Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[patrick767]

I would say they are no longer even "very good."

Part of this is a team leadership problem.

Must be. On paper they are stacked. They should be a fantastic team. They've had some bad luck this year, but poor results have continued. It certainly can't all be blamed on bad luck.

 

[richwagmn]

I actually agree with you. Hog has no interest outside of the Tour. If you're not on the A team well you're not on the team - period.

Sad but true.

Horner is now realising that for all those years of taking care of Lance doesn't mean you get a ride later on in life. He should have rolled his dice away from the Astana/RSNT camp.

Levi's looking like a genius for signing on with Omega.

 

[patrick767]

RSNT has zero class

Horner said he learned about his exclusion from the RadioShack Tour team from his wife, who read it on the Internet and called him while he was out training. He added that as of Monday evening, he had not yet spoken with anyone from RadioShack team management. The last time he spoke with team manager Johan Bruyneel, Horner said, was a month earlier in Santa Rosa, California, when Bruyneel briefly visited the team prior to the start of the Amgen Tour.

Wow... I don't know how Bruyneel could be any more unprofessional. What is going on with Bruyneel? In years past he's built massive teams and won many races. That started going downhill a couple years back. Now this year he has a hugely talented team, but gets few results, and worse, again and again he's showing himself to be a huge jackass. He spouts off about his riders to the press. He lets Horner find out about his exclusion via the internet. This guy is a @#$#. Time to leave cycling, Bruyneel. You've lost it.

 

[Eusebio Kino]

RSNT has zero class

Horner said he learned about his exclusion from the RadioShack Tour team from his wife, who read it on the Internet and called him while he was out training. He added that as of Monday evening, he had not yet spoken with anyone from RadioShack team management. The last time he spoke with team manager Johan Bruyneel, Horner said, was a month earlier in Santa Rosa, California, when Bruyneel briefly visited the team prior to the start of the Amgen Tour.

Wow... I don't know how Bruyneel could be any more unprofessional. What is going on with Bruyneel? In years past he's built massive teams and won many races. That started going downhill a couple years back. Now this year he has a hugely talented team, but gets few results, and worse, again and again he's showing himself to be a huge jackass. He spouts off about his riders to the press. He lets Horner find out about his exclusion via the internet. This guy is a @#$#. Time to leave cycling, Bruyneel. You've lost it.

Bogus for the team not to inform Horner of his status. Bruyneel not in contact with his team. Team not in contact with their riders? Cycling is a team sport, even if Horner is not racing, he should be training with his team also.What kind of DS is that guy Bruyneel???????????

 

[patrick767]

To say Andy ditched Horner would be pretty far fetched. I don't think the Schlecks have that much power. But their backers from Luxembourg do, so I guess Bruyneel cannot decide on his own who to take to the Tour. Then again you would expect him to call Horner and say something like "Look Chris, I would have nominated you but I can't for the following reasons...". The whole situation pretty dodgy.

Given the number of races Bruyneel's riders have won in the past, especially the TdF, I think it likely that he can do what he wants with rider selection. I don't think he'd have it any other way.

We can lay this decision firmly at the feet of Johan Bruyneel. He's made a poor choice, then made it much worse in the horribly disrespectful way Horner had to learn about it. It's like his being an *** on purpose.

I'd love to see the Schlecks do well, but Bruyneel has done a horrible job bringing what should be a very good team together. Perhaps he's the one that needs to be fired.

 

[thehog]

Bogus for the team not to inform Horner of his status. Bruyneel not in contact with his team. Team not in contact with their riders? Cycling is a team sport, even if Horner is not racing, he should be training with his team also.What kind of DS is that guy Bruyneel???????????

Certainly after Bruyneel gave his rider head injuries at last years Tour. The guy was totally spaced out of his head and Bruyneel made him ride on.... that's the sort of guy he is. The video was shocking.

 

[patrick767]

Certainly after Bruyneel gave his rider head injuries at last years Tour. The guy was totally spaced out of his head and Bruyneel made him ride on.... that's the sort of guy he is. The video was shocking.

Your quote wasn't said by me.

That said, I don't think Bruyneel made him ride on. I do wonder, given how bad his concussion was and how completely out of it he was, how the team doctor didn't recognize it immediately. It was extraordinarily dangerous for Horner to continue riding. If he'd fallen and hit his head again...

 

[AntonioRossi]

this whole team is falling apart. I have no idea about how long the sponsors signed a contract to form RSNT, but if it continues to go downhill like this, I wouldnt be surprised if the whole team would get restructured again like last year. This is just not working out with them. Bruyneel has been acting like a d**k lately. Using the media to "motivate" the riders to do the better, and now the lack of communication with its own riders regarding to the biggest race of the year

 

[gustienordic]

Must be. On paper they are stacked. They should be a fantastic team. They've had some bad luck this year, but poor results have continued. It certainly can't all be blamed on bad luck.

Movistar is ahead of them in CQ rank this year: sure they have Valverde, Costa, Rojas etc... but RSNT should be the best team in the world... they have as much or maybe more talent than Sky... they just fail at using it.

