General News Thread

[MatParker117]

It's Samsung (Trek and MTN) by a mile.

 

[TMP402]

Is it confirmed as a headline sponsor though? Team Dimension Data-Deloitte is a tongue-twister. Of headline sponsors it must be Sky at the moment, but I'm sure US Postal and some car manufacturers back in the day were up there too.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Never heard of Deloitte before, so they can't be that big.

 

[BeagRigh]

Re:

Never heard of Deloitte before, so they can't be that big.

£2.6 billion turnover big....

 

[TommyPlus]

Re: Re:

Never heard of Deloitte before, so they can't be that big.

£2.6 billion turnover big....

Guess again. Deloitte is a gigantic company.
1/4m employees and turnover of around $35b

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

Never heard of Deloitte before, so they can't be that big.

Enormously big. One of the top 4 professional services companies in the world. Bigger than 21st Century Fox.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Deloitte is bigger than Us Postal or 21st Century Fox.

Gazprom is ofcourse bigger but can't really think of anyone else

Astana is sponsored by Samruk-Kaznya, who hold assets of $78 billion. Samsung also bigger, as mentioned.

 

[Velolover2]

Why are so many top riders including elite climbers going to Abu Dhabi Tour? A race so late in the season, long away from home in the middle of the desert, where most of riders would rather have holiday with friends and family. A newly started, non-prestigious race with 3 pancake flat stages and one with a MTF so shallow that the likes of Sagan and Matthews might be able to win the stage.

What are Aru, Nibali, Valverde, Purito, Porte, Costa, Chaves and the rest of these guys thinking? Sheik Money?

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

Why are so many top riders including elite climbers going to Abu Dhabi Tour? A race so late in the season, long away from home in the middle of the desert, where most of riders would rather have holiday with friends and family. A newly started, non-prestigious race with 3 pancake flat stages and one with a MTF so shallow that the likes of Sagan and Matthews might be able to win the stage.

What are Aru, Nibali, Valverde, Purito, Porte, Costa, Chaves and the rest of these guys thinking? Sheik Money?

Yes and apparently RCS will share part the revenue with the teams, that's the reason why they're sending big names.
source: http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/09/news/top-riders-guaranteed-for-abu-dhabi-tour_384202
The even have an uphill finish.

 

[jens_attacks]

It's not about the rcs money, the big riders got startung fees from the rich arabs there.

And that climb is not shallow lol, it's a 7% climb, only for pure climbers
I approve this race.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

It's not about the rcs money, the big riders got startung fees from the rich arabs there.

And that climb is not shallow lol, it's a 7% climb, only for pure climbers
I approve this race.

I approve the climb, not so much the other 3,75 flat stages!

 

[Velolover2]

I honestly don't think we will see much action on that climb. None of the climbers will be motived. A guy like Valverde must be tired as fawk.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I honestly don't think we will see much action on that climb. None of the climbers will be motived. A guy like Valverde must be tired as fawk.

A average of 7-8% on a 10 kilometer climb this late in the season is pretty deadly and will create huge time gaps considering some people are in shape and some absolutely aren't. Just watch an Lombardia today what Madonna + Muro did 50 k out.

 

[BeagRigh]

Re: Re:

Never heard of Deloitte before, so they can't be that big.

£2.6 billion turnover big....

Guess again. Deloitte is a gigantic company.
1/4m employees and turnover of around $35b

Wasn't actuallu a guess but you are correct they are much bigger I was just looking at Deloitte LLP, the UK arm

 

[mspgrandi]

Re:

I honestly don't think we will see much action on that climb. None of the climbers will be motived. A guy like Valverde must be tired as fawk.

IT is an end of season kermesse, who cares if there is no action. (actually there is more action in these stages when unkown riders are trying ot buy themself a contract than others)

and the road is probably the most beautiful road in the world (ok it takes nowhere)... google it

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Why are so many top riders including elite climbers going to Abu Dhabi Tour? A race so late in the season, long away from home in the middle of the desert, where most of riders would rather have holiday with friends and family. A newly started, non-prestigious race with 3 pancake flat stages and one with a MTF so shallow that the likes of Sagan and Matthews might be able to win the stage.

What are Aru, Nibali, Valverde, Purito, Porte, Costa, Chaves and the rest of these guys thinking? Sheik Money?

Most of them not going.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Why are so many top riders including elite climbers going to Abu Dhabi Tour? A race so late in the season, long away from home in the middle of the desert, where most of riders would rather have holiday with friends and family. A newly started, non-prestigious race with 3 pancake flat stages and one with a MTF so shallow that the likes of Sagan and Matthews might be able to win the stage.

What are Aru, Nibali, Valverde, Purito, Porte, Costa, Chaves and the rest of these guys thinking? Sheik Money?

Most of them not going.

It's a fairly decent MTF is raced hard though, something like 10k @ 7%.

 

[LaFlorecita]

UCI has published a list of teams applying for WT and PCT licenses
http://www.uci.ch/pressreleases/206-team-registration-process/

Teams applying for registration as a UCI WorldTeam (1st division):

AG2R LA MONDIALE
ASTANA PRO TEAM
BMC RACING TEAM
FDJ
IAM CYCLING
MOVISTAR TEAM
ORICA GreenEDGE
TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN
TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO
TEAM SKY
TREK FACTORY RACING
CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING TEAM
ETIXX – QUICK STEP
LAMPRE – MERIDA
LOTTO SOUDAL
TEAM KATUSHA
TINKOFF
Teams applying for registration as a UCI Professional Continental Team (2nd division):

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI
BARDIANI CSF
BORA – ARGON 18
CAJA RURAL – SEGUROS RGA
CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE
COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS
CULT ENERGY – STÖLTING GROUP
DELKO MARSEILLE PROVENCE KTM
DIRECT ENERGIE
DIMENSION DATA
FORTUNEO – VITAL CONCEPT
NIPPO – VINI FANTINI
ROOMPOT ORANJE PELOTON
ROTH – SKODA
RUSVELO
TEAM NOVO NORDISK
TEAM THARCOR
TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE
UNITEDHEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT

A few points: Saxo is out, Dimension Data is applying for PCT, not WT, Colombia is missing, Marseille and Roth-Skoda are stepping up to ProConti

 

[Velolover2]

I like how the former Saxo team is just named "TINKOFF". The team is now a full realization of Oleg's ego.

 

[Vesica]

No Garmin anymore, just Cannondale..

Surprisingly no WT appliance for Dimension Data.

 

[Billie]

JV loses sponsors quicker than he loses good riders

 

[LaFlorecita]

Danish Sports Federation is suing the organizer of the Aalborg criterium for matchfixing, cause he offered money to teams to ensure that Contador would take the victory - which didn't happen in the end cause the Danish Cycling Federation got involved. It's a mess!
Source: feltet.dk / lukascph on twitter

 

[roundabout]

And I thought that the Onion was the source.

 

[staubsauger]

Team Tharcor is supposed to be Southeast!?

 

[TMP402]

No ONE Pro Cycling! Poor Steele von Hoff.