Where does Floyd go?

[lucspop]

With the impending doom of Phonak, it begs the very serious question of what happens with Floyd Landis? It seems to make most sense for him to jump back into the Discovery fold, but with Popovich and Salvodeli,is there room for him anymore? CSC would make a lot of sense, but they have no money. Perhaps Liberty Seguros? Rabobank? One of the new Italian merged teams? What about Saunier Duval and teaming up with Beloki and Horner?

 

[sportzgurl]

Good Point. I would like him to go to CSC but what are the chances of that at the moment. I think they have secured sponsership with someone new so they will have a little money but not enough for Floyd. Perhaps LA and Discovery might be a little peeved at him for leaving so he might not be going back there!!

 

[li0scc0]

With the impending doom of Phonak, it begs the very serious question of what happens with Floyd Landis? It seems to make most sense for him to jump back into the Discovery fold, but with Popovich and Salvodeli,is there room for him anymore? CSC would make a lot of sense, but they have no money. Perhaps Liberty Seguros? Rabobank? One of the new Italian merged teams? What about Saunier Duval and teaming up with Beloki and Horner?

Is there necessarily impending doom for Phonak? Not necessarily, and it could mean that, without Hamilton, Landis has an even greater role on a Phonak team.

 

[jhuskey]

Is there necessarily impending doom for Phonak? Not necessarily, and it could mean that, without Hamilton, Landis has an even greater role on a Phonak team.

I agree I have a friend that has some contact with Phonak and he hasn't heard of a total melt-down of the team,but I guess there are no guarantees. I have been told that the over of Phonak loves cycling to the extreme and will do what it takes to make the team solid.

 

[lucspop]

I'm not saying that Phonak wil go away as a team, but I do think that they will be very hard pressed to be approved by the UCI for the Pro Tour. And while that appears to have no real impact on the Grand Tours, it would cut them out of all of the one-day classics.

I have no question that if Tyler doesn't come back (and my gut says he isn't), Floyd is the man. But is racing the US circuit and Div 2 circuit in Europe enough to make the money and give the team training needed to really make a mark in the grand tours? And to do a grand tour without the aid of Tyler, Santi Perez, Camenzid AND Sevilla? Brioches La Boulangerie had more of a team around Voeckler.

I would bet that Floyd will ask out of his contract, and he will be granted it without any problem, should the aribtration not go Phonak's way. But again, the question is where?

 

[donhix1]

Is there necessarily impending doom for Phonak? Not necessarily, and it could mean that, without Hamilton, Landis has an even greater role on a Phonak team.

I think Phonak would have to sack Tyler and Perez and hire new management before the UCI would let them into the Pro Tour.

 

[tcklyde]

I think Phonak would have to sack Tyler and Perez and hire new management before the UCI would let them into the Pro Tour.

My first mostly unsubstantiated guess is that Phonak will make the Pro Tour. Are they really going to give it to Mr. Bookmaker over Phonak? While the ethical problems are serious, the financial commitment is solid. The team has made the wrong call in not sacking Hamilton and Perez and making Landis the man, but I'd guess that the UCI is just making them feel the heat for the moment.

Second thought: Landis doesn't need to make any decisions until it becomes clear what the grand tours are going to do about the Pro Tour. If they opt out, he might be able to still race and Phonak probably will want to keep him in the contract. Hamilton and Perez can then lose their cases (and I imagine they will), Phonak can sack them, and then make a new bid.

Third thought: assuming Phonak is cut out and Landis gets out of his contract. I doubt Discovery can afford him at this point. Same with CSC. Be interesting if Liberty gets him. How about Quick Step? Virenque's gotta free up a little $$.

Landis is a good rider, but he's still a domestique in my book. A good one, sure. But Postal's Azevedo and Rubiera both rode a faster Tour than Landis. Maybe in a couple of years.

 

[donhix1]

My first mostly unsubstantiated guess is that Phonak will make the Pro Tour. Are they really going to give it to Mr. Bookmaker over Phonak? While the ethical problems are serious, the financial commitment is solid. The team has made the wrong call in not sacking Hamilton and Perez and making Landis the man, but I'd guess that the UCI is just making them feel the heat for the moment.

Second thought: Landis doesn't need to make any decisions until it becomes clear what the grand tours are going to do about the Pro Tour. If they opt out, he might be able to still race and Phonak probably will want to keep him in the contract. Hamilton and Perez can then lose their cases (and I imagine they will), Phonak can sack them, and then make a new bid.

Third thought: assuming Phonak is cut out and Landis gets out of his contract. I doubt Discovery can afford him at this point. Same with CSC. Be interesting if Liberty gets him. How about Quick Step? Virenque's gotta free up a little $$.

