Will Horner get a new contract for 2014

salsiccia1

Easy now, gents

jerry3571

Lets just assume that it's highly likely Froome and Horner have been on the magic beans. There's no way we will know what's gone on but in a sport riddled with doping, the quickest would be the most likely to dope.
Froome was the quickest at the Tour and and Horner at the Vuelta. To know what their Quacks have been up to would be impossible. Not sure whether the riders know what goes in their bodies.

ugo.santalucia

SO... will Horner get a contract or not?

Richmond Racer

ugo.santalucia wrote:

SO... will Horner get a contract or not?

Not from a ProTour team for sure. Nor from a ProConti.

Maybe a US Conti team...but even that I'd say doubtful now

joelsim

Not

RichN95.

I reckon if Rogers gets banned (very likely) then Saxo might take a punt on him as a replacement.

tailwindhome

rayjay wrote:

Tailwind. It would have been nice if you would have acknowledged the fact that my suspicion of Froome is as valid as yours is of Horner and the insults and smart remarks that you and some of your Sky mates post show the hypocrisy of a lot of yours and their comments.

I don't believe your opinion is as valid as it is built on weaker evidence.

I do acknowledge and would defend your right to express your opinion.

I refute this 'Sky mates' notion of yours. I'm not a Sky fan. Nor does one have to be a Sky fan to think the 'evidence' against them is poor.

I am happy to be accountable for any post I've made, not the posts of other though.

salsiccia1

jerry3571 wrote:

Lets just assume that it's highly likely Froome and Horner have been on the magic beans. There's no way we will know what's gone on but in a sport riddled with doping, the quickest would be the most likely to dope.
Froome was the quickest at the Tour and and Horner at the Vuelta. To know what their Quacks have been up to would be impossible. Not sure whether the riders know what goes in their bodies.

I'm not assuming that. I'm not saying they definitely haven't, but if we're assuming all successful riders have 'been on magic beans' then what's the point?

Crankbrother

RichN95 wrote:

I reckon if Rogers gets banned (very likely) then Saxo might take a punt on him as a replacement.

I'd forgotten about him when I posted a couple of days ago ... and this CH's one and only way into a WT spot ...

Trouble is Horner was very pro LA during the 2009 TdF so AC might not be too keen ... Especially as AC is keen to do the TdF & Vuelta and the Giro would likely be too soon for a decision and CH getting some race days in beforehand ...

But we do have the Tinkoff factor to throw in the mix so you never know ...

joelsim

I can imagine SKY's top brass being really happy to have a team full of dopers. I suspect DB has had his ass kicked for Leinders, JTL and also been asked in no uncertain terms about Rogers. A huge media organisation like that, no matter how dodgy they may be, doesn't need all the bad PR from doping cases in a team carrying its name. There is a large difference between having your name on the front of a football shirt and being Team Sky/Sky Procycling or whatever you want to call them.

I'm not for any moment suggesting that all the Sky riders are clean, but I suspect the team management have absolutely nothing to do with it, it doesn't make sense.

joelsim

Salsiccia1 wrote:

jerry3571 wrote:

Lets just assume that it's highly likely Froome and Horner have been on the magic beans. There's no way we will know what's gone on but in a sport riddled with doping, the quickest would be the most likely to dope.
Froome was the quickest at the Tour and and Horner at the Vuelta. To know what their Quacks have been up to would be impossible. Not sure whether the riders know what goes in their bodies.

I'm not assuming that. I'm not saying they definitely haven't, but if we're assuming all successful riders have 'been on magic beans' then what's the point?

The problem is all those in the last 20 years have subsequently been found out to have been. Who's to know what will happen with those since the passport was introduced, some have already fallen, been strongly implicated.

rayjay

Much appreciated Tailwind. The post was not just about you but some of the childish remarks that anyone who say's anything against Sky instantly come under fire and not just in relevant post's.

And I do agree that Horner's ride does ask some questions but that seems to be the way with all GC winners.

It's hard not to think anything else when doping has been so much part of the sport, I am not sure what a clean GC victory would look like and IMO I don't think I have seen one yet.

joelsim

rayjay wrote:

Much appreciated Tailwind. The post was not just about you but some of the childish remarks that anyone who say's anything against Sky instantly come under fire and not just in relevant post's.

