Will Radio Shack be back in 2011?

[kurtinsc]

RadioShack have a nice and pretty balanced team.

They just need to realise they need to drop or relegate the oldies to a lower status.
You can't go to a grand tour with Leipheimer or Klöden as leader anymore.

Give the guys like Brajkovic a shot at it.

+1.

Though I do think they need another sprinter... and ideally a true cobbled specialist. Steegmans is trying to fill both roles but I don't really think he's all that capable of doing either.

They also need a plan of transitioning from the old farts. Kloden/Horner/Leipheimer might have another year or two of decent results... but even moving to Brajkovic and Machado as your main GC guys... I think another GC option or two is needed.

They don't necessarily need to be superstars... just guys who may be able to come in and score a top 10 at a pro-tour 1-week race once the old guys are gone. A couple of Casar/Karpets/Szmyd type guys.

 

[SpartacusRox]

RadioShack have a nice and pretty balanced team.

They just need to realise they need to drop or relegate the oldies to a lower status.
You can't go to a grand tour with Leipheimer or Klöden as leader anymore.

Give the guys like Brajkovic a shot at it.

Agreed and now that there it looks like they have a couple of Kiwi's moving in there to give it some backbone they should do ok.

 

[joe_papp]

So has the general feeling on Radio Shack's return changed at all?

It's admirable to see Trek, Radio Shack, Nike, et al standing by their man, but w/ the stability of pro cycling sponsorship not being very reliable to begin with, at some point one would have to imagine RS would consider exercising some material adverse effect contingency clause that would see them quit the team and the sport, maybe making a pay-out like T-Mobile did?

 

[theswordsman]

Nobody ever mentions Bruyneel and the investigation in Belgium. It was announced about the same time USADA and others announced they'd check into allegations. Wouldn't a conclusion of wrongdoing there affect the team's future?

 

[thehog]

If they don't turn up next year, then Pat McQuaid's decision to issue them with a 4 year Pro Tour licence, will be as stupid as folks here predicted.
If they have any intent of hanging around, given the team's showing at the Tour, we should hear some transfer rumours, soon.
Then again, this is Bruyneel we are talking about.

Cofidis must look at this and scratch their heads.

My good word is the fold news will come through towards the end of the year.

The team had little direction throughout the year. They've made no new signings and I can't see motivation from the teams management when Unlcle Lance is not around.

 

[Barrus]

Has anyone actually heard any rumours concerning signings of the Radioshack team, or riders that are planning to leave the RS team?

 

[reubenr]

Cofidis must look at this and scratch their heads.

My good word is the fold news will come through towards the end of the year.

The team had little direction throughout the year. They've made no new signings and I can't see motivation from the teams management when Unlcle Lance is not around.

I think Radio Shack is going to have a hard time walking away from this one, as much as it may like to so. The team is ooooold and although it has a few good guys and maybe some up and coming, it is not enough to make a difference in any of the significant events. Winning the team category is an embarrassment, not a feather in the cap. In the end, Mr. Armstrong will just drag everyone down because that is the way he is.

 

[pmcg76]

Has anyone actually heard any rumours concerning signings of the Radioshack team, or riders that are planning to leave the RS team?

Well Lance & I think Rubiera are retiring and they have a few young guys on trial but thats it. Seriously if RadioShack were serious about continuing next season, they need to start signing guys.

Brajkovic, Tiago Machado, Hermans, Roessler, Steegmans are decent riders but RS need to change focus a bit, get a decent sprinter & more claasics guys. Levi, Klodi, Zubeldia & even Horner are on the downhill slope so they need to bring in new talent.

Busche, Sergeant, Phinney will all be good riders but its going to take a few years. What odds they all eventually end up at Garmin or HTC-Columbia.

RadioShack could have a decent team next year but it depends on whether the will is there after Lance. Could the "haters" be right yet again.

 

[Barrus]

Well Lance & I think Rubiera are retiring and they have a few young guys on trial but thats it. Seriously if RadioShack were serious about continuing next season, they need to start signing guys.

That was exactly my point in asking that question, without any fresh blood it can be a clear indication that either a Radioshack is not intending to continue, or b will continue to fulfill its contractual obligation, but are not really interested in it anymore, which will be even worse for the riders on the team

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Has anyone actually heard any rumours concerning signings of the Radioshack team, or riders that are planning to leave the RS team?

bruyneel has already confirmed that there will be no major signings. so the teamn will be even more pathetic next year. especially when horner leaves

 

[Parrulo]

this hyping over an almost 39 year old guy is getting pathetic . . .

do you guys actually believe he can do what he did in the TdF again? he was lucky to be on the break of the day.

