Professional Cycling For the Fans - astana drama continues

so i thought they were going to go with theo de rooj etc, but now they have the ex-festina (post doping):

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1960/Astana-releases-Bruyneel-hires-Sanquer.aspx

i guess because he's french to have a better shot at making the tour?

Any team that hired Dmitry Fofonov can't be all bad.

the team has secured a three year sponsorship deal with Samruk-Kazyna, a Kazakh holding company which includes oil company Kazmunaigas and airliner Air Astana. However, despite this new backing, it appears that the final two million Euro instalment of funding for 2009 has still not been paid.
As I surmised, the problem isn't a lack of money, but the team's financial management. I.e. the Kazahks.


The deadline for Astana (and all ProTour teams) to submit its final paperwork is October 20th ... Apart from financial and ethical guarantees, the team will also have to submit its lineup for 2010, but this is clearly up in the air. If the UCI is not satisfied that the team is on track and will be run professionally, the ProTour licence will be revoked and it is likely that the team will collapse.
Don't be surprised if this happens.

contador would do back flips if the kazakh's f it up!

In the meantime, Rast, Kloden and a couple other Astana riders have joined Radioshack, with Bruyneel to follow. Zubelda is staying, though, as Contador wants at least one rider he is familiar with in the team.

I would rather see Astana lose their license and let Contador and Zubeida go. The way I see it right now, Astana is using Contador as a hostage to force UCI to give them a pro license. If they let Contador go right now, there is no reason for UCI to give them a license. Then again, if UCI doesn't give them a license, Contador can leave anyway. I just hate to see any riders forced to ride for a team they don't want to be on...especially when it affects favorites to win the TdF. I would rather see everybody on the team of their choice and with the support riders they want...then let the teams duke it out for their guy.

Supposedly Astana still owes the management and team organization 4 million Euros for 2009. I think they are withholding as leverage to get what they want. I just feel that the UCI should pull their pro tour license for this kind of behavior.

I suspect that if the riders and staff are not paid in full by the 20th, UCI will pull the license. They already almost lost it before the TdF when they weren't paying. I suspect the new sponsorship group wants to make sure the team gets a license before they send the money, while the team can't pay anybody until they get the money from the new sponsors. If I were a betting man, I would lay money against Astana keeping their license. With them wanting to bring Vino back and the drama about payment this year, and most of their top riders fleeing, what is there about them that UCI should want? If Astana gets a license, Cofidis should be pissed...

I suspect that if the riders and staff are not paid in full by the 20th, UCI will pull the license. They already almost lost it before the TdF when they weren't paying. I suspect the new sponsorship group wants to make sure the team gets a license before they send the money, while the team can't pay anybody until they get the money from the new sponsors. If I were a betting man, I would lay money against Astana keeping their license. With them wanting to bring Vino back and the drama about payment this year, and most of their top riders fleeing, what is there about them that UCI should want? If Astana gets a license, Cofidis should be pissed...

I would have to agree. Though Cofidis has not been very strong they have at least been a good solid organization for a few years.

I expect you are right in your assessment of the money situation. The new sponsors are unlikely to want to pay unless they know that Astana will get a pro tour license and Astana is unlikely to get a renewal without first coming up with the money. With the team losing so much strength they really probably should be a pro continental team.