Vinokourov is "Eddie Murphy" funny

[Alpe d'Huez]

That one we'll never know, but he'll get another shot towards the end of the season.

The extra 2 year rule is just a commitment made by members of the IPCT, which is a union of the Pro Tour teams. The IPCT is independent of the UCI so it has no binding association with the Pro Tour. A team can be in the Pro Tour but choose not to be in the IPCT.

Good post Epicycle, once again.

Part of Basso's suspension (the politics I mean) also took into consideration that he hadn't seriously raced since May of 2006 - the time riding for Discovery he was buried in the pack in a handful of races with no results. So he was basically out of true competition for nearly three years.

As to who is suspended for 2 years and who a further 2 (4 total from PT races) is also politics. Tyler Hamilton got the 2+2, as did Floyd Landis (so far, though I couldn't see a PT team signing either). Roberto Heras got even worse. After his two years were up not only could he not sign with a PT team, he couldn't get an offer for anymore than minimum with a UCI Continental team! Word was that pressure was put on all teams to not sign him, period. That's what he gets for being a nice guy I guess.

Speaking of. We talked the other day about Oscar and Floyd, is there really anyone though that considers Menchov the true, outright winner of the 2005 Vuelta? 2007, yes (though a dull win), but 2005 he was completely crushed by Heras in the mountains during a time of likely rampant doping by all major contenders.

 

[sherer]

How did Vino get such a short suspension??????????~~~!!!!!!!!

well this is the problem we have with cycling at the moment. The bans are issued by the national association so why ban your biggest star if you don't have to. He retired so got a one year ban, the UCI then got that extended via CAS to 2 years which runs out at the end of the tour

 

[Big and Shiny]

Well, that's that then. LINK

"The Kazakh Cycling Federation has announced plans to restructure Team Astana, removing Johan Bruyneel and Lance Armstrong, and starting over with Kazakh and Spanish riders, based around Alberto Contador and Alexandre Vinokourov. The new structure should be in place by September."

Team Astana will have 6 riders in the Tour.

Team Lance will have 2, maybe 3 depending on which side of the fence Kloden decides to sit.

An Australian forum was recently discussing a Tour where the team structure breaks down and the riders start racing in favour of national groupings - given the minorty status of the English speakers, a group working together containing Evans, Armstrong, Leipheimer, Millar, Rogers, OGrady and a dozen others would be a formidable battle.

 

[craig1985]

If I were Contador I would not be having anything to do with Vino.

 

[Anonymous]

personally i think that release by the khazaks, and the idea of ousting JB has just shot contador firmly and squarely in the backside..

things have just got might interesting.. i can think of a few spanish domestiques who may be willing to help contador to get themselves noticed by the new astana..

and a few other people who may be willing to help levi and lance and get noticed for the new JB team..

looks like war has been declared

 

[Zen Master]

Well, that's that then. LINK

"The Kazakh Cycling Federation has announced plans to restructure Team Astana, removing Johan Bruyneel and Lance Armstrong, and starting over with Kazakh and Spanish riders, based around Alberto Contador and Alexandre Vinokourov. The new structure should be in place by September."

Team Astana will have 6 riders in the Tour.

Team Lance will have 2, maybe 3 depending on which side of the fence Kloden decides to sit.

An Australian forum was recently discussing a Tour where the team structure breaks down and the riders start racing in favour of national groupings - given the minorty status of the English speakers, a group working together containing Evans, Armstrong, Leipheimer, Millar, Rogers, OGrady and a dozen others would be a formidable battle.

Wooooooooow first was that maybe the Kazakh Goat Herders Association will put up some money for a jersey and a steel frame fitted out with a full Sora groupset to get Vinokourov back into the sport and now when Big and Shiny fanboy has finally come down to mother earth from planet Pharmstrong we have some kind of conspiracy against King Lance and English-speaking riders !?!
LOL ROFLMAO

 

[lostintime]

Vino must have been smokin' some good Kazak ganja while on suspension. "His baby" was falling apart and wasn't going to be riding in any grand tours thanks in part to him. JB bailed the Kazaks out, now Vino wants to take over what JB fixed. I think he inhaled one too many.

