What is Paco Mancebo thinking?

[El Loto]

Francisco Mancebo Perez has signed a deal with Ag2R. Personally, I think this will be a step backwards if he leaves Illes Balears. Ok, so he lacks the killer edge to be a Tour winner and Alejandro Valverde has more GT potential but leaving Spain might be a bad idea. At least at Illes Balears he could work with Valverde but now he'll have an almost geriatric Cristophe Moreau who has never really been one to light the mountains on fire. Mancebo never been one to make contreversial statements so I doubt he had a problem with dual leadership at Illes Balears. I sincerely hope that this talented cyclist does not suffer the same fate as Joseba Beloki. Best of luck to him anyway.

 

[musette]

Francisco Mancebo Perez has signed a deal with Ag2R. Personally, I think this will be a step backwards if he leaves Illes Balears. Ok, so he lacks the killer edge to be a Tour winner and Alejandro Valverde has more GT potential but leaving Spain might be a bad idea. At least at Illes Balears he could work with Valverde but now he'll have an almost geriatric Cristophe Moreau who has never really been one to light the mountains on fire. Mancebo never been one to make contreversial statements so I doubt he had a problem with dual leadership at Illes Balears. I sincerely hope that this talented cyclist does not suffer the same fate as Joseba Beloki. Best of luck to him anyway.

I don't think Mancebo's choice is such a bad one under the circumstances:

1) Ag2R Practically Assured Participation in 06 TdF

With Mancebo and Moreau and with the dissolution of Domina Vacanze, there is a good chance Ag2R will become a Pro Tour team. It probably has a better chance with Mancebo and Moreau than Selle Italia has with Rugano and Parra (sp), if only one Pro Tour team could be added in 2006.

Also, with Mancebo having finished fourth and equally importantly with Moreau being for several years the highest placed Frenchman and given the current debate in France about why there are not better French cyclists, even if Ag2R did not become a Pro Tour team in 2006, it is almost guaranteed an invitation to the Tour. Ag2R was the wildcard that was considered most strongly this year, even though Le Blanc ultimately decided not to extend the invitation.

Since Mancebo's main goal is to do well/podium in the TdF, it doesn't really matter if Ag2R were not a Pro Tour team in 2006 and did not get invited to other races. Ag2R with Mancebo is also likely to get invited to the Vuelta, if Mancebo were interested in pursuing that.

2) Valverde A Direct Competitor

With Valverde being such a strong cyclist, Mancebo had to at least share (equally) leadership at the Tour with Valverde. With Moreau, I think Mancebo knows that he would do better than Moreau and generally be the "preferred" co-leader. Also, Moreau is much older than either Mancebo or Valverde, and when Moreau is no longer around, Mancebo might then have podiumed and get sole leadership of Ag2R.

3) Iles Balears Quitting Sponsorship and Replacement Sponsor Looking to Add Several French Riders

"The Illes Balears team is apparently planning a major reshuffle to coincide with Caisse d’Epargne taking over as Spanish-based outfit’s main sponsor in 2006. According to Spanish sources, team manager José-Miguel Echavarri will embark on a major shopping spree in the coming weeks but could lose Tour de France star Francisco Mancebo. Following a breakdown in communications with Echavarri, Mancebo has apparently asked his agent, the former rider, David Plaza, to tout his services to other ProTour teams."

http://www.procycling.com/news_archive.aspx?ID=1492

The new sponsor wants increased prominence in France, and wants therefore Iles Balears to recruit at least five French riders. If that is the case and these are to be non-mediocre riders, there will have to be budget considerations. Also, the current Iles was too-Spanish-leadership-heavy, wit both Valverde and Mancebo there.

4) Breakdown in communications with Iles

See above article

5) Lack of Alternatives

The Pro Tour teams do not offer a clear co-leadership position for Mancebo:

-- DC: Probably looking to Popo long-term, and, if it were looking for a TdF leader, wold be looking for somebody more in the later stages of their career. But Bruyneel is saying that he is not affirmatively looking (except, I believe, at a given point, for Basso, who is now contracted further with CSC), although he welcomes people approaching him and he is monitoring available to priders.

-- T-Mobile: Leader not needed.

-- CSC: Leader not needed.

-- Liberty Seguros: Leader not needed (has Vino).

-- Phonak: Worse than Ag2R, in terms of having likely to share leadership with at least one of: Landis, Botero (if he is in form), Perreiro (less so, but Perreiro is not really occupying a domestique role on this team).

-- Quickstep: All for Boonen. Plus, may be recruiting Simoni (although unclear for which Grand Tours)

-- Davitamon: All for McEwen.

-- Rabobank: Complex situation; likes to develop from within team and its feeder teams. Mancebo would have to share leadership.

