Garmin-Cervélo Smash! Thor Signs On
by Jen See on Aug 30, 2010 4:04 PM EDT
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Another day, another press release from the lovely people at Slipstream. Today, the team has announced that Thor Hushovd will race for the renamed Garmin-Cervélo. It appears to be a one year deal between Slipstream and the Norwegian who is a past winner of the Green Jersey at the Tour de France. Press release quote!
"I’m going to focus my season on the Classics," said Hushovd. "My biggest goal is to get one major Classics victory in 2011. I’ve come close over the past few years so I will build on that experience and hopefully, stand on the podium with my new team."
So, it's all about the classics, which Vaughters has said is a big goal for Garmin-Cervélo in the coming season. This latest signing gives Garmin-Cervélo a nice pairing in Hushovd and Farrar. Both have the speed for bunch sprinting, but have also shown well in the Spring classics. The old Mapei and Domo-Farm Frites teams showed how much difference numbers can make in the big Spring classics. With the exception of Fabian Cancellara, who just up and rode away from everyone this season, most big wins at races like the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix are built on the foundations of solid team support. The Hushovd signing is a nice step toward building a deep team at Garmin-Cervélo.
Unanswered here, of course, is how Farrar and Hushovd will divide duties at the Tour de France. Farrar has ridden as Garmin's bunch sprinter, while Hushovd is a past Green Jersey winner. Certainly, there is possiblity for conflict between the two riders, though in recent seasons, Slipstream has seemed relatively low on team Drama with riders switching relatively easily among different roles. At least, that's how it looks from the outside. Perhaps there are tears every night in the team bus, but if so, no one is telling. We'll see in July, anyway.
No doubt there are more signings on the way for Garmin-Cervélo as the Big Merge is only just beginning. Over at the Boulder Report, Joe Lindsey has a look at how many roster spots the new team has open and how many riders have yet to receive contracts. It's musical chairs, and at this point, it's looking like some good riders may be left standing when the music stops.
Photo: Getty
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i like that move
let’s see who else they sign. i wonder how transitions feels about being bumped from number 2 sponsor status.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Hm
(maybe) favorite team… adding classics guy… says he’s focusing on the classics… is there anything I’m not supposed to like about this? Apart from the hit to US-Sweden relations, of course?
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 30, 2010 4:25 PM EDT reply actions
like chickens
which would explain the taste.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 30, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Salmo are the Atlantics
Pacific salmons roll with Oncorhynchus. They are much cooler as they ALL die after spawning (except the occasional steelhead and cutthroat) That’s commitment.
I like me some lovin’ as well but not sure if I want to die for it…
He's all custom carbon fiber, EPO and the Olsen twins. I'm more Surly Crosscheck, pot and the girl working the morning shift at the Circle K.
Heh, so you're a Chinook huh?
For some reason they sell O.Keta here sometimes which is a horrible quality fish.
keta?
dog salmon? yeah, not popular here either. Except maybe with dogs. [ok the name has to do with its teeth…]
Otherwise, what Tshawytcha said. There’s also a Japanese salmon, pretty sure it’s Oncorhynchus. The “salmon” comes from Europeans migrating to the Pacific and deciding that they were close enough to the Norwegian/Nova Scotian fish, at least until a few biologists caught the Empire Builder to Seattle and set the record straight.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Honestly, I'm loving it too
Only cloud is if Garmin has to unload too much talent to accommodate all of the CTT riders they “have” to sign. We’ll see how that plays out.
(Klier is half-swede btw)
On occasion
we have it at the resort, but not in our cabin. And I get the evil eye if I walk over to the office too often.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 30, 2010 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks!
Not a problem here.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Only thing I don't like about this fandango
is the possibility that some good riders are going to be left off the new version of the team. That makes me sad.
Very much.
I will be bummed if too much of the old Garmin vanishes here.
Problem isn't just TdF but the classics as is being discussed in the Transfer thread
I hope Haussler doesn’t join the party otherwise…well that might just turn into a disaster
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
Disagree
I think it’s good to have multiple riders who can win the race in the classics. You are far more likely to get a team win that way.
Oops, sorry I missed that there was already discussion of this thing. I kinda lose track of the long threads.
