2022 Transfers: Rumours & Facts

RichN95.

Incidentally I think the same applies to the media. I think KIrby survives because he is a good bloke to spend three weeks going around France with, while others would be hard work. I think print media is mostly a load of middle aged mates on a jolly picked for their ability to find a good restaurant and get their round in.

ddraver

Our erstwhile Gent based correspondant was always trying to cling onto the back of the Schelde-groep* that left a particular bar/cafe at 9am every weekday. Ilijo Keisse being a leading member...


(*I made that name up)

m.r.m.

RichN95. said:

Incidentally I think the same applies to the media. I think KIrby survives because he is a good bloke to spend three weeks going around France with, while others would be hard work. I think print media is mostly a load of middle aged mates on a jolly picked for their ability to find a good restaurant and get their round in.

And this is why almost all cycling podcasts are horrendous. All they do is waffle on about their lunch and recap what happened without giving any insight at all on how it happened or why.

I used to like Lance Armstrong's podcast, but now days he only sells his ads. Only Bruyneel and Hincapie add anything at all.

Lanterne Rouge's podcast is the only one worth listening to.

RichN95.

I know this from being the reserve goalkeeper at a hockey team that played in European Tournaments and Cup Finals - there's a sporting 'career' to be carved out from being a decent guy to have around. I could do a job if needed - and I got my minutes on the pitch. But my ability to keep the coaches company in the bar was equally valued.

Sadly I think that British politics is currently run along the same lines.

ddraver

Ah ha, the explanation for my entire rugby 'career'...

bobmcstuff

m.r.m. said:

RichN95. said:

Incidentally I think the same applies to the media. I think KIrby survives because he is a good bloke to spend three weeks going around France with, while others would be hard work. I think print media is mostly a load of middle aged mates on a jolly picked for their ability to find a good restaurant and get their round in.

And this is why almost all cycling podcasts are horrendous. All they do is waffle on about their lunch and recap what happened without giving any insight at all on how it happened or why.

I used to like Lance Armstrong's podcast, but now days he only sells his ads. Only Bruyneel and Hincapie add anything at all.

Lanterne Rouge's podcast is the only one worth listening to.

I liked the Cycling Podcasts giro coverage this year, but not for the tactical analysis it's true.

The combo of the GCN coverage with the Breakaway plus CP for local flavour and interviews with riders etc worked for me (call me weird but I quite like hearing a bit about the region etc...)

RichN95.

bobmcstuff said:

I liked the Cycling Podcasts giro coverage this year, but not for the tactical analysis it's true.

The combo of the GCN coverage with the Breakaway plus CP for local flavour and interviews with riders etc worked for me (call me weird but I quite like hearing a bit about the region etc...)

I listened to the cycling podcast and their discussion about press conferences in view of the Naomi Osaka boycott. The sense of entitlement from Richard Moore, but especially Francois Thomaszeau, who was a press officer at the French Open and presumedly created an environment that forced young girls to questioning from middle aged men. These people are awful.

ddraver

I thought they "answered" your tweets rather well...

bobmcstuff

ddraver said:

I thought they "answered" your tweets rather well...

One of those was Rich?

I've not listened to that episode yet, but I have read that exchange on Twitter.

Just on the way out to ride Great Dun Fell so I'll have it on in the car...

bobmcstuff

I listened to this. I don't see how Rich came to the conclusions that he did from what was said on the podcast.

Even Francois, who I agreed with the least on the whole, said that press conferences were often pointless and that her mental health was important.

rick_chasey

Bring back finish line interviews.

Really disappeared in the last decade and a half and the sport is worse off for it.

If you want less stilted press conferences, getting them when they’re still gassed and gasping for breath is much better.

Articulate willing riders have definitely bumped up their careers by doing them regularly. Tankink was Mr rent-a-quote right on the line and i love him for it

rick_chasey

Anyway. Is Valverde riding another year?

amrushton

chris Horner Butterfly Effect on YouTube is good. Just straightforward race analysis

andyp

Although his pronunciations make Kirby look like Hatch.

bobmcstuff

rick_chasey said:

Bring back finish line interviews.

Really disappeared in the last decade and a half and the sport is worse off for it.

If you want less stilted press conferences, getting them when they’re still gassed and gasping for breath is much better.

Articulate willing riders have definitely bumped up their careers by doing them regularly. Tankink was Mr rent-a-quote right on the line and i love him for it

Yeah definitely.

