2018 Transfers: Rumours + Facts

meursault

lostboysaint wrote:

Castroviejo to Sky

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

Looks strong. Do you think it was part of the deal for Landa?

lostboysaint

That was my thought.

dish_dash

RichN95 wrote:

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?

Quickstep Team instagram saying a surprise announcement on Saturday...

lostboysaint

Sky have been planning.....

https://www.teamsky.com/article/de-la-cruz-signs-for-team-sky

specialgueststar

dish_dash wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

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?

Quickstep Team instagram saying a surprise announcement on Saturday...

David de la Cruz to SKY - are SKY trying to put together a team that actually looks like they are enjoying themselves ??

imatfaal

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

...

David de la Cruz to SKY - are SKY trying to put together a team that actually looks like they are enjoying themselves ??

...

They will still have Kiri to balance out any number of smiles with hundreds of kilometres of scowls. Altho from all accounts he is actually quite a laugh

Sky mentioned that their signings will be like London Buses - so can we expect another today?

RichN95.

Meanwhile, Quintana is marking his territory on twitter

Mi próximo compromiso representar a COL en el mundial de @bergen2017. En 2018 iré junto al @Movistar_Team por @LeTour

(Translated from Spanish by Bing)
My next commitment represent COL in the @bergen2017 world. In 2018, I'll go along with the @Movistar_Team by @LeTour

r0bh

imatfaal wrote:

Sky mentioned that their signings will be like London Buses - so can we expect another today?

Don't think so, de la Cruz was bus number 2 (Castroviejo was bus number 1)

RichN95.

r0bh wrote:

imatfaal wrote:

Sky mentioned that their signings will be like London Buses - so can we expect another today?

Don't think so, de la Cruz was bus number 2 (Castroviejo was bus number 1)

Isn't the phrase that London buses turn up in threes?

bobmcstuff

RichN95 wrote:

r0bh wrote:

imatfaal wrote:

Sky mentioned that their signings will be like London Buses - so can we expect another today?

Don't think so, de la Cruz was bus number 2 (Castroviejo was bus number 1)

Isn't the phrase that London buses turn up in threes?

I didn't think it was specific to London buses, but yes I thought that was the saying too...

daniel_b

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

lostboysaint

Daniel B wrote:

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

Have they had one for the last few years then?!

daniel_b

lostboysaint wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

Have they had one for the last few years then?!

Cutting!

RichN95.

Daniel B wrote:

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

Sky have been linked with Kristoffer Halvorsen, the Norwegian winner of the u23 Worlds Road Race last year who is a sprinter.

r0bh

bobmcstuff wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

r0bh wrote:

imatfaal wrote:

Sky mentioned that their signings will be like London Buses - so can we expect another today?

Don't think so, de la Cruz was bus number 2 (Castroviejo was bus number 1)

Isn't the phrase that London buses turn up in threes?

I didn't think it was specific to London buses, but yes I thought that was the saying too...

"You wait ages for a [thing] and then two come along at once" was the saying I thought

meursault

Daniel B wrote:

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

Been saying for ages, SKY are only TDF oriented. Their results anywhere else (Tour preparation aside) are not good.

r0bh

meursault wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

Been saying for ages, SKY are only TDF oriented. Their results anywhere else (Tour preparation aside) are not good.

Yeah, I mean it's not as though they've won a monument each of the last two years is it... oh wait :roll:

phreak

r0bh wrote:

meursault wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

So with Sky's top sprinter now being van Poppel - does that mean they are going to try and sign a top tier sprinter, or perhaps as they tend to be more GC orientated, they might not bother?

They have GC contenders, and plenty for the one day classic attempts, or week long stage races.

Especially with the TDF going down to an 8 man team from next year - is it just the TDF, or all 3 GTs?

Wonder if McLay might sign for a big team anytime soon.

Been saying for ages, SKY are only TDF oriented. Their results anywhere else (Tour preparation aside) are not good.

Yeah, I mean it's not as though they've won a monument each of the last two years is it... oh wait :roll:

Or indeed had 4 podiums at other GTs, 12 week long stage race victories and 8 podiums in classics. Oh, and a couple of world TT titles.

RichN95.

meursault wrote:

Been saying for ages, SKY are only TDF oriented. Their results anywhere else (Tour preparation aside) are not good.

Kwaitkowski alone has won Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche and San Sebastien and been on the podium of Amstel Gold and LBL this season

dish_dash

RichN95 wrote:

meursault wrote:

Been saying for ages, SKY are only TDF oriented. Their results anywhere else (Tour preparation aside) are not good.

Kwaitkowski alone has won Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche and San Sebastien and been on the podium of Amstel Gold and LBL this season

Yeah, but some of us like to pretend he doesn't ride for Sky...

bobmcstuff

r0bh wrote:

bobmcstuff wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

r0bh wrote:

imatfaal wrote:

Sky mentioned that their signings will be like London Buses - so can we expect another today?

Don't think so, de la Cruz was bus number 2 (Castroviejo was bus number 1)

Isn't the phrase that London buses turn up in threes?

I didn't think it was specific to London buses, but yes I thought that was the saying too...

"You wait ages for a [thing] and then two come along at once" was the saying I thought

I always thought it was three. E.g., https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn ... -avoid-it/

More googling suggests any number from two upwards is used though. I can't believe I googled sayings about buses...

meursault

Podiums pffft.

andyp

Vermote to Dimension Data.

Coquard, plus 14 others including Bert de Backer and Kris Boeckmans, confirmed for Pineau's Vital Concept backed team.

rick_chasey

andyp wrote:

Vermote to Dimension Data.

He only does well in regions with 'heavy' roads, does Vermote.

andyp

Just noticed Johan Le Bon is among those moving to Vital Concept. He's always struck me as someone who has the potential to develop in to a decent classics rider.

lyn1

Rick Chasey wrote:

andyp wrote:

Vermote to Dimension Data.

He only does well in regions with 'heavy' roads, does Vermote.

The problem they identified on the cobbles was that other than Bernie, there was no-one to support EBH and Thwaites in the last 150k +. They were looking for someone to provide that support much further into the race.

Presumably Slagter has been signed as a replacement for Haas or Fraile

silvergrenade

Vital Concept

Bryan Coquard
Yohan Bagot
Kris Boeckmans
Bert De Backer
Corentin Ermenault
Marc Fournier
Steven Lammertink
Johan Le Bon
Jérémy Lecroq
Lorenzo Manzin
Justin Mottier
Julien Morice
Quentin Pacher
Kévin Reza
Jonas Van Genechten
+ Five other riders

rick_chasey

lyn1 wrote:

The problem they identified on the cobbles was that other than Bernie, there was no-one to support EBH and Thwaites in the last 150k+.

lyn1

Rick Chasey wrote:

lyn1 wrote:

The problem they identified on the cobbles was that other than Bernie, there was no-one to support EBH and Thwaites in the last 150k+.

Unfortunately, Yep. They do not have many decent classics riders and guys were out of their depth and shelled very quickly. There were usually only 3 left by the half way point. Once Bernie pulled off, Thwaites was unnecessarily used up supporting EBH far earlier than ideal.

rick_chasey

^^ The man speaketh sense.