Who will be Fabian riding with in 2011?

[auscyclefan94]

Again apparently he thinks he can do it by dropping 3kg...

He probably could crap that!

 

[Christian]

Some new interesting articles.

Joost Posthuma is "excited for the possibility to ride for a star like Fabian Cancellara".

"It's not really rewarding when you have to work for leaders who are not even better than you are," said the tall powerhouse in a conversation with the TC Tubantia newspaper, which was reported on by Wielerland.nl.

While Posthuma seems to be leaving Rabobank without any kind of parting sorrow, he looks to be eager to take on his new position with Brian Nygaard and Kim Andersen's new team out of Luxembourg, particularly, if a certain Fabian Cancellara joins the team. Posthuma has become a strong, able-bodied domestique for the Northern Classics. Up to this point, however, he has never had a superstar leader to benefit from the Dutchman's efforts - Cancellara could easily change that.

"Suppose Fabian Cancellara signs and wins Paris-Roubaix - that will also be thanks to his team. I want to be a part of that."

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6...ew-start-with-Team-Schleck.aspx#ixzz13V6YUyRX

One has to wonder however if Cancellara will target Paris-Roubaix and Flanders again next year, or shift his focus to other one-day races such as the Wallonian classics: "There are still one day races I have not won."

Of course, the races that he hasn't won are those that are normally not associated with the Red Hammer's skillset, but that hasn't stopped Cancellara in the past - one need only look as far as his podium finish at the difficult, some might say mountainous, road race at the Olympics in Beijing as well as his overall victory at the Tour de Suisse. Certainly, it wasn't the hardest Tour de Suisse, but it was a Tour de Suisse nonetheless. It seems perfectly reasonable for Cancellara to set his sights on races like Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne, the World Championships, not to mention the final monument of the year, the Giro di Lombardia.

For whatever team that Cancellara does in fact sign for, it seems that it might be a bit difficult for the squad to stomach the cobbled dominator not wanting to peak for Flanders and Roubaix. If Cancellara signs for the Luxembourg project, as the rumors have screamed loudest, there would be three captains heading into the Wallonian Classics - Andy Schleck, Frank Schleck, and Fabian Cancellara. In the current climate of undisputed leadership in the Classics, a three-headed hydra of possibilities would be a refreshing return to the times of old when podiums were stacked with talent from one team - why not in 2011?

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6...-races-that-I-have-not-won.aspx#ixzz13V7G8A00

The whole speculation on this is only based on this one statement though, so I wouldn't give too much importance to it. Velonation seems to see a possibility of a triple leadership between the Schlecks and Cancellara at the Wallonian classics, but I personnally don't really see that happening. I think Cancellara has the absolute will to win every race he sets his mind to, so if he really did want to win the Wallonian classics, why not assume full leadership?

On the other hand this quote might suggest that he does not want to become a GC-contender quite yet, and still focus on one-day races. If this is the case then he'd definitely have the strongest support at Team Luxembourg.

 

[auscyclefan94]

cancellara to team luxembourg
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/6164/Cancellara-reported-as-having-signed-for-Luxembourg-Pro-Cycling-Project.aspx

 

[Ferminal]

The article in question -

http://www.gva.be/nieuws/sport/wielrennen/aid985006/cancellara-kiest-voor-team-schleck.aspx

 

[Willy_Voet]

What did Riis do that Cancellara is willing to pay 3 million euro just to not ride with him?

Or is that amount exaggerated?

 

[Ferminal]

What did Riis do that Cancellara is willing to pay 3 million euro just to not ride with him?

Or is that amount exaggerated?

I guess that's just the terms that were in the contract.

I think that the team who signs Cancellara will pay the fee, not Spartacus himself.

Although last year when Evans did the same thing, he reportedly paid himself out and allegedly his contract at BMC is worth less than his one at Lotto.

 

[Willy_Voet]

I think that the team who signs Cancellara will pay the fee, not Spartacus himself.

I'd like to know who the sponsor is that has this kind of money to throw around. Guess we'll know in a week.

Seems like a waste. 3 million euro is about 1/2 the budget of Pro-Conti teams...spent in this case on merely the privilege to sign a rider.

 

[Christian]

Seems like a waste. 3 million euro is about 1/2 the budget of Pro-Conti teams...spent in this case on merely the privilege to sign a rider.

This is Cancellara we're talking about. If his season will be anything like the last few they'll have that money back in no time.

 

[lucybears]

Luxemburg betaalt 1,83 miljoen euro voor Fabian Cancellara

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GRE31GKTO

 

[Curls_21]

Any chance of an English translation from anyone??

