Bye bye Astana?

DaveyL

Well, there would be lots of opportunity for hilarity if Roche or Amgen were to get on board... But I think the pharma companies aren't doing too badly, in relative terms. There was a lot of pain last year, but not really directly related to the recession, more to do with lots of blockbusters coming off patent at the same time (as far as I understand).

blazing_saddles

I'd say pharma companies are his first, best and only option, as they haven't felt the effects of this recession.
Most anyone else is going to have to put a strong argument forward to it's board and shareholders to justify such an expenditure at this time.
With the US interest in cycling being "minor", it will be a hard one to pull off, even for Lance.

As for LA footing the bills, thats just ludicrous; a pipe dream.
First of all, he has to pay off other people's debts and then stump up the cash for some of the top riders in the sport.
We are talkiing tens of millions of dollars, here.
He just ain't that kind of benefactor.

Best case scenario? A cut down roster, with little chance of all the stars getting a berth.
I'd say Kloden is definitely about to join the "vocationally challenged".
Contador may well have to either take a drastic pay cut or leave.

skavanagh.bikeradar

I wonder if Brailsford can afford Contador? Just a thought.

calvjones

skavanagh.bikeradar wrote:

I wonder if Brailsford can afford Contador? Just a thought.

Yes, that would really cement the Sky/GB team's clean credentials...

Dave's gonna have to look long & hard to find someone with no ghosts. He'd be better off with someone who's actually paid for Puerto, rather than someone who might be hauled off the day before the 2010 Tour for indescretions made 5 or 6 years earlier. Look at Valv - he might not have doped since Kelme days, and might not even have known he was doping then - ain't gonna help him none.

gregssmirkingrevenge

Can't see many big sponsors getting too excited about this opportunity- Armstrong will be having to get his wallet out again to carry on the party. Relying on his existing friends and reputation in the peloton for form the basis of the new team.

I see it going something like this;

- Armstrong will be the main sposor, with LAF or Mellow Johnnys being the name sponsor.

- Trek and Nike will be at the BBQ but won't be the host.

- Bruyneel will be DS with Eki, yatesy and all the other USPS alumni joining him.

- The team will be registered in switzerland, mexico or somewhere similar for tax/doping/training reasons.

- The team will include the likes of Levi, Horner, Chechu, Hincapie, Poppo and probably Basso.

-The team will have an ace looking kit.

jimmythecuckoo

http://www.livestrong.com/video/5348-te ... tour-gila/

Team Mellow Jonny already exists..

gregssmirkingrevenge

Yea precisely, it exists for the convenience of Armstrong. They just put on some printed jerseys from his shop and called it a team for the purposes of this training exercise though right?

leguape

Doesn't Astana's current PT licence agreement expire at the end of this season anyway? And it's not without precedent for it to be transferred mid-season, as isn't that how they ended up with it in the first place by taking over Active Bay's one?

If it does happen that Armstrong takes over the ownership, I'm with greg that there's going to be some degree of LAF/Livestrong connection. I would have said he'll call in the millionaires club for favours owed to keep the books looking rosy, but I imagine they're not feeling as flush as they were.

Most of the equipment/logistics sponsors are going to be in until at least the end of the season and some smart business should keep them on.

Great to see that the UCI's measures to keep the good ship cycling the right way up have proved so effective :roll:

Pokerface

skavanagh.bikeradar wrote:

I wonder if Brailsford can afford Contador? Just a thought.

Yes he can - and I predict that is EXACTLY where Contador ends up. The whispers have been heard before...

DavMartinR

Are SRAM in the same financial situation as other likely sponsors mention earlier on this thread? Or wouldn't they have the finances for such a venture? Hasn't LA got a stake in SRAM?

jimmythecuckoo

Good point, but if the worst happens and Contador needs a team now... would he find one for 6 months before Team Sky kicks off.

aurelio_-_banned

To paraphrase Armstrong himself:

'The biggest downside to this whole sorry, ego-driven 'comeback' is what else you could do with that money...'

mrushton

But.... LA is not young and as team owner he'll be looking for the best rider for the big titles. He has Phinney in the wings but Contador has to be the best bet. He's young, popular and good. Not really any opponents at that level.

whydoesitalwaysrainonme

Team livestrong sponsored by mellow johnnys and trek, with nike as their clothing provider and giro for helmets one more main sponsor? could go something like that (or could be mellow johnnys team with livestrong as sponsor and the other ones mentioned above.

mrushton

All speculation but sponsors would be the stalwarts
Nike
Giro
Oakley
trek
Bontrager

plus SRAM

there might be a recession but all these firms have kit to sell and the high end stuff is still selling. I was speaking to someone last week who works for a UK distributor and he told me that high end kit, wheels, clothing etc is increasing it's market whilst cheaper lines are struggling

skavanagh.bikeradar

Oi Calvjones - what has Contador got stacked against him then?

iainf72

Oh dear.

