[Leadbelly]

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/WielerFlits/status/1314945053945720833

Alex Dowsett fears for his professional life. The Briton has no contract for the upcoming season yet. His victory in the eighth stage of the Giro d'Italia was therefore a very welcome gift. “It was a very tough year. There is so much uncertainty. ”

“I work hard, I want to keep racing next year, because that is what I prefer to do. I want to get food on the table for my family. Hopefully this victory will secure me for next year. ”

The 32-year-old Briton tries to enjoy all impressions as much as possible due to his uncertain professional life. “You keep getting a year older. Every win could be your last, maybe this will also be my last big round. I try to enjoy this with my teammates, my wife Chanel and my family. ”

Could be tough for him to stay with I-SUN. Normally there are only three spots left and at least one cobbled classics rider is needed. However there is a strain of sentimentality that runs in the team, not always to it's benefit, and that could swing him a contract. Unless of course somebody else comes in with an offer. I had been thinking Bahrain could be an option for him. There's the Ellingworth link and the team there is quite light on pure TT ability.

If it had been me in charge it would have been Dowsett and not Brandle who got the extension earlier in the year. However the Austrian got the nod, MWS is also around and Bevin is joining the team. Dowsett is probably a better TT-er than all three, but the latter two bring extra stuff to the table.

We'll see what happens.

[Leadbelly]

Some behind the scenes stuff.

https://twitter.com/sporza_koers/status/1317005700510453760

Looks like Verbrugghe will be the new sports manager (another ex-IAM associate). More news today is likely.

A month or two ago there was also the news that the team will continue to ride Factor bikes in 2021. A bit surprising as other brands (Bianchi and someone else I can't remember) had been linked and there had been some trouble during the year with the riders actually getting TT bikes - Cataford said something after TA about not being able to practice his TT much this year.

It could just be that they lost out in the bike merry-go-round to other teams or maybe they have a brand lined up, but only from 2022 and Factor is just staying on as a stop-gap. Specialized would be good (if unlikely)!

[Leadbelly]

This is more the sort of team I like, with plenty of options on most days

Martin obviously has the best chance of getting a stage win. Badilatti and Piccoli could try for the break on some of the MTF finishes and then there's three or four hillier days in the second half for Renard and Goldstein to target.

Raim finally gets his reward for his wins over the years. Not too much depth in the sprint field after the big-3, but with very little obvious help for the Estonian, top-tens are all he can hope for I think.

MWS's omission is a bit of a surprise. I assumed that since he wasn't riding the classics, he would be here, but no sign of him. Has there been a falling out with his plain speaking after missing out on the Tour?

[Armchair Cyclist]

Nice to see that they took such care over producing that poster that they didn't give Piccoli a capital letter.  C-

[LukasCPH]

Nice to see that they took such care over producing that poster that they didn't give Piccoli a capital letter.  C-

You're being generous.

No capital Piccoli, and the riders' photos not in the same order as in the list ... it's a 3/10 from me.

[Armchair Cyclist]

It really annoys me when it is someone's job to do such things, and they do it with so little care and with nobody checking it before it is sent out as the public image of the organisation they work for. 

[LukasCPH]

It really annoys me when it is someone's job to do such things, and they do it with so little care and with nobody checking it before it is sent out as the public image of the organisation they work for.

Speaking of which, the Vuelta tweeted about Carapaz ... using the flag.

He was not happy:
https://twitter.com/RichardCarapazM/status/1317898257775906816

[Armchair Cyclist]

Technically, the civil flag (which is the level of flag relevant to sporting events) is identical to the Colombian flag.  The version charged with the coat of arms is the State flag, which is properly restricted to the government, military and diplomatic service.  I only cited that once in Ecuador before I learned that no-one wants to use the civil flag.

[LukasCPH]

I only cited that once in Ecuador before I learned that no-one wants to use the civil flag.

Probably because the civil flag is, as you say, identical to the Colombian flag.

[Leadbelly]

He just wasn't suited to European racing or rather, he was just very late in his career to make an attempt to get used to it.

In addition to that we know Navarro is looking elsewhere, so that leaves seven unknowns for next year.

Sagiv, Niv and Goldstein - All three must extend

Boivin - I'd say that's almost a certainty too. The only other option would be Rally. They are looking to expand their European racing programme and if Guillaume fancies a few more leadership opportunities....

Raim and Dowsett - Could get sentimental contracts, but the squad needs strengthening in other areas.

Hollenstein - Solid, but least chance of all of these.

