Road Bike Racing - Salvatore Commesso signs for Tinkoff

Wow that guy used to be good. Wonder if he had pulled off the stage win in that TdF stage if he'd still be in the Protour.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/oct06/oct31news

No comment in that link about Hamilton, previously rumored to be in talks with Tinkoff. What do you tink off that?

Love the Commesso. Kinda' like the fun-time raging bull. Got busted for coke many years ago, which of course made him even more popular with the attack 'til you drop crowd. Tinkoff will get into plenty of big races.

Hamilton? Tinkoff? I'd think a ProTour team will pick him up for pretty cheap. I'm going to guess Lotto as a super-domestique to Evans, and of course the potential to win Liege again.

The guy always rides with his sleeves rolled up, working on his tan...

Gotta love that!

Hamilton? Tinkoff? I'd think a ProTour team will pick him up for pretty cheap. I'm going to guess Lotto as a super-domestique to Evans, and of course the potential to win Liege again.
No Pro Tour team is going to touch him while the Operation Puerto thing is still hanging over his head...there are going to be a whole lot of good riders (Hamilton, Basso, Kloden, Kashechkin....the Jan?) on Continental Pro teams for the 2007 season.

Love the Commesso. Kinda' like the fun-time raging bull. Got busted for coke many years ago, which of course made him even more popular with the attack 'til you drop crowd. Tinkoff will get into plenty of big races.

Hamilton? Tinkoff? I'd think a ProTour team will pick him up for pretty cheap. I'm going to guess Lotto as a super-domestique to Evans, and of course the potential to win Liege again.
No way Hammy goes to Lotto. He's going to want to be a leader somewhere, even if he has no leg to stand on in asking for such. I think Tinkoff is the most likely Continental team but Saunier Duval is his best Pro Tour shot, plus they have english speaking riders.

...there are going to be a whole lot of good riders...Kloden, Kashechkin....on Continental Pro teams for the 2007 season.

You think Astana isn't going to be a Pro Tour team?

coke fiend.

Dopers such as Hamilton
End Of Career such as Nico Mattan

Because the Continental Teams didn't sign the charter which the Pro Tour Teams abide with, it's their only chance to continue.

Hamilton, Heras they shouldn't come back in the first place. The continental teams will now absorb those cheaters to attrack sponsorship. They did this in the seventies with Merckx and the FIAT team, then with Freddy Maertens and the BEAULIEU team. The big names still attrack sponsorship and money and that's what iit is all about.

Team Tinkoff training camp:

http://www.nyvelocity.com/content.php?id=1117

You think Astana isn't going to be a Pro Tour team?


Not if they don't get a liscense and Saiz still owns it... and isn't on good terms with Vino.

Not if they don't get a liscense and Saiz still owns it... and isn't on good terms with Vino.

Lots of ifs there. Saiz has no team, no sponsor, and is still under investigation. Dollars to doughnuts there's a deal that will be struck.

Lots of ifs there. Saiz has no team, no sponsor, and is still under investigation. Dollars to doughnuts there's a deal that will be struck.
But Siaz DOES have a team. Vino and the other former Liberty riders still under contract signed contracts with Active Bay. This is the point I have been trying to make in several different threads but eithe rno one is listening or no one knows. Right now there are 2 Astanas. The group the Kloden signed with and Active Bay. The press release when Astana picked up for Liberty said the deal was for at least 3 years so I am guessing unless Astana finds some out clause Astana will have to continue to sponsor the Active Bay team.

But Siaz DOES have a team. Vino and the other former Liberty riders still under contract signed contracts with Active Bay. This is the point I have been trying to make in several different threads but eithe rno one is listening or no one knows. Right now there are 2 Astanas. The group the Kloden signed with and Active Bay. The press release when Astana picked up for Liberty said the deal was for at least 3 years so I am guessing unless Astana finds some out clause Astana will have to continue to sponsor the Active Bay team.


Saiz has the original squad contracted till 2008 (at least Vino is 2008).... I don't the know the exact technicals but I believe it is a multi-million dollar fee to pay Saiz to leave the squad.

I can't stand Saiz... he's greedy, he cheats and he has no morals or class.

Saiz has the original squad contracted till 2008 (at least Vino is 2008).... I don't the know the exact technicals but I believe it is a multi-million dollar fee to pay Saiz to leave the squad.

I can't stand Saiz... he's greedy, he cheats and he has no morals or class.

Saiz has paper, nothing more, Asatana has been footing most of the bills. So he has no team, just contracts that he hasn't fulfilled, which in 99% of the cases will mean they will be voided.

Ferretti had a license and contracts too. Where's Waldo now?

No one is going to actually ride for him given that he has no sponsor and with the chance the team will fold.

Of course there's going to be a fee, probably 30-50% of what litigation is going to cost. Vino and Astana are in an excellent bargaining position, their only worry is time. Saiz can't put anything on the road worth talking about and needs money to pay his lawyers. He's bright enough to know those contracts are worthless except as payout leverage, and that he's going to lose if this thing goes to court.

Hey, I can own an NFL franchise, but if I have no stadium, no players, and I might go to prison, what's the franchsie worth?

Oooh boy...Tinkoff has a big offer on the table for the Jan now (hmm I damn near predicted that earlier in this thread). Maybe they can get Amgen and Fuentes to co sponsor the team. :D

Saiz has paper, nothing more, Asatana has been footing most of the bills. So he has no team, just contracts that he hasn't fulfilled, which in 99% of the cases will mean they will be voided.

Ferretti had a license and contracts too. Where's Waldo now?

No one is going to actually ride for him given that he has no sponsor and with the chance the team will fold.

Of course there's going to be a fee, probably 30-50% of what litigation is going to cost. Vino and Astana are in an excellent bargaining position, their only worry is time. Saiz can't put anything on the road worth talking about and needs money to pay his lawyers. He's bright enough to know those contracts are worthless except as payout leverage, and that he's going to lose if this thing goes to court.

Hey, I can own an NFL franchise, but if I have no stadium, no players, and I might go to prison, what's the franchsie worth?
Al Davis would be the one to ask there.