Astana warn Bertie
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Hmmm wonder whwrther this would be such a bad thng for Alberto. Vino was always on the edge of being a Tour contender in his day but iirc he always strugled with off days and the suchlike when it came to July. Now vino is a bit older I can't see him mounting a serious attempt at yellow next year. Lance always knew how to ride well without the best legs, I can't see vino doing the same.
The biggest risks would be vino testing +ve again, or his presence preventing Astana from getting into races, however, I'm not sure I can see that happening.You live and learn. At any rate, you live0 -
But should ASO try and ban Astana - who have a PT licence - CAS would surely overturn it?0
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Ooooh look, even thought it's about Bertie, they manage to get in quite a few "Armstrongs", that have absolutely nothing to do with the story.
However, my guess is that Bert is worried about the quality of any cheapskate Kazakh doping programme, that can net a two yearer for both their top riders. With Uncle Lance whispering in Mr McQuaid's earhole, I don't fancy the young Spaniard's chances, way out East.
Better take the huge financial hit and buy his way out of Dodge."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Can't honestly see them denying the defending champ entry - particularly when the Contador/Armstrong soap opera is so lucrative for the sport.0
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Yep, but if I've been following the soap opera, the management of the Tour has changed, and become slightly more lenient. Furthermore, Contador is now a proven genuine GT rider, rather than someone who was handed the tour on a plate when a certain Chicken left the race.You live and learn. At any rate, you live0
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This is to be expected, any team with Contador on their books is going to want to keep him exactly where he is.
But slavery was abolished a long time ago and if Contador wants to change teams, he can. It's just a matter of money, to negotiate a way out of the contract. Given Astana were struggling to put up the money this year as well, Contador would have good grounds to say the contract was weak.
Vino used the services of Michele Ferrari.Blazing Saddles wrote:However, my guess is that Bert is worried about the quality of any cheapskate Kazakh doping programme0 -
He's actually got a good argument to get out of it. If he can prove in court that they didn't pay him for a long enough time (remember earlier those issues) and that they didn't properly support him, he could say they broke the contract.0
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= "hey Garmin / Caisse / Saxo etc: if you want Bertie you're gonna have to pay us big money."0
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More of the same on Eurosport today: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16082009/58/contador-stay-astana.html0
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Astana won't give Contador up easily. To have a multiple GT champion in your team makes life so much easier.
A hint from an interview on Sports.kz with Vino a couple of days ago suggests that Kashechkin might be sacrificed for the cause (admittedly storing a lot of faith Google Translate!).
If you would like to see in the next season in the «Astana» Andrew Kashechkina who helped you in 2006 to win the Spanish «Vuelte»?
Here we have to make choices because Kontador, though not explicitly said, but made it clear that Kashechkina should not be in the club for which he serves.
Sounds like, negotiations in the background are pretty intense.0 -
It was obvious they would lock him in -- Berie is Astana's ticket into the TdF.0
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Kléber wrote:This is to be expected, any team with Contador on their books is going to want to keep him exactly where he is.
But slavery was abolished a long time ago and if Contador wants to change teams, he can. It's just a matter of money, to negotiate a way out of the contract. Given Astana were struggling to put up the money this year as well, Contador would have good grounds to say the contract was weak.
Vino used the services of Michele Ferrari.Blazing Saddles wrote:However, my guess is that Bert is worried about the quality of any cheapskate Kazakh doping programme
You call being paid millions of euro's a year slavery?
He signed the contract, so as long as Astana haven't broken it they have every right to keep him until it expires.0 -
Roscobob wrote:
You call being paid millions of euro's a year slavery?
He signed the contract, so as long as Astana haven't broken it they have every right to keep him until it expires.
slav·er·y (slv-r, slvr)
The state of one bound in servitude as the property of a slaveholder.
I'm guessing not being paid for over a month would breach this contract you speak of.
The UCI even threatened to withdraw their licence at one stage.0 -
Firecrakka wrote:Roscobob wrote:
I'm guessing not being paid for over a month would breach this contract you speak of.