It's ok
PopUp and I were on the verge of winning the tag team matchup against Tgsgirl and Vlaanderen anyway. For a Belgian and a guy who calls himself “Vlaanderen” they knew surprisingly little about how you win the Tour of Flanders. :-)
Belgium is to Holland
as Norway is to Sweden. (In the eyes of Dutchmen and Swedes.)
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
Hey hey, I never said double-teaming the classics is a bad idea.
In fact, it’s the best way to win it. All I said is I don’t think Tyler will ever win RVV. I have a ‘bet’ with someone on the internet that they can have my camera (most expensive thing I own) if Cav ever wins RVV, and my guitar (second most expensive thing I own) if he ever wins PR. Now, I’m less sure on Tyler, but I stand by my point: Farrar won’t win Vlaanderen’s mooiste.
If Cav wins de Ronde
they can have my website.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Farrar on the other hand
You can bet against him, it’s safer than the alternative, but I’m thinking we haven’t seen his best efforts yet. Remember, this was really his first full classics season. I’m not sure we fully know what he can do yet. I’ll give him a couple years before feeling like the question is settled.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes...when you have guys like Devolder and Boonen, not two bunch sprinters.
It would help both of them if Haussler is there but then there might be too many chickens in the coop for everybody to be happy, even if the team wins. Shouldn’t be a problem for Roubaix though.
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Aug 30, 2010 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't buy that euther Haussler or Hushovd would want that.
I reckon Haussler will go elsewhere, but where specifically?
contrarian view:
1. 4 Garmin-Cervelo-transitions roster spots that SHOULD open up: Vandevelde. He’ll probably prove me wrong next year, but he should listen to his head: retire while he can still walk. Danielson: sure, reporters won’t be able to simply change the dates on their “Danielson plans comeback” puff-pieces, but really, it’s time. Zabriskie: either make him take a serious pay-cut, or ditch him. Millar: another cut his pay or politely tell him his time is up guy. (Seriously, Zabriskie and MIllar are like less successful versions of Hincapie . . . or maybe a Bert Roesems).
2. Why is anyone excited about Le Meh-vel?
3. Who will be the Wilfried Peeters or Ekimov of this bunch? Is it Van Summeren?
Hmm
Vande Velde: Should take time to consider if he really wants it, otherwise retire. Motivated, I would love to see him give the Tour another shot.
Zabriskie: I think it will be exit left for him, all sorts of distractions.
Danielson: Find a team that targets Mt Evans and get a fresh start
Millar: Can’t think of many more useful riders, he can do virtually all types of races at this point.
Van Summeren seemed lost this year, I suspect he is the type that performs better when he has a defined role. He could be the best classics-sprintteam helper in the world.
I think I agree about Van Summeren
and sorta about Millar:
except that Millar does not read classics well.
And the problem I foresee for Garmin-Cervelo-Slipstream: the Rabobank problem of too many leaders without a sense of strategy.
I see a lot of teams and think "their DS in the car isn't really helping" these days
Could this be a result of many teams avoiding to put some guys from the “91-06-generation” as DS’s? Both Sky and Garmin look to me like they have missed out on a lot of results as a result of poor managment.
Has MIllar ever really tried?
From the look of the races he’s been in according to CQ, he hasn’t really tried the northern classics except for 2010. And I thought he did great.
Millar was there to lead Farrar out for 5th in the RVV. Sure, his move went no where but what was the harm in trying? (Besides launching the move that took 3rd. Which admittedly was dumb in retrospect)
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
What about their contracts?
Not sure about the others, but Zabriskie is signed through 2013; Vande Velde through 2012.
I really do not understand the truth.--Riccardo Ricco (per Google Translate)
I agree about Millar.
The others I think can go. But Millar would be a loss and I think VdV gets his choice, as he should.
I think what we’re going to see is that some of the more marginal domestiques are going to be out. It’s going to be a much less North American team than I think Vaughters originally wanted it to be.
Summie, lost?
He’s just a domestique. He did massive amounts of work in the Tour this year (in the first 8 stages anyway. I went on holidays after that).
But I do agree that he does best when he has a defined role. Just tell him what to do, don’t let him decide for himself.
