Cav can leave SKY if he wants (and someone else wants him!)

rdt

Rick Chasey wrote:

B3rnieMac wrote:

Holm said he saw an unhappy Cav at this years tour. And Lefevre said he wanted cav. He's getting an awesome chance to get Olympic gold, which is why he played bottle carrier, and sky got a years worth of publicity of having the rainbow stripes say SKY above them. I think both sky and cav know they'll be parting ways.

Lefevre says he wants anyone who's good....

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/12475 ... m-Sky.aspx

"Omega Pharma Quick Step general manager Patrick Lefevere was one of those who was chasing Cavendish last year, and indicated that he would be willing to resume talks again. “To use the words of Jean-Luc Dehaene, you have to solve problems as they occur,” he said to Het Nieuwsblad. “Usually Paris, the last stop of the Tour, is a perfect place to talk.

“I am interested in all available top riders,” he added. “I assume that his agency still has my mobile number in its file. If I can believe the media, he has an annual salary of 2.4 million euro.”

The team may also have to pay a buyout fee to Sky. Lefevere has said that it could be possible to find the extra budget necessary.

If Cavendish does go to the team, he would seem like a good fit. The previous Quick Step team featured Tom Boonen as its sprinter, but he chose not to go to the Tour de France this year, choosing instead to follow a different programme to prepare for the Olympic Games.

Although Boonen has had his best early season for several years, he no longer sees himself as a big bunch sprint winner in the Grand Tours. Cavendish fits that bill perfectly, though, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is attracted by the thought of working again with Holm and having a dedicated train."

TMR

Rick Chasey wrote:

Seems every time Cav gets involved with Wiggins & Brailsford, Cav gets f*cked.

Except that he's got the Worlds and may get Olympic Gold. So he may have got f*cked, but at least he's been paid

TMR

rdt wrote:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/12475/Brailsford-indicates-that-Cavendish-might-be-allowed-leave-Team-Sky.aspx

"Omega Pharma Quick Step general manager Patrick Lefevere was one of those who was chasing Cavendish last year, and indicated that he would be willing to resume talks again. “To use the words of Jean-Luc Dehaene, you have to solve problems as they occur,” he said to Het Nieuwsblad. “Usually Paris, the last stop of the Tour, is a perfect place to talk.

“I am interested in all available top riders,” he added. “I assume that his agency still has my mobile number in its file. If I can believe the media, he has an annual salary of 2.4 million euro.”

The team may also have to pay a buyout fee to Sky. Lefevere has said that it could be possible to find the extra budget necessary.

If Cavendish does go to the team, he would seem like a good fit. The previous Quick Step team featured Tom Boonen as its sprinter, but he chose not to go to the Tour de France this year, choosing instead to follow a different programme to prepare for the Olympic Games.

Although Boonen has had his best early season for several years, he no longer sees himself as a big bunch sprint winner in the Grand Tours. Cavendish fits that bill perfectly, though, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is attracted by the thought of working again with Holm and having a dedicated train."

Oh very nice

Good find RDT!

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Strange thing to say, particularly on the day when the team has just won the TdF.

It almost sounds like he's admitting that that they shouldn't have signed him.

Seems every time Cav gets involved with Wiggins & Brailsford, Cav gets f*cked.

Cav must have known that Wiggins would be the focus when he signed, Sky have hardly made their GC ambitions a secret.

I wonder whether it was a combination of what Mad Rapper said, plus a good bit of PR for Sky (signing the countries most successful road cyclist, at the time) and the ability for Cav to avoid knackering himself chasing the green jersey at the Tour and this hopefully be in better shape for the Olympics.

If he does go then i'd have thought OPQS would be the best fit.

fastercyclist

Rick Chasey wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Strange thing to say, particularly on the day when the team has just won the TdF.

It almost sounds like he's admitting that that they shouldn't have signed him.

Seems every time Cav gets involved with Wiggins & Brailsford, Cav gets f*cked.

I disagree, when the history books are written his role in completing the third spoke of team sky's dominance from the time trials, mountains and to the champs will count for much more then 2 more stage wins. What's 2 among 23?

He should move on after the current season though, just go to quickstep and take the wage cut. Big bank balances don't write legends. He's set for life whatever he does.

TMR

fastercyclist wrote:

He should move on after the current season though, just go to quickstep and take the wage cut. Big bank balances don't write legends. He's set for life whatever he does.

