Where does Contador go next year?

[Mellow Velo]

Contador has a contract with Astana through 2010. What makes anyone think they would seriously entertain offers to buy him out of that contract. Why should they? Looks like he'll be riding in support of Vino at next years Tour. Gee... bummer!

Well, wrong again.

Contador's contract is with Olympus Sarl, not Astana and the Kazakh fed.
So, he's going along, to be a bad smell at the Shack, unless Mr Hog (with Lance's permission) allow him to buy out.
One thing for sure, they won't turn him from Berto Contador to Berto Heras.
"More water, please Lancie..."

Gee...now that really must be a bummer!

 

[BroDeal]

Contador should sue to break the contract saying there was an understanding that he would be given support in the Tour and that is clearly impossible with Armstrong on the team.

He should also start wearing Fry's Electronics and Best Buy T-shirts around.

 

[ilillillli]

Contador should sue to break the contract saying there was an understanding that he would be given support in the Tour and that is clearly impossible with Armstrong on the team.

He should also start wearing Fry's Electronics and Best Buy T-shirts around.

........Swish!

 

[VeloFidelis]

Well, wrong again.

Contador's contract is with Olympus Sarl, not Astana and the Kazakh fed.
So, he's going along, to be a bad smell at the Shack, unless Mr Hog (with Lance's permission) allow him to buy out.
One thing for sure, they won't turn him from Berto Contador to Berto Heras.
"More water, please Lancie..."

Gee...now that really must be a bummer!

Well Gee Wally...

If you are right... and who would ever question that? What's the point of all this useless speculation? Don't you guys feel a little played by all this? It would seem to be time to recognize that the people pulling the strings on this "drama'' have been pulling yours and mine long enough.

Dissention and unrest in the team?... any team?... Always!! Has it ever been exploited as a tool, either internally or externally through the media? Might JB and company be really good at this? ...Hmmm. All this speculation is very entertaining, but it shouldn't get confused with reality.

 

[RdBiker]

Johan Bruyneel would be an idiot to release Contador from his contract without quite a large pile of money.

 

[Boeing]

Something was said about a Spanish F1 Driver setting up a new team for him and Valverde

 

[ilillillli]

Something was said about a Spanish F1 Driver setting up a new team for him and Valverde

Still a rumor, but it's Fernando Alonso:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jjXjmnKgVrQ1H0IUuOpYbLrNUXRw

 

[TrapperJohn]

That's how I see it - AC to the Alonso team, LA, LL, CH to Radio Shack with Bruyneel, don't know where AK will go, perhaps to Alonso as well.

Vino is left holding the blood bag...

 

[mambo#5]

my take is a new team BANCO SANTANDER cycling team.

 

[Publicus]

If he's smart, he jumps to Garmin. Assuming they can hold on to Wiggins, Millar and VandeVelde, and pick up a couple of real climbers, they would have a formidable team.

 

[Ken Stevens]

Vaughters added that Contador, just as any other rider, would have to follow strict ethical rules before even being considered. "Every single rider who has come to the team has had to release to us their health records including blood profiles and we go through them very thoroughly through independent analysis."

I don't see that happening.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Johan Bruyneel would be an idiot to release Contador from his contract without quite a large pile of money.

Well, what is to stop him from refusing to release Contador from his contract and making him ride shit detail?
He'll be forced to take the dregs to the Giro, freeing up USPS (US Pension Service) for the Tour.

That would be a fanboy,s fantasy, come true.

 

[Cobber]

Well, what is to stop him from refusing to release Contador from his contract and making him ride shit detail?
He'll be forced to take the dregs to the Giro, freeing up USPS (US Pension Service) for the Tour.

That would be a fanboy,s fantasy, come true.

I don't think it would be much different from this year really.... AC would pace LA around France until LA blows up, then AC would be free to ride for the win. Whatever relationship LA and the Hog have, I don't see the Hog giving up a TdF win for the sake of LA's ego or it would have happened this year. Ultimately, the only way he could guarantee that AC doesn't beat LA in the tour would be to leave AC out of the team!

 

[richwagmn]

Vaughters added that Contador, just as any other rider, would have to follow strict ethical rules before even being considered. "Every single rider who has come to the team has had to release to us their health records including blood profiles and we go through them very thoroughly through independent analysis."

I don't see that happening.

Rumor was that Garmin had all but signed Contador before the TDF in case Astana exploded.

 

[afpm90]

I think next year, Contador will stay at Astana or, very improbably, will go to Caisse. In 2011, if the team of Fernando Alonso happens he'll go there because there good friends.

 

[richwagmn]

I don't think it would be much different from this year really.... AC would pace LA around France until LA blows up, then AC would be free to ride for the win. Whatever relationship LA and the Hog have, I don't see the Hog giving up a TdF win for the sake of LA's ego or it would have happened this year. Ultimately, the only way he could guarantee that AC doesn't beat LA in the tour would be to leave AC out of the team!

I think he gives up on AC myself. There's just too much friction in Astana now.

