Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Chronique - Cyrille Guimard

Contador est devenu plus populaire grâce à cette posture de "perdant magnifique" ?

J'irai même plus loin que ça. Je connais des personnages qui étaient respectés pour leur palmarès, leurs exploits en course, qui n'étaient pas populaires mais qui le sont devenus le jour où ils ont perdu. Ca a été le cas de Laurent Fignon, de Jacques Anquetil à la fin de sa carrière. Si vous prenez Merckx, il n'a jamais été populaire en France alors que Luis Ocaña l'était. Pourtant il y en a un qui a gagné 5 Tours de France, l'autre un seul. Qu'est-ce qui fait qu'on est populaire ou qu'on ne l'est pas, c'est l'émotion. Contador fait passer d''émotion. Merckx ne faisait pas passer de l'émotion. Et Froome ne fait pas passer d'émotion. C'est quelque chose qui part du fond des tripes, pas dans son discours devant un micro. Après Froome a son palmarès, plein de choses que l'on peut respecter, on peut même admirer le coureur comme c'était le cas pour Anquetil, mais on l'aimait moins que Poulidor parce qu'il faisait passer moins d'émotion. L'un on l'aimait, l'autre on le détestait. C'est l'histoire de la vie.

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-chronique-cyrille-guimard-froome-et-la-sky-inattaquable-guimard-lv2017-froome-contador-stade2-rmc-69733.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Nice

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Presentation for 2018 Giro will be in Israel?! Berto says he will be there.

Can't wait to see contador with a little belly and enjoying his days as a former cyclist.

I want to see the wife with the belly and a new champion on the way!

I'm getting a bit concerned especially after rick james' post not so long ago!

 

[Puccini]

TIME TRIALS ALBERTO CONTADOR in
Vuelta a España:

2008 / Stage 4 - Ciudad Real (42 Kms.) - 4th place
2008 / Stage 19ª - Alto de Navacerrada (17 Kms.) - 2nd place

2012 / Stage 11ª - Pontevedra (39.4 Kms.) - 2nd place (Froome 3º)

2014 / Stage 10ª - Borja (36,7 Kms.) - 4th place (Froome 10th)

2016 / Stage 19ª - Calp (37 Kms.) - 8th place (Froome 1º)

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

Chronique - Cyrille Guimard

Contador est devenu plus populaire grâce à cette posture de "perdant magnifique" ?

J'irai même plus loin que ça. Je connais des personnages qui étaient respectés pour leur palmarès, leurs exploits en course, qui n'étaient pas populaires mais qui le sont devenus le jour où ils ont perdu. Ca a été le cas de Laurent Fignon, de Jacques Anquetil à la fin de sa carrière. Si vous prenez Merckx, il n'a jamais été populaire en France alors que Luis Ocaña l'était. Pourtant il y en a un qui a gagné 5 Tours de France, l'autre un seul. Qu'est-ce qui fait qu'on est populaire ou qu'on ne l'est pas, c'est l'émotion. Contador fait passer d''émotion. Merckx ne faisait pas passer de l'émotion. Et Froome ne fait pas passer d'émotion. C'est quelque chose qui part du fond des tripes, pas dans son discours devant un micro. Après Froome a son palmarès, plein de choses que l'on peut respecter, on peut même admirer le coureur comme c'était le cas pour Anquetil, mais on l'aimait moins que Poulidor parce qu'il faisait passer moins d'émotion. L'un on l'aimait, l'autre on le détestait. C'est l'histoire de la vie.

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-chronique-cyrille-guimard-froome-et-la-sky-inattaquable-guimard-lv2017-froome-contador-stade2-rmc-69733.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Nice

Exactly. It's the emotion and the romance. I also think it helps that Contador is being perceived as an individual in the face of the corporate 'machine' like Sky. He's going down fighting, showing human passion, human frailty, and 'honour' in the face of near certain defeat. Also fits with cycling's heritage as an individual-enduance-against-impossible-odds kind of sport.

It's what Tolkein identified as the "Northern 'theory of courage'" – the heroic insistence to do what one perceives as 'the right thing' even in the face of certain defeat without promise of reward or salvation. "It is the strength of the northern mythological imagination that it faced this problem, put the monsters in the centre, gave them victory but no honour and found a potent and terrible solution in naked will and courage"

 

[movingtarget]

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re:

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

This.

