Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[Maxiton]

I don't know what is going in this picture but I am looking forward to it being in next years Giro

Lol! It's what Zomegan was going to do before they fired him (and who knows what that was about). Now they're looking to do a modified version (no chariots).

 

[Race Radio]

Research isn't really required. While a merger would have been feasible, what it looks like has transpired is an asset deal probably at the insistence of Becca. It would allow him to acquire the meaningful assets of Radio Shack and jettison and any potential liabilities that may flow to CSE/JB et al stemming from the US Postal fiasco. Coupled with the fact that LT had the more valuable long-term contracts (Shlecks and Cancellara), I think this explanation makes the most sense why they opted for this structure.

Agreed.

The reality is ownership these days seldom provides a great ROI. It may be far more lucrative to get a fee for managing opps and bringing sponsors to the table then to be an partial owner. It lowers Johan and Lance's risk and puts cash in their pocket to help pay some substantial legal fees.

While they may no longer be majority owners CSE could end up getting the better financial deal in the long run.

 

[LaFlorecita]

It’s an interesting thought. If they want to beat a fully fit Contador then the Shlecks have to learn how to time trial. Now if there’s a nice juicy TTT then that’s Advantage Shelck’s. If there are 1 or 2 longer type ITT’s then that’s advantage Contador. As per the mountains I’d say Contador is 10s faster on any steep end of stage mountain finishes and the Shlecks are level when it comes to the longer mountain finishes. Even with the addition of Kloden and Horner as helpers I can’t see where they can help bar the TTT. Now if the Shleck’s get the special wind tunnel testing that Bruyneel has then it could be a different story. If that does happen then I think they’ll be rider protests.

I'd still rate Contador over Andy on the longer summit finishes, though I might be a bit biased.

 

[LaFlorecita]

lol!!
.......

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I know - That's why he needed a group that could bring in sponsors. He found an ownership group that could bring in three top-level sponsors.

A group? It wasn't a 'group' it was a stand alone team, CSE owned it, they had the sponsors.
Now it appears Becca has the licence and the sponsors.

There is no merger, that was typical Leopard PR- the team that was CSE/BS/JB is no-more.

 

[Polish]

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[thirteen]

He helped fund a team for a year that had no title sponsor.

and a promise of funding for four years so they could get their license, no?

 

[thehog]

uh? sorry?

I just think if we see 2004 all over again then some teams won't stand for it. In addtion I think the press is a little better these days at calling out a performance which is not real.

 

[thehog]

I'm hoping they can get Livestrong all over the jersey's. They'd better be some yellow banding around the arms on the jersey's. I want to see Andy & Frank doing their bit for awareness as well. Caps, t-shirts – you name it – they’d better be wearing it. Maybe even see Lance on the training camp riding with Andy and Frank?

I also want to see Andy pacing Horner up Bald Man's mountain in Cali and not hitting the clubs at night. They also need to smash Levi into the ground and make sure the Levination documentary doesn’t get any distribution rights.

But most of all I want to see Lance, Andy, Frank and Alfonso in the new Radioshack commercials.

*** edited by mod ***
.

 

[Angliru]

in all of this the most painful will be to have to see the a whole group of cyclists including the schlecks and the wc time triallist and classics star cancellara have to promote (involuntarily) the very hounorable but nonetheless dubious livestrong foundation and all of its association. i really doubt all of the leopards deep in their hearts want to wear a yellow bracelet and become associated (via mega marketing) with all aspects of what it represents. im sad, money and power always wins..

I have a feeling Andy and Frank would have no problem with it and were salivating at the opportunity to ride under Bruyneel's leadership. I can imagine the statements from Andy pre-tour, once again proclaiming himself the favorite, espousing how he has the best team, and taking a line quite similar to Cancellara's leading up to RVV and Paris-Roubaix, saying how his opponents better strap themselves in because the RNT train will be taking off come Tour time. Of course then he will commence to blow it in some totally remarkable way. It should be epic.

 

[Angliru]

That would suit evans rather well.
Long TTT with cobbles is advantage Evans and Schlecks.
Contador will lose some time,
What good riders does contador have for next year, I haven't been following the trasnfer market.

You do realize that Contador only lost time last year due to Frank's kamikaze crash that ultimately caused the separation of Contador from the Cancellara/Andy Schleck group & damaged his rear wheel in the process. Contador was doing surprisingly well on the cobbles, far beyond the expectations of virtually every pundit in the sport. So to assume he'd lose time to Evans and the Schlecks is not keeping that in mind.

 

[pastronef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pastronef
uh? sorry?

ehm, i was just funnily asking why you put "they'll be rider protests" instead of there'll be

 

[Angliru]

Becca promised the Schlecks the world if they would abandon Bjarne Riis. Less than a year later he is leasing them to Bruyneel and the americans. From now on their seasons will be build around the tours of Colorado and California. They will be paraded in the media like circus clowns. They will end up like Lance Armstrong: with rotten souls. That is what happens to traitors.

You've got to be kidding! The Tour will still be the primary focus for the Schlecks.

 

[Angliru]

They had to give Bruyneel the job as he has an existing contract with RS, guess they would have rather switched to Leopard without him.

Why would they make the switch without him? I don't particularly like the guy but considering how expectations weren't met by current Leopard management team, it only makes sense that Bruyneel would be welcomed into the fold. They failed to win any of the classics and lost a Tour that was served up on a platter for Andy to take, and yet it didn't happen. Many will say their performances would be quickly accepted by most of the teams in the peloton but with riders like Cancellara and the Schlecks, to come away with runner ups in all their target events is a failure. They see Bruyneel and his track record as the remedy for what ails them.

