So what now for Cadel ?

[MichaelB]

It's great that Cadel did so well, would have been great to win, but to get 2nd place in such a race and without injuries is a feat in itself.

Well done !!!!

I guess he can command more money and hopefully he can do even better next year.

What team will he be riding with ?
When will his next victory be ?
Can we get a good team of just Aussies in the Pro-Tour ?

It was great to see the tour as a bike rider (drug taint aside) and I am still blown away by the speed and endurance of these guys. Makes me marvel repeatedly at what can be done !!

Ozzie, Ozzie, Oi, Oi , Oi ! !!!!

[sogood]

Based on the latest interviews, both he and Predictor-Lotto are talking about working on a win for next year. I wonder if Predictor-Lotto would refocus the team structure from McEwen centric to one that supports Evans better.

I note that Predictor-Lotto has an annual budget of 6M Euro compared with T-Mobile's 15M Euro. Discovery is on 9M IIRC.

[mikesbytes]

I note that Predictor-Lotto has an annual budget of 6M Euro compared with T-Mobile's 15M Euro. Discovery is on 9M IIRC.

In stark contrast to Tour de Mike who has an annual budget of AU$1,000

[moosterbounce]

Maybe he has decided that this racing thing is for mugs and will spend some time cycle touring with Kev

Imagine how the press would react to that one

Imagine how Kev would react to that one

[LuckyPierre]

I think that a 'Cadel-centric' team would have to be on the cards. He's managed 3 top-10 finishes without being the team leader, so hopefully he'll get the recognition and have a team working for him next time.

[Kalgrm]

Go back to MTB riding?

If they don't make him leader next year, he'd be well advised to find another team. Surely he's raised the profile of the team enough (and that of the sponsor's) that he should be recognised and rewarded for his consistent performance.

Cheers,
Graeme

[sogood]

I think that a 'Cadel-centric' team would have to be on the cards. He's managed 3 top-10 finishes without being the team leader, so hopefully he'll get the recognition and have a team working for him next time.

At the same time, it's hard to just create a team out of nothing. He might be happy with the Predictor-Lotto environment. At the end of the day, it's a professional job with "company" hierachy.

[Kalgrm]

But who wants to work in a comapny where they don't recognise performance with promotion?

[sogood]

But who wants to work in a comapny where they don't recognise performance with promotion?

I don't think that's the case. He has progressed under the Davitamon-Lotto and now Predictor-Lotto umbrella. The bond b/n him and McEwen seemed to be pretty strong too. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what eventuates.

[mikesbytes]

There's more to it than just ability. Like in other sports, your ability to bring in sponsorship comes into play.

[Kalgrm]

There's more to it than just ability. Like in other sports, your ability to bring in sponsorship comes into play.

Too true. I guess standing on the podium counts?

[europa]

Given a choice between having Cadel as your leader or Robbie, who'd you choose? Given they're different types of riders, I can understand the temptation to try to service both of them.

Richard

[sogood]

Well, many teams have managed to have sprinters co-exist with riders of other specialty. I think Predictor-Lotto has enough resources to do that.

In terms of pulling in top dollars, Evans is in the perfect position to pull in "clean" sponsor dollars. The comment Boonen made of him was most complimentary.

[Halfanewb]

Its was only today i discovered that it has been a long time since i had a boyhood hero but over the course of the tour as a spectator i got to know some of the riders.

I didn't connect with many of the riders featured on the coverage, but with Cadel it was different. His interviews on stages 18 and 19 revealed a soft spoken quiet achiever who doesn't talk a "big ride", yet coverage of those stages showed he has a gritty determination, a iron will and the ability to handle the pressure at the pinnacle of his sport.

Favourite part of the coverage - the sight and sound of the peloton going past fast!
stage 20 was a a great show for Team discovery who found themselves with many highly placed riders in the GC and the current american champion parading down the "champs" like a victorious roman officers entering Rome.

Not to mention Lance in car on the radio (who would have been really stoked with the result)

Fingers crossed next time we see Cadel on the tour he may be sporting a similar entourage.

I wonder how seriously calls for a re-assessment of the stages are being taken? ideas such as only 1 unclassified climb* and maximum stage lengths of 175klm are being talked about.

I agree with this as shorter stages would make it more a spectators sport rather than a marathon for the viewer, and the riders can turn up the heat and we might see a bit more attacking action during the course of the race. The riders themselves will be happy as they can expend more energy in bursts of wild abandon instead of conservative riding.



*-edit - a maximum of 1 unclassified climb per stage in the mountains

[tallywhacker]

Go back to MTB riding?

If they don't make him leader next year, he'd be well advised to find another team. Surely he's raised the profile of the team enough (and that of the sponsor's) that he should be recognised and rewarded for his consistent performance.

Cheers,
Graeme

but he is the team leader according to the PL team details on the Le Tour website http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/COURSE/docs/PRL_us.pdf

[mikesbytes]

His closing comment on SBS tonight about what they needed to win was;

"A strong rider to chase breaks over the Pyrenees"

[LuckyPierre]

...but he is the team leader according to the PL team details on the Le Tour website ...

So he is. For some reason, I thought that 'our Mick' as we Canberrans like to call him was the only Aussie team leader - sorry, Cadel.
Let's hope that the team finds that 'strong climber' for next year.

[tallywhacker]

he needs a couple of good climbers that can stick with hime to do what Dekker, Menchov and Boogerd did for Rasmussen