CW LIVE: Is the love affair between Geraint Thomas and Oakley no more? Ineos Grenadiers to partner with SunGod for coming season; Tadej Pogačar's shiny new Colnago; new kit for Israel-Premier Tech in 2023 and Geraint Thomas confirms Giro return

WiV SunGod bring in Kiaan Watts

WiV SunGod have announced their latest signing for 2023 this morning. 

The British UCI Continental team have signed New Zealander Kiaan Watts, formally of Global 6 cycling, ready for the new season. 

The Hampshire based squad enjoyed a sensational 2022 which saw them win a stack of races, including the national series, through various different riders. 

Kiwi rider Watts is a sprinter and was Junior World Madison Champion in 2019.

Last week, WiV SunGod announced that former Ribble-Weldtite DS Colin Sturgess would also be joining the team for 2023. 

REMCO EVENEPOEL'S 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONS JERSEY REVEALED

Remco Evenepoel has been pictured training in his new Castelli made 2023 Soudal Quick-Step jersey for 2023. 

He will also ride a white S-Works bike, featuring dashes of the colours of the rainbow jersey next season, similarly to when his teammate Julian Alaphilippe wore the rainbow jersey for the past two seasons. 

Evenepoel will pair his new jersey with black shorts to complete the classic look. 

In a short video released by his team, Evenepoel shared his thoughts on getting to wear the new Castelli jersey next season. 

“I can be really happy and proud to wear this jersey so early in my professional career. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“I know it’s going to be a special year, with a lot of pressure and a different type of racing with the jersey.  But I’m just going to let everything come to me and just try to deal with it as relaxed as possible and enjoy this jersey for the upcoming season. That’s the best thing I can do, go with the flow.”   

NEW COLNAGO V4RS UNVEILED - IS THIS THE BIKE THAT WILL HELP TADEJ POGACAR RECLAIM THE TOUR DE FRANCE?

Colnago has launched the V4RS, the successor to the double Tour de France-winning Colnago V3RS. 

The new all-rounder lightweight aero bike was tested by Tadej Pogačar and the UAE Emirates team through 2022 in five different carbon layup configurations and was provisionally named ‘Prototipo.

Now the Italian brand has settled on a final version that’s ready for the team’s 2023 campaign, as well as that of women's WorldTour team UAE Team ADQ, and also of course for the market.

Norwegian designer Torgny Fjeldskaar, who has led design teams at Cannondale and BMC and has the original SystemSix and the Teammachine in his portfolio, was drafted in to help with the new machine. 

Read more about the new Colnago and the testing the new V4RS went through.

TOM PIDCOCK STILL UNSURE IF HE'LL RIDE THE CROSS' WORLDS

Tom Pidcock has said that he's still unsure if he will ride the cyclo-cross world championships next February, and look to defend the rainbow jersey he won in Fayetteville, USA in January. 

The championships take place next year in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands. Pidcock is aiming for a strong start to his classics campaign on the road, so has said that balancing both may not be possible. 

After finishing third at the Dublin round of the cyclo-cross world cup on Sunday, Pidcock said that he would "probably not" defend his world title. 

“Probably not, but not definitely. I don’t know,” he said.

“The ‘cross season I want to be at a good level, enjoy it and get the benefits from it, but I want to use that to go into the road season with a good base,” he added.

ANYONE CRASH OVER THE WEEKEND ON THE ICE? 

Getting out for bit of winter riding can be fun, but it can also be precarious in difficult weather. 

Last weekend was ridiculous in terms of the temperatures and frost around the country. 

I spent Sunday in A & E after coming unstuck on a spot of black ice on a descent. When it's icy out there you really want some of the best winter tyres available to ensure that you've plenty of grip on any frost covered corners. 

It's also worth making sure to invest in some of the best winter gloves around to give your hands plenty of protection from the cold. 

If like me you found yourself hitting the deck this weekend, then here's what to do if you end up with a bit of road rash.

ICYMI: BRITISH UCI CONTINENTAL TEAM MAKE PITCH FOR MARK CAVENDISH'S SIGNATURE

Ricci Pascoe, general manager of UK based UCI Continental team Saint Piran, has said that Mark Cavendish would be "welcomed with open arms" by the team should he find himself short of a ride next season.

Cavendish is still without a place on a team next season after leaving Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl. He was heavily linked all summer to the now defunct B & B Hotels-KTM squad.

With B & B's demise, Pascoe has said that Cavendish would be welcomed by the Cornish team if it could help him achieve his Tour de France dream.

“I would obviously welcome him with open arms if the chance was there,” Pascoe said. “Who wouldn’t make space to take riders of that quality?” 

“Cavendish is a bike rider first and foremost and we’re all in the sport because we’re bike fans. I’d gladly give him a space if it meant he could keep turning his legs for a month, six months, whatever. Although he should be riding the Tour de France, end of story.” 

Cavendish is currently tied with Eddy Merkcx on 34 stage wins at the Tour which is the all time record. 

Next year he'll be hoping to land a 35th win which would see him pass Merckx in the standings. 

WILL PRIMOZ ROGLIC RIDE THE GIRO D'ITALIA? IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY ACCORDING TO THE MAN HIMSELF

Primoz Roglic is still unsure as to whether he will ride the Tour de France or Giro d'Italia in 2023. 

The Slovenian rider has only just returned to training on the road following on from shoulder surgery in October. He is currently at a Jumbo-Visma team training camp in Denia, Spain, but any decisions on his Grand Tour plans for next year are unlikely to be finalised before the new year. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roglic is looking to return to racing in March at the earliest. 

“I don’t know when I’ll get back to racing, maybe in March. I’m very far behind,” he said. 

“2023 is a mystery: I don’t know if I’ll do the Giro or the Tour or the Vuelta, there’s no point in saying it.

