Astana Sign Old Codger

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
edited August 2008 in Pro race
If it were April the first, I'd think they were on a leg pull.
http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/news_ ... eldia.html
2003 was a vintage year.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.

Comments

  • victorponf
    victorponf Posts: 1,187
    What a joke! Haimar is a fraud! He earned more money than Samuel Sánchez in Euskatel for do nothing.
    If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 1,760
    Unbelievable...........

    Blaze reads the Astana website!!

    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...... :wink:
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Just as long as they're not relying on him for results.

    Would be a useful moutains domestique and decent for any TTT.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    Had an absolute shocker in this year's tour though. Is he aiming for the Vuelta instead?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
    SecretSqirrel wrote:
    Unbelievable...........

    Blaze reads the Astana website!!

    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...... :wink:

    Of course, I could be a "fan boy" double agent. :wink: :roll:

    It makes no sense to me. Let's face it, his form in recent years has been so poor, if Bruyneel turns his fortune around, it will only fuel more scepticism.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    But if Riis did it, it would be because of funky pre-season training camps.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    It makes no sense to me. Let's face it, his form in recent years has been so poor, if Bruyneel turns his fortune around, it will only fuel more scepticism.

    Can I have some of that poor form that nets me a 5'th in the Tour?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    "Once promising rider takes on domestique duties for younger and feistier riders than himself". What exactly is wrong with that? Oh, right! It's Astana. Must be a druggie, then. :roll:
  • FullFrameRob
    FullFrameRob Posts: 188
    Astana sign Zubeldia, wow big deal.

    Oh wait its team evil, they must be up to no good again.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
    iainf72 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    It makes no sense to me. Let's face it, his form in recent years has been so poor, if Bruyneel turns his fortune around, it will only fuel more scepticism.

    Can I have some of that poor form that nets me a 5'th in the Tour?

    That's what I mean. 2003 is five seasons ago. Since that promise.......nada.
    I'd assumed he'd been signed as a name for the Vuelta, or one week smaller stagers, as leader.
    If he's simply a domestique, for his experience, then there's no issue.
    Except, to become one, as Victor points out, it must be a big pay cut....
    ....which kind of lends itself to that 5 year drop in form, no?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    He managed to repeat the 5th place in 2007

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/to ... s/tour0720
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 1,760
    Didn't I hear that Antonio Colom was going (LPR or the new Tinkov?).

    Astana would need a mountain domestique to replace him, he did some good work in the Giro for Bertie.
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    Whatchoo talkin' 'bout? He's ace, ok so he did f-all this year but has been top 10 in the Tour for several years. With the might of Johann's coaching he'll be the uber domestique, the new Peep-Holie if you will.
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    Interesting that they're signing Spanish riders since they recently let a French rider go because they wanted to strengthen the Kazakh presence in the team.
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    Euskaltel probably had to let him go to some extent, as well. They're hardly in the top tier, budget-wise, and I imagine Samuel Sanchez is worth a few more dollars today than he was a month ago. And if a guy like that is lying around and you have the budget...
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    It makes no sense to me. Let's face it, his form in recent years has been so poor, if Bruyneel turns his fortune around, it will only fuel more scepticism.

    Can I have some of that poor form that nets me a 5'th in the Tour?

    That's what I mean. 2003 is five seasons ago. Since that promise.......nada.

    I meant 07.

    But his record isn't that bad

    2003 - 5th overall
    2004 - DNF
    2005 - 15th overall
    2006 - 8th overall
    2007 - 5th overall
    2008 - 45th overall

    Big slip this year but there could be lots of reasons...(quiet in the back)
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • victorponf
    victorponf Posts: 1,187
    edited August 2008
    micron wrote:
    Interesting that they're signing Spanish riders since they recently let a French rider go because they wanted to strengthen the Kazakh presence in the team.

    Astana for 2009 at the moment:
    Assan Bazayev, Maxim Iglinskiy, Roman Kireyev, Berik Kupeshov (are those Kazakh riders)

    Jani Brajkovic, Alberto Contador, Chris Horner, Andreas Klöden,, Levi Leipheimer, Steve Morabito, , Daniel Navarro, Benjamín Noval, Sergio Paulinho, Gregory Rast, Michael Schär, Tomas Vaitkus, Andrey Zeits and Haimar Zubeldia.

    Very good team

    In other hand Zubeldia was top ten 3 times:

    5º in 2003 and 2007
    8 º in 2006
    I don´t like his sucks weehls style (he is the Spanis Tick), and never ever i have seen him helping a team mate. Think that in Euskatel are very pleased with his abandon
    If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    iainf72 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    It makes no sense to me. Let's face it, his form in recent years has been so poor, if Bruyneel turns his fortune around, it will only fuel more scepticism.

    Can I have some of that poor form that nets me a 5'th in the Tour?

    That's what I mean. 2003 is five seasons ago. Since that promise.......nada.

    I meant 07.

    But his record isn't that bad

    2003 - 5th overall
    2004 - DNF
    2005 - 15th overall
    2006 - 8th overall
    2007 - 5th overall
    2008 - 45th overall

    Big slip this year but there could be lots of reasons...(quiet in the back)

    Has any of the non podium guys been more consistent in the TDF last 5 years ?