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/wcsbike/status/1319307319663054848

Sorry Alex. This is the first proper WT stage win.

The team is doing an decent job so far of helping him. Renard especially and Hollenstein have been prominent in keeping him towards the front. Goldstein helped a little bit today on the climb. Obviously the big test will be on the longer climbs on Sunday and further on in the race. Can Badilatti stick around a bit more?

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/YallaIsraelSUN/status/1329727061917888515

No surprises there.

Buried in the text though is the info that the "plan is to revamp the Continental “Israel Cycling Academy” team and will race in 2021 with a full under-23 squad, including eight young Israelis."

So no more Dan.

Unless they really spring a surprise and hand him a WT contract.

We already knew most of the old guys were leaving anyway. Perry to Astana, Avila to Burgos, Awet to _______ and Ovett to L39ION or a Zwift team (?).

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/YallaIsraelSUN/status/1330073469808226306

Levi from the devo team nearly ruining the script.

https://twitter.com/YallaIsraelSUN/status/1330063311409385474

[Leadbelly]

Those confirmations the other day about the Israelis staying with the team brings the number of riders for 2021 up to 30. So why no news saying the transfer dealings are done or announcing the other two riders? Imo they must have been after Nizzolo and/or Lopez. Since they are no longer available I hope we'll get the final deals out of the way sooner rather than later.

I still don't believe Boivin won't re-sign especially with Astana now being complete. That brings us to 31.

Hollenstein impressed at the Vuelta I have to say. I could live with that.

A Raim renewal? I think his ship has sailed. Should have focused on classics instead of sprints imo.

A Turek upgrade? Fantasy signing. He could have been promised something after missing out last year with the Katusha merger. Has followed Scinto etc recently on instagram. Czech media recently said there would be news within ten days about his future.

Ben Moshe stepping up? Would probably benefit more from staying with the CT team another year. Could also have national service commitments to fulfil.

Somebody else? They were after Power the other year, but he struggles to put several days of good racing together. I like Havik and Budding at Riwal myself, but if they were interested they should have signed them last year.

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/ollieman56/status/1332092166487859201

I had noticed that he was following and being followed by some of the guys on the devo team. Not sure how Ollie knows it's confirmed. He could have just asked him I guess.

https://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=85725&y=2020#rider

Some decent junior results, but nothing major in his two years at U23 so far.

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/ollieman56/status/1332224721824444416

[Leadbelly]

https://www.ilfoglio.it/girodiruota/2020/11/27/news/froome-tra-le-bici-d-israele-1485027/

This article could clear up one point of confusion in the Froome transfer.

Adams and Froome met in 2018 at the start of the Giro d'Italia from Jerusalem. There was harmony, they recognized the same passion for cycling in the other. For almost two years they did not hear much, then, when the contractual dynamics allowed the Kenyan of England to think of a future different from the one that (not) the Ineos proposed to him, they re-established contacts and quickly found an agreement. One year of renewable contract as long as he wants to run. Adams asked Froome only one thing: obstinacy to return the best. Froome asked Adams only for precision and a few followers up to the mission, the usual one: to try to win the fifth Tour de France

Some were saying the contract was for five years, others for three. If this is to be believed, it's a lot less worrying than that.

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/jauzy19/status/1332518894381244419

One spot left.

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/YallaIsraelSUN/status/1334802553293443072

Pridham wasn't the only DS joining the team this week. He's been with the team before, but back when they were a CT outfit. That gives 10 official sports directors:

1. Rene Andrle (Czech Republic)
2. Claudio Cozzi (Italy)
3. Dirk Demol (Belgium)
4. Zak Dempster (Australia, head of continental team)
5. Oscar Guerrero (Spain)
6. Lionel Marie (France)
7. Dror Pekatch (Israel)
8. Cherie Pridham (UK)
9. Nicki Sorensen (Denmark)
10. Eric van Lancker (Belgium)

For sure Dempster might be busy with other things a lot of the time, but there is also Verbrugghe and Carlstrom to add into the mix. They'll need a lot of races to keep them all busy.

-------------------------------

Some more potential names for the Devo team:

Rotem Tene (does track with Einhorn)
Finley Newmark
Jakub Boucek (was on the same team as Repa)
Riley Pickrell
Alastair MacKellar (picture below)



I think he'd fit in more at EF.

[LukasCPH]

For sure Dempster might be busy with other things a lot of the time, but there is also Verbrugghe and Carlstrom to add into the mix. They'll need a lot of races to keep them all busy.

