Contador is FREE to move to another team

gabriel959

According to El Mundo newspaper - its the main sport news at the moment

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate ... ry_state0=

Discuss!

deal

already being discussed here - http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12657909

Tusher

Wow- really?
I'm not a huge Condador fan, although he is growing on me, but I am soo very happy for him right now.




My bet is Garmin. Wonder who will be first to twitter about Brad's move to Sky- JV or BW?

Bakunin

Garmin calling...

shockedsoshocked

Contador to Caisse, Wiggins to stay at Garmin.

That's what my money would be on!

sonny73

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

Contador to Caisse, Wiggins to stay at Garmin.

That's what my money would be on!

+1, I really hope he gets out of Astana.

sonny73

On Velo News too: http://www.velonews.com/article/99519/astana-s-missed-deadline-may-give-contador-an-out

blazing_saddles

Can we afford to lose another major team, just because folks don't like Vino?
There's not much wiggle room left, before the cupboard is bare.
Can't see the French finding future sponsors easily, thanks to Uncle Pat's antics.

Do we really want our sport built upon the foundations of the fickle US market?

The Rock!

Put him (Contador) on a Boardman and see if he can make the TdF podium

gabriel959

I wouldn't mind Contador staying at Astana but not under the current circumstances. There should be a competitive team with a believable director and hierarchy and that doesnt exist at the moment!

Pross

Put him (Contador) on a Boardman and see if he can make the TdF podium

You really don't like Boardman to hijack a completely unrelated thread with that comment! The bikes have won Olympic medals so I can't see any reason why he couldn't.

Back on topic, I think we can afford to lose Astana as there is doubt over their financial abilities. Better to see them stop or drop a level now than for them to go to the wall half way through the season. There are plenty of others who would like their licence I'm sure.

Pokerface

Pross wrote:

Put him (Contador) on a Boardman and see if he can make the TdF podium

You really don't like Boardman to hijack a completely unrelated thread with that comment! The bikes have won Olympic medals so I can't see any reason why he couldn't.

Don't get riled up by a guy with only 13 posts.

frenchfighter

Pokerface wrote:

Don't get riled up by a guy with only 13 posts.

Oh the irony, the irony. Let's see if you will get the same vilification that I got.

alanmcn1

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Can we afford to lose another major team, just because folks don't like Vino?
There's not much wiggle room left, before the cupboard is bare.
Can't see the French finding future sponsors easily, thanks to Uncle Pat's antics.

Do we really want our sport built upon the foundations of the fickle US market?

In my, and if I recall plenty others, opinion Astana were nothing but bad news for cycling form the day they breezed in with backing form their questionable regime, training practices and racing policies. They only existed the last few years because they became Disco under a strange banner. Now that Ropeyshack has been set up I can't see why Astana is a loss....................as long as the remaining quality riders get a contract, which in dirties case I'm sure won't be a problem

Totally agree about US market..............America gets bored with their new toys when they aren't doing well or running the show.

avoidingmyphd

alan is spot on I think. astana were never a good thing - they might be a cycling team but it is a team that exists for the promotion of a murderous authoritarian regime and its business interests.
so to answer your question blazing saddles, yes, if it is THIS team that we lose, so be it. The fickle US market wins every time, surely?

intothe12

For most fans, we desperately want to see a massive battle in the mountains between all the top GC riders. And if that means Contador staying with Astana, and Astana riding the tour then we will probably all reluctantly overlook the recent history.

Most people, as disturbing as it sounds, would love to see an epic battle in 2010, such as Mende 95 and the ONCE attack on Indurain, or claudio chiappucci off the front of the bunch all day on the way to sestriere even though all these lads were allegedly off their head’s on gear. The reality is, that if they were all clean as a whistle, then you would probably see a lot more open racing like you see in amateur racing in the UK and Ireland.

Astana clearly have a lot of negative history, however if the truth be told, it’s probably no more dirty a team than a lot of other teams. Take for example Cassie d'Erpagne, they have a rider who CONI have bravely fired off a few salvo's at and effectively stopped him riding in the Tour. And this is a team whose back yard is Operation Puerto central! And they act all innocent and certainly not apologetic about him. If teams, and fans are willing to put up with this utter bullshit, then allowing Astana and Vino back after a 2 year back is no more of a compromise of your morals.

secretsqirrel

avoidingmyphd wrote:

alan is spot on I think. astana were never a good thing - they might be a cycling team but it is a team that exists for the promotion of a murderous authoritarian regime and its business interests. so to answer your question blazing saddles, yes, if it is THIS team that we lose, so be it. The fickle US market wins every time, surely?