It was notable in that podcast that Francois was most invested in the press conferences. Richard had a much more balanced opinion - the podcast gets most of its rider content from start line/mix zone interviews or directly organised interviews, so they're not really that reliant on press conferences. His opinion was pretty clearly stated - if an athlete has a good reason not to take part, then they shouldn't have to, but getting rid of them entirely might be a bit of a knee jerk reaction.

rick_chasey

Mix zone is rubbish though, let's face it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WPPSDMV6uQ

mididoctors

Cycling podcast wining and dining round the tours makes me smile . LR is a bit too zoomer for me but it's not bad. Often gets it wrong but has a handle on stuff like power data and not bring right all the time is good really .. feels fresh still ... Lance is just becoming irrelevant. I don't think he is even interested that much .

mididoctors

rick_chasey said:

Anyway. Is Valverde riding another year?

I hope so ... I want him to go for 50

dish_dash

Sorry to go back to the Sagan entourage point. I'm no fan of his but as I was riding I remember that Nibali takes a similar entourage with him, including his brother. So it's not that unusual for a big rider to take a crew with them.

From a story about his move to Bahrain in 2017: "Nibali’s entourage is said to have consisted of two or three riders as well as masseur Michele Pallini, coach Paolo Slongo and press officer Geoffrey Pizzorni."

RichN95.

Wout van Aert has been told by the courts to pay €660,000 to Verandas Willems-Crelan (as it was at the time) for breaking his contract with them. I think they were taken over by Roompot.

rick_chasey

RichN95. said:

Wout van Aert has been told by the courts to pay €660,000 to Verandas Willems-Crelan (as it was at the time) for breaking his contract with them. I think they were taken over by Roompot.

I suspect Jumbo will pick up the bill

Pross

dish_dash said:

Sorry to go back to the Sagan entourage point. I'm no fan of his but as I was riding I remember that Nibali takes a similar entourage with him, including his brother. So it's not that unusual for a big rider to take a crew with them.

From a story about his move to Bahrain in 2017: "Nibali’s entourage is said to have consisted of two or three riders as well as masseur Michele Pallini, coach Paolo Slongo and press officer Geoffrey Pizzorni."

That doesn't seem unreasonable for a top rider, Sagan's alleged requirements were significantly more riders than that (could all be BS though anyway).

ddraver

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210611_94874069?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=sportwereld&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=seeding&fbclid=IwAR3cGgfupkoV3qkaKK4TRb7FAcGBqIzdQSzTomEgKkeIkBIoUUha7yfwg5M

The Belgian equivalent of Gary Imlach, Eddie Jones, Orla Chennouai, Gary Lineker, John Motson, Clive Tindsley, Andrew Cotter, John Inverdale, Clare Balding, David Vine, Murry Walker, David Coleman and Sue Barker all retiring at once...

blazing_saddles

ddraver said:

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210611_94874069?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=sportwereld&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=seeding&fbclid=IwAR3cGgfupkoV3qkaKK4TRb7FAcGBqIzdQSzTomEgKkeIkBIoUUha7yfwg5M

The Belgian equivalent of Gary Imlach, Eddie Jones, Orla Chennouai, Gary Lineker, John Motson, Clive Tindsley, Andrew Cotter, John Inverdale, Clare Balding, David Vine, Murry Walker, David Coleman and Sue Barker all retiring at once...

Quite a few of those are more your Karl Vannieuwkerke types, but yeah, huge news for anybody who has appreciated Sporza's cycling coverage and just how superior the commentary has been.

rick_chasey

Omg that’s huge

gsk82

Pascal Actionman and Almeida to UAE, plus Dennis to Jumbo Visma, per a reliable looking Twitter poster.

ddraver

Why Sam? Why! Why do you want to go back to this?

https://twitter.com/Cyclingnewsfeed/status/1405269036498255873?s=20

m.r.m.

Because as teams start seriously chasing GC the sprinter becomes increasingly obsolete (no budget for them & no spot for them).

daniel_b

Odd move for Dennis if it comes off?
I thought he didn't want the pressure of being a GC contender.
Bit confused.
Salary increase is all I can think.

Pross

daniel_b said:

Odd move for Dennis if it comes off?
I thought he didn't want the pressure of being a GC contender.
Bit confused.
Salary increase is all I can think.

Seems odd, he looked to have settled in at Ineos after a turbulent season at Bahrain. Would have thought his role at JV would be similar to what he's doing at Ineos. Unless Ineos no longer feel they have a place for him (which would also be odd after his Giro performance last season) I don't see that one happening.