Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[greenedge]

Even O'Grady or Cancellara also have not influenced them.

 

[Christian]

Why because of AC? thanks

Jens said in the documentary "The road Uphill" that he couldn't just ride for years against Contador and for Schlecks and then from one day to another do the opposite

Cancellara knew the second Contador got on that the team was going to be focused completely around him and that there was no place for his ego

 

[Christian]

New sponsor for Radioshack

Luxembourg mobile service provider Tango is a new sponsor of Radioshack.

"The international team lead by Andy and Fränk shares the same values as our Tango-team: our courage, our drive and our will to excel every day bring us closer to this excellent team" said Didier Rouma, CEO of Tango.

http://www.wort.lu/de/view/tango-neuer-sponsor-von-radioshack-nissan-trek-4fbbb366e4b03aac600d45a5

Tango has been a long time personal sponsor of the Schlecks, they have appeared in commercials for them. Back when LEOPARD TREK got started I tipped them as a potential sponsor, but it didn't happen. If I am not mistaken Tango is part of the Belgacom group, which dropped sponsorship talks after Nygaard allegedly "got too greedy". The fact that they are getting in at such a bad time is a little odd. Is this another effort by Becca to prepare his leave?

 

[El Pistolero]

Jens said in the documentary "The road Uphill" that he couldn't just ride for years against Contador and for Schlecks and then from one day to another do the opposite

Cancellara knew the second Contador got on that the team was going to be focused completely around him and that there was no place for his ego

I'd say he was wrong because Vino won LBL partly thanks to Contador and Nick Nuyens won the Ronde while being on the same team as Contador.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

It has been said before iirc by Riis that frank would never win a GT because he couldn't push beyond his pain barrier so he would never deliver when it was needed.

I don't remember reading that, but I do, however, remember reading this:

""Andy has a great personality and a spirit that his brother Fränk does not," said Riis. "Andy has everything you would want, but he also has the weakness that he lacks the final bit of will needed to go all the way.""

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...lacks-the-will-to-win-the-Tour-de-France.aspx

Actually, I think it's translated a bit wrong. In Danish, Riis said "Andy har en stor personlighed og en fandenivoldskhed, som hans bror Fränk ikke har." where "fandenivoldskhed" is translated with "spirit" which isn't 100% exact. A more appropriate term would be "devil-may-care attitude".

 

[JPM London]

I'd say he was wrong because Vino won LBL partly thanks to Contador and Nick Nuyens won the Ronde while being on the same team as Contador.

As far as I remember Canc's issue wasn't specifically that Conti was coming on board, but more precisely that Riis didn't confide in Canc and shared that knowledge.

Riis' problem was of course that the whole thing was only a hypothetical deal until quite late and in addition the market for new signings wasn't "officially open" at the time. So while Riis was unable to say anything else publicly than he had secured a sponsor, he obviously had his plan laid out.

The team being built on mutual trust as a start and Canc being a key player in the whole setup clearly meant he felt he deserved to know. On the other hand Riis had just had the very core of his people lying to him for at least 6 months - so go figure if you don't trust anybody but yourself at least until things are sorted. Also as Riis did have a valid contract with Canc, I think Riis didn't even contemplate a risk of Canc breaking with him. In the end I think it's quite likely that had Riis trusted Canc and involved him, then Canc had still been on Saxo...

 

[thehog]

As far as I remember Canc's issue wasn't specifically that Conti was coming on board, but more precisely that Riis didn't confide in Canc and shared that knowledge.

Riis' problem was of course that the whole thing was only a hypothetical deal until quite late and in addition the market for new signings wasn't "officially open" at the time. So while Riis was unable to say anything else publicly than he had secured a sponsor, he obviously had his plan laid out.

The team being built on mutual trust as a start and Canc being a key player in the whole setup clearly meant he felt he deserved to know. On the other hand Riis had just had the very core of his people lying to him for at least 6 months - so go figure if you don't trust anybody but yourself at least until things are sorted. Also as Riis did have a valid contract with Canc, I think Riis didn't even contemplate a risk of Canc breaking with him. In the end I think it's quite likely that had Riis trusted Canc and involved him, then Canc had still been on Saxo...

Is that why Cancellara got off his bike mid-stage at the Vuelta, jumped a fence and ran off without saying a word to Riis? He left the team via his manager. He didn't even have the heart to tell Bjarne himself. They stuck Riis a big knife in the back and they all know it, Cancellara included.

Riis to his credit hasn't said a lot but he could have easily dug the knife into all of them.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Cancellara knew the second Contador got on that the team was going to be focused completely around him and that there was no place for his ego

As far as I remember Canc's issue wasn't specifically that Conti was coming on board, but more precisely that Riis didn't confide in Canc and shared that knowledge.

The team being built on mutual trust as a start and Canc being a key player in the whole setup clearly meant he felt he deserved to know. On the other hand Riis had just had the very core of his people lying to him for at least 6 months - so go figure if you don't trust anybody but yourself at least until things are sorted. Also as Riis did have a valid contract with Canc, I think Riis didn't even contemplate a risk of Canc breaking with him. In the end I think it's quite likely that had Riis trusted Canc and involved him, then Canc had still been on Saxo...

Not true. I really suggest you to read Riis' autobiography that was released in english just a month or two ago. It's been out in Danish since winter 2010.

To quote him directly from the book: With the exellent translation skills of mine...