It's a lot of people, that's true - but it may well be (in fact, it's near-guaranteed) that some of them are 'part-time' DSs. After all, it is a job with a lot of long hours and very much travelling, taking you away from home for over 50% of the year if you're doing it full-time at WT level.

[Leadbelly]

Yeah Andrle is part-time(ish) as he works for Topforex on the side. That could help with a move for Boucek.

[Leadbelly]

Devo team for 2021.



Miles and Levi (who nearly won the Israeli Nats RR) are the only U23 riders from last year's crop who don't stay on.

[Leadbelly]

Can't say I'm overly familiar with most of the new names. Looking at First Cycling gives some idea of what they can do, but I think what we can say is that none of them are "marquee" signings. Jones has won a stage at Langkawi, but that doesn't mean a lot. Boucek maybe has the most interesting results - 9th in the Junior Worlds at a soggy Harrogate and 5th last year in the Czech Nats.

Some of the blurb from yesterday:

In a strategic move to bolster the current development model, team management is turning Israel Cycling Academy into an under-23 team. The main purpose of ICA is to develop talent – especially Israeli – to a WorldTour level and the U23 designation contributes to that mission.

Being a U23-team allows ICA to compete in races that would normally not be open Continental teams.

“The idea of focusing completely on a U23 team is that it will allow us to field strong teams in the biggest U23 races like Liege-Bastogne-Liege and, hopefully, the Baby Giro,” says Zak Dempster, the head sports director of the Continental team. “These races are critical for the development of young riders and it’s imperative we are there fighting for results – if we are to develop the next generation of WorldTour riders within our structure.”

One of the first challenges for ICA will be the Tour du Rwanda, which is scheduled to take place in March (but riding with a couple of WT guys as I-SUN?).

It's worth noting that since they are now U23, this year will be the last for Ben Moshe and Abu Fares. The former, while yet another sprinter, definitely has more chance of moving up. He wouldn't be a direct replacement for Niv, but imo he's the local rider in the main team who should be worried about his future. He may be the best climber on paper but that hasn't translated to decent results or even being able to help team mates when it matters.

[Leadbelly]

https://twitter.com/sporza_koers/status/1357351769622388736

The I-SUN spin was that Barbier made up a lot of ground in the last 200m, but I see him in Dupont's wheel coming out of the roundabout (pretty much) and only finishes 4th. Great chance for a win missed imo.

[Leadbelly]

I-SUN weren't one of the chumps for the once the other day and that leaves MWS in a decent position going into the final TT tomorrow.

I checked out his H2H TT record on CQ against some of the opponents tomorrow. Strangely only Politt has a winning record against him (6-2). He's level with Kwiat (2-2) and up on Wellens (4-2). Not that you can trust those stats of course, several of them are ones were either one or both of the riders weren't trying. While doing it though, I did spy that MWS finished fourth back in 2017 on this Ales TT which could be a good sign.

Anyway he's never going to make up 46s on Wellens and Kwiatkowski is a class above when he tries. Hanging onto third is the realistic target with his erstwhile team mate Politt the danger man.

[search]

talking about ITTs... the new Factor bike isn't available yet, but apparently supposed to be a major improvement, according to Brändle in the Vorarlberger Zeitung today:

"10th place for Matthias Brändle in the UAE Tour time trial. The 32 year-old from Hohenemster only lost 38 seconds to Filippo Ganna on the 12 km course. 'Unfortunately the new time trial bike isn't ready yet, otherwise it could be 1.7 kph quicker. But I'm satisfied, the shape is good'."

"1.7 kph quicker" would move him up to 2nd

[t-72]

When it is "bring your kids to work"-day in ISN, Kortrijk division:

https://twitter.com/TeamIsraelSUN/status/1364104947483041792

[Leadbelly]

Devo Team Alert!

First race of the season for the now fully U23 team and who needs Paris-Nice when you can have Paris-Troyes instead.



It's meant to be windy and could be wet too.

The team:

Pickrell
Boucek
Hollyman
Jones
Plamondon
Davidzon
Mackellar

Don't think there is a confirmed start list anywhere, but with 7 PCT teams (and more than that wanted to come), it won't be easy.

[Leadbelly]

Don't think there is a confirmed start list anywhere, but with 7 PCT teams (and more than that wanted to come), it won't be easy.

You can check it out now on First.

https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=285&y=2021&k=8

Lots of names: Capiot, Mozzato, Grosu, Barbier, De Bie, Vallee, Kooij, Sanz, Cabot, future MSR winner Jensen etc etc.

Direct Velo has a ticker and there will be a stream available later.