Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand : Tags : team_radio_shack

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Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand

2 Posts tagged with the team_radio_shack tag

Pro Team Transfer News

Posted by Bruce Hildenbrand Sep 1, 2009

Today, September 1, the gag order on discussing rider transfers inside the pro peloton was lifted so a number of riders and teams were able to announce their key signings for 2010. Here's what's up.

Levi Leipheimer has signed a two-year deal with Lance Armstrong's Team Radio Shack. Team BMC made a strong run this summer to try and lure Levi to their team, but in the end Team Radio Shack won out probably based on the fact the Levi has had the best results of his career under Johan Bruyneel.

The Garmin-Slipstream team made a number of signings. To bolster their leadout train for fastman Tyler Farrar, the argyle crew signed South African sprinter Robbie Hunter who has won a stage of the Tour de

France.

To fortify their classics campaign, they signed Johan Vansummeren who was most recently with Silence Lotto. He has finished top ten in Paris-Roubaix twice.

Peter Stetina, son of former US standout Dale Stetina, moves up from the development squad to the Pro Tour team. He rode exceptionally well against the likes of Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer at the Tour of Gila.

Tom Zirbel, the former distannce runner and current US road pro with Bissell brings his considerable time trialing talents to the team.

Fredrik Kessiakoff is a four time Swedish National Mountain bike champion who is currently riding with Fuji Servetto and will be looked on for his uphill talents.

Team BMC has acquired four big European stars, will next year be the year they ride the Tour?

Undoubtedly the biggest name coming to BMC is George Hincapie who leaves Team Columbia-HTC.

Marcus Burghart, who won a stage at the 2008 Tour de France also leaves Columbia-HTC for BMC.

Reigning World Road Race Champion Allessandro Ballan will move from Lampre to BMC.

Karsten Kroon has also been named to the BMC squad.

That's all for now. More Later.

Bruce

461 Views 1 Comments Permalink Tags: bruce_hildenbrand, levi_leipheimer, george_hincapie, lance_armstrong, garmin_slipstream, team_bmc, team_radio_shack

PDT: Unfortunately, it is for Real

Posted by Bruce Hildenbrand Aug 12, 2009

Last year, I kind of half-joked about Post Tour Depression (PDT) and how it was going to be a long wait before the flag dropped on another edition of the Tour de France. It seemed like there was still a lot going on in the cycling world so that while the 2009 Tour was still about 330 days away I was still not "jonesing" for a fix.

This year, things are different. I don't know if it is my lack of interest about what is going on in Europe and the US, cycling-wise, or maybe it was just that it was such a great Tour that nothing can compare. Let's face it, it was a great Tour. There was so much drama and so much attacking it was a feast for the cycling world. So, maybe I am suffering from a full belly.

One thing that is definitely contributing to the banality is the new rule by the UCI that riders cannot discuss with whom they are going to ride in 2010 until September 1. Frankly, this rule sucks. Back in the good, old days (and they really were the good, old days) all rider transfer information was made public on the first rest day of the Tour de France.

I don't know why the UCI decided that riders and teams needed to keep their plans for the coming season a secret for a couple of extra months. These guys are professionals. Even if they are moving to a new team next year, the will still ride as hard as they can for their current sponsor. To do anything less would jeopardize their value to future teams.

What is interesting is that some riders are respecting the UCI rule and declining to discuss their 2010 plans, while others don't seem to be too concerned about the rule and are openly detailing who they will be riding for next season. Hmmm. Do some riders just not know about the new rule or are they just not concerned about any repercussions from the UCI?

One thing that is definitely happening is that the cycling rumour mill is running at full speed, 24/7, churning out all sorts of "information". We all know that Lance Armstrong will be on Team Radio Shack in 2010, but for just about everyone else, the sky is the limit when it comes to speculation. There are even rumours of transfer for riders who are contractually obligated to their existing team for 2010.

Things seem to be getting a bit out of hand. I think the only cure for all the rumour mongering is a good, three-week stage race. Unfortunately, ever since it moved from April to September, the Vuelta a Espana, hasn't been a good three-week race. To be sure, some non-Spanish riders have been in contention, but even so, this really is an overwhelmingly Spanish affair. Viva Le Tour! Can we have an autumn version of the race?