Amgen Tour of California: Team Speculation
by Chief Commissaire on Nov 27, 2008 7:49 PM EST
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With the 2009 ProTour team lineup announced, it seems like the appropriate time to start speculating on who's likely to show up at the Amgen Tour of California.
Last year, 17 teams participated in the eight-day (prologue and seven stages), 670-mile race: Astana (LUX), Bissell Pro Cycling Team (USA), BMC Racing Team (USA), Bouygues Telecom (FRA), Credit Agricole (FRA), Gerolsteiner (GER), Health Net Presented by Maxxis (USA), High Road Sports (GER), Jelly Belly Cycling Team (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast (USA), Quick Step (BEL), Rabobank Cycling Team (Netherlands), Rock Racing (USA), Saunier Duval-Scott (ESP), Team CSC (DEN), Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle (USA) and Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team (USA).
This year's race will begin on a Saturday and include nine stages (Feb. 14-22), with precise routes and race distances yet to be announced.
A 16-team line-up is expected for 2009. At least one team (Astana) is a lock. With a 2.HC categorized rating, you can expect eight ProTour teams in this year's field. Let the speculation begin.
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I can say definately BMC USA.
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Nov 27, 2008 8:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
My List
Astana
Garmin
Columbia
Quickstep
Bweeg
Liquigas
Rabobank
Saxo
Rock
Kelly Benefits
Jelly Belly
OUCH
BMC
Cervelo
Tecos
Lampre
by Crazy D on Nov 27, 2008 9:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
My Picks
Here’s what the landscape of last year’s teams at the AToC looks like today:
Astana (LUX)
Bissell Pro Cycling Team (USA)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Bouygues Telecom (FRA)
Credit Agricole (FRA)
Gerolsteiner (GER)
Strkied-Health Net Presented by Maxxis (USA)
High Road Sports now Columbia (GER)
Jelly Belly Cycling Team (USA)
Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast (USA)
Quick Step (BEL)
Rabobank Cycling Team (NED)
Rock Racing (USA)
Saunier Duval-Scott (ESP)
Team CSC (DEN)
Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle now Garmin-Slipstream (USA)
Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team (USA)
I expect none of the monkey business of excluding riders with questionable pasts this time around, so Liquigas (with Ivan Basso) will likely be at the start. Here’s my best guess on ProTour teams:
Astana (Kaz)
BBox Bouygues Telecom (Fra)
Garmin-Slipstream (USA)
Liquigas (Ita)
Quick Step (Bel)
Rabobank (Ned)
Saxo Bank – IT Factory (Den)
Team Columbia (USA)
That leaves eight spots available for the domestic teams. OUCH (the revamped Health Net-Maxxis squad with Floyd Landis) would appear to be a lock, as would Rock Racing (with U.S. pro road champion Tyler Hamilton). So here’s my best guess for the rest of the field:
OUCH
Bissell Pro Cycling Team
Colavita/Sutter Home
BMC Racing Team
Jelly Belly Pro Cycling
Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
Rock Racing
Team Type 1
by Chief Commissaire on Nov 27, 2008 9:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'd agree 100% with those PT teams
Garmin and Columbia are US registered, so they are locks. Rabo is also a lock with the new sponsorship agreement. Astana is also a lock as they have the defending champ, and that one guy, who is making a comeback. Saxo and Quicky always bring great squads so they will be there. Basso wants to ride so leaky will surely be there. The one team I’m not sure about is bweeg, I would like to see Lotto there instead, with Dekker and Gilbert, just a wish, they probably have other races on their schedule anyway. Also if the ToC didn’t allow Hamilton and Sevilla this year, than Landis shouldn’t be allowed to ride next year. Another thing, hasn’t Jelly Belly gone amateur, I thought I had read they were.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Nov 27, 2008 9:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Jelly Belly not amateur
thought it was Jittery Joe’s that went amateur this year.
by guidemd on Nov 27, 2008 10:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Ahh ok, sounds about the same
Then Jelly Belly will be there again next year
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Nov 27, 2008 10:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hamilton and Sevilla
were excluded because they were still under investigation as part of Operation Puerto, not because they were ex-cons, or at least that’s my recollection. If I’m correct, then Landis has served his time and they will surely let him ride…
by Jimbo... on Dec 1, 2008 11:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Count BMC as a definate...
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Nov 27, 2008 9:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I would love to come over and watch this race one day...
another race to add to my calender of what races to see live..
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Nov 27, 2008 10:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'm sure circumstances have changed since last year but,
what was the name of that Colombian team that McQuaid was so high on last year? Would they have any chance of racing this year?
Great message he was sending last year wasn’t it. They can invite/exclude whomever they want to and I’m here to tell them that they’re going to have to include my pet team.
