Pro Tour Teams 2010

[ilillillli]

2 Italian: Lampre & Liquigas


FWIW, I think RS and Sky replace Cofidis. I think Milram are just as weak a team - but suspect the UCI will want to retain the only German team.

If Lampre's licence is up next year I would expect them to be out.

once again, i'm basing this on nothing, but i really feel like there's nothing fd jeux or cofidis could do to get kicked out of the pro tour. they've just been around too long. if anyone's gone i bet it's bbox. once again, basing this on "gut feeling" only.

 

[Boleyn]

once again, i'm basing this on nothing, but i really feel like there's nothing fd jeux or cofidis could do to get kicked out of the pro tour. they've just been around too long. if anyone's gone i bet it's bbox. once again, basing this on "gut feeling" only.

FDJ's license is not up for renewal, so they should be safe. There are 21 teams up for a possible 20 spots, though they may not give out 21 licenses!

I see Sky and the Shack both getting licenses, which means no to Skil.

Of the teams up for renewal (AG2R, Lampre, Cofidis, BBox, and Milram) I see AG2R getting renewed, along with BBox and Milram. The losers will be one of Cofidis or Lampre. Of course, both could also be gone.

 

[Boleyn]

i thought astanas current liecense was actually owned buy the hog, not by the astana team sponsers, so would radio shack not inherrit this liecence?
if that is the case, with the riders that astana will be losing, i dont think they will get a pro tour liecense. i would also like to see lampre, cofidis and milram miss out, at the moment they both offer little, but maybe if theyre concentrating on fewer races they could contribute more.
skil getting a liecense would be pointless, they were way out of their depth at le tour

Astana's license is held by the Kazahk federation. The Hog owns the riders' contracts.

 

[montagna lunga]

Astana's license is held by the Kazahk federation. The Hog owns the riders' contracts.

"The Hog"?

 

[Anonymous]

"The Hog"?

Johan Bruyneel. It was given to him by his former teammates for his rabid consumption of....well, that is for another area of the forum.

 

[benpounder]

According to
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/uci-bar-will-be-raised-for-protour-membership
18 spots, 21 teams for 2010
Who will miss out?
AG2R, Lampre, Cofidis, BBox Bouygues, and Milram up for renewal
Skil-Shimano, Team Sky, and RadioShack applying
Any teams folding?
Will they increase the number of teams?

Personally, I'd like to see RadioShack miss out, but I'm thinking it's unlikely ...

And Euskaltel. Katusha and Astana are on the precipice. ShackTeam will be in because of Lance, Cervelo if they want to be. Team Sky because of the budget, and Skil will wallow in limbo pending decisions regarding Milram, Cofidis, and Euskaltel.

I predict 18 teams next year; Euskaltel, Astana, and Milram out, Sky, Shack, and Cervelo in. (Cofidis and Lampre should get the axe, but they are legacy members...)

 

[ladyvader]

I wonder if the UCI's site has a typo.
Currently 18 teams and 14 events hold UCI ProTour licences. The licences of five teams and three events are due to expire in 2009.

All of these teams have presented applications to have their licences renewed. The teams are:

* Ag2r La Mondiale (FRA) / EUSRL France Cyclisme
* BBox Bouygues Télécom (FRA) / SA Vendée Cyclisme
* Cofidis, le crédit en ligne (FRA) / Cofidis Compétition EUSRL
* Lampre (ITA) / Bici Club Azzurro SRL
* Team Milram (GER) / VeloCity GmbH

Furthermore, two new teams and one UCI Professional Continental Team have applied for UCI ProTour licences:

* Team Sky (GBR) / Tour Racing Limited
* Team Radio Shack (USA) / Bill Stapleton
* Skil-Shimano (NED) / SMS Cycling B.V.

The organisers of all three events for which the licences expire in 2009 have applied for renewal. These events are:

* Amstel Gold Race (NED)
* Tour of Flanders (BEL)
* Tour de Romandie (SUI)

In addition, the Tour Down Under (AUS), the licence of which expires in 2011, has already made an application for renewal.

The candidature files will be examined by the Licence Commission and decisions on the first files announced by September.

 

[TrudyTas]

The CN articles states:
"But, from 2011 onwards, the classifications of the UCI World Calendar would confer the automatic right to participate in the Tour de France and other Historic Races, with either 17 teams of nine riders or 18 teams of eight taking part."

If they decided on 18 teams of eight riders, would that mean more teams could hold PT licences? Then it could only be Skil that misses out ...

