"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Where Will Disco Riders Go Next Year?

Let's see if we can't have some fun making lemonade out of today's big lemon. Put your predictions here (no credit for guessing Hincapie will ride for T-Mobile)

My predictions:

Contador - Saunier Duval or Rabobank (replacing Simoni, Mayo or Rasmussen)
Levi - CSC or T-Mobile
Popovych - CSC or Rabobank (replacing Zabriskie or Boogerd, or insurance for O'Grady's return to health)
Gusev - Tinkoff - their director was quoted during the Giro that he likes young Russian riders. Gusev is one of the better ones out there.

your predictions and reasons?

My predictions:

Contador - Will eventually be suspended and will not race for the next two years.

Levi - Will join big George at T-Mobile

Popovych - I would guess CSC here, but I would not be suprised on Prodictor-Lotto pick him up to help Cadel.

Not sure about the rest.

How are Levi's ties with Gerolsteiner? Did he burn any bridges with them? I'm sure they'd love to bring him back in.

Contador - Saunier- Duval (then suspended)
Levi - Breaking barriers, signs with FDJeux
Popo - CSC
Gusev - Rabobank
Danielson - Slipstream
McCarthy - T-mobile

Most of the team won't go anywhere among the Pro Tour teams. It's too late for that.

Contador -- Could be Barlow World . . . but more likely Liquigas. They are contenders everywhere but the TdF. He could take them that short bump to the next level.
Levi -- Gerolsteiner
Popo -- Liquigas

Levi, tommy D - Slipstream..
Contador - CSC..

so there is no American team?

Would you like fries with that?

Astana.

Janez B - Rabobank to replace chicken (he can climb and tt !)
Contador - CSC or Sanier Duval
Danielson - Slipstream
Stijn - Quickstep
Gusev - Tinkoff
Hincapie - T-mobile
L L - Georolstiner or Slipstream
Egoi Martinez - Euskadel
Popo - T - Mobile

I was driving around and almost slapped myself for not including Janez. I think he'd either go to Lampre, or Quick Step (neither of which has much of a GC threat for Grand Tours.
Stijn to Quick Step makes sense.
Martinez to either Saunier Duval or Caisse D'Epargne

so there is no American team?
I think SlipStream would fit that roll even though I heard they are applying to the UCI in Spain or something

After watching Popo in the TdF I hope next year he gets on a team where he has a chance to contend for a GC placing. Given all the work he did to get and he got an 8th? Quite a few riders had whole teams behind them and couldn't break the top 10.

Levi - CSC

After watching Popo in the TdF I hope next year he gets on a team where he has a chance to contend for a GC placing. Given all the work he did to get and he got an 8th? Quite a few riders had whole teams behind them and couldn't break the top 10.

Levi - CSC

Popo efin' Rocks that guy is sooooooooo Bad @$$!!!!
He needs to go on a kick @$$ team and turn around and b!tch slap tommy D.

Stijn to Quick Step makes sense.


Predictor-Lotto is probably a better guess...

"Brajkovic to T-Mobile" - cyclingnews

Most of the team won't go anywhere among the Pro Tour teams. It's too late for that.

are you kidding. there's still plenty of time. this time last year levi had not announced he was going to ride for discovery... and basso hadnt signed on either. granted it may be a little harder to hunt the contract now after this years doping scandals...but most of the guys will find a protour team home.

Astana.

Actually makes sense from a doping perspective..

Contador - nothing for the next 2 years
Levi - slipstream
Popo and Gusev - CSC or Rabo
Hope no one goes to Tinkoff

After watching Popo in the TdF I hope next year he gets on a team where he has a chance to contend for a GC placing. Given all the work he did to get and he got an 8th? Quite a few riders had whole teams behind them and couldn't break the top 10.

Levi - CSC


NO WAY, they have the Schlecks (sp?) and Sastre.

With Unibet also folding i think the market for pro racers is flooded.

Janez B - Rabobank to replace chicken (he can climb and tt !)
Contador - CSC or Sanier Duval
Danielson - Slipstream
Stijn - Quickstep
Gusev - Tinkoff
Hincapie - T-mobile
L L - Georolstiner or Slipstream
Egoi Martinez - Euskadel
Popo - T - Mobile

Good calls!

I'm surprised anyone wants Danielson.

CSC won't touch Contadoper, they already went through this with Basso.

I'm surprised anyone wants Danielson.

CSC won't touch Contadoper, they already went through this with Basso.

Unless the reports of parasites were made up, I'd expect Tom should do better than he has the past 2 seasons. Likely, not the big star he'd been hyped to be, but good enough to win a few races.

Rumors are there are talks between Contador and Rabobank. Nothing confirmed yet though.

I can't see Rabobank signing Contador. They want to stay away from anyone with even a hint of controversy. Remember that Rasmussen never broke any rules or tested positive (which is why he can still race) yet they want nothing to do with him. I se them steering clear of Contador.

Not sure where he'd go and Saunier's a good guess, but not sure he'd be a perfect fit. He wants to win the TDF and they care more about the Giro.

No French team will pick him up and Predictor's got Evans (who's free of controversy) so they're out. Maybe CSC or T-Mobile but I could see both of them being afraid of his controversy (less so CSC).

Don't know where Levi will end up but I think if he wants to lead a team, he'll need to choose one that has little chance of getting him to the podium.

...No French team will pick him up and Predictor's got Evans (who's free of controversy) so they're out. Maybe CSC or T-Mobile but I could see both of them being afraid of his controversy (less so CSC).

Don't know where Levi will end up but I think if he wants to lead a team, he'll need to choose one that has little chance of getting him to the podium.

T-Mobile's budget has to be close to tapped out after the rash of signings they've announced so far. I can see Rabobank being very careful here, but if they can become comfortable with the idea, I see that as a good fit - at least on the road.

T-Mobile's budget has to be close to tapped out after the rash of signings they've announced so far. I can see Rabobank being very careful here, but if they can become comfortable with the idea, I see that as a good fit - at least on the road.

There's an article (in dutch) where Breukink is quoted as saying that right now there's no way they'd sign Contador because there's too much risk and question with his history. (I used babelfish's translation)

I think Levi's best shot at being a leader is T-Mobile.

- He's free from controversy so far
- They have no real GC rider...gimme a break with Mick Rogers
- He'll have Hincapie and a few other Anglos
- T-Mobile has a big presence in the U.S.

I think they'd low-ball him an offer knowing he doesn't have a great many options.

I think Levi's best shot at being a leader is T-Mobile.

- He's free from controversy so far
- They have no real GC rider...gimme a break with Mick Rogers
- He'll have Hincapie and a few other Anglos
- T-Mobile has a big presence in the U.S.

I think they'd low-ball him an offer knowing he doesn't have a great many options.

Lampre and Milram don't have GC leaders either.

I wish Slipstream had a larger budget. Some great opportunities out there to pick up a few very good riders.

Lampre and Milram don't have GC leaders either.

Is Milram sticking around?

How sad for the sport. The team that wins the TdF is forced to disband due to lack of a sponsor. Then, to tack on some insult to the injury, the winner of le Tour is having problems finding a team. Can you name another sport where any of the above is true? Heck, even M Vick will get offers when he gets out of jail.

On a positive note, Slipstream should be fun to watch! :)

... Brad