Landis is a good rider, but he's still a domestique in my book. A good one, sure. But Postal's Azevedo and Rubiera both rode a faster Tour than Landis. Maybe in a couple of years.

I don't think the UCI is very happy with Phonak. I would be very suprised if they let Phonak in the Pro Tour without major reforms.

 

[tcklyde]

Well this clears up some questions...

If Phonak doesn't get a ProTour berth, that will be a bit of a problem for Landis, who would find himself looking for another team at a very late stage in the transfer season. "I have an exit clause in my contract but I can't leave until I know for sure whether Phonak is in the Pro Tour, so there is no point in looking yet," he says. "I really don't want to leave Phonak. I signed with this team for many reason and I'd like to stay. I think the other teams out there know that I would be free at that point if it comes to Phonak being excluded from the Pro Tour, but I believe the UCI will make it work.​

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=riders/2004/interviews/floyd_landis042

 

[lucspop]

Well, I would think that this morning's news of Phonak being left out of the Pro Tour, coupled with the Grand Tours all committing to the Pro Tour, guarantees that Floyd is a free agent. So, again, where does he go? With Beloki bailing out of Saunier Duval, I could see him riding with Horner. Perhaps CSC would use some of that Bartoli $$$ to get him? Is Rabobank looking to fill Levi's slot? My gut tells me he does a one-year deal with Discovery with a shot at being team leader for the Tour (Popovych get the Giro, Azevedo get the Vuelta), and then he can check things out as a free agent again for 2006. Just my gut.

 

[tcklyde]

Well, I would think that this morning's news of Phonak being left out of the Pro Tour, coupled with the Grand Tours all committing to the Pro Tour, guarantees that Floyd is a free agent. So, again, where does he go? With Beloki bailing out of Saunier Duval, I could see him riding with Horner. Perhaps CSC would use some of that Bartoli $$$ to get him? Is Rabobank looking to fill Levi's slot? My gut tells me he does a one-year deal with Discovery with a shot at being team leader for the Tour (Popovych get the Giro, Azevedo get the Vuelta), and then he can check things out as a free agent again for 2006. Just my gut.

Yeah, I think Floyd's probably going to be free. (Read somewhere that Phonak may pull the sponsorship if they didn't make the pro tour.) But I'd guess that even if Floyd went back to Discovery and even if Lance doesn't ride the Tour, that Floyd would get the Vuelta. Azevedo's a stronger rider than Landis at this point.

But I agree that there a lot of intriguing possibilities here. All said though, I doubt Floyd's going to get the kinda $$ he had with Phonak.

Nice work Tyler.

 

[Laggard]

It'll be tough this late in the game to find a new team as a lot of the money teams budget to hire and pay riders has been used up already.

Phonak can still race. They just won't do the Pro Tour races. A bigger question is how easy will it be to keep sponsors when you're being left out of the biggest games in town.

 

[ahickman307@hot]

Today's Paceline interview with Dan Osipow hints that "9 or 10" new riders might be on the Discovery roster. Could #10 be Floyd?

 

[RSD]

If he's smart he'll go ride with Horner on Saunier. He'll have someone to room with that speaks English, and it will be good for Chris to have someone like Floyd to help him get re-integrated into the Euro peleton.

Floyd is going to be coming by my store next week for an evening "meet and greet" with our customers. I'll see if I can weasel any new info out of him and post it here.

 

[pink flea]

To the Dark side of the Moon

 

[Raleigh c30]

With the impending doom of Phonak, it begs the very serious question of what happens with Floyd Landis? It seems to make most sense for him to jump back into the Discovery fold, but with Popovich and Salvodeli,is there room for him anymore? CSC would make a lot of sense, but they have no money. Perhaps Liberty Seguros? Rabobank? One of the new Italian merged teams? What about Saunier Duval and teaming up with Beloki and Horner?

I think he'll go with phonak because of all the problems with tyler hamilton, he's got a great opportunity.

 

[jhuskey]

I think he'll go with phonak because of all the problems with tyler hamilton, he's got a great opportunity.

Phonak is presently going to court to challenge being turned down for their pro tour licence. If they fail Floyd will be able to leave because his contract calls for Phonak being able to join the pro tour.
The Tour is not presently part of the pro tour but without Hamilton Phonak does not have enough points to be invited to the tour this year(each team must have enough accumulated race points among their riders to qualify) so that does not leave a lot of major races to attend for Landis.
I don't see a lot of opportunity for him if the court rules to deny Phonak's challenge.