"In January, we’ll understand more. I’ll certainly do a totally different programme, with fewer races in spring, and I’ll be better for the summer.”

Roglic underwent bone graft surgery in October to address a longstanding shoulder issue which has seen him suffer multiple dislocations. 

He dislocated his shoulder in a crash at the Tour de France this year, and suffered the same injury after a crash in the final stage of Paris-Nice in 2021.

HAVE YOU GOT SOME OF THE BEST WINTER GLOVES AROUND?

It was sure damn cold out there on the roads this weekend! 

Minus numbers in places and snow falling in various parts of the country. 

If you don't have some of the best winter cycling gloves around, you'll have no doubt struggled if you managed to get out for a ride. 

Keeping your hands and feet warm when you're out for a winter ride is absolutely crucial. Some of these numbers from Sporful, Castelli, Endura and Giro will more than do the job. 

Also with Christmas round the corner, now's the time to invest in some for the cyclist in your life to ensure you never have to listen to them moaning about cold hands after a ride again!

WHAT'S THE BEST PIECE OF KIT THAT YOU'VE USED THIS YEAR?

Over here at Cycling Weekly, our tech team have all been pulling together lists of the best kit that they've used this year for our Cycling Weekly Gear of the Year features, which are all part of Upgrade Your Ride Week. 

A whole variety of things have made the list, starting with Luke Friend's winter warrior kit picks.

If you're looking for some festive shopping inspiration, stay tuned this week to see our tech writers' favourites, and tag us in with your best cycling purchase over on Twitter.

REMCO'S RAINBOW JERSEY LOOKS THE BUSINESS!

If you want to check out some more shots of Remco Evenepoel's new rainbow jersey, head on over to the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Twitter feed to see more.

Evenepoel won the world road title in emphatic fashion in Wollongong, Australia and is certainly going to look the part thanks to Castelli in 2023. 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR GERAINT THOMAS' TRADEMARK OAKLEY SHADES?!

Throughout his career Geraint Thomas has become synonymous with his trademark white Oakley sunglasses. 

Although will the Welshman be wearing his white Oakley's next season?

This afternoon Ineos Grenadiers, Thomas' team, announced a new long term partnership with British eyewear brand SunGod which will begin in 2023. The new partnership will see Thomas and his Ineos teammates sporting SunGod shades  on the roads of Europe next year as they go head to head with UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma at various races. 

Rod Ellingworth, deputy team principal of Ineos Grenadiers said: 

“INEOS Grenadiers is a performance-led team so we pride ourselves on working with the most forward-thinking, agile and performance-driven partners – that’s why we’ve chosen SunGod as our new, long-term eyewear partner. Their product quality and commitment to continuously raising the industry bar is excellent and we’re really excited by the pipeline of innovative products we will develop together."

ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE UPSET ABOUT UAE SWITCHING TO SHIMANO?

Colnago have launched a rather lovely new bike for Tadej Pogačar to attempt to retake the Tour de France title next year.... 

Is anyone else upset about the switch from Campagnolo to Shimano though?! 

ICYMI: LIBRARY IN THE NETHERLANDS OFFERS LOCALS A UNIQUE NEW WAY OF CHARGING THEIR E-DEVICES

In case you missed it last week, a library in Utrecht in the Netherlands has offered local people a unique way to charge their electronic devices. 

Stationary bikes are attached to a charging point within the library giving people the opportunity to read a book while pedalling and charging their phone. 

Has anyone seen anything like that in the UK, USA or down under?!

PARIS CYCLING CITY AKA B & B HOTELS-KTM OFFICIALLY NOT GRANTED RACING LICENCE

B & B Hotels-KTM, the team that was widely expected to be signing Mark Cavendish, has officially not been granted a licence by the UCI for the 2023 season. 

The demise of the team was confirmed last week, with multiple high profile riders including Cavendish, Cees Bol and Pierre Rolland facing a battle to find a new team for the coming season. 

Stevie Williams, formerly of Bahrain Victorious, was also linked with the French Pro team, but after B & B collapsed the Welsh rider was able to grab a place with Israel-Premier Tech. 

A press release from the UCI, which contained details of all the teams granted licences, explained the decision: "After we received the message that the team is not able to register itself with the UCI, the license commission has decided to refuse the registration of Paris Cycling City."

ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH PARTNER WITH EKOÏ FOR NEXT THREE SEASONS

Mike Woods and Chris Froome will both be appearing in fresh new kit for 2023 as Israel-Premier Tech have agreed a new three-year deal with French brand EKOÏ as their technical partner.  

Last week, several WorldTour teams shared details of their new kits online including a radical new change for French team Groupama-FDJ. 

Israel-Premier Tech will be at ProTeam level in 2023 after dropping from the WorldTour. 

Star rider Froome recent slammed the WorldTour relegation system calling it a "death sentence" for all the smaller teams. 

GERAINT THOMAS CONFIRMS GIRO D'ITALIA RETURN

Geraint Thomas has confirmed that he will ride the Giro d'Italia in 2023. 

The return of the Welshman to the Italian Grand Tour was widely anticipated and Thomas confirmed his participation via Twitter this afternoon. 

"Back to the Giro in 2023. Hopefully I get round this time. Can't wait," Thomas wrote. 

Thomas will face a duel with World Champion Remco Evenepoel for the Maglia Rosa after Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl recently confirmed Evenepoel's Giro plans. 

Thomas recently expressed disappointment at the 2023 Tour de France route due to its significant lack in time trialling kilometres. 

In stark contrast to the Tour, the Giro possesses over 70 kilometres of time trialling next year. 

The Welshman explained that he feels a sense of unfinished business with the Giro after crashing out of several editions previously. 

Right, that's all we've got time for here today folks! 

Join us for another live blog tomorrow.