Radio Shack already done with Cycling???

[McClimber]

Reading the Taylor Phinney news and it said that Radio Shack is over in 2011?

What a flash in the pan.

Pretty disappointed if it was all about Lance. And his last try at glory.

I kind of feel used.

 

[Moondance]

Radioshack had signed with Bruyneel for two years only. They just wanted to ride Lance's coat-tails, and there was (in my mind certainly) no doubt that when Lance quit, the Shack money supply would be turned off.

The stupid thing for me is is that despite the Shack only being funded for two years, Bruyneel got a four year Pro-Tour license... Ridiculous.

 

[flicker]

Reading the Taylor Phinney news and it said that Radio Shack is over in 2011?

What a flash in the pan.

Pretty disappointed if it was all about Lance. And his last try at glory.

I kind of feel used.

Join the club. I feel like a soiled kleenex dropped in the gutter in the red-light district of Paris. This news is hard, very hard, fetal position hard.

I was the guy in the ARMSTRONG 8 tights at the tour. Cost me 5000 bucks to root on Lance. Tough very tough. Why Tyler why?

 

[indurain666]

Couldn't be....no way...this means.. no cancer awareness for 2011???What about the 28 jerseys?

Oh dear...the world of cycling is going to lose so much if this happens...

 

[hrotha]

If there's a RadioShack team in 2011 nevermind in 2012 and beyond I'd already consider that a better outcome than expected.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

It actually does suck on a few levels. Mostly because of financial support for the sport.

It's too bad they won't at least field a domestic team for 2011, whether it's lead by MiniPhinney or not, to compete at races like the ToC, Coors' Classic (I mean Quiznos), Vuelta Mexico, etc. Plus I have to say that 28 kit was much better than the original looking one.

I'm not too surprised JB got a long PT license like he did. Mostly because of his connections and name. But his name may be so tarnished at this point a lot of organizations and events will find him to be radioactive and not allow his teams in.

 

[Greg Johnson]

It actually does suck on a few levels. Mostly because of financial support for the sport.

Sure, but the flip-side is it kept 40-odd people employed in the sport during a two year period where sponsorship monies are not easily come by. I thank them for that.

Even if it was all for Lance, it doesn't have to be all about Lance.

Cheers
Greg Johnson

 

[The Hitch]

Radioshack had a few good young guys i liked. Machado, Paulinho, Janez. I know Paulinho is not that young but they were still good talents. Their teams for Pais Vasco and Dauphine. What happens to all these guys. They all go on the transfer market? THey would all be great buys for any team. ANd Levi, and Kloeden? They arent done with cycling just yet? Performed poor this season but might yet have 1 more gt in their legs. Any team want a potential podium contender for a gt next season?

 

[eleven]

There seems to be some confusion or misinformation in this thread. Radioshack's sponsorship ends after the 2011 season. There will be a Radioshack PT team next year, racing throughout the 2011 season.

It remains to be seen if RS will re-up their deal, another sponsor will be found or the team will close its doors.

 

[jmax22]

Radio Shack signed a two-year contrat for 2010-11, so they are on board for next year. It's unlikely they'll re-up given the reputation they have and all of the negative publicity surrounding Lance.

 

[Anonymous]

I can see no way that RS will stick around the sport for one second longer than their contract requires.

I would not be surprised to see them try to get out of this contract even before then.

This thing was a very cynical play on Armstrong's fading glory. Shame if you didn't see that up front.

 

[LaBici]

crock of doo

This thing was a very cynical play on Armstrong's fading glory. Shame if you didn't see that up front.

It was marketing BS from the get go. I have had no use for Armstrong and Bruyneel in the last few years. Horse ****. Pathetic end.

 

[ladyvader]

I just read an article here that has Trek sponsoring the new Schleck team. Are they going to sponsor two teams or is Trek leaving Radio Shack?

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Too early to tell. If RS is excluded from Giro and Vuelta next year (and I think they will get invites) then Shack will probably hang it up. But if they do get invites then I think RS will be open to extending depending on how their sponsorship translates to the bottom line... global product awareness and the almighty $$$. If they think they've maxed out the latter, then they're gone. I dunno. Seems like too many factors can change in the next year, so it's kind of a crap shoot right now.