-- Gerolsteiner: Leader not needed. Would have to share with Leipheimer.

-- Domina Vacanze: All for Petacchi.

-- Euskatel: Probably not looking to recruit Mancebo, despite Mayo's poor performance. Is Mancebo Basque?

-- Lampre: Leader not needed.

-- Credit Agricole: Maybe will recruit Simoni?

-- Bougyes: Spanish nationality of Mancebo probably not too consistent with identity of this team.

-- That leaves: Liquigas; Francaise des Jeux; Cofidis; Credit Agricole; Saunier Duval. Hardly that much more attractive than Ag2R.

6) Less significantly, the question of Karpets

Karpets did not do well during TdF 05. However, he has some potential and having Mancebo, Valverde and Karpets be on the TdF team could have raised the problem of "too many chiefs, too little..." While Karpets has and will likely take deference to Mancebo and Valverde, had Mancebo stayed, any further improvements in Karpets would have raised an opportunity for that situation to change.

Karpets is generally viewed as being stronger in ITT than Mancebo, even though Mancebo is not bad and is improving. Also, note that Karpets and Valverde are both considerably younger than Mancebo, even though Mancebo is still young for a TdF GC contender (at 29).

KARPETS Vladimir 20.09.1980
VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro ESP 25.04.1980

MANCEBO PEREZ Francisco 09.03.1976

 

[Dead Star]

-- Credit Agricole: Maybe will recruit Simoni?

-- Bougyes: Spanish nationality of Mancebo probably not too consistent with identity of this team.

-- That leaves: Liquigas; Francaise des Jeux; Cofidis; Credit Agricole; Saunier Duval. Hardly that much more attractive than Ag2R.

that makes sense

and it's Fassa that are dissolving, not Domina

 

[musette]

-- Domina Vacanze: All for Petacchi.

Simoni hasn't completed negotiations yet. He might end up with Credit Agricole, maybe Quickstep, maybe somewhere else.

That's all your input after my analysis? I guess you didn't have too much extra things to say in addition to the analysis, and therefore agree with it.

 

[El Loto]

Its just after watching all the potential of Joseba Beloki lost down the drain following his freefall after that crash on the way to Gap. Ag2R were one of the least visible teams at this year's Tour and their ProTour license is virtually guaranteed due to lack of competition. I feel Mancebo would be better suited staying in Spain, true there is nowhere else in Spain for him to go but look at Beloki, Pecharroman and Mercado and see how they failed with foreign teams. Apart from Illes Balears I would have thought Saunier Duval would ahve been a better prospect. He could call on riders like Garate and Piepoli as mountain helpers. Still Illes Balears lacked a Giro leader. Karpets hardly set the race on fire and finished 7 minutes behind Serguei Gonchar who was the 6th place finisher. Hopefully Paco's talent won't crash and burn.

 

[musette]

true there is nowhere else in Spain for him to go but look at Beloki, Pecharroman and Mercado and see how they failed with foreign teams. Apart from Illes Balears I would have thought Saunier Duval would ahve been a better prospect. He could call on riders like Garate and Piepoli as mountain helpers.

On Saunier Duval, at least as of last week, Quickstep might have been eying Garate rather than Simoni (?), I now see from Procycling. If Garate leaves Saunier Duval, then Manchebo would not have the assistance of Garate.

"Lefevere said that his sights are set on another Spanish three-week specialist, Juan Manuel Garate."

http://www.procycling.com/news_archive.aspx?ID=1492

Beloki is a special case. His injury at Gap in 2003 was such a traumatic career event, and his mental and physical recuperation so extended and taking up such a key period in his career, that his lack of success outside of a Spanish team cannot be viewed as indicative of the possibilities for non-injured Spanish riders making similar moves. Also, Beloki and his medication issue with Saunier Duval was an unusual one.

 

[Dead Star]

Simoni hasn't completed negotiations yet. He might end up with Credit Agricole, maybe Quickstep, maybe somewhere else.

That's all your input after my analysis? I guess you didn't have too much extra things to say in addition to the analysis, and therefore agree with it.

it was more like a great big waffle from a biased disco fan than a so-called 'analysis'.

 

[justanothergirl]

-- Euskatel: Probably not looking to recruit Mancebo, despite Mayo's poor performance. Is Mancebo Basque?

-- Bougyes: Spanish nationality of Mancebo probably not too consistent with identity of this team.

There is also the chance that since both of these teams pretty much sucked last year, they won't be in the ProTour come '06. So Mancebo picked the team that had a better chance, either that or they offered him the money he wanted and other teams didn't.

 

[El Loto]

There is also the chance that since both of these teams pretty much sucked last year, they won't be in the ProTour come '06. So Mancebo picked the team that had a better chance, either that or they offered him the money he wanted and other teams didn't.

