Raise your hand if you're tired of the whole Astana affair

[richwagmn]

This is silly. Give them a license or don't. But to have this continue to drag on is unfair to all those either currently or potentially employed by Astana. It's already late in the year and the UCI continues to **** around. Sad.

 

[**Uru**]

Raises hand. This is totally stupid.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

This is silly. Give them a license or don't. But to have this continue to drag on is unfair to all those either currently or potentially employed by Astana. It's already late in the year and the UCI continues to **** around. Sad.

Have we seen one quote from the UCI at all about this being a new requirement for Astana? Or was it just one side of the story from the straight line rule followers in Kazyland. Not saying it isn't new, but let's just say the "Truth" out of the Astana braintrust isn't very hardlined is it.

But, sick of it yes very much so.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

*raises hand*

They have cooperated with all the UCI's demands, and put together a competitive team, now the UCI wants a banked guarantee of 22 million...absurd.

Give them a license.

 

[Anonymous]

i dont care anymore *raises hand*
but then i also dont care where wiggins goes anymore, who has signed for radioshack, what colour socks cav is wearing next year, wether or not cadel is going to ride the tour de france, where lances kids are spending christmas, or if sherwen and ligget are having a man relationship...

we need something interesting to happen.. nothing interesting has happened since like, september.. :/

 

[Michele]

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

i dont care anymore *raises hand*
but then i also dont care where wiggins goes anymore, who has signed for radioshack, what colour socks cav is wearing next year, wether or not cadel is going to ride the tour de france, where lances kids are spending christmas, or if sherwen and ligget are having a man relationship...

we need something interesting to happen.. nothing interesting has happened since like, september.. :/

How could you not care what color socks Cav is wearing?

 

[BroDeal]

What is stupid is that the UCI has actually set up a system where teams don't know whether they have a license or not until December. Pure incompetence. Why would any sponsor want to put money into the sport after watching the way the UCI can unfairly jerk a team around.

It is also clear the UCI is doing everything they can to manufacture a reason to get rid of Astana. They keep setting up new obstacles, hoping Astana won't be able to clear the newest hurdle.

 

[Willow22]

Sitting here with both arms in the air (which is making it hard to type by the way). Totally bored with, get it over already.

Also sick of reading on CN - "will know future for certain tomorrow as the deadline approaches".

 

[Mellow Velo]

Yup.
What with the Sky Wiggins saga, the news is stuck in groundhog day mode.
Another day, another deadline and yet another revised "requirement".

The UCI quite clearly want Astana gone. This is only about the issuing on an existing PT licence remember.

Yet, when it comes to handing out new ones, they give 4 year passes to under strength teams and teams who's personel are still contracted to the forementioned "Bad Smell".

After all, Astana have done nothing out of the ordinary. They certainly aren't the only team to have a positive dope test, or lapse with wage payments.

IMO a storm in a teacup.
Does make you wonder why, though and who's pulling the strings.

 

[bianchigirl]

Fed up with the corruption in the UCI and the undue influence of certain players in this saga? Yup, both hands in the air, most definitely

 

[racerralph]

Beautiful!!!!!!
This shows the absolutely inept manner in which this sport is run. This whole affair has been shameful. With the amounts of money we are talking about you would think these people would try to project some image of professionalism.
But no, they are shameless. All sides are to blame. The Kazachs were absolutely sleazy in '09, while their previous sleaze got them banned from the tour in '08. And the UCI is acting like the Mob,with a bunch of bad lawyers giving them council. Deadlines come and go, rules are in effect, but then again maybe they're not! And the riders that trashed contracts all over the place to follow the Legend, While ONE rider has been held hostage!
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I feel that the next TdF is going to show what a fallacy the Team concept is in this sport. As an AC fan, I feel All that is needed is for AC to stick close to the Shack boys or the Saxo Bank riders, after all the tempo is said and done, the only riders that will be left are the contenders, and they make up a team of their own. That's the team to be on, if a rider has any hopes of winning the title. At that point, it is every man for himself. The pretenders will be dropped, and that will be the end of it.
Good riddance to the contrived TTT, this year it will be no BS.
Man, this Astana affair has been a ghastly melodrama to watch. But I can't wait 'til the fireworks begin next season. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!!!