 

[PCutter]

Um, just because Radio Shack leave doesn't mean the team has to disappear. Johan is more than capable of finding new sponsors. He's done it before. I think the team is in need of some rejuvenation however, Levi, Klodi, Horner (et al) are all a bit long in the tooth, anything they were going to do in the sport has already been done.

Without Conti or Schleck, they either need new team goals other than going for GC or find someone who is yet to emerge to take their crown as no-one currently in their roster is capable of the top step over those two.

 

[richwagmn]

I can see no way that RS will stick around the sport for one second longer than their contract requires.

I would not be surprised to see them try to get out of this contract even before then.

This thing was a very cynical play on Armstrong's fading glory. Shame if you didn't see that up front.

I agree.

JB is already done too. He should write a new book: We might as well win the team competition.

I'm just so glad LA is going away. It'll give him more time to fight cancer (and the feds).

 

[richwagmn]

I just read an article here that has Trek sponsoring the new Schleck team. Are they going to sponsor two teams or is Trek leaving Radio Shack?

What did they get out of the RS sponsorship? Trek seems to want some big wins, something RS failed to provide. Good to see it's not all about LA with them.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Um, just because Radio Shack leave doesn't mean the team has to disappear. Johan is more than capable of finding new sponsors. He's done it before.

He has? When?
There was I thinking that after Discovery bailed in 2007, he was without a team for that very reason: no sponsor.

RS will ride with the old bunch for 2011, then fold, as the old bunch will retire at this time.

If Trek do drop the team, then Felt would be a natural replacement, given Garmin will be on Cervelos.

I agree with others that the 4 year PT pass was a travesty.
Many of us questioned the long term intentions of the team, when it was issued. We weren't wrong.

 

[icefire]

I'm not too surprised JB got a long PT license like he did. Mostly because of his connections and name. But his name may be so tarnished at this point a lot of organizations and events will find him to be radioactive and not allow his teams in.

I have no doubt it already happened this year with the Vuelta

 

[joy118118]

He has? When?
There was I thinking that after Discovery bailed in 2007, he was without a team for that very reason: no sponsor.

RS will ride with the old bunch for 2011, then fold, as the old bunch will retire at this time.

If Trek do drop the team, then Felt would be a natural replacement, given Garmin will be on Cervelos.

I agree with others that the 4 year PT pass was a travesty.
Many of us questioned the long term intentions of the team, when it was issued. We weren't wrong.

Now they havent 4 year PT.

 

[HL2037]

Too early to tell. If RS is excluded from Giro and Vuelta next year (and I think they will get invites) then Shack will probably hang it up. But if they do get invites then I think RS will be open to extending depending on how their sponsorship translates to the bottom line... global product awareness and the almighty $$$. If they think they've maxed out the latter, then they're gone. I dunno. Seems like too many factors can change in the next year, so it's kind of a crap shoot right now.

Do Radioshack even have any stores outside of USA? Why would they want Europeans to be aware of their products, when we cant buy anything from them anyway?

 

[auscyclefan94]

JB is a sad little man if he is just going to dump this team once lance is gone. He built it up with Lance and then is going to leave a lot of riders without a contract. Sad...

 

[Barrus]

Do Radioshack even have any stores outside of USA? Why would they want Europeans to be aware of their products, when we cant buy anything from them anyway?

I believe there is one subsidiary in Belgium, but it goes under a different name, otherwise they have completely no presence in Europe. The only thing some Europeans know about it comes from movies, or the stereotypes online. That is a shop with overpriced electrical parts that no-one ever uses

 

[Dewulf]

I just read an article here that has Trek sponsoring the new Schleck team. Are they going to sponsor two teams or is Trek leaving Radio Shack?

they're going to sponsor two they've said...think that was stated on CN somewhere in a short quote.....for 2011 anyway. after that, who knows really...

 

[Cobblestoned]

There seems to be some confusion or misinformation in this thread. Radioshack's sponsorship ends after the 2011 season. There will be a Radioshack PT team next year, racing throughout the 2011 season.

It remains to be seen if RS will re-up their deal, another sponsor will be found or the team will close its doors.

+1
That's what it's all about - SSDD, and you can add "hate" to confusion and misinformation.
Congrats for one of the few balanced and realistic posts in this thread !