[sanjuro]

Contador will stay at Astana
By Agence France Presse
Posted Oct. 18, 2008

Spaniard Alberto Contador, reigning champion of the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, on Saturday confirmed he will remain at Astana next season despite the potential problems posed by Lance Armstrong's plans to join the team.

"Next year I will continue with the Astana team," said Contador. "I've studied the situation and the alternatives."

The 2007 Tour de France winner said his concerns about Armstrong’s return have been addressed.

"After meeting with my director, Johan Bruyneel, and having spoken about what has happened in the last months and the articles that have been published, we put aside any tensions between us,” he said.

Contador hinted recently that he may leave following the signing of seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong, but later claimed he had been given assurances that he would remain team leader.

Contador has given conflicting reactions to American signing for his Kazakh-backed, Luxembourg-based team.

Last month, Spanish sports daily Marca quoted him as saying: "The team have given me assurances that I will be the leader, but I want to be doubly sure. I want to see exactly how this is going to pan out."

 

[sstalder5]

Contador is just whining because having Armstrong on the team belittles his 1 tour win. But Astana really is building a dominating team for the upcoming season

 

[ire]

Contador is just whining because having Armstrong on the team belittles his 1 tour win. But Astana really is building a dominating team for the upcoming season

You'd be pissed if you had won three grand tours and then some guy comes from retirement to the team and says "I'm the boss now". I wouldn't have blamed him if he left, and I think it would have made a better Tour if they were on different teams (same with Kloden and Levi for that matter)

 

[sanjuro]

You'd be pissed if you had won three grand tours and then some guy comes from retirement to the team and says "I'm the boss now". I wouldn't have blamed him if he left, and I think it would have made a better Tour if they were on different teams (same with Kloden and Levi for that matter)

I don't think it is an ego thing, but rather a commitment item.

For example, Contrador is not going to join Quick-Step because their focus is Classics, the points and stage wins in the tours. They don't have a bunch of pure climbers necessary to win a Tour.

I would imagine he would want to be on a team that is going to focus primarily on the Tours.

While you could argue a team like T-Mobile had several candidates to win Tours, ultimately, Jan Ullrich was the only one, and certainly US Postal was a team more focused on their leader than his was.

I know Contrador sounds like a biatch, but even Bernard Hinault said he was going to ride for Lemond in 84 and you saw what happened.

 

[sstalder5]

I don't think it is an ego thing, but rather a committee item.

For example, Contrador is not going to join Quick-Step because their focus is Classics, the points and stage wins in the tours. They don't have a bunch of pure climbers necessary to win a Tour.

I would imagine he would want to be on a team that is going to focus primarily on the Tours.

While you could argue a team like T-Mobile had several candidates to win Tours, ultimately, Jan Ullrich was the only one, and certainly US Postal was a team more focused on their leader than his was.

I know Contrador sounds like a biatch, but even Bernard Hinault said he was going to ride for Lemond in 84 and you saw what happened.

well that was just my sarcastic overview on the whole situation.

I'm not expecting Armstrong to pull an 8th Tour win out of his ass because because you just dont see the kind of team support he had for his wins anymore. its a shame really....

But if he does decide to leave Astana, Gerostiener is in need of a leader unless Schumacher steps up. (which he should after his show in the 08 tour)

And anyways Gerosteiner riders are pretty badass:

 

[JRogers]

But if he does decide to leave Astana, Gerostiener is in need of a leader unless Schumacher steps up. (which he should after his show in the 08 tour)

And anyways Gerosteiner riders are pretty badass:

Uhhhh, Gerolsteiner dissolved....they even just had some big fire sale and sold off all their bikes and equipment.

 

[sstalder5]

Uhhhh, Gerolsteiner dissolved....they even just had some big fire sale and sold off all their bikes and equipment.

that shows how I follow road... i dont think they dissolved though. but i was pretty shocked about shumachers doping thing.. i really hope theres an explanation for that cause shumacher was one of my favorite riders. it seems like you just cant trust the good riders these days... any word about whether he gets to keep his tt wins?