"My first race today and I'm happy did good work 'til I pull out after 160, but my knee didn't hurt only in the end a bit so that's good!!!!! ".Yes,this is what Andy Schleck wrote on his Twitter 2 almost 2 days ago.
Considering that Andy's happy,I think all his supporters should feel more optmistic about his form.After all,if my memory doesn't fail me,also last year he had some problems with his knee (he even had to abandon Tirreno because of this) but then he managed to get over them in a great way,therefore I'm confident that Andy will be able to get good results in the April Classics,aka his first goal of the season.
Anyway,the main reason I'm writing this post is a rumour that appeared on today's La Gazzetta dello Sport.In fact,according to the newspaper,the Schleck brothers are going to create their own team next year.It seems that the team manager of this "Schleck-team" would be Marc Biver,whereas the first ds could be Kim Andersen and the first "marketing goal" would be a certain Fabian Cancellara.The newspaper then points out the fact that Bivier,58 year-old, Luxembourgian,was the man who after Operacion Puerto (2006) transformed Liberty Seguros into Astana-and we all know how it ended up with Astana in 2007 (for those of you who have forgotten the 2007 Tour de France,I write here 4 names: Kessler, Mazzoleni, Vinokourov, Kasheckin. What do they suggest you?).
Considering that Andy's happy,I think all his supporters should feel more optmistic about his form.After all,if my memory doesn't fail me,also last year he had some problems with his knee (he even had to abandon Tirreno because of this) but then he managed to get over them in a great way,therefore I'm confident that Andy will be able to get good results in the April Classics,aka his first goal of the season.
Anyway,the main reason I'm writing this post is a rumour that appeared on today's La Gazzetta dello Sport.In fact,according to the newspaper,the Schleck brothers are going to create their own team next year.It seems that the team manager of this "Schleck-team" would be Marc Biver,whereas the first ds could be Kim Andersen and the first "marketing goal" would be a certain Fabian Cancellara.The newspaper then points out the fact that Bivier,58 year-old, Luxembourgian,was the man who after Operacion Puerto (2006) transformed Liberty Seguros into Astana-and we all know how it ended up with Astana in 2007 (for those of you who have forgotten the 2007 Tour de France,I write here 4 names: Kessler, Mazzoleni, Vinokourov, Kasheckin. What do they suggest you?).
Of course the journalist who wrote the article also pointed out Kim Andersen's past.In fact Kim was the first Danish rider to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France in 1983,but then he resulted positive to an antidoping test and therefore he got 1 year suspension.He soon started riding again,but in 1992 he resulted positive once again and this put an end to his career.
Talking about Cancellara,Fabian's contract with Riis ends in 2011,so he won't probably become a "Schleck rider" in 2011 (of course it isn't known whether the Schleckteam will become reality next year).
If the Schlecks abandoned Riis then Team Saxo Bank (or whatever its name will be next year) might be able to sign a contract with a certain rider named Alberto Contador.In fact Contador's contract with Astana ends in 2010,but his contract with Specialized expires at the end of 2011.In order to mantain a contract with the best Grand Tour rider of the world,Specialized could pay 7 million dollars (!) in order to allow Riis to sign a contract with the Spaniard.
Talking about Cancellara,Fabian's contract with Riis ends in 2011,so he won't probably become a "Schleck rider" in 2011 (of course it isn't known whether the Schleckteam will become reality next year).
If the Schlecks abandoned Riis then Team Saxo Bank (or whatever its name will be next year) might be able to sign a contract with a certain rider named Alberto Contador.In fact Contador's contract with Astana ends in 2010,but his contract with Specialized expires at the end of 2011.In order to mantain a contract with the best Grand Tour rider of the world,Specialized could pay 7 million dollars (!) in order to allow Riis to sign a contract with the Spaniard.
