Contador leaving Astana

[erader]

Gee, Contador dumps Astana as soon as the Tour is over.
Who could have seen that one coming?

But what about all those Happy Pictures of Alberto and his team at lunch and at coffee breaks? That is what Alberto likes. Alberto does not like change. Why change the winning formula?
Martinelli and Vino must be heart broken.....

Alberto dumps Astana right after the Tour taking a large chunk of the team along. What a shocker.

at least he had the professionalism not to do it during the TDF and i'll bet he attended the astana festivities after the TDF.

erader

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

A poor little cyclist from Pinto "drops" huge multibillion dollar corporations.

Oh goodness me. Will the drama never cease.

I know it's sticking in people's craw that Contador has shown Lance the door and has shut it behind him, but let's have a little perspective, shall we?

 

[outrage9]

A poor little cyclist from Pinto "drops" huge multibillion dollar corporations.

Oh goodness me. Will the drama never cease.

I know it's sticking in people's craw that Contador has shown Lance the door and has shut it behind him, but let's have a little perspective, shall we?

Dude you are hilarious.

 

[Ryaguas]

So... Contador and

Dani Navarro
Jesus Hernandez
Benjamin Noval
David de la Fuente
Faustinho (One of the best Mechanics in the PT teams)

are on the move and what about Martinelli? Could he go with AC to Riis' team? If Contador is smart he will not let Riis be his DS hahaha

 

[outrage9]

Astana gutted again, back to back years. Might be nice to see a clean Vino in the hunt next year, that might actually make things exciting. I don't think he could win but he could at least make it a 3 way in the mountains and add a little excitement.

 

[Cerberus]

Astana gutted again, back to back years. Might be nice to see a clean Vino in the hunt next year, that might actually make things exciting. I don't think he could win but he could at least make it a 3 way in the mountains and add a little excitement.

Vino competing with Contador and Schleck? Clean?

 

[outrage9]

Astana gutted again, back to back years. Might be nice to see a "clean" Vino in the hunt next year, that might actually make things exciting. I don't think he could win but he could at least make it a 3 way in the mountains and add a little excitement.

Oops, forgot the quotes. But I'm not certain he would be stupid enough to do it again, even when he's on the way out. He's saved face once already and can extend his lifespan further in a director roll. A second positive will put him fishing in Switzerland with Jan.

 

[jobiwan]

Vino competing with Contador and Schleck? Clean?

I must agree. A competitive, clean Vino is good for cycling, but I can't see him staying with Contador and two Schlecks on L'Alpe d'Huez. However, you can always pencil him in for a stage win or two. He knows when to attack.

 

[outrage9]

I must agree. A competitive, clean Vino is good for cycling, but I can't see him staying with Contador and two Schlecks on L'Alpe d'Huez. However, you can always pencil him in for a stage win or two. He knows when to attack.

No but I could see him attacking while the two of them are playing trackstand with each other.

 

[CatsNK]

Astana gutted again, back to back years. Might be nice to see a clean Vino in the hunt next year, that might actually make things exciting. I don't think he could win but he could at least make it a 3 way in the mountains and add a little excitement.

Vino will be 37 next year, right? It's hard to imagine him competing successfully against the kids. That said, maybe if the big names stay away from the Giro again he can have a good showing there.

I feel badly for Vino. As others have said, he was certainly in service to Contador this TdF. Now I wonder what would have happened if he'd ridden the race for himself. At his age he doesn't have time for too many more "what if's".

 

[Publicus]

Astana gutted again, back to back years. Might be nice to see a clean Vino in the hunt next year, that might actually make things exciting. I don't think he could win but he could at least make it a 3 way in the mountains and add a little excitement.

I don't know that Astana has truly been gutted. They still have Tiralongo, Iglinsky, Grivko, Jufre and Vino. If they pick up a decent GC candidate (and I think Astana would be a nice fit for Menchov over Katusha), then I think they will be a force to reckon with over the next year.

Frankly, I think AC needs to find another top rider for whatever team he joins. His salary demands may make that impossible or impracticable. I guess we will have to wait until September 5th to find out.

 

[Denkoff]

Vino say that he retire !!! YEAH GOOD NEWS

 

[Squares]

he was certainly in service to Contador this TdF.

Yes, he rode himself inside out on those transition stages between the Alps and Pyrenese, to get his own stage win.

Then when Schleck attaced on Tourmalet, Vino was there to make sure that if AC faltered he could pace him back to AS.

Yep, Vino did huge work for AC, or maybe not.

In my eyes, Vino did offer some help but was mostly out for himself to get a stage win this year. Vino was pi**ed when AC attacked on the Jalabert climb to take it from him and so he burned so many matches the following day to get it even if it meant that AC lost the Tour on subsequent stages.

 

[python]

Vino will be 37 next year, right? It's hard to imagine him competing successfully against the kids. That said, maybe if the big names stay away from the Giro again he can have a good showing there.

I feel badly for Vino. As others have said, he was certainly in service to Contador this TdF. Now I wonder what would have happened if he'd ridden the race for himself. At his age he doesn't have time for too many more "what if's".

vino answered it at astanafans.com

'i would have come in top 5 at best this year'.

 

[Ryaguas]

I think AC needs to find another top rider for whatever team he joins.

I would love to see Contador and Kreuziger together! Kreuziger has a lot of talent (despite DT and other ppl in this forum says about him) and with AC he will learn from the best! OFC maybe is just me dreaming

 

[Boeing]

Game over. Andy will never win now

 

[Cerberus]

Oops, forgot the quotes. But I'm not certain he would be stupid enough to do it again, even when he's on the way out. He's saved face once already and can extend his lifespan further in a director roll. A second positive will put him fishing in Switzerland with Jan.

OK, the quote marks make it much more reasonable, I don't think Vino is a podium contender at his age though, not matter how "clean" he is. Age takes his toll and IMO he was always only just podium material, even at his best. He's very exciting, and very good, but not quite competitive with the absolute best in the GC.

 

[theswordsman]

Exclusive Contador, who earlier announced he was leaving the Astana team, will join Bjarne Riis. The Saxo Bank renamed Siemens Spangard

http://www.lesoir.be/

Spangard=Sungard?

 

[Publicus]

http://www.lesoir.be/

Spangard=Sungard?

Siemens? Well we know they have some money.

 

[Cerberus]

http://www.lesoir.be/

Spangard=Sungard?

I don't think regurgitating what other have been saying for a week counts as an exclusive*.





*Directed at Lesoir, not you.

 

[python]

http://www.lesoir.be/

Spangard=Sungard?

it also said menchov *could* be replacing berto.

 

[Ryaguas]

mmmm I want to see Siemens - Sungard team for the next year... AC, his spanish mountain goats and who else???

Menchov and Vino in Astana??? That sounds really nice to me =D

 

[scribe]

mmmm I want to see Siemens - Sungard team for the next year... AC, his spanish mountain goats and who else???

Menchov and Vino in Astana??? That sounds really nice to me =D

I could actually get into that combination.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Menchov and Vino sounds like a recipe for 'odd couple' style comedy, with the stoic man-machine, and the over-emotive, gung-ho attacker.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I hope then menchov changes his way of racing because at rabo he's become a coward rider