Vino can have his team, but we won't be seeing them at any GT's. It may be a Continental squad, I doubt the PT wants them. Astana can go back to being a mess, Contador won't touch a Vino led Astana team, so he'll be courted by Valverde's team. JB and LA will start up another team. They'll both be in next years TDF, while Vino will be holding one-man press conferences saying how he was robbed of starting the Tour. It is sure to be entertaining.

Maybe he should try some stand-up comedy!!

 

[Mellow Velo]

I can't help but think they sowed the seed of this sh*t storm.
They used they financial gambit early, to try and wrestle the licence away from the Kazakh's, as it was essential entry for this year's Tour, but also to get out, before the real boss returned.

They were actually caught between a rock and a hard place.
If they weren't so obssessed with this one race of the year, they could have left, to concentrate on setting up a team for the future, if, that is actually their intended goal.

Maybe they are desperate to keep Contador on board, too, who knows?

If this is so, however, then it will be strictly domestique duties for all concerned, if they are going to woo the Spaniard's services.

Neither side may end up succesful aquiring his services, though.

 

[Zen Master]

Nice bit of uber xenophobia, maybe that should read zenophobia.

If you read carefully opening post of this Eddy Murphy thread you'll maybe realize that missing word isn't (x)zenophobia, it's S-A-R-C-A-S-M

 

[Mellow Velo]

If you read carefully opening post of this Eddy Murphy thread you'll maybe realize that missing word isn't (x)zenophobia, it's S-A-R-C-A-S-M

True enough. Soooo many posts. I will remove the offending line.

 

[Zen Master]

Vino must have been smokin' some good Kazak ganja while on suspension. "His baby" was falling apart and wasn't going to be riding in any grand tours thanks in part to him. JB bailed the Kazaks out, now Vino wants to take over what JB fixed. I think he inhaled one too many.

Vino can have his team, but we won't be seeing them at any GT's. It may be a Continental squad, I doubt the PT wants them. Astana can go back to being a mess, Contador won't touch a Vino led Astana team, so he'll be courted by Valverde's team. JB and LA will start up another team. They'll both be in next years TDF, while Vino will be holding one-man press conferences saying how he was robbed of starting the Tour. It is sure to be entertaining.

Maybe he should try some stand-up comedy!!

We have two small problems...
First evil Kazakhs are the team's Pro Tour licence holder and second Alberto Bertie Contador signed a contract with Team Astana through 2010

 

[Angliru]

""I am back for one or two years and I would like to do one more Tour de France and wear the yellow jersey, although I am realistic, I know I cannot win it," he said."


if that's not an admission that he can't win without the dope I don't know what is.

You could see this coming from miles away.

No surprise.

Or that he realizes at his advance age that he can't beat the young guns that have risen since his suspension (Contador and A. Schleck). He knew in 2007 that it was his last realistic chance at winning the Tour.

 

[joe_papp]

Vino as Taz in Toto

For the same reasons, I'm laughing at the situation-- LA thinks he can control everything and here is Vino making his life miserable- and he ended up being even bullier that LA himself.
but seriously, I wouldn't pity LA or Bruyneel if the deal with Astana falls apart- they already have work getting done for the new Livestrong-Nike team arrival & probably buying their way to get UCI to grant them a Pro-License -- a la Cervelo (by having the Current TDF winner making the new squad- So AC will go along with the plot for another year & then go to Cassie)

I love Vino's personality. Attack! Attack! Attack!

The Toto cartoons that feature him are hilarious...

Of course he doped, bleh, but he brings needed color back into the peloton. Anyone who can be a thorn in the side of L.A. is worth giving consideration to...

 

[MARKENNEN]

hi ! cycling fans, I urge you not to listen to Zen

the fact that Alberto hooked in Astana ... Be not naive, he will remain at Astana for another year ...

look here - http://astanafans.com/alberto-kontador-i-aleksandr-vinokurov-nicca-2009.html

 

[Zen Master]

hi ! Cycling fans, i urge you not to listen to zen :d

S-a-r-c-a-s-m !!!

Сарказм ! Ты понимаеш что я говорю друг мой от Казахстан ?!

 

[MARKENNEN]

s-a-r-c-a-s-m !!!

Сарказм ! Ты понимаеш что я говорю друг мой от Казахстан ?!

ДУ Ю СПИК ИНГЛИШ?!

 

[Zen Master]

ДУ Ю СПИК ИНГЛИШ?!

Нет, я изучаю Японский язык