Now,I know that all the things that I've written above (and that I've translated from La Gazzetta website) are fantaciclismo (unrealistic cycling),but I think that the Schleck supporters out there who don't understand Italian could be glad to read about this rumour.Why do I call it "rumour",and not "news"? Well,firstly I know that we Italian sometimes go too far with our fantasy.Secondly,I don't believe to what the Gazzetta wrote.Not that I believe they have made up everything,mind you.Simply,in my opinion,a "Schleckteam" may be created just in case Bjarne Riis doesn't find any new sponsor for 2011. Otherwise,I think that the Schlecks will stay with Uncle Bjarne also next year,since they always say they owe a lot to him.In fact I think that Andy and Frank would never leave Bjarne and try to steal him Andersen and Cancellara (not if they aren't forced to,at least) because they seem very honest guys to me (that's why I support them),and honest guys don't do this kind of things.
Of course,in the awful event that Bjarne doesn't find a new sponsor before of the end of the year,the Schlecks will have to change team and I believe that just in that case they may decide to create a "personal" team.After all,the brothers are really popular (at least in Luxembourg), and a Schleckteam would be sure to get a lot of attention from the medias and money from the sponsors very soon.And considering that also the other Saxo Bank riders/mechanics/ managers/ and so on will need a new team,some of them may even decide to follow the brothers at their new team.
Of course,in the awful event that Bjarne doesn't find a new sponsor before of the end of the year,the Schlecks will have to change team and I believe that just in that case they may decide to create a "personal" team.After all,the brothers are really popular (at least in Luxembourg), and a Schleckteam would be sure to get a lot of attention from the medias and money from the sponsors very soon.And considering that also the other Saxo Bank riders/mechanics/ managers/ and so on will need a new team,some of them may even decide to follow the brothers at their new team.
Anyway,I realise that we are in March and we can't make prediction about marketing yet,so here I stop.Apropos: did you remember when I wrote that Italian people sometimes go too far with their fantasy? Well,now you've probably understood what I meant when I wrote that... ;)
SAXO BANK LINKS:
http://blog.tv2.dk/chris.anker.ol/ :Chris Sorensen has updated his blog and he seems to have good expectations for the Paris-Nice.Allez Chris!
http://www.riis-cycling.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2690 :Johnny Bellis has finally been released from the hospital.
Totally fangirlistic link whose publication on this blog is completely disapproved by Logic : http://twitpic.com/16mfqo (Jakob Fuglsang's new haircut).
SAXO BANK LINKS:
http://blog.tv2.dk/chris.anker.ol/ :Chris Sorensen has updated his blog and he seems to have good expectations for the Paris-Nice.Allez Chris!
http://www.riis-cycling.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2690 :Johnny Bellis has finally been released from the hospital.
Totally fangirlistic link whose publication on this blog is completely disapproved by Logic : http://twitpic.com/16mfqo (Jakob Fuglsang's new haircut).
(Pic by Waldbillig)
I have read about this on velonation. And now I see this on cyclingnews. The speed of this rumour is so high:) ! The most funny thing is that Luxembourgish sites don't speak about it.
RispondiEliminaSince we have no any quotes from Andy or Frank I think we don't have to believe in this. I'm sure some people will ask Andy about it even today after the race. Plus I'm sure he'll write about it in his blog.
Anyway it will be pity if they will leave Saxo. They seem so friendly with Bjarne and... But if new sponsor really wants Contador... Oh, I don't know. At first we have to concentrate on the season-2010 and then think about sesaon-2011. Imho.
I think there may be something true behind this rumour,otherwise Gazzetta wouldn't have written about it and not so many details about the project would be known.Probably the voice of a possible "Schleck-team" started circulating because the contract of the brothers ends in Summer 2010 and in the (imo ulikely) event that Riis doesn't find a new sponsor for the team before of the end of the year,the brothers will be forced to change team.And if they have to leave SB,they may even find a sponsor (perhaps from Luxembourg) and create their own team rather than joining an already existing team.
RispondiEliminaAnyway,Bjarne has always helped the Schlecks a lot in the last years,so I think it isn't very likely for them to abandon Bjarne as long as he still has a cycling team.Frankly,I think it would be a hateful thing to do.
Anyway,I totally agree with you: for the moment it is better to get focused on the 2010 season.We'll surely have a lot time to talk about marketing after the Tour... :)