I just thought he disappeared in races a lot more than we are used to
Take any classic and he was always there riding at the front for his captain 30-10 km before the finish. This year he just seemed to slip away. And I never get the feeling Garmin found a way to get the most out of him when working for Farrar. Perhaps he was just more visible on *Lotto since they had to take more responsibility with McEwen. These days it’s 75% HTC, 75% of the time chasing breaks.
In the classics he wasn't as visible as 2009, but he did ok in the Tour as far as I could tell.
Though in the Belgo late night Tour talkshow, he didn’t even know the Tour didn’t have time bonificiations. He suffers from occasional Oscarcitis :)
VDV
Just a hunch, I think he comes around for another shot. I think his Vuelta appearance is a sign that he’s back from the edge of the abyss.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed on all points
while those were the guys who brought garmin to the forefront, its time for them to step up another notch with a new cast.
"You know if there's any contact at all Cristiano Ronaldo's gonna go down...maybe even just a puff of wind"
Isn't/Wasn't Millar part owner of the team?
I thought that was part of the reason he would not be part of Sky…
No disagreement on others…
Yes, I will have an Ultra Liberal MoCo Latte please.
by JustJoshinYa on Aug 30, 2010 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Did you guys know that Thor
“… is considered one of the best sprinters, TIME TRIALISTS, and Classics riders in the world”? ;)
Source: Press release from Slipstream Sports quoted by syklingensverden.com.
He used to win prologues I believe
But only the really short ones. I think that’s their justification
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
U23 World champion
But yeah, it was probably against Sven Tveskägg
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Aug 30, 2010 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions
which they mention
reading stuff is overrated
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Aug 30, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions
A bit earlier I think
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Aug 30, 2010 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions
This is common knowledge...
and happened 12 YEARS AGO. Whoever considers Thor one one the best time trialists in the world NOW should be comitted. :)
Don't be such a party pooper
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Aug 30, 2010 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Indeed
It’s not like they can write the truth in these releases?
“was once considered good but not quite good enough in many disciplines but is now slowly slipping into obscurity as father time is quite clearly catching up with him”
(I kid)
I have to admit I'm not a huge fan at the moment
I’m usually very Pro Thor but I think he is a bit too cocky for his own good lately. He seems a little too concerned with being a mini-patron in a way he didn’t use to.
I also have a feeling he messed with the norwegian WC selection in a way that may have helped him but hurt the team which has me a little irked.
I think Thor gets no love.
I was watching Universal Sports (Vuelta coverage in the US) and they didn’t even mention him for the possible sprint the other day. Now, he wasn’t anywhere close to the sprint, so they were right in this case, but I think he at least deserves a mention as a POSSIBLE contender. I really think he is one of the most underrated riders around. Look at VDS (which admittedly ranks his current speciality – classics – higher than other rankings), he is 13th. And most of us would claim he’s had an OK but disappointing season.
As to the cockiness, you’re absolutely right. I am a fan and even I thought some of his recent comments came off in poor taste. He’s good, but he can’t carry a team himself. I don’t even think he could carry a spring classics campaign himself.
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
I'm glad you brought that all up
so I didn’t have to.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
You're not a big fan at the moment? Really?
We couldn’t tell… ;)
He’s had an air of defensive cockiness about him for quite some time. “Jeg ER en av favorittan for Roubaix” (made-up quote). I’m not a big fan of his rhetoric, his trainer or his relationship to HWSNBN (using this relationship to create buzz around Oslo Grand Prix (and cancer awareness) certainly has its merits though – it is not all black and white). Still, I do like him as a rider. He is a strongman, a fighter and a god (and he is Norwegian..). That is good enough for me.
You have a feeling about the Norwegian WC selection? Is this just wild speculation? What is your hunch based upon? Do you think he played a part in KAA’s non-inclusion? How is the inclusion of Eddy’s old teammate Kristoff “better” for Hushovd? Please explain.
I've always cheered for Thor (fun norse-bashing schtick aside)
Just speculation really about the WC. Norway has two strong classics style sprinters who both can win. The sane choice is to bring the third guy who can service those two the best and not a third sprinter, right? Thor has proven to be a bit edgy when it comes to having his support riders lately (as evidenced by the Sastre comments these last two years and the rhetoric in the transfer talk with Garmin).
To me both Arvesen and Nordhaug seem like obviously better bets for guys who can provide support long into the Geelong race but problem is they are both Sky and EBH teammates and I can’t help but feel that Hushovd has had things to say about it. The explanation about bringing Kristoff for experience and that he is underrated a a helper…….meh (despite his strong season).
