New Irish pro Conti team (aka The Aquablue thread)

MPFGLB

cunavalos wrote: »

Is it not supposed to be an A

OH well that pssed me by then :eek:

MPFGLB

Wouldnt they have made it look like a A with the line across

Thud

Shiney gold shamrock on the ar$e will stand out on the trailing shots

Eamonnator

Black and Gold. What's not to like?

Forget I said anything. It's not black, it's dark blue.

death1234567

robyntmorton wrote: »

This is the problem with logo designers. Something that works on paper in the full logo doesn't necessarily work on its own elsewhere.

I'd argue that it doesn't work on paper in the full logo either. One reason the kit is okay though is that it's not plastered with sponsors everywhere.

robyntmorton

death1234567 wrote: »

I'd argue that it doesn't work on paper in the full logo either. One reason the kit is okay though is that it's not plastered with sponsors everywhere.

It's definitely not the best bit of design ever, but at least with the full logo on paper you can kinda see where the design element came from. On its own though, like on the back of the kit, it is meaningless, and you only get it if you are looking at it from behind, and know the logo anyway. Otherwise you end up in the "what is it? V? This way up?" camp

It is of course nice to not see a kit that is made up entirely of sponsors though! I agree with you there.

RobFowl

I like it lot...

Eamonnator

RobFowl wrote: »

I like it lot...

I thought, you would.

Beasty

Pah! Not even proper gold - some kind of gold coloured carbon fake by the looks of it.....


:pac:

Thud

It will likely be the logo of the new web bike shop thing he's setting up and will be more recognizable/relatable when that's kicked off

crashoveroid

Looks like the bike and equipment sponsor details have been released today.

http://www.aquabluesport.com/press-release-5.html

1bryan

Mark Christian and Adam Blythe were out training in Gran Canaria with Pete Kennaugh and Ian Stannard last week, by all accounts.

scott.s

Those bikes look rather nice

1bryan

anyone know if the domestic-based feeder team are going to be using the same equipment?

RobFowl

Those bikes are seriously nice

Lusk_Doyle

RobFowl wrote: »

Those bikes are seriously nice

There's something about the dark blue and gold combo that doesn't sit right with me. I'm not sure what it is but there is a niggle just in front of the back of mind about it.

1bryan

Interesing that Martin Irvine seems to be the face of the team in all the publicity shoots.

Though he's probably the only one who's allowed to wear the gear this side of 2017, so that might be something to do with it either.

Tenzor07

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

There's something about the dark blue and gold combo that doesn't sit right with me. I'm not sure what it is but there is a niggle just in front of the back of mind about it.

Maybe it's cos the bikes don't have Disc brakes?

Lusk_Doyle

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Maybe it's cos the bikes don't have Disc brakes?

That would be even worse!

easygoing39

The press release says the wheels will be clincher's!! This must be a mistake??

scott.s

Running them as tubeless I believe

Thud

The Aquablue web shop appears to be up and running, looks like its sub selling from some Irish bike shops (I suppose kind of like Amazon does from smaller shops) and its own team suppliers

http://www.aquabluesport.com/

godtabh

Thud wrote: »

The Aquablue web shop appears to be up and running, looks like its sub selling from some Irish bike shops (I suppose kind of like Amazon does from smaller shops) and its own team suppliers

http://www.aquabluesport.com/

That's funny. Why would they be selling Cannodale bikes?

I read that their business model is based on profit from sales as opposed to sponsors.

Keeks

godtabh wrote: »

That's funny. Why would they be selling Cannodale bikes?

I don't think they are....they are just providing a mechanism for other Shops to sell through them

68 lost souls

When they setup initially the idea was to be a self sustaining business and to be a market place for bike sales in europe as a sort of Amazon for bikes. Th ehope is that the team would be the company and become self sustaining rather than being a sponsor and a toy for rich businessmen like Tinkoff etc. The idea is to change how the fundimentals of pro cycling work with this regard

1bryan

Thud wrote: »

The Aquablue web shop appears to be up and running, looks like its sub selling from some Irish bike shops (I suppose kind of like Amazon does from smaller shops) and its own team suppliers

http://www.aquabluesport.com/

just had a look there. Not much up as of yet.

While I think having a central hub like this for bike shops to sell their wares is a good idea, especially with the publicity having it tied to a pro-team will bring, there's no sense of any great value to be had there. They'll need more than the aquablue name to get people to buy from them. They'll have to be competitive price wise too. And, I sincerely hope they don't limit themselves to Irish bikeshops. I doubt they will but that's all that was showing when I looked just now.

As much as I'd like to support them, I'll be sticking with chainreaction, unless I can be convinced otherwise.

Raddaboutye

Big Conor Dunne putting in a great shift on the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race here. Was in the breakaway all day and they were just caught with 34k to go. He got enough points for the King of the mountain I believe.

robyntmorton

Tour of Dubai live on Eurosport has Aquablue Sport involved. Getting good airtime with one of theirs in the breakaway.

While I was unsure of the kit on paper, it looks really good to see on the bike.

Derrydingle

Did very well in both races think it's only a matter of time before they pick up a few wins

Shedite27

robyntmorton wrote: »

Tour of Dubai live on Eurosport has Aquablue Sport involved. Getting good airtime with one of theirs in the breakaway.

I miss Eurosport already

Pudsy33

Shedite27 wrote: »

I miss Eurosport already

You know they saved it, right?

Shedite27

Pudsy33 wrote: »

You know they saved it, right?