RD does needs some major sign cus just giving important roles to Machado and Brajkovic may not be enough(leipheimer, kloden, that is one of my old time favourites and horner are getting to old) to bring the necessary victories. either that or try to pull a miracle and bring back the paulinho and pop that we hyped in the past thinking that they would be awesome and not just domestics. but thats impossible i would say.

 

[hfer07]

I can only see the team lasting for 2011 IF the current Investigation does not reach any verdict during that time--even if the Feds are still working on the case by then, I foresee the current sponsorship not getting renewed & the team getting dismantled....
Bruyneel might continue on cycling, but probably back in Europe, since his reputation in the States is going to be damaged heavily by whatever results the feds will come up with...

Cycling wise-- if they want to exercise their Pro Tour License-- they need to "earn" their place in the new UCI Pro-Tour selection by wining races & get in the top ranks to ever get some invitations to the main GT & races..

 

[L29205]

I am giving them one more year as team RS and then folding. While I hope the proceedings against LA proceed fast enough for ASO to have a reason to exclude them. I just don't see it being to a point that RS will not get a Tour invite. The following year, I see no major sponsor and the team not being able to get into the top 17.

 

[michaeld]

They aren't a ProTour team, correct? If not, they don't need a big 3X GT squad of 28 riders. IMHO more freedom to ride the races your team can be prepared for.

PT teams are hauling it around Australia, Europe, 3XGTs, Canada in the fall, etc. from January to October. That is a lot of miles, a lot of fried athletes.

So, perhaps RS sees a place in the sport for themselves, but OTOH might have been just another brand on the LA bandwagon.

 

[Benotti69]

RadioShack are fighting for the 28 million surely

 

[the_kman]

they should get griepel with stegmans to lead out plenty of wins in that combo id rekon

 

[boardhanger]

Is there any RadioShack stores in Britain and Europe? Just curious.

 

[EmpressJo]

RadioShack could have a decent team next year but it depends on whether the will is there after Lance.

They need serious GC contenders for the will to be there; GC contenders = hope = will. If Luxembourg fails to get up, the Schlecks could provide the shot in the arm they need if the rumours are true. Not sure if I want to see Schlecks there though - but that's a different story.

 

[royalpig180]

I have a hard time envisioning Phil and Paul singing the praises of Leipheimer during Versus' TdF converage.

I don't. They were searching desperately for an American to root for throughout the tour as Armstrong was habitually one of the first "contenders" dropped on each climb. They'd jump on a Levi or Chris Horner bandwagon in an instant.

 

[tgsgirl]

Is there any RadioShack stores in Britain and Europe? Just curious.

One in all of Europe - in Belgium. Under a different name though, Tandy I believe.

 

[L'arriviste]

One in all of Europe - in Belgium. Under a different name though, Tandy I believe.

Yes, apparently it's in Merksem. You can always rely on Antwerpers to be different. Tandy was the original name for RadioShack.

 

[tgsgirl]

Tandy was the original name for RadioShack.

And they say Limburg is living in the past!

 

[L'arriviste]

And they say Limburg is living in the past!

Sssh! My colleague sitting opposite me reads this site and he's from Hasselt!

EDIT btw are you the same tgsgirl who posts on the BBC website?

 

[henryg]

Once the Feds get into full swing Lance and Bruyneel and everyone who rode for them will be radioactive to corporate marketing types. I'm sure they have an out written into their contract for things like illegal activities that could bring bad PR to the sponsor.

If the team RS shifted it's focus to the upcoming generation of US talent it could have had a future but Bruyneel and the sponsor may be history by next year. Maybe BMC or Garmin could carry the flag for young US talent.

 

[gregrowlerson]

With their current squad Radioshack could still be okay at the tdf next year. Leipheimer could improve on this years effort and with the full backing of the team finish top 10....maybe top 5. Kloden might have one more year in him and be good for another top 20 finish. Horner probably not. Even with his good result this year I think he is 38. Zubeldia and Popovich seem finished. What has happened to Popovich? Didn't think he was very old and used to be a decent climber. Braijkovic has ability but needs to improve significantly on this years performance. After his good ride in the Dauphne I thought he was one of the big disappointments over the tour.

More so than Lance given the age discrepancy!