The professional cycling thread
Discussion
Rouleur said:
It looks as though that Tinkov nutter has bought out Bjarne Riis' Team Saxo and got Google onboard as title sponsor
http://www.dr.dk/Sporten/Cykling/2013/11/29/184947...
Surely not. Google would have more sense. http://www.dr.dk/Sporten/Cykling/2013/11/29/184947...
Problem is the sport is still full of people with a dodgy past but there isn't a new faster bunch of riders to replace them just yet so the teams have to sign them up. I get the impression some people will only be happy when the Millars have all gone to be replaced with Pinots but I'm pretty sure that 99% of the pro tour peloton are clean these days so I don't see too much of a risk for the likes of Google et al and even if there was another scandal, does it really affect which Internet search engine I would use? If the tax scandal surrounding Google is forgotten so quickly, their support for a cycling team that comes out as doping is hardly likely to remain long in people's minds.
Give it five years of scandal free grand tours and when all those with a tainted past have retired, I'd expect a far more buoyant corporate commercial sponsor market in pro cycling. In my opinion though we will see more manufacturer owned teams following the Trek/Leopard deal. I'd wager a Specialized team isn't too far from happening and Giant seem too be a major player in Blanco/Belkin
Give it five years of scandal free grand tours and when all those with a tainted past have retired, I'd expect a far more buoyant corporate commercial sponsor market in pro cycling. In my opinion though we will see more manufacturer owned teams following the Trek/Leopard deal. I'd wager a Specialized team isn't too far from happening and Giant seem too be a major player in Blanco/Belkin
Highway Star said:
Tinkov takes control of Saxo, Riis gone. At least one dodgy geezer has exited stage left...
Riis gone? I thought Riis has sold the team to Tinkov but is staying on as salaried team manager.http://inrng.com/2013/12/tinkov-team-profile/
pablo said:
Problem is the sport is still full of people with a dodgy past but there isn't a new faster bunch of riders to replace them just yet so the teams have to sign them up. I get the impression some people will only be happy when the Millars have all gone to be replaced with Pinots but I'm pretty sure that 99% of the pro tour peloton are clean these days so I don't see too much of a risk for the likes of Google et al and even if there was another scandal, does it really affect which Internet search engine I would use? If the tax scandal surrounding Google is forgotten so quickly, their support for a cycling team that comes out as doping is hardly likely to remain long in people's minds.
Give it five years of scandal free grand tours and when all those with a tainted past have retired, I'd expect a far more buoyant corporate commercial sponsor market in pro cycling. In my opinion though we will see more manufacturer owned teams following the Trek/Leopard deal. I'd wager a Specialized team isn't too far from happening and Giant seem too be a major player in Blanco/Belkin
I think you may be on to something there. I also feel the sport needs to go down the Motorsport route in the team names. So for examples; Sky-Pinarello. Or Garmin Slipstream-Cervelo.Give it five years of scandal free grand tours and when all those with a tainted past have retired, I'd expect a far more buoyant corporate commercial sponsor market in pro cycling. In my opinion though we will see more manufacturer owned teams following the Trek/Leopard deal. I'd wager a Specialized team isn't too far from happening and Giant seem too be a major player in Blanco/Belkin
Who knows that the current Movistar team were Caisse D'Epargne, Banesto; or Europcar were BBox Bouyges Telecom? Rabobank have become Blanco, then Belkin all in 6 months.
Highway Star said:
Very nice. Retro. I'd wear that, but won't, obv. Rule 16 etc.
mcelliott said:
Quite, this from a company who spent so much time telling us cycling was all about the "suffering"..... 
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