Is the Cav Sky move a done deal?

Stuey01

I think he'd be mad to leave Highroad if they are able to secure sponsorship. What an amazing team they have put together, so so strong.
I loved yesterday on the Champs Elysee, it was looking a bit ropey right until half way through the final lap then when HTC hit the front it was all over, you could see other teams trying to get a train together, I saw Garmin and Omega Pharma coming up the outside trying to put the cat amongst the pigeons and HTC just upped the pace and ripped their legs off. When Cav came out of Renshaw's wheel it was a formality again.
What a team.

nferrar

The sprinter's stages were definetly harder this year to, even if the last 100m wasn't uphill there was usually a hill just before so Cav was probably in the red just staying in the train so he's not going to be as explosive in the sprint itself. I don't think he's lost any top end power although I'm sure a few of his rivals have probably worked on theirs (and on their aero positioning whilst sprinting).

I hope HTC carry on and Cav stays with them as going to Sky would be a mistake for Cav and Sky. I hope Sky work on developing Thomas as GC contender, EBH and Swift can work on their sprinting/classics riding. In one interview it sounded like Renshaw was a bit weary of being Cav's lead out, if he's going to try and do a Griepel and strike out on his own as a sprinter then he'd have to do it soon - although I think it would be a mistake.

Stuey01

IMO Renshaw should stay where he is, someone on here described his relationship with Cav as symbiotic, I think that is a good description.

Renshaw is famous because of his work with Cav. Cav is successful, in part, because of Renshaw's support. They are good for each other.

Highroad could set up for him in some of the smaller races, like they did for Greipel before he left.

whitestar1

dg74 wrote:

Seriously love Cav to stay with HTC. Over the last two tours I've grown to this team and the way they literally are, "All for one".

Fingers crossed for HTC to remain as they are.

I would like them to stay together too. They really have a team spirit inplace. Going to Sky would mean re-building that trust and confidence in new people. Hope HTC stays with them. They really should have scored big time with the sponsorship.

RichN95.

whitestar1 wrote:

I would like them to stay together too. They really have a team spirit inplace. Going to Sky would mean re-building that trust and confidence in new people. Hope HTC stays with them. They really should have scored big time with the sponsorship.

While there's some truth to that, Sky are hardly strangers to him. After all, the people he goes on training rides with are Sky riders, whether in in Italy, Essex or the Isle of Man. His coach works for Sky, his agent works for Sky. It's also usual that when a big star changes teams he brings a few key people with him.

iainf72

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/9184/ ... inues.aspx

Hmmmmm

morstar

Matt Slater has suggested in his BBC blog that Cav has intentionally sacrificed a smidge of muscle mass (and consequently top end power) in order to get over the climbs and contest the intermediates.

Whilst Matt Slater can be very hit and miss as a cycling commentator, I presume he has based this on fact and not just conjecture.

AndySimpson

If HTC folds, I could see Eisel and Renshaw going wherever Cavendish does. Sky could, probably, afford all 3

Hals1967

Eisel, Renshaw and Cav to Sky replacing Henderson, Gerrans and Rogers.

I'd be happy with that.

verylonglegs

BBC has him as a lead on their homepage asking if he's the new 'David Beckham' :roll:

They have to label him as a cyclist though just to point out to most BBC users what it is he actually does.

cornoyemade

Hals1967 wrote:

Eisel, Renshaw and Cav to Sky replacing Henderson, Gerrans and Rogers.

I'd be happy with that.

I'd be happy to see cavendishy go anywhere but an american team. I am really hoping it is SKY, because the infighting would be very entertaining. Of course, it would also be nice to see all of the brits on this board crying in their beer when Cavendishy choses his palmares over country, and stays with his HTC babysitters who drag his arse to the line every day.

Won't this be fun?

cal_stewart

knob head

TMR

Hals1967 wrote:

Eisel, Renshaw and Cav to Sky replacing Henderson, Gerrans and Rogers.

I'd be happy with that.

Don't replace Rogers, keep him there to form part of the train.

top_bhoy

The Mad Rapper wrote:

Hals1967 wrote:

Eisel, Renshaw and Cav to Sky replacing Henderson, Gerrans and Rogers.

I'd be happy with that.

Don't replace Rogers, keep him there to form part of the train.

Gerrans is there to support Wiggins in the mountains, who would take that role if he left? Any team having 2 main objectives in the TdF is going to have serious headaches; its doubtful if either Wiggins or Cav would be happy at being 'downgraded'. Cav moving to Sky next season is not in anyones interest.

lostboysaint

derbygrimpeur wrote:

EBH was in the best place - on Cav's wheel. Gave it his all, moved out to come past Cav but as soon as he was out of Cav's slipstream he went backwards and had to settle for second.

Corrected for accuracy

tim_wand

Cav is the poster boy of british cycling and Sky and Brailsford are meant be the all British dream ticket. I think Wiggo knew he had to have a big tour as Sky have the mission statement to put a Brit on a Grand Tour Podium and for now Wiggo is that Man, (Maybe Thomas in the future)

I think Wiggo did enough and was unlucky, If HTC continue to sponsor then I cant see Cav leaving (Did you see how much support there is for him and the team spirit in "Chasing Legends" ) although the Zigga Zigga Zigga sing alongs alone would tempt me to leave.

