| Archive for justcycling.myfastforum.org Just Cycling |
| HuwB |
Cuddles: That's Your Lotto....He's off. Has a nice little clause in his contract.http://www.davitamon-lotto.be/ Good domestique job going at Astana, or a an ex-German slot at the Shack? |
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| Slapshot 3 |
Re: Cuddles: That's Your Lotto....
The CN take....
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| Me, a fan? |
Will Evans replace Bertie as the one being pursued by Cassie, Quick Step, and Garmin? Cassie would be able to support his Tour ambitions excellently, QS not so much. Garmin would be a nice English speaking team for him but I'm not so sure they need another 30+ year old dude. Too much like The Sack. But... Sky would probably still buy out Wiggins and Evans may actually bet a better fit for Garmin. hmmm.
Maybe he's tired of it all and will go back to MTB racing. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
I think Lotto will be glad to be rid of him. They can now concentrate on what they are interested in - Northern European one day and stage races with Gilbert, Hoste, GVA, and maybe JVDB to look for a KOM.
The lack of a team argument doesn't really wash - Evans just doesn't have what it takes to win a GT. |
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| mr shifter |
I agree completely. Lotto took a hammering this year in the early season events and they only got their rewards in the last month. Very Nice that was for them. They cannot leave it all to Philippe next year though. Be Lucky |
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| chardon |
Cuddles is off to BMC...
Google translated: The long-awaited response is not expected ... Where will Cadel Evans? This will be the BMC Racing Team, training pro continental directed by John Lelangue. Strange choice to first, not that much! The new riders hired by the team based in the United States will certainly be the team to receive invitations to participate in the great spring classics and the Tour de France! John Lelangue had shown interest in participating in the Tour since 2011, with Cadel Evans in the ranks, BMC will undoubtedly present in Rotterdam in 2010 and will thus be the third American team on the Tour after RadioShack and Garmin. On the transfer market, BMC Racing Team has made good moves. In addition to Cadel Evans, they have enlisted former world champion Alessandro Ballan and George Hincapie, Karsten Kroon, Marcus Burghardt, Steve Morabito or Santambroggio Mauro. Cadel Evans is the dawn of a new adventure and this without the Lotto team, this training has been increased since 2005. A discreet but effective collaboration to happen twice on the Tour podium, podiums on the classics and as icing on the cake, the World Championships in Mendrisio! Pushed out by Philippe Gilbert cannibalistic or Jurgen Van Den Broeck up blazing a sense of work done has blown him to change course. http://www.velo-club.net/article?sid=55507 also: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/e...to-bmc-contador-to-lotto-for-2010 |
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| Bartali |
Interesting. Another good classics team? Not familiar with the line up, but who's going to help in the high mountains? | ||||
| Mrs John Murphy |
Bizarre - why leave one weak team for another. Perhaps it shows how low his stock has fallen that the only team he can join is BMC.
Maybe he fancies his chances in the Tours of California and Missouri. Kind of fitting really. Micky Mouse races for a Micky Mouse soundalike. |
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| Nolte |
Morabito's a good climber, he's young and improving and then there's also Ballan who is good at everything and a selfless rider i feel | ||||
| HuwB |
The BMC story broke early, this am. Comes from low country sources.
Since then, the story has been passed around. Now, all is quiet. Other than money, I can't think of a team less suited to Cuddles's aspirations.... .....unless George Hincapie can rediscover his 2005 Tour legs. 
The Aussies think he's off elsewhere... http://www.theaustralian.news.com...ory/0,25197,26290710-2722,00.html Wait and see....look at Contador and all his rumours. |
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| berck |
Well, Garmin would make more sense than BMC | ||||
| chardon |
The Australians can't make up their minds... Now they say he is going to SKY! 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/01/2729992.htm?site=news |
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| chardon |
Evans not going to Garmin...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-not-heading-to-garmin-in-2010 |
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| mr shifter |
I did say before.
