Bert as good as confirms Team Riis

iainf72
iainf72 Posts: 15,784
edited August 2010 in Pro race
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/has-rii ... tador-deal

Press conference in Copenhagen at 11CET today. Could just be the additional sponsor, could be the arrival of Bert or both.
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
«13

Comments

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,559
    Now confirmed.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Saxo lured on for another year with Bertie's arrival; Riis looking forward to polishing his little diamond further.

    Wonder why the bulk of Saxo staff & half the riders chose the Schlecks over Bjarne?
    ___________________

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  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    I love the Guardian's coverage - http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/9202763
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  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    So, in summary:

    Contador has signed for two years but Saxo just for one

    Cancellara is staying put.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    Damn I wanted Saxo to be the first team kit I'd have bought.

    That idea now resides in the bin after this news.
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    So where are the Schlecks going?

    Surely Andy is the future so why sign the "old" man Contador??
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    What prompted the Schlecks to leave and start their own team? What can this give them that working with Riis can't?
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Pokerface wrote:
    What prompted the Schlecks to leave and start their own team? What can this give them that working with Riis can't?


    Thats what i can't figure out :?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Pokerface wrote:
    What prompted the Schlecks to leave and start their own team? What can this give them that working with Riis can't?

    More money? More control?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Perhaps the Contador / Riis conversations have been ongoing for a while? I'm sure Spesh would've been discussing with their teams who could take Bert on board. Perhaps the Schlecks got wind of this?

    Also, some people in cycling have remarked the Shlecks are lacking something that will get them to the top step of the podium
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    iainf72 wrote:

    Also, some people in cycling have remarked the Shlecks are lacking something that will get them to the top step of the podium

    A decent chain
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    NWLondoner wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:

    Also, some people in cycling have remarked the Shlecks are lacking something that will get them to the top step of the podium

    A decent chain

    Something that rhymes with chain :wink:
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    Damn I wanted Saxo to be the first team kit I'd have bought.

    That idea now resides in the bin after this news.

    Why is that?

    Its good to hear that cancellara is staying, lets hope he can take his riders too.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
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    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Great news. I think Riis is pure quality and Contador will benefit from his knowledge, tactics and info on the Schlecks.

    Spartacus staying put is super too.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,716
    I am pleased that all the main Tour faves wont be on the same team next year neutralising the race.

    Speaking of which, interesting to see Cancellara staying put, I thought he was a given for the VC Schleck?
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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:

    Speaking of which, interesting to see Cancellara staying put, I thought he was a given for the VC Schleck?

    Nope, he was never seriously linked to them from what I saw. Any time he was on a list it was "possible"
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    Pokerface wrote:
    What prompted the Schlecks to leave and start their own team? What can this give them that working with Riis can't?

    chance to work with their own staff who are leaving Saxo and work within a Luxembourg team. Be interesting to see who joins them (Voight?) and who the sponsors are (Luxembourg govt?). SRAM might not be in there tho'
    M.Rushton
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Great news. I think Riis is pure quality and Contador will benefit from his knowledge, tactics and info on the Schlecks.

    Spartacus staying put is super too.

    I sometimes wish I could share your pure, uncluttered approach to pro-cycling.

    Not for long, and not often, but sometimes.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • domhopson
    domhopson Posts: 259
    NWLondoner wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:

    Also, some people in cycling have remarked the Shlecks are lacking something that will get them to the top step of the podium

    A decent chain

    Brotherly love... Andy waiting for Frank.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    iainf72 wrote:
    NWLondoner wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:

    Also, some people in cycling have remarked the Shlecks are lacking something that will get them to the top step of the podium

    A decent chain

    Something that rhymes with chain :wink:


    Pain? Rain? Spain? Grains? :?
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    So it's confirmed. All seems to have been about money, once Contador (and presumably his Mr 10% brother) discovered he could up his salary, off he went.

