2014 Transfers

iainf72

Starting the thread early this year

Uran to OPQS (according to L'equipe)

goonz

On a side note, hadn't realised Nico Roche had moved to Team Saxo.

Good move for him?

frenchfighter

I keep thinking Uran is about to retire as he looks so old. Before I realise he is 26.

He doesn`t strike me as a rider that needs a very comfortable and structured team to thrive. Not that OPQS have much in the way of a GT support team. I suppose it depends on what he needs.

Anyway, its in the l`equipe so worth treating with caution. Just like Gazetta they put out a lot of rumors.

Pross

After his recent comments the only reason I can see Uran moving would be if Froome is going to stay at Sky as leader. So based on that I'm going to say Wiggins is on the move or retiring!

inkyfingers

OPQS don't have any top quality hilly classic riders or serious GC mountain contenders , so there's a gap there for him.

Only problem is that he won't get a lot of support in those races as they don't have any other guys likely to be up front in a race like LBL or Lombardy, and in the GTs they are likely to be focussed on Cavendish. He seems the sort of rider that doesn't need a lot of team support, but having a team is always useful if you have a mechanical or can make the difference between closing that little gap or not closing it.

bigmat

inkyfingers wrote:

OPQS don't have any top quality hilly classic riders or serious GC mountain contenders , so there's a gap there for him.

Only problem is that he won't get a lot of support in those races as they don't have any other guys likely to be up front in a race like LBL or Lombardy, and in the GTs they are likely to be focussed on Cavendish. He seems the sort of rider that doesn't need a lot of team support, but having a team is always useful if you have a mechanical or can make the difference between closing that little gap or not closing it.

Don't forget Kwiatkowski - massive talent and yet to be seen what kind of a rider he'll end up being. Shame for Sky to lose Uran, but with Froome Wiggins Porte and Henao that's already too many leaders. Saying that, I'd be surprised if they were all there next year...

knedlicky

inkyfingers wrote:

OPQS don't have any top quality hilly classic riders or serious GC mountain contenders , so there's a gap there for him.

Only problem is that he won't get a lot of support in those races as they don't have any other guys likely to be up front in a race like LBL or Lombardy, and in the GTs they are likely to be focussed on Cavendish. He seems the sort of rider that doesn't need a lot of team support, but having a team is always useful if you have a mechanical or can make the difference between closing that little gap or not closing it.

The current rumours include Gatto and/or Felline (both of whom are good possibilities in a break today) to OPQS, so maybe OPQS are working towards having a stronger GT group.
It was Gatto who helped Santambrogio in yesterday's stage. Felline was in the 5-man break the day the peloton caught them right at the end, Cavendish getting his 100th win.

inkyfingers

BigMat wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

OPQS don't have any top quality hilly classic riders or serious GC mountain contenders , so there's a gap there for him.

Only problem is that he won't get a lot of support in those races as they don't have any other guys likely to be up front in a race like LBL or Lombardy, and in the GTs they are likely to be focussed on Cavendish. He seems the sort of rider that doesn't need a lot of team support, but having a team is always useful if you have a mechanical or can make the difference between closing that little gap or not closing it.

Don't forget Kwiatkowski - massive talent and yet to be seen what kind of a rider he'll end up being. Shame for Sky to lose Uran, but with Froome Wiggins Porte and Henao that's already too many leaders. Saying that, I'd be surprised if they were all there next year...

Had forgotten about him, looks like a massive talent, but even with him, there is still plenty of room for Uran.

andyp

Someone needs to show Uran a list of GT contenders that Leferve has previously signed, before it's too late.

goonz

Isn't Froome off to BMC?

iainf72

goonz wrote:

Isn't Froome off to BMC?

Nah. Hasn't he got a contract for 2014 with the Borg anyway?

inkyfingers

andyp wrote:

Someone needs to show Uran a list of GT contenders that Leferve has previously signed, before it's too late.

I think Uran is far more of a hilly classics and hilly week long stage race rider than a top GT contender. He's third at the moment in the Giro, but looks who'd behind him, hardly stellar names. Personally, I think he's the kind of guy who can ride top 10 in a strong field or top 5 in a weak field in a GT, maybe he could win a Vuelta if the field was weak enough (like Jalabert and Kelly did).

