Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[Lexman]

Rast and Hermans must be pleased, busy all day calling Nygaard to have a confirmation and then their lawyer to get out of the contract....

 

[rickshaw]

More Please

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.

With all due respect, could you please share your sales figures for Trek and Spec? Also the source? All I see around me are Trek Trek Trek. Also I don't understand "cake walking". Confused.

Thanks in advance.

 

[joe1265]

It was a big mistake for the Schlecks to leave Riis, but simply put, Bruyneel knows how to win.

Even with his much derided "team-geezer" he still won the three bigggest races in the US and the 4th (?) biggest stage race in Europe, plus a few other nice wins.

This merger would be good for the Schlecks, but they won't put up with getting their asses kicked around, so I think it will fail if it does happen..

As for the TdF, if Wiggins had not been riding like a Cat 5 racer and dropped his waterbottle into his front wheel, Horner, Kloden and Leipheimer would probably all have been in the top 10.

 

[eleven]

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 not sure why people are caught up about the contracts. I have trouble believing a sport with athlete protections as weak as cycling would have any sort of guaranteed contracts for most riders. The new RS will simply void the contracts of a bunch of riders and send them out to the free market. The really interesting question will be who gets cut...Too many chiefs on that team.

 

[Race Radio]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/speculation-surrounds-radioshack-trek-possible-merger

Gazzetta dello Sport saying they will merge

 

[Jeanne]

sounds like a good idea to me. Instead of having to split my hatred in two directions I can now aim it all firmly at just one team again.

don't make me laugh I hate the idea of those two teams as one..

 

[thehog]

The other worry is the way Bruyneel ripped apart Astana not only when he left but when he arrived. He doesn’t have a lot of care for previous riders unless they’re from the “inner circle” way of preparing for the Tour. In addition what’s he going to do with Horner and Kloden. They’d be great workers for the Shlecks but not sure they’d be happy with that role again. I also think Canc will get up and leave. Watching Thor and Gilbert name their price and get their classics team is going to make him mad. No way Bruyneel is going to concentrate on anything but the Tour.

New thread: - Canc to BMC?

 

[just some guy]

The other worry is the way Bruyneel ripped apart Astana not only when he left but when he arrived. He doesn’t have a lot of care for previous riders unless they’re from the “inner circle” way of preparing for the Tour. In addition what’s he going to do with Horner and Kloden. They’d be great workers for the Shlecks but not sure they’d be happy with that role again. I also think will get up and leave. Watching Thor and Gilbert name their price and get their classics team is going to make him mad. No way Bruyneel is going to concentrate on anything but the Tour.

New thread: - Canc to BMC?

I recon he will out of there faster than a fast thing - but not to BMC I recon he will go back to Saxo

 

[thehog]

I recon he will out of there faster than a fast thing - but not to BMC I recon he will go back to Saxo

After he apologizes for doing a runner at last year’s Vuelta!

 

[Moondance]

So the merger is on apparently.... This team is going to be pretty ridiculous, although they will have some issues buying out contracts to get the roster down to 28. Going to be some bargain signings to be had for some teams out there after the roster cull takes place.

 

[just some guy]

After he apologizes for doing a runner at last year’s Vuelta!

Yep and for all the cr@p he put them through with contracts etc etc , Saxo need him and he needs his DS and team manager back. imo

 

[roundabout]

I recon he will out of there faster than a fast thing - but not to BMC I recon he will go back to Saxo

Yes, just like you reconed Tiralongo will go to Saxo just because Contador threw him a bone.

Also Cancellara is on another level to Hincapie so any allusions to what Bruyneel might do in the hypothetical event that he gets there are a bit pointless.

And at any rate there are better teams than Riis around.

 

[just some guy]

Yes, just like you reconed Tiralongo will go to Saxo just because Contador threw him a bone.

Also Cancellara is on another level to Hincapie so any allusions to what Bruyneel might do in the hypothetical event that he gets there are a bit pointless.

And any rate there are better teams than Riis around.

I´ve been wrong before and I will be wrong again. But that is the great thing about Forums.

Better teams for Fab than Saxo who ?, I also don´t think BMC will sign him, but again I might be wrong about that too.

maybe we should make a list

 

[Kazistuta]

So the merger is on apparently.... This team is going to be pretty ridiculous, although they will have some issues buying out contracts to get the roster down to 28. Going to be some bargain signings to be had for some teams out there after the roster cull takes place.

Hopefully for Riis and Saxo, who has been nearly invisible so far reg. transfer rumours. A potential HTC combo (Martin/Albasini/Rabon/Fairly/Siutsou) might be good though.

Reg. a Cancellara transfer back to Saxo, I don't see it happening (Although I'd love it). The way Canc behaved at the end of his contract and if the supposed disrespect from Riis (that's what Canc said) was true, there's no way the two of them will join forces again. Spartacus to Lotto-Ridley is a far more likely transfer to me.

This potential merger makes sense, but just like Garmin-Cervelo was supposed to be the dominant classics squad this season, but failed to prove it, hopefully RadioTrek's supposed dominant stage race team can't find the ultimate winning formula.

 

[roundabout]

Sky, Garmin -but those might be a bit tight at the top

Lotto - solid team but lacking a big profile in the spring classics

Rabobank - Breschel won't like it but it will be the same for Nuyens

Vacansoleil, Liquigas.

Doesn't have to be Riis.

