Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[sashimono]

Its pretty funny that Hermans signed with Leopard to get away from Radio Shack in 2012.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Kim Andesens says that he will stay on the team cos Andy and Fränk asked him to.

I wonder if his demotion comes with a pay cut. He probably is not very happy, but what can he do? After scheming to steal Riis' team out from under him, what team would want to hire him?

 

[Cobblestoned]

I see, the very cool guys from the back of the classroom/bus now call them Team Porkskins. Oh man, this so cool.
Sad that I am not member of the very cool guys.
Sad that we won't see the cool guys next year, because the have to do an extra-year after even failing at summerschool.

wink, wink
Susan, the team is called Radioshack-Nissan-Trek, isn't it ?

 

[Cimber]

Monfort about the situation:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...ard-trek-the-atmosphere-is-a-bit-heavy_191543

 

[Race Radio]

*** edited by mod ***

 

[Polish]

I see, the very cool guys from the back of the bus now call them Team Porkskins.

Back of the Short Bus.

*** edited by mod ***

 

[Cobblestoned]

*** edited by mod ***

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Cool your jets, guys.

I must say that I too find the "cutesy" nicknames childish and silly. Not to mention confusing.

Susan

 

[Race Radio]

Cool your jets, guys.

I must say that I too find the "cutesy" nicknames childish and silly. Not to mention confusing.

Susan

Radioshack-Nissan-Leopard-Trek is just too long a name.

The pig is a magical animal who makes wonderful snacks. The king of snacks is the chicharones (Porkskins). It seems only natural that the king of teams is named after the king of snacks....yummy, crunchy, salty, Porkskins

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Radioshack-Nissan-Leopard-Trek is just too long a name.

The pig is a magical animal who makes wonderful snacks. The king of snacks is the chicharones (Porkskins). It seems only natural that the king of teams is named after the king of snacks....yummy, crunchy, salty, Porkskins

It is still stupid and childish.

Susan

 

[webvan]

Monfort about the situation:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...ard-trek-the-atmosphere-is-a-bit-heavy_191543

We guessed so much but it's nice to hear it from a rider

I also know it’s the Vuelta. It’s a nice race, but it’s not the Tour de France. Maybe the level of riders is quite high here this year, but the pressure here from the teams, the riders, the media, everything, is less than at the Tour. I have done four Tours, so I know the difference. I am happy to perform in a race like this and then help my teammates in the Tour de France. My career will be like that for the next few years.

 

[BillytheKid]

It is still stupid and childish.

Susan

They really have nothing left to say so they revert to name calling. A pointless endeavor.

 

[Lexman]

Its pretty funny that Hermans signed with Leopard to get away from Radio Shack in 2012.

Yeah i posted this earlier as well, he left togehter with Rast to join Leopard , what a joke but it might be a bad one... and what bout Meersman (from FDJ) and Gallopin (Cofidis)...

 

[thehog]

Yeah i posted this earlier as well, he left togehter with Rast to join Leopard , what a joke but it might be a bad one... and what bout Meersman (from FDJ) and Gallopin (Cofidis)...

Well he left citing lack of opportunities and now he's back where he started. Poor guy.

 

[Cobblestoned]

"It is my dream to bring one of the Schleck brothers in the yellow jersey to Paris, so I’m happy to continue riding with them and try to secure an overall victory in the Tour de France. It's been an exciting journey so far and I’m proud that I can be part of this team next season", Voigt says. "The recent changes in the team’s structure have been challenging for all of us, and I hope there will be swift solutions for all riders and staff."
"I may be turning 40 in a week, but my engine is big enough to support my captains. Maybe I won’t win a race anymore, but I can certainly give the young riders some advices on how to win."

http://www.podiumcafe.com/2011/9/9/2414507/one-more-year-for-jens-voigt


"I get paid to hurt other people."
http://teamjva.com/jens-voigt-soundboard

 

[rides like a girl]

Cool your jets, guys.

I must say that I too find the "cutesy" nicknames childish and silly. Not to mention confusing.

Susan

You are good Susan, if you meant to use a quote from the most childish, no respect of authority character in US pop culture the last 20 years-- Bart Simpson. Cool your jets is a favorite expression of his!! Heard it so often as a teacher by students when i taught.

Seriously was secretly hoping Jens would leave The Shack Nissan former Leopard team. I do admire his dedication to the Schlecks. Hope it can remain and not be misused under the new car driver.