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    victorponf wrote:
    micron wrote:
    Interesting that they're signing Spanish riders since they recently let a French rider go because they wanted to strengthen the Kazakh presence in the team.

    Astana for 2009 at the moment:
    Assan Bazayev, Maxim Iglinskiy, Roman Kireyev, Berik Kupeshov (are those Kazakh
    I don´t like his sucks weehls style (he is the Spanis Tick), and never ever i have seen him helping a team mate


    You didnt see the 2003 Tour then ?

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    I don't see the big issue here, Astana is loosing Rubiera and Colom after this year, and need someone(s) to replace them.
    Zubeldia has had a bad season this year, but that doesn't mean he's a bad rider, and as often happens when a rider changes a team, it helps them.
    But of course, whatever Astana does is bad here...

    There are 4 new Kazakh riders coming into the team, 2 spots are still left...
  • victorponf
    victorponf Posts: 1,187
    Moray Gub wrote:
    victorponf wrote:
    micron wrote:
    Interesting that they're signing Spanish riders since they recently let a French rider go because they wanted to strengthen the Kazakh presence in the team.

    Astana for 2009 at the moment:
    Assan Bazayev, Maxim Iglinskiy, Roman Kireyev, Berik Kupeshov (are those Kazakh
    I don´t like his sucks weehls style (he is the Spanis Tick), and never ever i have seen him helping a team mate


    You didnt see the 2003 Tour then ?

    cheers
    MG

    I don´t remember any attack of Zubeldia then, did he help Mayo? (i remember both riding for themselves)... but i have a bad memory :(
    If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    micron wrote:
    Interesting that they're signing Spanish riders since they recently let a French rider go because they wanted to strengthen the Kazakh presence in the team.

    They inherited the French guy from Astana v1.0. Sean Yates was asked about him when he was doing Tour punditry for Eurosport and you got the impression he hadn't even met the guy.

    What I find interesting is that Zubeldia would switch teams after so long spent at Euskaltel. After showing that much loyalty, you'd expect him to stick around until he retires. Kinda like Boogerd at Rabobank... although I read this week he's quitting the team after being made to do PR work for the actual bank instead of the cycling team. Sad.
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    afx237vi wrote:
    micron wrote:
    Interesting that they're signing Spanish riders since they recently let a French rider go because they wanted to strengthen the Kazakh presence in the team.

    They inherited the French guy from Astana v1.0. Sean Yates was asked about him when he was doing Tour punditry for Eurosport and you got the impression he hadn't even met the guy.

    What I find interesting is that Zubeldia would switch teams after so long spent at Euskaltel. After showing that much loyalty, you'd expect him to stick around until he retires. Kinda like Boogerd at Rabobank... although I read this week he's quitting the team after being made to do PR work for the actual bank instead of the cycling team. Sad.

    Like Hincapie?
    He has had a great season so far in his new team...
    IMO, I think a change is good, especially if you've spent most of your career in one team.
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    sorry, double post.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    True, I forgot about Hincapie.

    Actually, I just looked at his Wiki entry and Zubeldia is only 31. I thought he was more like 33/34 for some reason. He has a good few years left yet.
  • victorponf
    victorponf Posts: 1,187
    What I find interesting is that Zubeldia would switch teams after so long spent at Euskaltel. After showing that much loyalty, you'd expect him to stick around until he retires.

    Dear AFX the main loyalty of Zubeldia in the last years was the money (he has a very good contract, the best in the team, and now Madariaga said that if he want to continue he has to earn less money). In other hand he refused to go to Vuelta this year after his failure in the Tour
    If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
    Must be honest, forgot about 2007, as I missed it on hols.
    Plus 5th after, Razza, Klodi and Kash got kicked. Still not bad.
    I, too, thought him older than 31. Must have a good few miles left.

    As for why all the interest? Post Tour black hole, I'd say. :(

    Other than the fact I thought him an oddish signing, little said that's bad about Astana.
    I think some folks are just overly sensitive.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    Nah, it's all the bad mouthing about Astana here, whatever they do, is unjust, bad or doped for some of you here, this thread being a perfect excample for it.
    Shooting Zubeldia down as an old hag, and not eevn bothering to check his results and age shows how some members here don't even care about the facts, but I'm not surprised at all by that.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    afx237vi wrote:
    After showing that much loyalty, you'd expect him to stick around until he retires. Kinda like Boogerd at Rabobank... although I read this week he's quitting the team after being made to do PR work for the actual bank instead of the cycling team. Sad.
    Yes, although it's not really comparable... Boogerd already quit active cycling last year, wanted to become a team manager, Rabobank didn't think it would suit him, and offered him a PR job instead. He's done that for a while, doesn't like that work, and quit. Whether e would make a good directeur sportive? Who knows.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
    Arkibal wrote:
    Nah, it's all the bad mouthing about Astana here, whatever they do, is unjust, bad or doped for some of you here, this thread being a perfect excample for it.
    Shooting Zubeldia down as an old hag, and not eevn bothering to check his results and age shows how some members here don't even care about the facts, but I'm not surprised at all by that.

    I agree. There is usually bad mouthing when anything is posted about Astana. Unfortunately, it's usually directed at fellow posters.

    I would have said the thread contained a fair amount of info and views that have been influenced as such.
    If people change their opinions, then that makes a refreshing change from the usual "bury the head in the sand" approach.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.

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