Velo Gator

Four riders expected to lead exodus from Cervelo TestTeam

Cyclingnews understands that a group of riders may leave the Cervelo TestTeam and join the Garmin-Transitions team in 2011 as part of a radical shake up at the two teams.

There is widespread speculation that Garmin-Transitions may be interested in signing Thor Hushovd, Heinrich Haussler, Andreas Klier and Roger Hammond.

The future of the Cervelo TestTeam now appears unclear. Neither team owner Gerard Vroomen or team manager Joop Alberda were available to comment.

Garmin-Transitions team manager Jonathan Vaughters also unavailable to comment.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hush...itions-in-2011

collegeskier

As a Garmin fan that is great news. I wonder how the tour team would work next year with Thor and Farrar both on the team. They seem like to great sprinters but also have some similarities in style not giving a clear cut good for one and not the other. I would like to see Thor go after the green jersey with Garmin though.

ReallyFatAlbert

Wow. That would be quite the departure for the scrappy little team from Colorado. That will be interesting. I wonder if the merger is amicable or if the riders are simply scrambling away from a sinking ship at Cervelo.

Bacciagalupe

Cervelo is "sinking?" What, is Garmin wrecking everyone and no one told me? It's not like they swept the classics and dominated the Giro.....

I dunno, Haussler is a good choice since iirc he does well in the Classics. But doesn't Garmin need a big GC guy more than a top sprinter?

collegeskier

I think getting a big GC guy is sort of hard. Not exactly a ton on the market. They seem to be setting up a team to win Classics. As long as Vande Velde comes back and maybe stays wheels down next year he can get mentioned in the GC race, and if you don't have AS or AC your not going to get GC in the TDF so knocking off some sprints or the green jersey there and doing really well in the Classics would probably make the sponsors very happy. Attention in the US during the tour and attention in Europe with the classics.

I also feel like Thor is liked my many Americans if you want to look at Garmin as expanding cycling to the US. His gritty rides make for good television.

DCnoJ

Nooo! I hope not. As a Haussler and CerveloTestTeam fan I hope this doesn't happen. He's shown so much potential in the classics and even in sprints against Cavendish. Where ever he goes I hope he can stay healthy and away from serious bad luck.

walie

what about this?

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/haus...o-through-2012

i'm assuming he's going to have to pull a Wiggins to switch?

wfrogge

https://www.velonation.com/News/ID/54...he-season.aspx

Kayce

Im not a garmin fan, but this is good for their team. Thor and Farrar are top sprinters, but ride with a different enough style that both will be usefull. Farrar can compete with Cav, on long flat bunch sprints, and Thor can compete on more rolling stages or even flat finishes with a few 4-5 mountains that Farrar will be regelated to the grupetto. And with so many riders they will be able to compete in both the cobbled classics(haussler) and the hilly ones(Thor)


Acording to an unnamed source on cyclingweekly it will be Cervelo- Garmin next season, which goes with the tradition of new co-sponsor every year. With the Schleck team picking up some Test Team riders.

My biggest question is where will Theo Bos end up. I dont know if Schlecks would want a flat top speed sprinter, and Garmin definatly doesnt need him. Geox or Liquigas maybe?

daytonian

it's just a "test" team

/jk

dumbest name for a team. maybe Vroomen is a victim of his own success. Sastre did them no favors.

Kayce

Test Team makes sense with the goals of the team. One of their main focuses was testing out products in top level pro races and developing them further, thats why they spent so much time in the wind tunnel, and played around with components more than most teams.

Cervelo never offer Sastre a contract, he signed for another team. There is no way he could be the cause of the riders leaving.

Sea Green Sky

It's from Sept 2009, a lifetime ago

FTA: "The riders were told yesterday that the team won't exist next year ..."

Garmin would do well to drop CVV and pickup Haussler and Hushovd

spinwax

It is going to be so WEIRD to see Garmin on Cervelos.

https://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...-garmin_136727

Kayce

I think the garmin argyle will look sweet on mostly black cervelos. I am wondering what Thor does with his national champ jersey.

daytonian

so we get to see Christian Vandevelde crash a Cervelo now? Cool!

DCnoJ

Aww, that was just mean spirited.

bellweatherman

Cervelo Test Team is on the way out and looks like Vaughters is going to pick up some of the Cervelo Test Team riders. According to Vaughters, Cervelo is also replacing Felt as next year's Garmin-Transitions bike sponsor. Vaughters may try to pick up a few more former Cervelo riders and staff.

900aero

As a Cervelo owner and fan, its a sad day to see the pro team fold. These things come & go but it was still great to follow a team that also made the bike thats in my shed. Whats more, they made direct audience/owner communication a priority with daily emails/ blogs/forums........pretty much set the benchmark in this area for me.

I hope all the riders and staff find new homes with other groups and look forward to seeing success with Cervelo's at Garmin.

daytonian

https://https://velonews.competitor.co...ive-oil_137369

he never misses an opportunity

Kayce

Thor has confirmed he signed to Garmin

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hush...min-transition

900aero

Where Cervelo goes, Thor goes.

gnome

So does Dean go back to leading out Thor or does he continue to lead out Tyler?

ReallyFatAlbert

Or will Vaughters ask Thor to lead out Farrar?;-)

Kayce

Thor said he wont being doing lead outs in the classics. My guess is neight will lead out for the others in grand tours.

daytonian

Wow. Garmin just became a pretty serious Classics team.