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Contador offered $12M/year

What are the odds that they will actually pay Contador that money? Given that they could not even pay the support staff this year, I find it doubtful. But....if they pay Contador the money up front, I say Contador take the cash and relax the rest of his life.
 
Jul 18, 2009
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Wow. You can't help thinking they should use some of that to buy him top quality support.

The Potassium export trade is obviosly booming (I learn all my geography from Borat!)
 
Sep 25, 2009
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this is a repeat of an earlier rumour.
proskurin already denied it. there are too many inconsistencies in the offer to be credible. the chief being the new title sponsor's commitment to the uci was only 3 years. another - it would overshadow the kcf goal of "domesticating" astana. in 11 days the latest we should know.
 
python said:
this is a repeat of an earlier rumour.
proskurin already denied it. there are too many inconsistencies in the offer to be credible. the chief being the new title sponsor's commitment to the uci was only 3 years. another - it would overshadow the kcf goal of "domesticating" astana. in 11 days the latest we should know.

Don't know, Fran is apparently confirming that Astana is putting big dollars on the table:

The Belgian newspaper Het Nieusblad has reported that Astana has offered Contador a gigantic contract worth 8 million euros per year, but with the condition that Contador sign for four years with the troubled Kazakh team.

Contador’s brother, Fran, who acts as the Tour winner’s agent, confirmed that Astana is proposing a huge economic offer that might be too big to turn down.

http://www.velonews.com/article/99942/contador-rumored-to-have-big-deal-with-astana

A lot of paper (money). If I'm Alberto, this is a tough call. Still don't like that they aren't willing to bring on more riders, but it is what it is at this point. Definite should have a buy out clause and a get out of dodge card if there is a doping case.
 
Aug 3, 2009
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The contract unofficially stipulates that Contador must work for Vino at the tour, that is why it is so huge. It is essentially a pay-off. The Russian mafia is likely funding much of it.
 
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Anonymous

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greedy moneygrabbing **** is all i can say...

nobody needs 8m a year.. thats gonna be a nice boost for the UCI coffers when he fails a doping test..
 
Mar 11, 2009
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dimspace said:
greedy moneygrabbing **** is all i can say...

It's an offer, not a request.

And if you can get 8 million, you would be dumb to ride for anything less.
Nobody NEEDS 8 million a year, you are right about that. Do we really need a TV? Still got one.
Get what you can while it's there, that's my motto.
 
May 13, 2009
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dimspace said:
greedy moneygrabbing **** is all i can say...

nobody needs 8m a year.. thats gonna be a nice boost for the UCI coffers when he fails a doping test..

So it's all part of framing Bertie? He signs for 8M, gets busted for doping and has to pay one year's worth of salary to the UCI as fine? Hm, who could cook up such a scheme, I wonder?? Someone with a grudge??? ;) ;) (wink wink, nudge nudge)
 
Mar 11, 2009
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Cobblestones said:
So it's all part of framing Bertie? He signs for 8M, gets busted for doping and has to pay one year's worth of salary to the UCI as fine? Hm, who could cook up such a scheme, I wonder?? Someone with a grudge??? ;) ;) (wink wink, nudge nudge)

It's as easy as rigging a poll:

johanbruyneel: I have my thoughts on this, but it's really up to you to decide -http://bit.ly/17kZbF

2009 TEAM ASTANA FAN AWARDS

Which rider was the MOST VALUABLE RIDER (MVP) in 2009?
Lance Armstrong
44%220
Alberto Contador
30%148
Andreas Kloden
11%54
Levi Leipheimer
15%
 
ak-zaaf said:
It's as easy as rigging a poll:

johanbruyneel: I have my thoughts on this, but it's really up to you to decide -http://bit.ly/17kZbF

2009 TEAM ASTANA FAN AWARDS

Which rider was the MOST VALUABLE RIDER (MVP) in 2009?
Lance Armstrong
44%220
Alberto Contador
30%148
Andreas Kloden
11%54
Levi Leipheimer
15%

Something is very wrong with any individual noting Lance as the most valuable Astana rider. Very wrong. Even a hater should be able to make that call relatively easy.
 
Mar 11, 2009
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Publicus said:
Something is very wrong with any individual noting Lance as the most valuable Astana rider. Very wrong. Even a hater should be able to make that call relatively easy.

Oh, it gets worse.


2009 TEAM ASTANA FAN AWARDS

What was the MOST IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE in 2009?
Alberto Contador's Tour de France win
27%77
Levi Leipheimer's third straight Tour of California title
7%21
Lance Armstrong's third place at the Tour de France
51%147
Team Astana's winning the Tour de France Team Classification
13%38
Andrey Zeits in his first Grand Tour (Giro d'Italia)
1%
 
A

Anonymous

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Publicus said:
Are you telling me if someone offered you 8MM euros per year to do your current job, you would turn it down?

Id do as little as possible for that year and then id find a way to weasel my way out of the contract to be honest, and spend the next 40 years riding my bike and sitting in the sun...

but thats just me.,.
 
Mar 11, 2009
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dimspace said:
Id do as little as possible for that year and then id find a way to weasel my way out of the contract to be honest, and spend the next 40 years riding my bike and sitting in the sun...

I think that's about exactly what Contador is going to do. You two are so much alike :D
 
Jul 11, 2009
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ak-zaaf said:
It's an offer, not a request.

And if you can get 8 million, you would be dumb to ride for anything less.
Nobody NEEDS 8 million a year, you are right about that. Do we really need a TV? Still got one.
Get what you can while it's there, that's my motto.

Contador just has to ensure that his poison pills (not one doping test or he's gone and no Vino at the TdF) are in his counteroffer. The UCI has already said he and others under contract are free to leave. If Astana truly believed they still have a legitimate right to him, they would not even be negotiating. The face of Contador's original offer is so outrageous that it can only be a tactic to ensure he can walk away from Astana without any repercussions. He is worth any amount that Astana has to offer him, but he should not take it. This team is not worth anything. The 2007 TdF was theirs to take and they screwed that up. Then they screwed up the greatest tour team of all time. Of all time. Now they just sat down for a game of chicken and blinked.
 
Apr 2, 2009
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dimspace said:
Id do as little as possible for that year and then id find a way to weasel my way out of the contract to be honest, and spend the next 40 years riding my bike and sitting in the sun...

but thats just me.,.

Damn that sounds like something I would like to do for the rest of my life......:D
 
May 11, 2009
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Many top riders receive more income from advertising, speaking engagements and post-tour race appearance money than they do from salary - that is why they look for a winning support team.