I'm not slagging him off, I like him as a rider, just don't see him being a true GT contender. Would love to see him win a LBL or a Lombardy.

I would sign him for my team, but only on the condition he got his hair cut.

Macaloon

Based on 2013 performances, and potential for next 2-3 years, isn't the pecking order at Sky:

1. Froome - if he wins TdF no way Sky let him go and he'll defend 2014
2. Porte/Uran - Porte will surely lead a 2014 GT (Giro) . Uran may get 2013 Vuelta & needs to tidy his TT
3. Wiggins - Unbeatable if parcours includes 50kms+ flat TT, but highly vulnerable on even short steep bumps. Great plan B (Doubt he would beat 2013 Nibali even with a trouble-free Giro).
4. Henao - Maybe too much pre-Giro racing but has faded this Giro.

Who knows how close Uran would be if he hadn't been riding for Wiggins...

inkyfingers

Macaloon wrote:

Based on 2013 performances, and potential for next 2-3 years, isn't the pecking order at Sky:

1. Froome - if he wins TdF no way Sky let him go and he'll defend 2014
2. Porte/Uran - Porte will surely lead a 2014 GT (Giro) . Uran may get 2013 Vuelta & needs to tidy his TT
3. Wiggins - Unbeatable if parcours includes 50kms+ flat TT, but highly vulnerable on even short steep bumps. Great plan B (Doubt he would beat 2013 Nibali even with a trouble-free Giro).
4. Henao - Maybe too much pre-Giro racing but has faded this Giro.

Who knows how close Uran would be if he hadn't been riding for Wiggins...

Think that's a bit harsh on Wiggins, he's the only one with a proven track record. Froome has stacks of potential, but at this point we are still talking about a man who "might have" won a GT, rather than "has won" a GT. Stick Wiggins in another GT with a parcours like the 2012 Tour and he'd still win I reckon. Only issue is how long Wiggins wants to carry on living the life of a GT contender.

Pross

Macaloon wrote:

Based on 2013 performances, and potential for next 2-3 years, isn't the pecking order at Sky:

1. Froome - if he wins TdF no way Sky let him go and he'll defend 2014
2. Porte/Uran - Porte will surely lead a 2014 GT (Giro) . Uran may get 2013 Vuelta & needs to tidy his TT
3. Wiggins - Unbeatable if parcours includes 50kms+ flat TT, but highly vulnerable on even short steep bumps. Great plan B (Doubt he would beat 2013 Nibali even with a trouble-free Giro).
4. Henao - Maybe too much pre-Giro racing but has faded this Giro.

Who knows how close Uran would be if he hadn't been riding for Wiggins...

Really? Did I imagine his ride at La Planche last July?

Macaloon

Pross wrote:

Macaloon wrote:

Based on 2013 performances, and potential for next 2-3 years, isn't the pecking order at Sky:

1. Froome - if he wins TdF no way Sky let him go and he'll defend 2014
2. Porte/Uran - Porte will surely lead a 2014 GT (Giro) . Uran may get 2013 Vuelta & needs to tidy his TT
3. Wiggins - Unbeatable if parcours includes 50kms+ flat TT, but highly vulnerable on even short steep bumps. Great plan B (Doubt he would beat 2013 Nibali even with a trouble-free Giro).
4. Henao - Maybe too much pre-Giro racing but has faded this Giro.

Who knows how close Uran would be if he hadn't been riding for Wiggins...

Really? Did I imagine his ride at La Planche last July?

We haven't seen what 2013 Wiggins can do on long high mountain stages. But he's been gapped all season on steep stuff. In 2012 he did ride back up to Nibali several times, dropping him once (trying to stay with Froome ). 2013 Nibali seems to have better form (although we haven't seen what he can do on long high mtns yet).

I love Wiggins for getting the maximum out of his talent and for his fanatical pursuit of 2012 Tour on a parcours he would have designed himself. But on more balanced GTs (inc medium mountains, lumpier more technical TT, steeps) I think he's more vulnerable on paper than Froome, Porte & and on this showing, Uran.

inkyfingers wrote:

Think that's a bit harsh on Wiggins, he's the only one with a proven track record. Froome has stacks of potential, but at this point we are still talking about a man who "might have" won a GT, rather than "has won" a GT. Stick Wiggins in another GT with a parcours like the 2012 Tour and he'd still win I reckon. Only issue is how long Wiggins wants to carry on living the life of a GT contender.

