Where can/should Contador go?

donrhummy
donrhummy Posts: 2,329
edited July 2009 in Pro race
I think he's definitely leaving Astana. I'm not even convinced Astana's going to have a team next year. Why would the UCI give them a license after their failure to pay bank guarantees this year until just before the TDF? And with Vino returning it's a great excuse not to give them a license next year.

If so, Contador has an easy out. So where to?

I think Silence-Lotto could benefit from a guy like him. He doesn't need a strong team like Cadel does in order to win since he can take a lot of time in the mountains and the TT's. But I don't think they're going to make a push for him. They seem oddly certain that their future is best served by Cadel.

While I could be wrong, I think with his past issues with Operation Puerto, justified or not, there's no way Garmin takes him. Also, he does seem to have a problem respecting his team and acknowledging their help (not talking about with Lance, but his criticism of Levi that he later had to apologize forr after Levi CLEARLY gave his all to help Contador). Garmin seems to really prize the team chemistry.

I don't see columbia as wanting any of that either for the same reasons.

I could be wrong, but of the existing teams Liquigas seems most likely. They always seem most willing to pick up "discarded" or floating (current or former) champions. Don't know if Contador wants that but I think his best opportunity is Liquigas.

What does everyone else think?

Comments

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,103
    How many bloody threads do we need on this? There's already two on the same damn page as this one. :roll:
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 1,747
    Dunno ................... But you could check the 'Where now for Contador? and the 'Contador 2010 team' threads that were started earlier.
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Alonso ?
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,641
    Mettan wrote:
    Alonso ?

    No, Contador. Alonso's in F1
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    The Bahamas for a fight on a beach man to man (or hand to hand as the tour commentators kept on saying).
  • GeorgeShaw
    GeorgeShaw Posts: 764
    donrhummy wrote:
    I think he's definitely leaving Astana. I'm not even convinced Astana's going to have a team next year. Why would the UCI give them a license after their failure to pay bank guarantees this year until just before the TDF? And with Vino returning it's a great excuse not to give them a license next year.

    Astana already have a license for next year, owned by the Kazakhs. But they might not get many invites ... and I don't see Contador riding for them because of that as much as anything else. It's going to be Caisse isn't it, as long as they can get their TTT together?
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Mettan wrote:
    Alonso ?

    No, Contador. Alonso's in F1

    No, Alonso - 2011 ??

    Fernando Alonso targets Alberto Contador for new cycling team

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/ju ... cling-team
  • bikerZA
    bikerZA Posts: 314
    andyp wrote:
    How many bloody threads do we need on this? There's already two on the same damn page as this one. :roll:
    Amen to that. I'm so sick of everything Astana related, including LA and JB.

    Grrrrr.
    cyclecomparison.com
  • Sourpuss Magee
    Sourpuss Magee Posts: 7
    Milram would be the obvious team for Bertie. The man looks great in blue.
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    GeorgeShaw wrote:
    donrhummy wrote:
    I think he's definitely leaving Astana. I'm not even convinced Astana's going to have a team next year. Why would the UCI give them a license after their failure to pay bank guarantees this year until just before the TDF? And with Vino returning it's a great excuse not to give them a license next year.

    Astana already have a license for next year, owned by the Kazakhs. But they might not get many invites ... and I don't see Contador riding for them because of that as much as anything else. It's going to be Caisse isn't it, as long as they can get their TTT together?

    I thought the UCI said their license was no longer guaranteed due to the issues and that if they donn't come up with the guarantees by a certain point, they're out?
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    CdE is the obvious choice, some great riders and Spanish.

    I have opened a twitter account, it is unbelievable the amount of flak AC is receiving.

    Bruyneel, Ekimov, Lance, Levi ... jesus, it is really the Astana mob.
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  • GeorgeShaw
    GeorgeShaw Posts: 764
    donrhummy wrote:
    GeorgeShaw wrote:
    donrhummy wrote:
    I think he's definitely leaving Astana. I'm not even convinced Astana's going to have a team next year. Why would the UCI give them a license after their failure to pay bank guarantees this year until just before the TDF? And with Vino returning it's a great excuse not to give them a license next year.

    Astana already have a license for next year, owned by the Kazakhs. But they might not get many invites ... and I don't see Contador riding for them because of that as much as anything else. It's going to be Caisse isn't it, as long as they can get their TTT together?

    I thought the UCI said their license was no longer guaranteed due to the issues and that if they donn't come up with the guarantees by a certain point, they're out?

    Sure, if they break the rules, then they can lose their license. And who's to know what goes on inside the UCI. But currently the license is theirs - until the end of next year I believe.

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