2008 TdF teams announced...

confusedfan

Slipstream is in! (that must just kill the Paceline folks given that it's now confirmed Astana is out). Other wild cards to Agritubel and Barloworld like last year, otherwise the 17 additional Pro-Tour teams are in.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php...mar08/mar21news

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Powerful Pete

Did you have any doubt regarding Slipstream? One American team is necessary...

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

hawkeye87

It is definitely under their skin. The whining from a month ago is starting all over again.

Did they honestly think the ASO would change their minds?

It's great news for Slipstream.

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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." -- Wayne Gretzsky

TheDarkLord

Where is the whining starting (again) hawkeye? DPF? We will soon see more vitriol against Slipstream too.

poulidor

Slipstream's philosophy was more necessary. There is 2 american teams with High Road.

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Let Astana and McQuaid whine !

helmutRoole2

If you had told me two years ago that Vaughter's team would get an invite, I'd thought you out of your mind.

He played his cards perfectly given the environment in the sport, which, had it been healthy, I think he would not have gotten the nod from ASO. It's amazing luck and planning, how everything fell into place for this team. I think before the start of this season, a Tour invite seemed possible and that fueled it's expansion. If you look at the team last year, it was maybe -- maybe -- the third best team in North America along with a handful of other teams that could stake a claim to that modest claim. Now, a Tour invite?

Astounding. What a marketing coup for Chipoltes.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

Crankyfeet

He did well to position his team like he did... but aren't they still waiting for a title sponsor? Or is Slipstream the title sponsor? I thought Slipstream was trying to build up the team to sell off the title sponsorship?

High Road is in a similar predicament. Stapleton is somehow propping up the operation in T-Mobile's absence, isn't he? Can they afford to run these teams for two to three years and spend 15-20 million in the process? It will be interesting to see if they can survive without an exit opportunity... or whether they need to have a new sponsor take over quick because their outgoings aren't sustainable.

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Originally posted by Frigo's Luggage...

"[Calling him] 'dickcheese' is the insult of a master. Some people work in oil, some people work in clay. He [thoughtforfood] works in profanity. Open your mind and enjoy its beauty."

Crankyfeet

I'm not so sure. They certainly get a lot more bang by getting into the TdF. But they have no business in Europe... and how many Americans are going to tune into the telecast on Versus? How much are they going to get out of their annual $2-3 million secondary sponsorship? I mean... how many people refer to the team as "Team Slipstream-Chipotle"? It's nearly always referred to as "Team Slipstream" when I've heard them mentioned on this forum. Maybe the announcers and journos will get the whole name in when they mention the team.

But $2-3 million isn't a great problem for them as they are growing in business about 33% per annum (revenues) and 60% in profits pa.

Maybe they are planning on expanding into Europe? Most likely the owner is a cyclist who is champing at the bit at being involved as a VIP at the TdF.

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Originally posted by Frigo's Luggage...

"[Calling him] 'dickcheese' is the insult of a master. Some people work in oil, some people work in clay. He [thoughtforfood] works in profanity. Open your mind and enjoy its beauty."

jimmypop

Great stuff at the Astana Forums.

hawkeye87

You can find it here: http://www.team-astana.com/astana/i...&id=182&catid=6

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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." -- Wayne Gretzsky

Leafer

Happy that Slipstream is in, but it's a little disturbing that two of the TdF teams - SS and High Road - don't have a "real" primary sponsor.

Powerful Pete

Well, as long as there is someone paying the bills, be it a real or not real sponsor...

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

poulidor

Now they could find one.

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Let Astana and McQuaid whine !

plectrum

Maybe slipstream could really rub the nose in the dirt and convince Discovery channel to sponsor them ...

Stapleton is mighty wealthy so I don't see much issue with High Rd.