It is August 1st and riders and teams can announce their intentions for 2014. It seems like there is going to be a ton of action this season. The Colombian guys leaving Sky for Omega. That doesn’t surprise me the least.

What does surprise me is that Wiggins and Froome are still on the same team. I read in an article that Bradley hadn’t even spoken to Chris Froome since he won the Tour this year. Those guys must not like each other very much. Bradley is pretty much on a different level this year since last year. Maybe too much partying over the winter. Chris must have kept his nose to the grindstone.

Astana is holding up to their team director’s (Vino) standards by signing Franco Pellizotti for 2014. Astana is a member of Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible (MPCC) and it is against the MPCC’s rules to hire a rider coming off a suspension like Franco’s. I’m sure that Roger Legeay, MPCC fearless leader, is going to put his foot down and tell them that they can’t do it. I’d bet that Astana doesn’t give a shit. They knew the rules and signed him anyway.

Mark Renshaw is back with Mark Cavendish again for 2014. That should help out Cavendish as he now has Alessandro Petacchi already to help him out as a lead-out man. It is hard to believe that Asessandro is still racing. He seems to skirt virtually every doping scandal out there.

Anyway, I’m sure there are going to be lots more news. It should be interesting.