2022 Transfers: Rumours & Facts
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Was a good piece in the Danish media (can't locate the link now) talking to the Danish riders on DSM. The sense seemed to be its very structured and I'm paraphrasing "everything is done with a purpose and now on a whim like at a Belgian team"... Guess the approach does grate with riders who want to have a bit more freedom and DSMs very pragmatic appraoch means they are quite happy to let go unhappy riders.DeadCalm said:
Article made reference to a former teammate at DSM saying that Benoont had recently become a father and that might be a factor to the move... no idea why!1 -
Surprised to see no comment from @rick_chasey on this!gsk82 said:Groenewegan has been released and joined bike exchange
Clearly Groenewegen preferred racing on a Bianchi
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Yeah i'm a bit sad he's not on the big dutch team and you know my feeling on bike exchange (yuk) but it's mutually beneficial.0
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The last time Qhubeka were pro-conti was 2015. They got an invite to the TDF. The Grand Tour organisers have historically shown a willingness to invite non-local teams provided that they can supply either a substantial sporting justification or a decent story. As a predominantly African team, Qhubeka fulfilled the latter criteria in 2015. Now they don't meet either. In the absence of a compelling reason to invite a non-local team, the organisers will invite local teams who will generate maximum local interest. That totally makes sense to me. Which teams should definitively have been invited to a grand tour recently that haven't received an invite?RichN95. said:
Fact check: Qhebeka have been a World Tour team since 2016.DeadCalm said:
I still don't understand your point. They didn't need to go WT. The last year Qhubeka were pro-conti they got a wildcard to the TDF. The year before that, they had a wildcard to the Vuelta. They were getting into decent races. I accept that they are unlikely to get wildcards anytime soon, but that's not because of any conspiracy, but because they are pretty useless and more importantly, have barely any African riders.
We also now have a situation were there are 19 WT teams, plus the top PCT team getting a blanket invite. So only three wildcards. This may go back to just two soon. The Tour gave all three to French teams, the Vuelta all to Spanish teams and the Giro two to Italian teams and Basso's team.
The so called World Tour has been shut off for most of the world. While French teams, who have only won seven races in 13 seasons of the World Tour get 30% of the spots in the biggest race. I don't think it is right
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My point is more that there are too many teams in the World Tour and there should be more wild cards available so that teams that should be at Pro Conti level aren't overstretched and have a chance to develop riders. Teams like Qhubeka and Israel SN should be able to have a solid program of top races without an obligation to do them all.DeadCalm said:
The last time Qhubeka were pro-conti was 2015. They got an invite to the TDF. The Grand Tour organisers have historically shown a willingness to invite non-local teams provided that they can supply either a substantial sporting justification or a decent story. As a predominantly African team, Qhubeka fulfilled the latter criteria in 2015. Now they don't meet either. In the absence of a compelling reason to invite a non-local team, the organisers will invite local teams who will generate maximum local interest. That totally makes sense to me. Which teams should definitively have been invited to a grand tour recently that haven't received an invite?
Instead the Pro Conti level is full of teams from France, Belgium, Italy and Spain who can be assured of getting all the races they want. If there were more wildcards with regulations restricting those given to local teams then maybe there would be better pathways for non-European riders.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Geraint Thomas renews contract with Ineo for 2022 AND 2023 - I thought it has been reported as just being for one year.
"Thomas, who has been with the team since its inception in 2010, has signed a contract that will take his time with the team to 14 years.
And the 2018 Tour de France winner is entering 2022 as determined as ever: “I’m still super motivated to work hard and train hard. That’s what I love doing. I still really enjoy riding my bike, pushing myself. When you can see the finish line of your professional sporting career, you want to make the most of it every day and make it all count.
“Obviously I had a tough end to 2021 but up until the crash at the Tour, I was in the best shape I’d been. I’m still very motivated to perform in the biggest races. I’ll probably look at doing the Ardennes which I’ve never done properly. That’s exciting and new, and hopefully then go on the Tour to play a big role there.
