Ballan looking for a new team

Eau Rouge
Eau Rouge Posts: 1,118
edited August 2009 in Pro race
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ballan- ... ave-lampre

Seems Alessandro isn't happy at only being offered a one-year contract from Lampre, and they don't seem to want to offer any more than that, so he's looking for a new team.

He's been linked to Sky before, might this be an option now or would he, as a Spring Classic's rider be better off on a team who's team leader doesn't actually ride the Spring Classics ala RadioShack?

The bit about Wilier getting him onto the peleton was interesting to read.

Comments

  • GeorgeShaw
    GeorgeShaw Posts: 764
    Eau Rouge wrote:
    The bit about Wilier getting him onto the peloton was interesting to read.

    I seem to remember from somewhere that Wilier paid part of his wages.
  • Echo et les Boniments
    Echo et les Boniments Posts: 142
    Yeah, actually cyclingnews got the year wrong. The Wilier people plugged Ballan into the Lampre squad in September 2003 not in 2005. (Lampre were riding Cannondale bikes in 2005, because of the Lampre-Saeco 'merger')
  • bipedal
    bipedal Posts: 466
    Pretty bad form From lampre considering the good results he got them last year, not his fault he got ill this year... The world champ curse has struck again
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    He'd be better off losing the rainbow jersey and the curse that comes with it and concentrating on getting back to winning ways in 2010
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    Why can Lampre not offer a longer contract? Is the sponsor's contract coming to an end next year? The team seems to want to keep him, but is unable to offer more, from what I've read.

    It is gearing up to be quite a rider's market this year, though. Could be a good time to test the waters, I guess.
  • bikerZA
    bikerZA Posts: 314
    Guessing Lampre aren't going to be riding Wilier next year? Or they think this is as much as he's going to do?
    cyclecomparison.com
  • Jellylegs1968
    Jellylegs1968 Posts: 73
    bipedal wrote:
    Pretty bad form From lampre considering the good results he got them last year, not his fault he got ill this year... The world champ curse has struck again

    Was that a genuine illness then and not a "mysterious illness" because Anne Gripper had been to see him?
  • Yorkman
    Yorkman Posts: 290
    Jellylegs1968 wrote:
    bipedal wrote:
    Pretty bad form From lampre considering the good results he got them last year, not his fault he got ill this year... The world champ curse has struck again

    Was that a genuine illness then and not a "mysterious illness" because Anne Gripper had been to see him?

    If they had doubts then presumably he wouldn't have been offered the 1 year deal.

    Odd decision though, as Lampre don't have a GC rider, and are strongl in the classics with him and Cunego.

    Wonder if they're getting him off the wage bill to recruit a GC contender given their poor showing in the Giro & Tour this year.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Yorkman wrote:
    Jellylegs1968 wrote:
    bipedal wrote:
    Pretty bad form From lampre considering the good results he got them last year, not his fault he got ill this year... The world champ curse has struck again

    Was that a genuine illness then and not a "mysterious illness" because Anne Gripper had been to see him?

    If they had doubts then presumably he wouldn't have been offered the 1 year deal.

    Odd decision though, as Lampre don't have a GC rider, and are strongl in the classics with him and Cunego.

    Wonder if they're getting him off the wage bill to recruit a GC contender given their poor showing in the Giro & Tour this year.

    I'm not really convinced that Lampre would care about that sort of thing as much as, say Garmin or Sky. Lampre had three riders test positive last year alone... teams like Fuji and LPR have bad reputations, but Lampre are not that different.

    As for Ballan... is he really worth a huge contract? He's a big name, but he doesn't really win that much.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    The Prodigy wrote:
    He'd be better off losing the rainbow jersey and the curse that comes with it and concentrating on getting back to winning ways in 2010


    Boonen won the Tour of Flanders in the world champion's jersey...
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Apparently he's stopped eating Weetabix.
  • jim one
    jim one Posts: 183
    Yorkman wrote:
    Wonder if they're getting him off the wage bill to recruit a GC contender given their poor showing in the Giro & Tour this year.

    It was on CFA the other week that it was reported in Italy that Lampre had signed Di Luca for 1.2million euros a year based on his giro performance but obviously he was now going to miss out on this after his positive test.
  • Yorkman
    Yorkman Posts: 290
    jim one wrote:
    Yorkman wrote:
    Wonder if they're getting him off the wage bill to recruit a GC contender given their poor showing in the Giro & Tour this year.

    It was on CFA the other week that it was reported in Italy that Lampre had signed Di Luca for 1.2million euros a year based on his giro performance but obviously he was now going to miss out on this after his positive test.

    Liquigas look top heavy with GC riders, it may be that they are going to lose Basso, Pelozotti or Kreuziger, in addition to the mooted move of Nibali to team Murdoch.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    teagar wrote:
    The Prodigy wrote:
    He'd be better off losing the rainbow jersey and the curse that comes with it and concentrating on getting back to winning ways in 2010


    Boonen won the Tour of Flanders in the world champion's jersey...

    Gianni Bugno won the World Championship in theWorld Champion's jersey :D
    (well, not actually whilst riding in the jersey)
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    Jellylegs1968 wrote:
    bipedal wrote:
    Pretty bad form From lampre considering the good results he got them last year, not his fault he got ill this year... The world champ curse has struck again

    Was that a genuine illness then and not a "mysterious illness" because Anne Gripper had been to see him?

    One of the eurosport commentators, I can't remeber who, was saying at the start of the season that he'd 'picked up a blood infection, that normally affects people whou have been shot of have had a blood tranfusion' Those weren't the exact words I think it was said during the tour of Qatar.

    Not my opinon, I don't don't want to get sued, or banned!
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    prawny wrote:
    One of the eurosport commentators, I can't remeber who, was saying at the start of the season that he'd 'picked up a blood infection, that normally affects people whou have been shot of have had a blood tranfusion'
    all the rage now amongst cyclists
  • GroupOfOne MkII
    GroupOfOne MkII Posts: 1,289
    Apparently Rabobank turned him down not because they're already fully stocked in that department, but they're cutting the riding staff from 30 to 26 for 2010. Same article says that Flecha to Sky is a done deal.
  • Eau Rouge
    Eau Rouge Posts: 1,118
    prawny wrote:
    Not my opinon, I don't don't want to get sued, or banned!

    No need to worry on that front. He had http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytomegalovirus
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    Eau Rouge wrote:
    prawny wrote:
    Not my opinon, I don't don't want to get sued, or banned!

    No need to worry on that front. He had http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytomegalovirus

    Good oh! :D

    And what a f*cking cool name for a virus!
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    I'm surprised more riders don't get obscure diseases like this - as with so many athlketes they teeter on the edge of a surpressed immune system.
    @stagehopper
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    stagehopper wrote:
    I'm surprised more riders don't get obscure diseases like this - as with so many athlketes they teeter on the edge of a surpressed immune system.

    And have many more blood transfusions... Although they are party to some crazy medical science. Remember Vino having a bad crash resulting in someone elses blood ending up in his legs? Or the Puerto police mishandling that bloodbag casuing it to morph inot an exact DNA match of the blood of one of the worlds best one day riders?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Nice one, this forum is suffering a return to form in the humour stakes.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    skavanagh.bikeradar wrote:
    Nice one, this forum is suffering a return to form in the humour stakes.

    If there was a deadpan and inscrutable emoticon, you'd be using it right there. I can't tell if you were admonishing me or not!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    I'm deadpan most of the time. Like a less funny more grumpy and uglier Jack Dee. However, I'm complimenting. Reading this forum is becoming a trial, a bit of light rather than shade is appreciated.

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