Contador contract has ended, where will he sign next?

[Froome19]

It's funny that people were trusting that dodgy site.

Zam when people are desperate they will look anywhere for even a glimpse of hope.

 

[Fidolix]

Very good news, and 3 years means Riis got the sponsors in place also for this period. Saxo bank wont sign for 3 years ahead, its been their policy for years and I cant see that have changed, unless Contador was the last puzzle for them to do so this time, so my guess is Riis got atleast 1 main sponsor extra besides Saxo bank, and its probably Anfi group.

In theory it means Riis for the next 3 years atleast doubles his budget and finally can build up the team with the riders it deserves so we again can see saxo bank as a main contender in the classics and GT´s.

way to go Riis.

ps: I guess flo will be a very happy fangirl today

 

[Ruudz0r]

Contador confirmed on twitter.

 

[jens_attacks]

good news....best option for alberto

 

[goggalor]

Great news for Riis and Saxo.

 

[jyhjyh]

Great news for cycling

Confirmed on Saxo Bank site:
http://www.team-saxobank.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=3654&lang=uk

 

[Froome19]

good news....best option for alberto

question is whether is was the best option for Riise.
I am not convinced it was..

 

[Publicus]

question is whether is was the best option for Riise.
I am not convinced it was..

And that's because?

 

[jens_attacks]

question is whether is was the best option for Riise.
I am not convinced it was..

he has the best rider in the world in his team.that's the best option you wish

now let's put a strong team around him mr. riis and let's enjoy the centenary tour with some delicious attacks

 

[Machu Picchu]

question is whether is was the best option for Riise.
I am not convinced it was..

Agreed, Contador brings many distractions, can you imagine the phonecalls and emails when he wins tours? not to mention the sponsors knocking on your door!

 

[Froome19]

And that's because?

They may struggle to get a WT license.

It all matters on whether they are able to get Fuglsang/Breschel now yet I dont know if they have the funds available.

 

[Fidolix]

question is whether is was the best option for Riise.
I am not convinced it was..

you probably right, he should have joined SKY instead....

 

[Publicus]

They may struggle to get a WT license.

It all matters on whether they are able to get Fuglsang/Breschel now yet I dont know if they have the funds available.

Fair point--though I'm not sure how many points Fuglsang and Breschel bring to the table. I presume Contador has agreed to a lower base salary (but with lots of bonuses for winning) to allow Riis to go out and acquire those WT points. Also, there is still the very real possibility that Riis merges with another team. He does have a very valuable marketing asset in Contador to bring to the table.

 

[Fidolix]

They may struggle to get a WT license.

It all matters on whether they are able to get Fuglsang/Breschel now yet I dont know if they have the funds available.

If Riis are able to sign Contador for 3 years it means the budget is in place!!
And the reinforcements and nessesary WT points will follow with new contracts.

Its gonna be interesting to watch.

But be sure Riis got it solved now, and AC would never sign a contract for 3 years if there were the slightest chance they wouldnt get the WT license.
I wouldnt be surprised either if Riis already had made deals with riders who got the points already.

Riis said 2 months ago he had a huge puzzle to solve and if it succeeded we would see a new Saxo bank team on the scene... I guess it succeeded.

 

[Froome19]

Fair point--though I'm not sure how many points Fuglsang and Breschel bring to the table. I presume Contador has agreed to a lower base salary (but with lots of bonuses for winning) to allow Riis to go out and acquire those WT points. Also, there is still the very real possibility that Riis merges with another team. He does have a very valuable marketing asset in Contador to bring to the table.

Thing is dont know why Contador would have joined Riise if he did not offer him a very large salary.
Bear in mind that his salary previous to his ban was 5m euros which is way more than any other riders. Even if he doesnt command such a high price on his comeback I still find it hard to believe that with OPQS and their near unlimited budget chasing him, Contador would have accepted a pay cut to stay with Riise, especially considering how much he has been fined. Also riise was not really in a position to bargain with Contador as Contador held all the aces, over where to go etc and therefore it would have been hard for Riise to negotiate a reduced budget.
Breschel had a lean last year so he may not be a great choice but I think Fuglsang has got some nice consistent results like in Suisse and at Ardennes and Vuelta which should give him a reasonable UCI ranking and atm Saxo need all the picking they can get.

 

[Cimber]

If Riis are able to sign Contador for 3 years it means the budget is in place!!
And the reinforcements and nessesary WT points will follow with new contracts.

Its gonna be interesting to watch.

But be sure Riis got it solved now, and AC would never sign a contract for 3 years if there were the slightest chance they wouldnt get the WT license.
I wouldnt be surprised either if Riis already had made deals with riders who got the points already.

Riis said 2 months ago he had a huge puzzle to solve and if it succeeded we would see a new Saxo bank team on the scene... I guess it succeeded.