" Well, art is art isn't it? Still on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now uh . . . Now you tell me what you know." Groucho Marx
by flying dog on Nov 27, 2008 10:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
From Cyclingnews.com:
Colombia es Pasión-Coldeportes aiming for the Tour of California
Colombian outfit Colombia es Pasión-Coldeportes is looking to poarticipate in next year’s Tour of California. The president of the UCI, Pat McQuaid, has underlined his support for the team. In a personal conversatiuon with the communications director of the team, Héctor Urrego Caballero, McQuad assured that he will be pleading to have the “red train,” as the team from Columbia is affectionately known, included in the 2009 Tour of California.
Caballero is currently in California as a special envoy for Colombia es Pasión-Coldeportes. He is making contact with AEG, the company that runs the Tour of California, and the Tour’s director, Andrew Messick. Messick has shown a great interest in adding the Colombian team to the start list next year.
McQuaid emphasized, “I will put all my support behind the participation of Colombia es Pasión-Coldeportes because I want a South American in this race. I understand that Colombia es Pasión-Coldeportes is very interested in coming in 2009. I know them, I know their results, and I will do everything I can so that the team will be present here next year.”
The team was naturally delighted by the support of McQuaid and is hoping to be able to mix it up with some of the ProTour teams next year.
by Chief Commissaire on Nov 27, 2008 10:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'd much rather see Tecos get the nod
These guys have raced in several big races in the States the last couple of years and always show well. If anything, they should get the nod over a Colombian team, especially with them being a North American team.
If I just had one more gear, I...
by SpunOut on Nov 27, 2008 11:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This looks liek an excellent off-season contest
Winner gets an all expense paid trip to ToC. Or bragging rights. Whichever PdC can afford.
by ZoeRochelle on Nov 28, 2008 2:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Landis
He’ll never be able to raise the 100k to race again so the TOC does not have to worry about banning him.
by Crazy D on Nov 28, 2008 8:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Just to point out the obvious . . .
. . . the medical center that replaced his hip is now the title sponsor for the team.
I don’t think I would be tossing around the word ‘never’ so casually.
by Ryan_Liles on Nov 29, 2008 2:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Amore e Vita-McDonald's just became US registered
so they have a good chance of getting in, they also have 5 Americans on the roster. They should definitely be given a wild card over Pasión-Coldeportes.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Nov 28, 2008 8:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Landis and 100 thou?
I’ve been away; could someone explain why Floyd needs a hundred large to play? I know that he is riding for his doctor’s Team Ouch, and I understand the two/four year ban. But Team Ouch is not a PT team, so he’s in compliance there. Ah, does he have an unpaid fine or sump’in’?
by Hammerhed on Nov 29, 2008 7:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
It's a cost award
When Landis lost his appeal to CAS, he was ordered to pay $100,000 to USADA to cover part of their costs for the appeal. He’s currently suing USADA in United States federal court in an attempt to avoid paying the award, but it’s been reported that he will not be given a license to race until the award is paid.
by Tifosa on Nov 29, 2008 3:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
hmmm
why no mentions of Fuji/whatever?
The owners of the Fuji brand are American and the team directors have courted Mexican and American sponsorship pretty heavily, AND they have a PT license, AND they raced in Mexico already, so you know they’re willing to travel . . .
by R Mc on Nov 29, 2008 9:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Because they are the scum of the earth?
No but seriously, they’ve always done ToC in the past but doesn’t it look like they would be pretty low on the list for the organizers unless they pay to get in? It seems pretty crowded and they want some teams with genuine american ties, don’t they?
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
by Jens on Nov 29, 2008 10:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You don’t think Michael Ball will shell out some $$$ to help get Floyd back in the game?
Rock & Republic will be there, so Cali will be rockin. Don’t be surprised if they really concentrate on this race this year, and surprise everyone.
by The Long Emergency on Nov 29, 2008 9:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Why would Ball give a f**k if Landis is riding
if anything that would take even more attention away from his team, he already has to deal with LA taking away most of Rock’s spotlight.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Nov 29, 2008 10:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
ToC may be forced to take 17 Teams
ProTour
Agritubel (Fra)
I’m not sure if there isn’t a pecking order, where UCI Continental Pro Teams can push out a domestic squad. If the Canadian of Latin American Teams want in, could they insist?
That, plus bike manufacturers’ ( California is the single biggest market for most builders) interest in having their sponsored Teams there, means fewer US teams get an invite.
Astana (Kaz)
Fuji-Servetto
Garmin-Slipstream (USA)
Liquigas (Ita)
Quick Step (Bel)
Rabobank (Ned)
Saxo Bank (Den)
Team Columbia (USA)
US Domestic and Continental Teams:
Amore e Vita MacDonalds
BMC Racing Team
OUCH
Cervelo Test Team (Sui)
Bissell Pro Cycling Team
Rock Racing
Team Type 1
on the bubble …Only one spot left:
Colavita/Sutter Home
Jelly Belly Pro Cycling
Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
various Latin American teams:
Pasion Coldeportes (Col)
Tecos (Mex)
by MavicMoto on Dec 11, 2008 12:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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