Euskaltel Issues - where will they go?

[Moose McKnuckles]

Sammy could ride with Contador after 2012. That raises some serious $$$ issues. I think Saxo will need additional funding. What about the other riders like Nieve? Anton?

 

[The Hitch]

Sammy could ride with Contador after 2012. That raises some serious $$$ issues. I think Saxo will need additional funding. What about the other riders like Nieve? Anton?

Euskaltel can survive on Anton and Nieve, and maybe on Landa in the future, but my heart would cry a little if Samuel Sanchez left.

 

[greatking88]

Really hope Euskaltel can find the money to survive, or another Basque sponsor. It would be terrible to lose Euskaltel from the peloton. Would be amazing to see Samu ride with Contador, but I still hope Samu stays with Euskaltel for the rest of his career, he's there figurehead

 

[uphillstruggle]

Euskaltel can survive on Anton and Nieve, and maybe on Landa in the future, but my heart would cry a little if Samuel Sanchez left.

In a pro conti capacity sure but no way they would make pro tour without samu.

 

[luckyboy]

The last few places for this year are being contested between 1t4i, Europcar, GreenEdge and FDJ. If any of them are good enough then Euskaltel certainly are, even without Sanchez.

 

[craig1985]

I'm confident that Euskaltel will still sponsor the team. TBH I don't think it will make difference if they do drop down to Pro Continental level, they are still good enough to get a WC for the Tour, Vuelta, Pays Basque etc., but don't have to races like Ghent Wevelgem, RVV, TDU, Beijing, the two races in Canada, which either don't suit them or put a big strain on their resources since they always have such a smaller squad.

 

[Anonymous]

I think they would be better of as a pro conti team. They would get plenty of invites, could ride all the spanish races, and as craig says wouldnt have to waste their time in beijing.

 

[Havetts]

If Beijing was a reason to become Pro Continental then only Cancellara's & Tony Martin's team would like to stay World Tour

But I seriously hope Euskaltel don't quit this year, if at all. The Carrots may NOT disappear.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Euskaltel will probably keep some money in, they're likely angling for somebody else to pick up the slack, somebody like Iberdrola, Naturgas Energia (they actually have connections to Fundación Euskadi too) or even Petronor (though I suspect they get all the exposure they need from Athletic) to help them out.

If they did break up, well, Movistar are Mikel Nieve's local team, since he's from Leitza.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I'm confident that Euskaltel will still sponsor the team. TBH I don't think it will make difference if they do drop down to Pro Continental level, they are still good enough to get a WC for the Tour, Vuelta, Pays Basque etc., but don't have to races like Ghent Wevelgem, RVV, TDU, Beijing, the two races in Canada, which either don't suit them or put a big strain on their resources since they always have such a smaller squad.

i agree. WT is not a necessity for euskatel imo.
Likely it would lessen the workload in races they have no business being in and then probably performing better in races they do wish to ride.

 

[Parrulo]

am i the only 1 that thinks that the only problem here is the WT itself? *hint: i am being rhetorical i know every1 thinks this way*

can we please go back to the good'ol days when the organizers had the teams they wanted and the teams that wanted to be there, in their own races?. . .

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Euskaltel will probably keep some money in, they're likely angling for somebody else to pick up the slack, somebody like Iberdrola, Naturgas Energia (they actually have connections to Fundación Euskadi too) or even Petronor (though I suspect they get all the exposure they need from Athletic) to help them out.

If they did break up, well, Movistar are Mikel Nieve's local team, since he's from Leitza.

Good info. Movistar has enough firepower though, especially with Valverde on board.

I would be really sad to see the carrots leave the peloton, though I do think they may downgrade to Pro Conti. They have no reason to ride most of the classics.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

am i the only 1 that thinks that the only problem here is the WT itself? *hint: i am being rhetorical i know every1 thinks this way*

can we please go back to the good'ol days when the organizers had the teams they wanted and the teams that wanted to be there, in their own races?. . .

Preaching to the choir. I think the current arrangement is ridiculous.

Why is EE riding P-R? Flanders? They have to spend beacoup $$$ for virtually no reason. They're not seen, they're not contending. Why not have the ability to focus on other races that can grow?

 

[craig1985]

I think the best placed EE ride at Roubaix came in over 17 minutes down (and still in the time cut), mind you he was the only one to finish the race. Good work Pat.

 

[ElChingon]

Well Riis says he has no money for a high end climber for Contador, so there should be plenty of climbers he could pinch off the un-employment line if EE goes bust. Minimum wage would be better than sitting it out?

GreenEDGE & 1t4i should have some spots for a few of them.

 

[boardhanger]

I believe E.E has failed to adapt to the current UCI global calendar. Fact. They've showed no interest towards the early spring classics.....focused soley on GrandTours and hilly races in Spain. There is an attitude towards developing 'Basque' riders 'only' up untill recently....None of these 'ideals' have helped the teams cause. Cycling is now an international brand either grow with it, or stay stagnent and put your energies into a niche (advertising) market. This is what E.E has always done more or less.