Thor's first choice for a domestique the world's would probably be
Gabriel Rasch. If Thor cares at all. I’m not sure how much of a difference our third guy will make anyway. The reason why it was even possible for that bald eagle Kjærgaard (who sees nothing and suspects nothing and calls Kurt while he is out on the roads of Belgium during the eneco tour) not to include KAA in the team is his TERRIBLE TERRIBLE season. He has not produced one single result. Granted he has been injured. Granted he has performed domestique duties (mainly taking turns in the front of the peloton on the early stages of a stage/classic) before sitting up and losing 20 minutes to the winner (yes, that is how it is done, but is a poor indicator of good form)).
Kristoff on the other hand HAS some results. He lacks experience and possibly the stamina for such a course.
Lars Petter Nordhaug has also had a good season, and in my opinion he may be a better choice than Kristoff. But all this is neither here nor there really.
My choice would still be Arvesen. Baldy K sees it differently. What’s done is done. I have a hard time thinking that Thor has been involved in the decision-making process here. In my mind he would be better of with a guy like Arvesen who could be a threat or a helper when they enter the final in Geelong.
I just get that Thor&co are a bit paranoid about these things
with his coach still talking about the O’Grady/Thor issues on CA which was a hundred years ago . He and Kurt never got along very well either I think?
But I suppose you are right , the Kristoff/KAA/ LPN choice was probably pretty much a cointoss and no great conspiracy.
At least he'll get to wear his Nat Jersey.
"It was getting colder and colder as we went up. About halfway up, I started to go a little backwards and as I passed Thor he looked at me and said, "If you lose my wheel I will smash you." I took his wheel and found an extra gear." João Correia
Oh dear
there is a sad, sad day on the cycling fashion horizon…
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Beh, I'm not getting my hopes up.
After the complete disappointment that is Murilo Fischer’s national champs jersey. They could’ve made that one so much more in your face.
They can probably shed some dead weight and I would say
Bubble Boy has to go first and foremost. Then, probably Cozza and DZ. I really like those two but they haven’t contributed a whole lot. VdV and Pate seem to be at the heart of the team and are huge fan favs so they stay. Millar, still winning and part owner, no way he goes anywhere. As far a HH, I don’t know if they should sign him or not but if they do, it would be hard to beat HH, Thor, and Tyler for RvV or PR. They would be a HUGE fav for the win. I would love to see that. Really, if they could get Tyler to the velodrome, I don’t see Boonen or anyone that would be likely to get to the finish for that matter beating Tyler. I think that JV has some serious decisions to make and no doubt other teams are VERY envious, as they should be.
If I just had one more gear, I...
We have no idea how these riders are paid though
DZ is still a perfectly fine rider. Whether he is worth it or not for Garmin depends entirely on how much he makes. And I don’t think that’s public information. A good domestique who puts in strong TT performances and wins smaller US races? I think that’s worth a decent paycheck.
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
I agree on the pay aspect and DZ did win a stage of the ToC this year but
I just don’t know how much he contributes to the teams’ efforts in the peloton. I don’t want to see him go but I wouldn’t keep him over other riders like say Tuft or Pate.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Courtesy VN, Graham Watson, and the 80s:
“He works ”http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/08/road/stage-2-2010-vuelta-a-espana-a-graham-watson-gallery_136940/attachment/zabriskie-works" target="new">hard for the money"
Agreed, I've been the biggest DZ supporter in the past
But his sell date is way past due. He has been good on the domestic scene at AToC and Nats TT, but he has disappeared from any result whatsoever in Europe this year. He can’t help Tyler in the sprints because he’s scared of the peloton, and he didn’t offer Ryder any help in the mountains this year at the Tour.
"Thanks again, Floyd Landis, Yellow Jersey Wearer: Nuisance Category"
CVV, DZ, Tommy D:
Could the Armstrong investigation potentially cause any problems for these guys? Vaughters is backing them, but say they’re actually attending court or being interviewed (no I dont know what I’m talking about). Practically and from the point of view of PR, it’s not great.
