Radio Shack might skip the Giro d'Italia

[janraaskalt]

Besides the TDU and the ToC, does anyone know Radioshack's race schedule? Couldn't find one on their website :-(

 

[*G*K*S*]

Besides the TDU and the ToC, does anyone know Radioshack's race schedule? Couldn't find one on their website :-(

The opposite of Contador's until the TdF?

 

[flicker]

I do not see that the Sponsor Radio Shack would benefit by having an Italy team. I do not think the Shack does business in Europe.

After the Tour de France American fans recognize the Tour of California.

 

[issoisso]

displace the Giro

Funniest thing I've ever read on this forum

 

[theyoungest]

I do not see that the Sponsor Radio Shack would benefit by having an Italy team. I do not think the Shack does business in Europe.

After the Tour de France American fans recognize the Tour of California.

Well, then what's the point in them doing all these petty races like LBL and the Tour of Flanders?

 

[*G*K*S*]

Well, then what's the point in them doing all these petty races like LBL and the Tour of Flanders?

Because according to Wiki......As of 2007, one Tandy store remains open in Merksem, claiming to be the only remaining Tandy store in Europe

Now we know why LA will be racing in Belgium this spring.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I do not see that the Sponsor Radio Shack would benefit by having an Italy team. I do not think the Shack does business in Europe.

After the Tour de France American fans recognize the Tour of California.

This logic would have Lance riding the Tour of Puerto Rico.

As for your final sentence, I suspect there are more than a handful of US fans, on here, who might take exception to your perception of their cycling knowledge.

 

[Polish]

You can bet the Giro organizers are disappointed in the news

But on the other hand the ASO, which own a large chunk of the Amgen Tour of California, will be happy

I suppose Alberto will dodge the AToC...it is very far from his neighborhood and Lance will be there racing

 

[fatandfast]

Don't you think that Lance and team/org understand that if he races against Alberto and gets spanked that people may conclude too early that Armstrong is going to get swept into the dustbin? It's in Radio Shacks best interest to let everybody pump up the showdown between the 2 of them as long as possible. The actual races between them will be far less important and even less lucrative than all the web hits,mag articles and sports show guessers selling ad space. Don't take this wrong Alberto but Armstrong is the great white hope. With slippery gas pedals on Toyota's they better start airing those Nissan spots right away,Lance is going to look like an ad icon

 

[buckwheat]

I suppose Alberto will dodge the AToC...it is very far from his neighborhood and Lance will be there racing

Why would Contador dodge Prance? LA is not in the same league.

 

[Polish]

Why would Contador dodge Prance? LA is not in the same league.

I think you answered your own question

 

[Race Radio]

You can bet the Giro organizers are disappointed in the news

But on the other hand the ASO, which own a large chunk of the Amgen Tour of California, will be happy

I suppose Alberto will dodge the AToC...it is very far from his neighborhood and Lance will be there racing

ASO does not own any of the ToC. Thy have a marketing partnership, they sell the TV rights internationally.

 

[Publicus]

You can bet the Giro organizers are disappointed in the news

But on the other hand the ASO, which own a large chunk of the Amgen Tour of California, will be happy

I suppose Alberto will dodge the AToC...it is very far from his neighborhood and Lance will be there racing

My guess is if Specialized asks him to go and he does, Lance will pull out with an injury. Lance can't afford to have reality catch up to him before the Tour De France. It wouldn't be good for him (financially or psychologically) and certainly not good for his sponsors.

Lance you have to race to win. Remember that. Or is he all hat and no cattle? (or however that saying goes)

 

[Publicus]

Don't you think that Lance and team/org understand that if he races against Alberto and gets spanked that people may conclude too early that Armstrong is going to get swept into the dustbin? It's in Radio Shacks best interest to let everybody pump up the showdown between the 2 of them as long as possible. The actual races between them will be far less important and even less lucrative than all the web hits,mag articles and sports show guessers selling ad space. Don't take this wrong Alberto but Armstrong is the great white hope. With slippery gas pedals on Toyota's they better start airing those Nissan spots right away,Lance is going to look like an ad icon

+1 That's precisely why we won't see those two in the same race before the Tour de France. It's a one-man rivalry designed to pump up the pending showdown for the benefit of his sponsors and his own financial interest.

 

[ravens]

This logic would have Lance riding the Tour of Puerto Rico.

As for your final sentence, I suspect there are more than a handful of US fans, on here, who might take exception to your perception of their cycling knowledge.

