Teams & Riders Transfers and Rumours 2019 > 2020

[King Of The Wolds]

Van Baarle re-signs for 3 years.

Squad of 20 currently for Team INEOS.

8 left unsigned - Poels (Bahrain-Merida), Kiryienka (1 year deal), Knees (1 year deal), De La Cruz (Movistar Team), Golas (1 year deal), Halvorsen (EF Education First), Henao (2 year deal), Basso (?)

Sky/Ineos have never dropped below 28 riders and my prediction of moves/deals currently has them at 24 riders. To me there doesn't seem to be 3/4 names on the market that would interest Ineos so could they be buying out contracts? Dennis for example. Maybe they will have a bunch of youngsters again like the last couple of years?

Only names I can think of that would interest them are:

Tom Pidcock
Pello Bilbao
Esteban Chaves
Ruben Fernandez

But then I don't think these are likely (except Pidcock) as they will either re-sign or have been linked elsewhere.

Of the young British riders, Hayter certainly has the talent, but I imagine Tokyo will be the focus for next year.

The only other realistic name I can think of is Pete Kennaugh. I've no idea how he's doing though and whether he's interested in being a pro cyclist again.

 

[Davesta]

Van Baarle re-signs for 3 years.

Squad of 20 currently for Team INEOS.

8 left unsigned - Poels (Bahrain-Merida), Kiryienka (1 year deal), Knees (1 year deal), De La Cruz (Movistar Team), Golas (1 year deal), Halvorsen (EF Education First), Henao (2 year deal), Basso (?)

Sky/Ineos have never dropped below 28 riders and my prediction of moves/deals currently has them at 24 riders. To me there doesn't seem to be 3/4 names on the market that would interest Ineos so could they be buying out contracts? Dennis for example. Maybe they will have a bunch of youngsters again like the last couple of years?

Only names I can think of that would interest them are:

Tom Pidcock
Pello Bilbao
Esteban Chaves
Ruben Fernandez

But then I don't think these are likely (except Pidcock) as they will either re-sign or have been linked elsewhere.

Pello Bilbao is joining Landa at Bahrain, reportedly. So that's another one off the list...

 

[42x16ss]

Adam was racing in France instead, right?

Yes, for UCVA Troyes, a production line of WT talent

 

[GP Blanco]

Poels signs with Bahrain Merida. Probably the biggest pay check

Poels verruilt Ineos voor Bahrain-Merida

De 31-jarige Limburger komt sinds 2015 uit voor het Britse Ineos (voorheen Sky), waar hij dankzij sterke kopmannen zelden voor eigen succes kon gaan.

nos.nl

 

[RedheadDane]

Stokbro to NTT (Dimension Data)

Team news

riwalcyclingteam.dk.web12.redhost.dk

 

[glassmoon]

Poels signs with Bahrain Merida. Probably the biggest pay check

Poels verruilt Ineos voor Bahrain-Merida

De 31-jarige Limburger komt sinds 2015 uit voor het Britse Ineos (voorheen Sky), waar hij dankzij sterke kopmannen zelden voor eigen succes kon gaan.

nos.nl

#landaniunfreed

 

[postmanhat]

Chaves isn't going anywhere unless Matt White does something stupid, he is too grateful. Even then I believe that the first person he'd speak to would be Neil Stephens at UAE.

As for Pidcock, Ineos is only interested in British riders who came up through the BC Programme, just ask Adam Yates or James Knox.

Pidcock was at the BC academy and said last year that he wanted to join Sky, probably this year after the Worlds. But in a recent interview, he said he definitely wasn't going to the World Tour next year, and he 'admired' DQS. Not a fan of young riders going pro too early

Tom Pidcock Q&A: ‘I'm still not going WorldTour. I’m in no rush and have nothing to prove’

Favourite for the U23 Worlds until a crash while racing in France, Tom Pidcock speaks to Cyclist about his recovery and hopes for the race

www.cyclist.co.uk

As others have said, Ineos would be daft to miss out Ethan Hayter if he's available. I'm sure they could accomodate his Olympic ambitions ,as they did for riders in 2012 and 2016.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Interesting read - apparently DD (soon NTT) is trying to "moneyball" their rider selection in future, with the help of NTT data analysts:

https://africasteam.com/exciting-trio-confirmed-for-team-ntt-in-game-changing-approach

 

[brownbobby]

I wonder if Brailsford's health issues, compounded by the imminent departure of Ellingworth, are at least part of the explanation behind Ineos' relative inactivity in the transfer market this year....

 

[MartinGT]

Pidcock was at the BC academy and said last year that he wanted to join Sky, probably this year after the Worlds. But in a recent interview, he said he definitely wasn't going to the World Tour next year, and he 'admired' DQS. Not a fan of young riders going pro too early

Tom Pidcock Q&A: ‘I'm still not going WorldTour. I’m in no rush and have nothing to prove’

Favourite for the U23 Worlds until a crash while racing in France, Tom Pidcock speaks to Cyclist about his recovery and hopes for the race

www.cyclist.co.uk

As others have said, Ineos would be daft to miss out Ethan Hayter if he's available. I'm sure they could accomodate his Olympic ambitions ,as they did for riders in 2012 and 2016.

He wants the CX worlds jersey at Elite. Don't think Ineos would allow him to persue that

 

[b.broadhurst]

Poels to Bahrain Merida confirmed.

 

[b.broadhurst]

I wonder if Brailsford's health issues, compounded by the imminent departure of Ellingworth, are at least part of the explanation behind Ineos' relative inactivity in the transfer market this year....

They got the best stage racer available and that's all they care about (they haven't won a one day race this year.)

Carapaz, Castroviejo, Froome, Geoghegan Hart, Kwiatkowski, Moscon, Rowe, Sivakov, Sosa, Thomas, Van Baarle is a ridiculous group for the GT's.

