Evans: That's your Lotto

FJS

It's a forum, we disagree, there's a debate, I believe I'm right, but I'm happy to admit that what Evans riding in another team - say Rabobank or Caisse d'E - would have made a difference this year is in the end speculation. It might or might not. I'm happy to agree to disagree on that one.

What I still do not buy is that initial statement I reacted to, that Evans couldn't do worse in terms of support at BMC than at Lotto; and that that shows that looking for better team support cannot have been the main consideration in Evans' move.

top_bhoy

You can agree or disagree with opinions - but opinions are not about re-writing history as you suggested I was trying to do. Can you see the difference?

Why can't team support not have been the main consideration in Evans move? He has been at Lotto-Silence now for a few years and for a variety of reasons, not really had much of it at all. If BMC have come wanting him with a promise of building a team around him over the next 2-3 years, thats surely better than the situation he finds himself in at S-L. This year he may have to accept the riders currently on the roster but for the years thereafter, he can select riders of his own and be more relaxed. Finally, with any move, money is a consideration - it just doesn't have to be the only factor and in Evans case, I don't think money was the prime factor.

El Imbatido

FJS: I think the way Cadel sees this move as a long term not short term move. ie. The whole 3 years not just next year. I think he knows next year will be a sidewards step (maybe even a backwards step) in terms of team support but i think he will want to have a few more good cracks at the tdf and it looks as though BMC have agreed to do this for him. I sort of see it as a cheaper, him not owning the team, version of radioshack. Both built around one person for GTs just BMC's version is a bit mor long term.

SpaceJunk

El Imbatido wrote:

FJS: I think the way Cadel sees this move as a long term not short term move. ie. The whole 3 years not just next year. I think he knows next year will be a sidewards step (maybe even a backwards step) in terms of team support but i think he will want to have a few more good cracks at the tdf and it looks as though BMC have agreed to do this for him. I sort of see it as a cheaper, him not owning the team, version of radioshack. Both built around one person for GTs just BMC's version is a bit mor long term.

+ 1

That's effectively what Cadel has been saying. He had been looking at BMC's proposal for 'quite a while', and it is a 3 year plan, 'they are looking beyond next year'.

I had a meet and greet with him on Monday and that the whole 'Why would you move to BMC scenario was put to him'.

I thought it was a risk, but he explained himself really well, and I can see the logic in his move.

BilgeRat

I think part of the confusion is about what people define as "team support". Personally I see it as more than merely the availability of particular domestiques. Maybe the management style and competence of BMC is more of an issue. Maybe the priorities of BMC are more in line with CE's than SiL. Maybe the management (and ownership) side of things outweighs any short term deficiencies in personell from CE's point of view.

Personally, I think that there is a huge psychological element at play here. Overall CE had a good run at SiL with some good successes and some ups and downs but sometimes a change of scenery or environment can have a huge effect.

SpaceJunk

BilgeRat wrote:

I think part of the confusion is about what people define as "team support". Personally I see it as more than merely the availability of particular domestiques. Maybe the management style and competence of BMC is more of an issue. Maybe the priorities of BMC are more in line with CE's than SiL. Maybe the management (and ownership) side of things outweighs any short term deficiencies in personell from CE's point of view.

Personally, I think that there is a huge psychological element at play here. Overall CE had a good run at SiL with some good successes and some ups and downs but sometimes a change of scenery or environment can have a huge effect.

Well put. CE said as much - he will not have anymore support in the mountains then he had with SL. He was most impressed with BMC's management and their 'mission statement' (for want of a better word), for the future.

I know Cadel wasn't happy that Marc Saergent was quoted as saying he was glad he forced CE to do the Vuelta, basically giving him the form to do well @ the worlds. CE had the worlds as his 2nd objective of the season and always wanted to do the Vuelta (and that's why he didn't want to do Giro). Of course, SL wanted him to do Giro instead.

I get the feeling CE had had enough of SL's management.

FJS

Top_Bhoy wrote:

You can agree or disagree with opinions - but opinions are not about re-writing history as you suggested I was trying to do. Can you see the difference?
.

Please, come off it. This is starting to be quite pedantic. The rewriting history remark was connected to using hindsight, what we know now (Wiggins, Nibali and Armstrong later appeared to be the biggest threats for the podium, not Sastre and Menchov as thought at that point), to paint Evans' chances to get on the podium after Montpellier as mission impossible.
The long-term plan sounds fine, but completely disregards the fact that next season Evans will be 33 years old, and 3 years later 36. If he wants to win a Grand Tour he should do it now, not gamble. Of course a rider says that he likes the long-term strategy, atmosphere, etc, etc of a team he's moving to; that's what they always say.
Don't get me wrong, I quite like Evans as a cyclist, especially this year, and think going to BMC is a good move; I'm very much looking forward to seeing Evans, Ballan and Kroon attack the classics together next Spring.

calvjones

Look, he's got a three year contract until the age of 36 on presumably good money and guaranteed team leader status. What else do you need to know?

flattythehurdler

There will be a lot of fat middle aged aussie businessmen trading in the cervelos

SpaceJunk

flattythehurdler wrote:

There will be a lot of fat middle aged aussie businessmen trading in the cervelos

Why the cervelos? Did you mean the canyons??

calvjones

SpaceJunk wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

There will be a lot of fat middle aged aussie businessmen trading in the cervelos

Why the cervelos? Did you mean the canyons??

Where's Gerrans going then?

SpaceJunk

calvjones wrote:

SpaceJunk wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

There will be a lot of fat middle aged aussie businessmen trading in the cervelos

Why the cervelos? Did you mean the canyons??

Where's Gerrans going then?

I realise that, I just didn't see where Gerrans came into thread topic.

I thought Cervelos actually became popular in Australia (Adelaide at least), because of CSC using them.

calvjones

It was a joke...

SpaceJunk

calvjones wrote:

It was a joke...

too subtle for me :-)

frenchfighter

His first race with BMC is the Santos Tour Down Under. They received a wildcard which is hardly surprising.

top_bhoy

frenchfighter wrote:

His first race with BMC is the Santos Tour Down Under. They received a wildcard which is hardly surprising.

Australian World champion, Australian soil, new team, sun shining.......what a great start and publicity for the team and Cadel.

I've heard him in recent days on radio saying that he finds it a bit difficult dealing with the media scrum at the TdF when he needs to think about recovery for the next day. I think you'll see a more relaxed and different rider to the one who is tense and a little terse at the TdF.