Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[jobiwan]

Not to go very critical-but is this move happens-which appears it will -It only demonstrates the Schleck Bros lack of self character to guide their own careers-because they thought they had escaped from a tough DS like Riis, just to end up worse than ever, by being the puppets of LA & The Hog-they might get them to win the Tour, but they're becoming their slaves, not only sporting wise but life-style wise, so they can be squeezed to the last drop of their fame to convert it into money here in the US-and when is done & they revel & decide to go elsewhere- they'll be thrown out like they other have-with a positive or empty handed without a team.....

One thing for sure Is that Cancellara won't be around to be part of it, since he well knows that LA & Bruyneel don't give a fvck about the classics & they only send a team to "comply" with the Pro-Tour calender.....

Seems, unfortunately, like a true analysis. I still hold out hope that this doesn't happen.

 

[thehog]

What exactly are the challenges against some sort of merger?

Vis a vis Trek and Johan, I'm not following. If Trek wants this to be successful, doesn't it make sense they'd want to bring in the DS with whom they've had the most success? Especially if that's what Armstrong wants them to do? (As an aside, is Armstrong an investor in Trek?)

The reason Trek fronted up was that Speclized are killing them in sales. Smashing them in fact. Trek had to do something and sponsor Leopard was it. Specialised are still cake walking the sales.

Even if Hog-strong take over I'm not sure they can pull it off.... a lot of their success was on having a lot of pieces of the puzzle "fall" together. I'm not sure that UCI would allow such rampant doping again - after a successful Tour and now Vuelta does the UCI really want to go back to the blue train days? The fans would cry foul. So would the press. If Andy came out and time trailed as good as Canc I'd think a lot us would pack up and go home.

 

[Microchip]

Boy, I hope that denial's true.
I like some of the Shack riders, and I like the Schlecks, Voigt, Cancellara, etc, but I don't like the idea of them with Bruyneel.

+1

I really don't like the idea of Jens and Cancellara being directed by Bruyneel.

 

[Maxiton]

The reason Trek fronted up was that Speclized are killing them in sales. Smashing them in fact. Trek had to do something and sponsor Leopard was it. Specialised are still cake walking the sales.

Even if Hog-strong take over I'm not sure they can pull it off.... a lot of their success was on having a lot of pieces of the puzzle "fall" together. I'm not sure that UCI would allow such rampant doping again - after a successful Tour and now Vuelta does the UCI really want to go back to the blue train days? The fans would cry foul. So would the press. If Andy came out and time trailed as good as Canc I'd think a lot us would pack up and go home.

You got that right. I'd start watching more legitimate sports, like professional wrestling.

I'm not sure, though, that they need to go back to the Blue Train style of racing, in order to be dominant. I think it's enough to be very organized in terms of preparation and execution, to have the strongest possible support riders, to be protected off the road, and to eliminate your true competition.

 

[Angliru]

I just don't want the Schlecks flying the Armstrong flag. Having Johan in charge would be flying it at full mast.

Stay away for your own good!!!!

Well IMO, you needn't worry, at least for the forseeable future. I don't see it happening considering the obstacle of the previously mentioned multiple contracts over the established limits. I'm sure though if Bruyneel could swing it he would, considering he has no big gun in the grand tours like he's accustomed to having. Using the multiple geezer approach for his shot at Tour success doesn't seem to be working out too well.

 

[Angliru]

How could you not LOVE the idea of seeing these guys all over the US??

For me at least, I'll still root for them if this merger happens, but I'd much prefer for it not to.

I also don't see how it would even be possible with all the contracted riders.

Frank I could tolerate. For Andy I'd need a steady supply of Pepto Bismal.

I don't think we need to worry though as we agree.

 

[Angliru]

It might help if one of them could win something that americans have heard of. A string of second places are not going to cut it.