We don't know that he'll need to take a wage cut. But as you say, his legacy will endure and he can't expand it as much at SKY. Besides, I'm sure he can earn a fortune from endorsements etc, so he's hardly going to starve.

inkyfingers

Thinking about it a bit more, I think it may have been quite a smart move for Cav, even if he does only do one year at Sky. By jumping aboard the Sky train this year (and effectively getting back in bed with British Cycling), he has had full support at the Worlds and will have full support at the Olympics. In the next few years it's likely that his ambitions will again focus on winning the Green Jersey/Milan-San Remo and Ghent-Wevelgem, races which OPQS would be a good team for.

mrushton

As long Tom doesn't a cob on. What he says and the reality might be 2 different things but for Boonen, his season is the Classics. OPQS have guys like Chavanel who can race all season. Don't forget that Cavendish would want Eisel as well. There is the attraction for OPQS that Specialized love Cav and are desperate to have him on their bikes. If they switched away from Astana (not really big winners) they could prob. afford to put that money into Cavendish. Omega would win on all fronts. Classics with Boonen on Specialized Roubaix/Tarmac, Chavanel on Tarmacs and Shiv (French TT champ) and going for green at the TdF with Cavendish on the Venge. Also, that focus would not clash with Sky's ambitions for GC

rozzer32

I think Cav will be at Quickstep next year but I also think it depends on what Froome decides to do. If he stays at Sky then they will have two GC guys and Cav will certainly leave. If Froome leaves then although they have Wiggins for GC I don't think he will as much as a favourite to win so they might give Cav a few more guys for the leadout.

However like I have said previously in another thread Quickstep would be the perfect place for Cav, Specialized bikes, old HTC riders and staff and they can give him a dedicated lead out.

greasedscotsman

Doesn't this depend on what he wants to achieve over the next few years. If he wants to chase stage wins then he is better off somewhere else. If he has others goals, maybe to try and become more of a classics rider, chase bigger races, then he's probably better off at Sky.

I've read plenty of posts on here claiming he'll do this, or wants to do that, but seems to be there are very few people who do know what his goals are.

jimmythecuckoo

So Froome is the key then?

or rather his girlfriend who seems to call the shots

dougzz

In terms of cash how important is team salary? I have no idea but wonder how much someone like Cav might make in personal sponsorship deals. I guess not enough, and that salary is still the main income?

carl_p

Or, to put a slightly different slant on it, is it a case of Sky trying to free up the wage bill so they can get Sagan?

cogidubnus

Rick Chasey wrote:

Seems every time Cav gets involved with Wiggins & Brailsford, Cav gets f*cked.

I partly agree, but even with a team who didn't really lead him out he still won 3 stages including Paris. He has surely got to be reasonably happy with that?

I think he'll stay

Gladiator

herc264 wrote:

I actually read this a bit differently... I was wondering if Dave B was quietly putting a 'For Sale' sign up here. Cav is awesome and yesterday's stage brought tears to my eyes but Cav takes up a slot in a nine man roster that could be much better used elsewhere in a pure GC team (look at USPS/Disco - they would never have wasted a place on someone who wasn't dedicated to getting Lance his win).
So - Dave lets the world know he won't kick up a stink, Cav moves on (maybe) and Dave has an extra place (and £x million a year extra) to play with. Machievellian - maybe... But no-one knows better than DB how hostile contract negotiations can get when you start on the wrong foot!

+1
Totally agree. But i even thought this before the Tour. That taking Cav along was almost like having to bring your kid brother to a teenage party because your mum told you to.

Dont get me wrong, i love Cav and Wiggo. But for me the two dont match and this (in some ways) isnt new news, everyone told Cav it might not work out as Sky are a GC team and virtually every cycling paper out there has been asking if the two can go together, and the answer at this years Tour is obviously not.

Cav will only be a team player for so long and his speed wont be there forever. If he wants to top the most stage wins at the tour hes still got about 11-12 to win, but thats looking less likely in a team that wont support a pure lead out train which Cav needs (as lets face it, hes no Sagan on the hill stages). Also with people like Sagan about, stage wins are looking less likely at SKY without the support. I can see Cav staying another year, but beyond that i think he'll go, he will be thinking at 28-29 hes probably got 3-4 years tops of fast legs in him so that means winning 3-4 stages a year over the next 4 years to topple Mercxx, something that wont happen at SKY.

prawny

Could Rabo afford him? A reunion with Renshaw? Thats not worked out that well so far.

dodgy

Wild and early speculation, but might Richard Branson's Virgin team take him on? It'd be exactly the kind of headline Branson would want.

TMR

greasedscotsman wrote:

I've read plenty of posts on here claiming he'll do this, or wants to do that, but seems to be there are very few people who do know what his goals are.