 

[Ataraxus]

This day five years ago Alberto Contador conquered Fuente De, the Vuelta and a permanent seat in the pantheon of cycling champions. Thanks to facebook for reminding me.of that.

 

[Pennino]

Re:

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

Astana was pretty insane. But instead of using it as a TGV they rode like an open club championship .

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Re:

“I don’t attack just to make the public happy,” Contador said. “I do it because that’s the way I race. It’s based on my form at the moment, on the conditions of the race. Maybe the smart thing to do is ride more conservatively, and to try to finish fourth or fifth or third or eighth, and limit the losses. But that way of racing is not for me.”

“I’m proud to hear the fans yell out, ‘Gracias, Alberto!’ I hear it over and over again, and that can only mean that they’ve enjoyed watching the racing,” Contador said. “I couldn’t have chosen a better place to retire. On these climbs, when your legs are really hurting, you see a sign and hear the shouts, and it’s like a present for me.”

Contador has only known one way to race. He’s not going to change now.

Read more at http://www.velonews.com/2017/09/vuelta-a-espana/contador-doesnt-regret-final-vuelta-hail-mary_447317#MWWtwZ36SK4s372k.99

Death or Glory, Lionhearted; the only way the man wants to do to!

As much as his riding style is admired by his fans, I do wonder what he could have won if he had rode more sensibly (and with a better team maybe). Yes, you could say that what he has won, has been won by riding more aggressive, but his losses way outnumber his wins and he could have won more by riding more conservatively. But as he says that's the way he rides and he was unable/didn't want to change his ways. During this Vuelta, I do think he is riding for his fans knowing deep down he wouldn't be able to compete for the win (podium yes(imo)) after what happened in the Tour and so he can go out with a bang giving his fans something to remember him by when he hangs his wheels up. Such a shame what happened in Andorra and we will never know what could have been. Maybe another Vuelta with his admired aggressive riding.

 

[arvc40]

Re:

This day five years ago Alberto Contador conquered Fuente De, the Vuelta and a permanent seat in the pantheon of cycling champions. Thanks to facebook for reminding me.of that.

A great day Indeed !

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

Chronique - Cyrille Guimard

Contador est devenu plus populaire grâce à cette posture de "perdant magnifique" ?

J'irai même plus loin que ça. Je connais des personnages qui étaient respectés pour leur palmarès, leurs exploits en course, qui n'étaient pas populaires mais qui le sont devenus le jour où ils ont perdu. Ca a été le cas de Laurent Fignon, de Jacques Anquetil à la fin de sa carrière. Si vous prenez Merckx, il n'a jamais été populaire en France alors que Luis Ocaña l'était. Pourtant il y en a un qui a gagné 5 Tours de France, l'autre un seul. Qu'est-ce qui fait qu'on est populaire ou qu'on ne l'est pas, c'est l'émotion. Contador fait passer d''émotion. Merckx ne faisait pas passer de l'émotion. Et Froome ne fait pas passer d'émotion. C'est quelque chose qui part du fond des tripes, pas dans son discours devant un micro. Après Froome a son palmarès, plein de choses que l'on peut respecter, on peut même admirer le coureur comme c'était le cas pour Anquetil, mais on l'aimait moins que Poulidor parce qu'il faisait passer moins d'émotion. L'un on l'aimait, l'autre on le détestait. C'est l'histoire de la vie.

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-chronique-cyrille-guimard-froome-et-la-sky-inattaquable-guimard-lv2017-froome-contador-stade2-rmc-69733.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Nice

Exactly. It's the emotion and the romance. I also think it helps that Contador is being perceived as an individual in the face of the corporate 'machine' like Sky. He's going down fighting, showing human passion, human frailty, and 'honour' in the face of near certain defeat. Also fits with cycling's heritage as an individual-enduance-against-impossible-odds kind of sport.

It's what Tolkein identified as the "Northern 'theory of courage'" – the heroic insistence to do what one perceives as 'the right thing' even in the face of certain defeat without promise of reward or salvation. "It is the strength of the northern mythological imagination that it faced this problem, put the monsters in the centre, gave them victory but no honour and found a potent and terrible solution in naked will and courage"

Ergh yeagh... I just think it's a bike race and 2nd place is first loser.

 

[del1962]

Re: Re:

“I don’t attack just to make the public happy,” Contador said. “I do it because that’s the way I race. It’s based on my form at the moment, on the conditions of the race. Maybe the smart thing to do is ride more conservatively, and to try to finish fourth or fifth or third or eighth, and limit the losses. But that way of racing is not for me.”

