Everybody in the cycling world is dying to know what team Alberto Contador will ride for next year.
After the tension in this year’s Tour, fans of the Triple Crown Champion, the winner of Tour de France 2007 and 2009, and the Spanish TT Champion are anxious to see him well-settled.
Will he find a team that has absolute confidence in him, from the level of management right down to the neo-pro rider? Will he find a team with a deep enough talent pool to give him the support he needs?
Will he build a team himself, or go to an established team?
Will he find a happy workplace?
Vote here. You can discuss your choices in the comments section.
I confess that a team created by Fernando Alonso is very intriguing. A team with a strong international roster, but with a lot of talented Spanish riders…and a team built with integrity, maintained with honor…and a team that could win the Tour a bunch of times…sounds good to me.
There are a few thing that Fernando will have to learn but most of his skills will cross over just fine to cycling. With his age, drive and ability to win, he is a good choice to start an under 23 team for the first year.
Would he mind not starting with the big boys? With his background, he thinks he has already prooven himself.
This will be similar to Mark Cuban buying the Dallas Mavericks united states basketball team and running it. Mark has similar character traits as Fernando. Mark made many rookie mistakes.
Just my two cents.
Johnny Oregon
The question was: “Where to NEXT year?” and whilst I think a new team created by Alonso around Alberto would be the best, for next year it seems somewhat unlikely. Therefore, my option would be Garmin; they have some good ‘rouleurs’ for a TTT – (Caisse d’Epargne only finished a lowly 13th this year and look how important the TTT proved to be.) However with Bradley Wiggins rumoured to be leaving(?)- or aiming for a Tour win himself, I wonder if they have enough fire power for the mountains! (Christian Vande Velde if he agreed to ride in a supporting role for the tour.) On the other hand, they do appear to have a very strict ethical code, which would hopefully remove Alberto from any sniping re his performance – certainly from the French.
For Caisse d’Epargne, Oscar Pereiro seems to be a fading light, although Maurice Soler as a lieutenant in the mountains could be interesting – maybe even the old warhorse Christophe Moreau (if he hasn’t got a bad back!) I should say lot depends on if and how the TTT is run next year. I very much fear the horrifically strong team that Radio Shack is going to be able to put together!
I think for next year, Caisse D’Espargne will be the best choice. Like the others said, a team with Fernando Alonso would be the very best since Alberto then can choose every rider he wants by his side. But there’s not enough time to set up a whole team for next season so that’s out for now.
Caisse D’Espargne is a good team with a very good manager who has a lot of experience with winning Tours (with Indurain par example). And it’s a Spanish speaking team and I think Alberto will feel better at a Spanish team then at an English speaking team like Garmin. But a lot is depending on the team time trail next year. I agree that Caisse doesn’t have a great team for that and the TTT will be very important. Especially if you have to ride against RadioShack. You can lose minutes to those guys and we don’t want that to happen. So if Alberto is going to Caisse, he needs to make sure that the team will sign some riders who would be perfect for the TTT.
So that’s my main concern about Caisse, the TTT. But besides that, I think it will be the perfect team for Alberto for next season.
Caisse D’Espargne would be a good choice if Alberto had a one year contract. This would enable him to put pressure on the signing team to perform and enable him to search for a future team if things don’t work out.
Keeping the options open is the best thing for a world class sporting person when their future is unknown.
In order to be a true grand tour champion you must challenge all change that challenges you. Basically, overcome all obstacles. Alberto did this in the last tour.
my two cents.
If Eusebio can’t find a second sponsor that is reliable, Alberto’s next season might be a big mess. I would highly suggest that if Fernando was really interested in a team, he would recruit one of his top people to be a part of the next season. That might solidify the long term efforts. I would love to see a Fernando/Alberto team for years to come. This way you can see how his management skills are on the pro circuit.
Another of my two cents.
Hopefully a team with Fernando. But only if they can get ready in time. At least Fernando wants to build a team AROUND Alberto. Most of the other teams already have a man they want to win anyway.
But no matter which team he chooses, I’ll be supporting him all the way!
It will be Caisse… they are ready to go and that means a lot. a new team has to find riders, gear, kit and properties for service course, training etc. Not easy to do on short notice. For a tour winner to be prepared for racing and setting up a new team, less than a year is short notice – eg Team Sky. Caisse is set up for alberto – Oscar P is past his best and even if AV comes back clean he is more of a one day rider who can place in a grand tour, but not win one.
Keeping up with all the latest press reports, it seems like Alberto’s future – for 2010 – is all tied up, ’signed and sealed’ with Astana.
Surely to goodness any lawyer of any worth could find enough loopholes in the Astana contract to provide Alberto with an’out’?
As a fan of Astana I’d like to keep him in the team forever! ;)
But we will respect any choice that he would do!
Hi, Arsen,
I’ve been wondering what you and other fans from Kazakhstan think about the changes that everyone expects in the Astana team next year.
I hope good things happen all round, and that fans in your country will be happy. Lots of us from farther west have learned about what a beautiful country Kazakhstan is because of the team. It’s been great to share the excitement about cycling, and to begin to get know one another.
It’s a shame about all the tension.
Rebecca
Oh, don’t worry, we have always to separate politics and fans! :)
I myself used to be fan of Alberto from Nice-2004\2005, where he was very young and very agressive!
About future of Astana – yeah, it’s a bit nervous moment now
I voted for Astana because I think that both Alberto and our team will not have problems in future, there will be only friendship and victories:)
Rebecca, I can’t say in the name of all fans, but I look in future with hope and optimism. Earlier the situation connected with Armstrong, the going away of many our riders,an open question about Contador’s team was very difficult. I was very sad about it. But now when Vino is coming back and Alberto is going to stay with us (well, it looks like this, though nobody knows; don’t want to offend anybody), I really think that everything will be good!
Rebecca, thank you for kind words about Kazakhstan.
We know Spain only from best side too, and here is also a very big contribution and work of Contador.
Alberto, wherever you will be, thank you for everything!
Be always the champion. We love you:)
Looks like Alberto will be racing for Astana next year. Good luck with that. Now we will see if it is Alberto alone or the team and Manager that helped……………