I think Cav is about the palmares not the money (He'll always have enough) Sky cant ride GC and have the Green Jersey in grand tours. therefore Wiggo needs to be their focus,

Next July during and after the tour and the Olympic R/R should be interesting though.
Every Brit is going to want that and Cav is a stronger contender might just make Sky make him promises just for the kudos of that one race.

Dont do it Cav stick with HTC

Pross

Top_Bhoy wrote:

The Mad Rapper wrote:

Hals1967 wrote:

Eisel, Renshaw and Cav to Sky replacing Henderson, Gerrans and Rogers.

I'd be happy with that.

Don't replace Rogers, keep him there to form part of the train.

Gerrans is there to support Wiggins in the mountains, who would take that role if he left? Any team having 2 main objectives in the TdF is going to have serious headaches; its doubtful if either Wiggins or Cav would be happy at being 'downgraded'. Cav moving to Sky next season is not in anyones interest.

Not sure about that, I've never seen Gerrans up there on mountain stages. EBH did a fantastic job in that role in the Dauphine, G showed in the Tour that he is starting to be able to ride in the big mountain, Uran is a very good climber and potential future GC contender in his own right, the same with Lofkvist although I think he will leave as he now looks 3rd choice at best as the GT overall man. Then there is Zandio who is also supposed to be a climbing domestique and Dario Cioni in a similar position although neither seem that good from what I have seen. I see Gerrans as more of a hilly classics rider.

derbygrimpeur

Cal_Stewart wrote:

knob head

haha, short and to-the-point. I like it.

LeicesterLad

Sure i read somewhere today that Wiggo would be please to welcome Cav to the team, Think its the first time anyone from Sky has made a real mention of the notion, but still, Can't see cav going anywhere without Bernie and Renshaw, so i hope sky have got a big purse.

dilemna

I can't see SKY changing to accommodate Cavendish to the extent he likes things to be done as they are now for him. He should stay at HTC. I'm sure other teams chasing him will make HTC bump up his salary. Will Cavendish try to ride in both the Olympics and the Tour in 2012? Sorry if this has already been asnwered. There still may be tensions ahead for team GB.

RichN95.

dilemna wrote:

Will Cavendish try to ride in both the Olympics and the Tour in 2012? Sorry if this has already been asnwered. There still may be tensions ahead for team GB.

Definitely. After all, every year riders do the Vuelta as prep for the Worlds, so it won't be a hinderance. Samuel Sanchez came 6th or 7th in the 2008 Tour.

ascurrell

derbygrimpeur wrote:

Cal_Stewart wrote:

knob head

haha, short and to-the-point. I like it.

and accurate

TMR

Any update on the alleged new HTC sponsor chaps?

alexjones5

I think SKY's most realistic long term bet for a GT is Pete Kennaugh, G will concentrate on the Olympics next year and, to me, looks more suited to the classics after a strong showing in the last two Flanders.

Cav is positioning himself for a big pay cheque, he has made noises before about his current salary and his next deal will be his big one. The green jersey won't hinder negotiations. Is HTC do find another sponsor I think he would stay (if the other guys do). It's a short career and, to be fair to him, he's only doing what anyone in his position would do. I'm not sure he would go to SKY as he has history with a lot of the set up from their BC days when he felt they stitched him up.

We'll see....

lostboysaint

It's Highroad that's looking for a sponsor. HTC IS the current sponsor and is pulling out.

alexjones5

I think SKY's most realistic long term bet for a GT is Pete Kennaugh, G will concentrate on the Olympics next year and, to me, looks more suited to the classics after a strong showing in the last two Flanders.

Cav is positioning himself for a big pay cheque, he has made noises before about his current salary and his next deal will be his big one. The green jersey won't hinder negotiations. Is HTC do find another sponsor I think he would stay (if the other guys do). It's a short career and, to be fair to him, he's only doing what anyone in his position would do. I'm not sure he would go to SKY as he has history with a lot of the set up from their BC days when he felt they stitched him up.

We'll see....

Turfle

G is a really interesting one. He looks ready to challenge on the cobbles right now. He also climbed the Tourmalet and the Galibier like a future GC rider. It's tough at this point to predict he'll be a challenger in the grand tours, but a top 10 contender and challenger in the big one-week races seems eminently plausible.

Could he map his career so that he does both? Classics next couple of years, then go all out for the grand tours?

Kennaugh is really coming on strong this year, which is great to see. He's made for the mountains.

Le Commentateur

Cavendish at Sky might be a bit like Zabel at Telekom, having to share the team with a GC contender. Perhaps the emphasis may be more in his favour than was the case with Zabel, but still with fewer domestiques at his service than he has at the moment.

moray_gub

iainf72 wrote:

[
has he lost a bit of top end speed? Or is this just because I don't really watch the sprints.

Which would be why you thought a few years ago Cav wouldn't be any good.........

mididoctors

andyp wrote:

The latter.

He's still a step ahead of the rest.

and the opposition is more clued up