“I’m proud to hear the fans yell out, ‘Gracias, Alberto!’ I hear it over and over again, and that can only mean that they’ve enjoyed watching the racing,” Contador said. “I couldn’t have chosen a better place to retire. On these climbs, when your legs are really hurting, you see a sign and hear the shouts, and it’s like a present for me.”

Contador has only known one way to race. He’s not going to change now.

Read more at http://www.velonews.com/2017/09/vuelta-a-espana/contador-doesnt-regret-final-vuelta-hail-mary_447317#MWWtwZ36SK4s372k.99

Death or Glory, Lionhearted; the only way the man wants to do to!

As much as his riding style is admired by his fans, I do wonder what he could have won if he had rode more sensibly (and with a better team maybe). Yes, you could say that what he has won, has been won by riding more aggressive, but his losses way outnumber his wins and he could have won more by riding more conservatively. But as he says that's the way he rides and he was unable/didn't want to change his ways. During this Vuelta, I do think he is riding for his fans knowing deep down he wouldn't be able to compete for the win (podium yes(imo)) after what happened in the Tour and so he can go out with a bang giving his fans something to remember him by when he hangs his wheels up. Such a shame what happened in Andorra and we will never know what could have been. Maybe another Vuelta with his admired aggressive riding.

Dont agree, would never have won 2012 Vuelta without being aggressive, and in 2014 Vuelta he rode conservatively following Froomes wheel until dropping him at end of stage.

Maybe he might have had a few higher placings, but no more wins

 

[del1962]

Re: Re:

Presentation for 2018 Giro will be in Israel?! Berto says he will be there.

Why would he show up to this if he's retired?

$$$$$$

The idea of the Giro starting in Israel isn't universally popular I suppose, so the more marquee names they can get to lend credibility to the idea the better. And Contador, as a recent former winner, will lend a respectability that few current riders can do I guess. Or maybe he just wants to check out Israel after seeing the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem adverts that pepper Eurosport.

Perhaps he wants to run the marathons

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

This day five years ago Alberto Contador conquered Fuente De, the Vuelta and a permanent seat in the pantheon of cycling champions. Thanks to facebook for reminding me.of that.

Great

I think Berto knows when he can be aggressive and when he should be conservative. As has been said, Vuelta 2014 he wasn't so aggressive, it could have caused him to lose the race. I don't think he lost any races because of his aggressiveness, maybe some minor placings though. OTOH it won him several races, like 2012 Vuelta and (likely) 2014 Tirreno.

 

[Pennino]

Indeed. When he's on par with his rivals he's only aggressive when he feels he can drop them. When he's on the backfoot, he's aggressive where he can, even if it probably will cost him more than it will gain him. That's the gamble and I'm glad he never hesitates taking them.

 

[cellardoor]

He might have got a post-ban podium at the Tour if he'd ridden full on Meintjes style. Can't think of any races that he would have won by being more conservative.

 

[jsem94]

Alberto will go full Fuente De on both stage 18 and 19 and win the race by 12 minutes. You heard it here first.

 

[Laplaz]

Re:

Alberto will go full Fuente De on both stage 18 and 19 and win the race by 12 minutes. You heard it here first.

I would take that!

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

1.) When Alberto was in extremely strong teams he didn't race like Sky today. In 2009 he even had to attack his own super strong train because he wasn't the only leader of the team.

2.) You say Sky isn't a problem because they don't have another Froome in the making, but I'm not so sure about that. Sky is very clever in terms of making transfers for the future. Right now they have the probably most talented U23 gc rider so while it's not given that they have the next tdf dominator in their team it's at least not that unlikely

3.) I don't really think you can compare football with cycling. Football is a team sport, so if I had sat on the bench of Real Madrid for the last 4 years I had won 3 champions league titles without even playing once. Cycling often gets called a team sport but it really isn't. It's not sky who has won 4 of the last 5 tours, it's Froome. The team might be very important but that doesn't make it a 100% team sport. So if a footballer goes to a big club he does so not only because of money but also because he knows he will probably win lots of titles with that team. However if a cyclist goes to Sky he goes there 100% only because of money because he himself will win less races in a strong team like that than in a smaller team where he isn't a domestique but the leader. That said, it's ofc very understandable to go to a team because of money. If a guy like Bernal spends his whole career in that team he will probably never have to care about money again and for a young guy like him it would be stupid to not take that chance.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

1.) When Alberto was in extremely strong teams he didn't race like Sky today. In 2009 he even had to attack his own super strong train because he wasn't the only leader of the team.

