[Rashadabd]

Good things are definitely happening over at Slipstream:

Slipstream, Drapac join forces to form development team - VeloNews.com

 

[velodog]

Good things are definitely happening over at Slipstream:

Slipstream, Drapac join forces to form development team - VeloNews.com

That is a good thing.

 

[MMsRepBike]

I thought this was or was going to be something that it's not.

I was under the impression that they were forming a new continental team with a new focus on rider's lives after riding.

Well... they're not forming anything new. The existing team, Drapac, is just going to become the feeder team for Cannondale. That's all that's going on here.

So there is no new team, the team already exists, it's Drapac. What's new is that they'l force the riders to take university classes in the off season. That's it.

So they're going to force professional athletes to go to school and compete at the same time. Competing on break or whatever... The idea being that this forced class time will eventually lead to a degree which will eventually lead to a job after cycling.

So taking classes gets you a job now? Is this 1980? Being forced to attend college while a professional cyclist? I'm not on board, sorry.

 

[velodog]

I thought this was or was going to be something that it's not.

I was under the impression that they were forming a new continental team with a new focus on rider's lives after riding.

Well... they're not forming anything new. The existing team, Drapac, is just going to become the feeder team for Cannondale. That's all that's going on here.

So there is no new team, the team already exists, it's Drapac. What's new is that they'l force the riders to take university classes in the off season. That's it.

So they're going to force professional athletes to go to school and compete at the same time. Competing on break or whatever... The idea being that this forced class time will eventually lead to a degree which will eventually lead to a job after cycling.

So taking classes gets you a job now? Is this 1980? Being forced to attend college while a professional cyclist? I'm not on board, sorry.

Kinda like earning a degree while getting a football scholarship.

 

[MMsRepBike]

Kinda like earning a degree while getting a football scholarship.

But there's no scholarship. As far as I can see the kids have to pay for their own schooling and the schools themselves have nothing to do with it.

Details here are still a bit scarce.

GCN clearly said Drapac will become the feeder team for Cannondale. The reason this is all happening isn't at all for the kids/riders/whatever and it's not Cannondale's/JV's idea at all. The reason it is happening is that the World Tour Reforms are going to mandate every world tour team to have a feeder team. Cannondale doesn't have anything of the sort, so they have to get one as per the new rules coming up.

JV and Drapac are buddies so Drapac will get JV his feeder team, that's the deal. The remaining question is where will it come from again:

What does Drapac?s partnership with Cannondale mean for its existing team? | CyclingTips

The leading speculation is that the current Drapac team will merge with Cannondale. Become the same team just like Garmin did with Cannondale. As for the feeder team, that's where Drapac's son's team comes into play and that's where this whole school idea came from. On his son's team they're already mandated to go to school and such, that's already in place. So if you follow the trail of crumbs it leads to this:

Pat's Veg is most likely the new feeder team for Cannondale. Drapac will most likely merge with Cannondale seeing how Drapac isn't going anywhere on it's own. Pat's Veg may very well just adopt the Drapac name. The structure of Pat's Veg will stay the same as it is now, that's what's actually catching headlines, the school thing, that's from Pat's Veg.


So what's really happening here is nothing. The school idea isn't new, it isn't the idea of Cannondale or JV or anything, it's Mike's idea and he's already implementing it with Pat's Veg which is the feeder team for Drapac. What's happening, most likely, is just exactly what I said above, Pat's Veg will become a pro continental feeder team but keep it's school requirement in tact, that's all.

And the only reason this is happening, again, is because of the new reforms for world teams coming up saying that they have to have their own feeder teams.

 

[PBL450]

I thought this was or was going to be something that it's not.

I was under the impression that they were forming a new continental team with a new focus on rider's lives after riding.

Well... they're not forming anything new. The existing team, Drapac, is just going to become the feeder team for Cannondale. That's all that's going on here.

So there is no new team, the team already exists, it's Drapac. What's new is that they'l force the riders to take university classes in the off season. That's it.

So they're going to force professional athletes to go to school and compete at the same time. Competing on break or whatever... The idea being that this forced class time will eventually lead to a degree which will eventually lead to a job after cycling.

So taking classes gets you a job now? Is this 1980? Being forced to attend college while a professional cyclist? I'm not on board, sorry.

Team USA speedskating uses a similar developmental model with Marquette U.

 

[MMsRepBike]

Drapac signs five-year deal as co-title sponsor of Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | CyclingTips

So the Drapac team is getting killed off. This is it's last year. A couple may move to cannondale but most will get put on the Pat's Veg team. Cannondale and the majority of sponsors from Slipstream will trickle down to sponsor Pat's Veg. That team will retain it's current format with the schooling requirements and such. I think this is all inked up through 2020.

 

[Rashadabd]

Drapac signs five-year deal as co-title sponsor of Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | CyclingTips

So the Drapac team is getting killed off. This is it's last year. A couple may move to cannondale but most will get put on the Pat's Veg team. Cannondale and the majority of sponsors from Slipstream will trickle down to sponsor Pat's Veg. That team will retain it's current format with the schooling requirements and such. I think this is all inked up through 2020.

I really like the idea. I am impressed with how Slipstream has rebounded after being on the verge of collapse only a couple of years or so ago. The partnerships with Cannondale and Drapac seem perfect and like some of the more stable investment streams in the sport right now. I personally prefer the bike manufacturer as primary sponsor model because they have a vested interest to stay in the game (at least until some form of revenue sharing is in place, if it ever happens). Glad Drapac has some kind of future as well. I like their team and what they do for young cyclists.