The Tour Wild Cards

[Highlander]

Any news on Lampre and their attempt to satisfy the requirements of the Pro Tour? Can the ASO announce their teams before there is a final ruling on their status?

 

[luckyboy]

Lampre will be there whether they get PT status or not, I assume. And as long as they're still a team by then.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Lampre will be there whether they get PT status or not, I assume. And as long as they're still a team by then.

That sucks! Unless pettachi is going

 

[Big GMaC]

It's odd that Sastre is going for the win in the giro as well in the tour for a second year in a row.

Not really odd he is doing the Giro, it is a climbers paradise, Slightly more odd for the Tour, but still, I can def see why the Giro

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I have a hard time understanding this whole system. On wikipedia, Sky, Katusha, RadioShack and Garmin are listed as ProTour teams, and I thought the ASO had to invite all ProTour teams? So why do they need a wild card?

ASO and UCI had a falling out. Only the original ProTour teams are guaranteed an invite, which is 16 teams since Gerolsteiner and Discovery have ceased to exist since then. This is regardless of BBox and Cofidis losing their ProTour status.

Garmin and Katyusha became ProTour in 2009, and Sky and Shack in 2010, which is after the falling out, and therefore they need to apply for a wildcard entry.

 

[luckyboy]

ProTour sucks. Why did the ASO even agree to having to invite the PT teams in the first place?

Was it 08 when there was the threat of a breakaway from the UCI? So much hope

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Because the ASO believed it was a way of ensuring a sort of Premier League of cycling, riders would need to be in those top teams to compete in the biggest events, so it would guarantee a strong field every year. Unfortunately, the UCI saw it as a way of forcing European teams to jetlag themselves to death going to race in overseas events that get no coverage in the teams' home countries, where their sponsors have no reach and that clash with home events that are far more important to the teams.

Yea, that bust-up was '08.

 

[luckyboy]

Unfortunately, the UCI saw it as a way of forcing European teams to jetlag themselves to death going to race in overseas events that get no coverage in the teams' home countries, where their sponsors have no reach and that clash with home events that are far more important to the teams.

You're talking about the ProTour, which the UCI organised?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yup - in response to you saying this:

ProTour sucks. Why did the ASO even agree to having to invite the PT teams in the first place?

My scribe was on why the ASO thought the ProTour was a good idea and why they agreed to invite the PT teams, but were either naïve in their expectations of, or misled by, the UCI.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Thought I should renew this thread as it is coming up in a few days. Personally Ballan would have to win MSR to get BMC a chance of going to the Tour.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Thought I should renew this thread as it is coming up in a few days. Personally Ballan would have to win MSR to get BMC a chance of going to the Tour.

Katusha isn't going.
BMC and Saur, no extra Dutch team.

This all just came to me in my sleep.

 

[theyoungest]

Katusha isn't going.
BMC and Saur, no extra Dutch team.

This all just came to me in my sleep.

Yes, neither of the Dutch teams have given ASO enough reason to leave Jerome Coppel or Cadel Evans out of a Tour invite.

 

[auscyclefan94]

MSR didn't really change much of the hopes of teams getting into the Tour.

 

[Moondance]

Katusha isn't going.
BMC and Saur, no extra Dutch team.

This all just came to me in my sleep.

Your dreams must be wrong. Were you boning Megan Fox as well?

Really, it would be a shame if Katusha didn't go. While they didn't have an incredible Tour last year (although Ivanov did take a stage) they have sort of secretly assembled a very potent Tour team.

But I honestly can't see Skil or Vacansoleil (especially Vac. after their 'invisible' Paris-Nice) so BMC or Saur should get in. At this stage I might give Saur the edge there, but its a 55-45 thing in my eyes.

 

[Francois the Postman]

(especially Vac. after their 'invisible' Paris-Nice)

Couldn't look left or right without seeing a Vacansoleil sponsored banner. For a commercial venture like ASO, that's not an invisible team.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

+ they were in every escape attempt

 

[theyoungest]

And they actually won an ASO-organized race this year. So now we're gonna find out if even the ASO themselves don't take the Tour of Qatar seriously

 

[Francois the Postman]

+ they were in every escape attempt

Aye, they were. But much as I like 'em for their general race attitude, they didn't exactly shine at PN. The same can be said for some other teams that are automatics though, and they have shown themselves earlier in the year as was noted.

A few weeks yet, but it sounds like ASO has made its mind up, and barring accidents (an overwhelmingly one-trick-team losing its star rider, and only reason to warrant an invite), I doubt of much will change its mind.

I do think they have been flagging their intention to some of those that are likely to miss the Tour boat, so they can regroup and refocus. A kind and considerate thing to do, really.

BMC in particular has recently been making noises that missing a Tour this year wouldn't be a disaster, hardly something you would contemplate if you are very very keen and hopeful to get in.