2.) You say Sky isn't a problem because they don't have another Froome in the making, but I'm not so sure about that. Sky is very clever in terms of making transfers for the future. Right now they have the probably most talented U23 gc rider so while it's not given that they have the next tdf dominator in their team it's at least not that unlikely

3.) I don't really think you can compare football with cycling. Football is a team sport, so if I had sat on the bench of Real Madrid for the last 4 years I had won 3 champions league titles without even playing once. Cycling often gets called a team sport but it really isn't. It's not sky who has won 4 of the last 5 tours, it's Froome. The team might be very important but that doesn't make it a 100% team sport. So if a footballer goes to a big club he does so not only because of money but also because he knows he will probably win lots of titles with that team. However if a cyclist goes to Sky he goes there 100% only because of money because he himself will win less races in a strong team like that than in a smaller team where he isn't a domestique but the leader. That said, it's ofc very understandable to go to a team because of money. If a guy like Bernal spends his whole career in that team he will probably never have to care about money again and for a young guy like him it would be stupid to not take that chance.

The style of riding doesn't matter. Contador is talking about a salary cap. Discovery and Astana were strong teams even though they didn't race like Sky but Discovery and US Postal were probably the blueprint for Sky. Sky just built on top of that with technology, training methods and a really regimented way of racing and training. Armstrong used up his entire team on every stage just like Froome does now which kinda indicates that it is a team sport especially for those types of teams. And there's no doubt that many teams used US Postal tactics for themselves but it's only really effective when the team is individually strong and some of the teams that came later didn't have that kind of strength. As far as I know cycling is a team sport but I agree that the team can only do so much for the best rider but I guess that is also similar to Messi playing in a good team or a really good team. And other team sports still depend on individual brilliance as does cycling. I'm not saying that Sky can't win future grand Tours only that riders like Froome don't come along often. Landa, Porte and Thomas still haven't won a GT even though their performances at Sky made many people think they would. Team leading is very different to team helper or being another protected rider. i think those riders have the ability to win a GT but that doesn't mean they will.

Contador also used his team but in a different way. You could also say that Contador has ridden on some fairly weak teams late in his career when he could have used better help. Froome never had that problem most of the time.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

“I don’t attack just to make the public happy,” Contador said. “I do it because that’s the way I race. It’s based on my form at the moment, on the conditions of the race. Maybe the smart thing to do is ride more conservatively, and to try to finish fourth or fifth or third or eighth, and limit the losses. But that way of racing is not for me.”

“I’m proud to hear the fans yell out, ‘Gracias, Alberto!’ I hear it over and over again, and that can only mean that they’ve enjoyed watching the racing,” Contador said. “I couldn’t have chosen a better place to retire. On these climbs, when your legs are really hurting, you see a sign and hear the shouts, and it’s like a present for me.”

Contador has only known one way to race. He’s not going to change now.

Read more at http://www.velonews.com/2017/09/vuelta-a-espana/contador-doesnt-regret-final-vuelta-hail-mary_447317#MWWtwZ36SK4s372k.99

Death or Glory, Lionhearted; the only way the man wants to do to!

As much as his riding style is admired by his fans, I do wonder what he could have won if he had rode more sensibly (and with a better team maybe). Yes, you could say that what he has won, has been won by riding more aggressive, but his losses way outnumber his wins and he could have won more by riding more conservatively. But as he says that's the way he rides and he was unable/didn't want to change his ways. During this Vuelta, I do think he is riding for his fans knowing deep down he wouldn't be able to compete for the win (podium yes(imo)) after what happened in the Tour and so he can go out with a bang giving his fans something to remember him by when he hangs his wheels up. Such a shame what happened in Andorra and we will never know what could have been. Maybe another Vuelta with his admired aggressive riding.

Conservatively is Not how Legends and Champions think...simple really.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

This.

It's only logical that there be a system in place that gives the smaller teams a chance at success. The current model only rewards those teams with the highest level of sponsorship dollars. As has likely been mentioned already, that is why in the major sports there is a draft that allows those teams with worst records to have the first opportunity to improve by way of having first dibs on the upcoming talent. Many here may not like the messenger and are letting who's talking distort/effect their ability to actually hear the message. With the short life of contracts for the most part that riders sign for if a rider isn't happy where they initially land by way of a draft they can easily sign with whomever wants them. It at least gives the smaller budgeted teams a chance at signing some of the top talent, rather than a select few teams hording it all.