 

[badboyberty]

Furthermore, two new teams and one UCI Professional Continental Team have applied for UCI ProTour licences:

* Team Sky (GBR) / Tour Racing Limited
* Team Radio Shack (USA) / Bill Stapleton
* Skil-Shimano (NED) / SMS Cycling B.V.

So now not only are they poaching riders from everywhere, they're also taking the management as well? But I guess if they sign just half the riders who've been rumoured to be entering the Shack, they'd need both Bruyneel and Stapleton to organise things.

 

[balkou]

There is Bill Stapleton, there is Bob Stapleton as well...

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

i just hope team sky get in so there are more Brits racing in the grand tours.

I dont. why should sky and Radioshack get direct entry into the PT just because of there size of funds (AND btw I agree both these teams are good things for cycling, there is no doubt about that) or because people want more british riders in pro tour races... They should have to at least race 1 season in pro cont. tour, Then apply for pro tour. If any of the 3 deserve PT status (in my opinion) it would be skil - I get the feeling that skil would be on good terms with UCI - and they in all honestly aren't really strong enough for PT status either.

I mean if the UCI are gonna base some of their decision on results (i.e kicking Bbox out because of poor results), then shouldn't Radioshack and sky actually have to post some results in cycling to gain entry into the 1st tier? would seem contradictory if they gained automatic entry.

Also i think the uci have the right idea by making the pro tour standard higher, maybe reducing the teams from 18 to 16 (cofidos and Bbox are questionable) wouldn't be a bad thing.

i assume entry into the pro tour is a mixture of: results, ethics and budget. (and maybe even nationality)

dont know why LPR dont want to get protour they have di luca petacchi pietropolli and bosisio

you are aware di luca tested positive right ?

 

[TRDean]

I dont. why should sky and Radioshack get direct entry into the PT just because of there size of funds (AND btw I agree both these teams are good things for cycling, there is no doubt about that) or because people want more british riders in pro tour races... They should have to at least race 1 season in pro cont. tour, Then apply for pro tour. If any of the 3 deserve PT status (in my opinion) it would be skil - I get the feeling that skil would be on good terms with UCI - and they in all honestly aren't really strong enough for PT status either.

I mean if the UCI are gonna base some of their decision on results (i.e kicking Bbox out because of poor results), then shouldn't Radioshack and sky actually have to post some results in cycling to gain entry into the 1st tier? would seem contradictory if they gained automatic entry.

Also i think the uci have the right idea by making the pro tour standard higher, maybe reducing the teams from 18 to 16 (cofidos and Bbox are questionable) wouldn't be a bad thing.

i assume entry into the pro tour is a mixture of: results, ethics and budget. (and maybe even nationality)




you are aware di luca tested positive right ?

Excellent points!! I think Skil may be getting a budget increase, and possibly picking up some more talent...just a gut feeling, but it could help them. I agree that right now they are not strong enough for protour status.

 

[Hammerhed]

Astana PT ticket

Astana does hold the PT license, but are we sure that Olympus Sarl (JB's group) holds the riders' contracts? If so, why didn't he tell Vino to ****** off? I know that Olympus Sarl handles the payroll, manages the operation, etc., but I think the Kaz boys own the riders. Otherwise, Contador would be working for Johan, and Vino's love letters would mean caca. Yea or nay?

As far as the PT goes, does membership again guarantee an invite to the TdF and the VdE as it used to? Was that part of the reconcillation package between ASO and UCI? If so, then Sky and Cervelo will want PT membership, though Team Radio Shack doesn't need it yet, not as long as Lance is still racing.

As far as the French teams go, BBox has outperformed Milram and Fuji this year, two of the poor performers along with EE and FdJ. AG2R has won only one race, and Nocentini had a decent July; but remember, last year the UCI was alternately begging teams and threatening them to participate in the PT, so I think they'll make room for whoever wants to play except for Astana. I think that if Vino is accepted, McQuaid will boot Astana, AC or no AC. Wouldn't that cause some mess?

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

Astana does hold the PT license, but are we sure that Olympus Sarl (JB's group) holds the riders' contracts? If so, why didn't he tell Vino to ****** off? I know that Olympus Sarl handles the payroll, manages the operation, etc., but I think the Kaz boys own the riders. Otherwise, Contador would be working for Johan, and Vino's love letters would mean caca. Yea or nay?

The other way around, as far as we can tell. Olympus has the contracts, the riders are paid by Astana. He could tell Vino to get lost, but he still needs to pay the bills for Astana and the money comes from the sponsor.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Astana does hold the PT license, but are we sure that Olympus Sarl (JB's group) holds the riders' contracts? If so, why didn't he tell Vino to ****** off? I know that Olympus Sarl handles the payroll, manages the operation, etc., but I think the Kaz boys own the riders. Otherwise, Contador would be working for Johan, and Vino's love letters would mean caca. Yea or nay?