He probably ought to have qualified a little more of his statement. For public consumption (NOT cycling fans), the TOC is probably a decent event on the west coast, I think california is still our most populous state. If you asked CA non-cycling people what pro cycling events they could name, those 2 would be the biggest response. It would be interesting what the split would be...would it be 10 tdf for each TOC response or would it be more balanced.

Anyhoo....my 2 centavos.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I wonder if Contador would be happy to ride in California, or would he feel his security threatened by the proximity of a potentially hostile crowd?
After all, it would only take one lunatic fanboy.

Basically, the same observation that Lance made about the French, last year.

 

[ravens]

Why would Contador dodge Prance? LA is not in the same league.

I think it would be a disservice to AC if he allowed the rivalry to dominate choices he makes. If he was just totally stoked to do that race, then by all means, he ought to go. But if doing the TOC is merely to show up a rival, that's negative thinking, IMO. That type of thinking would potentially damage the psyche and cycling, even for a certi-fred like me, is largely between the ears.

 

[ravens]

Or is he all hat and no cattle? (or however that saying goes)

That's exactly how that expression goes, and it is such an appropriate one given the whole 'Texan' image, although he doesn't really embody that image for me.

It's an insult to many good people from Texas to have him described as 'Texan'.

 

[flicker]

Well, then what's the point in them doing all these petty races like LBL and the Tour of Flanders?

+Giro +Vuelta =

Most sports fans in the US have never heard of those races. The results are almost never in our Bay Area papers. Ask Joe cyclist who EBH or Andy Hampstead or Tom Danielson is?

Enter Lance,Phamstrong,Uniballer,Ballsolo whatever you call him. Also when Greg LeMond raced he brought publicity to the sport in the US.

Those races are televised they get in Sports illustrated the NY Times etc.

I take my hat off to LeMond, Armstrong, Amgen, Astana, and Radio Shack for promoting competitive cycling in the US.

 

[Psalmon]

Funniest thing I've ever read on this forum

I'm confused because it's in a discussion about how a high-profile, American PT team may not attend the Giro in favor of the TOC (now that the TOC has moved to May).

 

[Cobblestones]

Lance not at the Giro? Good news for me, I'll enjoy it that much more.

 

[issoisso]

I'm confused because it's in a discussion about how a high-profile, American PT team may not attend the Giro in favor of the TOC (now that the TOC has moved to May).

I'm laughing at a notion that the ToC can ever dislodge the Giro's status. It's nothing against your post, It's just that ASO have to be out of their minds to even begin to think it's ever going to happen

 

[Mellow Velo]

+Giro +Vuelta =

Most sports fans in the US have never heard of those races. The results are almost never in our Bay Area papers. Ask Joe cyclist who EBH or Andy Hampstead or Tom Danielson is?


I take my hat off to LeMond, Armstrong, Amgen, Astana, and Radio Shack for promoting competitive cycling in the US.

Heath?
Utterly brilliant, Flicker. I think you have made your point in the most irrefutable way!

 

[Psalmon]

I'm laughing at a notion that the ToC can ever dislodge the Giro's status. It's nothing against your post, It's just that ASO have to be out of their minds to even begin to think it's ever going to happen

I do agree that we will have to see how it plays out over many years.

I take all these tidbits though as indicators of something bigger afoot. UCI-GT organizer fights; ASO-AEG alignment; ASO acquiring races (Dauphine, 49% of Vuelta); ToC move to May; RCS seriously looking at a US start; PT teams now choosing either-or...(more to the chain, but good examples)

Don't discount it entirely. Popular brands diminish all the time around us, especially when you combine complacency (not saying RCS is though) with aggressive competitors, who hold clear strategic advantages (as I see ASO).

How the international pro "league" evolves is the biggest, most intriguing issue in cycling right now (doping notwithstanding). There is no real money in this sport compared to other Pro leagues and total industry size. It's still a beggars' game, but there is money to made. Respectfully. (Had to get that Almost Famous line in there.)

 

[doddy13]

Don't discount it entirely. Popular brands diminish all the time around us, especially when you combine complacency (not saying RCS is though) with aggressive competitors, who hold clear strategic advantages (as I see ASO).

Well, the Giro has 101 years of History, great races and most cycling fans favourite of the GT's.

The Tour of California, well it has none of that.

This whole logic of the ToC displacing the Giro is laughable, the sport is at it's biggest in Europe, not the US and i don't see that changing in a very very long time (if ever!)