Flandis and Peña gone....wazzup with Bruyneel?

mareblu

Did you guys read that Victor Hugo Peña and also Floyd Landis are going to go to the Phonak team with Mr. Tyler Hamilton?

Wazzup with Team Discovery uh?

Roadrash Dunc

Landis move happened weeks ago.
Botero is joining Phonak from T-Mobile aswell.
Discovery have signed Popyvich - Landis probably thinks Lance is on the way out and he has a better chance of being the man when Tyler retires in a few at Phonak.I bet Phonak paid him a shed-load more than he was getting at Discovery too.

ejglows

They wanted the cool BCM ride...

I am in shock....

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Virenque

Whats so special, riders are changing teams hehe! Its all about the moneyPopo and Savoldelli are comming! Be sure they will have great team again..

Powerful Pete

If anything, I think that Discovery is getting a better deal. Savoldelli has had a couple of bad years with lots of injuries, and Lance had tried to recruit him once already (the year he ended up winning the Giro). IF his run of bad luck is up he will be another excellent 'right hand man' to have in the mountains.

Popo is the new generation, let us say of Cunego's generation, who has performed consistently at the Giro, without having the weight of a local superpower team like Saeco behind him. Young, strong and willing to ride for others for good money...

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Perro Loco

I wish I could find the reference- I will still look- but in an interview post tour after Popo was signed Armstrong said that they (Discovery) was looking for the next rider who could win the tour multiple times (maybe he said just win the tour) and that it would be great if he was an american but right now that person doesn't exist(american) and that Popo was the best long term prospect. Bruyneel stated in a recent article that USPS/Discovery had an option on Landis for similar money but did not want to hinder him.

I don't know if I am reading between the lines, but it appears that Discovery doesn't think Floyd is a potential tour winner. Always hard to predict but what I saw of him this year he looks like he could- maybe not multiple tours....
Or maybe Floyd wants to go elsewhere

http://velonews.com/race/int/articles/6843.0.html
Bruyneel reference
"We had an option to keep him and we were ready to equal the offer made to Phonak, but at the same time we didn´t want him to force him to stay with us," Bruyneel was quoted.

hawkes

Floyd is somewhat older (29?) so if Lance were to race one or two more tours Floyd would be (31-32) before he got his real chance. I think his move is based on several factors 1) His stock is high right now and he can get good money after his tour ride 2) He probably has a quicker shot at the TDF or Giro at Phonak than with Discovery 3) Discovery is also (like all pro tour teams) at having to race all three tours and the other classics (Pro Tour races) and has to develop a more balanced team 4) There have been some hints that Discovery is interested in more than it's original 3 year contract

and in I believe in the end that Floyd is a top flight rider but I still don't think he will win the TDF ever. Maybe the Giro or Vuelta (maybe) but he has never been tested as the sole leader in a major stage race. I think his talent maybe Paris - nice, Tour of Switzerland, or other smaller stage races and hilly one day. It's no insult to him or his obvious talent but I think maybe people started to rate him a little higher than he should be just a couple of high profile good days in the TDF (final time trial and stage 16 or whatever stage that was that he rode strong in).

gntlmn

I think you have a point there; riding as part of a strong, cohesive group such as USPS makes each of the riders look good. Also, I think the training there brings out the best in the riders. We'll see what Heras does in the Vuelta, but he seems to be off this year from what he was with USPS. He didn't do very well in the Tour de France this year, for example.

Virenque

And its the same with Azevedo! He had his best tour ever this year!

donhix1

As of today they are also the two best Posties.

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Roadrash Dunc

I can see where you folks are coming from when you say Landis isn't TDF winner material , but i think he may prove some of you wrong in the Vuelta.I think Landis made a smart move to leave USPS.
I know it didnt work for Heras (who btw looks strong atm aswell - great ride by his standards today for a flat ITT) but i dont think he was ready to be a TL.
Landis will be no2 at Phonak rather than jumping straight into the lead shoes , which is good , but he knows he will be a strong no2 with the eye on the captains armband before long.

Pena And Landis are 2 key ingredients to USPS - this might be one year where the critics get it right in saying USPS wont be able to replace them.
Azevedo is going to be very important for Lance next year.

*if* Lance does ride TdF 2005 , its shaping up to be his toughest yet with age , team defections and other teams and competitors improving ,all going against him/USPS.

mareblu

Good For Him! :d

hawkes

I maybe wrong and have no problems with being wrong but I still don't see him as a TDF winner. My opion may change if and when he gets the chance to ride as the top GC man in a major tour for a team. So far he has only ridden in support and therefore has not been tested and attacked as a leader. He has never had the pressure on his shoulders to perform and knew that he could always take it "easy" the next day and just do a set job for LA or Heras and not have to fight all the way to the finish on every stage.

He has done very well in the Vuelta so far taking time in TT as he should as he is a very good trialer and limiting losses on the few mountain stages to date but the Vuelta is far from over and some major attacks in the mountains are still to come.

Once again this is no insult to Floyd he is a top flight pro and deserves every win and jersey he gets. I think he has a shot at the Giro or Vuelta maybe just maybe and a top ten finisher in the TDF. I still think he could befinately win a classic like LBL or shorter stage races in the pro tour. But for some reason many people only think the measure of success of a pro rider is whether or not a rider can win the TDF. I wish I could ride anywhere close to the ability of Floyd

musette

That VHP is not important to USPS was made clear by Bruyneel's decision to choose Benjamin Noval, a newbie to the team, over VHP for the TdF 04 team. Even though VHP, when originally recruited, was considered to not have poor climbing capabilities, VHP has turned out to be a time trial help on the TTT and more of a flats domestique. With the reduced time gain possible in the TTT in 04 (query the rules in 05) and the shift towards even more help for LA in the mountains in the TdF following Heras' departure, VHP became less significant to the TdF team (still the crucial objective of Bruyneel, I believe).

Even though Landis has improved in the mountains considerably, he is still not strong enough in crucial climbs to win any Grand Tour. And he never will be.