Pro-cycling thread

Wow that's a strange fit, given Gilbert's waning star. Brought to lend nous to the classics squad?

tony martin joining katusha!? wtf?!

Seems like they're building a team solely for the Ardennes/hilly classics, I thought D.Martin, Alaphilippe, Vakoc, Jungels and Brambilla where enough! Apparently they were not and Gilbert was probably a good deal.

I wonder whether given the dearth of talent from the closing teams they got him cheaply. Etixx usually sign the best emerging talent, rather than the best fading talent, Patacchi an honourable aside.

So perhaps like him, Gilbert has been brought it to do a specific job.

Definite jaw drop. But what sort of rider will he be? 12th in the Limpicks ITT wasn't he? And he hasn't won a top-quality TT for a couple of seasons, a tilt at a monument?

I know TM talked about becoming a classics rider but has he given up on it or is it a long-term plan? Last I recall he fell off during one of the classics (was that at PR?) whilst doing his domestique/diesel thing on the front.

Would love to see him go for classics properly, or just do more ridiculous solo breakaways :)

If Tony Martin wants to do well in the classics, wouldn't it make sense to join a team where he'd be the outright leader? At Katusha he'll be playing second fiddle to Kristoff.

I think this idea of him as a Classics winner is a fantasy, dreamed up by people who don't really understand what's required to win one.

Is it his plan though? I don't know enough to know whether it's just people saying it (because he won that tour stage with cobbles?) or has he actually said he wants to target the classics?

What team would give him the opportunity to be an outright leader?

I think this idea of him as a Classics winner is a fantasy, dreamed up by people who don't really understand what's required to win one.

I agree. He's an awesome rider, but definitely not for the Classics.

I've heard rumours (from someone who knows him well) that Tao was offered a contract with Sky during his time there last year and turned it down, apparently having been warned off them by Cav. Dimension Data is the prediction.

RIP Lucien Blyau (1925 - 2016) 'Colaman' - provided the pros in GT's with cold Coca Cola for 40 years, many will miss him

Legend

I hadn't heard of him before, but he sounds great.

http://pelotonmagazine.com/aerogramme-2016/aerogramme-lucien-blyau/

Tao to sky.

Source?

Edit: It's on Twatter

Horses mouth.

Wonder which side wanted a one year only contract

Forumenger @taogeogheganhart signed as neo-pro by Sky.

Stoked for the Vuelta.

Could be best GT of the year.
I did say that about both the Giro and Tour as they happened though.

Last year's Vuelta was awesome, hoping for more of the same.

I'd heard on very good authority that he was off to Sky.

I'd have been amazed if he'd gone to Dimension Data. They can justify signing non African riders if they are experienced, but I think any neo-pro they sign will be African, given their aims.

I had a very good source as well. But I think they'd been double-bluffed.

Hope his 2017 is a better more rewarding than Alex Peters' 2016 seems to have been.

Word was that he got offered the contract but didn't want to rush things so did another year with Axel Merckx and Axeon, which is a wise decision, though I must admit I was hoping to see him win more things this year

Will they use Tao in the early season classics?

I doubt it - he is more of a stage racer