Astana unprofessionalism?

[rgmerk]

From the CN report on stage 1 of the TDU:

The news wasn’t as good for defending champion Allan Davis, who is all but out of the general classification contention. Davis’ Astana squad didn’t bring radios to Tour Down Under, leaving all within the Kazakh team he was at the peloton’s rear when it split on the climb.

Look, I'm keen to see the end of race radios, but while they're legal they ensure that the rest of the riders are going to know exactly where the designated team leader is.

Isn't it just a little bit unprofessional on Astana's part to cruel their chances of a GC win because they couldn't be bothered shoving the race radios in the airfreight container?

If I were Alberto Contador and relying on these guys to get it right later in the year, I wouldn't be terribly impressed...

 

[BroDeal]

Isn't it just a little bit unprofessional on Astana's part to cruel their chances of a GC win because they couldn't be bothered shoving the race radios in the airfreight container?

Although not bringing radios might be a sign of bad things to come, Davis did not miss out on GC because of it. He missed the split because he is not in the same form as he was last year.

 

[Anonymous]

It must have been a shock for them to have to try to do things like read a race for themselves. I hope they had a stiff drinking waiting at the finish line.

 

[Moondance]

While I don't think it would've prevented Allan Davis from losing the 8 mins, i will agree that it's 100% bush league of Astana. I doubt that they'll screw up this royally in le Tour, but with management this poor I don't think they'll survive long after Contador goes his merry way come October.

 

[Publicus]

He knew he didn't have a radio from the start, so that's not much of an excise. As for why Astana bring them, I honestly have no idea. I could speculate but it wouldn't be based on anything.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Why are you assuming that Astana "forgot" the radios? Davis says only they didn't bring in, and that he doesn't know why not. Perhaps it was on purpose.

Susan

 

[Publicus]

Why are you assuming that Astana "forgot" the radios? Davis says only they didn't bring in, and that he doesn't know why not. Perhaps it was on purpose.

Susan

Just typing away at 4:30 in the morning and not picking my words very carefully.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

I actually meant that "you" for everyone who has posted so far, not just you.

Susan

 

[Publicus]

I actually meant that "you" for everyone who has posted so far, not just you.

Susan

I was the only one who used the word, so I figured your comment was direct at me.

 

[riobonito92]

If you don't have radios, you always have a man close to your leader. Or have pros become so used to radios they have forgotten such basics.

 

[BroDeal]

If you don't have radios, you always have a man close to your leader. Or have pros become so used to radios they have forgotten such basics.

I did not see the stage. I did listen to the audio from ABC. When the "big" hill came, I was expecting a play-by-play description of what was happening. The commentators gave little other than the peloton had split into three groups. Unless Davis suffered a mechanical or a puncture then I don't see that radios (or teammates) would have made a difference. It's not like he is unfamiliar with the race and needs his DS to tell him when to move to the front. It seems that Davis did not have the legs.

Am I missing something here?

 

[Publicus]

I did not see the stage. I did listen to the audio from ABC. When the "big" hill came, I was expecting a play-by-play description of what was happening. The commentators gave little other than the peloton had split into three groups. Unless Davis suffered a mechanical or a puncture then I don't see that radios (or teammates) would have made a difference. It's not like he is unfamiliar with the race and needs his DS to tell him when to move to the front. It seems that Davis did not have the legs.

Am I missing something here?

Not to my eyes. He admitted as much that he didn't have the legs to stay with the group. So I guess his complaint is that he was lonely riding in the gruppetto without a teammate?

 

[tenacious1]

If they left the radios on purpose, that even more bush league. I hope they just forgot.

It's their first race of the season. Obviously they have a few things to figure out.

 

[Publicus]

If they left the radios on purpose, that even more bush league. I hope they just forgot.

It's their first race of the season. Obviously they have a few things to figure out.

I think you mean to say if they FORGOT the radios, they are bush league. If they intended not to race with radios, then presumably they have a reason for doing so.

 

[bianchigirl]

The UCI announced a race wide ban on race radios last year - Cat 2s already race without them - however, it got quietly dropped, wonder why

Could it be that someone forgot to bring them from the hotel?

 

[tenacious1]

I think you mean to say if they FORGOT the radios, they are bush league. If they intended not to race with radios, then presumably they have a reason for doing so.

No, I said what I meant. If they are intentionally racing without radios when all the other teams have them, they are giving all the other teams an advantage over them. Surely, they are not that stupid.

 

[tenacious1]

The UCI announced a race wide ban on race radios last year - Cat 2s already race without them - however, it got quietly dropped, wonder why
[/i]?

Per acticles from last September, the ban is being implemented at the ProTour level according to a "calendar" that was to be determined. I haven't seen the calendar yet. I don't know if it's still being negotiated, just hasn't made the news, or if I missed it.

 

[Publicus]

No, I said what I meant. If they are intentionally racing without radios when all the other teams have them, they are giving all the other teams an advantage over them. Surely, they are not that stupid.

All but one of their riders (who wasn't in great shape) made it with the peloton. Not to mention the other riders who finished with Davis who had radios. So I'm not sure what advantage it gave the other riders.

I have no idea why the didn't bring the radios, but if they did so intentionally, then they presumably had a logical (to them) reason for doing so.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Lance stole them, folks. It's pretty clear.

 

[Lifeshape]

Not good news for Davis and the A-team, for sure. Hard to imagine the radios were just forgotten, but it sure made for an interesting result. What would have been even stupider-er (sic) had Radio Shack forgotten theirs!

 

[Anonymous]

I'd assume they forgot them. If they were going to race without them intentionally you'd think the team would know ahead of time and that they would make adjustments and plan for it.

It looks to be team equipment manager error. I guess it's better to get it out of the way now then at a major race.

But that also begs the question, would Astana have screwed up like this if JB's folks were still running the team? Let's hope they don't let that happen again.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Actually, Astana's getting better without JB. This time, they just forgot to bring the radios. Last time, they forgot to bring the yellow jersey wearer from the hotel.

 

[Lifeshape]

Actually, Astana's getting better without JB. This time, they just forgot to bring the radios. Last time, they forgot to bring the yellow jersey wearer from the hotel.

And a "spare" set of TT wheels for Bert!

 

[KazakhNeRider]

I agree with all that it's quite alarming sign, but let's count it as a wake-up call for the whole team and for Contador especially!

It's always better to face all these thing on first races, but be ready for TdF. the team is absolutelt new, a lot of riders and sportdirectors see each other almost the first time, so they have to have this kind of experience!

 

[hfer07]

Actually, Astana's getting better without JB. This time, they just forgot to bring the radios. Last time, they forgot to bring the yellow jersey wearer from the hotel.

LOL 1+
and I prefer to hear they forgot to bring them, rather than bringing the radios and "sabotage/malfunction" them -specially in crucial ITT's during a TDF....