Eating Some Crow

[Andrija]

Interesting development.
Riis wasn't able to secure sponsors so far, which resulted with Schlecks establishing their own, and suddenly there are companies willing to invest in a team which is losing its main stars, but likely to sign even bigger star.
It's going to be interesting to see who will stay with Riis and who'll go with Schlecks.
I'm not sure Cancellara will choose Riis.
On the other hand, Riis and Contador are tandem for more than 2 years. They both are aware of their interest and contribution to the team. That could be good foundation for perennial cooperation.

 

[Chavez]

(Vino) is already captain. He also knows that he cannot win the Tour. In fact he said that the Giro was his last chance to win another GT. Although I would not be surprised to see him at the Vuelta. He seems to be quite honest with himself about not being able to match the top climbers in a GT.

Wilcockson at Velonews reported (speculated?) that Vino is going to retire and become director at Astana.

Also, the grapevine says the "major" sponsor of Riis' team will be Mapei, so Contador will be riding for Mapei/Sungard.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...lcockson-can-contador-extend-his-reign_131599

 

[roadhouse]

Sungard's, a fortune 500 company in business in all aspects of technology and software generations as it pertains to oil i think it is, sector in Houston, SunGard Energy has been downsizing for some many many months recently, my mother recently being laid off from them in one of their ongoing sweeps.

Figures companies of that impersonal size would lay off their own to sponsor a cycling team.

I guess based on that theory, I know who I want to not podium already.

 

[lance_armstrong]

& Cancellara will be handy in the likely event there is a TTT next year.

Is Cancellara staying with Riis next year? Hmmmmm......I think a TTT is highly likely. Those two together will decimate the opposition.

 

[pearl-drum-man]

What were the Schlecks thinking off parting company with him? I expect they'll end up at Radioshack eek

I had also heard that the Schlecks were going to have a LUX based team, however when it was mentioned that their primary sponsor would remain anonymous until a later date, and I saw Brunyeel state that they have some "surprises" in store for the team make-up next year I immediately had this same thought.

 

[Bro Deal]

I had also heard that the Schlecks were going to have a LUX based team, however when it was mentioned that their primary sponsor would remain anonymous until a later date, and I saw Brunyeel state that they have some "surprises" in store for the team make-up next year I immediately had this same thought.

There are UCI rules regarding when transfers and such can be announced. It is September 1st. The companies sponsoring the Schlecks' new team have been reported. The big sponsor seems to be a large French supermarket or grocery chain that starts with the letter 'A'.

 

[Horizon Deep]

The Schlecks are going to a team built around them and based in Luxembourg. The team will be run by Kim Andersen, who was working for Riis until Riis found out he was using his time to strip Saxo of its riders. The move does not seem that smart. Riis is the best team manager in the business.

I am not sure about Contador's move. He had it pretty nice at Astana and was being paid a boatload. Astana is currently the number one ranked team and did fantastic at the TdF.

Not sure about Riis being the best D.S around his tactics at the tour this year were and i'll be polite,baffling! Fuglsang,Breschel,and Chris Anka nowhere near good enough climbers to tow Schrek jnr high enough up the climbs to hurt anyone else who mattered.Having said that i think the role of D.S is well overrated!

 

[pennstater]

Wilcockson at Velonews reported (speculated?) that Vino is going to retire and become director at Astana.

Also, the grapevine says the "major" sponsor of Riis' team will be Mapei, so Contador will be riding for Mapei/Sungard.

VeloNews.com - Inside the Tour de France with John Wilcockson: Can Contador extend his reign?

Hoping Mapei doesn't have any say in the kits the riders will be outfitted in. I harped on this in another thread. God they were horrible

I think Contador's best move would be to go with Riis or Johan (would be shocked, but anything can happen). Both DS's target GT's, more so than others, and that is something the spaniard has shown is his main ambition as a rider.

 

[limerickman]

Hoping Mapei doesn't have any say in the kits the riders will be outfitted in. I harped on this in another thread. God they were horrible

I think Contador's best move would be to go with Riis or Johan (would be shocked, but anything can happen). Both DS's target GT's, more so than others, and that is something the spaniard has shown is his main ambition as a rider.

Their strip was dreadful!

 

[swampy1970]

There are UCI rules regarding when transfers and such can be announced. It is September 1st. The companies sponsoring the Schlecks' new team have been reported. The big sponsor seems to be a large French supermarket or grocery chain that starts with the letter 'A'.

Aranesp?

 

[swampy1970]

Their strip was dreadful!

I'm not sure what was the biggest travesty, having a strip that bad or doping the team to their eyeballs and getting a 1,2,3 finish in the biggest classic race there is. Three Mapei strips in one shot.

 

[pennstater]

I'm not sure what was the biggest travesty, having a strip that bad or doping the team to their eyeballs and getting a 1,2,3 finish in the biggest classic race there is. Three Mapei strips in one shot.

Wow 1996 Paris-Roubaix, didn't realize they had the top 3 placed riders by the end of the race. All finished in the same time over 2 and a half minutes in front of their closest competitor. Would have liked to have seen what was going on in the hotel room the night before. My bolded comment sounds pretty gay, huh?

 

[GT Fanatic]

a heaping full plate of crow for me. contador, cancellara and riis brought together through the ministrations of specialized.

Contador To Leave Astana At End Of Season | Cyclingnews.com

while i figured that contador would leave astana, i would have bet the farm on caisse winning the sweepstakes.

strategically, won't riis be smiling like the cat having contador (and that lineup of support riders) and an insider's knowledge of andy's strengths and weaknesses.

Wasn't Lance eating Crow a few years ago?

 

[slovakguy]

interesting tidbits in this article. somewhat surprised to read that caisse might not have the financial backing to continue in its present form. and talk about bjarne going all parallel universe with a name from the past. and wouldn't that combination in the mountains raise a few eyebrows.

VeloNews.com - Who will follow whom in Schleck-Contador team shifts?

 

[pennstater]

interesting tidbits in this article. somewhat surprised to read that caisse might not have the financial backing to continue in its present form. and talk about bjarne going all parallel universe with a name from the past. and wouldn't that combination in the mountains raise a few eyebrows.

VeloNews.com - Who will follow whom in Schleck-Contador team shifts?

Very interesting article slovakguy. If caisse folds there will be some big names on the market and just the thought of Rasmussen joining Contador and Riis is just mind blowing. Not sure why I would be surprised, but if there is a TTT in the tour and Michael rides there is a good chance Rasmussen will take out the whole team if he takes a pull at the front.

 

[doctorSpoc]

Astana DS seemed to indicate that.. Contator has a personal sponsorship deal with Specialized and this heavily impacted on his decision.. so basically he left for money in other words.. wasn't going to go to a non-Specialized sponsored team... and Riis must have dangled a big bag of money in his face as well.. so it was in both Riis' and contator's interest to do the deal.. Saxo gets a big bag of money and contador gets a big bag of money from Specialized.

 

[limerickman]

Astana DS seemed to indicate that.. Contator has a personal sponsorship deal with Specialized and this heavily impacted on his decision.. so basically he left for money in other words.. wasn't going to go to a non-Specialized sponsored team... and Riis must have dangled a big bag of money in his face as well.. so it was in both Riis' and contator's interest to do the deal.. Saxo gets a big bag of money and contador gets a big bag of money from Specialized.

Agreed.
Looks like the move is purely financial.
Which is a bit disappointing (if not surprising).