 

[Race Radio]

You are good Susan, if you meant to use a quote from the most childish, no respect of authority character in US pop culture the last 20 years-- Bart Simpson. Cool your jets is a favorite expression of his!! Heard it so often as a teacher by students when i taught.

 

[BillytheKid]

The amount of energy that has gone into this thread boggles the mind. In the end, I think it comes down to the money and the sponsors, something in which Bruyneel still apparently holds a lot of clout no matter what the papers say. It is not unlike a corporate merger born out of necessity. To those better informed on stats than I, I ask the question; how is this any different from similar mergers in the past if any?

 

[pmcg76]

For the benefit of Polish who wants to know when I ever got anything tight in this thread, from Sep 9.

it seems obvious to me at least, that RadioShack/Nissan didnt commit to sponsoring a full team in 2012 and so Bruyneel went looking for a team to merge with.

And now we have Bruyneel saying RadioShack-Nissan did agree to continue but with "budget constraints" so he went looking for a team to merge with.

Of course Polish will try to claim that a reduced budget is not the same as budget constraints.

 

[BillytheKid]

It is unfortunate that good riders are getting bumped this late in the year. I wonder if economic conditions are the real currents of change here. I also wondered about Nissan replacing Mercedes...perhaps the latter didn't mind bowing out?

 

[thehog]

It is unfortunate that good riders are getting bumped this late in the year. I wonder if economic conditions are the real currents of change here. I also wondered about Nissan replacing Mercedes...perhaps the latter didn't mind bowing out?

Well put yourself in Mercedes shoes. You put together a four year plan. Investment upfront in the hope of return in the latter two years. Now they've been dumped without warning. What of their investment? Gone. No chance to recuperate those costs. Teambus/team cars what now? I can't see how they wouldn't mind. Mercedes may sue.

The biggest problem I have is you a have a large European sponsor with a part American owner dumped out of the sport gives cycling a bad name.

 

[Polish]

it seems obvious to me at least, that RadioShack/Nissan didnt commit to sponsoring a full team in 2012.

How was that obvious?
Do you have ANY sources that point to Radioshack not continuing in 2012?

And I don't mean the comments posted in The Clinic like:
"Radioshack will fold before the 2010 Tour begins"
or
"Radioshack will not renew in 2011"
or
"Bruyneel is irrelevant"

I am talking about CREDIBLE sources.
In reality, Radioshack-Nissan-Trek INCREASED their commitment to Bruyneel.
Then Bruyneel spent the extra money BRILLIANTLY.
And he recieved extra money from LeOpard also.
OMGenius.

 

[ultimobici]

Well put yourself in Mercedes shoes. You put together a four year plan. Investment upfront in the hope of return in the latter two years. Now they've been dumped without warning. What of their investment? Gone. No chance to recuperate those costs. Teambus/team cars what now? I can't see how they wouldn't mind. Mercedes may sue.

The biggest problem I have is you a have a large European sponsor with a part American owner dumped out of the sport gives cycling a bad name.

I've been wondering about MB's sponsorship. If you look at the Leopard site it gives the impression that MB itself is the sponsor. But if you follow the link to the MB site you go to MB Luxembourg, which appears to be the dealer network.

Whichever iteration of MB it is that has been sidelined, I agree it is not a good message to be sending out to potential sponsors. I would have hoped that there would be some sort of protection from this kind of predatory action, but then remembered that we have the UCI presiding over affairs!

 

[Aleajactaest]

I've been wondering about MB's sponsorship. If you look at the Leopard site it gives the impression that MB itself is the sponsor. But if you follow the link to the MB site you go to MB Luxembourg, which appears to be the dealer network.

Whichever iteration of MB it is that has been sidelined, I agree it is not a good message to be sending out to potential sponsors. I would have hoped that there would be some sort of protection from this kind of predatory action, but then remembered that we have the UCI presiding over affairs!

How big could their sponsorship have been when they had no naming rights. Pretty stealthy compared to say the Nissan signage or the RS-Nissan uniforms.

 

[ultimobici]

How big could their sponsorship have been when they had no naming rights. Pretty stealthy compared to say the Nissan signage or the RS-Nissan uniforms.

Whether they're a sponsor with or without naming rights is frankly irrelevant. Sky's relationship with Jaguar is similar. The issue is one of protocol. That most of the team, staff & sponsors alike, found out from the media. That is grossly unprofessional to say the least.