2023 Transfer rumours and confirmed moves

andyrac

And better skills as well...won the Junior Koppenburg Cross, and set quick lap times in the CX Worlds after getting caught in a start line crash.

daniel_b

roscoe said:

GCN saying AJ August rumoured for Ineos.

https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/racing/news/us-sensation-aj-august-linked-to-ineos-hes-remco-but-probably-with-more-power

Finally a bit of exciting ineos speculation, he looks like the real deal as long as he can carry that form through and improve on it at WT level.

"While nothing is confirmed between Ineos Grenadiers and AJ August, there are plenty of signs of an impending contract.

First and foremost, August did attend an Ineos training camp at the start of the year and is a close friend of Ineos Grenadiers rider Magnus Sheffield. The riders both came from the same town of Pittsford, New York, and are both from the same junior program, Hot Tubes Cycling."

yorkshireraw

wakemalcolm said:

After this and Ovett, is anyone tracking whether Mo Farah's kids can ride a bike yet?

He'll say they can't, but loads of people who are at school with them will say the opposite....

yorkshireraw

roscoe said:

andyp said:

More young British talent being signed up the WT.

https://twitter.com/efprocycling/status/1704152149729387001?s=46&t=2PATd_OtsVdKlFqH4sTWPQ

Great to see British riders being signed by WT teams. Shows the talent is there, sadly the demise of British Conti and Pro Conti teams may hamper the future generations.

For those that don't know / haven't read the release - Lukas' dad ran 2.08 in the Marathon (in the 'old' days when shoes were shoes, not springs lol) and came 5th in the 96 OG.

takethehighroad

GCN basically saying Cav will carry on for another year, but the story was mostly based around "they haven't signed a replacement for him yet"

secretsqirrel

takethehighroad said:

GCN basically saying Cav will carry on for another year, but the story was mostly based around "they haven't signed a replacement for him yet"

Well how would anyone replace Cav 😉. They have signed up another support sprinter though, which is interesting for team that has never been sprint orientated.
So at least keeping options open.

andyp

According to Patrick Leferve, Remi Cavagna is leaving Soudal-QuickStep and will be riding for Movistar next season.

Not seen it confirmed anywhere though.

stage_hunter

takethehighroad said:

GCN basically saying Cav will carry on for another year, but the story was mostly based around "they haven't signed a replacement for him yet"

Or…whoever wrote it has had a tip off from someone close to Cav, or Cav himself, but told not to say he or she has been tipped off.

focuszing723

Greatness might be achieved then, you know not Elon Musk levels of greatness, but greatness nonetheless. I'm mean he hasn't built the first production EV, made reusable rockets or working to increase the bandwidth of the Human mind, so Humanity has a bit of a chance against AI strains....

Anyway, I might watch the Tour next year then.

andyp

Wielerflits are reporting a merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick Step is being actively discussed:

https://twitter.com/wielerflits/status/1705981452377018462?s=46&t=2PATd_OtsVdKlFqH4sTWPQ

blazing_saddles

andyp said:

Wielerflits are reporting a merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick Step is being actively discussed:

https://twitter.com/wielerflits/status/1705981452377018462?s=46&t=2PATd_OtsVdKlFqH4sTWPQ

The UCI will have to go begging to Amgen.
They will need that 4th Grand Tour so there’s enough to go around all those Jumbo Step super stars.

daniel_b

Even more firepower for them, can't see that being genuinely good for the sport personally.

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/dutch-media-report-jumbo-visma-soudal-quickstep-in-merger-talks/

roscoe

So Jumbo snap up Remco and keep him away from Ineos. How do they keep 4 recent GC winners happy?

rick_chasey

It makes sense from the owners, Jumbo wanted to scale down spending and so did QS owners.

RichN95.

roscoe said:

So Jumbo snap up Remco and keep him away from Ineos. How do they keep 4 recent GC winners happy?

With big bags of Saudi money

rick_chasey

And surely Remco leaves in this scenario?

Edit: Roglic too probably

daniel_b

rick_chasey said:

And surely Remco leaves in this scenario?

Edit: Roglic too probably

I'd hope so.

rick_chasey

Remco’s got a big ego (finally, we need more riders with them, ideally fragile) and I’d assume there’s not enough room for it with Vingers, LaPorte and WvA, who he infamously doesn’t get on with.

roscoe

Interesting times.

stage_hunter

I see Fat Pat’s quote is far far far less dismissive than what he was saying when the Ineos rumour was kicking around.

I really dont see this.

RichN95.

This may not be a bad thing if Evenepoel moves to a team that is set up for GTs and Roglic also moves. I can't see them all co-existing. They most likely have leadership clauses in their contracts and Soudal money can't afford all of them.

Obviously not good for all the people who will lose their jobs though.

r0bh

Also a bit worrying for the sport if a team with the success of JV can't find another title sponsor

roscoe

Are Quickstep dropping their sponsorship?

bobmcstuff

Aren't JV already dominant enough...

Presume Evenepoel and Roglic would leave, 5 GT leaders on one team?

Surely it can't happen for 2024 either - doesn't that jeopardise the racing next year if they are announced to be merging for 2025?

rick_chasey

r0bh said:

Also a bit worrying for the sport if a team with the success of JV can't find another title sponsor

I suspect they cost more than a WT is typically worth to a company, so a bit of scaling back is good for the peloton.

A bigger problem is we don't have enough fragile egos keep top riders from being on the same team.

rick_chasey

roscoe said:

Are Quickstep dropping their sponsorship?

AFAIK although QS were the main sponsor, they are owned by Zdeněk Bakala who's the sugar daddy.

r0bh

rick_chasey said:

r0bh said:

Also a bit worrying for the sport if a team with the success of JV can't find another title sponsor

I suspect they cost more than a WT is typically worth to a company, so a bit of scaling back is good for the peloton.

A bigger problem is we don't have enough fragile egos keep top riders from being on the same team.

A much bigger problem is having too many top riders concentrated in one team IMHO. See for example Vuelta 2023 and SD Worx for most of 2023

rick_chasey

r0bh said:

rick_chasey said:

r0bh said:

Also a bit worrying for the sport if a team with the success of JV can't find another title sponsor

I suspect they cost more than a WT is typically worth to a company, so a bit of scaling back is good for the peloton.

A bigger problem is we don't have enough fragile egos keep top riders from being on the same team.

A much bigger problem is having too many top riders concentrated in one team IMHO. See for example Vuelta 2023 and SD Worx for most of 2023

That's why we need more egos so that stuff can't work, and we get a bit more pizazz in the races.

andyrac

r0bh said:

Also a bit worrying for the sport if a team with the success of JV can't find another title sponsor

Exactly - which a lot of people are missing. Two mega teams having to merge.....
A sure sign of a poorly run sport; one that is unable, or unwilling to change the model - and relying solely on sponsorship for running the teams.

rick_chasey

Hahaha.

https://twitter.com/friebos/status/1706229628656890114?s=46&t=Q7O5dnx-0MXQv9qE3vz1vg