DZ is easy to bash
but it’s hard to cut the 2nd place overall finisher at this year’s ToC. On an American team. I’m not down with bringing the whole Cervelo classics squad and nothing else. Need to look at the climby classics and the GTs too.
If I could pick a 28-man roster, it would go like this. In no particular order, with the last three slots being relatively big names who could be chopped. Slots 29 and 30 open for neo-pros.
1. Farrar
2. Hushovd
3.Haussler
4. VanSummeren
5. Hesjedal
6. Vandevelde
7. Martin
8. LeMevel
9. Zabriskie
10. Millar
11. Kreder
12. Lancaster
13. Klier
14. Hunter
15. Stetina
16. Peterson
17. Fischer
18. C. Meyer
19. T. Meyer
20. Bobridge
21. Tuft
22. Cozza or Carlsen
23. Stefan Denifl
24. Philip Deignan
25. Oscar Pujol or Xavi Florencio
26. Danielson
27. Maaskant
28. Dean
Good list! My two cents.
1. Hammond for Haussler: No way I see GHH taking a contract with Garmin with the similar style riders in the lineup. Obviously, Hammond is a lesser rider, but still top notch as a helper and as a guy who can win races.
2. Pate for Fisher: I think you have to keep Pate. I know he’s not much in the way of results, but he embodies the original vision of what Slipstream was about when it got a seat at the big boy’s table. I think you have to preserve at least a little bit of that. I like Murillo, but I want to keep Dean and Hunter, so that leaves one sprinter/lead-out man on the outs.
3. Christian Meier for Tom Danielson: The bubble-box experiment is over. I think an all-around domestique can take his place, and Meier is my man. When Garmin wants to bring it back, he’s always on the front pulling for what seems like an eternity.
4. Daniel Lloyd for Philip Deignan: I’m not sold on Deignan, and Lloyd makes me laugh
"Thanks again, Floyd Landis, Yellow Jersey Wearer: Nuisance Category"
I like your thinking
Forgot about Lloyd. Completely with you there. I put Maaskant on the chopping block for the same reasons you subbed out Haussler.
On Tommy D, sure he’s gone, but they have to replace him with someone who can actually climb mountains. Meier is a dime a dozen. We pooh pooh secondary mountain goats on this site, but a big part of the sponsor target audience remembers seeing them on TV in the GTs even if they don’t get big results. As a casual Slovak cycing fan friend of mine once said last spring when I mentioned AG2R, “that’s the team with Stephane Goubert and the Slovenian guy, right?”
by Mr 60 Percent on Aug 30, 2010 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Hammond
I like that guy, as a rider in this mix. Hey, if you can’t land Boonen or Cancellara, then you might as well get as much classics pedigree as you can and see if it pushes Farrar over the top. I don’t guess that Haussler’s coming but we’ll see.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Its a good roster
but it doesn’t appear to take into account the neopros they were planning on bringing in. That throws a loop into thingsfour of them, there were at least . Personally, i think the roster will have to be 29, and LeMevel, danielson, and dean probably won’t be around. With those adjustments, this roster looks realistic.
"You know if there's any contact at all Cristiano Ronaldo's gonna go down...maybe even just a puff of wind"
Good catch
I am 100% certain about this. Tyler mentions him in almost every interview.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Aug 31, 2010 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions
No, that'll be Thor's job at the Tour.
Kidding, but based on his Tour this year, Thor would be perfect. He’s big, strong, experienced, leads at 200m and fades at 100m. Seriously, keep Dean and add Lancaster.
Dean used to be Thor's leadout.
If Thor can’t get all his guys Dean would be a good man to keep around.
Yeah, the team loves him
I’m just getting past the leadouts Dean screwed up last year. He’s been much better this year.
No one seems to know LeMevel’s status but I would like him on the team. Garmin could really use him for the Tour.
by Mr 60 Percent on Aug 31, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I think the tour is gonna be all about Green now.
Maybe some stage wins, but I doubt there will be a significant focus on GC with the team they now have shaping up.
Makes sense.
But after three straight Tours with a surprise GC guy it will be hard to give up on that entirely.
You could service both needs with a team like: Farrar-Hushovd-Dean-Hunter-Millar-VanSummeren-LeMevel-Hesjedal-VDV. The bigger question is how do Farrar and Hushovd co-exist?
by Mr 60 Percent on Aug 31, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
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