Well Andy has already started his own campaign to increase his visibility as evidenced by his failed breakaway attempt at the US Pro Cycling Challenge (did I get the name right?). Next he'll be going for the wins at ToC and ToU.
America and then the world!

 

[thehog]

Well IMO, you needn't worry, at least for the forseeable future. I don't see it happening considering the obstacle of the previously mentioned multiple contracts over the established limits. I'm sure though if Bruyneel could swing it he would, considering he has no big gun in the grand tours like he's accustomed to having. Using the multiple geezer approach for his shot at Tour success doesn't seem to be working out too well.

It’s not even the big gun he needs. It looks like without a "program" its a little harder to deploy his tactics like he used to. He's not so the master tactician that everyone used to crow about. Darn it was easy to burn the peloton off your wheels and call that a tactic. I don’t think Bruyneel would be successful in the era of new cycling. At least Riis has embraced the seachange (somewhat) and knows how to win a race without the crush and kill method of years gone by. Those Shleck boys need Riis. He was the only one willing to slap them about when they got out of hand.

I mentioned on the HTC thread Armstrong was labelled "toxic" by a senior VP at HTC. I think the same would go for Hog.

 

[luckyboy]

Don't like either of the teams, don't really care about a merger. Apart from all the clinical stuff that will happen.

 

[Armanius]

So much hate going around for RS and the Schleck's.

In any event, I'd rather not see a merger between RS and Leopard-Trek. Formation of too many super teams is not good for cycling, in my opinion. I like to see more battles between good teams as opposed to fewer battles between super teams. BMC is already stacked next year, and TVG is supposed to be joining them too.

 

[AngusW]

Not to go very critical-but is this move happens-which appears it will -It only demonstrates the Schleck Bros lack of self character to guide their own careers-because they thought they had escaped from a tough DS like Riis, just to end up worse than ever, by being the puppets of LA & The Hog-they might get them to win the Tour, but they're becoming their slaves, not only sporting wise but life-style wise, so they can be squeezed to the last drop of their fame to convert it into money here in the US-and when is done & they revel & decide to go elsewhere- they'll be thrown out like the others have-with a positive or empty handed without a team.....

One thing for sure Is that Cancellara won't be around to be part of it, since he well knows that LA & Bruyneel don't give a fvck about the classics & they only send a team to "comply" with the Pro-Tour calender.....

Maybe that's part of Bruyneel's plan; to be DS to a the winner of a true classic (ie not Ghent Wevelgem) by getting Cancellara on board. Trying to cement his legacy as the ultimate all-round DS and tactical genius?

 

[Christian]

BMC is already stacked next year, and TVG is supposed to be joining them too.

BMC might actually be at the root of this. Let's remember the whole reason TREK got into cycling sponsorship was that other bike companies (Cannondale, Cervélo, ISD, BMC) were getting all the attention. Now BMC is looking like Real Madrid on steroids and TREK had to act. Instead of co-sponsoring two good teams, they merge them and become the main sponsor of one superteam, the only one that will be able to challenge BMC.

 

[masking_agent]

i'm all for the merger. I think it would really make things interesting, but I would feel sorry for Jani Brajkovic as he would have to compete w the Schlecks for GT's. But on the other side of the coin, maybe it would be able to light the fire up his a**s to get him going ?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

BMC might actually be at the root of this. Let's remember the whole reason TREK got into cycling sponsorship was that other bike companies (Cannondale, Cervélo, ISD, BMC) were getting all the attention. Now BMC is looking like Real Madrid on steroids and TREK had to act. Instead of co-sponsoring two good teams, they merge them and become the main sponsor of one superteam, the only one that will be able to challenge BMC.

Challenge BMC for what? Everyone in the States knows Trek. You ask them what BMC is, they think it's the guys in the black suits who waterboard people.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Challenge BMC for what? Everyone in the States knows Trek. You ask them what BMC is, they think it's the guys in the black suits who waterboard people.

Thought that was CIA?

