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Disappointing if true...
http://road.cc/content/news/191153-peter-sagan-reportedly-set-astana-switch-€4m-salary
I guess he's got to make a living 😕
Funny how quickly things change. Doesn't seem that long ago he wasn't getting the results and Tinkov was tweeting about cutting his salary. Another green jersey, a stripy jersey, and a Flanders win and he's hot property again!
Apart from Astana's bad rep with fans they don't appear to be a happy ship to be part of. I'm not a fan of Nibz but he seems unhappy there, poorly supported with no loyalty and lots of infighting between riders, with poor tactical advice from his DS and managed by someone who makes Tinkoff seem modest and self effacing.
If Nibz is off to the as rumoured new middle Eastern petrol dollar team are Astana going to support a GC contender and Sagan's goals equally?
I see Astana's image tainting Sagz more than his rock star halo reflecting on them.
Iz disappoint.
Apart from Astana's bad rep with fans they don't appear to be a happy ship to be part of.
Reckon Nibali is a big part of that. Doesn't really want to be there. Not happy with the team. Bad vibes.
If Nibz is off to the as rumoured new middle Eastern petrol dollar team are Astana going to support a GC contender and Sagan's goals equally?
Apparently so, with Aru being their big GC hope now.
I see Astana's image tainting Sagz more than his rock star halo reflecting on them.
Indeed. I think I'd have sacrificed a few 100k and gone with Etixx who seem desperately in need of a strong clear leader for the classics.
also a rumour Sagan is doing the Olympic MTB race
cycling teams are precarious and can easily fold when the boss loses cash or interest (tinkoff, IAM are gone at the end of this season, highroad looked like a strong team but just went, slipstream have only just survived a few times), so I kind of see his view that if Astana are going to give him a ton of money for a couple of years then happy days... he can win enough races with a relatively small support network and he's a world champ, monument and green jersey winner
etixx have an embarrasment of riches in the classics lineup, boonen came within a hair of winning roubaix and he's still not done yet, plus stybar, Dan Martin, terpstra, velits, tony martin, kittel...
however the fact that astana are as dirty as a monkeys bum is a concern, maybe they are the only team talking to him at the moment ? I'd rather see him with anyone else (anyone but bl00dy vinokourov!!) but he may have no choice 🙁
The only team I'd rather see him in less than Astana is sky.
Hopefully he will sign with trek or at least see sense and not Astana
I heard Trek too, as we're talking about team news, part of me's gutted to see Geriant Thomas staying with Sky again, wonder if he'll be the main man in any grand tours or if we'll never see he's full potential as a GC contender.
Trouble with Sags is he's tied into Specialized, they'd chuck bags of $'s to any team that are on their bikes... Just so happens Astana are already on them.
Trek on the other hand are on, well Trek.
I couldn't see Thomas going anywhere else than Sky, the lads got history from many years being with the whole infrastructure there. To move now or tomorrow would see a massive upheaval in his regime and I don't think he'd cope well, far better to stay and become a 1 week/Classics specialist than failed CG contender (no disrespect)
I did wonder about Trek, they'd have a load of spare cash with Cancellara going at the end of the season. Would seem an obvious fit other than the tie in to Specialized.
etixx have an embarrasment of riches in the classics lineup, boonen came within a hair of winning roubaix and he's still not done yet, plus stybar, Dan Martin, terpstra, velits, tony martin, kittel...
Boonen's pretty done, rode his luck very well to get to the final at Roubaix. They need a new Boonen, an undisputed leader, otherwise it's going to be a load of podiums and no wins at the northern classics again for them.
far better to stay and become a 1 week/Classics specialist than failed CG contender (no disrespect)
Fair assessment I'd say. He's also British Cycling through and through, can't see him leaving that environment.
close shave
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bora-favourite-to-sign-sagan-after-talks-with-astana-falter/
Bora instead. Hopefully....