“I’m super excited about the last few years of my career with the team. It’s going to be fun - that’s the main thing. People keep asking me what my role will be and obviously I want to keep winning myself, but being a part of a winning team and having fun with some of my best mates is as important - and to do that I’ll need to be at my best.”Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 181 -
Hardly the biggest surprise - he's almost part of the furniture at the team. No matter the sport, I always wonder about people who stay at the same team for that long - I'd prefer them to go elsewhere and experience something different, and a new challenge.All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."1
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I could be totally wrong, but I wonder if Thomas will have agreed something along the lines of training up to become a DS for them.Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 181 -
But who would be better? JV are stacked with winners, ISN are ok. He must be impressing someone. Illingworth is no sentimentality so Geraint must still have it in him to be a contenderRichN95. said:Thomas is like Brooks in the Shawshank Redemption. So institutionalised that he probably couldn't cope on the 'outside'
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He had as good a first half of the year as any GC rider not born in Slovenia.amrushton said:
But who would be better? JV are stacked with winners, ISN are ok. He must be impressing someone. Illingworth is no sentimentality so Geraint must still have it in him to be a contenderRichN95. said:Thomas is like Brooks in the Shawshank Redemption. So institutionalised that he probably couldn't cope on the 'outside'
"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0 -
Quite. At the beginning of the Tour he was third favouritegsk82 said:
He had as good a first half of the year as any GC rider not born in Slovenia.amrushton said:
But who would be better? JV are stacked with winners, ISN are ok. He must be impressing someone. Illingworth is no sentimentality so Geraint must still have it in him to be a contenderRichN95. said:Thomas is like Brooks in the Shawshank Redemption. So institutionalised that he probably couldn't cope on the 'outside'
Twitter: @RichN950 -
I'd be surprised, he doesn't need the money for a start and the lifestyle, with lots of time away from the family, is almost identical to what he does now.daniel_b said:I could be totally wrong, but I wonder if Thomas will have agreed something along the lines of training up to become a DS for them.
Given his books and podcast experience, I'd think a career in broadcasting is far more likely.1 -
Why? He won the Tour 3 years ago with this team, was one of the favourites this year and had a great start to the season.andyrac said:Hardly the biggest surprise - he's almost part of the furniture at the team. No matter the sport, I always wonder about people who stay at the same team for that long - I'd prefer them to go elsewhere and experience something different, and a new challenge.
He’s got unfinished business with the Classics so can focus on that as I doubt he’ll be a leader for any of the grand tours.
The grass isn’t always greener etc0 -
Yeh good shout, had forgotten about the mini Thomas, and I think he has a big house/wedding venue business he owns somewhere.andyp said:
I'd be surprised, he doesn't need the money for a start and the lifestyle, with lots of time away from the family, is almost identical to what he does now.daniel_b said:I could be totally wrong, but I wonder if Thomas will have agreed something along the lines of training up to become a DS for them.
Given his books and podcast experience, I'd think a career in broadcasting is far more likely.
I can deffo see him as a pundit/commentator, or even a presenter - I wonder if he will be pulled back in though when his child(ren) are older.Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 180 -
Yeah, this place near Chepstowdaniel_b said:
Yeh good shout, had forgotten about the mini Thomas, and I think he has a big house/wedding venue business he owns somewhere.
https://sttewdricshouse.co.uk/Twitter: @RichN951 -
Pross said:
Surprised at Wurf, thought he was just a stop gap for them.RichN95. said:Not transfers but Ben Swift, Puccio, Castroviejo, Rivera and Wurf all have new contracts at Ineos
He can do huge turns on the front and is popular in the team, which is an underrated asset. I also think they quite like the idea of him winning the Ironman while one of their riders. Although his main links to the team - Kerrison and Froome - are gone.Twitter: @RichN951 -
Enjoyed this
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
Just wondering with Ethan Vernon going to Quickstep whilst Plapp signed for Ineos, is that down to Plapp being considered more of a GC type vs Vernon who seems far more suited to Classics?
Just both being Team Pursuit riders, is one seen more like lil Pete was, vs a more Clancy/Doull version
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That's intriguing isn't it - so has to have left Ribble Weldtite?RichN95. said:Dan Bigham has joined the staff at Ineos, although his BC registration list them as his team as well. I don't know what this means for his racing as they are already full up on the WT roster. I guess they sponsor him as an individual.
Could it be he is looking to secure his future, and will effectively retire from racing to concentrate on what I suspect is the aspect of the sport he gains the most enjoyment from - perhaps Ineos will support him in one more attempt at the national hour record, ahead of him helping Ganna take the world record out of reach of mere mortals.
Presumably this now also means he won't be consulting for any of the other teams and countries that he used to, which would be a win of some sort for Ineos on it's own.Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 181 -
Think they put all their eggs in the Froome basket expecting him to recover well from his crash. That didn't pan out, so now they are stuck in no man's land trying to play catch up with possibly limited cash reserves with Froome being paid like a multiple GT winner.PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 20230
