2014 Bissell Development Team

specialgueststar

DS Axel Merckx - some quite funky names in there!

Roster:

James Oram, Tanner Putt, Ryan Eastman, Alex Darville, Greg Daniel, Christopher Putt, Nicholai Brochner, Ruben Zepuntke, Clement Chevrier, Geoffrey Curran, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Logan Owen, Keegan Swirbul

Crampeur

And yes, Nathan Van Hooydonck is related to Edwig (he's his cousin). Won the Keizer der Juniores this year.

NervexProf

Tao Geoghan Hart is one to watch - just 18 - sometime channel swimmer and writes a very good blog too.

http://taogeogheganhart.blogspot.fr/201 ... chive.html

knedlicky

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

some quite funky names in there!

The only two I’ve heard of are Ruben Zepuntke and Clement Chevrier.

Zepunkte placed well (top ten), but never podium, in several races this season, for the Rabobank Development Team. He’s 20, from Düsseldorf, an allrounder with good TT-ing ability.

Chevrier is a climber, as his 3rd place in the Giro Valle d’Aosta and 2nd place in the Tour du Pays de Savoie suggests, probably the best French pure climber of riders his age, 21. That he is, is a bit surprising because he comes from Picardy, the flattish area between Calais and Paris.
He’s been riding for Chambéry Cyclisme Formation team (from which Bardet also came) and was expected to go to Ag2r for next year. However Ag2r decided to not take on any more neo-profi climbers, and more or less told him he’ll have to wait until Autumn 2014 before they offer him a contract.

Richmond Racer

I've truly enjoyed following this team as Bontrager. Punch well above their weight.

andyp

NervexProf wrote:

Tao Geoghan Hart is one to watch - just 18 - sometime channel swimmer and writes a very good blog too.

http://taogeogheganhart.blogspot.fr/201 ... chive.html

Tao's a top lad. I've been watching his progression for a few years now, as he used to be a regular in the juvenile races at Herne Hill, and he's had a really strong year this year so this ample reward for his hard work.

wombly_knees

So the current Bissell stops? Torckler just cannot catch a break with his career, if so...

Richmond Racer

wombly knees wrote:

So the current Bissell stops? Torckler just cannot catch a break with his career, if so...

I'm afraid so...

wombly_knees

Bad times. Had quite a few decent riders, did they.

Richmond Racer

wombly knees wrote:

Bad times. Had quite a few decent riders, did they.

Decent team. Phil Gaimon's the main guy getting the big move, to Garmin. Otherwise, Carter Jones is off to the US team with the most awkward name, Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies

RideOnTime

Richmond Racer wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

Bad times. Had quite a few decent riders, did they.

Decent team. Phil Gaimon's the main guy getting the big move, to Garmin. Otherwise, Carter Jones is off to the US team with the most awkward name, Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies

http://www.optumprocycling.com/

frenchfighter

NervexProf wrote:

Tao Geoghan Hart is one to watch - just 18 - sometime channel swimmer and writes a very good blog too.

http://taogeogheganhart.blogspot.fr/201 ... chive.html

Love it. Writes with passion. Rides with it too.

I remember him coming past me the one year I did the Dunwich Dynamo with his team mate Alex Peters (Hackney at the time). They were by themselves and about 14 years old. I had a few words with them before they danced away.

Macaloon

It's astounding, vivid, writing for an 18 yo. Check out the gripping World Champs piece.
http://taogeogheganhart.blogspot.fr/2013/10/with-title-of-team-leader-comes.html
Really hope he keeps this up, does well in a few monuments, then tells the tale.

I'd be very interested in any similar writings from the peloton that folks care to share.

salsiccia1

We recently bought a Bissell carpet cleaner. It is excellent.

That is all.

Ed-tron

Salsiccia1 wrote:

We recently bought a Bissell carpet cleaner. It is excellent.

That is all.

If there was ever a problem with your carpet or Bissell cleaner, I hear Quick Step do a good range of flooring...

Hehe.

Though, being serious, I've started to view Skoda cars more favourably recently, I think as a result of their profile in cycling. Not that I own or need a car mind you.

frenchfighter

Tao

@taogeoghegan
Here is my first ever mug. Thanks for getting me this far @palmarescc @LeighDaycycling @DaveRaynerFund.

Incidentally he was riding with Cavendish, Fenn and Holm on Sunday.

Can someone please spark him and ask him to update his blog?!

andyp

Tao was third in the U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Saturday. Some footage of the finish (on an outdoor velodrome) here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucTQas0zBwc&sns=fb

There aren't many riders around who've finished on the podium in both Roubaix and Liege (even if it is the junior and u23 versions respectively).

wombly_knees

Tom Boonen and Jasper Stuyven achieved a podium in both in the U23s.

The winner of this race, Turgis has had a second in the Roubaix juniors too. No idea if there are others though.

markwb79

Crampeur wrote:

And yes, Nathan Van Hooydonck is related to Edwig (he's his cousin). Won the Keizer der Juniores this year.

Nathan rode the Arden Challenge at the weekend. Winning one stage. Although its an elite race and depending on how it sits with LBL U23, the level can be quite high. Simon Yates won it last year. But to finish low down on stage 4 is a bit disappointing.

RonB

frenchfighter wrote:

Tao ... Can someone please spark him and ask him to update his blog?!

Seems to have been sparked!

http://taogeogheganhart.blogspot.com

frenchfighter

Haha nice!

Although for some reason when I looked at it before the last post was last year. I see it is fairly regularly updated. Maybe I was looking at an old link.