The UCI even threatened to withdraw their licence at one stage.
Wasn't it the case though that the members of the team not riding in the Giro had received their pay?You live and learn. At any rate, you live0 -
Le Commentateur wrote:It was obvious they would lock him in -- Bertie is Astana's ticket into the TdF.
Not last year it wasn't"Impressive break"
"Thanks...
...I can taste blood"0 -
Attica wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:It was obvious they would lock him in -- Bertie is Astana's ticket into the TdF.
Not last year it wasn't
But with no Bertie and a Vino there's no chance they'd get an invite. At least with Bertie on board (and no misdemeanours to their name in 2009) they are more likely to get an invite.
I'm guessing Bertie isn't short of a few quid, so he buys his own contract out (bargain if it means holding onto your career) then gets paid what he would have and a few quid more when he moves to a new team. OK he'd be forfeitting a years wages in effect, but not a bad deal in the scheme of things.0 -
Kléber wrote:
My point was that no one can be forced to work. If he wants to go elsewhere, he can. And probably will.Roscobob wrote:You call being paid millions of euro's a year slavery?
They can't force him to work. But they can stop him going elsewhere. There MAY be a buyout clause in his contract - but it depends on how it works and who can trigger it.
If they don't want to sell - they probably don't have to. Then he could 'go on strike', etc.0 -
Attica wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:It was obvious they would lock him in -- Bertie is Astana's ticket into the TdF.
Not last year it wasn't
I'll throw in my opinion that having AC on your team, is much better than not having him.
Which sounds like kind of stupid or duh thing to say but that would seem to be the reality of it. He can win the TDF, the biggest bike race in the world. I would venture to say that all the teams, all the other big races, and the TDF, want him in their corner.0 -
Kléber wrote:
My point was that no one can be forced to work. If he wants to go elsewhere, he can. And probably will.Roscobob wrote:You call being paid millions of euro's a year slavery?
No, that's not how a professional contract works. If he wants to retire, he can. If he wants to ride professionally on another team and Astana refuses to sell his contract, he cannot.0 -
Strange that no other team is rushing to buy him out. Perhaps they know something we don't or perhaps it's just too expensive.M.Rushton0
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What the situation was last year is academic. I reckon he's now a hostage to gain entry to the tour.0
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But my point is that, last year they had Bertie and no Vino, and still got no invite despite him being the defending champion, with Vino back it may seem that the situation is worse from the ASO viewpoint"Impressive break"
"Thanks...
...I can taste blood"0 -
Le Commentateur wrote:What the situation was last year is academic. I reckon he's now a hostage to gain entry to the tour.
FWIW the Astana team did help him win the tour this year. And that was with Lance helping or hindering, depending on who you talk to. For me, his chances seem just as good with them as any other team. I've been on a few teams in my day and while I may not have liked the coaches and maybe a few of the other players, it was the team I was on and if I wanted to actually play I had to do my best and get over any "problems" I had with other members of the team. Pro athletes must do the same. Plus, I learned that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill.0 -
dennisn wrote:Le Commentateur wrote:What the situation was last year is academic. I reckon he's now a hostage to gain entry to the tour.
FWIW the Astana team did help him win the tour this year. And that was with Lance helping or hindering, depending on who you talk to. For me, his chances seem just as good with them as any other team. I've been on a few teams in my day and while I may not have liked the coaches and maybe a few of the other players, it was the team I was on and if I wanted to actually play I had to do my best and get over any "problems" I had with other members of the team. Pro athletes must do the same. Plus, I learned that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill.
I'm not so sure about that. Remember there's no Paulinho (he was Contador's right-hand man and is now on RadioShack), probably no Levi, no Chris Horner, probably no Kloden, no Bruyneel or any of his staff - the Astana team left will be a shell of what it was this year. What's left to support Contador in the mountains? To protect him from attacks and keep him safe in the flats and provide strategy, training, etc? Who's going to be their DS?0 -
Does anyone know what Gallopin is doing yet?Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0
