Richie Porte to Sky

[citoyen]

Wow. That's a massive signing.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,15264_7155041,00.html

Question is, will he be a super-domestique for Brad or is he being signed as a contender in his own right?

And where will he fit in the team if Cav also joins?

d.

[David Martin]

Sky have an interest in more than just the TdF. Richie Porte/Froome (if he stays)/Wiggins gives them good GC candidates for three GT and lots of little races.

[citoyen]

Sky have an interest in more than just the TdF.

Hence my question. He's someone who could be a contender in the Giro, but I also wondered if it's perhaps an indication that they're resigned to losing Froome and are signing him as a lieutenant for Brad.

d.

[JT]

Sky have an interest in more than just the TdF.

Hence my question. He's someone who could be a contender in the Giro, but I also wondered if it's perhaps an indication that they're resigned to losing Froome and are signing him as a lieutenant for Brad.

d.

So you think they made a move to sign Porte based on Froome's showing in the Vuelta? One of the biggest rumours last season was the one that had Porte moving to Team Sky.

I don't think they'll lose Froome anyway. It's normal for riders to be out of contract at this stage of the season and I fully expect him to re-sign. Team Sky/British Cycling need GB riders that can pick up UCI ranking points.

[citoyen]

One of the biggest rumours last season was the one that had Porte moving to Team Sky.

Ah. That one passed me by. Or maybe I heard it and forgot it. But it's not as much of a surprise as I thought? OK.

d.

[JT]

It's only a surprise in that it hadn't really been rumoured this year, but then everyone's been focusing on Cav/Sky.

Ten of last year's team are leaving Sky and they're only going to bring in quality replacements.

[citoyen]

Ten of last year's team are leaving Sky

Do you know who? I saw that Gerrans is going to GreenEdge, and I suspect Greg Henderson wants out, judging by his constant moaning about not being picked for big races.

d.

[JT]

Ten of last year's team are leaving Sky

Do you know who? I saw that Gerrans is going to GreenEdge, and I suspect Greg Henderson wants out, judging by his constant moaning about not being picked for big races.

d.

As well as Gerrans, Kurt Arvesen has retired. And I agree about Henderson and would definitely add Serge Pauwels to the outgoing list.

If you look at their roster there are a lot of names where you can easily think "what has he done?" but a lot of them are domestiques and it's hard for armchair (or even roadside) fans to judge their contribution accurately.

As for for incoming, they'd added two neo pros: Luke Rowe and Salvatore Puccio, Segio Henao (a promising young Colombian), and Richie Porte.

[Rig of Jarkness]

On Eurosport yesterday they were passing on a rumour that Cancellara may be going to Sky. 

[David Martin]

According to Eisel, both he and Cav have agreed to join Sky.

The problem appears to be with regard to sponsorship. Sky are sponsored by Adidas but Cav has a personal sponsorship deal with Nike.
Sky ride Pinarello but for some reason (possibly personal sponsorship again) Cav wants a Specialised bike.

So there is some conflict there for the lawyers and agents to squabble over.

[citoyen]

Oh christ, please dont let cycling turn into football. 

d.

[David Martin]

He already is the David Beckam of cycling in Europe..

[citoyen]

Serge Pauwels…

If you look at their roster there are a lot of names where you can easily think "what has he done?" but a lot of them are domestiques and it's hard for armchair (or even roadside) fans to judge their contribution accurately.

Pauwels is undoubtedly one of those. I think the only time I've really noticed him is in the 2010 TdF, on one of the mountain stages, when he did a decent turn at the front trying to keep Brad in contention. I'm sure there's a lot of that goes on that doesn't get picked up by the cameras.

There was also a stage in the Vuelta this year where the coverage picked up the race on a climb, just in time to see Zandio and Uran falling off the back of the leading group before Wiggo and Froome went on to grab the headlines. It's easy to overlook the fact that while Wiggo owed a lot to Froome in that race, the pair of them owed a lot to their domestiques.

It's a shame to lose Pauwels, who's clearly a fine domestique, but replacing him with the likes of Porte is only going to make the team stronger overall.

d.

[citoyen]

He already is the David Beckam of cycling in Europe..

Indeed. With a few key differences. Not least of which is the fact that he's actually won stuff at international level.

d.

[bobb]

Yet more gossip on where Cav may or may not be going next season

[citoyen]

Wasn't there a rider a couple of years ago who rode a non-team bike that had been resprayed with the branding of the team's supplier? Trying to recall who it was but I think he was French.

If it's a case of Cav genuinely preferring his Specialized bike, maybe he could do that. If it's just a sponsorship thing, surely he could buy himself out of the contract, or the team could buy him out?

d.

[Rhys W]

What's wrong with Cav? He gets a chance to ride a piece of Italian cycling heritage and he turns it down because he prefers a dull sportive bike heavily marketed to rich middle-aged men? It doesn't even fit him. If you're going to be discerning, you need to have impeccable taste.

[Rhys W]

If it's a case of Cav genuinely preferring his Specialized bike, maybe he could do that. If it's just a sponsorship thing, surely he could buy himself out of the contract, or the team could buy him out?

I can't really see that happening. The pros tend to have their own deals on shoes and glasses, everything else is team issue, and the bike is the major part of the team's image. Incidentally, I noticed a pic of Contador recently, wearing a Giro helmet, alongside two teammates wearing Specialized helmets of the same colour.

Jennie Longo had a spat with the French team a few years because she refused (or maybe refused not) to use Look pedals iirc. And of course, the great Andrea Tafi had his old Mapei Colnago C40 sprayed up to look like a Cervelo.

[citoyen]

a piece of Italian cycling heritage

I'd hardly call the Dogma 60.1 a "heritage" bike!

d.

[Biff]

What's wrong with Cav? He gets a chance to ride a piece of Italian cycling heritage and he turns it down because he prefers a dull sportive bike heavily marketed to rich middle-aged men? It doesn't even fit him. If you're going to be discerning, you need to have impeccable taste.

Rumour (wholly unsubstantiated so treat it with skepticism) I got from a friend who works for Specialized in the US is that Sp made a whole new mould for Cav like they previously did for Tommeke.  Thats some investment.  You couldn't really disguise a Sp as a Pina no matter how fancy the paint job.

[Mr Larrington]

Wasn't there a rider a couple of years ago who rode a non-team bike that had been resprayed with the branding of the team's supplier? Trying to recall who it was but I think he was French.

Happens all the time.  The "Peugeot" team bikes of the 60s and 70s were nothing of the sort.

[giropaul]

Wasn't there a rider a couple of years ago who rode a non-team bike that had been resprayed with the branding of the team's supplier? Trying to recall who it was but I think he was French.

Happens all the time.  The "Peugeot" team bikes of the 60s and 70s were nothing of the sort.

But it is much harder now, as moulded frames have returned to the old "unique silhouette" to give an instantly recognisable shape. Pinarellos, in particular, have a particular fork and rear end shape.

Some of the Peugeot team bikes were certainly not Peugeots, but they did have frame builders (or maybe one builder) who did first class team frames. Certainly some, at least, of the ANC team frames for the Tour were built by Peugeot in house, including ones for Malcolm Elliott.

[Rhys W]

I'd hardly call the Dogma 60.1 a "heritage" bike!

You're right, they're all just "brands" now.

In the days of lugged steel, it was easy to custom-build a frame for a rider. Considering the exposure he's going to give them in the rainbow jersey, creating a mould for Cav doesn't seem untoward.

[bobb]

Didn't Specialized make the frame they made for Tornado Tom publicly available? I'm sure they'd do the same for Cav's. I suppose there are enough morons people out there who would buy one just because.... It would definitely make you faster!!

[citoyen]

Dany Pate!
http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17546_7223671,00.html

Another quality signing.

d.