As far as the PT goes, does membership again guarantee an invite to the TdF and the VdE as it used to? Was that part of the reconcillation package between ASO and UCI? If so, then Sky and Cervelo will want PT membership, though Team Radio Shack doesn't need it yet, not as long as Lance is still racing.

As far as the French teams go, BBox has outperformed Milram and Fuji this year, two of the poor performers along with EE and FdJ. AG2R has won only one race, and Nocentini had a decent July; but remember, last year the UCI was alternately begging teams and threatening them to participate in the PT, so I think they'll make room for whoever wants to play except for Astana. I think that if Vino is accepted, McQuaid will boot Astana, AC or no AC. Wouldn't that cause some mess?

The Astana situation is a mess - which is why I think they will not be part of the Pro Tour next year.

The original team was Liberty Seguros - when Saiz got implicated in Operation Puerto Marc Biver (Vino's agent) took over the PT licence with funding made by a consortium of Kazakh sponsors.

When Astana had their 2007 problems, Biver was out and signed over the PT licence to the Kazakh Federation.
They brought in Johan who set up a new company Olympus SARL. He took over the contracts of the riders - the Kazakh Fed paid Olympus SARL who in turn paid the riders.

When Bruyneel took on the project he made it part of the contract that he was not obliged to sign Vino, Kaskeshkin and Andeas Kloden!!!
Which is what the "bull in a China shop" twitter by JB. Vino expected to come back to the existing Astana setup and JB to sign over all to the Kazakh Federation.

Contadors contract is valid until the end of 2010 - but JB will let him go and sign with a new team.

 

[Cobblestones]

The Astana situation is a mess - which is why I think they will not be part of the Pro Tour next year.

The original team was Liberty Seguros - when Saiz got implicated in Operation Puerto Marc Biver (Vino's agent) took over the PT licence with funding made by a consortium of Kazakh sponsors.

When Astana had their 2007 problems, Biver was out and signed over the PT licence to the Kazakh Federation.
They brought in Johan who set up a new company Olympus SARL. He took over the contracts of the riders - the Kazakh Fed paid Olympus SARL who in turn paid the riders.

When Bruyneel took on the project he made it part of the contract that he was not obliged to sign Vino, Kaskeshkin and Andeas Kloden!!!
Which is what the "bull in a China shop" twitter by JB. Vino expected to come back to the existing Astana setup and JB to sign over all to the Kazakh Federation.

Contadors contract is valid until the end of 2010 - but JB will let him go and sign with a new team.

It would be interesting to know what that means precisely. Either Bruyneel simply serviced the contract (which would still be with Astana) or all riders got new contracts with him. In the latter case, it would be important to know what the provisions in those contracts are for Bruyneel leaving Astana. Will the contracts revert to Astana contracts or will Bruyneel take the contracts with him? I almost suspect the former. The latter seems implausible given the actions of Bruyneel and Astana so far, in particular given the way the payment mess in May and June played out.

Moreover, since Bruyneel put the provision he didn't have to sign Vino and Kash in his contract with Astana, I cannot believe the Astana boys relinquishing their riders' contracts to Bruyneel which would give him such an important card to play.

ETA: What are the news by the way on transfers from Astana to the Shackteam? Leipheimer, Horner, Popo? Who do they have contracts with? We might learn something from that. It could also be that pre-Bruyneel riders have contracts directly with Astana, while all newcomers have contracts with Bruyneel. The situation could be very murky, indeed.

 

[badboyberty]

There is Bill Stapleton, there is Bob Stapleton as well...

Obviously if I paid more attention to everything Armstrong I'd have realised who his agent was... got to turn off my Lance blocking radar sometimes...

Are Bill and Bob related?

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

It would be interesting to know what that means precisely. Either Bruyneel simply serviced the contract (which would still be with Astana) or all riders got new contracts with him. In the latter case, it would be important to know what the provisions in those contracts are for Bruyneel leaving Astana. Will the contracts revert to Astana contracts or will Bruyneel take the contracts with him? I almost suspect the former. The latter seems implausible given the actions of Bruyneel and Astana so far, in particular given the way the payment mess in May and June played out.

Also, contracts could be different for ex-Disco boys and ex-Astana riders.

 

[TrudyTas]

Lampre:
Ballan is going
Bruseghin has jumped ship

Is the ship sinking?

 

[DAOTEC]

? ? ?

! ! !

Well --->>>