Chris Froome in discussions over a mid-season transfer?

[J Wakefield]

I’m surprised by many comments here supposing that things will continue  as normal in the cycling world post Covid .Maybe I’m just a bit negative at the moment.Because of the funding model in cycling teams I believe ALL of them are going to be in the ****.No company is going to retrench a single person while at the same time sponsor a cycling team.Gone are the days of the luxury of having 3 leaders.When the Covid dust settles the culling will start.

Advertising budgets of companies will be first to go.Dont expect the “tv rights” funding to happen.ASO won’t let that happen.

I foresee smaller teams with smaller budgets.Wont even get into our local SA cycling teams.Sorry to burst some bubbles but if I was a pro cyclist now I’d be looking at plan B if I was a young up and coming cyclist I wouldn’t look at that as a career.

just my 2C

 

I dont know how to put it into a worded sentence but once things become public people will be shocked / surprised / disappointed or however you want to say it with what is happening now in WT and MTB circles. There is movement in teams and riders that is not in the media and its pretty for some, and not pretty for others. 

[Jakkals.]

None of his competition or rivals in the Tour were not in form last year?

Took quite a bit to take yellow from JA, who didnt have a team around him. Browsing through last years top 10, a lot of the guys wasnt in great condition, Barguil was 10th on GC, and he had no form.

[J Wakefield]

Took quite a bit to take yellow from JA, who didnt have a team around him. Browsing through last years top 10, a lot of the guys wasnt in great condition, Barguil was 10th on GC, and he had no form.

 

Barguil isnt GC, it is commonly known and he does not like that type of pressure. That is the 1 main reason he left Giant and was coming back from broken pelvis. He was given free range to do as he leased but is not a GT GC rider and wont be unless he makes some significant improvements.

 

His history is:

 

2017: 10th

2018: 6th

2019: 10th

 

Thats pretty consistent form for a rider over 3 years at a Tour. 

What about the other 8 riders in the top 10? Also none of them in shape? 

Edited May 15, 2020 by J Wakefield

[stringbean]

Besides struggling for funding for cycling teams just trying to put on any form of racing is going to be near impossible.Social distancing going to be with us for a long time.How event organisers going to do a event limited to 50 or 100 people is beyond me.There are even a few in the pro circles that don’t the The Tour will happen this year.French minister of sport has already stated cycling is not a priority to her at the moment.

Already hearing rumours that some of our Big race organisers in SA are looking at retrenchment 

[babse]

Just saw on IG that NAD are folding... thats big and sad new. 

What lies ahead for 2 of SA most talented bike riders....

 

I dont know how to put it into a worded sentence but once things become public people will be shocked / surprised / disappointed or however you want to say it with what is happening now in WT and MTB circles. There is movement in teams and riders that is not in the media and its pretty for some, and not pretty for others. 

[T-Bob]

You have to think Froome is just marking the land for this year and maybe having a look to see what is available for the next two seasons.

 

I doubt a mid season transfer could really work for Froome for this years (if it happens) Tour as he'd have to work pretty fast in semi lock down conditions to get an existing team into his vision. 

 

Will be interesting how it pans out now Froome. He's gone from the prince to the king in a public wrestle with Wiggins and is now on the other side of the situation and in danger of being pushed out by these other guys. Froome knows Ineos / Brailsford have no room for sentiment in their decisions. It helped him in the past and now might force his hand. 

Movistar might be a good option as they are a bit rudderless and would be sole leader. Can you imagine Landas sad face if Froome bolted over to Bahrain. He's been moving to teams and playing second fiddle again and again! Poor bugger.  

[Gen]

Just saw on IG that NAD are folding... thats big and sad new.

What lies ahead for 2 of SA most talented bike riders....

CCC are also ending their sponsorship with the teams at the end of this season and have cut stage wages by 50%.

[Jakkals.]

Barguil isnt GC, it is commonly known and he does not like that type of pressure. That is the 1 main reason he left Giant and was coming back from broken pelvis. He was given free range to do as he leased but is not a GT GC rider and wont be unless he makes some significant improvements.

 

His history is:

 

2017: 10th

2018: 6th

2019: 10th

 

Thats pretty consistent form for a rider over 3 years at a Tour. 

What about the other 8 riders in the top 10? Also none of them in shape? 

 

Maybe they were on form, JA sure was, but his history as a GC rider is not that of a true GC contender.

2016: 41st

2017: 68th, Vuelta

2018: 33rd

2019: 5th.

 

Unless he has transitioned himself into a GC rider, to get to 5th must've taken quite a bit of luck?

[J Wakefield]

Just saw on IG that NAD are folding... thats big and sad new. 

What lies ahead for 2 of SA most talented bike riders....

