A little on Rubiera

Bro Deal

http://www.chechurubiera.info/media.html

Interesting that he mentions that the team presentation in Kazakhstan has been cancelled. Does this mean that some of the members of the consortium of sponsors is wavering?

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"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

without Vino and Kash, all it means is they could not give a shit.

Bro Deal

There are a lot of bad things that happen to Astana, some of which are very likely.

Klodi will probably be linked to T-Mobile's blood doping.

Contador may be banned by the Italians, or maybe just enough dirt will be thrown on him that he becomes persona non grata for some races.

Kazakh spnosors could pull out. They are probably not too happy now that Vino and Kash are gone. If Contador and Klodi cannot race the TdF then are the sponsors from a country that celebrates the Running of the Jew going to rely on Leipheimer.

If any rider tests positive then the whole team will be in the dog house given their previous doping history.

i would not bet that they make it to the end of the season.

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"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

Frigo's Luggage

Sure they will pull out. The "consortium of sponsors" is a farce in the first place. Can anyone name any of them? The consortium concept is not real good for brand recognition.

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We are all made of stars.

nns1400

bump

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The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.

Powerful Pete

Well, the entire sponsorship of Astana was set up by Vino with his fellow Kazakhs for him.Ergo, a Government-sponsored team set up to secure the first Kazakh victory in the TdF.

Now that the reason for the team has disappeared, I am surprised they have come back for more this year at all.

I also do not believe that the team will last out the entire year.

I doubt that Kazakh railways and Astana Airlines are so concerned about their standing with the UCI after all...

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De Rosa Planet
Campagnolo Per Sempre!
PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

Andrija

I see the predictions are that Astana won't last till the end of the season (even their Tour participation is in doubt)... I won't argue that... The team is artificially made, that's sure. Rotten too.
I just wonder how master mind of the Tour winning strategy Bruyneel will handle the crash... What's he going to say? How will sound his spin?

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"Soldiers! Heroes!

The supreme command has erased our regiment from its records. Our regiment has been sacrificed for the honor of Belgrade and the Fatherland. Therefore, you no longer have to worry for your lives - they do not exist anymore.
So, forward to glory! For King and country! Long live the king! Long live Belgrade! "

earth_dweller

Not sure if Astana will last through the year or not, but I think that Bruyneel has a lot of 'friends' (does he have pictures?) at UCI that will try their damnedness to protect him.

If Astana does implode, Bruyneel will blame the French, especially ASO, and announce his retirement so that he can spend more time with his family. And his fans will believe every word of it.

And he'll be back next year in a duo with Saiz.

limerickman

If Astana does survive to compete in 2008 - it will be as a result of the UCI once again running away from making a decision.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

italiano

My congettion: JB is hired by Kazakhstan pricipaly due to covert connections to a potent UCI hand …This is how he evaded positives…I presuppose it is Verbruggen or Zorzoli…Zorzoli more probabile

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For inches and centimetres, let fools contend."
-- Damian Grammaticus