cyclingPRpro said:
You're right Joe... But if the rider and organization both agree to the move, why do you care? There were several riders left out because of the merger, at least he still has a saddle and a salary. And Slipstream Sports is Slipstream Sports... all the same organization. In this case.
Well, I know the answer but I was hoping that at least a few other people would be interested and would start asking questions [not of me, but of the people who should be reporting on this] if they thought the matter merited further inquiry. Because, and really think about your answer, if you had a rock-solid two year contract with a ProTour team and a shot that you'd probably not get again if you were demoted (based on anecdotal evidence of under-performing or sick/injured first-year riders), and you knew the value of your contract was in the range of the UCI minimum, why would you agree to give up everything you'd worked so hard for to return to a level at which you'd already progressed through, when (again), anecdotal evidence doesn't support the likelihood of getting "called-up" again to "the show"?
(Regardless of who channels the money into their operating budgets, being on the Continental team is not the same as being on the ProTour team, Slipstream Sports-check-signing be damned.)