If this is the case then I would say there were far worse things that they could spend their money on than blokes on bikes?
Anyway the higher the profile a country becomes then the more accountable? We don't need Kazakhstan to become more introverted surely?

blazing_saddles

The teams are:

• AG2R La Mondiale
• Française des Jeux
• Footon-Servetto
• Garmin-Slipstream
• Lampre Farnese Vini
• Liquigas-Dommo
• Quick-Step Cycling Team
• Rabobank Cycling Team
• RadioShack
• Omega Pharma-Lotto
• Team Columbia-HTC
• Team Katusha
• Team Milram

Astana: hated in 2007, loved in 2008/9, hated again for 2010.

I look at those teams already acredited and they are a pretty slim bunch.
How come nobody has the knives out for Team Footon-Servetto?
Their riders are leaving like dandruff in a hurricane and their doping record is the equal of old Astana. :?

I wonder what the French make of this?
Bring back the Box and Telephone Credit, I would say.

hammerite

Blazing Saddles wrote:

The teams are:

• AG2R La Mondiale
• Française des Jeux
• Footon-Servetto
• Garmin-Slipstream
• Lampre Farnese Vini
• Liquigas-Dommo
• Quick-Step Cycling Team
• Rabobank Cycling Team
• RadioShack
• Omega Pharma-Lotto
• Team Columbia-HTC
• Team Katusha
• Team Milram

Astana: hated in 2007, loved in 2008/9, hated again for 2010.

I look at those teams already acredited and they are a pretty slim bunch.
How come nobody has the knives out for Team Footon-Servetto?
Their riders are leaving like dandruff in a hurricane and their doping record is the equal of old Astana. :?

I wonder what the French make of this?
Bring back the Box and Telephone Credit, I would say.

Surely there being less "elite" teams it's giving a chance to more of the "smaller" teams featuring in more top level races. Aren't BMC and Vacansoleil hoping to get a bigger piece of the action next year as well? Certainly BMC have made some useful signings, and Vacansoleil have been pretty impressive towards the end of this season, as well as signing the Feillu's.

BBox and Cofidis teams aren't actually changing a huge amount (in terms of staff) so does it matter if they're Pro Tour or not?

Did you miss out Team Sky?

blazing_saddles

hammerite wrote:

Did you miss out Team Sky?

Nope.
You need to catch up. Team Sky have not met the October 20th requirements.
In theory, since the riders all have new contracts, they are all free to sign for another team, without penalty.

A bit of a shambles for some of the biggest teams.

Le Commentateur

Presumably the same loophole will allow Johan to ease himself into the Radioshack carseat.

hammerite

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Nope.
You need to catch up. Team Sky have not met the October 20th requirements.
In theory, since the riders all have new contracts, they are all free to sign for another team, without penalty.

A bit of a shambles for some of the biggest teams.

Ah OK, I was aware of Sky and a few other teams not meeting them some of the financial requirements. I just thought this would be seen as some kind of bureaucracy or oversight and all teams will still go ahead, be given their licenses with a little telling off.

iainf72

hammerite wrote:

Ah OK, I was aware of Sky and a few other teams not meeting them some of the financial requirements. I just thought this would be seen as some kind of bureaucracy or oversight and all teams will still go ahead, be given their licenses with a little telling off.

They might. But their situations are the same as Astana basically.

hommelbier

Seems like nothing is finalsised just yet as teams have until November 20 to meet the conditions, as below;

"The UCI and Ernst&Young will continue to evaluate all applications, including those of teams not in the above list, which have until 20 November to submit their completed applications. The UCI ProTour Council will make a final decision on UCI ProTeam registrations for the 2010 season after the official deadline of 20 November.

Any team whose application is rejected will have its file passed on to the Licence Commission. In the event that the application is subsequently rejected by the Licence Commission the team’s UCI ProTeam licence is automatically withdrawn."

http://www.uci.ch/Modules/ENews/ENewsDetails.asp?id=NjYxMg&MenuId=MTYxNw&LangId=1&BackLink=%2FTemplates%2FUCI%2FUCI5%2Flayout.asp%3FMenuID%3DMTYxNw%26LangId%3D1

k-dog

Pross wrote:

Put him (Contador) on a Boardman and see if he can make the TdF podium

You really don't like Boardman to hijack a completely unrelated thread with that comment! The bikes have won Olympic medals so I can't see any reason why he couldn't.

It's not about the bike.

hammerite

k-dog wrote:

Pross wrote:

Put him (Contador) on a Boardman and see if he can make the TdF podium

You really don't like Boardman to hijack a completely unrelated thread with that comment! The bikes have won Olympic medals so I can't see any reason why he couldn't.

It's not about the bike.

and the World Triathlon title (standard distance).

Pokerface

Le Commentateur wrote:

Presumably the same loophole will allow Johan to ease himself into the Radioshack carseat.

He already negotiated his way out of his Astana contract. I wonder, though, if he now has any recourse to get back any money he might have paid to get out of the contract. I suspect not.