Cervelo pulling out of team CSC

Caroline_ie

... and being replaced by Specialized.

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

... and being replaced by Specialized.

Awh man!

Raam

Boo-hiss

TinyExplosions

It would appear they're forming their own team

Quigs Snr

Being associated with CSC sold them a lot of bikes. When I was looking at buying I was thinking, well good enough for the best team in the world, good enough for me, so no doubt this will affect sales a bit.

So thats good then, my R3 SL will become a bit more unique !

niceonetom

is this entirely Cervello's decision? Specialized have a very active marketing department (how many pro teams ride their bikes?) and i can't help but suspect that if they drove a lorry full of cash up to chez Bjarne Riis he might have been tempted to jump ship. then Cervello put a different face on it? or am i being overly cynical?

Diarmuid

"The financial realities of pro cycling today have caused a change in priorities for the team, and we respect that."

What does this mean? That specialized are willing to throw more money at them?

TinyExplosions

niceonetom wrote: »

is this entirely Cervello's decision? Specialized have a very active marketing department (how many pro teams ride their bikes?) and i can't help but suspect that if they drove a lorry full of cash up to chez Bjarne Riis he might have been tempted to jump ship. then Cervello put a different face on it? or am i being overly cynical?

From reading the bikeradar article it would appear to be Cervelo's decision... they've always struck me as being a very 'technical' team, and going on their own means they can develop bikes in a different manner -maybe a good one.

Also "It is still unclear who will fill Cervélo's shoes at CSC-Saxo Bank, although rumours suggest Specialized has submitted a substantial equipment sponsorship bid that extends far beyond just bicycles." seems to suggest that Cervelo pulled out before Spesh came in

jefferson73

Nearly lost mine on the drive down to the sean kelly tour..was doing 320 km through Waterford and hit a speed bump:)

Looks like Gerolsteiner team may be gone too.

niceonetom

Diarmuid wrote: »

"The financial realities of pro cycling today have caused a change in priorities for the team, and we respect that."

What does this mean? That specialized are willing to throw more money at them?

possibly... having just won the tour csc would be in a position to say to cervelo that if their relationship is to continue then cervelo will have to pay more for the privilege. cervelo wouldn't have anything like the financial clout of specialized and may have made the decision that it makes more sense to throw their money into their own team than to pay Riis.

CSC, if cervelo can't or won't meet their demands, could still be shopping around for whoever will pay the most to provide them with bikes. they are the ones with leverage here.

Chips Lovell

There's been talk about Cervelo going out on their own and sponsoring their own team for a while now. Rumours too that Sastre is going to go to them. With Gerolsteiner folding, they won't be short of riders. Cervelo are actually quite a small company and I remember reading a while back that they had said they could only afford to sponsor one team. I guess if they're going to supply bikes to one, they want their name on the jerseys too.

Also Scott have pulled out of the team formerly down as Saunier Duval, now Scott-American Beef. They said they want to sponsor someone else straight away though.

FergusF

On a related note, CSC will not be sponsoring the Riis team after the current contract ends in December 08. Press release here, and more details here.

Apologies if this has already been discussed on the forums...

SetOverSet

September 1, 2008 “I am pleased to announce that the Specialized and Team Saxo Bank willjoin forces starting with the 2009 racing season,” said Mike Sinyard, President and Founder of Specialized. “Bjarne (Riis) and I have been talking about working together for years. It is a natural relationship based on parallel visions and values. Both Specialized and Team Saxo Bank are extremely driven and aim to be the best in our respective fields. Our cooperation will enable each of us to achieve more than ever before.”

Bjarne Riis added, “I am really excited to start this new partnership, and I think that we can create great things together with Specialized. We have had a lot of different possibilities in terms of equipment for the coming years, including working together with our existing partners, but we have chosen to embark on a new project, and we are ready to take the next step with Specialized. There has been a clear mutual understanding and a good business fit between the two companies from day one, and I am convinced that it will become clear to everyone that these are two highly ambitious organizations that are going to collaborate closely in this deal. I chose Specialized based on our common vision, their excellent bikes and equipment, combined with their ability to develop future materials that will help us win.”

Starting with the 2009 racing season, Specialized will be the official supplier of complete bikes and shoes to Riis Cycling/Team Saxo Bank for at least three years. “For my team, the bikes and equipment must be perfect. During my visits to Specialized, I have met with the engineering team and ridden the materials personally. I am very impressed with Specialized bikes, equipment and the Specialized development process overall. I know we will push Specialized to constantly improve, and I know Specialized will make the materials that will help us win races,” Riis said.

tunney

I love Specialized... shoes, clothes and helmets but man they bikes are not the best. Particularly TT bikes.

Was in Cycleways at the weekend (mainly to laugh at prices) and saw a large newspaper cutting stuck to the wall of Stefan Shcumacher winning the TT in the TdF. Was I think meant to encourage people to buy Specialized bikes.

Lovely TT bike Schuey was on - was a Walser though.

E@gle.

There has been a kind of a re-shuffle with bike manufacturers and Pro team kind of goes like this


Rabobank = Giant.
Columbia = Scott.
Silence-Lotto = Look, Colnago or Focus
Milram = Focus.
Tinkoff/Katoesja = Ridley (Most likely).
Saxo Bank = Specialized

crashoveroid

E@gle. wrote: »

There has been a kind of a re-shuffle with bike manufacturers and Pro team kind of goes like this


Rabobank = Giant.
Columbia = Scott.
Silence-Lotto = Look, Colnago or Focus
Milram = Focus.
Tinkoff/Katoesja = Ridley (Most likely).
Saxo Bank = Specialized

Its nuts after 12 years Rabobank are dropping Colnago

TinyExplosions

E@gle. wrote: »

There has been a kind of a re-shuffle with bike manufacturers and Pro team kind of goes like this

Silence-Lotto = Look, Colnago or Focus
Milram = Focus.

I knew Focus were fab bikes!

E@gle.

crashoveroid wrote: »

Its nuts after 12 years Rabobank are dropping Colnago

yeah there are quite a few teams dropping colnago including milram and tinkoff, i dont see many of them around anymore.

Chips Lovell

E@gle. wrote: »

yeah there are quite a few teams dropping colnago including milram and tinkoff, i dont see many of them around anymore.

They sposor a rake of smaller non-pro tour teams.