Who else is enjoying the collapse of RadioShack this year?

[Christian]

Hermans and Bakelants made their own decision, I feel no sympathy. I find it funny Hermans left Radioshack to join Leopard. He's been performing badly because of injuries, not because of the team anyway. They'll easily find a new team though when Radioshack disbands. Lotto seems a likely candidate and they'll be eager to get their hands on them.

The only one I feel sympathy towards is Maxim Monfort. He remains loyal to the Schlecks even if they're not worth it. He's a pretty good domestique and I just wish he got more chances to ride for him self... He was top 10 in the Vuelta last year which surprised me a lot. Didn't think he had it in him.

And Voigt also remains loyal, good man. He had a good career though.

Hermans wanted to switch teams because he didn't get the chance to do a GT at RadioShack. I think in that sense it was a good idea to move to LEOPARD TREK since they had relatively little depth. He could have easily made the Giro or Vuelta team and gotten leadership at smaller stage races or one day races. Look at races like Catalunya, Romandie, Poland, Dauphiné, LEOPARD TREK always had relatively weak teams. This could have been a good chance for Hermans. Of course now he also made the Giro team (I assume that was his condition to stay) so he should be more or less satisfied.

Maxime Monfort also made a good move going to LEOPARD TREK. He got to play a crucial role in a GT battle which must be more interesting than setting up sprints for Cavendish. As a reward, he got the Vuelta shared leadership, again because there was little depth. His only "competition" within the team was Fuglsang, who failed as expected. Therefore he got very decent domestiques with Zaugg and Rohregger and had the best TTT squad. He was the 3rd best GT rider on that team, now he must be around 7th in hierarchy. So that's why I feel bad for him.

As for Bakelants, he openly confessed that he chose Bruyneel for the money, so I assume he must be happy too.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, HTC was even worse for Monfort, but that's besides the point. I don't know about his program, but I assume he will ride the Tour and Vuelta again.

Hope he doesn't have to work for the likes of Horner and Klöden.

 

[Christian]

Yeah, HTC was even worse for Monfort, but that's besides the point. I don't know about his program, but I assume he will ride the Tour and Vuelta again.

Hope he doesn't have to work for the likes of Horner and Klöden.

Yes, same here! Unfortunately the parcours doesn't suit him very well.

 

[Lexman]

Yeah, HTC was even worse for Monfort, but that's besides the point. I don't know about his program, but I assume he will ride the Tour and Vuelta again.

Hope he doesn't have to work for the likes of Horner and Klöden.

I remember reading Montfort in january (start of the season) was not sure for to participate at the TDF but to concentrate fully at La Vuelta...

 

[Angliru]

i feel sorry for cancellara and voigt.. the others can go f*ck themselves.

I can't feel sorry for Cancellara since he bailed on his contract with Riis to jump ship and follow the Schleck's. Now he's a part of Team Turmoil and I can't help but feel its a bit of karma for them all.

 

[El Pistolero]

I remember reading Montfort in january (start of the season) was not sure for to participate at the TDF but to concentrate fully at La Vuelta...

That's even better.

 

[c&cfan]

I can't feel sorry for Cancellara since he bailed on his contract with Riis to jump ship and follow the Schleck's. Now he's a part of Team Turmoil and I can't help but feel its a bit of karma for them all.

i feel sorry because i believe that he did that because he is stupid and someone promised him a strong team for those classics.

i believed that since last year he realized the mess he created for himself.

i really want to see him with riis again.

 

[El Pistolero]

i feel sorry because i believe that he did that because he is stupid and someone promised him a strong team for those classics.

i believed that since last year he realized the mess he created for himself.

i really want to see him with riis again.

Not going to happen, Matti Breschel has hinted about wanting to return to Riis. And Riis doesn't have the money to support both Cancellara and Contador, so he might as well look for a talented young classic rider like Breschel. He won the Ronde with Nuyens after all, can do the same with Breschel.

 

[thehog]

Not going to happen, Matti Breschel has hinted about wanting to return to Riis. And Riis doesn't have the money to support both Cancellara and Contador, so he might as well look for a talented young classic rider like Breschel. He won the Ronde with Nuyens after all, can do the same with Breschel.

I'm sure Riis has a extension on his Saxo loan that if he gets Canc he gets another 3m to cover ths salary. He'd be working on this now. I'm sure Fabs is already in touch with Riis laying down the foundations.

Fabs cannot afford another year like this one.

 

[Christian]

I remember reading Montfort in january (start of the season) was not sure for to participate at the TDF but to concentrate fully at La Vuelta...

Well as we have learned through Bruyneel today no one has his participation in the pocket yet. But Monfort tweeted today about doing recon of Planche des Belles Filles with Fuglsang and Andy

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

At least the Tour of California was a huge succes. After all Radioshack won the all-important team classification!

 

[nowhereman]

I have sympathy for Hermans, Bakelants, Nizzolo, the youngsters who arrived in a spidersweb...

Don't worry about them! They'll get out of it with their youth. This toxic environment won't/can't last that long. Guys like Boonen, Van den Broeck, and Hesjedal, to name a few, have escaped the JB teams. Those young men will too!

 

[ElChingon]

At least the Tour of California was a huge succes. After all Radioshack won the all-important team classification!

Funny how teams value this only when they don't get anything else, yet the rest just laugh at it. Had that team won the overall or a ton of stages it might mean something but if no other success it falls flat.