Professional Cycling For the Fans - New Radioshack -Nissan-Trek cycling team!!

New merger!~

http://www.leopardtrek.lu/news/leopard-trek-welcomes-radioshack-and-nissan-new-main-sponsors

Maybe Johan can teach Andy how to time trial.

I was hoping to see Brajkovic be the RS gc rider next year in the TdF. Now he won't get that chance.

Bout time for Armstrong Out of Retirement 2.0.

I hope they stick with the Leopard colors.

I heard rumor of this. I'm interested to see how they will compete with the power house of BMC now. This will be interesting!

With HTC closing up and this merger it seems there is a shortage of Pro team sponsors.

Trek cycling team!

with the riders now left without a team, RS and HTC riders mainly, there has to be another sponsor, somewhere.........

No mention of Levi in that press release. How do you manage to leave his name off the list unless he has already decided to depart.

yeah, reports are that Levi has already made a move;


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-leipheimer-and-martin-to-omega-pharma-quickstep

This is very bad news you imbeciles. Try to figure it out.

its bad news for Alberto, but I see your point. I just hate that HTC is folding. Now this merger? There will be new teams though............. won't there?

yeah, reports are that Levi has already made a move;


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-leipheimer-and-martin-to-omega-pharma-quickstep

Ahh, missed that. Thanks.

While you are correct that this is bad news, imbeciles? Make a point, but don't bludgeon people with it.

It's another major sponsor leaving the sport, it will drive down pro salaries and further reinforce the message that the big companies with deep pockets want nothing to do with the tainted sport of high level pro cycling. It sucks pretty hard. Pro cycling is in very tough shape. Hopefully recent positive trends like the Amgen ToC and this stage race in Colorado that drew big crowds and attention to the sport will help heal the damaged image. That's all pro cycling has at the end of the day - its image, which it sells to big companies who want the positive exposure. It costs $12-$20 million annually to sponsor a big time cycling campaign, which in big corporate marketing budget terms is relative chicken feed, considering the maximum publicity such an investment gets these firms. And yet they're not exactly lining up - HTC, the most successful team in the sport couldn't rustle up a new sponsor. That's pretty spooky boys.

It's disturbing and depressing, and one can only hope it turns around as the sport (hopefully) cleans up. But all it takes to set everything back is one high profile positive test. What if this guy Cobo who stormed to the GC lead in the Vuelta tests positive? Another black eye for pro cycling even if the other riders in the Vuelta are clean. The whole situation is part of the painful process of really cleaning up a pro sport, and frankly, the only pro sport that's actually making an all-out honest effort at this appears to be pro cycling.

While you are correct that this is bad news, imbeciles? Make a point, but don't bludgeon people with it.

You have to realize that you are talking to pcad. He doesn't have a point, but he would probably try to bludgeon himself with a wet noodle.

Make a point, but don't bludgeon people with it.

Oh no. Did I hurt your feelings?

He doesn't have a point

This is the 41. I don't need a point.

team BF41?
I got $5 on it

This is the 41. I don't need a point.

That's the best news I've heard all day. Guess that means I can stick around a bet longer. :o

This Cobo guy will test positive @ the Vuelta. Stay tuned. You heard it here first.

Oh no. Did I hurt your feelings?

45k posts and that's how it's done people.

45k posts

I wuz robbed too you know. More than once.

I hope they stick with the Leopard colors.

Colors....whatever. Team kit design....I hope they keep it simple (as they did with Leopard's).

However, since the team name is apparently Radioshack-Nissan-Trek, I'm not getting my hopes up. "The Shack" is going to have to plaster its circle-R thing in the gaudiest way possible.

Wouldn't hurt my feelings if they got rid of that big R either.

Wouldn't hurt my feelings if they got rid of that big R either.

Now that they have some German influence, maybe they'll call it Radio Schack.

Good one, I actually laughed hard when i read that ......

Wouldn't hurt my feelings if they got rid of that big R either.

I can't remember the last time I went into a Radio Shack. And yet they can still funnel gobs of money into the sport. I'll take the Circle R team for that reason alone, but the Leopard-Trek kit was a great design, and you could pick it out in a crowd. I have a hard time with all the red kits now. I feel sorry for poor Phil :-)

But, the most important BF question - will it be SRAM or Shimano, lol?

they will ride Sram. Heck, Andy's chain will come off no matter what he rides..........

they will ride Sram. Heck, Andy's chain will come off no matter what he rides..........

i beg to differ

i beg to differ


:D

I got the love man.......:love:

Levi and Tony Martin to Quick Step is a good move. They are getting a pretty good team together.

