Pro-cycling thread

Supposedly Ineos are getting helicopter transfers to the hotel to save 2-3h of road transfer.

Sounds like a brilliant idea, except looking outside at the moment, I would rather be anywhere but inside a hovering metal box...

couldn't pay me to get in a helicopter

When they showed a replay (from above) it looked like it was Roglic who cut across a movistar rider (Rojas maybe), clipping his front wheel, who then went down, taking Martin et al too.

Ironically Roglic was forced to swerve as a different borked Movistar rider parked his bus and was drifting back through the field.

Classic Movistar tactics.

Obnoxious but successful 🤣

That's the Grenadier Spirit.

Whats the status with Tao's Ineos conract currently? Am I right in thinking he signed a two year deal in 2018?....... has he renewed with Ineos for next year as yet?

Really hope his performance in this Giro will very deservedly make a huge difference in the kind of salary he can demand next year if he hasnt signed a contract already!!

Similar aituation for Richie Porte after his podium at the Tour...... I'm pretty sure his Ineos contact for next year was agreed before that performance?

I have very little knowledge of this kind of thing, but am intrigued to know if a rider that gets a huge and unexpected result like a GT podium (or hopefully win!) very soon after signing a new contract is able to renegotiate and demand a considerably higher salary?

Should be a forum donation in it

I suspect its as simple as they make him feel valued. Whether that’s insight and knowledge for Ganna or as domestique.

He won WC after the tour debacle so clearly it wasn’t a performance issue. My opinion at the time was that it was more the managements failing than his.

I’d agree, plenty of super talented athletes have fallen foul of mismanagement.

What the hell Rohan Dennis.

When Ineos signed Dennis I was far from convinced it was a good call. I'm now prepared to graciously concede that it wasn't such a bad call after all, all things considered.

Motherfucker just wouldn't quit. Last time I saw that was Kwiato riding to a stop.

I can't believe I'm not cheering the Aussie but come on Tao, TTers everywhere tucking (?) for you

Ineos have used him brilliantly. Until the second TT I don't think I had heard his name. Then third week he is everywhere.

ineos got to tha choppa I see
https://www.instagram.com/stories/taogeogheganhart/2427568568772946945/

That they seem genuinely excited and thrilled says a lot about them as a team.
As an aside, did the clocks change overnight in Italy too?

That's incredible scenery though, fair enough.

The last riders are off at about 3pm UK time today.

He's out of contract for next year, officially.

However, Ineos/Sky tend to ensure they keep the riders they want to keep by agreeing contracts early and announcing them late. I'd be very surprised if there isn't a signed contract in place for the next few years already.

On the bonus side, I'm no expert in this, but a lot of big name riders seem to be on a bonus scheme that is written into their contracts, so if you win the Giro you get a £250k bonus and so on. I don't know if TGH has such clauses in his contract, but I'd be surprised if he did. Generally what happens when a up and coming rider does far better than expected is one of two things;

1. The team want to keep the rising star so take the initiative in agreeing a new and improved contract to reward them properly.
   
2. They keep them on their existing contract and a stand off occurs where the up and coming star just goes through the motions whilst their agent finds a new team who are willing to pay them what they are now worth. Richie Porte back in his Saxo Bank days is a case in point for this - he wore the pink jersey and finished 7th in the Giro in his neo-pro year, but was kept on the same contract. He did virtually nothing the following year, as he was on a two year deal, then moved to Sky on a contract that reflected his true worth.
   

They did, yes.

Yes, everywhere in Western Europe they've changed

Edit: too late

He would also have brought home some TT wins, if it weren’t for Ineos also having Ganna...

I mean, Tao has the team name (which admittedly has changed, creating some difficulties for the image) written through him like through a stick of rock. It's the team he always wanted to ride for and I think that feeling is now more strongly mutual than ever.

Possibly, but in a team full of GC riders, it's sometimes difficult for an up and coming rider to get his chance to prove himself. He came into this race as Thomas' main mountain domestique, so circumstance has presented him with an opportunity which he has seized with both hands.

There might come a time when he decides he wants a guaranteed leadership role and Ineos might not be able to give him that, so he could leave.

I think Brailsford likes to have a core of long serving riders in the team who can ensure the team's culture is upheld, the likes of Thomas, Rowe and Puccio spring to mind, and I think TGH can fulfil that role too.

Given the current name of the team, the nature of its owner and the way that Tao has performed in press conferences talking about “the Grenadier spirit” I suspect that Radcliffe may have a big say in ensuring Tao stays with the team

Are they on the cusp of their most successful Grand Tour? If Tao gets it's done today and Ganna mauls everyone in the TT they will have -

Winner GC.
7 stage wins.
Pink Jersey at the end of the first and last day.
Win young rider comp.
Win team classification.

Can't remember a better one team haul than that in a GT.

Can't remember a better one team haul than that in a GT.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2020/teams

1 Attachment

Giro stage 21, assuming these are local start times.

73) F Ganna (ITA Ineos) @ 14.52
98) R Dennis (ITA Ineos) @ 15.17
132) T Geoghegan Hart (GBR Ineos) @ 16.09
133) J Hindley (AUS Sunweb) @ 16.12

Can anyone confirm?
also any live British terrestrial tv coverage planned?

cheers
Almac