I have a feeling he might follow Robbie to Katusha. ? |
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| HuwB |
Nope: The first rumour was the correct answer.
Evans joins Bad Move Cadel. 
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bmc-confirms-evans-signing http://www.cadelevans.com.au/cadelsdiary.aspx I hope he gets a Giro invite! |
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| Hommedesbois |
I did Huw's frst link in English and got a full screen of Gilbert in winning mode......
Shouldn't Cuddles go to Cack? He can tow that old bloke up some French hills next July. |
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| Beasley |
Not the obvious choice for Evans, but he's probably cashing in one his increased market value.
BMC are a new team on the European scene, but have had a long history on the US circuit, so should be ready to step up. They have a decent foundation of US and Swiss riders, Ballen and Burghardt can win races, Hincapie & Kroon will add depth to their one-day outfit and, with Evans, they'll have a presence in the lead group in the stage races. They'll get invites from Feb-Oct, that I have no doubt. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
The only thing I can think of is that Cuddles has decided that he wants to be a one day rider/one week guy. Maybe he is angling for a Vuelta invite. |
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| Hommedesbois |
There is a sort of tradition I think that the incumbent World Champion has a crap season then sinks into obscurity or ignominy. There have been exceptions (Museeuw, Freire) but Cuddles is unlikely to wear the jersey with panache or even pride so is right to cash in as best he can.
He might just as well fuck off to the States with the rest of the sport. |
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| chardon |
Huh? You're kidding right? 
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| Mrs John Murphy |
Good riddance to bad rubbish. Still Harmon will always have Frodo and Lance to wank over. |
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| Nolte |
they did ride the dauphine this year while in 2008, they rode also switzerland and romandy (they rode those two also this year) though obviously cadel is less expensive then cancellarra as in the procycling issue witht he schleck's on cover,t he bmc boss saiod cancellara is too expensive for his team |
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| Beasley |
They got an invite to P-R this year, too.
What I think is clear, though, is the desire to have a more permanent presence. One off races are fine, but when a sponsor puts big money in, they want decent coverage the entire season. My guess would be that Cadel would be on million euros a year, give or take. Valverde and Contador are rumoured to pull in a couple of million. Cancellara probably pulls in a million (minimum) but comes with a hefty buy out clause. All speculation, of course. On balance Evans', in the rainbow jersey & with an okay Classics/GT record, probably offers the biggest bang per buck. It's a good deal for both parties, I expect. |
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| Fontfroide |
This might well slightly complicate the invitaations for the Tour, as the current notion of having only 20 teams means that pretty much all the places are taken by obvious choices. This means that if BMC becomes an "obvious choice" on account of Evans, someone else will become a less obvious choice, like Cervelo or Katusha. And unless they increase the teams to 22, the Vacansolleil or Skil are definitely out. And the season has not even begun. | ||||
| HuwB |
Good point FF.
I have read some complaints about BMC trying to queue jump those squads you mention, for a tour wildcard. Obviously, BMC are heading in the right direction, but the sport is now all about those who can splash the cash, while teams that build steadily, end up getting relegated in the pecking order. They still need to buy in some serious GT support riders, though. Hope nobody folds over this. As for the Pro Tour, with both the current and previous W champ riding for a "lesser" team, it's dead in the water. Cadel was on a reported 1.1 mill, at Lotto. As for the US taking over the sport, it's only in sponsorship terms. We all know only one team is considered Team America. Garmin and Columbia are solid sponsors, as I suspect, are BMC. As long as they are committed, I don't care where the come from. |
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| kathy |
According to l'Equipe today, Evans has signed a three year contract with BMC:: | ||||
| Beasley |
Queue jump, Huw? I was unaware there was a hierarchy in cycling.