:D

I got the love man.......:love:

my friend recently converted to Sram Red...he's still getting used to the shifting...were official rivals now

they will ride Sram. Heck, Andy's chain will come off no matter what he rides..........

Di2 works better. That's not exactly arguable. Red's real virtues appear to be lighter weight and lower price. But they're pros, price is no object. And the weight doesn't matter when they're adding weight to the bicycles to meet the UCI minimum weight requirements.

sram red looks good...thats all I care for about it. Campy looks even better...Shimano needs to up their sex appeal a bit...i dont care for the 7900 crank at all...the RD is pretty darn sexy though

Levi and Tony Martin to Quick Step is a good move. They are getting a pretty good team together.

Van Den Broeck and Levi should be interesting to watch in the Tour!

Pro.

...the only pro sport that's actually making an all-out honest effort at this appears to be pro cycling.

And where is that getting them? Free publicity on the evening news about how cyclist are a bunch of dopers. Meanwhile other pro sports gets to wink and smirk all the way to the bank. blah.

This Cobo guy will test positive @ the Vuelta. Stay tuned. You heard it here first.

I had my doubts while watching the coverage. It reminds me too much of Emanuele Sella at the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

So what's the problem exactly? Pcad said it means another major sponsor is out of the game... Leopards? Were large wild cats funding a cycling team? Who else were they getting money from?

They had Mercedes, presumably to get some free cars, and I think some other minor sponsors, but with Nissan I'd guess that they won't need the Mercedes' anymore. With their minimalist jerseys, I honestly have no idea who their other sponsors were without searching online, and I've spent dozens of hours watching those guys race this year, so it would be no suprise if those sponsors pulled out (if that happened). Having some of those new Nissan Leafs (Leaves?) in the peloton would be great, if they have to have cars at all, that is. Trying to go fast on a bicycle while cycling exhaust through your lings sucks.

While it does appear that the number of teams is on a downturn, I would like to share my opinion that this is temporary. I think that that market for sponsors is shifting, and that its going to take a few year for the market to latch on to the sport. Those markets are East Asia, Australia, and North America.

Cycling is well headed into its strongest period ever in America. Once a few US races receive HC and WT status, I think there will be a shift towards the US in the next couple of years in advertising dollars. American companies are afraid to invest in cycling because the top tier of racing occurs on the other side of the Atlantic. That not a lot of time in the target audience of its sponsors. However with new races like the two Canadian Events, the Amgen, The USA Pro, the TD International, and the TO Utah, things are looking better for US exposure. Plus US riders are integrating themselves well into the pro peleton, with US riders winning races on multiple teams and in different places around the world. If these trends continue, US and North American Companies might be more willing to jump in with open wallets. TV coverage by Versus and other US companies is certainly helping as well. I feel so strongly about this in fact, that I feel the UCI feels threatened by the United States. The fact that Canada got 2 world tour events only one year after the events started, while the best US events are only considered 2.HC continental events after years of sucess is proof of this to me. I think the UCI knows that a shift west is imminent, and they are holding back the flood until the dam has to break.

And with countries like China getting involved with the Tour of Beijing, there will soon be plenty of new markets for cycling to tap into. Just look at the Green Edge team. With Cadel winning the TDF, and Australians in general jumping on the scene, many people in Australia are starting to take notice. If Goss or someone similar wins the worlds, then this will only continue the trend.

Lastly, the economy will improve eventually. And when it does people will be more willing to spend money. Cycling be much better when people have money again.

Colors....whatever. Team kit design....I hope they keep it simple (as they did with Leopard's).

However, since the team name is apparently Radioshack-Nissan-Trek, I'm not getting my hopes up. "The Shack" is going to have to plaster its circle-R thing in the gaudiest way possible.

They kept it simple because they didn't have a title sponsor. Thus the mostly blank jersey. They ran the team on Trek money and the little bit they get from their associates like Craft and Luxair and Mercedes. The big money is still there with Nissan and The Shack.

I am trying to figure out what "major sponsor" was lost.

BTW...you get rid of "that big R" and you walk away from money. Money that pays the bills.

Leopard is a management company owned by Brian Nygaard and finding that out took a little Google time.

While it does appear that the number of teams is on a downturn, I would like to share my opinion that this is temporary. I think that that market for sponsors is shifting, and that its going to take a few year for the market to latch on to the sport. Those markets are East Asia, Australia, and North America.