 

[Hugh Januss]

The Khazaks are a bunch of oil money gangsters who staged the whole lack of money for payroll thing in an effort to force Bruyneel out and Vino back in his team. I find it funny to see them hoist on their own spear now.
I also get a kick out of Bruyneel adressing the "rumors" that he has anything to do with Astana's problems now. Gotta call BS on that one.
Lance is I am certain the real reason UCI are jerking Astana around now, he is playing (and paying) his only chance to win Tour 2010 for all it is worth. I wonder what he has donated money for now? The longer this whole process takes the worse it will be for Contador. Even he will have a hard time finding a team capable of supporting him in July, if and when something comes up at the last moment in December to scuttle Astana's Pro Tour license.
Hopefully when that happens the Khazak gangsters go after the UCI with a vengeance and chase McQuaid out once and for all with a $hit steam of lawsuits.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

The Khazaks are a bunch of oil money gangsters who staged the whole lack of money for payroll thing in an effort to force Bruyneel out and Vino back in his team. I find it funny to see them hoist on their own spear now.
I also get a kick out of Bruyneel adressing the "rumors" that he has anything to do with Astana's problems now. Gotta call BS on that one.
Lance is I am certain the real reason UCI are jerking Astana around now, he is playing (and paying) his only chance to win Tour 2010 for all it is worth. I wonder what he has donated money for now? The longer this whole process takes the worse it will be for Contador. Even he will have a hard time finding a team capable of supporting him in July, if and when something comes up at the last moment in December to scuttle Astana's Pro Tour license.
Hopefully when that happens the Khazak gangsters go after the UCI with a vengeance and chase McQuaid out once and for all with a $hit steam of lawsuits.

I think it's funny you think Johan and Lance want Astana to fold. The reason I find this so funny is I would think they would want him at Astana seeing the team they have formed and would be able to form. I don't think they want it to fold at all keeping Bertie with the gangsters as you said. Now if the UCI pulls the license then Bertie could go to Caisse or QS which would be able to field a much more impressive list of support for Bertie. So I find it almost laughable that you have come to your conclusion. But, respect it none the less. Just don't see it. Continue with the conspiracy.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Raises hand. This is totally stupid.

My initial thought was to agree...

Of course it is possible that the UCI is interested in not going through the repeated financial problems of 2009; would they be in the TdF, would Livestrong take over the license? It seems that the UCI may be getting slammed here for giving Astana every opportunity to get their act together and guarantee that 2009 will not enter the picture in 2010.

 

[ridley]

Yep - Cannot agree more with all the previos posts !!! When is enough really enough - or is this what we will have to live through for the next 2 to 3 months as there is NOTHING else newsworthy to report on ?!?!

And BTW - has anyone seen the YouTube link (referenced in the CN article by Stokes) re JB trying to fold Astana?

Come on - something worthwhile and newsworthy would be great !!!

 

[RdBiker]

we need something interesting to happen.. nothing interesting has happened since like, september.. :/

What the h€ll? No road races in November???

 

[Anonymous]

What the h€ll? No road races in November???

nope.. the manchester track meet kept me amused for a while but the melbourne round isnt anywhere on tv or the internet.. cyclocross world cup on teh telly on saturday allegedly, and some belgian cross racing on sunday.. but its a bit dire..

 

[pedaling squares]

Yes. And the hands are also up to indicate how tired I am of the UCI management team.

 

[Andre.J]

Can someone post a list of the current Astana riders? Thanks.

Andre

 

[Anonymous]

Can someone post a list of the current Astana riders? Thanks.

Andre

alberto contador
and some very young khazaks

 

[Andre.J]

Dim,

I just saw the tribute to VDB: very nice!!

Andre

is it ok to post it on another forum?

 

[Race Radio]

I think it's funny you think Johan and Lance want Astana to fold. The reason I find this so funny is I would think they would want him at Astana seeing the team they have formed and would be able to form. I don't think they want it to fold at all keeping Bertie with the gangsters as you said. Now if the UCI pulls the license then Bertie could go to Caisse or QS which would be able to field a much more impressive list of support for Bertie. So I find it almost laughable that you have come to your conclusion. But, respect it none the less. Just don't see it. Continue with the conspiracy.

It is pretty easy to come to that conclusion when The Hog said that "he would do everything possible to ensure that they withdrew our license,"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-protour-fight-continues-uci-seek-extra-guarantees

 

[Anonymous]

It is pretty easy to come to that conclusion when The Hog said that "he would do everything possible to ensure that they withdrew our license,"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-protour-fight-continues-uci-seek-extra-guarantees

JB did a response earlier.. i put the link to his video on the tranfers thread...

frankly i think the uci are starting to take the p155 a little now...

Dim,
I just saw the tribute to VDB: very nice!!
Andre
is it ok to post it on another forum?

of course.. nice of you to ask, most people just link to things..

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

It is pretty easy to come to that conclusion when The Hog said that "he would do everything possible to ensure that they withdrew our license,"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-protour-fight-continues-uci-seek-extra-guarantees

Now did the hog say that? Or was it another one of Astana's great and trusty controlers suchas maybe: Proskurin.

That is what I thought. Glad you linked the article in which Johan denies this taking place. But, hey believe what you want. I will go with the guy tht fought his A$$ off to get the riders paid because Proskurin and his Kazy Gangsta's would pony up the money.