Alonso starting a cycling team

[npope]

Not sure this is in the right forum but Alonso is going to start his own cycling team in 2010 with Santander. I understadn they are also switching to Ferrari, they are going to own this boy big time.

[sirtyro]

what are they going to race in?

[FourWheelDrift]

I thought he was leaving Renault to go to play football for Real Madrid, that and cycling he must have no faith in an FIA/FOTA resolution for next year.

[npope]

sirtyro said:

what are they going to race in?

All top class events, they are also bringing lots of money and looking to sign top riders.

[jazz.cat]

Is that road racing or mountain biking?

[Exige46]

jazz.cat said:

Is that road racing or mountain biking?

Road - the rumours are that they are talking to the likes of Contador. There were a few pics of Alonso over the winter being done over by the Cervelo team (including Carlos Sastre).

[sirtyro]

So could that mean a Tour de France team?

[npope]

sirtyro said:

So could that mean a Tour de France team?

yes for sure

[stifler]

for sure

[BoRED S2upid]

Alonso Cavendish is your man for the sprint finishes. Get it sorted.

[chris_w]

apparently he had the idea after overhearing Flav telling Piquet to get on his bike....

[ewenm]

BoRED S2upid said:

Alonso Cavendish is your man for the sprint finishes. Get it sorted.

As long as you get the decent lead out men (Renshaw for example) too.

Need to avoid a team full of stars though - look at the friction in the superstar Astana team at the moment. One GC rider (Contador?), one sprinter (Cav?) and a lot of domestiques is a better idea.

[flemke]

ewenm said:

BoRED S2upid said:

Alonso Cavendish is your man for the sprint finishes. Get it sorted.

As long as you get the decent lead out men (Renshaw for example) too.

Need to avoid a team full of stars though - look at the friction in the superstar Astana team at the moment. One GC rider (Contador?), one sprinter (Cav?) and a lot of domestiques is a better idea.

Hard to see Cav making that move. He's very happy at Columbia, and will have the option of going to Sky for more money if that's what he wants (has indicated that it isn't).
Not sure why he would go to a GC team anyhow, as it would cost him part of his lead-out support.

[ewenm]

flemke said:

ewenm said:

BoRED S2upid said:

Alonso Cavendish is your man for the sprint finishes. Get it sorted.

As long as you get the decent lead out men (Renshaw for example) too.

Need to avoid a team full of stars though - look at the friction in the superstar Astana team at the moment. One GC rider (Contador?), one sprinter (Cav?) and a lot of domestiques is a better idea.

Hard to see Cav making that move. He's very happy at Columbia, and will have the option of going to Sky for more money if that's what he wants (has indicated that it isn't).
Not sure why he would go to a GC team anyhow, as it would cost him part of his lead-out support.

Plus he's not Spanish and I'd imagine that a Spanish team one of Alonso's aims.

[jazz.cat]

It would be difficult to raise a fully competitive all Spanish team for the team's first year. Luis León Sánchez and Carlos Sastre would be a good start though!