Wildcards 2014

Art Vandelay
Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
edited February 2014 in Pro race
RCS announce Wildcards:

Giro:
Androni, Bardiani-CSF, Colombia and Neri.
MTN-Qhubeka & IAM miss out.

TIRRENO – ADRIATICO: 4 wild card (22 squadre da 8 corridori)
BARDIANI CSF (ITA)
MTN – QHUBEKA (RSA)
IAM CYCLING (SUI)
TEAM NET APP – ENDURA (GER)

MILANO – SANREMO: 7 wild card (25 squadre da 8 corridori)

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
BARDIANI CSF (ITA)
IAM CYCLING (SUI)
MTN – QHUBEKA (RSA)
TEAM NET APP – ENDURA (GER)
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM (USA)
YELLOW FLUO (ITA)

IL LOMBARDIA: 7 wild card (25 squadre da 8 corridori)

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
BARDIANI CSF (ITA)
CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA (ESP)
COLOMBIA (COL)
IAM CYCLING (SUI)
TEAM NET APP – ENDURA (GER)
YELLOW FLUO (ITA)

Also, E3 wildcards:

MTN-Qhubeka
UnitedHealthcare
Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
IAM Cycling
Cofidis
Androni-Venezuela.
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Comments

  • MartinGT
    MartinGT Posts: 475
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    RCS announce Wildcards:

    Giro:
    Androni, Bardiani-CSF, Colombia and Neri.
    MTN-Qhubeka & IAM miss out.

    TIRRENO – ADRIATICO: 4 wild card (22 squadre da 8 corridori)
    BARDIANI CSF (ITA)
    MTN – QHUBEKA (RSA)
    IAM CYCLING (SUI)
    TEAM NET APP – ENDURA (GER)

    MILANO – SANREMO: 7 wild card (25 squadre da 8 corridori)

    ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
    BARDIANI CSF (ITA)
    IAM CYCLING (SUI)
    MTN – QHUBEKA (RSA)
    TEAM NET APP – ENDURA (GER)
    UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM (USA)
    YELLOW FLUO (ITA)

    IL LOMBARDIA: 7 wild card (25 squadre da 8 corridori)

    ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
    BARDIANI CSF (ITA)
    CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA (ESP)
    COLOMBIA (COL)
    IAM CYCLING (SUI)
    TEAM NET APP – ENDURA (GER)
    YELLOW FLUO (ITA)

    Also, E3 wildcards:

    MTN-Qhubeka
    UnitedHealthcare
    Wanty-Groupe Gobert
    Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
    IAM Cycling
    Cofidis
    Androni-Venezuela.

    IAM missing from the Giro :(
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    Inviting Neri to the Giro is like inviting someone to a dinner party after they crapped on the carpet last time.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Was thinking Androni was an odd one for E3 but remembered they have Van Hummel and Hoogerland on the books. I'm sure there'll be a scrap for the remaining slots in that squad amongst the Italians and Venezuelan mountain goats.
  • MartinGT
    MartinGT Posts: 475
    RichN95 wrote:
    Inviting Neri to the Giro is like inviting someone to a dinner party after they crapped on the carpet last time.

    :lol:
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    RichN95 wrote:
    Inviting Neri to the Giro is like inviting someone to a dinner party after they crapped on the carpet last time.

    Cleaning up their act though - provisional membership of MPCC proves it!

    They do have Rabottini and Chicci but fairly light on talent. Paging Chris Horner.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    with that invite to ex-Vini Fantini, RCS doing its damndest to help cycling's credibility since never
  • MartinGT
    MartinGT Posts: 475
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    with that invite to ex-Vini Fantini, RCS doing its damndest to help cycling's credibility since never

    On the flip side you could say that's punishing the riders who were not involved in the doping.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    RCS seem to be regressing since booting Acquarone
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    MartinGT wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    with that invite to ex-Vini Fantini, RCS doing its damndest to help cycling's credibility since never

    On the flip side you could say that's punishing the riders who were not involved in the doping.



    Says the man who wants to link everything back to what Lance said
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,925
    Pity UHC weren't invited to the Giro - would have been good to see Irvine in a home GT
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • MartinGT
    MartinGT Posts: 475
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    MartinGT wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    with that invite to ex-Vini Fantini, RCS doing its damndest to help cycling's credibility since never

    On the flip side you could say that's punishing the riders who were not involved in the doping.

    Says the man who wants to link everything back to what Lance said

    Apples and Oranges RR, Apples and Oranges.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,096
    What a missed opportunity to widen the appeal of the Giro. Acquarone must be beside himself.

    Let's hope ASO are a bit more aware of what MTN-Qhubeka offer.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    andyp wrote:
    What a missed opportunity to widen the appeal of the Giro. Acquarone must be beside himself.

    Let's hope ASO are a bit more aware of what MTN-Qhubeka offer.


    Acquarone will no doubt hit Twitter very shortly to...umm...share his thoughts
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    edited January 2014
    Tour Wildcards: Cofidis, IAM, Net-App and Bretegne-Seche

    Told you so.
    andyp wrote:
    Let's hope ASO are a bit more aware of what MTN-Qhubeka offer.
    It would be nice but I suspect they will go with Cofidis and IAM as certainties and then Net App and Bretegne Seche
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,383
    MartinGT wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    MartinGT wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    with that invite to ex-Vini Fantini, RCS doing its damndest to help cycling's credibility since never

    On the flip side you could say that's punishing the riders who were not involved in the doping.