And I do agree that Horner's ride does ask some questions but that seems to be the way with all GC winners.

It's hard not to think anything else when doping has been so much part of the sport, I am not sure what a clean GC victory would look like and IMO I don't think I have seen one yet.

I know what you mean. I'm not sure Froome is a doper but I wouldn't be surprised if in the future he was found out to be. Same with Nibs, Purito et al. We will see. I hope I am wrong.

The one thing in their favour at the moment is there is no smoke.

jerry3571

Salsiccia1 wrote:

jerry3571 wrote:

Lets just assume that it's highly likely Froome and Horner have been on the magic beans. There's no way we will know what's gone on but in a sport riddled with doping, the quickest would be the most likely to dope.
Froome was the quickest at the Tour and and Horner at the Vuelta. To know what their Quacks have been up to would be impossible. Not sure whether the riders know what goes in their bodies.

I'm not assuming that. I'm not saying they definitely haven't, but if we're assuming all successful riders have 'been on magic beans' then what's the point?

I was going to go on and on but in essense, Cycle Racing is all about advertising and not about fair play or queensbury rules. Always has been. We just get carried away wearing our rose coloured spectacles.

ugo.santalucia

Joelsim wrote:

I know what you mean. I'm not sure Froome is a doper but I wouldn't be surprised if in the future he was found out to be. Same with Nibs, Purito et al.

... in other words anyone who dares making podium in a Gran Tour...

suspectdevice

Not read all the posts in this tread yet but has this been posted yet?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/christina-watches-interested-in-chris-horner

I supose someone had to be interested.....

mulletmaster

Why would he bother riding for them and racing a few chippers all year when he had offers from pro tour teams that he turned down previously?
He would be better retiring 'at the top', not like he is going to get a big pay day either

RichN95.

mulletmaster wrote:

Why would he bother riding for them and racing a few chippers all year when he had offers from pro tour teams that he turned down previously?
He would be better retiring 'at the top', not like he is going to get a big pay day either

It's like trying to pull on a night out. About 10pm you tend to be a little fussy and overrate your own attractiveness. But Horner is at the stage where's it's 3am and he's standing in Caroline Street thinking about talking to the fat girl with kebab salad sticking out of her Primark wonderbra.

Richmond Racer

RichN95 wrote:

mulletmaster wrote:

Why would he bother riding for them and racing a few chippers all year when he had offers from pro tour teams that he turned down previously?
He would be better retiring 'at the top', not like he is going to get a big pay day either

It's like trying to pull on a night out. About 10pm you tend to be a little fussy and overrate your own attractiveness. But Horner is at the stage where's it's 3am and he's standing in Caroline Street thinking about talking to the fat girl with kebab salad sticking out of her Primark wonderbra.

I also reckon he thinks if he can just keep riding with a team - at this point ANY team - through this season, Alonso, or failing that some current major team, is going to come to his rescue for 2015. Horner's mind is such that the sole reason he didn't land a biggie was 1) Alonso deciding against setting up team for 2014, 2) all other teams filling up their rosters already and having no room for a big hitter like him. In his mind, this won't be the case for 2015.

Just gonna try to keep riding for the next few months...

rayjay

I think some of you talk about Horner like he is a joke.

He won the Vuelta. He beat some great riders and performed at a very high level and if you believe some, would have given Froome a fright at the tour.

I would love to see him race again and I think his tour win should earn him that right.

His age shows what an incredible rider he his and should be respected for it.

It really was something special and he proved that age is no barrier if your smart and work to your strengths.

I hope he gets a ride and I hope he has some form and kicks some a%#e.

Richmond Racer

Oh, and another thing about Christina Watches is that they've lost one of their two sponsors and discussions with various teams re potential merger, came to nothing. Think they're struggling as it is.

blazing_saddles

As Rich says, Horner badly misjudged the market and consequently his market value.
He should have grabbed the first, half decent offer, if any actually made the table.
Now, it looks as if he's left rummaging for scraps in pro cycling's skip.
Still, with his pedigree, he should have a good career in US masters races.

Crankbrother

Currently there are only about 5 riders guaranteed a spot on any team if they had the budget (Cavendish, Contador, Sagan, Cancellara, Nibali) ...

