Sunguard-Specialized with Contador/Cancellera

[Galic Ho]

Sorry, I'm an idiot. It's 7 million Danish crows, that's a little less than 1 million Euro or 1,2 million US dollars. I suspect that takes care of most of your skepticism, but my source is this article.

Good to see your thinking clearly.

That makes a lot more sense. Actually seems a little low for the Schlecks. Not Franck but definitely for Andy. Then again I had heard Saxo only has a $12 million budget, maybe stretching as high as 14 or 15 million. Guess that makes sense for one guy who is your GC guy. Still bad money. Andy Schleck comes second in the Tour and spends the rest of the year a basket case along with brother Franck falling off at any chance. Riis must be salivating at the chance to get AC...wins galore right there all year round.

I'm betting on Cancellara moving to BMC to help Cuddles. They would be devastating together. More so than any other combination except AC.

 

[NickBVK]

Will Andy still ride Specialized?

 

[Cerberus]

Good to see your thinking clearly.

That makes a lot more sense. Actually seems a little low for the Schlecks. Not Franck but definitely for Andy.

Actually that was my point, the contract was made while he wasn't such a big star, so the Schlecks leaving doesn't open as much of the budget as one might think. That point got lost in the currency confusion though

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'm betting on Cancellara moving to BMC to help Cuddles. They would be devastating together. More so than any other combination except AC.

Just thinking about that Combo makes me feel giddy! Cancellara riding tempo on the front up to the bottom of alpe d huez, Cadel attacking, dropping everyone and winning!

 

[Parcours]

Just thinking about that Conbo makes me feel giddy! Cancellara riding tempo on the front up to the bottom of alpe d huez, Cadel attacking, dropping everyone and winning!

Dropping everyone in the gruppetto?

 

[Zen Master]

Dropping everyone in the gruppetto?

 

[Benotti69]

Just thinking about that Conbo makes me feel giddy! Cancellara riding tempo on the front up to the bottom of alpe d huez, Cadel attacking, dropping everyone and winning!

can we have a box of tissues here please

 

[craig1985]

ACF's response:

Leave Cadel alone!

 

[Ryaguas]

epic!!!!:d

 

[Galic Ho]

Just thinking about that Combo makes me feel giddy! Cancellara riding tempo on the front up to the bottom of alpe d huez, Cadel attacking, dropping everyone and winning!

I was refering to the whole package not one race. The classics team on BMC would be going gang busters with Cancellara on the squad. Hit up all the April classics. Double whammy. Between these two they won three this year and Evans challenged in two of the others. Get Cadel to ride the Tour de Suisse as well. I can see plenty of wins. Sadly (for you) I don't see a Tour win. I can see a podium but not a win, not unless someone falls off a bike and Cadel can stay on his and not get sick.

As for the giddy feeling, that would go shortly after Cancellara drops off. Contador can hold both those guys wheel and then take off on anyone of the 21 odd corners on Alpe d'Huez. Evans can't match that. However they'd make a mongrel of the TTT.

 

[Angliru]

Just thinking about that Combo makes me feel giddy! Cancellara riding tempo on the front up to the bottom of alpe d huez, Cadel attacking, dropping everyone and winning!

I can imagine ACF hugging his pillow with a contented smile on his face, dreaming of Evans dominating all in the mountains of France, all while dressed in his BMC pj's.

 

[Cerberus]

AS (through a Danish Newspaper) quotes sources close to Contador as saying the move to Riis is all but a done deal. http://translate.google.com/transla...k/cykling/contador-kilde-han-skriver-med-riis

 

[Anonymous]

I think Mike Sinyard helping to direct AC's future is a smart move. Trek's world wide growth since 1998 can be partially attributed to Lance and his success at the TdF. Lance is leaving the sport for good and Sinyard is betting he can significantly raise the profile of Specialized bikes by keeping AC on them for the forseeable future.

Cancellara and Contador on the same team is pretty interesting.