For what it's worth, BMC have served their 'apprenticeship' - on the US circuit. Unlike the bandwagoners in Europe, poisoned by the sense of entitlement that says invites are theirs by 'right', BMC have been at the forefront of spreading the sport. They've done something about it, rather than loitering around the top table begging for favours, BMC - like Katusha - have got their sponsor to put the money where the mouth is. Since the introduction of trade teams, money has always defined his sport. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
Oh please Beasley do get off your smug high horse.
What have BMC won this season in comparison to the teams who are likely to be squeezed by them? Spending big to fast track themselves into the big races... Chelsea on a bike. |
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| Beasley |
Nothing.
But as I said, they're a US PC team, they rarely race in Europe. They win periodically in the States, but the standard is nowhere near comparable. They haven't got a PT license so any ride they get will be by invite. I suspect they'll be kept busy, but will miss out on at least half of the biggest races. Evans accepts that they'll have to earn their place amongst the elite. All they've done, so far, is gone from a lowly PC squad to a decent PC squad, nothing else. |
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| HuwB |
Investing in one major GT rider, when you haven't got solid support for that rider, suggests that he will bring with him, a good 'ol dose of that sense of entitlement poison.
However, it's quite clear to me, that you have only read part of my post. The bit that was brought from elsewhere.
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| Slapshot 3 |
It is about cash and BMC seem to have plenty to chuck about, Cuddles, Big George probably didn't come cheap. I doubt they'll see the Tour but I expect we'll see them popping up regularly in the big races | ||||
| Beasley |
Or it's giving an opportuniy to the riders who got them to the position they are now.
Out of the current squad, Jeff Louder and Brent Bookwalter aren't donkeys, they earn their chance to ride against the pros full time. Chris Barton is on the US dev squad. Mathias Frank finished 6th in the Tour of Ireland. In 2008 Thomas Frei finished 10th in Osterreich-Rundfahr; this year he was 3rd in the Swiss RR. For all we know, they're trying to collect talent on the quiet, too. They've got their five 'name' riders, sure, but they've also signed a couple of Astana's Swiss riders and Simon Zahner, who won Fleche du Sud this year. Mauro Santambrogio, who Tre Valli Varesine was also rumoured to be signing. Big names? Not really, but then few second tier teams can afford to be stacked top to bottom. When the world champion comes out of says that it'll be a long road to the top, it suggests the management know their place in the pecking order. |
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| chardon |
Here's why... http://www.velonews.com/article/99745 |
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| kathy |
Hmm, it's not use having a team that's 100% behind you if you don't get an invite to the GT's in the first place. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
Evans has had a team 100% behind him for the last 3 years. All this bullshit about lack of support is him trying to cover up for the fact that he just isn't good enough. | ||||
| Slapshot 3 |
Couldn't resist, have to love the last frame...... 
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| Biosphere |
Who's the shadowy figure in the background of the second last frame - looks familiar but I can't place him. Given that it's George from Seinfeld in the first, it might not be cycling related. Anyway - Evans would have won the Vuelta if it were not for the puncture http://www.cyclingnews.com/featur...ns-the-cycling-gods-must-be-crazy |
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| Enchantress |
Um, I don't think he would have won even without the puncture. Regardless, Cuddles has assured himself of no better, possibly worse actually, support in GT's. Maybe he understands he can't win one or it could be the money is that good. His complaints of lotto's lack of support seem a tad nonsensical when he's left for a team that will, at best, provide no more help. A curious move I think. |
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| mr shifter |
Cunego is my guess but I don't know why. ???? |
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| kathy |
I'm sure Cunego has recently signed a new contract with Lampre- | ||||
| mr shifter |
If, If it is Cunego then the explanation could be that Ballan has left him in his background.
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| Mrs John Murphy |
Lets hope that Andy Rihs has more success with this team than he did with his last foray into cycling with Phonak...
It looks like the team strategy is the same - build yourself around an over-rated wheelsucker. All Cuddles needs is the child bearing hips and a fat arse and he's almost there. He isn't ginger which is good, but he is Australian which is almost as bad. 
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