McEwen to Radio Shack? Maybe the fat ladies not singing....for Radio Shack that is.

[Dimtick]

Early on in the transfer season I kept watching for there to be news that Radio Shack had picked up a big name to take over the GC spot. When the headline never came and then they lost the bidding war for Taylor Phinney I thought that Radio Shack was dying a slow painful death...just killing time until the RS sponsorship deal ran out.
Now I'm wondering if RS has really been playing it smart and showing the wisdom that comes with age. Bruyneel knew that he didn't have the money to get the big names in the beginning so he's been waiting patiently for some of the upstart teams to crumble and then being able to get some great riders at bargain basement prices.
They just got McEwen and Hunter, and now there are whispers about Menchov and maybe even Sastre? I can't possibly see RS having that kind of money. The only thing I can see is Bruyneel leveraging his ProTour license to get some of the sponsors away from the teams that didn't make the cut (Pegasus, Geox).

 

[Angliru]

Unless Menchov does join, no reason not to take McEwen to the Tour.

He'll be there

It would be totally contrary to their track record. They've already announced that Brajkovic will be their leader at the Tour. McEwen, as far as I have seen, isn't really known for working for anyone's gc contender in a grand tour. I can't see McEwen fetching bottles and riding tempo on the front of the peloton in service to Brajkovic. Plus at McEwen's advanced age this is probably the worst team he could've joined if it is his ambition to end his career at the Tour with guns blazing. His guns will be holstered in the month of July while the Shack tries to see how far JB Jr can go in the Tour gc with
Leipheimer and Kloden riding in support and as second and 3rd options should the young guy not be ready for prime time.

 

[Dimtick]

It would be totally contrary to their track record. They've already announced that Brajkovic will be their leader at the Tour. McEwen, as far as I have seen, isn't really known for working for anyone's gc contender in a grand tour. I can't see McEwen fetching bottles and riding tempo on the front of the peloton in service to Brajkovic. Plus at McEwen's advanced age this is probably the worst team he could've joined if it is his ambition to end his career at the Tour with guns blazing. His guns will be holstered in the month of July while the Shack tries to see how far JB Jr can go in the Tour gc with
Leipheimer and Kloden riding in support and as second and 3rd options should the young guy not be ready for prime time.

As much as I like him, I just don't think that Brajkovic is ready yet to be in the GC spot of a grand tour. Needs some more "seasoning".
My impression of the McEwen/Hunter deal is that Bruyneel jumped at the oppertunity without really thinking out the details. When your shopping for deals, you take what you can get and then figure out how to make it work later.
as I've said early my thoughts of McEwen is that he can be the breakaway guy and do his own thing and let the rest of the team chug it out in the peleton.

 

[Anonymous]

The only thing I can see is Bruyneel leveraging his ProTour license to get some of the sponsors away from the teams that didn't make the cut (Pegasus, Geox).

I would love to know which of Pegasus's sponsors JB could lever away?

 

[Angliru]

As much as I like him, I just don't think that Brajkovic is ready yet to be in the GC spot of a grand tour. Needs some more "seasoning".
My impression of the McEwen/Hunter deal is that Bruyneel jumped at the oppertunity without really thinking out the details. When your shopping for deals, you take what you can get and then figure out how to make it work later.
as I've said early my thoughts of McEwen is that he can be the breakaway guy and do his own thing and let the rest of the team chug it out in the peleton.

It's rare that you see a reknowned sprinter (even at his age) like McEwen in a break likely because they are not happy to be making it to the final km with him in the group. That break is destined to fail because of the lack of harmony. Plus, just like I can't recall McEwen working for a gc contender, I equally can't recall him making any efforts to get in a break or even initiate a break. I don't think he is that type of rider, not that he can't become one at this point in his career. He hasn't been one to be thought of as a threat in the classics and I believe he has a limited number of single day events (that aren't classics or semi-classics) on his palmares. Granted he is quite resourceful but that hasn't transfered to many single day successes (that aren't stage races). I could be wrong though.

 

[ansimi]

I remember McEwen being somewhat helpful to Evans. He's respected in the peloton and quite good at getting other people (including other teams) to work. He was also especially good at chasing away motos.

 

[roundabout]

It's quite a conundrum, take a sprinter who will finish around 5-10 in the sprints or take an extra helper for riders who will finish around 5-10 on GC

 

[Angliru]

It's quite a conundrum, take a sprinter who will finish around 5-10 in the sprints or take an extra helper for riders who will finish around 5-10 on GC

I think the latter would be the better proposition. At least in the latter you have more air time with your gc rider(s) being prominent in the camera's eye for a longer period in the mountainous stages compared to the short time that the sprints take place. Plus with RS being an American team the media, or should I say Phil, Paul and Bob, can't help but focus on what Leipheimer, Kloden, Brajkovic, Horner and Pop are doing (or not doing) in the course of the mountain stages.

 

[Dimtick]

It's quite a conundrum, take a sprinter who will finish around 5-10 in the sprints or take an extra helper for riders who will finish around 5-10 on GC

<Angliru>'s right. If you don't have a realistic shot at podium then you take whoever will get you the most camera time. Brajkovic will get followed if he's doing well but I doubt you'll see much of Leipheimeer, Horner or Kloden unless a dozen other riders crash out in a massive pile up, and they really have a shot at top 3.

 

[Dimtick]

It's rare that you see a reknowned sprinter (even at his age) like McEwen in a break likely because they are not happy to be making it to the final km with him in the group. That break is destined to fail because of the lack of harmony. Plus, just like I can't recall McEwen working for a gc contender, I equally can't recall him making any efforts to get in a break or even initiate a break. I don't think he is that type of rider, not that he can't become one at this point in his career. He hasn't been one to be thought of as a threat in the classics and I believe he has a limited number of single day events (that aren't classics or semi-classics) on his palmares. Granted he is quite resourceful but that hasn't transfered to many single day successes (that aren't stage races). I could be wrong though.

your right that the breakaway riders will hate having a sprinter in the mix knowing that, if they survive, they'll get spanked in the dash to the line. Maybe that's where Hunter comes in? If McEwen & Hunter can work together, they can get thru the hills when the other breakers try to drop them off the back. I don't see either rider ever being a point contender so there won't be any motivation from the peleton to chase them down.

 

[roundabout]

I'm not advocating that McEwen should be favored over a GC "contender" rather if he should be taken instead of people like Rast/Muravyev

 

[Mellow Velo]

I would suggest that McEwen would, or should be preferential to the sponsors, given his "status". Biggest names to the biggest event and all that.....

 

[Angliru]

I'm not advocating that McEwen should be favored over a GC "contender" rather if he should be taken instead of people like Rast/Muravyev

McEwen would be better served in the Vuelta where the competition for sprint wins won't be as stiff. I believe has little chance of winning a stage in the Tour at this point in his career.

This is quite unlikely but...if Bruyneel can get the stick out of his a** and try something a little different like sending Leipheimer, Kloden and/or Horner off in breaks to animate the race and make their opposition work, they could potentially pull off a surprise or two. The 3 geezers aren't so old that they can be given too much latitude as far as in breaks and potentially gaining time. IMO though it's quite unlikely Leipheimer would be willing to take that kind of chance (losing major time) when the opportunity to finish in another stellar top 10-20 of the gc is possible. Horner though would be game and Kloden will simply do as he is instructed. In this scenario having a Rast/Muravyev would be more advantageous as opposed to having McEwen there in name and past successes only, taking up valuable space but contributing little other than the feint fumes from his reputation.