Fernando Alonso buys Euskaltel's license

[Race Radio]

http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/deportes/fernando-alonso-compra-euskaltel-2619778

Will start new team. His good friend Samuel Sánchez will stay

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/deportes/fernando-alonso-compra-euskaltel-2619778

Will start new team. His good friend Samuel Sánchez will stay

That's awesome. Will they still ride in orange??

 

[Race Radio]

That's awesome. Will they still ride in orange??

Doubt it. The new team will be based in Asturias and will focus on riders from that region

 

[Hakkapelit]

Which Euskaltel riders have already found a new team?

 

[hrotha]

Doubt it. The new team will be based in Asturias and will focus on riders from that region

"Focus" might be too big a word. There's Samu, Dani Navarro, and... uh, well, Santi Pérez I suppose, if they want to be hilarious. And Noval if he doesn't retire. And, huh, Barredo? Hmm.

 

[roundabout]

Chechu to unretire.

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

Doubt it. The new team will be based in Asturias and will focus on riders from that region

He seems to have a bit of passion for the sport. I'm sure I've read before that he is friendly with others in the Spanish contingent

 

[Fuji_EE]

Which Euskaltel riders have already found a new team?

None, only Chaoufi left in the middle of August and is going to Sky Dive Dubai, but I guess we really doesn't count.

Anton was rumoured to OPQS or Lampre, Nieve and Landa to Astana and the Izagirres to Movistar but nothing was confirmed.

The fourteen under contract are Samuel Sánchez; Mikel Nieve; Igor Antón; Mikel Landa; Ion Izagirre; Romain Sicard; Egoi Martínez; Gorka Verdugo; Juanjo Lobato; Garikoitz Bravo; Jon Aberasturi; Pello Bilbao; Rubén Pérez y Miguel Mínguez.

 

[jens_attacks]

"Focus" might be too big a word. There's Samu, Dani Navarro, and... uh, well, Santi Pérez I suppose, if they want to be hilarious. And Noval if he doesn't retire. And, huh, Barredo? Hmm.

yes santi perez. the big awaited duel between him and froomey might take place after all. make it happen alonso!

poor barredo too...might teach that guy rui costa a lesson

 

[jens_attacks]

who do you think will be the director by the way? manolo saiz himself?

 

[Liquigas]

Wow Great news.

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

The plan is to build the team around Sammy Sanchez. He seems to be coasting towards retirement though...

 

[hrotha]

who do you think will be the director by the way? manolo saiz himself?

Why the hell would you think that, other than your pharmacological fetish? This is, basically, Samu's team. Igor is staying.

 

[jens_attacks]

Why the hell would you think that, other than your pharmacological fetish? This is, basically, Samu's team. Igor is staying.

what a fail then, too bad for them

 

[Broth3r]

It'll be probably just as much Samu's team as Radioshack was Lance's: maybe another year as poster boy and team leader (if that), then he'll fade away.

 

[Euskaltel!]

Let's just hope this is a long term thing, as Samu is not exactly a spring chicken.

 

[roundabout]

They'll sign Contador in 2016.

 

[Netserk]

They'll sign Contador in 2016.

So it'll be a retirement team?

 

[brilleaben]

They'll only do races with steep walls and mountain TT's, since Samu can only perform on those nowadays.

 

[LaFlorecita]

H.E.R.O.

Yayyy

 

[roundabout]

So it'll be a retirement team?

It is a rolling retirement home for Samu as things stand

I don't know what the long-term plans would be, but why not signing Contador if they are ambitious.

 

[Aguirre]

WOW, just WOW

shocking news this morning here in the basque/spanish press. It's well know Alonso likes cycling a lot, he is able even of riding 100 km or more at high speed... but buying a team?


questions are now:

-will euskaltel be a co-sponsor in the new estructure. If yes. Orange color will be still there

- in case euskaltel retires completely, what the new sponsors will be? Banco Santander? in case the bank makes its entrie this will make mr. Oleg just an amateur...

- how many riders will continue? how many asturians? asturian flag will replece the basque flag? the team will need UCI points which means more foreign riders to be signed?

- will Barredo, Chechu, Santi perez come back?

-orbea to be replaced by MMR, asturian based company linked to Fernando Alonso, chechu, etc

 

[spalco]

Wow Great news.

Good news, but not great imo. Great would have been the team keeping their basque identity.

 

[hrotha]

Good news, but not great imo. Great would have been the team keeping their basque identity.

That ship sailed a year ago.

 

[alexcta]

I think that Santander Bank could be the sponsor of the team