Also, can't imagine JB is very happy about AC's attack when it was against his orders. I'm assuming JB would have been very happy with an Astana 1-2-3 too. Sort of another feather in his cap.

 

[afpm90]

Something was said about a Spanish F1 Driver setting up a new team for him and Valverde

The team is for Contador. I don't see Valverde moving from Caisse, and also the fact that Alonso never talked about Valverde.

 

[VeloFidelis]

Well, what is to stop him from refusing to release Contador from his contract and making him ride shit detail?
He'll be forced to take the dregs to the Giro, freeing up USPS (US Pension Service) for the Tour.

That would be a fanboy,s fantasy, come true.

So we agree that Contador has a contract through 2010, and the most of this speculation is pretty silly. But let me see if I have the rest of this straight.

You are suggesting, that the reigning Tour champion would be prevented from defending his title, and relegated to riding the Giro with inadequate support, by the DS who has more Grand Tour winning teams than anyone in history. And that he would do this in order to pin his future TDF hopes on a (then) 38/39 year old former champion who retired in 2005. Is that accurate?

 

[richwagmn]

So we agree that Contador has a contract through 2010, and the most of this speculation is pretty silly. But let me see if I have the rest of this straight.

You are suggesting, that the reigning Tour champion would be prevented from defending his title, and relegated to riding the Giro with inadequate support, by the DS who has more Grand Tour winning teams than anyone in history. And that he would do this in order to pin his future TDF hopes on a (then) 38/39 year old former champion who retired in 2005. Is that accurate?

Does anyone know for sure if AC's contract is with JB or with Astana?

 

[Mellow Velo]

So we agree that Contador has a contract through 2010, and the most of this speculation is pretty silly. But let me see if I have the rest of this straight.
You are suggesting, that the reigning Tour champion would be prevented from defending his title, and relegated to riding the Giro with inadequate support, by the DS who has more Grand Tour winning teams than anyone in history. And that he would do this in order to pin his future TDF hopes on a (then) 38/39 year old former champion who retired in 2005. Is that accurate?

Well, since you now seem to accept that it's Bruyneel, not the Kazakh's who have possession of that contract, yes.
Remember, I told you, not the other way around.
The PT licenec, is of course, the Kazakh's.

As for the rest of it, I'm playing Devil's advocate, here, but I would have thought it would be a possible scenaro, if:
a) Armstrong is back as the boss, with Bruyneel as his major domo, plus the wishes of the sponsors.
b) Contador won't do as he's told.

Lets put it this way, I can't see Lance doing the Giro again.
I'll ask you a question, if I may.
Do you see LA working for Contador, next year, in his team, and being, according to him, better prepared/in shape?

I think we are in for a messy divorce.

Does anyone know for sure if AC's contract is with JB or with Astana?

As before. Olympus Sarl, which is JB.

 

[Publicus]

Well, since you now seem to accept that it's Bruyneel, not the Kazakh's who have possession of that contract, yes.
Remember, I told you, not the other way around.
The PT licenec, is of course, the Kazakh's.

As for the rest of it, I'm playing Devil's advocate, here, but I would have thought it would be a possible scenaro, if:
a) Armstrong is back as the boss, with Bruyneel as his major domo, plus the wishes of the sponsors.
b) Contador won't do as he's told.

Lets put it this way, I can't see Lance doing the Giro again.
I'll ask you a question, if I may.
Do you see LA working for Contador, next year, in his team, and being, according to him, better prepared/in shape?

I think we are in for a messy divorce.


As before. Olympus Sarl, which is JB.

I thought he said he was in great shape at the start of the Tour? Even referenced his 2002 form and saying that he was hitting all the right numbers in training. So either he was lying to us back then or he's lying to himself now.

 

[ElVaca]

Does anyone know for sure if AC's contract is with JB or with Astana?

Astana's rider contracts are held by JB's Luxembourg-based Olympus SARL.

But I wouldn't expect JB to force AC to go with him to Team Radio Shack. JB will let AC out of his contract just like when Heras left USPS.

 

[richwagmn]

Astana's rider contracts are held by JB's Luxembourg-based Olympus SARL.

But I wouldn't expect JB to force AC to go with him to Team Radio Shack. JB will let AC out of his contract just like when Heras left USPS.

Thanks.

AC is gone:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iGHUQyvKf3pMbjDGKWGs34GQbgjQ

because he isn't compatible with LA.

The spanish team probably won't get off the ground this year.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=337915&FS=F1

I'm still leaning towards Garmin given the events leading up to the tour.

 

[Azdak6]

I thought he said he was in great shape at the start of the Tour? Even referenced his 2002 form and saying that he was hitting all the right numbers in training. So either he was lying to us back then or he's lying to himself now.

I know this doesn't fit in with the conspiracy theories, but.....

Maybe he was just wrong?

If you look at everything he has said since December, that's the best explanation. It's not like he has ever done this before, either.

 

[ElVaca]

I'm still leaning towards Garmin given the events leading up to the tour.

I wouldn't be shocked if it was Garmin but they have a history of guys that can speak English extremely well. And I wouldn't say that AC fits that mold.