Prudhomme : 27 teams good enough for the Tour
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The Shack, Garmin, Cervelo, Katusha, BMC, Sky, Vacansoleil, Saur Sojasun, Skil-Shimano are all wildcard teams. RadioShack with Armstrong must be 99.99% certain to be there, BMC has two world champions, Cervelo was the second(?) most successful team this year, I don't know much about Sky, but it seems to me that it's going to be something like a ManUtd of cycling. I think Prudhomme said there will be 4-6 wildcard teams, so that means Garmin and Katusha may not be there next year.0
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Very tricky. Vacansoleil have the Freres Feillu and second Dutch squad is good for the Rotterdam start, Saur-Sojasun is a French team on the up.
But Skil didn't do too much this year, they've had their turn. Sastre is already having to say "the Tour is mine" to bump up his team's chances. Sky have EBH and Lovkvist but not much more talent suitable for July, some good riders but no world class climber, sprinter or GC contender, maybe 2011 for them.
Should make for an exciting Paris-Nice.0 -
Agreed Vacansoleil (aren't they partly Dutch or am I just thinking of Hoogerland?) played a blinder with the Feillu signings. How can Prudhomme turn away the darlings of French cycling.
The Shack will get a spot, as will Garmin and Cervelo.
Its a rumble between BMC, Katusha and Sky for the last two spots.
Skiil to miss out.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
Timoid. wrote:Agreed Vacansoleil (aren't they partly Dutch or am I just thinking of Hoogerland?) played a blinder with the Feillu signings. How can Prudhomme turn away the darlings of French cycling.
Vacansoleil are a Dutch team, in origins, registration and sponsor. They did the same as Skill did last year - getting some French signings in to please ASO.
Of course Shack, Cervelo and Garmin can count on a place. I also believe Evans is still seen as enough of a contender to get BMC a ride, although he might need to show some decent things in the Spring.
The other candidates don't have serious GC contenders and would be mainly picked to spice things up - ASO needs teams eager to get into hopeless break-aways. I see Vacansoleil playing that role better than Sky, and Sky better than Katusha.0 -
FJS, there is not a chance that ASO will leave out the World Champion when he is likely to be mixing it at the front of the race."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
:?: . Which is exactly what I wrote...disgruntledgoat wrote:FJS, there is not a chance that ASO will leave out the World Champion when he is likely to be mixing it at the front of the race.0 -
FJS wrote:
:?: . Which is exactly what I wrote...disgruntledgoat wrote:FJS, there is not a chance that ASO will leave out the World Champion when he is likely to be mixing it at the front of the race.
Yup! I was agreeing with you."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
Surely Sky will get the entry in terms of the media interest/PR it'll generate? Sure, it's a minority sport still on this side of the channel but one that's growing, and the Sky link will boost that big time.
Imagine the headlines in the Sun if Sky doesn't get in, though.... 'Filthy Frenchies snub oor boyz' etc etc.point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell0 -
patchy wrote:Surely Sky will get the entry in terms of the media interest/PR it'll generate? Sure, it's a minority sport still on this side of the channel but one that's growing, and the Sky link will boost that big time.
Imagine the headlines in the Sun if Sky doesn't get in, though.... 'Filthy Frenchies snub oor boyz' etc etc.
I'm not sure why ASO would care in the least about any of that stuff, particualrly since the only PR intrerest it will generate will be in the British cycling press... It's up to Sky to prove, on the road, that they are worth an invitation."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
Foreign interest does count, that's why ANC and 7-11 got a ride in the past. But whether Sky gets a ride in 2010 is another question, perhaps 2011 once they've got Wiggins on board (assuming he does a good ride next July)?0
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Not sure how many noses Sky have put out of joint, but I suspect they may well be the ones to loose out, albeit with a promise that they'll be in the following year.
Doubt Katusha will be there, which will be a shame for Robbie who must be running out of Tours by now. It would have been great to see him race against Cav, even if he's not going to win.
But no Kenny van Hummel?!? Surely a dead cert for the Lanterne Rouge after the crash so cruelly robbed him of victory last year.0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:patchy wrote:Surely Sky will get the entry in terms of the media interest/PR it'll generate? Sure, it's a minority sport still on this side of the channel but one that's growing, and the Sky link will boost that big time.
Imagine the headlines in the Sun if Sky doesn't get in, though.... 'Filthy Frenchies snub oor boyz' etc etc.
I'm not sure why ASO would care in the least about any of that stuff, particualrly since the only PR intrerest it will generate will be in the British cycling press... It's up to Sky to prove, on the road, that they are worth an invitation.
admittedly, but Sky is just one part of a global media empire... i would imagine a wide range of News Corp titles would give the TdF more coverage if they were involved (don't underestimate the power of corporate nepotism). That then has benefits for ASO - after all, the more coverage TdF gets, the more they can sell the overseas rights for in future.
Look, too, at the increasing number of UK residents taking cycling holidays in France and doing sportives such as the Etape. there are a lot of fringe benefits that would make it a smart move commercially,
Admittedly, it would help if Sky had the 'one big name' to work with, and that could be a sticking point. General ASO intractability might also have an effect..point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell0 -
Letting Sky ride is one way to attract British interest but the rider who won most stages last year was British after all. As for TV rights, they are sold on a pan-European basis and so British viewers don't matter too much. Yes, there are arguments for Sky to ride but it comes down to the spectacle they can deliver on the road.0
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i hope so – perhaps i'm being too cynical. When are the final team lists likely to be announced?point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell0
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Wild cards are allocated in May. It could be that ASO let one more team ride too.0
