Quickstep and Lotto to Merge?

[El Imbatido]

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Patrick Lefevere wants Quickstep and Omega-Pharma Lotto to merge. He says is the best for cycling in Belguim. What do you think?

 

[Moondance]

Maybe a good idea... Not really practical though.

 

[LukeSchmid]

And he wants Contador and 4 or 5 climbers on his team as well. This fellow seems to be getting a little greedy.

 

[TRDean]

And he wants Contador and 4 or 5 climbers on his team as well. This fellow seems to be getting a little greedy.

That is exactly what I was thinking!! Seems Mr. Lefevere lives in his own little dream land!!

 

[cobblehead]

not a bad idea, belgium would benefit from having one really big team in which all the belgian big guns can have their place and the team being supplied by 2 procontinental feederteams...

but seeing as how a similar attempt in the past allready failed, I don't see it happening any time soon...

It's a nice dream however, imagine boonen, gilbert, vandenbroeck, roelandts, van avermaet, hulsmans, weylandt, wynants, seeldrayers, bakelandts, devenys,... all in the same team, would be a very nice team, all they would need to be a really big team would be a GC-contender...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I can follow his thoughts.
Cycling is getting bigger, more international and most important: more and more money is involved.
Belgium is getting too small for 2 Pro-Tour teams.
1 big team and a few smaller might be better (cf. Netherlands: Rabobank + Skill/Vacansoleil/...)

Lotto-Quickstep. Why not?

 

[auscyclefan94]

you couldn't have all those big guns on one team. they would move away as some would not get the opportunities they deserve!

 

[Jamsque]

This is a terrible, terrible idea and it will never happen.

 

[Anonymous]

still stand by the rumour i was given months ago that if lefevre gets contador as he wants and builds the team around him boonen gets to leave

 

[Jamsque]

I think getting out of that team would probably be good for Tom Boonen. He needs some new challenges, and someone who will make an effort to keep him off the nose candy.

I think Caisse or Santander make much more sense for Contador, though.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

I think getting out of that team would probably be good for Tom Boonen. He needs some new challenges, and someone who will make an effort to keep him off the nose candy.

I think Caisse or Santander make much more sense for Contador, though.

Where would Boonen go though??? I don't see him leaving his beloved Quickstep. And indeed, Contador will not go to Quickstep. He would much rather go to Caisse, who have a very strong GC team with many domestiques that can climb very well. What's the deal with Santander? Is that happening? Or will Caisse not find a new sponsor and will the whole team move to Santander?

 

[nowhereman]

Where would Boonen go though??? I don't see him leaving his beloved Quickstep. And indeed, Contador will not go to Quickstep. He would much rather go to Caisse, who have a very strong GC team with many domestiques that can climb very well. What's the deal with Santander? Is that happening? Or will Caisse not find a new sponsor and will the whole team move to Santander?

I don't know, but it seems to me that I heard quite some time ago that Caisse D'epargne is withdrawing it's sponsorship from bicycle racing. So why are we batting that team around as a potential home for Alberto?
Oh, and as for "Gargantuan" teams, chock full of superstars. It doesn't work as well as it so temptingly looks. HTC-Columbia is a good example of just that. Boasson Hagen left because there really was no place for him to blossom in that team, just as Greipel will be leaving after this season because there is really no room on that team for him and Cav at the TdF. Though HTC is still a VERY good team, I think their curve shows us that you've got to be a bit more strategic when assembling a team, if you want it to stay together for the long haul.

 

[taiwan]

you couldn't have all those big guns on one team. they would move away as some would not get the opportunities they deserve!

Agree. Yet they still wouldn't have a big time GC rider.
I think Lefévre just wants Gilbert, which is sort of understandable.
How would that work anyway with the sponsors? Omega Pharma Quick Step Lotto? Long, but no Androni, I suppose.

 

[Arnout]

I don't know, but it seems to me that I heard quite some time ago that Caisse D'epargne is withdrawing it's sponsorship from bicycle racing. So why are we batting that team around as a potential home for Alberto?
Oh, and as for "Gargantuan" teams, chock full of superstars. It doesn't work as well as it so temptingly looks. HTC-Columbia is a good example of just that. Boasson Hagen left because there really was no place for him to blossom in that team, just as Greipel will be leaving after this season because there is really no room on that team for him and Cav at the TdF. Though HTC is still a VERY good team, I think their curve shows us that you've got to be a bit more strategic when assembling a team, if you want it to stay together for the long haul.

Another Spanish sponsor will probably come up, especially after some years of no Spanish sponsors (after all Caisse d'Epargne is French) in the sport. Especially when Contador is joining the team there will be interest I guess.

I just can't see Contador moving to QuickStep. Lefevre wants it, but so does every other team. Contador was asked about it last year and he said that there are many interested parties and he didn't seem very keen to join QS. The last years all GC talents have been wasted in that team and that's certainly something to think about. Lefevre is one of the worst guys in cycling at the moment as well.

 

[issoisso]

Is this going to result in Philommeke Gilboonen, the perfect classics rider?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

not a bad idea, belgium would benefit from having one really big team in which all the belgian big guns can have their place and the team being supplied by 2 procontinental feederteams...

but seeing as how a similar attempt in the past allready failed, I don't see it happening any time soon...

It's a nice dream however, imagine boonen, gilbert, vandenbroeck, roelandts, van avermaet, hulsmans, weylandt, wynants, seeldrayers, bakelandts, devenys,... all in the same team, would be a very nice team, all they would need to be a really big team would be a GC-contender...

failed? Mapei was great.

 

[tgsgirl]

Is this going to result in Philommeke Gilboonen, the perfect classics rider?

The new Gibo is here!

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Is this going to result in Philommeke Gilboonen, the perfect classics rider?

Yeah they could merge too

 

[taiwan]

Is this going to result in Philommeke Gilboonen, the perfect classics rider?

Considering how much those teams are one man shows already, that guy's team would just be ridiculous.

 

[luckyboy]

I can follow his thoughts.
Cycling is getting bigger, more international and most important: more and more money is involved.
Belgium is getting too small for 2 Pro-Tour teams.
1 big team and a few smaller might be better (cf. Netherlands: Rabobank + Skill/Vacansoleil/...)

Lotto-Quickstep. Why not?

If Gilbert left Lotto, they could just drop down to Pro Conti status..

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

If Gilbert left Lotto, they could just drop down to Pro Conti status..

Still, there's need for more money.
Quickstep+Lotto+OmegaPharma = Big Money

(btw: lotto is currently the 4th team in the UCI ranking)

 

[luckyboy]

4th?! Wow, doing well with their 3 victories this year.. http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/team_palm.asp?year=2010&teamcode=olo&podium=1

 

[isayic]

And he wants Contador and 4 or 5 climbers on his team as well. This fellow seems to be getting a little greedy.

I have my doubts that Contador wants to begin from the scratch every season. Barring desaster I think he will stay with Astana.
And a team like Quickstep has no experience how to support a GT contender.
It's not done with signing one and some climbers.

 

[taiwan]

I have my doubts that Contador wants to begin from the scratch every season. Barring desaster I think he will stay with Astana.
And a team like Quickstep has no experience how to support a GT contender.
It's not done with signing one and some climbers.

good points, those.

 

[badboyberty]

And instead of using the brand "Silence" they could revert back to to using the parent company's name and wallah "Quickstep-Davitimon".

No need for new kits, just dust off the old ones.