Cycling is well headed into its strongest period ever in America. Once a few US races receive HC and WT status, I think there will be a shift towards the US in the next couple of years in advertising dollars. American companies are afraid to invest in cycling because the top tier of racing occurs on the other side of the Atlantic. That not a lot of time in the target audience of its sponsors. However with new races like the two Canadian Events, the Amgen, The USA Pro, the TD International, and the TO Utah, things are looking better for US exposure. Plus US riders are integrating themselves well into the pro peleton, with US riders winning races on multiple teams and in different places around the world. If these trends continue, US and North American Companies might be more willing to jump in with open wallets. TV coverage by Versus and other US companies is certainly helping as well. I feel so strongly about this in fact, that I feel the UCI feels threatened by the United States. The fact that Canada got 2 world tour events only one year after the events started, while the best US events are only considered 2.HC continental events after years of sucess is proof of this to me. I think the UCI knows that a shift west is imminent, and they are holding back the flood until the dam has to break.

And with countries like China getting involved with the Tour of Beijing, there will soon be plenty of new markets for cycling to tap into. Just look at the Green Edge team. With Cadel winning the TDF, and Australians in general jumping on the scene, many people in Australia are starting to take notice. If Goss or someone similar wins the worlds, then this will only continue the trend.

Lastly, the economy will improve eventually. And when it does people will be more willing to spend money. Cycling be much better when people have money again.

A shift is imminent because Europe is coming unglued, economically. It appears that F1 will lost another European race as the government will not support the Nurburgring race.

Obviously, since bike teams are totally dependent on sponsorships to pay the bills (no paying fans) and it's getting harder and harder to find companies with the ability to pay, and there is competition from other sports for that money, it does not take a lot of imagination to see what's going on.

I find it laughable that people are being critical of Radio Shack.

So what's the problem exactly? Pcad said it means another major sponsor is out of the game... Leopards? Were large wild cats funding a cycling team? Who else were they getting money from?

They had Mercedes, presumably to get some free cars, and I think some other minor sponsors, but with Nissan I'd guess that they won't need the Mercedes' anymore. With their minimalist jerseys, I honestly have no idea who their other sponsors were without searching online, and I've spent dozens of hours watching those guys race this year, so it would be no suprise if those sponsors pulled out (if that happened). Having some of those new Nissan Leafs (Leaves?) in the peloton would be great, if they have to have cars at all, that is. Trying to go fast on a bicycle while cycling exhaust through your lings sucks.

Exactly. I suspect the reason they merged is that Leopard had good riders and no money, and Radio Shack Nissan had money but not as strong a lineup. Presto.

Please tell me what major sponosr was lost?

And where is that getting them? Free publicity on the evening news about how cyclist are a bunch of dopers. Meanwhile other pro sports gets to wink and smirk all the way to the bank. blah.

Like track...and I see that the NFL has delayed HGH testing. Gee, I wonder why...

They kept it simple because they didn't have a title sponsor. Thus the mostly blank jersey. They ran the team on Trek money and the little bit they get from their associates like Craft and Luxair and Mercedes. The big money is still there with Nissan and The Shack.

I am trying to figure out what "major sponsor" was lost.

BTW...you get rid of "that big R" and you walk away from money. Money that pays the bills.

Leopard is a management company owned by Brian Nygaard and finding that out took a little Google time.

FYI - Trek only contributed about 3m Eur plus materials (normal as equipment sponsor). The money comes from Flavio Becca - he put up 15m of his own cash. He wanted a title sponsor and didn't get one ... so he found one himself ... thus the merger.

I think this is what both teams need. Radioshack (the firm) gets a legit GC guy for major tours, Johan gets another prodigy to shape into a winner, and Andy gets his best shot at getting into shape (mentally and physically) to win one. (AKA no more drinking mid-season ...).

I see a texan coming back!!! :D

FYI - Trek only contributed about 3m Eur plus materials (normal as equipment sponsor). The money comes from Flavio Becca - he put up 15m of his own cash. He wanted a title sponsor and didn't get one ... so he found one himself ... thus the merger.

I think this is what both teams need. Radioshack (the firm) gets a legit GC guy for major tours, Johan gets another prodigy to shape into a winner, and Andy gets his best shot at getting into shape (mentally and physically) to win one. (AKA no more drinking mid-season ...).

Now that you mention it, I recall reading that. Thanks for refreshing my memory. If you have a top team like that and can't find money...

roadwarrior - forgot to add ... Nygaard isn't owner - he is GM (and an employee). Team Leopard (mgt co of Leopard Trek, the team) is controlled by a few folks but Flavio Becca is the principal. Again the Trek CEO is involved as is Daddy Schleck and a few others in Lux (one being the guy who owns all of the Mercedes dealerships ... thus the plug for Mercedes ...)