HTC Highroad folds!

[pauloc]

You guys reckon the team was making excessive demands given their good track record? That might explain why sponsors weren't prepared to sign up.

[Wonder Woman]

Seems a bit fishy to me....can't understand why they can't find a sponsor?? Someone not doing their job??

 

Personally, i think it may be a good thing.

[Blokman]

If Mark and Mark end up somewhere together then "Renshaw could still launch the

Cavendish missile". In Phil speak that is.

[AndreZA]

Maybe they can come and ride for Bonitas.

[Cyclocross]

In my opinion they are a victim of their own success. That many race wins comes from having quality (i.e. expensive) riders and depth (i.e. lots of them). They have a womens team too, all of which needed sponsors money to continue. Value proposition may still be good in terms of numbers of hours of international air time achieved as quoted in Cyclingnews article, but it may just be too expensive in the current economic climate (and that was before yesterday's bloodbath on stock exchanges around the world).

 

Its similar to F1 where the uber teams dwarf the minnows in terms of budget and performance, but at a cost.

[raptor]

i think it mite have been easier to get a sponsor if they did better in the grand tour gc and not the sprinting department.

[BigGuy]

My guess would be a serious stuff-up with the negotiations. Maybe someone was being arrogant/offensive during a meeting. That attitude never bring results with the Taiwanese. HTC as a company is not cash-strapped at all. 20+ million euros is a drop in the pond for them.

[AndreZA]

My guess would be a serious stuff-up with the negotiations. Maybe someone was being arrogant/offensive during a meeting. That attitude never bring results with the Taiwanese. HTC as a company is not cash-strapped at all. 20+ million euros is a drop in the pond for them.

 

I think the problem is when Cabinfish wants 10 of that 20 million.

[Mackem]

Cav was due to leave (or renegotiate his contract last year), when HTC unilaterally extended an option in his contract for a further year. I think that this left a sour taste in his mouth as he had initially been signed up quite cheaply. He probably decided a while ago that he would be leaving in 2012, hence the inability of HTC to secure sponsorship for next year. HTC would be a lot less commercially appealing without Cav.

[Lucky Luke.]

Cav was due to leave (or renegotiate his contract last year), when HTC unilaterally extended an option in his contract for a further year. I think that this left a sour taste in his mouth as he had initially been signed up quite cheaply. He probably decided a while ago that he would be leaving in 2012, hence the inability of HTC to secure sponsorship for next year. HTC would be a lot less commercially appealing without Cav.

 

I think you have nailed it. Cav decided to leave long time ago. The team was rock solid but depended on him for the money shot. In my opinion It's a pity - they brought a level of teamwork and sprinting success to the Tour that stands alone in cycling history.

 

Their success in grand tour TTT's stood as testimony to the discipline and teamwork behind what they did with the leadout trains.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Lucky Luke.

[Dirtracker]

Or is it just a sign of the worldwide economy where corporates just don't have the luxury of supporting and sponsoring teams during this period.

[TNT1]

Cav was due to leave (or renegotiate his contract last year), when HTC unilaterally extended an option in his contract for a further year. I think that this left a sour taste in his mouth as he had initially been signed up quite cheaply. He probably decided a while ago that he would be leaving in 2012, hence the inability of HTC to secure sponsorship for next year. HTC would be a lot less commercially appealing without Cav.

 

that, and the Velits boys leaving as well, Peter is a good bet for a Tour Podium in the next few years.

[Mackem]

If Cav indeed has signed for Sky, expect personal fireworks coming from the team in 2012. I dont believe that the team could handle two "big" personalities in Wiggins and Cav. Sky will then either have to morph it's targets from riding for overall classification (Wiggins) to stages (Cav).

 

Either way - it's going to be a very interesting transfer period with an influx of the HTC riders into the market.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Mackem

[Eldron]

Like some of the other posters I'm rather glad about the flop - not in terms of the effect on cycling but HTC was a one horse team that squashed a lot of sprinter's dreams and aspirations because they would happily dedicate 8 riders to Cav.

 

I'm looking forward to a more flat and open sprinting platform!

 

No doubt Cav has a fantastic 200m explosion but I don't think he'll do nearly as well when he isn't pampered to the line.

 

Can you tell I'm a hater? Yes - yes I am

[Tiny K]

Hard to believe that a team like that would struggle to get a new sponsor!!!!

One off the strongest units we have had in many years.....what they do on the flat stages is just amazing.

50 Grand tour stage wins and they can't get a sponsor??

 

This is pretty sad news, but one can only suspect that there are more issues behind the scenes that they are not telling us....

[Kranswurm]

Like some of the other posters I'm rather glad about the flop - not in terms of the effect on cycling but HTC was a one horse team that squashed a lot of sprinter's dreams and aspirations because they would happily dedicate 8 riders to Cav.

 

I'm looking forward to a more flat and open sprinting platform!

 

No doubt Cav has a fantastic 200m explosion but I don't think he'll do nearly as well when he isn't pampered to the line.

 

Can you tell I'm a hater? Yes - yes I am

 

I cannot agree.....Seeing a team in full flight on the front end and dictating the pace is spectacular.

Saeco springs to mind.Always looked forward to that