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Bye Bye Colonago... Hello Giant

DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
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Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
http://www.velonews.com/article/82382/rabobank-team-to-ride-giant-bicycles-for-the-2009-season

The Dutch team Rabobank will ride Giant bicycles next year, ending its long term relationship with Colnago, according to a press release from the bike maker.

A company spokesman could not say if Giant will continue as bike sponsor of U.S.-based Team Columbia.

"Giant’s current sponsorship agreement with Team Columbia remains active through the end of 2008," Giant's Andrew Juskaitis said. "Giant is currently evaluating its sports marketing programs for 2009, including its future sponsorship of Team Columbia."

A Team Columbia spokesman was not immediately available to comment on the news.

Rabobank, which includes three-time World Champion Oscar Freire, two-time Vuelta a España winner Denis Menchov and current Cyclocross World Champion Lars Boom, has signed a two-year agreement with the Taiwanese bike maker. The agreement covers three separate teams — the elite international road team, an Under-23 developmental team and a professional cyclocross team.

Rabobank, a Netherlands-based global bank, has been the team’s title sponsor since 1996.

“We’re pleased Rabobank has chosen to ride Giant,” said Tony Lo, chief executive officer of Giant. “It’s a natural fit — two organizations with a long-term commitment to competitive cycling. Combine Rabobank’s talent with Giant’s ability to create superior products, and great things are sure to happen.”

Rabobank team bikes will be equipped with Shimano components. The agreement goes into effect January 1, 2009.
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James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
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Danbury, CT
COLNAGO.

Money talks, everything else walks.
Wait until the CSC news comes out, that will be interesting...
 
James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
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Danbury, CT
loco-gringo said:
I wonder if we see Columbia on something as common as Fuji...

I just have a weird feeling.
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I'm just not sure they have the money though. Also, it seems a shame that Giant would give up Columbia after the great year they had, but it is a numbers game I guess. Cavendish on a Fuji? Hmm, not sure I can picture it. It's a big step up from Toyota-United to a "Protour" team. I have a sneaking feeling that Fuji got under the United guys for pennies, the team had pretty much no choice after United Bicycles folded.
 
maddog17

maddog17

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2008
2,817
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Methuen, Mass. U.S.A.
i thought CSC was folding!?!?!? how bout Columbia going to Colnago... or Carrerra!! the ghost of Claudio Ciapucci (spelling bad) lives on!!!! the feedzone attacker!!!
 
maddog17

maddog17

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2008
2,817
106
Methuen, Mass. U.S.A.
dont forget about Scott bailing on it's team too. so it sounds like Cervelo wants to run a team of test pilots..ie guinea pigs, to ride prototypes of equipment. i wonder who Scott is gonna get to ride their bikes now.
 
DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
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Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
maddog17 said:
dont forget about Scott bailing on it's team too. so it sounds like Cervelo wants to run a team of test pilots..ie guinea pigs, to ride prototypes of equipment. i wonder who Scott is gonna get to ride their bikes now.
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Scott I suspect was looking for something more high profile and less risky.

Isn't slipstream up for a new equipment sponsor in the next year?

I also wonder in the case of Cervelo it comes down to not being able to afford the requirements of CSC / Saxo bank any longer. As in Saxo bank was paying less what CSC was and Riis is looking for more dollars from other sources. I also wonder if the "we'll pay for the best available" mantra still is true for Riis.
 
ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
maddog17 said:
dont forget about Scott bailing on it's team too. so it sounds like Cervelo wants to run a team of test pilots..ie guinea pigs, to ride prototypes of equipment. i wonder who Scott is gonna get to ride their bikes now.
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After being burned by two star athletes, I suspect Scott will stick with smaller teams in their target markets.

<edit> Disclaimer: I am making a big assumption and have no evidence to back ^ statement up. I've also been known to lie from time to time
 
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maddog17

maddog17

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2008
2,817
106
Methuen, Mass. U.S.A.
Ridley is leaving Silence-Lotto for the old Tinkoff team and rumors are that they may go to Museeuw's bikes which are F'ING expensive!!!!! there's a shop here in the Boston area (Cambridge ATA cycles) who carry them and i went to check them out. nice looking rides but the cheapest frameset was something like 5K!!!! incredibly light, very nice workmanship but WAAAAAYYY out of my budget!!

maybe if i sell a kidney....... hmmmmm
 
James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
3,559
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Danbury, CT
maddog17 said:
hey!! dont hold out on us like some highschool prom date!!!
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There are myriad things I can't say anything about, not my place to talk about.

Those Museew bikes are pretty cool, flax fiber mixed in with the carbon, supposed to really mellow out the ride, especially on the rough Belgian roads.
 
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