Milram stays. Velits brothers go.

Martin and Peter Velits go to Columbia.

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Wow

George is now the oldest guy on the team by about 10 years.

"Never swing a small stick. " Andy Hampsten

by Hons on Jul 22, 2009 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

and their highest-placed rider on GC

by Mr 60 Percent on Jul 22, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Am I the only who thinks that Columbia is getting a little bit overcrowded with talent?

Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.

by TheFigurehead on Jul 22, 2009 2:49 PM EDT reply actions

No I am totally with you on this one...

Some big guys are going to be leaving the team this year if they are going to accommodate everybody.

by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 22, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Barry is out. Maybe Lewis as well. Also gotta wonder about Big George, although he has utility in Cav leadouts, and helping the other Classics contendors. Probably one of the young big guns (Boss Hog, Lovkvist) are gonna leave as well. Is there a limit to how many riders can go under one team. I know Parkin described how ADR had too many riders so they split the squads in the late 80s.

by Yossarian12 on Jul 22, 2009 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah Greipel is going to be gone after this season...he actuallywants to win some big races and not half of the stages at the Tour of Austria

Yes there is a limit for Pro Tour teams at 30 riders…It used to be a lot different back in the 80’s and 90’s with “super” teams such as Mapei having a team on every tier…

I dk about Barry seeing how he was pulling the field at the Giro day after day. I could see Lewis and George defecting somewhere else together since they are so buddy-buddy. With all of the riders that are reported to have signed with them for next year, they are going to drop at least a couple of guys.

by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 22, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Being that Columbia is a US team

I assume they will try and keep the 2 US riders they have or try and acquire new ones.

by australopithecine on Jul 22, 2009 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

They signed Tejay VanGarderen for next year all ready...so that is all ready 1 for sure

by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 22, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

The token one perhaps

I do hope they sign a few more.

by australopithecine on Jul 22, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Barry, George, Lewis to RSLS?

just makes sense with such an iconic American sponsor like that.

"Never swing a small stick. " Andy Hampsten

by Hons on Jul 23, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Hmmm

“The team’s performance in the Tour de France was enough to convince the dairy company to stay with the sport. Although the German team has not won a stage, it has brought in a number of top ten finishes; the best being Johannes Fröhlinger’s third place finish in the seventh stage.”

Sounds like they did just enough to fulfil their end of the contract. Bcause if it wasn’t for the silly costume who would have even noticed them.

by Monty. on Jul 22, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions

boy

that is a sunny assessment of their performance. Hooray for that third on stage seven!

ABRUZZIAM...uh oh

by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 22, 2009 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions

If Milram,s fear/expectation (them being german) was 4 positive riders by this stage

it has been a tremendously successful Tour so far.

by Jens on Jul 23, 2009 4:40 AM EDT up reply actions

JB/LA will probably start cherry picking Columbia riders

Columbia could have fielded a whole second Tour team with Lovkvist, Svitsov, B-Hagen, Albasini, Pinotti, Greipel, Burghardt, etc. Between these guys and the Tour team, a few of them must be ready to jump.

Happy to see this for the Velits brothers though. Lived in Slovakia recently, and it’s good to be able to root for them with a minimum of suspicion.

by Mr 60 Percent on Jul 22, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions