http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/109609

Hadn’t expected that. I wonder what they’ll be rebranded as next year then – something orange still or something to reflect Alonso’s region (blue and yellow IIRC).

Good lad. I’ve always liked Alonso.

Nice Colnago too…

I used to like him and I certainly admire his driving but he’s been a bit too mixed up in things I don’t like (McL Spygate, Renaukt crashgate) for me to really like him any more.

wow F1 and road cycling

what a combination 🙄

Thanks for your contribution…

Insightful, finely crafted and inspirational words.

😉

How much is a proteam these days ….

They said that Euskaltel were paying 7m EUR a year IIRC.

Interesting, shouldn’t he be 100% focused on his racing career. Weird.

Interesting, shouldn’t he be 100% focused on his racing career. Weird.

I assume he’ll just be providing the investment, rather than managing the team. Don’t suppose that’s any different to the various investments that wealthy sports stars typically have.

If he starts turning out as a domestique, that would be a different matter! 🙂

No buying a team isn’t as ‘easy’ as putting 2million into a new development. Especially one with funding, staff, issues etc etc.

I wonder if hes really that on the boil with the next couple of seasons in F1.

Yeah but he ‘may’ be aware of a concept called delegation hora…you know he provides the money and someone else runs it for him. I don’t think that Murdoch has too much input day to day on the running of Team Sky.

It’s been on the cards for years that he was going to buy a cycling team.

He talked about setting up a Spanish team a few years ago as he’s good friends with Contador and an avid cyclist(as is Mark Webber). I assume something like Sky. I guess he’s finally got around to it and buying an existing team is probably much easier than starting from scratch.
It’s not like he’s short of money and I guess there’s only so many cars, yachts and women to spend it on.

I reckon any funding for cycling is a good thing. Although I wish more people funded Women’s cycling teams and events. They may be slower, but their races are equally exciting to watch if not more so.

It’s not like watching women’s football.

Tom KP

….It’s not like watching women’s football.

You were going so well up ’til then… 😉

It’ll ruin the team.

He’ll have a clause in a contract somewhere saying A: no one in the team can be a faster rider than him and B: he gets the fastest bike.

Doubt he’s stumping all the money, suspect it’ll be the deficit that the regional Govt used to put in plus Euski..

Can only be a good thing IMO, hope they don’t change the colour Orange nor change bike supplier..

Going to be interesting to see what happens with the name and fans: Alonso’s from Asturias, and the team fanbase is the Basque Country…

Tom B. Ones a billionaire, a figurehead with a staffof thousands. The others a millionaire and active sportsman.

hora – what exactly do you think all the other F1 drivers do with their cash? Eg. DC owned a hotel in Monaco but I don’t think he used to do a spell on reception between races. Alonso is perfectly capable of investing in something without getting dragged in to day to day activities.

Given his contacts and connections, never mind his name, I think he should be able to drum up some additional sponsorship.

The next two weeks of the Vuelta should be good for the team, what with contracts to be renewed and all.