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Astana to Ride Merckx

Aug 13, 2009
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El Imbatido said:
Not literally.....get your mind out of the gutter:D I mean the Merckx brand of bikes. Check out the links below:

Non translated version

or

Translated version

Online translators are not that good but the last sentence seems pretty clear. Maybe Bala or someone else can provide a proper translation. What are your thoughts?

Surprising. As I understand it Merckx has sold his company and no longer has anything to do with it. The designs are done by Pinarello.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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A couple of days ago in 'het nieuwsblad' they were saying that the bike deal wasn't guaranteed, and a lot of details needed to be ironed out.

I guess they have proceeded quickly then.

Bij Astana wordt werk gemaakt van het tijdperk na Johan Bruyneel. De leemte die het vertrek van de Belgische manager nalaat wordt opgevuld door Rinus Wagtmans, de ex-profrenner die eerder dit jaar de plooien gladstreek tussen Kazachstan en het management van de ploeg.

[Astana is working hard to fill up the void now Bruyneel's era has come to an end. Rinus Wagtmans, ex-pro who earlier this season mediated between Kazachstan and he team's management, will take his position]

De Nederlander krijgt bij de uitbouw van het nieuwe Astana de hulp van niemand minder dan Eddy Merckx.De Brabander zal Wagtmans bijstaan bij de invulling van het rennerspotentieel en de sportieve staf van de ploeg. Naar verluidt zou er in dat verband ook plaats zijn voor een aantal Belgische renners.

[The Dutchman will receive help from Merckx to improve/enlarge team Astana. He will be involved in the formation of the team and its staff. It is rumoured that there are spots available for a number of Belgian riders.]

Zeker is dat Astana voor de volgende drie jaar aan de slag zal gaan op fietsen van Eddy Merckx.

[In any case, Team Astana will ride Merckx bikes the next 3 years]
 
Aug 18, 2009
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Radioshack must surely ride Trek with Sram. I want to know what Sky will use. I saw that in a Britishcycling/Sky promotional event here, a couple of celebrities were riding Treks. That maybe isn't enough to go on, but if you have a bike sponsor, you aren't going to use someone else's.
I thought maybe Dolan or Boardman, who are both British, with links to Britishcycling, but it would be expensive to supply the team, and it might not be worth their while
 
Jul 10, 2009
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My post about Trek was a joke, obviously. Retirement Shack is going to use Trek (most likely with Sram) bikes, wear Nike clothes, and have Giro Helmets. Feel free to add any of Mr. Armstrong's personal sponsors to that list.

rideitlikeyoustoleit said:
I was under the impression that Sky would be riding either Giant or Pinarello next year...please not Boardman
Does that mean that Pinarello might be dropping Caisse D'Epargne? I guess they did ride Orbea's a few years ago, so I could see that happening.

Nobody seems to be riding Colnago these days. Might they be getting in with a team?
 
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rideitlikeyoustoleit said:
I was under the impression that Sky would be riding either Giant or Pinarello next year...please not Boardman

They should ride Obree Specials.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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rideitlikeyoustoleit said:
I was under the impression that Sky would be riding either Giant or Pinarello next year...please not Boardman

Is there any reason in particular why Boardman shouldn't be ridden by sky? Other than you're an unrepentent bike snob? Given that Giant probably manufacture the Boardman frames alongside their own brand in the same Taiwanese factory, where's the difference? I would have thought that Halfords, as a British Cycling sponsor and sole distributor of Boardman frames, would probably be very interested in talking to Team Sky about this!
 
Aug 18, 2009
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Thoughtforfood said:
They should ride Obree Specials.

Yeah, maybe they should all have to build their own like Obree. I doesn't always seem the UCI knows what is or isn't legal, but that would be a nice easy one for them. Boardman isn't realistic, thinking about it, neither's Dolan, although BC used them on the track fairly recently. I've heard Giant and Pinarello linked with them. It would be cool if Dave Brailsford got his "secret squirrels" to built them.
 
May 6, 2009
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taiwan said:
Yeah, maybe they should all have to build their own like Obree. I doesn't always seem the UCI knows what is or isn't legal, but that would be a nice easy one for them. Boardman isn't realistic, thinking about it, neither's Dolan, although BC used them on the track fairly recently. I've heard Giant and Pinarello linked with them. It would be cool if Dave Brailsford got his "secret squirrels" to built them.

Max budget is $500 US.
 
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Anonymous

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davidg said:
I've got an old washing machine, if you are short of some bearings!

Yea, we are going to need several washing machines.
 
Alpe d'Huez said:
When was the last Merckx made in the factory Eddy bought?

Anyway, was getting tired of Trek everything, so this is nice, if true.

Carbon Merckx were and some still are assembled in the Belgium factory with frame components made in Italy and now some made n Taiwan. Whole frames now(2010) from Taiwan but the higher end carbon and aluminum frames will still be made in Belgium. Eddy sold it but still remains a 'consultant' for the factory that bears his name. I still think he has some amount of influence over the place.
 

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