RS & Layopaaard to merge ... RadioSchleck ???

[MichaelB]

It has been on the rumour mill for sometime and the noises keep getting stronger, and the denials are getting lamer.

A lot of the rumour apperas to be just that, but the Leopard and RS recruiting announcements have been very thing on the ground, whilst the exits are much more prominent. There is a long running thread on Cyclingnews about it (lotsa crap in it too), but the evidence seems to be pointing up.

A lot of the issue seems to be with the money man behind Leopard (Becca) being disappointed with not getting a title sponsor and that 22 wins just ain't enough.

Wonder what 2012 will bring.

It seems like one of the bigger seasons for shakeups - no HTC, OPL split into 2, Greenedge onto the scene, some teams not doing "well" in the points system (Astana, Geox etc)

Standby to standby ...

[heay]

I believe this is infact true in the statement above that there will be a merge, if I'm corrected RS where not meant to be a team after the 2011 session so this will fit in perfect.

[The 2nd Womble]

I thought it was already official

[The 2nd Womble]

From Twitter:

1) Leōpard Trek. Boldly going where no Chinese swimmer has gone before.
2) should be happy. Now Frandy will be able to TT and bench press the Queen Mary II
3) if Lance has an association they could be called Team Leōpard-Spots
4) so now Lance (who blocked me) has got Frandy taking drugs as well? Extra leg muscles=no thigh gaps. Only room for 1 testicle
5) Frandy can now climb Alpe dHuez on little monkey circus bikes in 12 mins dead, partly due 2 lightweight muscular testicle #weirdfactforthenight

...and they continue

[The 2nd Womble]

6) Frank to Andy: "These vertical stripes make me look bumpy"
7) "Knock knock" "who's there?" "Frandy" "Frandy who?" "Frandy wif ze masseef gunss. Mwah left gun. Mwah right gun" *flex flex "I'm so buff"
8 ) re TTing: with superhero power who needs aero? They could ride with riot sheilds strapped to their handlebars

[MichaelB]

Now confirmed

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/leopard ... radioshack

Apparently 11 riders have to find a new homw. Pretty late in the season for them ....

[Chuck]

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek Professional Cycling Team


What a mouthful

[bianchi928]

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek Professional Cycling Team


What a mouthful

I can imagine Phil Liggett saying it now

[number21]

So does this mean Levi, Brajkovic and Horner will be duking it out with Andy and Frank as the teams number 1?

With Fabian, Dave Z and of course Jens thats a mightly scary team. Can they manage the egos though?

[Baldy]

I think Levi is going to Quick Step.

I hope Nygaard brings that other Jens with him to GE

[liamb]

Jens for Green edge for sure. He has an Aussie attitude and he has ridden with Stuey

Bill

[MichaelB]

Interesting to see what happens at the end. Obviously Nygaard didn't do a great job .... so why have him at GE ?

Be interesting to see who ends up where from the Layopaard palava. Seems it wasn't well handled at all from a rider perspective

Edit :
On a side note, how bummed would Rast & Hermans be, who just left RS for Layopaard only to be under the control of Bruyneel again

[AUbicycles]

Well - I liked the Leopard team kit and it will be a shame to have it replaced with the ®

[MichaelB]

Not all happy with some of the sponsors of Layopaard ...

Tensions at Leoshack

[Chuck]

Bjarne must be having a chuckle at all of this.

[MichaelB]

Bjarne must be having a chuckle at all of this.

From a CN article quoting Riis ;


"Like most people, I am surprised by the merger," Riis told sporten.tv2.dk. "But they must have their reasons, but I don't know what they are."

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek will feature this year's second and third-placed Tour de France finishers, Andy and Fränk Schleck, as well as two-time Tour runner-up Andreas Klöden. Riis however does not believe that the team will be able to challenge Alberto Contador next year, and was looking forward to the coming season.

"It will be fun to beat them. That's how I see it. I still have the best man."

Mind you, the CAS may have something to say about that ....

[ldrcycles]

6) Frank to Andy: "These vertical stripes make me look bumpy"
7) "Knock knock" "who's there?" "Frandy" "Frandy who?" "Frandy wif ze masseef gunss. Mwah left gun. Mwah right gun" *flex flex "I'm so buff"
8 ) re TTing: with superhero power who needs aero? They could ride with riot sheilds strapped to their handlebars

HAAAAHAHAHA!