Of course the risk of these smaller budgeted teams unintentionally becoming like development teams for the bigger budgeted teams is always a possibility. Under the table incentives that skirt the cap are also a possibility.
Still the cap allows a more even distribution of talent and consequently more competition which results in more entertainment for the fans.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

“I don’t attack just to make the public happy,” Contador said. “I do it because that’s the way I race. It’s based on my form at the moment, on the conditions of the race. Maybe the smart thing to do is ride more conservatively, and to try to finish fourth or fifth or third or eighth, and limit the losses. But that way of racing is not for me.”

“I’m proud to hear the fans yell out, ‘Gracias, Alberto!’ I hear it over and over again, and that can only mean that they’ve enjoyed watching the racing,” Contador said. “I couldn’t have chosen a better place to retire. On these climbs, when your legs are really hurting, you see a sign and hear the shouts, and it’s like a present for me.”

Contador has only known one way to race. He’s not going to change now.

Read more at http://www.velonews.com/2017/09/vuelta-a-espana/contador-doesnt-regret-final-vuelta-hail-mary_447317#MWWtwZ36SK4s372k.99

Death or Glory, Lionhearted; the only way the man wants to do to!

As much as his riding style is admired by his fans, I do wonder what he could have won if he had rode more sensibly (and with a better team maybe). Yes, you could say that what he has won, has been won by riding more aggressive, but his losses way outnumber his wins and he could have won more by riding more conservatively. But as he says that's the way he rides and he was unable/didn't want to change his ways. During this Vuelta, I do think he is riding for his fans knowing deep down he wouldn't be able to compete for the win (podium yes(imo)) after what happened in the Tour and so he can go out with a bang giving his fans something to remember him by when he hangs his wheels up. Such a shame what happened in Andorra and we will never know what could have been. Maybe another Vuelta with his admired aggressive riding.

Are you kidding me? Even Merckx's record consists of more losses than wins.

 

[Pennino]

Re: Re:

Yet when Contador rode with the Discovery team it was fine. Contador has ridden on some pretty strong teams himself. I don't mind the idea of a salary cap, it works okay in other sports even though teams try to find ways around it. Anyone would think Sky have another Froome waiting to go. I don't see that happening. Four time Tour winners are not common. As Froome gets worse I expect that talk of a salary cap will disappear. It's only natural that good riders want to go to Sky. They are paid well and are very will organized. It's no different to footballers wanting to play with Man U or Bayern Munich. Sportsmen have short careers and many don't have an alternate choice when they retire which is why many stay in the sport in another role. Money is always important for athletes. The fact that Sky have never won a Vuelta or a Giro just shows they can be beaten. It's now or never for Froome in the Vuelta.

This.

It's only logical that there be a system in place that gives the smaller teams a chance at success. The current model only rewards those teams with the highest level of sponsorship dollars. As has likely been mentioned already, that is why in the major sports there is a draft that allows those teams with worst records to have the first opportunity to improve by way of having first dibs on the upcoming talent. Many here may not like the messenger and are letting who's talking distort/effect their ability to actually hear the message. With the short life of contracts for the most part that riders sign for if a rider isn't happy where they initially land by way of a draft they can easily sign with whomever wants them. It at least gives the smaller budgeted teams a chance at signing some of the top talent, rather than a select few teams hording it all.

Of course the risk of these smaller budgeted teams unintentionally becoming like development teams for the bigger budgeted teams is always a possibility. Under the table incentives that skirt the cap are also a possibility.
Still the cap allows a more even distribution of talent and consequently more competition which results in more entertainment for the fans.

I believe it's just this freaking World Tour system that is horribly wrong. It's either exposure everywhere and if you can't afford that, you'll be stuck having your ass beaten in the Europa Tour by inferior WT squads in inferior races.

The old times were way better, when teams could focus on a couple of objectives and getting enough exposure in their own country and a few big races abroad. The a team could still aim bigger exposure bringing in a bigger budget, but it all would have less impact on single races or GT's because also minor teams could almost solely focus on those.

But yeah, business interests don't care about equal fight in sports.

 

[portugal11]

Nibali will lose a minute to froome