I must have missed that statement, but could it be Liquigas? They got enough points.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Thing is dont know why Contador would have joined Riise if he did not offer him a very large salary.
Bear in mind that his salary previous to his ban was 5m euros which is way more than any other riders. Even if he doesnt command such a high price on his comeback I still find it hard to believe that with OPQS and their near unlimited budget chasing him, Contador would have accepted a pay cut to stay with Riise, especially considering how much he has been fined. Also riise was not really in a position to bargain with Contador as Contador held all the aces, over where to go etc and therefore it would have been hard for Riise to negotiate a reduced budget.
Breschel had a lean last year so he may not be a great choice but I think Fuglsang has got some nice consistent results like in Suisse and at Ardennes and Vuelta which should give him a reasonable UCI ranking and atm Saxo need all the picking they can get.

... He hasn't been fined...

 

[Publicus]

Thing is dont know why Contador would have joined Riise if he did not offer him a very large salary.
Bear in mind that his salary previous to his ban was 5m euros which is way more than any other riders. Even if he doesnt command such a high price on his comeback I still find it hard to believe that with OPQS and their near unlimited budget chasing him, Contador would have accepted a pay cut to stay with Riise, especially considering how much he has been fined. Also riise was not really in a position to bargain with Contador as Contador held all the aces, over where to go etc and therefore it would have been hard for Riise to negotiate a reduced budget.
Breschel had a lean last year so he may not be a great choice but I think Fuglsang has got some nice consistent results like in Suisse and at Ardennes and Vuelta which should give him a reasonable UCI ranking and atm Saxo need all the picking they can get.

I seem to recall that (a) Specialized was paying a portion of his salary and (b) he hasn't been fined yet (unless I missed it). I think from Alberto's point of view, he's rewarding Riis loyalty and I think he generally likes riding for him. Also on the salary front, I think he (Contador) has to be realistic under the current system. Maybe his base is only 1MM Euros but his variable (bonus) compensation is tied to say winning a GT, for which he receives another 2MM Euros and smaller amounts for other races, national championships, etc. I think Riis and his sponsors can get comfortable with paying him the additional monies if he's winning because it is getting them more marketing bang for their euro (look at what Saxo is getting in marketing euros in his absence).

I think there will be riders available and I hope Riis has the euros to woo them to his team.

 

[DominicDecoco]

We can't do much but speculate. But signing a 3 year deal which is, perhaps not uncommon, but not really the norm lenght of a contract to make, suggests that the future of the team seems pretty certain.

 

[Fidolix]

I must have missed that statement, but could it be Liquigas? They got enough points.

It would be a dream scenaria... and then not!

There are several riders I would love to see ride for Riis and Contador, Caruso, Sagan, Oss, Capecchi, Szmyd, Viviani etc. but on the other hand, I would also hate seeing some of the new Danish talents like Christopher Juul Jensen, Mads Christensen and Jonas Aaen leave the team, but a structual change wouldnt be bad.
To see guys like Szmyd, Caruso, Navarro and majka rip the peloton to pieces in the mountains before AC finish it and destroy everybody who tries to stay in his wheel would be awesome.

Just hopes Riis will provide priority to the classics as much as to the GT´s with the new team.

 

[Cimber]

It would be a dream scenaria... and then not!

There are several riders I would love to see ride for Riis and Contador, Caruso, Sagan, Oss, Capecchi, Szmyd, Viviani etc. but on the other hand, I would also hate seeing some of the new Danish talents like Christopher Juul Jensen, Mads Christensen and Jonas Aaen leave the team, but a structual change wouldnt be bad.
To see guys like Szmyd, Caruso, Navarro and majka rip the peloton to pieces in the mountains before AC finish it and destroy everybody who tries to stay in his wheel would be awesome.

Just hopes Riis will provide priority to the classics as much as to the GT´s with the new team.

Well some room could be made from getting rid of Gustov, Margaliot, Miyazawa, Roberts and Noval is Bertie doesnt object. I am also inclined to believe that the 2 x Haedo bros might be a a thing of the past on Saxo unless JJ starts to win some races this season.

 

[Fidolix]

Well some room could be made from getting rid of Gustov, Margaliot, Miyazawa, Roberts and Noval is Bertie doesnt object. I am also inclined to believe that the 2 x Haedo bros might be a a thing of the past on Saxo unless JJ starts to win some races this season.

Exactly! Agree on all counts.

And to add just one: Nuyens, in my opinion there are better alternatives, more interesting and younger.

 

[El Pistolero]

Exactly! Agree on all counts.

And to add just one: Nuyens, in my opinion there are better alternatives, more interesting and younger.

Yeah ditch the guy that saved Riis last year.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Exactly! Agree on all counts.

And to add just one: Nuyens, in my opinion there are better alternatives, more interesting and younger.

There is. But is there anything better than winning a major race with a rider who were on level with the rats that run around the dumpsters in Lier? I think Riis respects Nick too much, espcially after that win, to not make him some kind of classic cap next year as well. Matti might be back after this season and that could change the situation a bit though, I guess.

 

[The Hitch]

So there is a chance Contador wont be at the Tour next year, since saxo are unlikely to make wt?