    Says the man who wants to link everything back to what Lance said

    Apples and Oranges RR, Apples and Oranges.

    That's what lance said isnt it? So " we all know what that makes MartinGT nudge hint"

    Genuinely surprised about the surprise about this. Blatant Italian favouritism is what RCS have done for decades...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Maybe Cipo pays them back handers to get his team in. Joke.

    IAM would b the team to invite from a sporting perspective. Big names, proven talent, stage winners, GC riders.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    frenchfighter wrote:
    IAM would b the team to invite from a sporting perspective. Big names, proven talent, stage winners, GC riders.
    Yeah, but all those riders are going to be doing the Tour (where IAM are sure to get an invite). They could put out a decent B team though.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    edited January 2014
    Re excluding Neri Yellow Fluo, for anyone who cries that its not fair on other riders that they should carry the penalty of other team mates sins...the team management are still the same as last years. And its still the same management as the one that pulled the stunt to avoid doping control at last year's Tour of Japan

    EDITED
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    RichN95 wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    IAM would b the team to invite from a sporting perspective. Big names, proven talent, stage winners, GC riders.
    Yeah, but all those riders are going to be doing the Tour (where IAM are sure to get an invite). They could put out a decent B team though.

    yeah was going to mention the Tour is much more ideal for them.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,811
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Inviting Neri to the Giro is like inviting someone to a dinner party after they crapped on the carpet last time.

    Cleaning up their act though - provisional membership of MPCC proves it!

    They do have Rabottini and Chicci but fairly light on talent. Paging Chris Horner.

    So, Last year the RCS got their carpet crapped on, this year they have to supply
    Neri with incontinence pads?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    What is the best finish at a GT by a wildcard rider.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    edited January 2014
    sjmclean wrote:
    What is the best finish at a GT by a wildcard rider.
    Some have won. Cobo at the Vuelta being the most recent. Greg LeMond in 1989 and Lance Armstrong in 1999 were others on Wildcard teams.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Scinto:

    “I’m very happy, I’m just very, very happy,” Scinto told Cyclingnews minutes after learning of his team’s invitation.

    Asked if it was a surprise, considering their two positive tests at last year’s Giro, Scinto said: “I don’t want to talk about last year, where 40 people risked losing their jobs. This year is different. Fantini has started its own team and we are YellowFluo, an all-Italian team, one that pays all of its taxes in Italy. We’re a new team, we’re starting again from scratch.”

    “We’re going to publish all of our riders’ biological passport data on our team’s website. It’s something we’ve looked at to show that we don’t have anything to hide,” said Scinto. “I’m happy because we wanted to rebuild. This is a new team and we want to find important sponsors to grow the team.”

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/scinto- ... invitation
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,147
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Asked if it was a surprise, considering their two positive tests at last year’s Giro, Scinto said: “I don’t want to talk about last year, where 40 people risked losing their jobs. This year is different. Fantini has started its own team and we are YellowFluo, an all-Italian team, one that pays all of its taxes in Italy. We’re a new team, we’re starting again from scratch.”
    Nonsense. Nobody pays taxes in Italy.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    RichN95 wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Asked if it was a surprise, considering their two positive tests at last year’s Giro, Scinto said: “I don’t want to talk about last year, where 40 people risked losing their jobs. This year is different. Fantini has started its own team and we are YellowFluo, an all-Italian team, one that pays all of its taxes in Italy. We’re a new team, we’re starting again from scratch.”
    Nonsense. Nobody pays taxes in Italy.

    Tax evasion is the biggest participation sport in Italy. Followed closely by speeding.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    But quite honestly, RCS will always look for Italian teams as wildcards, they probably feel a moral obligation to.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Salsiccia1 wrote:
    But quite honestly, RCS will always look for Italian teams as wildcards, they probably feel a moral obligation to.


    Hmmm. Dont think morals having anything to do with this pick
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,638
    Surprised to see MTN not invited, but then it's tough to get an invite to the Giro if you're not Italian, or run by Italians in Colmbia's case.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,096
    The Italian economy is a basket case, and if the Giro wants to survive in it's current format, it needs to broaden it's appeal beyond the borders of Italy. Acquarone recognised this and was doing a good job of making it a less parochial, more international race without diminishing it's core appeal.

    Inviting MTN-Qhubeka would be a great story and widen the appeal of the race, so by not inviting them they've regressed and run the risk of the Giro going back to it's old ways when it was a race mainly for the Italian peleton. That would be a shame in my view.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,283
    andyp wrote:
    The Italian economy is a basket case, and if the Giro wants to survive in it's current format, it needs to broaden it's appeal beyond the borders of Italy. Acquarone recognised this and was doing a good job of making it a less parochial, more international race without diminishing it's core appeal.

    Inviting MTN-Qhubeka would be a great story and widen the appeal of the race, so by not inviting them they've regressed and run the risk of the Giro going back to it's old ways when it was a race mainly for the Italian peloton. That would be a shame in my view.

    MTN-Qhubeka are a marketer's wet dream. So many positive stories to spin out - at a time when there's so much cynicism in cycling. The fact that they're not invited to pretty much everything shows how conservative cycling really is. It's probably only the Tour and a couple of the spring classics that don't actually need a team like them.
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