You can't tell me that Wiggins, Froome, Rodgers, Henao, Porte, and Uran have more GC talent than Schleck, Schleck, Fuglsang, Horner, Kloden, Machado, and Monfort! Or at least not to the point where Sky can go 1,2,4,9 in the Dauphine while RNST go 10,18, 32!

Sky have 3, 8, 17, 23, 24, 33, 51, 62, 73 in the overall CQ rank... almost a third of their riders are in the top 100!

RNST have 32, 45, 47, 87, 89, and 94! What a joke

Since I used Movistar as an example earlier:

Movistar have 12, 29, and 80 only in the top 100, but have a ton of riders who score points!

 

[ElChingon]

Movistar is ahead of them in CQ rank this year: sure they have Valverde, Costa, Rojas etc... but RSNT should be the best team in the world... they have as much or maybe more talent than Sky... they just fail at using it.

You can't tell me that Wiggins, Froome, Rodgers, Henao, Porte, and Uran have more GC talent than Schleck, Schleck, Fuglsang, Horner, Kloden, Machado, and Monfort! Or at least not to the point where Sky can go 1,2,4,9 in the Dauphine while RNST go 10,18, 32!

Sky have 3, 8, 17, 23, 24, 33, 51, 62, 73 in the overall CQ rank... almost a third of their riders are in the top 100!

RNST have 32, 45, 47, 87, 89, and 94! What a joke

Since I used Movistar as an example earlier:

Movistar have 12, 29, and 80 only in the top 100, but have a ton of riders who score points!

Well the ranking rate wins and placings not fans or hype.

 

[gustienordic]

Well the ranking rate wins and placings not fans or hype.

Exactly... its clear that RSNT is not doing well! in 2011 Leo was 3rd best team, RS was 5th... and the main point scorers from each team are together they just can't win anything!

 

[Anonymous]

Bogus for the team not to inform Horner of his status. Bruyneel not in contact with his team. Team not in contact with their riders? Cycling is a team sport, even if Horner is not racing, he should be training with his team also.What kind of DS is that guy Bruyneel???????????

An insolent chop who calls out his star riders in the press. A terrible "leader" who keeps his guys in the dark. A "boss" that has ridden false success for waaaaay too long.

 

[offbyone]

I wouldn't have been shocked if Horner didn't get the Tour team selection, but I am shocked that he isn't in the possible tour selection of top 14 riders.

These articles are like radioshack deja vu. They demonstrate how out of touch the team management is with the riders. Whatever bruyneel is doing with his time, it certainly isn't managing radioshack. The team is so disjointed and disconnected it is no surprise that they are failing so badly this year.
Radioshack either needs to pull the plug completely or get rid of bruyneel because clearly bruyneel has lost his focus.

IMO Radioshack shouldn't even bother backing the schlecks in the TDF. Even if they were in their best form, this course doesn't suit them. Kloden would be a better bet. I would go as far as leaving the schlecks or at least one of them at home because they are useless as domestiques. On the other hand, Horner can play a decent support role.

 

[Eusebio Kino]

An insolent chop who calls out his star riders in the press. A terrible "leader" who keeps his guys in the dark. A "boss" that has ridden false success for waaaaay too long.

Johann did well with Lance and Contador. If he is preoccupied with his situation,(whatever that may be,) he would serve the team to graciously step out for now and let his other DS guys take over.
Directeurs sportifs: Kim Andersen, Jose Azevedo, Dirk Demol, Alain Gallopin, Luca Guercilena, Lars Michaelsen.
Whatever happened in the past with Bruyneel is in the past. Time to move on.

 

[Kwibus]

They should've brought Horner with them.

Would've been an excellent domestique for long breakaways in the mouintain stages, because that's what the Schlecks need. They need to attack 1-2 mountains from the finish. Horner could've worked for them until the final climb... I don't see who could do that now.

Not that I think they would've attacked from far out and not that I expected they would succeed, but they should've done it though.

 

[airstream]

Ease up. What drastic happened? A pure climber was left out. That's not a matter of one's merits or an alleged guarantee to be included. The main principle of scheduling of the team for GT is not palmares, but above all what сombination of riders can work most cohesively and balance. With the selection, Bruyneel was doomed to bump into a difficult decision. Well, the choice fell on Сhris, so goes the world.

 

[Froome19]

Ease up. What drastic happened? A pure climber was left out. That's not a matter of one's merits or an alleged guarantee to be included. The main principle of scheduling of the team for GT is not palmares, but above all what сombination of riders can work most cohesively and balance. With the selection, Bruyneel was doomed to bump into a difficult decision. Well, the choice fell on Сhris, so goes the world.

No it was not necessary for Bruyneel to make that decision for the provisional squad, he could have swapped him for Roulstoun or Irizar any day and it would not have made the slightest difference.

Obviously it was due to the fact that they just have not been impressed by his fitness due to his injury... not Horner's fault and indeed a bit harsh but it was certainly not got to do with squad relationships.

