Bruyneel will leave Astana!

donrhummy
donrhummy Posts: 2,329
edited July 2009 in Pro race
http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/arti ... -part-ways
Bruyneel confirmed to Belgian television Sporza that he will stop running the Kazakhstan-backed team at the conclusion of the 2009 season, citing a breakdown over the expected return of Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov.

“Astana is a closed chapter for me,” Bruyneel told Sporza.

Bruyneel said relations with the Kazakh backers of the ProTour team have broken down over the the question of whether Vinokourov will return to Astana following his two-year ban for blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France. His two-year ban ends this month.

Comments

  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    Bruyneel giving Sporza a scoop? I'm confused...
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    Lance has just tweeted this: Making a very cool announcement on Thursday re: a new American partner for our team in 2010 (and beyond). Stay tuned!

    Could be the Oracle deal mentioned in another thread? http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12637623

    No doubt Lance will use these announcemoents to pressure other riders to stay on his good side.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • Bakunin
    Bakunin Posts: 868
    In the velonews piece, Contador is quoted as saying he knew nothing about it.

    Let the games begin (again and again and again).
  • davidmiller
    davidmiller Posts: 320
    I wonder if he'll be taking Bertie with him???

    :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    DavidMiller wrote:
    I wonder if he'll be taking Bertie with him???

    :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

    Most accounts say that Contador is going to a new spanish team.
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,042
    Bruyneel has jumped before he was about to be pushed. Vino is out of jail on Friday (metaphorically speaking).
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    Z-team here we come!! :lol: :P :D:wink:
  • paulcuthbert
    paulcuthbert Posts: 1,016
    Bruyneel + Armstrong will make a new "Livestrong" or "Mellow Johnnys" Pro team, with the team centered around either Lance himself (a full year to prepare for 2010 Tour would definitely equal a win...) or his young prodigy. Taylor Phinney

    That's my theory
    The most painful climb in Northern Ireland http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs200.snc1/6776_124247198694_548863694_2335754_8016178_n.jpg
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    WOW. If Bruyneel's telling the truth (and he probably is here) the Khazakstan group has no respect, loyalty or graditude for how he saved them from being kicked out of Pro Cycling AND brought them 2 (possibly 3) grand tour victories!
    "I made an appointment with Vino for the day before the Tour in Monaco. We would have discussed a possible return, but a day before that meeting he organized a press conference in Monaco, in our own hotel!

    "He said there that he will ride with Astana and described his program - without consulting me - and, he says that I have to go if I don't agree.

    "One day later the Kazakh Cycling Federation supports Vino and says that they can fire me very easily, that I made mistakes, etc. I don't think they still like me. How can I imagine that I will still be with Astana next year?"
  • SpaceJunk
    SpaceJunk Posts: 1,157
    paulcuthbert wrote:
    Bruyneel + Armstrong will make a new "Livestrong" or "Mellow Johnnys" Pro team, with the team centered around either Lance himself (a full year to prepare for 2010 Tour would definitely equal a win...) or his young prodigy. Taylor Phinney

    That's my theory

    You theory is pretty funny
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Perhaps they will fire him on Saturday afternoon.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Full details of Armstrong's new team will be revealed this Thursday. L'Equipe are saying Armstrong will ride in 2010 too.

    But it's getting complicated, he would need a Pro Tour spot or a Continental Pro wildcard. Agritubel are folding but the small Bretagne-Schuller is meant to be expanding, ASO will want an extra French team, they will also want Garmin in the race given Farrar and Wiggins. So that leaves the likes of Sky and Armstrong's outfit competing for the last place.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Yep, Sky could be the big losers in this one.

    And if a the new Spanish team with Contador emerges....
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • paulcuthbert
    paulcuthbert Posts: 1,016
    SpaceJunk wrote:
    paulcuthbert wrote:
    Bruyneel + Armstrong will make a new "Livestrong" or "Mellow Johnnys" Pro team, with the team centered around either Lance himself (a full year to prepare for 2010 Tour would definitely equal a win...) or his young prodigy. Taylor Phinney

    That's my theory

    You theory is pretty funny

    Yes, it's very Star Wars isn't it
    The most painful climb in Northern Ireland http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs200.snc1/6776_124247198694_548863694_2335754_8016178_n.jpg
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Sorry, Garmin are Pro Tour this year, it's Cervelo who were the wild card pick.

    The chances of Armstrong getting a ride aren't big as the pro tour licences are fixed.

    ... :idea: but a quick call to Pat McQuaid would fix this, wouldn't it?
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    I think I read somewhere that the Kazakhs had defaulted badly enough on their financial commitments for the licence to somehow revert to Bruyneel's company. This could be rubbish though.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • lucybears
    lucybears Posts: 366
    http://translate.google.com/translate?j ... ry_state0=
    interview.cyclingfever.com
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    lucybears wrote:
    http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&amp;prev=_t&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;u=http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes/Hay/incompatibilidad/Lance/Alberto/elpepidep/20090722elpepidep_3/Tes&amp;sl=es&amp;tl=en&amp;history_state0=
    Cheers

    "Es muy probable que yo haga otro equipo" --> " It is very probable that I made on another computer" :lol:

    "P. ¿Qué opina del posible retorno de Manolo Saiz ligado a Vinokúrov?"......
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,042
    donrhummy wrote:
    WOW. If Bruyneel's telling the truth (and he probably is here) the Khazakstan group has no respect, loyalty or graditude for how he saved them from being kicked out of Pro Cycling AND brought them 2 (possibly 3) grand tour victories!

    Does seem harse. But here is (another) dodgy google translation from Andrey Mizurov regarding Bruyneel's treatment of the Kazakh riders. Which may explain the break down if the relationship:-

    The master in the team belongs to the neglect, it is transmitted and the entire state. Even the mechanics of looking down on us. I remember last year before the Olympics ask people to help me to repair the bike, some spare parts. I watched as a fool, and, of course, nothing helped. And most importantly - on the race shows that our estimate is very low. Last year, I still polsezona departure, but look at what is happening now. At «Jiro» was one kazahstanets at «Tour de France» now goes one Muraviev. In the Kazakh team - only one kazahstanets! Is this normal?
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,481
    Kléber wrote:
    Sorry, Garmin are Pro Tour this year, it's Cervelo who were the wild card pick.

    The chances of Armstrong getting a ride aren't big as the pro tour licences are fixed.

    ... :idea: but a quick call to Pat McQuaid would fix this, wouldn't it?
    The UCI license commission is meant to be independent, consisting of four Swiss judges. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out but my guess is that LA's new team will get a pro tour license. Some of the existing pro tour teams may not retain their licenses for a start.

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