[MichaelB]

Stolen fron CN forums ;

Cycling Wiki Leaks: RadioShack Nissan Trek Memo to FRANDY
We received this memo via our Euro spy/fan. This is the same the man that sent us the LEOPARD TREK Hotel memo so we feel he is legit.*



Dear Frank and Andy,


I am very pleased that you will both be riding on my new team. I wanted to address a few things right away so we get off on the right foot. The goal of this team is to WIN races, we view 2nd and 3rd place as the 1st and 2nd losers. Here are a few new team rules that will go into place at the end of the 2011 season.

1. Ride together all you want in the off season, because next year you will NEVER be in the same race. I will not have either one of you looking around for the other one. Frank you should study up on Italy and Spain. Andy focus on France! During Grand tours, you are not allowed to call, Skype, or send pictures to each other.

2. We will be repossessing all but one of your bikes for the first 3 months of the off season. The only one we are leaving you is a Time Trial bike. You might remember that bike is the one with the funny looking bars that makes the "swoosh swoosh" noise when you ride it. LEARN to ride it and get faster on it! You look like two monkeys humping a futball when you ride a TT. We will fix this!

3. Andy this one is directed at you: We will have a bonfire at our training camp; bring every picture/note/piece of Best Friend stuff you have from your relationship with Alberto. To be honest, he thinks you're a fool and he makes fun of you every chance he gets. He actually referred to you as "mi perra" over race radio. (Google it - it's not kind.)

4. If you are going to do your "traditional" off season dolphin swims, make sure there is no one there to take pictures. Swimming with a porpous is completely emaskulating. Grow 2 pairs and swim with sharks if you need to get closer to nature. Don't say a word about Boonen swimming with the dolphins; he pulls more girls than most rock stars and wins cobbled classic races.

5. Scarves...lose them, ALL of them!

6. Andy this is another one for you - if you win a stage you are never allowed to "post up." It looks as though you are having a seizure and we can't use the pictures for any PR purposes.

7. We will have an in-depth class for both of you about social media and the topic of WINNING! I never want to see another Tweet like "We are ____ (fill in with words like happy, satisfied, content) to get 2nd and 3rd at ____ (fill in race/stage Amstel, the TDF, etc.)

8. Only one of you can ride in the Luxembourg championship races. You can decide between the two of you, but trying to figure out which one of you has those jerseys gives me a headache. Plus, there are only like 5 riders from your country so it doesn't matter much anyway; it's not like you're Belgian!

9. Yes, you will be riding SRAM again. Get over it; our mechanics know Say What they are doing and you will be fine.

10.Please try to pay attention when training. No music, texting, or no handed riding. I don't want to see pictures of your skinny bodies all bloody and damaged. You two look like you escaped from a prison camp half the off season.


PS: Find out when and where Johhny Hoogerland trains and ride with him!


Kindest regards,
JB

*We can not promise this is an actual memo from Johan, but it could/should be.


I especially love #2

[Daccordi Rider]

Thanks Michael B.

Assume most have seen the article on Frandy in the latest Ride, also very good. Is Andy allowed to bring his neck Massuse to the new team? Perhaps JB can get him one of those Formula 1 style head restrainers.

[MichaelB]

Thanks Michael B.

Assume most have seen the article on Frandy in the latest Ride, also very good. Is Andy allowed to bring his neck Massuse to the new team? Perhaps JB can get him one of those Formula 1 style head restrainers.

A HANS device - love it ...

[Baldy]

Interesting to see what happens at the end. Obviously Nygaard didn't do a great job .... so why have him at GE ?

Two different jobs. Maybe he makes a better press officer than general manager, I dunno. Although I think he did a fair job, not great like you say but for a first year it was ok.

What all this tells me is when Trek says jump, their associates say how high

[MichaelB]

Interesting times ahead, as RadioSchleck have still not been given WT status ....

Listing of WT teams for 2012 from CN ;

2012 WorldTour teams

AG2R La Mondiale
Astana Pro Team
BMC Racing Team
FDJ
Euskaltel – Euskadi
Garmin – Cervélo
Katusha Team
Lampre - ISD
Liquigas – Cannondale
Lotto Cycling Project
Movistar Team
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
Rabobank
Saxo Bank Sungard
Sky Procycling
Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team

Pending:

GreenEdge Cycling Team
RadioShack – Nissan

[JV911]

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek Professional Cycling Team


What a mouthful

I can imagine Phil Liggett saying it now

at least now we won't have to listen to them saying "leo-pard"