Will Horner get a new contract for 2014

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  • ianwilliams
    ianwilliams Posts: 257
    Don't know if this was posted before, but there's a rumour/speculation that Horner will be signing for United Healthcare. Inrng mentioned it in his latest article (and again in the comments): http://inrng.com/2013/11/team-victory-r ... 2013-final
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    United Healthcare would be a good sponsor fit for a 42 y/o athlete winning at the highest level ... But would Horner get to the big races without burning himself out going for early season wins/placings to secure invites?

    He should have negotiated some win bonuses into the Trek offer ... It couldn't have been that bad and he might have been able to score some additional sponsor revenue if on a WT team (although as I've alluded to before, I don't think any of the big US cycling goods companies (Trek/Giro/Oakley) want/need any association with an American GT winner right now) ...
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    ianwilliams wrote:
    Don't know if this was posted before, but there's a rumour/speculation that Horner will be signing for United Healthcare. Inrng mentioned it in his latest article (and again in the comments): http://inrng.com/2013/11/team-victory-r ... 2013-final
    The UHC boss has said that he hasn't spoken to Horner for several weeks - so it's probably not going to happen.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Would hiring Horner come with a wildcard place in 2014 Vuelta?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • rayjay
    rayjay Posts: 1,384
    I would like to see Horner in the tour up against the trek brothers.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    rayjay wrote:
    I would like to see Horner in the tour up against the trek brothers.

    Why?

    The sisters would get absolutely battered.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Oh gawd...I've quite enjoyed bike races this year free of the Schlecks-with-wing-mirrors-fitted nonsense
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    Although I'm desperate to see clean racing something about me wants to see Horner going for a GC win again next year. I can't explain why.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Mechanism wrote:
    Although I'm desperate to see clean racing something about me wants to see Horner going for a GC win again next year. I can't explain why.


    Cos there's an element of perverseness in all of us
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Mechanism wrote:
    Although I'm desperate to see clean racing something about me wants to see Horner going for a GC win again next year. I can't explain why.


    Cos there's an element of perverseness in all of us

    You're calling us all perverts?

    :oops:

    As you were..
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  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Mechanism wrote:
    Although I'm desperate to see clean racing something about me wants to see Horner going for a GC win again next year. I can't explain why.


    Cos there's an element of perverseness in all of us

    You're calling us all perverts?

    :oops:

    As you were..


    Some more than others....
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    One mans perversion is another mans pleasure!
    M.Rushton
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    Very true, but none of my perversions involve skinny bald midgets.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    ShinyHelmut wrote:
    Very true, but none of my perversions involve skinny bald midgets.

    The difference between kinky and perverse is the difference between using a feather and using the whole Chicken.

    Cue more of those horrific Rasmussen pics.
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,538
    Was it something I said? I seem to have committed threadicide.
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  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Was it something I said? I seem to have committed threadicide.
    It's OK. People will be back with the results of their poultry experiments over the next few days. Not everyone has a feather-plucker to hand.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I literally think if you’re a grand tour winner, you’re worth 1.5 million [euros]. Clearly I’m not out there asking for that. I’ve got my agent out there looking for 750,000.
    Clearly if he can find it with a team that does the program that we like, that’s great. And if we have to take less — at some point in time I’d imagine he’d have to email the teams and say, ‘well, he’s still on the market, make us an offer.’… That’s just the way it is.

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/12/ ... ney_311433
    Contador is the Greatest
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I literally think if you’re a grand tour winner, you’re worth 1.5 million [euros]. Clearly I’m not out there asking for that. I’ve got my agent out there looking for 750,000.
    Clearly if he can find it with a team that does the program that we like, that’s great. And if we have to take less — at some point in time I’d imagine he’d have to email the teams and say, ‘well, he’s still on the market, make us an offer.’… That’s just the way it is.

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/12/ ... ney_311433


    Until I saw the link I was half thinking you were just talking, not quoting there. It was an odd experience.
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    :lol:
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    edited December 2013
    While a Grand Tour winner may well be worth $1.5m, all the current circumstances count against him. He's not worth that in the current market.

    1. A couple of teams have collapsed leading to lots of cheap talent - it's a buyers market
    2. Nobody is interested in points this year as there are enough WT licences to go round.
    3. Most teams sort out (or at least start to sort out) their big name transfers in July. October/November is when they buy stocking fillers.
    4. He's old.

    So a 31 year old Vuelta winner negotiating the following summer in a year when there is competition for licences is definitely worth $1.5m. Horner, though, is not.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    RichN95 wrote:
    While a Grand Tour winner may well be worth $1.5m, all the current circumstances count against him. He's not worth that in the current market.

    1. A couple of teams have collapsed leading to lots of cheap talent - it's a buyers market
    2. Nobody is interested in points this year as there are enough WT licences to go wrong.
    3. Most teams sort out (or at least start to sort out) their big name transfers in July. October/November is when they buy stocking fillers.
    4. He's old.

    So a 31 year old Vuelta winner negotiating the following summer in a year when there is competition for licences is definitely worth $1.5m. Horner, though, is not.

    5. The obvious one
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Joelsim wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    While a Grand Tour winner may well be worth $1.5m, all the current circumstances count against him. He's not worth that in the current market.

    1. A couple of teams have collapsed leading to lots of cheap talent - it's a buyers market
    2. Nobody is interested in points this year as there are enough WT licences to go wrong.
    3. Most teams sort out (or at least start to sort out) their big name transfers in July. October/November is when they buy stocking fillers.
    4. He's old.

    So a 31 year old Vuelta winner negotiating the following summer in a year when there is competition for licences is definitely worth $1.5m. Horner, though, is not.

    5. The obvious one

    Which is?
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    He's a million years old and looks like he shrunk in the wash.
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    He's a million years old and looks like he shrunk in the wash.

    That's covered by number 4 ...
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    5. That he will be tested a lot
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Joelsim wrote:
    5. That he will be tested a lot

    He didn't race much this past year but when he did he seemed to go out his way to get tested ... Stages, Jerseys, GC ...

    So if you're saying next year will be the same as this, then where's his contract?

    Sadly no-one needs points so he's goosed ... I'm surprised Cannondale aren't offering him a one year deal ... They're desperate for a GC guy ...
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Joelsim wrote:
    5. That he will be tested a lot

    He didn't race much this past year but when he did he seemed to go out his way to get tested ... Stages, Jerseys, GC ...

    So if you're saying next year will be the same as this, then where's his contract?

    Sadly no-one needs points so he's goosed ... I'm surprised Cannondale aren't offering him a one year deal ... They're desperate for a GC guy ...

    The problem is no-one trusts him as well as all of the other things mentioned. Would you hire him? I wouldn't. He has no credibility in the public's eyes and no value to a sponsor.
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    edited December 2013
    Would I hire him?

    If I had an American sponsor, yes ... Give him $250k basic contract with performance based incentives built in ...

    Trouble is American sponsors aren't big on GT guys right now ... Too fresh in the memory ... Joe public just sees another doper ...

    Edit: I hear a hi-fi goods company might be sponsoring him :wink:
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Crankbrother wrote:
    Would I hire him?

    If I had an American sponsor, yes ... Give him $250k basic contract with performance based incentives built in ...

    Trouble is American sponsors aren't big on GT guys right now ... Too fresh in the memory ... Joe public just sees another doper ...

    I think you're right. Coupled with the lack of money in the sport and that his performance at The Vuelta is highly dubious. Plus the riders and teams know what's going on and who's on what I'm sure.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    machorner.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest

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