That's the case with just about any person in any aspect of life. Doesn't stop people chatting about it though, right?

Yellow Peril

I suspect that he'll look to go (or stay for that matter) where he thinks the biggest chance of success is. He seems more motivated by success than the pay cheque. I head a story (which may or may not be apocryphal) that when he was looking to leave HTC that BMC offered him more than Sky but he turned them down.

Only time will tell

TMR

dodgy wrote:

Wild and early speculation, but might Richard Branson's Virgin team take him on? It'd be exactly the kind of headline Branson would want.

What Virgin team? I know he has suggested Team SKY go to him when their contract with SKY expires, but that's not the same thing as starting one of his own.

greasedscotsman

The Mad Rapper wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

I've read plenty of posts on here claiming he'll do this, or wants to do that, but seems to be there are very few people who do know what his goals are.

That's the case with just about any person in any aspect of life. Doesn't stop people chatting about it though, right?

I think you'll find that if everyone just accepted that I was right (again) then we would just save a whole load of time...

TMR

greasedscotsman wrote:

I think you'll find that if everyone just accepted that I was right (again) then we would just save a whole load of time...

That sounds like something I often say to my wife

dodgy

The Mad Rapper wrote:

dodgy wrote:

Wild and early speculation, but might Richard Branson's Virgin team take him on? It'd be exactly the kind of headline Branson would want.

What Virgin team? I know he has suggested Team SKY go to him when their contract with SKY expires, but that's not the same thing as starting one of his own.

Ah, that makes more sense, it was something I picked up earlier today without paying too much attention.

Pross

There's no reason why Sky can't split into a one day squad and a stage race squad. Whilst the Tour boys are "smashing it" on Mount Tiede the other squad can be working for Classics and semi-classics. At some point Cav is going to get bored of chasing TdF stage wins, he's already the most successful sprinter of all time at the Tour and he's unlikely to win the Green Jersey with Sagan on the scene. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Cav wanting to have a go at becoming a one day rider. I also think he quite likes winning sprints without everyone saying he was given an armchair ride by his team - he took 3 of the 4 stage wins in sprints he actually managed to contest this year from memory without a 30km lead out. As a spectator I certainly find this year's sprinting more entertaining.

rick_chasey

Thing is with classics, they're eminently less controllable.

For sure, a strong team is essential (it's no co-incidence Boonen's best years coincide with the years his team is strongest), but you need a rider who as good a head as legs.

You need to be flexible and make instant decisions. It's much harder to 'plan' for them, unlike GTs.

Pross

Rick Chasey wrote:

Thing is with classics, they're eminently less controllable.

For sure, a strong team is essential (it's no co-incidence Boonen's best years coincide with the years his team is strongest), but you need a rider who as good a head as legs.

You need to be flexible and make instant decisions. It's much harder to 'plan' for them, unlike GTs.

But I think that will appeal to Cav, he has been hugely successful but people have so often made it sound like he is only winning because of his team. Sky would get riders trained up to give their best possible performance and whilst the Classics are less controllable it is still rare for them to be won by an outsider.

graeme_s-2

It remains to be seen whether Cav can turn himself physically into a rider who can win classics, but he's certainly got the ability to make race winning decisions in a split second as he proved in his last two stage wins.

rick_chasey

Pross wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Thing is with classics, they're eminently less controllable.

For sure, a strong team is essential (it's no co-incidence Boonen's best years coincide with the years his team is strongest), but you need a rider who as good a head as legs.

You need to be flexible and make instant decisions. It's much harder to 'plan' for them, unlike GTs.

But I think that will appeal to Cav, he has been hugely successful but people have so often made it sound like he is only winning because of his team. Sky would get riders trained up to give their best possible performance and whilst the Classics are less controllable it is still rare for them to be won by an outsider.

I don't think he has the physique for a classics rider beyond M-SR.

He's no Zabel or Museeuw (or Boonen for that matter).

plectrum

Rabobank with Renshaw as lead out!

Perhaps this year at Sky really was a marriage of convenience. It is Olympic year, Cav prioritses that. No other team was really placed at the time to guarantee him cash + lead out and beign part of a yellow winnign team was worth it. Hence spend a year, get £2m win a few stages and stay in the team network that doubles up to Olympics.

Saying all that I'm really not too sure Cav will go anywhere. This is a team which looks set to truly dominate cycling and I think he'll decide to be part of it rather than against it.

plectrum

I also think he'll earn more money at Sky in terms of salary and more in terms of sponsorship. He's doing pretty well and if he wins Olympics then I'd really concentrate in making as much money as possible before he ages past performing.