 

Yes unfortunately this is true as you all read but alittle expected in a way with all going on. Obviously I have personal connection to Matt and Wessel and not good overall but there are some doors being knocked on. Hopefully something good will come from it. 

[J Wakefield]

You have to think Froome is just marking the land for this year and maybe having a look to see what is available for the next two seasons.

 

I doubt a mid season transfer could really work for Froome for this years (if it happens) Tour as he'd have to work pretty fast in semi lock down conditions to get an existing team into his vision. 

 

Will be interesting how it pans out now Froome. He's gone from the prince to the king in a public wrestle with Wiggins and is now on the other side of the situation and in danger of being pushed out by these other guys. Froome knows Ineos / Brailsford have no room for sentiment in their decisions. It helped him in the past and now might force his hand. 

 

Movistar might be a good option as they are a bit rudderless and would be sole leader. Can you imagine Landas sad face if Froome bolted over to Bahrain. He's been moving to teams and playing second fiddle again and again! Poor bugger.  

 

Not sure he would be worried about the move to Bahrain for Froome if that happens cause he rides for Movistar. 

[gummibear]

Yes unfortunately this is true as you all read but alittle expected in a way with all going on. Obviously I have personal connection to Matt and Wessel and not good overall but there are some doors being knocked on. Hopefully something good will come from it.

Eish that’s hectic.Good luck to the riders and staff finding other teams[emoji106]

 

Heard that many teams won’t survive this year if TdF doesn’t go ahead.

From the looks of things the tour won’t be happening or will be on a smaller scale[emoji22]

[FootballingCyclist]

Yes unfortunately this is true as you all read but alittle expected in a way with all going on. Obviously I have personal connection to Matt and Wessel and not good overall but there are some doors being knocked on. Hopefully something good will come from it.

 

Matt didn't do too badly in his "Trial" at UAE Emirates. Maybe he could find a spot in a WT or Conti Road team?? Sure as hell is good enough and will only get better.

['Dale]

I’m surprised by many comments here supposing that things will continue  as normal in the cycling world post Covid .Maybe I’m just a bit negative at the moment.Because of the funding model in cycling teams I believe ALL of them are going to be in the ****.No company is going to retrench a single person while at the same time sponsor a cycling team.Gone are the days of the luxury of having 3 leaders.When the Covid dust settles the culling will start.

Advertising budgets of companies will be first to go.Dont expect the “tv rights” funding to happen.ASO won’t let that happen.

I foresee smaller teams with smaller budgets.Wont even get into our local SA cycling teams.Sorry to burst some bubbles but if I was a pro cyclist now I’d be looking at plan B if I was a young up and coming cyclist I wouldn’t look at that as a career.

just my 2C

 

@Stringbean

 

It is the 'death' of most sport as we know it. A complete reset.

Cycling was fragile for a long time and that fragility will be completely exposed in terms of its sustainability model / fiscal model.

 

What will happen when the reboot button is pressed, no one knows.

Like restarting your old PC as it starts to hang every now and then and hoping for the best.

 

I sure do miss sport.

 

Edit: The gogga has affected all business sectors. It's painful. Sponsoring WT teams? Eish.

Edited May 15, 2020 by 'Dale

[J Wakefield]

Matt didn't do too badly in his "Trial" at UAE Emirates. Maybe he could find a spot in a WT or Conti Road team?? Sure as hell is good enough and will only get better.

 

He wont go Conti, its not worth the effort and the level he rides at unfortunately. At present he wants to stay MTB

[J Wakefield]

Eish that’s hectic.Good luck to the riders and staff finding other teams[emoji106]

 

Heard that many teams won’t survive this year if TdF doesn’t go ahead.

From the looks of things the tour won’t be happening or will be on a smaller scale[emoji22]

 

The Tour has a date, but that is dependant on how the Pandemic evolves closer to the time. There is a big change in protocols from staff compliment, hotels, food etc.for example if someone tests positives for CV19 during the Tour, do they lock it all down like UAE Tour?

 

The Tour or any GT in itself is hard on riders and staff, with limited resources it will be even harder behind the scenes. 

 

I for one do hope that racing, in whatever form does go ahead. 

[kosmonooit]

It hard to imagine he would get the support he did elsewhere, but Ineos also needs $$$

 

"The report come just as one of the companies run by Team Ineos backer Jim Ratcliffe — Petroineos, an energy business where Ratcliffe is a partner with Chinese investors — is trying to secure government loans totaling more than $600 million to help stave off a sudden dip in world oil demand."

 

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/report-chris-froome-considers-leaving-team-ineos-early/

 

Without Nic Portal,  the end of an era,  good luck Chris.