Transfers "Rumours & Reality" and Young Guns

[The Dr]

Does anyone know what's happening with Trent Lowe? Talented rider but he seems to have been rather quiet this season

 

[BigBoat]

I would have liked to see Contra switch over teams but of course that wouldnt be allowed. LOL

 

[eric_vv]

Michel Kreder (RAB CT), 21 years, makes a move to Garmin Slipstream.

He will be (re)united with his brother Raymond Kreder, as well as other Dutchmen Riccardo Van der velde, Martijn Maaskant, Huub Duyn, Hans Dekkers as well as T. Farar, C. Vandevelde and B. Wiggins. Vaughters expects him to play a role in hilly, Ardennes classics like races preferably with the finish at on an ascent.

Hmm, how many youngsters will actually continue to ride for Rabobank...

Two years ago when they lost Maaskant to Garmin there was a lot of rumbling from Rabobank. They even said there should be some kind of training compensation when a young rider gets poached (they did make an offer to Maaskant but he could earn more at Garmin). Personally as a Dutchman I would like to see as many Dutchmen as possible in foreign teams. Especially considering most of the CT riders are good enough to be at a protour team and probably would be if they had only been French. There just isn't enough room for them at Rabo (Skill and Vacancoleil are getting better, but we need another protour team).

A good example is Stef Clement, he wasn't good enough for Rabo, but he was good enough for Bouygues and developed into a very good rider. It's good for Dutch cycling, and also good for Rabo (in my opinion) in the long run, with riders developing further abroad and maybe coming back later.

Kreder and van Garderen are already gone but here are some of the other riders ready to make the step: Bos, van Winden, Vermeltfoort (currently out with glandular fever) , Keizer, Kruijswijk, van Staeyen (Belgian), van Poppel, Berkhout and Bol. Bos, van Winden and Vermeltfoort (if fully recovered, he was impressive last year) being the most likely to make the protour team next year. All of them could do well (in different roles) at the protour level but most won’t get a shot with Rabo next year, with probably only 2-5 places on the team available next year.

 

[craig1985]

So with all these young guys moving to Columbia, what are their main attributes? Are they potential classic riders (cobbles or Ardennes), climbers, sprinters, TT, or guys with potential in stage races and GT's? Even more info on the young Rabo CT guys would be nice

 

[TRDean]

I think that it shows how good the Rabo program really is. I think Tejay has had a fantastic year, and for him to make the jump because he wasn't sure if he would make the pro tour team says a lot. I too love the Dutch riders and want to see them make the move to foreign teams. Rabo is just so talented from top to bottom. I don't think it bothers them too much as they have to know that they don't have room for all the young talent they bring along. As long as these riders are producing for the continental team Rabo is probably happy...at least I would think so.

Are there any other rumors about any of the young Dutch riders (from Rabo, Skil, or Van.)?

 

[Pietro]

caisse

no doubt

Think closer to the 'colonies'...

 

[laurentiu46]

JV just downplayed the rumours about AC moving to Garmin.

 

[TRDean]

Johan Le Bon just signed with Bretagne-Schullerand!! Only 18 years old. Wow. Article said there was interest from some pro tour teams as well. He is a great young rider...I hope they bring him along at the proper pace.

 

[laurentiu46]

These young guns who sign with PT teams should be very careful when choosing the squad,supposing they have several offers.
Columbia is by far the best in growing talents,followed by Saxo and Rabobank.
Look at Benat Intxausti for example,was a big promise,and he signed for Saunier Duval last year,but didn't produce any promising result yet.
He's still only 22 or 23,but could have done some better results until now.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Does anyone know what's happening with Trent Lowe? Talented rider but he seems to have been rather quiet this season

He said he's had the worst form of his career. he said he's very depressed and that he wanted to go to the dauphine to find some form. unfortunately he abandoned after stage 2. for a rider of such promise in the mountains i hope he can get going again!!

 

[craig1985]

These young guns who sign with PT teams should be very careful when choosing the squad,supposing they have several offers.
Columbia is by far the best in growing talents,followed by Saxo and Rabobank.
Look at Benat Intxausti for example,was a big promise,and he signed for Saunier Duval last year,but didn't produce any promising result yet.
He's still only 22 or 23,but could have done some better results until now.

I will give Bruyneel something when it comes to young riders (like neo-pros) is that he doesn't just throw them into the deep end and give them racing program of races nobody else wants to do and watch him burn out and not do anything.

