The Shack Pro Tour licence

iainf72

4 year licence granted today for der Shack

deejay

iainf72 wrote:

4 year licence granted today for der Shack

Do their products last that long. ??

Quite Frankly

How many teams is that with Pro Tour licenses now?

17 was widely expected to be the maximum number for next year which might mean Astana miss out.

RichN95.

They should have given them one year as standard and then charged an extortionate amount for three years extra warranty.

iainf72

Quite Frankly wrote:

How many teams is that with Pro Tour licenses now?

17 was widely expected to be the maximum number for next year which might mean Astana miss out.

Astana already have one. They're not up for renewal

blazing_saddles

Were Lance, JB or the sponsors really planning on being around that long?

Kléber

Interesting, as I'd heard the company, and separately Armstrong, state that they sponsorship was only on board for two years.

iainf72

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Were Lance, JB or the sponsors really planning on being around that long?

Shack signed up for 2 years

ie, while Lance is being a triathlete

iainf72

Woo, I beat all the English language media to it!

rockmount

deejay wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

4 year licence granted today for der Shack

Do their products last that long. ??

Well I can tell you Garmin don't !!!

iainf72

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16102009/ ... entry.html

Is this what passes for "journalism" these days?

Doobz

looks like Eurosport are LA Fanboys - I hope the shack do get granted entry and lance gets dropped in the 1st week..

dennisn

iainf72 wrote:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16102009/58/radioshack-guaranteed-tour-entry.html

Is this what passes for "journalism" these days?

What should they have said?

blazing_saddles

dennisn wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16102009/58/radioshack-guaranteed-tour-entry.html

Is this what passes for "journalism" these days?

What should they have said?

It's not automatic, these days, Dennis.

Eurosport are heavily into Lance, with their "Planet Armstrong" shows.
So, they are going to blow that trumpet.
It's all about getting viewers for their coverage, other than their die hard followers.

dennisn

Blazing Saddles wrote:

dennisn wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16102009/58/radioshack-guaranteed-tour-entry.html

Is this what passes for "journalism" these days?

What should they have said?

It's not automatic, these days, Dennis.

Eurosport are heavily into Lance, with their "Planet Armstrong" shows.
So, they are going to blow that trumpet.
It's all about getting viewers for their coverage, other than their die hard followers.

Hate to say it, but I think it is "automatic". Especially where a seven time winner is concerned. The powers that decide these things(who gets an invite) are not stupid. They want the best race possible, with the most exposure, and even a bit of soap opera,
if they can get it. They know Lance will bring a good, strong team. That's a given. Add to that the fact that there aren't too many riders out there with his "drawing power"(for lack of better words). It's win win for them to invite The Shack or "automatic", if you will.

RichN95.

While it's not technically automatic, there's 0% chance of them not being invited. I'd say Sky are 90% certain too.

Prudhomme will invite who the race sponsors and TV companies want - and that's not Vacansoliel and Skil-Shimano.

micron

Depending on what the French Department of Publich Health discover between now and then, presumably.

iainf72

dennisn wrote:

Hate to say it, but I think it is "automatic". Especially where a seven time winner is concerned. The powers that decide these things(who gets an invite) are not stupid. They want the best race possible, with the most exposure, and even a bit of soap opera,

That might be but I'm not talking about Lance.

Does having a PT licence mean you'll get into the Tour? No it does not.

Piss poor research.

afx237vi

RichN95 wrote:

While it's not technically automatic, there's 0% chance of them not being invited. I'd say Sky are 90% certain too.

Prudhomme will invite who the race sponsors and TV companies want - and that's not Vacansoliel and Skil-Shimano.

I'd say the French TV companies and French sponsors are pretty keen for the Feillu brothers to show up... particularly Brice.

blazing_saddles

On the subject of the French. I bet they are pleased that BBox and Cofidis got the PT boot, based upon their results for this year alone, while Sky and Shack get a 4 year pass and it doesn't matter if they win sod all, for the entire time, just as long as the sponsorship money survives.

RichN95.

afx237vi wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

While it's not technically automatic, there's 0% chance of them not being invited. I'd say Sky are 90% certain too.

Prudhomme will invite who the race sponsors and TV companies want - and that's not Vacansoliel and Skil-Shimano.

