2019 PRO thread

[Willier]

Greipel to Israel Cycling Academy

[seaneT1]

Astana still on Argon bikes for next year? If yes, the Alexey Lutsenko posted an instagram story today riding a bike with an integrated bar and stem (witch looked really new, since his garmin was mounted with zip ties, so no specific out front mount yet, which is usual for new bikes and prototypes), disc brakes and hidden cables. From my perspective, judging from the slim and round looking top tube and the not so aero looking handlebar-stem combo (the video was from riders perspective, so only top tube, handlebar and front wheel could be seen), it did not look like an aero oriented bike, but a new lightweight that goes along the trend with integration and stuff.

[gwilson]

Astana still on Argon bikes for next year? If yes, the Alexey Lutsenko posted an instagram story today riding a bike with an integrated bar and stem (witch looked really new, since his garmin was mounted with zip ties, so no specific out front mount yet, which is usual for new bikes and prototypes), disc brakes and hidden cables. From my perspective, judging from the slim and round looking top tube and the not so aero looking handlebar-stem combo (the video was from riders perspective, so only top tube, handlebar and front wheel could be seen), it did not look like an aero oriented bike, but a new lightweight that goes along the trend with integration and stuff.

Here's a screenshot I got of it.

[Dan Gerous]

Astana still on Argon bikes for next year? If yes, the Alexey Lutsenko posted an instagram story today riding a bike with an integrated bar and stem (witch looked really new, since his garmin was mounted with zip ties, so no specific out front mount yet, which is usual for new bikes and prototypes), disc brakes and hidden cables. From my perspective, judging from the slim and round looking top tube and the not so aero looking handlebar-stem combo (the video was from riders perspective, so only top tube, handlebar and front wheel could be seen), it did not look like an aero oriented bike, but a new lightweight that goes along the trend with integration and stuff.

Here's a screenshot I got of it.

Astana are said to be riding on Wilier for 2020.

[Alfus]

Movistar will ride SRAM/Zipp for 2020

[TobinHatesYou]

Well there’s one...

Any wagers on whether Movistar will go all-in on disc? And anyone want to guess the other team moving to SRAM?

[LewisK]

So no World Tour teams on Argon 18 next year?

[Alfus]

Movistar will ride SRAM/Zipp for 2020

[Dan Gerous]

So no World Tour teams on Argon 18 next year?

Apparently not... but I haven't heard anything about what bikes Israel Cycling Academy will ride, De Rosa is going at Cofidis... Argon 18 liked to have québécois Hugo Houle on their bikes at Astana. I wouldn't be surprised if they were to sponsor ICA, they would have two riders even more local to them with Guillaume Boivin and James Piccoli both from Montreal like Argon 18... There's a Q&A event this friday with Boivin and Piccoli at a local cycling café, maybe we'll know what they'll ride then, I'm not quite sure if I can make it though.

[pastronef]

Well there’s one...

Any wagers on whether Movistar will go all-in on disc? And anyone want to guess the other team moving to SRAM?

so no more Sram for Katusha-Israel

we have
Trek
Movistar
and I think Education First will get Sram (Higuita was riding with Sram at the Giro de Rigo granfondo)

[Dan Gerous]

So how do they say "****ING SRAM!" in spanish?

[chorus88]

So how do they say "****ING SRAM!" in spanish?

Oldie but goodie!

[Kjetil]

Never gets old that one.

[Dan Gerous]

So no World Tour teams on Argon 18 next year?

Confirmed in local news: no Argon 18 in the WorldTour (they could not match the bigger cash offer Astana got) or even at Pro-Continental level next year, they're going to focus marketing/sponsorship budget in 2020 on the Olympics with Canada, Denmark and Australia using their bikes on the track (they will be on a new bike, not unveiled yet) as well as keep pushing in the triathlon world where they're a bigger player than on the road... but they have already started to talk to potential teams for a return in 2021.

[gwilson]

So no World Tour teams on Argon 18 next year?

Confirmed in local news: no Argon 18 in the WorldTour (they could not match the bigger cash offer Astana got) or even at Pro-Continental level next year, they're going to focus marketing/sponsorship budget in 2020 on the Olympics with Canada, Denmark and Australia using their bikes on the track (they will be on a new bike, not unveiled yet) as well as keep pushing in the triathlon world where they're a bigger player than on the road... but they have already started to talk to potential teams for a return in 2021.

Down to only one Canadian bike brand in the world tour, that's too bad. Hopefully they're back in 2021, I've always found their bikes very attractive, although I've never ridden one