Harsh, but fair. Froome has done at least as much as Wiggins did, to establish his GT credentials. 2012 Wiggins may still beat 2013 Froome on 2012 Tour parcours, but Froome buried himself several times on several climbs to bring Wiggo back. The only evidence in 2013 that Wiggins has lived the life of a fanatical GT contender are statements about training numbers. I'm not knocking him, but this will be his 3rd season of living like a monk. Doubt it's sustainable having achieved his miraculous 2012.

milton50

Cancellara to IAM.

goonz

On a serious note I do think Cancellara should move form Trek, the team is just not up to his quality.

alihisgreat

goonz wrote:

On a serious note I do think Cancellara should move form Trek, the team is just not up to his quality.

and yet he still won Flanders & Roubaix this year?

tailwindhome

Will Henao go with Uran?

hammerite

TailWindHome wrote:

Will Henao go with Uran?

Before this season I'd have said probably yes, they seemed joined at the hip. I'd imagine it would have been fairly solitary as a Colombian in the European peloton.

But now I'd probably say no, they'll do their own thing. Henao could still ride with Sky and not be too isolated, you can't move in a race now for a promising Colombian.

milton50

goonz wrote:

On a serious note I do think Cancellara should move form Trek, the team is just not up to his quality.

If you're referring to my comment I'm completely serious. It's a move that's been talked about for a while.

ms_tree

inkyfingers wrote:

I would sign him for my team, but only on the condition he got his hair cut.

You really are a sad man!! Isn't there a saying that cutting one's hair loses strength??

ms_tree

Milton50 wrote:

Cancellara to IAM.

Is that definite 'cos Brian Smith was saying that Sky have got permission for the open cheque book to get him as Murdoch wants to win Roubaix.

Richmond Racer

Brian Smith is always banging on as if he has all the inside track in Sky. Sounds good when he's commentating, reality is that he speculates as much as anyone else - he's not tapped into Sky's inner sanctum much as he likes to give off that he is.

Sky's hiring policy has usually been to bring on young talent, develop from within, or look for riders who aren't being utilised to full potential in other teams (eg Kiryienka). The only times they've opened the chequebook big time for marquee names are Wiggins and Cav.

Can't see them doing same for Cancellara.

inkyfingers

Other thing with Cancellara is his age, Sky have (with a few exceptions) generally gone for younger riders or those in their peak years. By the time we get to next years classics season, Cancellara will be 33, not past it by any means, but probably over the peak of his career. Scary writing that, as Cancellara is the same age as me.

I wouldn't rule it out though, he'd be an asset to any team.

frenchfighter

Well zero policy on doping. With the rumors (albeit it just rumors) floating around you could not see Cancellara going there.

I highly doubt he would ever want to and I *think* I remember him saying something to that effect before in any case.

He is getting older and has a close family. I`m sure he would like to back off a bit and be based closer to home.

goonz

Ms Tree wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

I would sign him for my team, but only on the condition he got his hair cut.

You really are a sad man!! Isn't there a saying that cutting one's hair loses strength??

See Fernando Torres for evidence.

frenchfighter

frenchfighter wrote:

I keep thinking Uran is about to retire as he looks so old. Before I realise he is 26.

He doesn`t strike me as a rider that needs a very comfortable and structured team to thrive. Not that OPQS have much in the way of a GT support team. I suppose it depends on what he needs.

Anyway, its in the l`equipe so worth treating with caution. Just like Gazetta they put out a lot of rumors.

“I have not decided to switch teams. Rumors have come out that I'm going to Omega Pharma. We have talked with them and with other teams. There is some progress, but nothing concrete,” Uran said.

greasedscotsman

Milton50 wrote:

Cancellara to IAM.

Doesn't look like it.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/trek-se ... rd-in-2014

milton50

Hmm, well if Trek are going to stump up the money then that does change things. Six months ago it looked the team was inevitably going to collapse.