 

[eleven]

A group? It wasn't a 'group' it was a stand alone team, CSE owned it, they had the sponsors.
Now it appears Becca has the licence and the sponsors.

There is no merger, that was typical Leopard PR- the team that was CSE/BS/JB is no-more.

CSE is not owned by a single person. It has an ownership group - including the known major players.

That group now has a stake in Leopard, controls team operations and runs the marketing.

I'm not sure if you're being difficult for the sake of it, but it appears we've been through this already.

 

[just some guy]

CSE is not owned by a single person. It has an ownership group - including the known major players.

That group now has a stake in Leopard, controls team operations and runs the marketing.

I'm not sure if you're being difficult for the sake of it, but it appears we've been through this already.

Since you seem to know the CSE owns a stake Leopard now - how much % ?

 

[HL2037]

You've got to be kidding! The Tour will still be the primary focus for the Schlecks.

Yes I was kidding a bit, but I have no doubt that this new team headed by Andy Schleck will target the US. Radioshack the company has no presence in Europe. They simply have no shops here, no costumers. So they will only be seen at US races and then of course the one European race that americans know: tdf.

 

[eleven]

Since you seem to know the CSE owns a stake Leopard now - how much % ?

Don't know My understanding was that Becca would no longer have a controlling interest.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

CSE is not owned by a single person. It has an ownership group - including the known major players.

That group now has a stake in Leopard, controls team operations and runs the marketing.

I'm not sure if you're being difficult for the sake of it, but it appears we've been through this already.

I am just trying to establish who has ownership of this team (& who has lost out) - because there is no merger, that's just PR baloney.
There were 2 teams with licences, now there is one.

Earlier you seemed to say that Becca was not an owner - which contradicts the information that both teams released. Now its that CSE "has a stake in Leopard,controls operations, and runs the marketing".

 

[eleven]

I am just trying to establish who has ownership of this team (& who has lost out) - because there is no merger, that's just PR baloney.
There were 2 teams with licences, now there is one.

Earlier you seemed to say that Becca was not an owner - which contradicts the information that both teams released. Now its that CSE "has a stake in Leopard,controls operations, and runs the marketing".

Where did I say that Becca was not an owner? I think I've been consistent in saying that he remains an owner.

and I don't think any of the major players lost out in this deal - I believe everyone involved in the management of this is in a better position today than they were yesterday. A few riders and a good number of staff lost, no doubt.

 

[Polish]

Story up on CNN:
Nicely written....

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/sport/cycling-radioshack-leopard-merger/


Great publicity for Radioshack and Nissan and Trek.
Good quotes by Team Boss Johann too.
.
..

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Where did I say that Becca was not an owner? I think I've been consistent in saying that he remains an owner.

and I don't think any of the major players lost out in this deal - I believe everyone involved in the management of this is in a better position today than they were yesterday. A few riders and a good number of staff lost, no doubt.

Don't know My understanding was that Becca would no longer have a controlling interest.

I just read a tweet from Daniel Benson that Brain Nygaard is "no longer part of the team" -hardly surprising, but the quote came from the man who hasn't a "controlling interest" in that team.

 

[eleven]

I just read a tweet from Daniel Benson that Brain Nygaard is "no longer part of the team" -hardly surprising, but the quote came from the man who hasn't a "controlling interest" in that team.

An ownership stake and a controlling interest are not the same thing. Fundamentally not the same. And I'm not sure why Becca making a comment about the current Team Leopard or next year's combined staffing somehow contradicts anything I've written.

I've said all I care to say on the matter (well, and all I know on the matter!)

 

[patrick767]

Over 80 pages on this topic? Wow. Okay, sorry if this has been covered exhaustively already, but I'm just trying to figure out how the combined team will have room for their top stage race riders. I see it somewhat as follows:

Andy and Frank Schleck - Obviously they are the leaders for the Tour de France, plus possible leaders for another Grand Tour, but Frank in particular will probably want to also be the team leader for a couple major one week races like the Dauphine. Will Frank push to be the leader at the Giro or Vuelta too?

Monfort and Fuglsang - They're currently both in the top ten at the Vuelta. These guys will logically have grand tour ambitions next year. Give them the Vuelta again next year? Will that be enough? What about 1 week races?

Horner and Leipheimer - How will these older riders be accommodated with so many other GC contenders on the team? Both had excellent seasons this year, particularly with Leipheimer's wins in the Suisse, Utah, and US Pro Cycling Challenge. I expect the combined team keep these two as leaders in the major US races because they can obviously win them and it's great exposure for Radioshack, but will the team also essentially tell them that their grand tour ambitions are over?

Brajkovic - He was seen as the Shack's up and coming replacement for the aging Horner and Leipheimer and after his Dauphine win in 2010 he appeared to be right on track, but he's kind of underachieved since then. Bad luck struck in the TdF this year. Given another chance in the Vuelta, he currently lingers back in 22nd place, over 14 minutes down. Nevertheless, he'll want opportunities to lead and will cite his Dauphine win in particular to justify it. Will the combined team dump him?

Edit: I forgot Kloden, another aging grand tour rider. What happens to him?

 

[thehog]

Story up on CNN:
Nicely written....

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/sport/cycling-radioshack-leopard-merger/


Great publicity for Radioshack and Nissan and Trek.
Good quotes by Team Boss Johann too.
.
..

I love it!

Two of the biggest teams in world cycling are to merge next season, with the news that Lance Armstrong's RadioShack squad and Luxembourg outfit Leopard-Trek are to join forces.

Other high-profile riders will include American Chris Horner, Germany's Andreas Kloden, Jani Brajkovic of Slovenia, Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark and Italy's Daniele Bennati