Will Radio Shack be back in 2011?

[flicker]

I don't know what grade of races they can ride but if they can ride domestically and in Canada, Mexico, South America I think it would help them. Also the smaller national tours in Europe and small stage races in Spain. More of a campaign like what Ball wanted to do with Rock Racing. Forget the Big One. Definetely not a super bowl team. They need about 5 more good young riders to be that.

 

[Angliru]

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!

Brajkovic's form peaked at the Dauphine according to a quote in the latest Procycling mag. He attributes that to his success there along with the fact that in contrast Contador and others were still building their form for the Tour.
Still he is yet unproven in the grand tours and appears to be on Bruyneel's slow development program.

The more mountainous parcours (compared to last year's) for this year's Tour
put an quick end to Leipheimer's and Kloden's Tour prospects. Bruyneel claimed that there were 3 leaders for Shack at the Tour but they all fell flat on their faces and unable to respond with the elite climbers when things got hot. Only Horner showed the ability to consistently climb with the 3rd tier of climbers. I think Horner will be able to maintain this level of performance for 1 or 2 more years.

Leipheimer even looked ancient in the ITT, usually the area where he looks to make up for his losses in the mountains. Leipheimer couldn't even win the ToC so I think he is on that downward slope.