Every team in this year's Pro Tour, except Fassa Bortolo, will be present next year unless the teams themselves collapse. As mentioned before one team, most likely Ag2R or Colombia-Selle Italia, will take Fassa's license.

 

[justanothergirl]

Every team in this year's Pro Tour, except Fassa Bortolo, will be present next year unless the teams themselves collapse. As mentioned before one team, most likely Ag2R or Colombia-Selle Italia, will take Fassa's license.

What's the criteria (besides money) to stay a ProTour team?

 

[whiteboytrash]

ProTour licences are for 3 years with the exception of Phonak who has one year..... so your point is not valid.........

Phonak are on probation for harbouring drug cheats so that’s the reason for one year...... (as we know Tyler is still in dispute as he claims he has a long lost twin brother which caused him to have two sets of blood DNA in his system…. pleeeerrrrrrzzzeeee)

There is also the chance that since both of these teams pretty much sucked last year, they won't be in the ProTour come '06. So Mancebo picked the team that had a better chance, either that or they offered him the money he wanted and other teams didn't.

 

[justanothergirl]

ProTour licences are for 3 years with the exception of Phonak who has one year..... so your point is not valid.........

Phonak are on probation for harbouring drug cheats so that’s the reason for one year...... (as we know Tyler is still in dispute as he claims he has a long lost twin brother which caused him to have two sets of blood DNA in his system…. pleeeerrrrrrzzzeeee)

I forgot about the 3-year thing.

 

[musette]

One should also not discount the fact that Ag2R might have paid Mancebo a premium reflecting the fact that Mancebo would be a significant asset to Ag2R's application for Pro Tour status in 06, given Mancebo's #4 performance in the TdF this year.

#1: LA has retired
#2: Basso is committed to CSC
#3: JU is committed to TM for 06.
#5: Vino committed to Liberty-Seguros.
#6: Leipheimer -- not leaving Gerolsteiner next year.
#7: Rasmussen -- Not as promising for the GC as Mancebo; also, without his long breakway, which he was permitted to have by DC because LA didn't know who Rasmussen was before that stage, Rasmussen wouldn't have done as well. In future years, Rasmussen will be watched more.
# 8: Cadel Evans
#9: Landis -- staying with Phonak
#10: Perreiro -- Not as promising for the GC as Mancebo
#11 Christophe Moreau -- Already going to Ag2R


The highest placed TdF rider, providing Ag2R with the greatest prestige vis a vis the TdF, would be Mancebo.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Thats OK..... - who is your picture of ?

I forgot about the 3-year thing.

 

[justanothergirl]

Thats OK..... - who is your picture of ?

Christian Werner. German cyclist who rides for one of my favorite teams, T-Mobile. Although the color of his jersey sort of gives that bit away.

Also happens to be my favorite cyclist (followed by Chavanel, Giling and Vinokourov).

 

[whiteboytrash]

Rock on !

Mine is David Moncoutie followed by Vino, Ullrich and Basso........ everyone else on this forum loves Armstrong so stay away from them..... some of them are on his payroll and send out PR info all day long.....

Christian Werner. German cyclist who rides for one of my favorite teams, T-Mobile. Although the color of his jersey sort of gives that bit away.

Also happens to be my favorite cyclist (followed by Chavanel, Giling and Vinokourov).

 

[justanothergirl]

Rock on !

Mine is David Moncoutie followed by Vino, Ullrich and Basso........ everyone else on this forum loves Armstrong so stay away from them..... some of them are on his payroll and send out PR info all day long.....

So I've been told.

I do like one American cyclist, but mostly either Europeans or Aussies (I've taken a liking to Liberty Seguros and, of course Allan and Aaron).

 

[MJtje]

LOL, well seems to be the case huh

Rock on !

Mine is David Moncoutie followed by Vino, Ullrich and Basso........ everyone else on this forum loves Armstrong so stay away from them..... some of them are on his payroll and send out PR info all day long.....

 

[El Loto]

Well as you might have known Paco Mancebo is one of my favourite cyclists. Have to say Petacchi is my favourite though. Really like Cunego as well. I'm still holding out for David Millar to return to the top of the sport though.

 

[justanothergirl]

Well as you might have known Paco Mancebo is one of my favourite cyclists. Have to say Petacchi is my favourite though. Really like Cunego as well. I'm still holding out for David Millar to return to the top of the sport though.

I really like Petacchi as well. And Zabel and, really, my list could go on and on.

Ah, David. I have to admit I kind of miss him. Since I'm only a new cycling fan, I was (after my initial interesting in Armstrong and Hamilton, which ended quickly) somewhat fond of Millar.