Then there are the rest that are either valuable either because of their Nationality (all the useful British SKY riders, Boonen, Valverde) or because of their ability to get a win (J-Rod, Tony Martin, Greipel and possibly Kittell) ...

The rest really are relying on past graces, team dynamic etc. of which Horner has none as he rejected the one team where he had an 'in' ...

DeVlaeminck

I agree with Rayjay. A Vuelta winner should be in at least one grand tour. He beat Nibali - ideally Horner would be in the Tour to try again - when the main contenders are absent for whatever reason it does devalue the event just a little.m

joelsim

All very easy to say, but his pedigree as a top rider is debatable, his age counts against him, his nationality counts against him atm, and the likelihood that he was doping (which many in the peloton will know far better than us) is sky high.

And yes asking for 750k this year is not clever given the above.

No pun intended.

rayjay

Joelsim wrote:

All very easy to say, but his pedigree as a top rider is debatable, his age counts against him, his nationality counts against him atm, and the likelihood that he was doping (which many in the peloton will know far better than us) is sky high.

And yes asking for 750k this year is not clever given the above.

No pun intended.

I don't understand your view.

Pedigree. He is a GC winner. That's not debatable.

As for his age IMO that should work in his favour. Can he do it again? Some extra drama to any race he competes in. People will want to see him race.

As for being American I don't care. Would it be an issue if he was from Spain . Italy. Australia . Gay ? who gives a Fu%5 apart from a few cycling xenophobes who are happy to see all those Garmin ex dopers ride.

As for doping . who isn't ? Look at the forums just about everyone has been accused of doping.

No one can accept a clean tour winner without asking questions and with good reason . But it's the same for all of them.

750 k. Well worth it. A man of his age a GC winner. Loads of great ad opportunitys.

I think their could well be something going on we know nothing about. Conspiracy ?

Richmond Racer , do you have a problem with me ?

frenchfighter

"Chris Horner is a gigantic name. It is broadly equivalent to, if Ronaldo was going to play for Esbjerg. It is a wet dream, I must honestly admit. It could hardly be better, "says Hembo to bt.dk.
:roll:

http://www.bt.dk/cykling/vildt-tilbud-t ... paa-holdet

RichN95.

rayjay wrote:

As for his age IMO that should work in his favour.

Not if he's asking for a two year contract, it doesn't. (And he was).

joelsim

rayjay wrote:

Joelsim wrote:

All very easy to say, but his pedigree as a top rider is debatable, his age counts against him, his nationality counts against him atm, and the likelihood that he was doping (which many in the peloton will know far better than us) is sky high.

And yes asking for 750k this year is not clever given the above.

No pun intended.

I don't understand your view.

Pedigree. He is a GC winner. That's not debatable.

As for his age IMO that should work in his favour. Can he do it again? Some extra drama to any race he competes in. People will want to see him race.

As for being American I don't care. Would it be an issue if he was from Spain . Italy. Australia . Gay ? who gives a Fu%5 apart from a few cycling xenophobes who are happy to see all those Garmin ex dopers ride.

As for doping . who isn't ? Look at the forums just about everyone has been accused of doping.

No one can accept a clean tour winner without asking questions and with good reason . But it's the same for all of them.

750 k. Well worth it. A man of his age a GC winner. Loads of great ad opportunitys.

I think their could well be something going on we know nothing about. Conspiracy ?

Richmond Racer , do you have a problem with me ?

Whatever you may think, there is the idea that there is something very fishy about his win in the Vuelta, and tbh which sponsor is going to take a chance after the LA affair??? And yes he is American too which compounds the problem.

It's no conspiracy, it's a fact that he trounced top riders many years his junior in what is essentially a one-off. His pedigree before the Vuelta didn't suggest a top echelon rider, a good super-domestique capable of the odd decent result and a top 20 GC finish perhaps.

If I was a team DS there is no way I would take a huge risk on him, age, injuries, unbelievability, nationality, lack of love amongst the public, unlikely to do it again, potential for bust/ban etc etc.

joelsim

frenchfighter wrote:

"Chris Horner is a gigantic name. It is broadly equivalent to, if Ronaldo was going to play for Esbjerg. It is a wet dream, I must honestly admit. It could hardly be better, "says Hembo to bt.dk.
:roll:

http://www.bt.dk/cykling/vildt-tilbud-t ... paa-holdet

I presume they mean fat Ronaldo