Twitter war against Vaughters

[Kensuke]

Farrar will do the Vuelta ?

 

[Vodrak]

Yep Farrar will do the Vuelta

"My form is pretty decent. I took a pretty big rest after the Tour. I'll ramp it up and go to the Vuelta. I think that's the best way to prepare for the Worlds. Hopefully I'll come out of there in good shape and have a good ride in Copenhagen."

His quote after the Olympic test event, up on Velonews.

 

[Kensuke]

So I mean who will the leader for the sprint : Haussler or Farrar

 

[search]

Does anybody think that this might have something to do with:-

- Riders who have been linked to GreenEdge
- Riders who have been linked to GreenEdge and who ride for Garmin (Bobridge, the Meyers) not having been entered in too many races, thus not adding much to their points tally?

Thor is another rider who is being held back from a race for a political purpose, but as a World Champion, his name carries more clout.

it might be, but they hat some success on the track (I assume Vaugters had to authorize that?!) and especially in Bobridge case that didn't do him a favor regarding his capabilities on the road. He simply did not fulfill the expections, he did not even had one decent timetrial in two years (of course, he had a couple of top 10 in smaller races but just have a look at the guys which have beaten him...) and with knowing that he'd leave anyway...I wouldn't have given him a spot as well

just for example...why wasn't he in shape at this years Tour de Romandie? A race with 2 timetrials and without any serious mountains. He even could have taken a two minute time present on stage 1 (if he'd managed to stay with Brutt) which could have put him in contention for the win...but finally he ended up 120th

 

[PCutter]

What I can't understand, however, is why this group of riders, who just coincidentally happen to be linked to the same team, are all up in arms about a decision that is made by another team boss relating to a rider that has nothing to do with the team of any of them?

No, this appears more to me to be about GreenEdge Pro Cycling than it appears to be about Jonathan Vaughters or Thor Hushovd.

What its about is O'Grady, Cooke and Goss are all good friends with Thor, they live and train together in Monoco, and O'Grady has been a long term friend since they were in CA together. They probably feel Thor can't really comment while in the team, so maybe they'll stick up for him. Not everything in this world is a GreenEDGE conspiracy. And those 3 aren't the only people who've commented - though Im sure they may have been at dinner together in London awaiting the test event which helped some of the comment flow.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

In that case, why have none of Thor's other friends stuck up for him as openly? He's a fairly popular guy, why have only those friends of his that are a) Australian, and b) linked to GreenEdge, voiced their support?

 

[El Pistolero]

In that case, why have none of Thor's other friends stuck up for him as openly? He's a fairly popular guy, why have only those friends of his that are a) Australian, and b) linked to GreenEdge, voiced their support?

Because Phil doesn't have twitter?

 

[Escarabajo]

No, it's the sponsor's team, and the minute they deduce that they don't get air-time because JV has "a ****ing-contest "thing"" with the reigning WC-one week in yellow in TdF-bound to get a stage victory in the Vuelta-kind of guy, well, then it won't be JV's team anymore. JV is as expendable as a loo-roll.

Your logic is flawed. I don’t think that's how things work in real life. I am sure JV talked to whoever is responsible of the sponsors and laid out the case. If they agreed then is end of the story. No need to mix emotions with business you know. Otherwise you loose. And remember that La Vuelta is no Tour de France when it comes to sponsors.

And why are we killing ourselves for a sprinter place in La Vuelta like if it was so critical for the survival of the team. Last time I checked the team of the best sprinter could not find any sponsors.

 

[muscat]

In that case, why have none of Thor's other friends stuck up for him as openly? He's a fairly popular guy, why have only those friends of his that are a) Australian, and b) linked to GreenEdge, voiced their support?

Gagged by their teams? Awaiting new contracts so frightened to speak out?

The discussion has been in Norwegian and English. Not many european cyslists tweet and if the do not always in english.

I cannot believe Farrar is so ignorant to make such a crass comment about 'Vuelta being ideal training for worlds championship'. Nice way to rub Thors nose in it.

 

[Nearly]

Vaughtres has bitten back at my tweets.

ACF: "be honest, if thor hadn't announced that he were leaving garmin before vuelta he'd be riding."


JV: "No, that is incorrect. Thor's announcement came after my call to him to inform him of non-participation."

Unless it was in Thor's contract that he ride the Vuelta, then Jonathan Vaughters is not "abusing his position", he's making an executive decision.

The choice is between a business one (don't have Thor ride, as his points will go to a rival next year, instead choose 9 riders who will be with you next year) and a sporting one (we have more chance of winning things if Thor is in the team).

As is perhaps unsurprising given Vaughters' history, the business decision won out. No abuse of power, no abuse of position. Just a difficult choice, that some people happen to disagree with.

.......
No, this appears more to me to be about GreenEdge Pro Cycling than it appears to be about Jonathan Vaughters or Thor Hushovd.

LS you seem convinced that Thor has been excluded due to his decision to leave the team (and base much of your justification of JV's decision on that) yet ACF's post suggests that JV is saying that had nothing to do with his decision. Have you heard to the contrary or is ACF in some way part of the GreenEdge or broader Aussie conspiracy?

If the decision to leave had nothing to do with the decision to exclude Hushovd from the Vuelta (and I must say I struggle with that given JV did not come down in the last shower) then surely a keen Thor would have been an automatic selection perhaps at the expense of a Haussler (but wait is he not Australian?) or Tyler even.