 

[just some guy]

Sky, Garmin -but those might be a bit tight at the top

Lotto - solid team but lacking a big profile in the spring classics

Rabobank - Breschel won't like it but it will be the same for Nuyens

Vacansoleil, Liquigas.

Doesn't have to be Riis.

Doesn´t have to be Saxo of course not but about as good fit as the above options. IMO better they know each other and Riis knows how to get the best out of him.

Probably Greenedge is the better fit than those options you have given for him re having a strong spring classics team

 

[Moondance]

Hopefully for Riis and Saxo, who has been nearly invisible so far reg. transfer rumours. A potential HTC combo (Martin/Albasini/Rabon/Fairly/Siutsou) might be good though.

Reg. a Cancellara transfer back to Saxo, I don't see it happening (Although I'd love it). The way Canc behaved at the end of his contract and if the supposed disrespect from Riis (that's what Canc said) was true, there's no way the two of them will join forces again. Spartacus to Lotto-Ridley is a far more likely transfer to me.

This potential merger makes sense, but just like Garmin-Cervelo was supposed to be the dominant classics squad this season, but failed to prove it, hopefully RadioTrek's supposed dominant stage race team can't find the ultimate winning formula.

Well, the Canc is under contract next year with Leopard, and by extension any Shack-Leopard merger team as well. At that point either he'll have to be bought out (which noone would do, why pay the Canc to ride somewhere else?) or he'll have to buy himself out (which is possible if BMC pay him f*ck you money).

In short, I expect the Canc to ride for Shack-Trek next year.

 

[Forunculo]

So we have a potential team with Schleck brothers, with the core of Leopard and the 4 GC contenders of Radioshack, with the holywoodian manager Bruynell and Lance Armstrong as divine shadow behind all of them.

For what porpuse? to win a year a TdF? to make a dinasty winner of Tdf like Lance? or simply to make more money?

If they all join forces for the sacred goal of TdF, what about the rest of the races? Some people explain well the only-Tour culture of Johan, Andy and Lance.

How a people like french will see this "american business" in their holly race?

Com'n Andy you are not my favourite rider but don't sell your professional prestige.

Do you expect to be 11 month at "hollydays" to arrive France early on July each year with 0 Uci pro tour points alongside Johan, Lance and the superdomestiques and claiming you are the favourite in the middle of a huge marketing campaign?

And what about the "villain", the other key character of this movie, Alberto Contador? Lance worst enemy in the road, a rebel and a traitor for Johan and biggest rival of Andy. Will Andy fall in the trap of Johan and Lance. Has Lance want to protect his record of 7 TdF? Does Lance think Contador is a threat?


Many questions for me. My opinion is that this a war and a business of others and Andy don't have to get involved.

 

[lightclimber]

I hate to say this, but look at Lance who won, what, 5 or 6 straight Sports Illustrated 'sportsman of the year' awards. That put him ahead of all other athletes in the US covering all sports.

Lance was awarded once, in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportsman_of_the_Year

 

[hfer07]

Doesn´t have to be Saxo of course not but about as good fit as the above options. IMO better they know each other and Riis knows how to get the best out of him.

Probably Greenedge is the better fit than those options you have given for him re having a strong spring classics team

Saxo is a no-go for sure: He had to "pay" his way out of his contract & wasn't that pleasant at all- I foresee Spartacus going to either BMC(if they still have the cash) or Omega Pharma-Quickstep......

 

[Race Radio]

I wonder if Becca knows what people in the sport think of Bruyneel?


Paolo Savoldelli

“As soon as he joined Astana, I decided to leave. He still owes me my share of the prize money from the 2005 Tour we won with Discovery. Also, he was just never honest with me,”

Benoit Joachim

"Johan Bruyneel's great gift is that he's a liar".

Eric Boyer

"What I understand least is how anyone can still believe the words of Johan Bruyneel?"

 

[Nielsa]

Anyone know what happened to the contracts of contracted (ugh I know) CTT riders that didn't join Garmin-Cervelo?
Were they all on expiring two-year contracts?

 

[DirtyWorks]

I wonder if Becca knows what people in the sport think of Bruyneel?

If the guy is 'all business all the time' then he doesn't care as long as his goals are being met.

I wonder if the zombie Hog is still blessed over at the UCI like he was in the Blue Train days. Given the declining testing, it seems all the parts of the puzzle are there for another Hog TdF extravaganza.

 

[Zaschrona]

Oh my god what happens here. If this merge will happen it will be in "Garmin-Cervelo way". No way all Horner, Brajkovic, Leipheimer, Kloden, Zubeldia, Popovych, Sergent, King, Busche, etc. will move to Leopard. It will be 5-8 riders which will move and only 2-3 leaders. There is no chance Leopard would have so much money to pay Schlecks, Cancellara and all leaders from Shack.

And that views about Cancellara going elsewhere are absolutely rubbish. He has a contract, solid support team. And mainly, remember, Bruyneel has some history of good results in classics. Davis, Hoste, Hincapie, Van Heeswijk, Ekimov or Boonen to name a few riders who had some podium result for US Postal/Discovery Channel in a classic.

And I hope this possible merge won't happen. I really like Leopard and the team which I hate the most is RadioShack. Please god, no!

 

[Thomsena]

I bet The Schlecks + Fuglsang will be delighted when Bruyneel and his staff pushes Kim Andersen into a secondary role in the team.. Yep, yep...