 

[Anonymous]

Ease up. What drastic happened? A pure climber was left out. That's not a matter of one's merits or an alleged guarantee to be included. The main principle of scheduling of the team for GT is not palmares, but above all what сombination of riders can work most cohesively and balance. With the selection, Bruyneel was doomed to bump into a difficult decision. Well, the choice fell on Сhris, so goes the world.

That's all well and good.

Other than Cancellara, go ahead and name for me the 8 other dudes that would be better to have on the TdF team.

Kloeden maybe.
FSchleck maybe.
ASchleck, purely politics.

Zubeldia maybe.

It's not like they have a prayer at the GC.

Don't see how he stays at home.

Hell, maybe Becca is selecting the team and forgot he's paying Horner.

 

[patrick767]

Radioshack has the talent to be one of the best, and possibly the best, team on the ProTour. They are failing to produce. When one rider isn't doing well, it's likely his fault or some lousy luck. When the whole team is failing, look to the guy in charge. If a football, basketball, or baseball team has the talent but keeps losing, the coach often gets booted. The same should hold true here. So good bye to Bruyneel. He's failed to get his riders to produce and to make matters worse, he's been a total d**k about it.

Ease up. What drastic happened? A pure climber was left out. That's not a matter of one's merits or an alleged guarantee to be included. The main principle of scheduling of the team for GT is not palmares, but above all what сombination of riders can work most cohesively and balance. With the selection, Bruyneel was doomed to bump into a difficult decision. Well, the choice fell on Сhris, so goes the world.

Because not only did they bump a guy who's easily qualified to be on the TdF squad, they didn't even tell him. Horner found out about it from the internet media reports. That's just utterly classless.

what kind of team is Bruyneel running? He hasn't even spoken to Horner for a month?

 

[airstream]

That's all well and good.

Other than Cancellara, go ahead and name for me the 8 other dudes that would be better to have on the TdF team.

Kloeden maybe.
FSchleck maybe.
ASchleck, purely politics.

Zubeldia maybe.

It's not like they have a prayer at the GC.

Don't see how he stays at home.

Hell, maybe Becca is selecting the team and forgot he's paying Horner.

In my view, the final squad will be: Andy-Frank-Kloden-Zubeldia-Fuglsang-Monfort-Popovych (Gallopin)-Jens-Fabi.

There's no rule according to what riders are selected purely based on current results. That's a key criterion, but not the lot. The Schlecks' spots are indisputable. I don't know what's going on with Klodi this season barring the fact that he was sick for a while, but very often he prepares only for the Tour and apparently will be good. It's not worth discussing Monfort's seat too, I hope. So, further, we have Fuglsang who's very likely to start anyways and this decision baffles me as Horny was better this season. Possibly, Andy put in a word for him. To me, Zubeldia looks more advantageous in the role of mountain helper. Jens and Fabi - it's clear too. So, there's 1 vacant place which should a priori be given to a rider of more wide capacities and Popo is preferrable in this case.

So, to my mind, Horny was supposed to ride instead of Fuglsang by rights, but one decided the other way.

 

[Froome19]

So, to my mind, Horny was supposed to ride instead of Fuglsang by rights, but one decided the other way.

But this is supposed to be the provisional list...
No indications of who will be in the team here just the top 14 names. Horner may have missed out on the team but the provisional list...
Must have been due to lack of fitness..

 

[airstream]

But this is supposed to be the provisional list...
No indications of who will be in the team here just the top 14 names. Horner may have missed out on the team but the provisional list...
Must have been due to lack of fitness..

I see, but the final squad is unlikely to surprise us a lot. Let's hope that's really about fitness, not about some undercover games.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Hog should leave Andy home. Fuglsang might even do better than Andy.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Yesterday Bruyneel posts the provisional list on Facebook which doesn't include Horner, fans question that, and Bruyneel posts:

I know everyone is surprised that Chris Horner was not on the pre-selection for the Tour de France. He is struggling with a back injury.

Within hours Horner talks to Velonews:

American veteran Chris Horner told VeloNews that his back is no longer hurting him, and that he would have been ready to race come the Tour’s June 30 start in Liège, Belgium.
...
Horner said he learned about his exclusion from the RadioShack Tour team from his wife, who read it on the Internet and called him while he was out training. He added that as of Monday evening, he had not yet spoken with anyone from RadioShack team management. The last time he spoke with team manager Johan Bruyneel, Horner said, was a month earlier in Santa Rosa, California, when Bruyneel briefly visited the team prior to the start of the Amgen Tour.

“While I’m out doing a 100-mile training ride, I’m told that my back is wrecked beyond competing at the Tour de France,” Horner said.

Okay, maybe there are good reasons for excluding him, but one thing is for sure. This situation was poorly managed. It wasn't managed at all, apparently.

I hope Radio Shack is calling Bruyneel and giving him an earful. What a hack.

 

[Froome19]

Hog should leave Andy home. Fuglsang might even do better than Andy.

The best climber in the race?

Left at home?
I dont think so....


I dont think Savio would have left Rujano at home even if he knew the form he would have been in at the Giro...