No, missed that

Keeks

Derrydingle wrote: »

Did very well in both races think it's only a matter of time before they pick up a few wins

Podium in Australia Yesterday for Conor Dunne....great result.
Will probably feel the mechanical prevented a win....

They do look like they have the potential to pick up a few wins alright

1bryan

anyone know Irvine's race program? Has he said?

I presumed they were keeping him for some of the semi-classics in Belgium. Their squad is thin enough on numbers with the majority of them seeming to have ridden either Dubai or in Australia.

I don't think LP Nordhaug featured there either, so I guess there are classics specialists being held over for those races.

Miklos

I know Irvine has had to delay his season start to comply with some UCI testing pool six month thingamajig.

Thud

Aquablue got invites to Liege Bastogne Liege and Fleche Wallone:

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/aqua-blue-sport-hit-big-time-invites-major-spring-classics/

CrowdedHouse

I see Aqua Blue have received a wildcard for La Vuelta


https://www.aquabluesport.com/press-kit-37

1bryan

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

I see Aqua Blue have received a wildcard for La Vuelta


https://www.aquabluesport.com/press-kit-37

with such a small squad those lads are gonna have some amount of racing miles in their legs by the end of the season.

this is great news though

MPFGLB

1bryan wrote: »

with such a small squad those lads are gonna have some amount of racing miles in their legs by the end of the season.

this is great news though

Yeah and when they are hoping for a Tour of Britain invite as well ...which is on at the same time as the Vuelta...have they enough riders to cover both racea and do them justice I wonder ( 9+8 =17 ....not sure thay have 17)

I know riding the Vuelta is big but maybe could have won (more) at ToB.. and its a mega race in UK

slow

There's no rule to stop them from hiring more riders. Conti contracts allow riders to move up a level at any stage in the season without breaking the contract.

RobFowl

MPFGLB wrote: »

Yeah and when they are hoping for a Tour of Britain invite as well ...which is on at the same time as the Vuelta...have they enough riders to cover both racea and do them justice I wonder ( 9+8 =17 ....not sure thay have 17)

I know riding the Vuelta is big but maybe could have won (more) at ToB.. and its a mega race in UK

I think you can safely say the Vuelta invite trumps a ride at the TOB. Simply don't have the numbers, they have 16 riders afaik and even allowing for a few stagiares etc injuries etc will all most certainly mean 1-2 at least won't be available.

dastardly00

Out of the 12 Grand Tour wildcard places available, 11 out of the 22 Pro-Continental Teams have gotten chosen.

That's seriously impressive from Aqua Blue Sport to get into the Vuelta considering the quantity of Pro-Conti teams that exist, the fact that it's their debut season, and that 'home' teams are always favoured.

Looking at the breakdown of wild cards and Pro Conti teams, I'm surprised that there aren't more Spanish Pro-Conti teams in existence (because they'd be guaranteed a wild card place in the Vuelta).

Giro d'Italia: Bardiani - CSF (Italy), CCC Sprandi Polkowice (Poland), Gazprom-RusVelo (Russia), Wilier Triestina (Italy)

Tour de France: Cofidis (France), Direct Energie (France), Fortuneo - Vital Concept (France), Wanty - Groupe Gobert (Belgium)

Vuelta a Espana: Aqua Blue Sport (Ireland), Caja Rural - Seguros RGA (Spain), Cofidis (France), Manzana Postobon (Colombia)

dastardly00

Bad news...

Fractured hip for Martyn Irvine after Baloise Belgium Tour crash

The former track world champion was making his fifth racing appearance of the season when he was involved in a crash on the stage into Knokke-Heist where he fell and suffered a hairline fracture of his right hip. Irvine was taken to University Hospital Ghent where the fracture was confirmed via examination and an x-ray.

Irvine had animated the day's early breakaway before suffering his injury. He initially tried to ride on through the pain but was forced to withdraw from the 2.HC race.

"I am very disappointed and I am sad to leave the race so early. The doctors have said to me that I should be recovered hopefully after five or six weeks of rest," Irvine said in a team statement.

"I just want to thank the team, the medical staff on the race, the staff of University Hospital Gent and the many people who have sent me messages."

Best of luck to him with his recovery. It would be great to see him make his Grand Tour debut in the Vuelta later on this year.

Thud

Yellow jersey for Denifl in Austria:

http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/huge-milestone-aqua-blue-sport-first-yellow-jersey/

cunavalos

Thud wrote: »

Yellow jersey for Denifl in Austria:

http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/huge-milestone-aqua-blue-sport-first-yellow-jersey/

They are really doing well for their first year and are actually beginning to push on. He has a healthy lead in the GC and i hope he can hold on.

In hindsight they have recruited well in riders that showed promise at WT level but for some reason lost a bit of form but Denfil and Warbasse have shown enough to suggest theWT level riders.

They are beginning to show that they have earned their Vuelta spot and i look forward to seeing how they perform there.

I was expecting eurosport to have highlights of this at least on the player , but sadly not

Keeks

Its live streaming here

http://radstars.at/details/live-7-juli-flyeralarm-praesentiert-den-glockner

Lopaz attacked on the Climb and put over 1:20 into Denifl who was forced to chase alone, but has now caught up on the decent.
If he keeps the lead will have earned it.

Thud

held on to yellow:

http://www.flashscore.com/cycling/tours/tour-of-austria/

Thud

Looking good to hold on today, on the finishing circuit now

http://www.radsport-news.com/live/live_180.htm

https://mobile.twitter.com/aquabluesport?lang=en

Update: 20th on the stage to seal the win!

Delighted for them !!!! Hopefully they have a stage win or two in their legs at Vuelta.