McQuaid is busting out the big guns. He's going to send a letter to the Kazak fed warning them about the non-payment of their riders. They may also lose their PT license if they don't sort it out.

I think if the UCI are involved the situation is pretty dire.

dave_1

I guess Vino and Kaschekin will be without a team-maybe a good thing Astana pulling out...avoids the media coverage Vino's return would have brought

RichN95.

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Good point, but if the worst happens and Contador needs a team now... would he find one for 6 months before Team Sky kicks off.

I doubt he'd have any trouble at all (although he may have to take a small pay cut). Katusha would look a good fit.

iainf72

All looks a bit doomy on cycling news.

It would take all of LA's Giro fee just to top up the amount the UCI are supposed to hold, so it ain't small change.

blazing_saddles

....and they only have a week to find the cash, before the UCI pull their licence.....
.....mid Giro!
Time for a last minute inclusion of Ceramica and give Astana the NGC treatment.
That's if that $2 million appearance fee hasn't already been banked. :oops:

I see that both WADA and the Spanish fed are coming to Valverde's CONI holiday bash.
Maybe, they should send out an RIVP to Contador, as well?

Kléber

"A week ago, even the reserve account of the Astana team, which the UCI law states must contain an untouched sum of two million dollars, was emptied," Proskurin stated. "These funds are a guarantee of participation for any professional team in the ProTour racing series"

It would be very ironic if Astana got themselves excluded from the Tour de France, this time because they can't meet wage bills. Of course, there will be a flexible interpretation of the rules given the prominence of one of the riders.

I can quite easily see the team being rejigged with new sponsors come on board, the media interest in the team alone is worthwhile. Whether it is SRAM or Berry Wood remains to be seen.

Le Commentateur

New sponsors will have to be signed up pretty quick -- after the Tour de France the appeal of sponsoring a cycling team wanes rapidy. It's like a to-the-month repeat of the Team Coast situation in 2003. Their metamorphosis into the Bianchi Team was pretty much an eleventh-hour deal worked out in late May/earlyJune after the Coast owner refused to put up bank guarantees, and of course that rescue deal only lasted a few months. If I were Conti I would be checking out job opportunities now.

leguape

Le Commentateur wrote:

New sponsors will have to be signed up pretty quick -- after the Tour de France the appeal of sponsoring a cycling team wanes rapidy. It's like a to-the-month repeat of the Team Coast situation in 2003. Their metamorphosis into the Bianchi Team was pretty much an eleventh-hour deal worked out in late May/earlyJune after the Coast owner refused to put up bank guarantees, and of course that rescue deal only lasted a few months. If I were Conti I would be checking out job opportunities now.

A cynic would suggest that it's a very cute way for someone to get round the commitment of actually having to run a cycling team for the season while getting the only decent coverage hit at a knockdown price.

Pokerface

Perfect opportunity for Dave Brailsford and SKY to step in - take over the team (rebranding it SKY) - and accomplish his goal of winning the Tour de France. 5 years early.

Kléber

I think Brailsford has said he wants to run an ethical team. That would rule out many riders and most of the team staff.

cougie

Team Sky are in a tricky position.

Would you :

1. Hire Continental big name pros who may have doping backgrounds and tarnish the rest of the team

2. Keep with the less performing but cleaner riders ?

leguape

Kléber wrote:

I think Brailsford has said he wants to run an ethical team. That would rule out many riders and most of the team staff.

Yet Max Sciandri is involved with the U23 Academy. Isn't he a former client of Luigi Cecchini? Ethics isn't confined to your past along, I guess the present must play a roll. And he'd be a mug not to want Sean Yates onboard if he was available.

mattsy666

Kléber wrote:

I think Brailsford has said he wants to run an ethical team. That would rule out many riders and most of the team staff.

and you think a team that won that many medals done so with 3 weetabix (or bran flakes in Chris Hoy's case) and a fancy skin suit ... the consistency and number of wins stinks of something other than sweat ... if any pro team had put that run of results together then what would be said?

Pokerface

mattsy666 wrote:

Kléber wrote:

I think Brailsford has said he wants to run an ethical team. That would rule out many riders and most of the team staff.

and you think a team that won that many medals done so with 3 weetabix (or bran flakes in Chris Hoy's case) and a fancy skin suit ... the consistency and number of wins stinks of something other than sweat ... if any pro team had put that run of results together then what would be said?

Wow - what a contribution from a guy with 8 previous posts.