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Might they start moving up the ranks and MVP get to ride some WT Races next season?Philipsen to Alpecin Fenix according to their Instagram.
Good signing, another fastman for the squad.
Weird move from Philipsen. He should have plenty of offers from WT teams.Philipsen to Alpecin Fenix according to their Instagram.
Good signing, another fastman for the squad.
Might they start moving up the ranks and MVP get to ride some WT Races next season?
Might they start moving up the ranks and MVP get to ride some WT Races next season?
Weird move from Philipsen. He should have plenty of offers from WT teams.
With the way he raced in recent weeks, certainly in the Brussels Classics, I'd say he has.He's not a rider I follow, but would I be harsh in saying Phillipsen hasn't progressed this year? Based only on looking at his results
With the way he raced in recent weeks, certainly in the Brussels Classics, I'd say he has.
He rode a very attractive race in horrible conditions with a strong attack in the final, and still managed to get 5th while the protected Gaviria couldn't even move up in what was left of the bunch. He was also more than decent in the Limousin, with a proper stage win.Erm, he was 3rd last year behind Ewan and Ackermann.
5th this year, behind Bouhanni and Vermeersch. That was one of the results I was thinking of, as I though he'd do better given the relatively weak field
Yes, it's not like they only have MVDP on the team, there's also Merlier, so I don't know how many chances he'll get to ride for himself.Weird move from Philipsen. He should have plenty of offers from WT teams.
More than a fair share as any other rider who is around 3rd place in his team's hierarchy.Yes, it's not like they only have MVDP on the team, there's also Merlier, so I don't know how many chances he'll get to ride for himself.
He rode a very attractive race in horrible conditions with a strong attack in the final, and still managed to get 5th while the protected Gaviria couldn't even move up in what was left of the bunch. He was also more than decent in the Limousin, with a proper stage win.
In the development years, the way someone rides is almost as important as the results.
I would have Philipsen equal or higher than Merlier TBH. With the reinforcements Alpecin Fenix have brought in it's not a bad move.More than a fair share as any other rider who is around 3rd place in his team's hierarchy.
I've read on a Polish forum that he has an offer from a WT team.I really hope Stanislaw Aniolkowski gets the chance to ride at WT or ProConti level next year. Absolutely amazing rides in those smaller eastern european stage races. Though with CCC folding it will probably be hard for him to find a team, at least on WT level.
It seems like Sunweb really don't like hanging onto good riders.
According to Kerckhoff over at Wielerflits, Hirschi is being shopped around to teammanagers despite having a valid contract for 2021 with Sunweb.
Source
To me that sounds like severe budget cuts, and a need to capitalize on riders under contract.
The pattern has started long before Covid-19. Once they had Dumoulin but they've never replaced him with another rider capable of winning a GT. Once they had Kittel but now they no longer have a sprinter capable of regular wins on pancake flat stages on TdF level. Barguil left after 2017 despite having a contract for 2018 IIRC. It just seems like it's just beyond them to keep a strong team together for a few consecutive years.Or maybe the travel industry is hit harder than ever before in history by Covid-19, and Sunweb's budget is shrinking - if indeed the sponsorship is maintained?