    I can't help feeling the Schlecks have lost out here, they're setting up a new team and it requires a lot of work, from dealing with lawyers and accountants to buying the team bus. Their winter will be busy enough with hobnobbing, interviews, PR work and awards ceremonies, yet alone trying to build up a team.
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,041
    Pokerface wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    NWLondoner wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:

    Also, some people in cycling have remarked the Shlecks are lacking something that will get them to the top step of the podium

    A decent chain

    Something that rhymes with chain :wink:


    Pain? Rain? Spain? Grains? :?

    I'll put you out of your misery Poker Face:-

    brain.jpg
    :wink:
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Great news. I think Riis is pure quality and Contador will benefit from his knowledge, tactics and info on the Schlecks.

    Spartacus staying put is super too.
    I completely agree, I'm not a huge fan of Riis past wise, but he is a superb manager and I think it's a good fit to see the best be gotten out of Contador and Cancellara staying put is fantastic.
    At least we don't have to go through the soap opera we did last year with Contador and the will he or won't he join this team or that.
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    calvjones wrote:
    Saxo lured on for another year with Bertie's arrival; Riis looking forward to polishing his little diamond further.

    Wonder why the bulk of Saxo staff & half the riders chose the Schlecks over Bjarne?

    Really? Which half?

    From what I've read, only Andersen and the Schlecks have been confirmed as 'jumping ship' from Riis. Hardly "half" of a ProTour team's rider/management/support roster. I'm sure more Saxo names will be linked (Fuglsang & Voigt spring to mind), but Riis has managed to secure his sponsorship and bring in Bertie, so rumours of an 'exodus' are greatly exegerated.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    According to Riis, Contador has declared he wants to win all three tours in one year, and Riis is indicating that this is a joint goal for 2012.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,223
    That would raise a few eyebrows!
  • avoidingmyphd
    avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
    pedro118118 wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    Saxo lured on for another year with Bertie's arrival; Riis looking forward to polishing his little diamond further.

    Wonder why the bulk of Saxo staff & half the riders chose the Schlecks over Bjarne?

    Really? Which half?

    From what I've read, only Andersen and the Schlecks have been confirmed as 'jumping ship' from Riis. Hardly "half" of a ProTour team's rider/management/support roster. I'm sure more Saxo names will be linked (Fuglsang & Voigt spring to mind), but Riis has managed to secure his sponsorship and bring in Bertie, so rumours of an 'exodus' are greatly exegerated.
    the Schleck's don't actually have no brain! They haven't set up their own team in the blind hope that they get riders. And their easiest source is Saxo, where they have had months of instability to exploit. It's surely fair to say that a lot of Saxo riders will join them next year. Indeed, most gossip is being framed in terms of who is staying at Saxo (Cancellara, Porte)...
  • B3rnieMac
    B3rnieMac Posts: 384
    Pross wrote:
    That would raise a few eyebrows!

    atm, don't think mine can get any higher.
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,041
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    According to Riis, Contador has declared he wants to win all three tours in one year, and Riis is indicating that this is a joint goal for 2012.

    As ambitions go, that's HUGE!

    Good on them. Whether it work out or not, it puts Contador on another level.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    pedro118118 wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    Saxo lured on for another year with Bertie's arrival; Riis looking forward to polishing his little diamond further.

    Wonder why the bulk of Saxo staff & half the riders chose the Schlecks over Bjarne?

    Really? Which half?

    From what I've read, only Andersen and the Schlecks have been confirmed as 'jumping ship' from Riis. Hardly "half" of a ProTour team's rider/management/support roster. I'm sure more Saxo names will be linked (Fuglsang & Voigt spring to mind), but Riis has managed to secure his sponsorship and bring in Bertie, so rumours of an 'exodus' are greatly exegerated.

    You wouldn't expect many confirmed to be jumping ship when there' no ship to jump into yet. From CN:
    "A number of staff and experienced riders are also expected to jump ship and work with the Schlecks, including Jens Voigt, Stuart O’Grady"

    which I see no reason to disbelieve. Suppose we'll have to wait and see how exaggerated the rumours are.

    However, the basic point about why the Schlecks wanted to leave is one I'm more interested in, unless it's just money.
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