 

[Cerberus]

Nobody is on 7 million. Rupees, pesos, hell yes but not pounds, US dollars and not Euros. That is an entire team budget. Katusha apparently has the biggest budget of US $20 million. Saxo don't have anywhere near that. Use some common sense in future. A contract over it's duration may amount to $7 million but per annum you can count that out. No pro cyclist is worth that much. Maybe a super doped up hybrid of Merckxx and Contador but that is for the science boffins to create.

Speaking of super doped hybrids between Mercks and Contador a Danish news paper now reports that Riis is offering Contador 40 million DKR equalling almost exactly 7 mio $. http://translate.google.com/transla...ykling/riis-klar-med-vanvidsloen-til-contador

 

[Publicus]

Speaking of super doped hybrids between Mercks and Contador a Danish news paper now reports that Riis is offering Contador 40 million DKR equalling almost exactly 7 mio $. http://translate.google.com/transla...ykling/riis-klar-med-vanvidsloen-til-contador

I read a report from L'Equipe that Specialized is going to pick up AC's salary. Don't know how much weight to attribute to it, but I read it here:

http://www.albertocontadornotebook.info/

 

[Cerberus]

I read a report from L'Equipe that Specialized is going to pick up AC's salary. Don't know how much weight to attribute to it, but I read it here:

http://www.albertocontadornotebook.info/

The article I linked said something similar, though it might not be entirely clear through the muddled insanity that is Google Translate.

 

[Ryaguas]

Wow... Specialized going to assume AC's salary... oh! they are getting big money with him... So is really likely to have Cancellara and Contador in the same team for the next season cuz Siemens - Sungard are going to pay the other riders...! Oooooooooooooooooooooh!!!

I really want to see that team!

 

[DAOTEC]

Wow... Specialized going to assume AC's salary... oh! they are getting big money with him... So is really likely to have Cancellara and Contador in the same team for the next season cuz Siemens - Sungard are going to pay the other riders...! Oooooooooooooooooooooh!!!

I really want to see that team!

Non of it all, Not anymore, ain't gonna happen.

 

[warmfuzzies]

How long will Contador be suspended?

Will the sponsors still eat his salary if the suspension happens? And will Contador's TdF victory be stripped?

 

[Dedelou]

Will the sponsors still eat his salary if the suspension happens? And will Contador's TdF victory be stripped?

Sounds like a "drama " in the making.

 

[Muffinman]

Promise me Senor Contador

Would Alberto Contador please change his threat to retire to a PROMISE to retire? I for one would welcome his departure. He has been on the edge of doping scandals before and managed to talk his way out of them. Honest to a 'T', Australian Cadel Evans, would have had two TdF wins under his belt if Contador had not been able to sweet talk his way out of trouble. Dont bother coming to Australia, Alberto ...... your reception might not be the one your publicity team would want.
Muffinman

 

[Libertine Seguros]

No he wouldn't. He would have one (2007).

Carlos Sastre won the 2008 Tour de France.
Andy Schleck was 2nd in the 2009 and 2010 Tours.

And honest to a 'T'? Nothing's stuck to Cadel, but he's on a team managed by Andy "Phonak" Rihs, has been on Mapei and T-Mobile, both of which are teams that have, at times, had organised doping programmes. As of now, there is nothing against Evans, but you are talking complete nonsense that he'd have two GT wins.

 

[JPM London]

Would Alberto Contador please change his threat to retire to a PROMISE to retire? I for one would welcome his departure. He has been on the edge of doping scandals before and managed to talk his way out of them. Honest to a 'T', Australian Cadel Evans, would have had two TdF wins under his belt if Contador had not been able to sweet talk his way out of trouble. Dont bother coming to Australia, Alberto ...... your reception might not be the one your publicity team would want.
Muffinman

As far as I read his comment he's not threatening anything and I think it's overkill to put it like that - to me it sounds like he's saying "obviously this is affecting my joy of riding, I don't know what I'm going to do in the future regardless what happens". Pretty much what I would expect anybody in his situation to feel - why not express it?