 

[BroDeal]

He said he's had the worst form of his career. he said he's very depressed and that he wanted to go to the dauphine to find some form. unfortunately he abandoned after stage 2. for a rider of such promise in the mountains i hope he can get going again!!

It sounds like he is on the Tommy D. training program.

 

[craig1985]

I really thought Danielson would of made the Tour team at Garmin, but now he didn't make it this year, I'm starting to wonder about his future in the sport, or at least with Garmin.

 

[Bala Verde]

Hushovd extended his contract till december 2010 with CTT.

Leukemans (31, BEL) (good results in RvV, Brabantse Pijl, Ster v Bessege) extended his contract with Vacansoleil till 2011. Lieuwe Westra (26, NED) winner of Picardie, also signed a new contract till 2011 with Vacancoleil.

 

[dominicsavio]

I find it hard to believe that Millar and Wiggins would move from their teams to go to the new GB based team especially when it will not get a tour de france place for the first year!

 

[TRDean]

To me it really looks like Vaconsoleil (sp?) are really moving to be the second best Dutch team...if they aren't already!! They should only get better...for some reason they remind me more of a Belgian team. Good signings!

 

[Bala Verde]

To me it really looks like Vaconsoleil (sp?) are really moving to be the second best Dutch team...if they aren't already!! They should only get better...for some reason they remind me more of a Belgian team. Good signings!

I agree, they seem to be doing a good job, much the same as Skil did last year. Vacansoleil sounds french, so maybe that's why it's easier to think of it as a Belgian/French team. Recently they also extended agreements with the talented Matteo Carrara as well as Sergey Lagutin and Jens Mouris. Johnny Hoogerland is about to sign a 2 year agreement.

Rabo's reaction (Knebel) to the signing of van Garderen and Kreder was that they couldn't really do anything about it. He accepts that these youngsters want to turn pro, and admits that the chance to make it to RAB PRO is at most 10%. I think, what I read between the lines, is that they will try to keep the most talented (dutch) riders themselves, and he refered to guys like Dennis van Winden, Jetse Bol, Coen Vermeltfoort en Theo Bos. Moreover, the bid made by Columbia was almost too expensive for RAB to counter...

He also states that he is proud that RAB CT generates so many talented riders every year, that other teams show up to scout their youngsters. He does mention that he wants to discuss the subject of transfer fees with UCI, so that RAB, who invests heavily in these guys, doesn't continue to get the bad end of the stick.

More revealing rumours: Ricco to Flaminia....

 

[laurentiu46]

I agree, they seem to be doing a good job, much the same as Skil did last year. Vacansoleil sounds french, so maybe that's why it's easier to think of it as a Belgian/French team. Recently they also extended agreements with the talented Matteo Carrara as well as Sergey Lagutin and Jens Mouris. Johnny Hoogerland is about to sign a 2 year agreement.

More revealing rumours: Ricco to Flaminia....

I can't wait to see them at the Vuelta. Carrara should be the GC man,and they can also count on Borut Bozic for the sprints.
Ricco will be able to compete in the Giro next year. So,if the rumours are true,Simeoni and co. should stick around,RR is their best chance to receive a wildcard from RCS.

 

[Bala Verde]

It's been denied by Garmin that Wiggins and Millar are moving to the yet to be formed Team SKY.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Vacansoleil are better then skil.
DUtch cycling continues to get stronger

 

[craig1985]

I can't wait to see them at the Vuelta. Carrara should be the GC man,and they can also count on Borut Bozic for the sprints.
Ricco will be able to compete in the Giro next year. So,if the rumours are true,Simeoni and co. should stick around,RR is their best chance to receive a wildcard from RCS.

No Baden Cooke?

 

[laurentiu46]

He will probably be there too,but IMO,Bozic's results were better than Cooke's,at least so far this season.

 

[Bala Verde]

Garmin is on a signing spree...

Patrick Getsch (GER, 22), is coming over from Thüringer Energie Team, a good time trialist (second last year WC espoirs) and who won Thüringen-Rundfahrt

 

[craig1985]

Bouet to AG2R La Mondiale

 

[analo69]

Bjarne Riis has got a new sponsor to his Saxo Bank. They will be on the jersey prior to the Tour.

It is some spanish island with a vacation resort. Playitas or something like that.

Then he will have the dollars for an even better team.