"Wednesday 21 of July - Rest day

'The rest day was fantastic. The contract with Contador is now completely in place. Trey, Contadors brother, his lawyer and I have negotiated the details without further problems. The sponsor situation is solved, we got the worlds best cyclist now and progress of looking forward can now begin.'

'Though, later that day unforseen difficulties occurs which takes me completely by surprise. I'm having a meeting with Fabian and his manager.

- 'we terminate the contract, the manager says and comes up with 117 excuses for a reason.'

- 'No way. There's no way I'm going to discuss this with the manager. Not in this pathetic way. Everyone knows that the demand is unrealistic.'
- 'Fabian, you know what's happening around the team with the sponsor- and contador situation'

'This really disappoints me and I quickly start thinking of the consequences this will have on the team. In few minutes I've gone from top of the sky to reality. Actually, Fabian is the only one of the riders I have been consulted throughout.'

'As early as April, After Paris Roubaix, I spoke to Fabian.
- ' I'm ready to build a team around you, just you. If that's what you want.'

- 'Well, we'll see, Fabian says evasive. '

'Thoughout Fabian is the only one I have oriented about the negotiations with Contador. That's why I'm especially disappointed.'

 

[maxmartin]

"There is Fabian Cancellara, and after him nobody is sure of a place in the squad for the Tour de France. Both Schleck brothers know that. They have no license. So far I still have no vision of my Tour cycling team with both Schleck brothers in it."

LOL poor Schleck brothers

 

[richwagmn]

"There is Fabian Cancellara, and after him nobody is sure of a place in the squad for the Tour de France. Both Schleck brothers know that. They have no license. So far I still have no vision of my Tour cycling team with both Schleck brothers in it."

LOL poor Schleck brothers

I'm fairly certain Frank isn't going. Andy will look like a lost puppy.

 

[Angliru]

"There is Fabian Cancellara, and after him nobody is sure of a place in the squad for the Tour de France. Both Schleck brothers know that. They have no license. So far I still have no vision of my Tour cycling team with both Schleck brothers in it."

LOL poor Schleck brothers

Johann's talking smack. No way he has the cojones to leave Andy off the Tour team. Frank maybe but if he leaves Andy off I'll sport an Andy avatar for the month of July. Of course all the while I would have a gigantic smile on my face but still it's just not going to happen.

 

[maxmartin]

The thing is if he leave Frank off the team, I can imagine Andy will refuse to race too.

Johann's talking smack. No way he has the cojones to leave Andy off the Tour team. Frank maybe but if he leaves Andy off I'll sport an Andy avatar for the month of July. Of course all the while I would have a gigantic smile on my face but still it's just not going to happen.

 

[webvan]

Andy not at the TDF ?! Well he would really have to look pathetic at the Dauphiné for that happen, like being trashed by Wiggins in the mountains...stranger things have happened.

 

[Cancellator]

Cancellara seems to have lost 4 minutes on a flat stage at the Bayern??! Came in amongst the last. Does someone know if something happened to him or does he just lack form ( which would be understandable, of course ) ?

 

[Christian]

Cancellara seems to have lost 4 minutes on a flat stage at the Bayern??! Came in amongst the last. Does someone know if something happened to him or does he just lack form ( which would be understandable, of course ) ?

Apparently he was involved in a crash after 1 km:

The good reaction after 1km race help me to rolle like a stuntman over when this dude in the front of me crashed.Nothing big happen luckly.

http://twitter.com/#!/f_cancellara

 

[mewmewmew13]

Wow. Johan.
He sounds like a mad dad...can't get those boys to do anything

Is this some form of 'team-bonding' or reverse psychology to get the boys off their duffs?

Should be an interesting month

 

[Moviefan1203]

This just seems too over the top for me. It's almost as if he wants it to be public knowledge that no one is getting along. It just seems like they are starting to take it too far, and maybe things aren't as bad as they are letting on.

 

[hfer07]

"There is Fabian Cancellara, and after him nobody is sure of a place in the squad for the Tour de France. Both Schleck brothers know that. They have no license. So far I still have no vision of my Tour cycling team with both Schleck brothers in it."

LOL poor Schleck brothers

Just hot air coming from JB "to show the world he's in charge"......

The Schlecks not going to the Tour? One phone call from them to Becca & Bruyneel is kicked out. He better get his sh!t organized & do his job instead of "traveling across the globe doing god knows what"....

 

[Cancellator]

Apparently he was involved in a crash after 1 km:



http://twitter.com/#!/f_cancellara

He's so lucky isn't he

 

[rzombie1988]

I am starting to love JB more and more each day. He will become my favorite manager if he doesn't allow both Schlecks to start the tour. I'm not even anti-Schleck mind you.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

This just seems too over the top for me. It's almost as if he wants it to be public knowledge that no one is getting along. It just seems like they are starting to take it too far, and maybe things aren't as bad as they are letting on.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[veganrob]

Just hot air coming from JB "to show the world he's in charge"......

The Schlecks not going to the Tour? One phone call from them to Becca & Bruyneel is kicked out. He better get his sh!t organized & do his job instead of "traveling across the globe doing god knows what"....

Absolutely 0% chance Becca would fire Bruyneel for any reason

 

[Don Johnson]

No prob, Johann is just expressing the boys harden up.

 

[Zerak-Tul]

And they felt they were under the thumb while riding for Riis, guess they got a wake up call, wonder if they're missing their old boss yet.

 

[El Oso]

I have to agree with hfer07. There could be a really ugly divorce come late June if the Schlecks aren't at the Tour. Becca made the team to have the Schecks (and Luxembourg) win. I would think he'd be furious if they aren't there.