LA to ride in 2010

Team Nike is coming people. Or will it be Team Nike Livestrong?

Seems like JB and the Kasaks are not on pleasant terms. Johan to be done with Astana before the Vuelta is the rumor.

interesting news, vino returning obviously has some bearing on this.

i found it quite odd that LA plans to announce his new team on Thursday, a few days from the end of the Tour. Ditto for Bruyneel's announcement that he is parting ways with Astana during his last week while his team is in yellow.

i liken Bruyneel's timing to an NFL coach who tells his team during the 3rd quarter of the Superbowl that he is quitting at the end of the game. it sounds like sour grapes on Bruyneel's part and the timing of the announcement is an "[censored] You" to the Astana folks, possibly even to Alberto Contador. i am no fan of Vinokourov either......i wish he would take his blood bags and leave cycling. but Bruyneel is showing a lack of class with the timing.

as far as LA goes, i think his timing is also suspect. in the post Verbier stage interview, he seemed awfully smug referring to his "7 yellow jerseys at home". He also seemed to minimize Contador's performance by saying "he was once there" referring to AC's accelaration up the climb after the lead group was at their limit. LA's ego makes it really hard for him to admit someone may be stronger than him. my point here is that LA seems to be saying "[censored] You" to Contador by announcing his new '10 team before the '09 tour is even settled. LA seems to be trying to make his star power overshadow the very race he desparately wants to win again.

I will say that his performance at 37 years of age is remarkable. i spent several years admiring his cycling abilities, enjoying his books, reading about his workout regimen.........bu sadly, now i just wish he would go away and let the sport get on without him.

i almost hate watching Versus tour coverage each day because the whole show seems to be an LA love fest. some days, I just turn the volume down and watch the riding. I realize they are playing to their American audience, but sometimes it REALLY gets old.

i suppose certain posters on this board will make sure i eat crow if LA somehow pulls off a miracle. but i would much prefer to have my OLD memories of LA not his latest zest for winning the Tour again.

I think you are reading to much into it. They are doing it thursday for maximum exposure, which if you got some company getting ready to drop buttloads of cash into your effort, wouldnt you want maximum exposure for the company. Fvcking Contador? How do you know he is not trying to get AC to ride for him and JB?

i would say there is a 99.99% chance that Alberto Contador would never ride on a LA/JB team. this whole year became a circus once JB lured LA on Astana. up until Verbier, the tour has been another act in the ringtop orchestrated by LA & JB.

AC can pretty much write his own ticket.......why would he go anywhere except where he is #1 honcho (no questions asked, no funny business, no "old friends" riding for free, etc.). he doesn't need to be bothered. even if he crashes out of this year's tour, he made a big enough mark on the sport with his same-year Vuelta & Giro wins. I only hope he doesn't turn up on the juice. i have come to question any rider that rides like a superhuman......no exceptions.

you could be right on your maximum exposure theory, but a counterpoint is that that LA gets all the exposure he needs. All he has to do is sneeze, make an empathetic quip about cancer, send a Twitter about himself/friend/cancer patient/etc. and millions of people are all over it. he doesn't need an announcement 4 days before Paris to maximize his name/face in the press.

He should show a bit of class and talk about his new team after the tour.