Transfer Season in Full Swing
A professional cyclist’s agent will only work one day of the Tour de France – the rest day. On Wednesday, July 21st, the temporary Tour village set up in the picturesque French town of Pau is like the stock market.
The biggest cycling race in the world is planned for before the previous year’s edition is finished. The big teams are already trying to pick their Tour leaders and strategies in 2011, and the agents are trying to seal the deal for their clients and secure their contracts.
With only four stages left out of twenty, the top contenders have effectively shown what they can offer, who among them can contend for the podium next year, and which riders are past their prime. The teams are not allowed to make any official announcements about the 2011 Tour de France until September 1st, but on the day between the two climbs of the Tourmalet, Pau is full of speculation, rumor and spin.
The Tour favorite, current 2nd place and defending champion of last year’s yellow jersey victory Alberto Contador, is among the riders with an expiring contract. Race leader Andy Schleck is off the market while he forms a new Luxembourg-based team with his brother Frank. Naturally, Contador is at the centre of the speculation. His decision will have a heavy influence on the transfer strategy for the rest of the peloton.
On the first rest day, Contador was in discussions for a contract renewal with his current team Astana, led by Alexandre Vinokourov. After the discussions reached a disagreement, bike sponsor Specialized expressed interest in taking over the funding of Bjarne Riis’ team, currently called Saxo Bank and led by Andy Schleck. The leader and the sponsor will be leaving the team at the end of the season, but Specialized, the potential new sponsor, has its sights on Contador.
Spanish cyclist Luis Leon Sanchez hasn’t been having the Tour he has hoped, but the 13th place overall rider is still a hot item on the market. Team Caisse d’Epargne looks to be disbanding at the end of the season and its top riders will be actively seeking contracts. Sanchez, who stands in fifth place in the world ranking, seems to be getting interest from Rabobank, which will hold on to Robert Gesink, but may see Denis Menchov leave for team Katusha.
The new team of the Schleck brothers threatens to take many of the most experienced riders with team Saxo Bank, who hold more loyalty to their team leaders than to the team itself and its manager Riis. Jens Voigt, Stuart O’Grady, Jakob Fuglsang, and the Sorensen brothers have all been linked to the new team.
The success of French riders, who have been taking more stage wins this year than any other, is causing some trouble for the French teams. Bbox Bouygues Telecom has had back to back stage wins by Thomas Voeckler and Pierrick Fedrigo, while Anthony Charteau is a leader in the "King of the Mountains" competition, but without a secured sponsor for the next season, the team manager fears that his riders will jump ship.
All three riders have been treated like national heroes by the local crowds, and with stage winner Sylvain Chavanel and polka-dot jersey contender Jerome Pineau already signed with team Quick Step, the remaining French performers could easily secure a deal.
RadioShack had targeted the Schleck brothers, but with them out of the picture and Armstrong retiring, there will be a lot of space to fill on the team. Levi Leipheimer, Janez Brajkovic, Chris Horner and Andreas Kloden are still signed, and the team has interest in Luis Leon Sanchez.
Team Garmin has faith in Christian Vande Velde, who crashed out of this Tour early on, and Damiano Cunego, who is sure to jump the Lampre-Farnese ship now that it’s being investigated in Italy.
Sky and BMC have the money to reshape their teams, but they have not yet formulated a new strategy in the wake of the huge letdowns by leaders Bradley Wiggins and Cadel Evans. The Tour is nearly over, but transfer season is in full swing.
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