As for the GE 'conspiracy' (even if it seems more like mateship in Thor's case) the only legs I can see to that might be that there have been or may yet be possible similar Vuelta/other race exclusions (that we have not heard about) of yet to be announced GE additions (who may have already advised their teams as a matter of courtesy) and those in a position to both complain and to know of these situations are doing just that i.e. squealing. By choosing to do so in the case of Thor they are getting more bang for their buck (just as you would have thought Garmin Cervelo might also have done) and at the same time not revealing any confidences.

 

[ElChingon]

Well Twitter is just another mass media tool which puts those quick not fully thought out quotes out for us to read, much like the quotes from TV interviews in the heat of the moment or a news-print reporter at the right place and time, I see no difference and have heard/read enough people taking back or regretting those quotes as well.

Another thing is why do rider contracts have to end Dec. 31st? They should be allowed to sign partial year contracts to end the season with a team at their choosing. As it is the end of the Tour de France is the end of many riders season anyway, or if they sign with another team as they are allowed they get black-balled for the rest of the season if they wanted to race some post-Tour. I see many cases where a rider should be allowed to change teams mid or some other time during the year, don't they get canned at the drop of a non-negative result? So if the teams can do it why not the riders, they can add new stipulations in their contract of not being allowed to race their target races then they get to exit stage left.

 

[ElChingon]

I cannot believe Farrar is so ignorant to make such a crass comment about 'Vuelta being ideal training for worlds championship'. Nice way to rub Thors nose in it.

That's another thing, shouldn't the Vuelta organizers also start banning riders at will who say their only going to the Vuelta as Worlds training?

 

[LesMcLuffAlot]

Some of these rider might want to watch what they say. One day they might want a ride on his team. We know how vindictive the Vman can be. Don't burn your bridges boys. The Vman has a long memory.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

That's another thing, shouldn't the Vuelta organizers also start banning riders at will who say their only going to the Vuelta as Worlds training?

Riders that drop out of races for non-medical reasons should not be allowed to start the next premier event. Doing half a GT for training purposes then dropping out has become ridiculous. The last sprint stages come down to the best sprinter who has not yet quit.

 

[richwagmn]

I have just about had enough of your xenophobic America hating. How dare you criticize a true American hero and foundation of the U.S. cycling establishment like JV.

Not even remotely clever. Keep trying sparky.

 

[richwagmn]

Problem was, Thor was supposed to be the man in that race. One could feel their relationship started to go south after P-R...
Thor was obviously left out from La Vuelta for JV's personal reasons.

So? How many times do people have to say it? JV is the boss. That's the way it works.

 

[craig1985]

Riders that drop out of races for non-medical reasons should not be allowed to start the next premier event. Doing half a GT for training purposes then dropping out has become ridiculous. The last sprint stages come down to the best sprinter who has not yet quit.

What's to stop them from chucking it into the granny gear on the first proper mountain stage (like stage 13 of this year's Giro) and lol about and miss the time cut on purpose?

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

What's to stop them from chucking it into the granny gear on the first proper mountain stage (like stage 13 of this year's Giro) and lol about and miss the time cut on purpose?

Prevent them from starting the next event as well. People who miss the cut obviously need more training.

 

[Martin318is]

Prevent them from starting the next event as well. People who miss the cut obviously need more training.

LOL nice idea but the execution would be - dare I say it - Machiavellian.....

I've dropped out of a stage race so I am not allowed to start the next top level event I enter.

Was going to take 2 weeks off anyway, so I just enter the very next major race and go straight to the beach instead...

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

I've dropped out of a stage race so I am not allowed to start the next top level event I enter.

Was going to take 2 weeks off anyway, so I just enter the very next major race and go straight to the beach instead...

I do not know what the answer is, but I am getting very annoyed at riders pulling out halfway through a GT. The points competition in the Giro is usually completely messed up because the sprinters who get most of the early wins quit, leaving someone who was not competitive in the first two weeks to inherit the jersey.

 

[Martin318is]

how about negative points being applied to any rider who does not receive a medical certificate from an independant doctor? (ie, NOT the team doctor and NOT the event's doctor).

So:

#any rider who has a medical reason to leave (such as injury or illness) gets no harm no foul

#any neo-pro is immune from the ruling (they need to work up to completing their first major tour and should not be forced to damage their career's to finish

#Missing the time-cut due to an accident is acceptable (depending upon who rules on what accidents qualify

#everyone else who bails out of a GT is penalised a % of the points available to someone who continues? Say 10 points per day prior to the finish. so leaving 9 days before the finish is a 90point penalty....

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Have short TTT late in the tour.
Advantage to teams who keep their riders riding.

Goes against the reasons you don't have TTT beyond first couple of days but addresses the issue being discussed here.

 

[Anonymous]

Cancellara
lancearmstrong Lance Armstrong
by f_cancellara
RT @StueyOG: Why wouldn't u let the world champ race the vuelta & show respect 2 the jersey & the rider who's sacrificed himself 4 his team?

 

[craig1985]

Prevent them from starting the next event as well. People who miss the cut obviously need more training.

That generally what happens anyway, unless there is exceptional circumstances (like any of the Leopard riders who did the Giro were able to do another race when the Giro was on when they pulled out when WW died, for example). Cav pulled out after the final sprint stage he wasn't allowed to race until June this year, or when the Giro ended.

 

[goggalor]

Cancellara
lancearmstrong Lance Armstrong
by f_cancellara
RT @StueyOG: Why wouldn't u let the world champ race the vuelta & show respect 2 the jersey & the rider who's sacrificed himself 4 his team?

Cancellara retweeting Armstrong retweeting O'Grady. Oh my.