So guesses?
Santa Cruz leaving?
Santa Cruz setting up a different (non-syndicate) team?
Peaty setting up a team, or bringing his own Syndicate to the WC?
Lots of rumours earlier about Loic Bruni joining the SC Syndicate, but has gone quiet recently.
Given how much SC has grown since Peaty joined in ’06 and Minnar and Ratty joined in ’08 – I don’t think they’re about to go changing the bait too much, but they need to come up with a fresh approach to it – losing Peaty and possibly Ratty leaves a big hole there.
Will Minnaar go off somewhere else? If he was going to go, now would be the time – losing his longest standing team mate(s) and friend(s) means there’s a lot less to stay for – plus, just perhaps, he’s not as keen on the bike any more – one of the mechanics said something interesting in an off-hand way in Ep7 of the Syndicate (possibly 6) Josh Brycland has never won an international race on the 650b V10, Peaty has never won on a 650b V10 (which is understandabe given the period in his career) and Greg has won once in 2 years, now some very good WC Racers have never won a WC or a Worlds, but Minnaar is the most successful racer in WC history and JB went from a massively dominating season to a pretty terrible on the new bike – lots more going on but the last 2 years have been pretty poor by the standards of the Syndicate.
I’m not sure if Peaty would take a full team or even a little one like the Syndicate on a full WC season without factory backing – there’s no real prize money, the riders largely own their own jersey / short ‘real estate’ but still need paying – I don’t know how it could fund itself – maybe a partnership deal like Gstaad-Scott.
Maybe something as mundane as a more traditional Factory Santa Cruz team, go big like Trek – Peaty and Kathy run it, Minnaar on the team with Luca Shaw and maybe a few less known up and comers, maybe heaven forbid a female rider – I think Tahnee Seagrave would be a good fit.
