there were some far better riders in that race than Michael and he profited both from Fuglsang and especially Sagan and Valverde watching each other.

The tendency is Im objective on Danish riders instead of living in some bizarre chauvinistic parallel universe which I really despise. If he wins 2 classics next year Im definitely proven wrong, but his classic campaign this year WAS the perfect storm. Riders WILL watch him more since they know they can't let him go in the finale.

I was realistic when it came to Fuglsang all along - you werent because you get caught up in all the danish hype. Pretty annoying. As usual I might add. As I said, Fuglsang is a top-10 rider and he apparently isn't even that.