Bahrain - McLaren

[King Boonen]

It's interesting that he'll ride the WC on a bike given to him by the federation without a brand name on it and not with a Merida bike.
Back to the team, nobody seems to know who was actually in charge before Rob arrived, Nibali and his group apparently had some tension with the Slovenian staff members and nobody seems to know what Copeland actually did. The team looks like a mess.

GB used to do that, it's possible that it's part of riding Australia. Are the other riders being given bikes?

 

[Mayomaniac]

GB used to do that, it's possible that it's part of riding Australia. Are the other riders being given bikes?

No idea, but I've heard that Viviani has been thinking about using that option at the Olympics for the Omnium. I would think that the team of the rider has to give them the green light before they can use that option, if it's road cycling.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Bahrain Victorious????

Excuse me while I remove my fingers from the back of my throat.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Bahrain Victorious????

Excuse me while I remove my fingers from the back of my throat.

Carlton Kirby will be having a field year with that.

 

[pastronef]

Paris FC sponsored by Bahrain V.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

It is no less objectionable just because it exists elsewhere, although I would have thought football was in a better position to challenge sponsors than cycling is, and it was probably harder for the UCI to say no once that PSG shirt had been allowed. However, commentators are not expected to constantly recite the sponsorship names on shirts, nor are event organisers and reports committed to constantly repeating them.

This is the slippery slope that started with Israel Start Up Nation: unless they are actually believed to be promoting the book of that title, this is a slogan, not a product or an entity.

What next: Jumbo Top Value Local Supermarket-Visma? Sunweb:The Price Always Includes Ski Passes? Ag2R Citroen Surprisingly Reliable Even Though They Try Too Hard To Look Different Cars?

Commentators/organisers/journalists might be obliged to name products and organisations: they should not be expected to recite reviews or opinions or slogans about them.

 

[Sciatic]

It does get ridiculous. But announcers and fans can find fun acronyms to shorten them. e.g., Century Link Field (football stadium) in Seattle = the CLink.

 

[BlueRoads]

All the more successful teams have their shortforms and nicknames anyway, the Skybots, the Jumblebees, the Steppers - if you're unimportant enough to have your name told in full you shouldn't be proud.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Have you ever come across commentators, results services, race reports etc referring to Jumbots or Steppers? I am talking about official communications being forced into not just naming products or entities, but having to repeat their slogans.

 

[BlueRoads]

Have you ever come across commentators, results services, race reports etc referring to Jumbots or Steppers? I am talking about official communications being forced into not just naming products or entities, but having to repeat their slogans.

I know what you mean, and I am also annoyed. On the other hand I have always found this name-sponsoring thing totally ridiculous. I think I'm still not over Team Milram, which sounds close to Team Pampers to me. The Wohninvest Weserstadion (football stadium in Bremen) kills me. I know, these are not slogans, and with Bahrain or UAE (or even Israel (or Astana)) there is the addition of a country, so not only a commercial but also a political meaning. All in all I can just laugh about these because it's sad and petty and nonetheless part of the sport.

 

[jarvo]

Ellingworth has left the team after 1 year?!? seems a strange one, anyone have any insight as to why? he seemed very keen to be top dog of a team stepping out of the shadows at sky/ineos, or has he left with the McLaren money?

 

[ice&fire]

Ellingworth has left the team after 1 year?!? seems a strange one, anyone have any insight as to why? he seemed very keen to be top dog of a team stepping out of the shadows at sky/ineos, or has he left with the McLaren money?

4th in the Tour, 5th in the Giro, 6th in the Vuelta... and he must have seen an obvious downward trend

 

[Blanco]

Ellingworth has left the team after 1 year?!? seems a strange one, anyone have any insight as to why? he seemed very keen to be top dog of a team stepping out of the shadows at sky/ineos, or has he left with the McLaren money?

Milan Erzen is top dog in that team...