2018 Transfers: Rumours + Facts

timoid.

Rick Chasey wrote:

(can you tell I still favour the double leader strategy, despite it only working effectively in one of the last 15 Tours).

<pedant mode> Technically twice. Sastre and Schleck (after Contador's beef).</pedant mode>

Landa is a better fit for the Tour than Nairo. Movistar will back that horse I think.

rick_chasey

Timoid. wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

(can you tell I still favour the double leader strategy, despite it only working effectively in one of the last 15 Tours).

<pedant mode> Technically twice. Sastre and Schleck (after Contador's beef).</pedant mode>

Landa is a better fit for the Tour than Nairo. Movistar will back that horse I think.

Riding for second and hoping for the winner to be caught is a more effective strategy than having two leaders, in which case.

gweeds

Kittel to Katusha for 2 years.

timoid.

Rick Chasey wrote:

Timoid. wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

(can you tell I still favour the double leader strategy, despite it only working effectively in one of the last 15 Tours).

<pedant mode> Technically twice. Sastre and Schleck (after Contador's beef).</pedant mode>

Landa is a better fit for the Tour than Nairo. Movistar will back that horse I think.

Riding for second and hoping for the winner to be caught is a more effective strategy than having two leaders, in which case.

No no. Have two leaders and aim to be the highest placed rider that didn't test positive. Easy peasy.

Actually thinking of it Astana won with Contador battling Armstrong Mark III when they were co-leaders. So maybe the strategy has merit.

rick_chasey

I need to write one of those "10 things that show you watched cycling in the '00s" buzzfeed articles don't I?

RichN95.

How do you tell the difference between co-leaders and just having two riders high on GC? To my mind Frank Schleck (in 2010 at least) was no more a leader than Froome (in 2012) or Landa

Shadowrider

Kittel to Katusha

RichN95.

Has Kristoff moved yet? He was supposedly off to UAE or some sort. He'd make sense for Sky now with Landa off the wage bill and Rowe injured. Although if he wants to sprint at the Tour, Sky make little sense for him.

andyp

Nothing official on Kristoff yet, but believed to be UAE bound.

I don't think he'd fit well at Sky, he's used to being a leader and would want a protected role at the Tour.

rick_chasey

Not like Quick Step not to have a bunch of leaders at prime age.

Are they short of money?

gweeds

Maybe betting on Gaviria longer term?

RichN95.

andyp wrote:

Nothing official on Kristoff yet, but believed to be UAE bound.

I don't think he'd fit well at Sky, he's used to being a leader and would want a protected role at the Tour.

My feeling is he should follow Boonen's example and knock the day-to-day sprinting on the head and skip GTs altogether. I doubt he agrees though.

timoid.

RichN95 wrote:

How do you tell the difference between co-leaders and just having two riders high on GC? To my mind Frank Schleck (in 2010 at least) was no more a leader than Froome (in 2012) or Landa

He'd come off winning the Tour de Suisse that year and was in flying form. But just remembered he crashed out on the cobbles early on.

gweeds

RichN95 wrote:

andyp wrote:

Nothing official on Kristoff yet, but believed to be UAE bound.

I don't think he'd fit well at Sky, he's used to being a leader and would want a protected role at the Tour.

My feeling is he should follow Boonen's example and knock the day-to-day sprinting on the head and skip GTs altogether. I doubt he agrees though.

Agreed. He isn't ever going to win the true bunch gallops in GT's and seems a better classics rider to me.

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

andyp wrote:

Nothing official on Kristoff yet, but believed to be UAE bound.

I don't think he'd fit well at Sky, he's used to being a leader and would want a protected role at the Tour.

My feeling is he should follow Boonen's example and knock the day-to-day sprinting on the head and skip GTs altogether. I doubt he agrees though.

I guess it's easier when you come from a country where the Tour isn't the biggest race in the calendar.

RichN95.

Timoid. wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

How do you tell the difference between co-leaders and just having two riders high on GC? To my mind Frank Schleck (in 2010 at least) was no more a leader than Froome (in 2012) or Landa

He'd come off winning the Tour de Suisse that year and was in flying form. But just remembered he crashed out on the cobbles early on.

Sorry. I'm getting my years confused. 2011, not 2010 - the one were he was on the podium.

RichN95.

Viviani is replacing Kittel at Quick Step

(Although Gaviria will get the Tour no doubt)

rick_chasey

Gweeds wrote:

Maybe betting on Gaviria longer term?

Quick Step don't tend to do that.

Lefevre knows better than anyone that bringing through talent at the expense of having the talent there already has no real benefit for the team.

RichN95.

Thus far Sky have lost Landa, Nieve, Boswell, Kennaugh and Viviani. With Rowe likely to miss most of the year, they're losing almost an entire high quality race team there. They'll need to bring in a bit more than Castroviejo and Bernal

dish_dash

Rick Chasey wrote:

Gweeds wrote:

Maybe betting on Gaviria longer term?

Quick Step don't tend to do that.

Lefevre knows better than anyone that bringing through talent at the expense of having the talent there already has no real benefit for the team.

Have we also mentioned that Terpstra and Keisse are both staying at Quick Step along with Sabatini?

dish_dash

And please no Kristoff to Sky... I already struggle with one of my men being there...

RichN95.

dish_dash wrote:

And please no Kristoff to Sky... I already struggle with one of my men being there...

It was just a thought by me. Not based on anything. 90% certain to be at UAE. Good news for your struggle - at least he'll be paid by human right abusers and not people who make you pay to watch Game of Thrones.

dish_dash

RichN95 wrote:

dish_dash wrote:

And please no Kristoff to Sky... I already struggle with one of my men being there...

It was just a thought by me. Not based on anything. 90% certain to be at UAE. Good news for your struggle - at least he'll be paid by human right abusers and not people who make you pay to watch Game of Thrones.

It's alright. I ain't no SJW and I don't pay to watch Game of Thrones...

rick_chasey

Lefevre making noises that he hasn't found a sponsor yet...

andyp

It sounds like QuickStep Floors have withdrawn doesn't it?

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

Lefevre making noises that he hasn't found a sponsor yet...

Hasn't Bakala said in the past that if the worst came to the worst he'd prop the team up for a year?

rick_chasey

Yes it does rather.

Richmond Racer 2

dish_dash wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

dish_dash wrote:

And please no Kristoff to Sky... I already struggle with one of my men being there...

It was just a thought by me. Not based on anything. 90% certain to be at UAE. Good news for your struggle - at least he'll be paid by human right abusers and not people who make you pay to watch Game of Thrones.

It's alright. I ain't no SJW and I don't pay to watch Game of Thrones...

I lol'd


Murdoch is a major enabler of both Brexit and Trump, so frankly he can fark himself, the evil wrinkly reptile

Richmond Racer 2

Salsiccia1 wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Mind you, Benson has his ongoing infatuation with Landis to knock one out over*

"Floyd, do you watch much cycling?"
"Barely any. I watched the stage finish on Galibier. I think Froome won"
"Great. So what are you impressions of the state of the sport you clearly know little about any more?"

It's like asking me about Hollyoaks having not watched it for 15 years. But I'm happy to agree with your leading questions if I can plug my weed dealership.

Off topic, sorry

Can't even bring myself to look at it.

is there a better site for news though?

The Beano?

lostboysaint

Castroviejo to Sky

https://www.teamsky.com/article/castroviejo-joins-team-sky?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral