Tomorrow marks the start of the cycling “transfer window”, with teams being able to announce new riders for the 2015 season.
There are some big names whose future will be decided in the coming months: Roche, Boasson Hagen, Sagan, Bouhanni and Wiggins to name but a few. There are also potential team deals, depending on whether Belkin, Giant, Garmin and Cannondale can stay afloat, meaning more riders may be available.
Tinkoff-Saxo are front runners to sign Sagan and look set to take brother Juraj and Pole Maciej Bodnar and one other named rider with them.
This means some riders must leave, with Nicolas Roche looking like he will head to Sky, but IAM and Trek may also be keen. Andrew McQuaid, his agent, gave no comment on his rider’s rumors.
With Cervelo and Gerard Vroomen supplying MTN-Qhubeka’s bikes and Brian Smith becoming interim general manager, big signings are expected. MTN don’t want to go to the WorldTour in 2015 but do desperately want to bolster their Classics roster and Edvald Boasson Hagen is rumored to be heading that way.
Bauke Mollema has been linked with Trek regularly in the past few weeks but there are other teams chasing him and it will be interesting to see where he will go.
Garmin and Cannondale look set to merge and while several riders on the squads will need to find a new team, some are going to be lucky enough to be given a contract. Matej Mohoric looks destined to be on the new team, as are Dan Martin and Andrew Talansky, but Moreno Moser looks less likely to join the team.
Nacer Bouhanni has been linked with several teams but Cofidis looks most likely to sign him. But to do so, Bouhanni requires 1 million Euros a year, and one more million for a lead out team, including Sebastian Chavanel.
But three GC leaders look like heading out of the team: Rein Taaramae, Daniel Navarro and Jermoe Coppel in order to get new challenges and help fund the Bouhanni.
11.11 - 17.11: Vuelta Ciclística al Ecuador |
Erik BOTHE 32 years | today |
Menatalla ESSAM RAGAB 27 years | today |
Kai KAUTZ 37 years | today |
Jiajun HAN 25 years | today |
Dylan PAGE 31 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com