 

[Dalakhani]

Any chance of an English translation from anyone??

"Luxembourg will pay 1.83 million euros for Fabian Cancellara"

Basically, they'll pay Saxo 1.83m to get Cancellara.

Steve

 

[Sophistic]

Cancellara most likely will get an enormous multi-year deal, so the 1,83mios are relatively seen not that much.

 

[roundabout]

Riis paid Cancellara 1.2m per year

 

[Christian]

Seems like Cancellara left Saxo Bank because of Contador:

Jetant un coup d'oeil à son passé, il dédie ce trophée à "La Mapei, Giancarlo Ferretti et Bjarne Riis" qui sont pour lui les "trois moments clés de (sa) carrière".

Pourtant il quitte le dernier cité... : "J'ai énormément appris avec Bjarne, mais aujourd'hui je préfère privilégier la qualité de mon entourage. A partir du moment où Alberto Contador arrivait dans l'équipe, je n'y avais plus ma place car trop de choses vont changer. [...] L'équipe Saxo Bank restera l'explosion de ma carrière en termes de résultats et je ne l'oublierai jamais. Pour l'instant j'ai toujours fait les bons choix et j'espère continuer."

Looking back on his past, Cancellara dedicates the Vélo d'Or Trophy to "Mapei, Giancarlo Ferretti and Bjarne Riis", who are "three key moments of (his) career".

Nonetheless he leaves the latter saying ... "I have learned enormously while I was with Bjarne, bot these days I prefer giving more importance to my entourage. Starting from the moment when Alberto Contador joined the team, I did not have my place there anymore because too many things will change." ...

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-cancellara_recevoir_le_velo_d_or_est_une_fierte-10148.html

 

[auscyclefan94]

So fabian wants to target liege yet he is going to a team (most likely) with two to three other possible and more likely winners of liege?

 

[Marcus135]

Seems like Cancellara left Saxo Bank because of Contador:



Looking back on his past, Cancellara dedicates the Vélo d'Or Trophy to "Mapei, Giancarlo Ferretti and Bjarne Riis", who are "three key moments of (his) career".

Nonetheless he leaves the latter saying ... "I have learned enormously while I was with Bjarne, bot these days I prefer giving more importance to my entourage. Starting from the moment when Alberto Contador joined the team, I did not have my place there anymore because too many things will change." ...

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-cancellara_recevoir_le_velo_d_or_est_une_fierte-10148.html

That sounds right. I bet Alberto had it set up so he would have had the whole team built around him. Fabian wouldnt have like that. He will go to Lux im pretty sure.

 

[theyoungest]

Based on the no. 1 ranking of Team Lux in the UCI sporting criteria list, we can safely conclude (if there was still any doubt) that Cancellara will ride for them next year.

 

[maltiv]

So fabian wants to target liege yet he is going to a team (most likely) with two to three other possible and more likely winners of liege?

I also find this quite weird, which is the only reason why I'm not 100 % sure he will actually be going to Lux. At Sky for example he would've been a clear leader for both Liege and Lombardy, and would get some decent support from guys like Uran, Löfkvist and Gerrans.

I guess another more likely option is that the Schleck's will stop caring about the ardennes, and limit their season to three weeks only...

 

[Christian]

Luxembourgish Newspaper "Le Quotidien" reports that Fabian was bought out of his contract by Maca Loca, a swiss brand of drinks, who will be a co-sponsor of Team Luxembourg. The company is already a sponsor of the Swiss Cycling Federation and is looking for more exposure in sports.

According to their anonymous source, Cancellara signed his contract with Team Luxembourg on September 22nd, right before heading to Melbourne.

Here is the link (French):

http://www.lequotidien.lu/les-sports/16672.html

It is also on CyclismActu:

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-equipe_lux_l_arrivee_de_cance_grace_a_maca_loca-10258.html

 

[Ferminal]

Luxembourgish Newspaper "Le Quotidien" reports that Fabian was bought out of his contract by Maca Loca, a swiss brand of drinks, who will be a co-sponsor of Team Luxembourg. The company is already a sponsor of the Swiss Cycling Federation and is looking for more exposure in sports.

According to their anonymous source, Cancellara signed his contract with Team Luxembourg on September 22nd, right before heading to Melbourne.

Does that fit in with the leaks we had a long time ago from the Lux paper?

 

[Christian]

Does that fit in with the leaks we had a long time ago from the Lux paper?

This rumour is much more precise than the last one. The other newspaper ("Luxemburger Wort") just said that he had signed, nothing more. If I could find the date when it was published and the two fit together maybe there's something to it!