I expect they have had a friendly nod to focus all their energy and planning power on other worthy goals, instead of wasting it on something that (I think) in growing likelihood won't come. And they certainly have a reason to still get some friendly advice when hard business sense might be heading in a not so amicable direction.

I'm not convinced Vacansoleil will be in, but they have pretty much given it as good a shot as they can muster, on all fronts.

Just curious if ASO can afford to sour a budding relationship with a team whose sponsor has made it very obvious it is willing to make a long term commitment to the team AND to race organisers, sponsoring race events handsomely, year-round, obviously anticipating a measurable return on investment.

It's an additional ace that Vacansoleil has up its sleeve, and uniquely so, amongst Wild Card contenders, it seems. And they have played it well. Well enough? We'll see.

Of all the other teams that are fighting over the last few cards, I can't see any of them having an argument that Vacansoleil doesn't match to some extent, with the exception of BMC's rainbow jersey.

BMC, who hasn't got the depth nor leaders (plural) to make a serious attempt at both the Giro and Tour. Back to back GTs at the top is something that few have in them, post-passport. ASO will have 2009 Menchov and Sastre firmly on its mind when it will come to handing out that last Wild Card.

I am curious what will be more tempting. Evans with reasonable there-on-the-day doubt, or the guarantee of on ongoing relationship with Vacansoleil (the sponsor), who, coincidentally, is also based in Rotterdam, where the Tour starts.

If the Tour would be in danger of being short of spectacle in 2010, business sense would make that a trickier call than it is now, to my mind at least. If it is indeed between these two, and as long as the "Names" of other Wild Card teams stay healthy until announcement day, that is.

Instead of PN, I think where Vacansoleil really needs to make an impression, is on the upcoming cobbles. No need to win, just be seen to attack it on the pave. ASO has made a big deal about including a stretch of it in this year's tour, and you would have to be nuts if you have a GC contending team to attack the race there, given the risks of injury and time loss.

Now if you need nutters, and you fear neutralisation like the Milan fiasco in the Giro, or the no-radio day(s) in the Tour last year, BMC certainly ain't your man. So for a tin of attack nutters....

 

[theyoungest]

Actually, ASO announced that it would name the Tour teams at the end of March, which is basically this week.

One more thing about Vacansoleil: maybe ultimately their saving grace will be the Feillu brothers, and their sponsorship money. Because I think that's what ASO's decision boils down to: Frenchness and euros.

 

[auscyclefan94]

On having an impact on the race and what someone could do, BMC. On pure success and merit, Vacan. Though if aso announced the wildcards after the classics then BMC have a good chance.

I won't be devastated if evans doesn't go to the tour. yes people will question his move to bmc and that he is losing his chance at the tour but having a crack at the giro is a good thing. He has a very good chance at winning a very prestigious race. I will be able to enjoy the tour as a cycling fan, not as a cadel evans fan which isn't such a bad thing for this forum as i will lose some of my bias during july.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Actually, ASO announced that it would name the Tour teams at the end of March, which is basically this week.

One more thing about Vacansoleil: maybe ultimately their saving grace will be the Feillu brothers, and their sponsorship money. Because I think that's what ASO's decision boils down to: Frenchness and euros.

Gee, really the end of March already. Sorry, head still thinks we've just made it out of Feb.

And you'd think I would know better than anyone. Thanks for reminding! My own birthday coming up in days then! Woheee!

 

[theyoungest]

In a gesture which can only be interpreted as "f### you, Dutch cycling", ASO have given neither Vacansoleil nor Skil an invitation to LBL and Fleche. Don't know if this bodes well for their Tour wild cards.

 

[Moondance]

In a gesture which can only be interpreted as "f### you, Dutch cycling", ASO have given neither Vacansoleil nor Skil an invitation to LBL and Fleche. Don't know if this bodes well for their Tour wild cards.

Meh.... It's the end of their chances for the Tour IMO. Not that I didn't see that coming.

Why is it a f-you to Dutch cycling though?

 

[theyoungest]

Meh.... It's the end of their chances for the Tour IMO. Not that I didn't see that coming.

Why is it a f-you to Dutch cycling though?

It's not, they do have some fair reasons for it, like the 2009 team ranking. But sometimes it's nice to vent your anger in unreasonable accusations

 

[Moondance]

It's not, they do have some fair reasons for it, like the 2009 team ranking. But sometimes it's nice to vent your anger in unreasonable accusations

Well, I certainly wouldn't begruge you that. Forums internet-wide would cease to exist if bans on venting were implemented.

I certainly think that Vac has a better cadre of riders than either Landbouwkrediet or Topsport Vlaanderen who both got in (neither of which has a rider who will be competitive in Liege i think). But on the other hand I like that the ASO is keeping some additional Belgian teams in what are, after all, Belgian races.

That said Johnny Hoogerland is probably crying right now, bless him. I guess he'll just have to go out and win Amstel then.