I am surprised they didn't manage to lure one of or a few of Cort Nielsen, Formolo, Benoot, Campenaerts, Powless, Kamna, McNulty, Bjerg or Vlasov.

 

[brownbobby]

They got the best stage racer available and that's all they care about (they haven't won a one day race this year.)

Carapaz, Castroviejo, Froome, Geoghegan Hart, Kwiatkowski, Moscon, Rowe, Sivakov, Sosa, Thomas, Van Baarle is a ridiculous group for the GT's.

I am surprised they didn't manage to lure one of or a few of Cort Nielsen, Formolo, Benoot, Campenaerts, Powless, Kamna, McNulty, Bjerg or Vlasov.

I agree, it's not like the squad is threadbare by any means, but i think your last paragraph sums it up...i am surprised that they haven't signed at least one of the more established riders to replace some of those leaving and supplement the young generation coming through....which led to my thoughts on Brailsford. 'Luring' riders as you say takes some work, it isn't just a case of waving a chequebook, and understandably Sir Dave has perhaps been not 100% focused on such things during the busiest time of the season for transfer dealings.

 

[Bolder]

There was a comment under the article about Poels saying, essentially, that after 14 GTs at the age of 31, he's used up. That certainly looked to be the case this year. A few years ago you'd have thought he would have been a legit GC contender on his own. Now...we'll see. Bahrain suggested he would have some leadership duties, so perhaps No. 1 at the Vuelta?

 

[RedheadDane]

Halvorsen to EF

EF Education First signs sprinter Kristoffer Halvorsen - EF Pro Cycling

EF Education First Pro Cycling will build a sprint squad around one of cycling’s most exciting young talents in 2020: Kristoffer Halvorsen.

www.efprocycling.com

 

[Broccolidwarf]

There was a comment under the article about Poels saying, essentially, that after 14 GTs at the age of 31, he's used up. That certainly looked to be the case this year. A few years ago you'd have thought he would have been a legit GC contender on his own. Now...we'll see. Bahrain suggested he would have some leadership duties, so perhaps No. 1 at the Vuelta?

Doesn't have to be as a GT contender, he could also pull a Fuglsang, and hit a bunch of podiums in shorter stage races and classics.

 

[b.broadhurst]

There was a comment under the article about Poels saying, essentially, that after 14 GTs at the age of 31, he's used up. That certainly looked to be the case this year. A few years ago you'd have thought he would have been a legit GC contender on his own. Now...we'll see. Bahrain suggested he would have some leadership duties, so perhaps No. 1 at the Vuelta?

Don't think Poels will be a GC leader, he has never shown consistency over 3 weeks. He will very much lead at week long stage races and hilly 1 day races.

2019 was his best year in terms on consistency in week long races.

3rd Down Under
3rd Algarve
7th Tirreno
10th Liege
4th + Stage Dauphine

 

[RedheadDane]

What's Liege doing there?

 

[b.broadhurst]

What's Liege doing there?

Fail

 

[RedheadDane]

Fail

If you take a week to ride Liege, you're OTL! (And possibly lost.)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Interesting read - apparently DD (soon NTT) is trying to "moneyball" their rider selection in future, with the help of NTT data analysts:

https://africasteam.com/exciting-trio-confirmed-for-team-ntt-in-game-changing-approach

We have employed a rider dashboard analysis system that takes all riders points per race days and their win ratio over a time period across the whole UCI calendar which resulted in Benjamin, Dylan and Andreas being identified.

1. Wait... What
2. How is that a game-changing approach? CQ ranking have had those statistics on each rider page for over a decade
3. While Dyball has average points per race day, comparable to riders like Bilbao and Madouas, Sunderland and Stokbro both have really poor points per race days.
4. Isn't it important to actually look at the races in which the results were achieved?
5. Aren't there dozens of riders that would sooner be "identified" via this method?

 

[Broccolidwarf]

1. Wait... What
2. How is that a game-changing approach? CQ ranking have had those statistics on each rider page for over a decade
3. While Dyball has average points per race day, comparable to riders like Bilbao and Madouas, Sunderland and Stokbro both have really poor points per race days.
4. Isn't it important to actually look at the races in which the results were achieved?
5. Aren't there dozens of riders that would sooner be "identified" via this method?

1. Yes
2. I don't know that a World Tour team has implemented such an approach, to who is on their roster before.
3. It's clearly more complicated than UCI points per race, anyone can do that.
4. One would assume that is part of their computer model.
5. No idea, as I don't know the algorithm they use.

 

[42x16ss]

Dyball and Sunderland are seriously underrated riders, but not convinced that they are WT. Senior riders in a PCT team is about right IMO

 

[TMP402]

Halvorsen was rumoured to join them. He is still not confirmed anywhere for 2020 so it might happen. Vaughters said a couple of weeks ago that this year on the transfer market he had been looking for a young spinter with a room to develop so Halvorsen would fit the bill perfectly.

Halvorsen to EF

EF Education First signs sprinter Kristoffer Halvorsen - EF Pro Cycling

EF Education First Pro Cycling will build a sprint squad around one of cycling’s most exciting young talents in 2020: Kristoffer Halvorsen.

www.efprocycling.com

And there we go.

 

[TMP402]

Of the young British riders, Hayter certainly has the talent, but I imagine Tokyo will be the focus for next year.

The only other realistic name I can think of is Pete Kennaugh. I've no idea how he's doing though and whether he's interested in being a pro cyclist again.

Well, I don't know that Kennaugh is coming back. According to his social media he's recently taken part in a triathlon and a half-marathon... but also complains about the temptations of a local Italian restaurant. Incidentally, cyclists seem to be among the best marathon runners of all athletes.