I'd say the French TV companies and French sponsors are pretty keen for the Feillu brothers to show up... particularly Brice.

I see that but I don't see them letting in another French team on the basis of the latest Big French Hope, when they're giving two non-protour French teams a wildcard already. Prudhomme, I think, isn't that Franco-centric. He can't invite three French Conti teams over the ProTour teams.

If there are Protour teams at risk then it's Fuji Servetto (how are they still Protour?), Lampre and Milram.

Armstrong's inclusion is a given - just as much as U2 wanting to play a festival is a given, for commercial reasons - and he has two podium guys backing him up.

Sky offer not only EBH, but a route into Europe's biggest (properly) untapped market as far as the Tour are concerned.

The Tour is a business and they're not going to turn up big publicity for the next David Moncoutie. Young Brice and his agent should have realised this

afx237vi

Vacansoleil are Dutch, not French. And the Tour starts in the Netherlands. Plus Vacansoleil showed during the Vuelta that they have a good set of riders who can liven up a grand tour.

I agree that Radio Shack and Sky are virtually guaranteed entry, but I still think Vacansoleil will get in.

RichN95.

afx237vi wrote:

Vacansoleil are Dutch, not French. And the Tour starts in the Netherlands. Plus Vacansoleil showed during the Vuelta that they have a good set of riders who can liven up a grand tour.

I agree that Radio Shack and Sky are virtually guaranteed entry, but I still think Vacansoleil will get in.

I'm not saying that Vacansoliel won't get in. But it won't be at the expense of Sky or Caddyshack. More likely Fuji - but Prudhomme will have a hard time explaining it to the UCI.

Vacansoliel may be Dutch, but the talent is French

GroupOfOne MkII

I think Vacansoleil are a shoe in too, especially with their signing of the Feillu brothers. In fact I wouldn't mind betting there's been some behind the scenes acknowledgement from ASO to either Vacansoleil or the Feillu's that should they sign, the team will get a ride.

Makes sense to have them replace Skil, especially with the race starting in Rotterdam, and as afx says, Vacansoleil having proved they can win do well in a GT. The team plan to expand further, so I'd imagine we'll see them on the scene for sometime yet.

RichN95.

As I can see it, there are 18 ProTour teams. Bbox and Cofidis are guaranteed. Cervelo aren't going to be turned down - so that's 21.

So it comes down to a decision between Vancansoleil or the ProTour teams who have least to offer - which isn't Caddyshack or Sky. It's Fuji, who I imagine that UCI would like to strip their licence from, or Milram (or a Contadorless Astana). None offer much to get excited about.

(IainF, I know Sky aren't amazing, but there's some interest there)

iainf72

FWIW, Rumpf has confirmed there will be 18 PT teams next year

blazing_saddles

No more Agritubel, either.
The Tour can support 22 teams, even if it hasn't, recently.
No one has to miss out.
Of course all it takes is a major doping bust, for any of the teams to get left out in the cold.

northernneil

Blazing Saddles wrote:

On the subject of the French. I bet they are pleased that BBox and Cofidis got the PT boot, based upon their results for this year alone, while Sky and Shack get a 4 year pass and it doesn't matter if they win sod all, for the entire time, just as long as the sponsorship money survives.

i agree - really ticks me off in procycling that, just cos you are a 'small team that plays fair, trys really hard but because of the standards of your sponsor you get kicked in the teeth, no other sport would treat its teams with such flippant distain

samb01

RichN95 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

I'm not saying that Vacansoliel won't get in. But it won't be at the expense of Sky or Caddyshack. More likely Fuji - but Prudhomme will have a hard time explaining it to the UCI.

There is no Fuji-Servetto next year. Besides, I was under the impression that ASO was not bound by the Pro Tour when selecting teams for the TdF. Has this changed?

Btw, Agritubel might be gone, but Saur - Sojasun (this year: Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) will be a new French pro-cont team.

I'm betting on 22 teams in the 2010 TdF.

Arkibal

iainf72 wrote:

FWIW, Rumpf has confirmed there will be 18 PT teams next year

Does this mean Astana keeps it's license?

iainf72

Arkibal wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

FWIW, Rumpf has confirmed there will be 18 PT teams next year

Does this mean Astana keeps it's license?

I'd expect so. I believe the UCI had a lot of say in who took the general manager role as they weren't happy with Martinelli