 

[ramjambunath]

I believe E.E has failed to adapt to the current UCI global calendar. Fact. They've showed no interest towards the early spring classics.....focused soley on GrandTours and hilly races in Spain. There is an attitude towards developing 'Basque' riders 'only' up untill recently....None of these 'ideals' have helped the teams cause. Cycling is now an international brand either grow with it, or stay stagnent and put your energies into a niche (advertising) market. This is what E.E has always done more or less.

To be fair, Euskaltel wouldn't be a great team without their Basque identity and definitely would lose lots of sponsorship value and essentially the team's identity if the drop their Basque-ness (similar to Athletic Bilbao).

 

[boardhanger]

To be fair, Euskaltel wouldn't be a great team without their Basque identity and definitely would lose lots of sponsorship value and essentially the team's identity if the drop their Basque-ness (similar to Athletic Bilbao).

Understanable, however that's my point. You cannot compete internationaly, consistently if you adhere to these aspects of team idealogy within a sport that is based on commercialism. I admire the team, but I guess wrong palce wrong time comes to mind......

 

[hfer07]

I believe E.E has failed to adapt to the current UCI global calendar. Fact. They've showed no interest towards the early spring classics.....focused soley on GrandTours and hilly races in Spain. There is an attitude towards developing 'Basque' riders 'only' up untill recently....None of these 'ideals' have helped the teams cause. Cycling is now an international brand either grow with it, or stay stagnent and put your energies into a niche (advertising) market. This is what E.E has always done more or less.

I respectfully disagree-there is no indication of lacking world status because of the absence of riders "suitable" to be competitive in the classics-they're happy to concede the spot to any team interested in participating in those races - they're "forced" to do so by the Pat's "World Tour travesty"-but it does not mean they're not worthy of their current status. I actually support their effort & hope many teams will be created by local & national pride with their respective financial backing-as Sky is to English cycling, Movistar to Spain, OPL-QS is to Belgium & so on--
so basically the core of E-E current issues aren't about "international" diversity within the team- its all about the almighty money & how to continue the sponsorship during tough economical times where the backers are looking to save/cut expenses as much as possible......

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I respectfully disagree-there is no indication of lacking world status because of the absence of riders "suitable" to be competitive in the classics-they're happy to concede the spot to any team interested in participating in those races - they're "forced" to do so by the Pat's "World Tour travesty"-but it does not mean they're not worthy of their current status. I actually support their effort & hope many teams will be created by local & national pride with their respective financial backing-as Sky is to English cycling, Movistar to Spain, OPL-QS is to Belgium & so on--
so basically the core of E-E current issues aren't about "international" diversity within the team- its all about the almighty money & how to continue the sponsorship during tough economical times where the backers are looking to save/cut expenses as much as possible......

ACtuallY I personally believe WT should only be for teams that are capable of competing on all terrains. This of course would lead to a reduction in WT teams (something like 10 would be ideal), but at least appropiate teams would be racing appropiate races.

That being said, teh WT is ridicuilious on so many levels, so euskatel, a likeable team does not displease me having WT status other then in cobbled races and such. A flaw in the WT forsure. However I really think they would be better off pro-conti.

 

[SiAp1984]

I hope they survive. I really like that team.

 

[Arnout]

It is reported that a WT ticket for 2012 is a near certainty.

But after that, we will see. Remember that I've heard those talks about not enough sponsorship for years now, it was the same story at the end of 2009.

I think the saddest thing when they leave the sport is not the Pro Team, but the whole Fundacion. As we know the Basque region is in love with cycling and with the current set up of amateur team, continental team and Pro team there is a lot of incentive to take up cycling, the infrastructure is there. If all that folds, it will be a major blow...

 

[craig1985]

There was an article in Pro Cycling Magazine a few months back and they interviewed a few people (journalists IIRC) and the collective view that there is no chance in hell that EE will ever fold as it will bevery bad PR for politicians. I'll try and find the article as that is all that I can remember.

Interestingly enough Juan Manuel Gárate (who is from Irun) was offered the chance to ride for EE and he refused and is actually opposed to the whole concept of hiring Basques-only.

 

[Angliru]

I believe E.E has failed to adapt to the current UCI global calendar. Fact. They've showed no interest towards the early spring classics.....focused soley on GrandTours and hilly races in Spain. There is an attitude towards developing 'Basque' riders 'only' up untill recently....None of these 'ideals' have helped the teams cause. Cycling is now an international brand either grow with it, or stay stagnent and put your energies into a niche (advertising) market. This is what E.E has always done more or less.

They've had Mayo, Anton and Sanchez contending in the hilly classics in the past so to be accurate the assessment of their focus being only on Grand Tours and hilly races in Spain doesn't apply. Also as has been stated prior, I doubt that their focus on their own region is a detriment considering the broad support they've been given over the years. It's simply the sign of the times and state of the world's struggling economies.

 

[Angliru]

There was an article in Pro Cycling Magazine a few months back and they interviewed a few people (journalists IIRC) and the collective view that there is no chance in hell that EE will ever fold as it will bevery bad PR for politicians. I'll try and find the article as that is all that I can remember.

Interestingly enough Juan Manuel Gárate (who is from Irun) was offered the chance to ride for EE and he refused and is actually opposed to the whole concept of hiring Basques-only.

I read the same article. I was little surprised by his comments though but then he's a Basque rider with a fairly lengthy career of which only one has been spent on a Spanish team (2005/Saunier Duval-Prodir).