Slipstream

thunder

Slipstream could go ok at the Tour.

Danielson could ride into the top 10, if he fixed some weaknesses Vaughters spoke about.

They have

Danielson
Zabriskie
Vande Velde
Millar
Hesjedal
Canada
Pate
Dean
Backstedt

should go ok for GC in this latest Tour.

earth_dweller

Canada is with Saunier-Duval.

Bro Deal

I think they will bring one or two french riders. They probably have a tacit understanding with the ASO to do so.

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

thunder

I thought he signed with Vaughters.

earth_dweller

Yep, they'll probably take Laurent with them.

earth_dweller

nope David Canada is with SD and is on their California squad.

thunder

I think he was negotiating with him, I heard somewhere that Canada was signing with them, obviously not tho!

thoughtforfood

They have a good team, and with the doping juggernaut gone, there could be an opportunity for a stage win or more.

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If this van is a'rockin, don't come a'knockin

TheDarkLord

I hope they can achieve a stage win. It will go to show that one doesn't need to be doped to win at the pro level, and will blow a hole in theories of people like Saluki...

thunder

they have a GREAT team without doping. They have one of the most talented teams in the peloton if the peloton is clean.

Saunier Duval are great when riding hot, so are Gerolsteiner, and the other Spanish/Italian teams. But they come back to the field after 15 days at the Tour with no drugs.

Slipstream will be one of the more successful teams this year.

thoughtforfood

I really hope you are right. I would love to see something like Tommy D going off on a break early in the mountains and getting the climbers jersey or something. I think realistically, placing top 10, a stage win, and possibly a climbing jersey are within comprehension.

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If this van is a'rockin, don't come a'knockin

thunder

not this year. I think he could snag a top 10 under the best of circumstances if Vaughter's rectifies his weaknesses post haste.

The thing is, if he is stronger than Zabriskie, Millar and Hesjedal, he will get a load of support. Millar can be up there on the mountain stages, and so can the other two.

If he shows himself to be the strongest he will get the support.

I am not a TD fan. But am a fan of Vaughters. Think he will perform some miracles and be great for the sport.

TheDarkLord

Thunder, it is clear that you are a big fan of Vaughters, but I would suggest that you don't get your hopes up too high, or start doing hero worship. That way, if some scandal comes up sometime later, there is less chance of you ending up like some of the LA fans...

thunder

Fan of what Vaughters is doing.

Vaughters is about performance and culture. Fine line between press perfomance which can prompt doping.

I would expect, out of the 26 man squad, or so, they will be rider(s) on Vaughters' squad who may use testo gel or have a look at a transfusion, for the World Championships, or Roubaix, or some objective.

So, keep them eyes open, be vigilant, do not expect miracles. It is pro cycling, if Vaughters' guys want to run testo gel and transfusions and insulin, I hope he exposes them.

Otherwise it will be like CSC 2007. Cleaner, not clean. High Road 2007. Cleaner, not clean. Who think Sinkewitz was on his lonesome? Not me. I think he would have been one of many on that team.

Cannot change the culture overnight. Teams like TMobile, who never admit they ran an institutional program, have this anchor as a legacy. They cannot be transparent, they cannot admit what occurred, otherwise the team is kaput, so there culture shift is always compromised.

Vaughters is fortunate in that respect. But the individuals bring their history, success will depend on his ability to institute a positive culture, and bring that esprit de corps, without the CSC spin bullshit. Esprit de corps is all well and good when you are CSC and half your guys doped to major wins, they can rest on their laurels, they are winning, they open champagne at dinner, smiles all round.

Dispense with the dope, and dispense with the budget, and then what have they. Riis built his team on the back of dope, he was the savviest of directors and businessman, in running his ship, and the wins with dope brought him the largest budget. So even without as much doping advantage, a cleaner team, he can still buy the strongest riders in the peloton, who even on Daamsgards watchdog program, will still be the strongest.

The only negative on Vaughters, he needs more finances to accurately compensate riders, cannot have them coming to Slipstream to ride for less, and to get less results clean. They must be compensated according to the results they do not get because dopers steal them. If you run a good business, you can do that, because cycling is not ran as a business. You change the business model. At the moment, he has Ellis as a benefactor, and that is unsustainable.