Road Bike Racing - bianchi and Saeco merger?

I've seen a few hints about this and one story (can't
remember where I saw it) about the merger to create
a "super team" to challenge and win the TdF.
Anyone else heard this? I'd be espcially interested to
hear the european take on it (i.e. Piratello ).

Marty

I saw it somewhere probably on www.cyclingnews.com or www.bikemagic.com or possibly in Cycling Plus... I can't remember. Cannondale weren't overly happy from what I remember.

Yes, obviously Saeco got in touch with Bianchi. But the situation seems to be very confusing. A lot of riders wouldn´t get a new chance and would have to retire.
Others, and of course Ullrich, would be the future of the new team.
On the other hand, I heard that Bianchi is not financially that strong as recommended, so that history could repeat itself (Team Coast).
Rumours are that Telekom is interested in Ullrich, but Strohband (Ullrich´s Manager) denies.

In fact, a possible marriage of Saeco and Bianchi could get interesting.

I really like Bianchi, I think they have a good solid foundation
for a team. I too have heard that finances are shakey, however
with those great retro looking jerseys they should be able to
nail down other sponsors :D
I can't see Simoni and Ullrich on the same squad, too much
competition between the two for TdF leadership, they both
want the wins.
I've read that Ullrich is being courted by 4 teams, and Grodeforte
has said he is interested in Jan coming back. I think the sticking point here will be Rudy Pevenage, just as it was last year with
CSC. If there is a deal that includes Rudy, I see Jan jumping ship.
At this point in his career he should put the win first and the money second if he is really serious about winning the tour.

Marty

It has been apparent all along that Bianchi was not going to go it alone in the "rescue operation" they performed with the demise of Coast.

From my not so well informed seat, it would appear that Bianchi/Saeco would be a good match for the sponsors. Simoni for the Giro and Ullrich for the Tour. But then, that would be a similar situation as USPS. Lance for the Tour and Heras for the Vuelta. But Heras gets the short end of the stick. He has to ride two grand tours to get team support for one. It would appear that would be the same situation at Bianchi/Saeco. Simoni would have to ride the Giro to win and the Tour to support Ullrich. Would Ullrich ride the Giro? He has ridden the Giro in the past, but not to win it. Perhaps he would start using it to get pre-Tour form and give Simoni support in the mountains also. Hard to say. Simoni does not strike me as a team rider, but maybe I misjudge him.

I don't think Simoni would want that at all. I would bet that he would want to be on a team where he could be the team leader, and focus soley on the TDF next year.

No, I don't think Gibo is happy at all.
The following quote is taken from CyclingNews.com

Saeco is eager to win the Tour de France, and sees Ullrich as the ticket to success, as well as an important marketing force in Germany, but Simoni isn't doing cartwheels over the possibility of Ullrich's arrival.

"It's easier to talk with Armstrong than it is with Ullrich," said Simoni, quoted in La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Jan is a gentleman, but he's a bit strange; he has his own ideas."

Marty

Simoni already said that his goal for next year is still to take on Lance at TDF, so I can't see him working for Jan. He has a pretty big ego (remember this year's "Lance has not seen ME yet" speech), so he is nothing like Heras, who seems more than happy to work for Lance during the Tour.

Here's another complication for the teams shakeout, rumors at last week's bike show in Milan (courtesy of cyclingnews.com):

American bicycle manufacturer Cannondale is in the process of trying to renew its sponsorship of the Saeco team, however the companies recent financial difficulties may leave it with a bit less manoeuvring room than Italy's Bianchi.
Other unconfirmed rumours in Milan regarding sponsorship changes include the possible arrival of Giant bicycles at Team Telekom for 2004, replacing Pinarello, which may in turn team up with Bjarne Riis and Team CSC.



So, if Giant (now without a team after ONCE folds) goes to Telekom, then Bianchi would have to pay to keep Jan (maybe with help from Saeco) or give him up to another bike company...

Originally posted by lotek
with those great retro looking jerseys they should be able to
nail down other sponsors :D
I was wondering if the reason for the retro jerseys was that Bianchi had to put together a deal so fast, they didn't have time to build the usual consortium of sponsors, thus leaving a lot of unoccupied real estate on the jerseys. Doesn't matter, IMO the Bianchi jerseys are the coolest thing I've seen since, I dunno, Eddy's Molteni jersey?

Sorry.... back to our regularly scheduled program.

anyone else heard anything about this??? I am worried... VERY worried... I like Gilby, and Jan, I so hope they can get along enough to make Cannondale/Saeco a threat next year...:)
Ryan

If Bianchi doesnt do something, they are going to lose Ullrich for sure.