 

[hfer07]

Maybe that's part of Bruyneel's plan; to be DS to a the winner of a true classic (ie not Ghent Wevelgem) by getting Cancellara on board. Trying to cement his legacy as the ultimate all-round DS and tactical genius?

 

[Jancouver]

challenge bmc for what? Everyone in the states knows trek. You ask them what bmc is, they think it's the guys in the black suits who waterboard people.

.. and thats funny

 

[Straßenrennen]

whoa, whoa, whoa. I was speaking in general when I said it "would be awesome if some foreigner got to that point in the US" (as a recognized athlete of the year). I did not mean it would be awesome if AS got recognized as such. You are ABSOLUTELY right that for AS to be recognized as such in the US would be all of what you said, plus there would have to be no athletes left in the US to be considered. For a non-US cyclist to be honored like that it would have to be someone on the caliber of Merckx, Indurain, or maybe even AC.

Isnt Dirk Nowitzki like a god in america? Although hes not a cyclist couldnt resist the chance to throw a german superstar in there... we have so few

 

[Sophistic]

American BB fans simply prefer even (white) germans over blacks

 

[brianf7]

So Andy wants to be Americas next darling with his own private jet. Selling his soul to Johan Bruyneel. Disgusting.

Bruyneel will get the best out of Andy and Frank he is a smart cookie when it comes to the tour.

 

[bicing]

Johan and The Canc might get on fine, he might get trained into being a contender for Liege and Lombardia!

This merger is pretty annoying from my side, I'd hate to see a team like this. However I'm not too surprised, there were some rumours around at the 2009 TdF when Andy Schleck started loving Lance, and there were rumours Schlecks would go under Lance's wings.

A couple of questions:
-Why are the rumours continuing despite persistent denials from all sides?
-The UCI have been mentioned in this thread as connected, is there any evidence or basis for this, or just scandal/consipracy?
-How justified is Becca in blaming Bryan Nygaard on the lack of sponsorship?

 

[brianf7]

Is this why O,Gradey is leaving dosnt want to be on same team as Robbie Mc Ewan in tour down under next year.

It is probably the final year for both of them.

 

[issoisso]

"Team R-Tard"

I like it. Describes both teams perfectly.

 

[Greenflame]

Johan and The Canc might get on fine, he might get trained into being a contender for Liege and Lombardia!

This merger is pretty annoying from my side, I'd hate to see a team like this. However I'm not too surprised, there were some rumours around at the 2009 TdF when Andy Schleck started loving Lance, and there were rumours Schlecks would go under Lance's wings.

A couple of questions:
-Why are the rumours continuing despite persistent denials from all sides?
-The UCI have been mentioned in this thread as connected, is there any evidence or basis for this, or just scandal/consipracy?
-How justified is Becca in blaming Bryan Nygaard on the lack of sponsorship?

On your first question, often these things are denied so that the merger can be completed in relative quiet, instead of surrounded my media attention. Or not to discomfort the riders, who in case of a merger suddenly wouldn't be sure of their contracts any more. Or just because the rumors really aren't true.

The UCI thing.. In my opinion that's just another conspiracy theory, but there are plenty of people who seem to seriously believe that the UCI wants Schleck to become the new Armstrong and as such the face of the sport.

And Nygaard is just responsible for it, since he is the general manager of the team. He was expected to bring in a main sponsor within months, and failed. For business people such as Becca in such cases the solution is often simple: someone failed to do what you asked him to, replace him. From Becca's perspective, this is a very logical solution.

I do not claim any inside knowledge though, so for all I know these rumours could be complete rubbish. I really hope they are, we don't need superteams and especially not the most Tour-only manager (Bruyneel) managing the most Tour-only GC rider (Andy).

 

[HL2037]

Bruyneel will get the best out of Andy and Frank he is a smart cookie when it comes to the tour.

Do you think Bryuneel cares what is best for Andy and Fränk? He just wants another lie he can sell.