# Millar, Zabriskie, and Vandevelde



## physasst (Oct 1, 2005)

To join Team Slipstream....things are getting interesting, with this move, they might be in the tour next year...

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=afp-cyclingfratourmillar&prov=afp&type=lgns


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

physasst said:


> To join Team Slipstream....things are getting interesting, with this move, they might be in the tour next year...
> 
> http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=afp-cyclingfratourmillar&prov=afp&type=lgns



Even if Hincapie goes, who is their tour contender?

Maybe Tommy D?


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

I'd love to see a clean team light it up in the transitional stages.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Tommy D? SRSLY? Maybe Vandevelde....


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

bas said:


> Even if Hincapie goes, who is their tour contender?
> 
> Maybe Tommy D?


They can go for stages and breaks. Will they get a sprinter for sprints? Think Barloworld.

I think the biggest draw for the ASO is Slipstream's anti doping stance and protocols. If the ASO wins their pissing match with the UCI and can invite whom then please, the ASO can send a message by inviting teams like Slipstream. Basically, ASO saying they are for the fight against doping.


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## justinb (Nov 20, 2006)

Gripped said:


> They can go for stages and breaks. Will they get a sprinter for sprints? Think Barloworld.



Vaughters has stated that they have a recent Paris-Roubaix winner on the way... 

So that would be one of the following.

2007 Stuart O'Grady
2006 Fabian Cancellara
2005 Tom Boonen
2004 Magnus Backstedt
2003 Peter Van Petegem

Don't know what Stuey's prognosis is for racing in 08.
Not sure about Fabian.
Boonen is a Belgian star on a Belgian team, not likely to change. 
Magnus is a good bet.
Van P is probably too old (38 next year). 

Perhaps a hypothetical tour team would be set up to give Backstedt a chance at green, and hunt for stage wins in the TT.


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## jahona (Aug 23, 2005)

Hasn't the big Swede spoken out against doping in the past? That could mean a possible connection to Slipstream...maybe. I know he's also basically a Brit - friends with Millar possibly??? If the PR recent winner thing is true, its gotta be him or Stuey.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Its Maggie.


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## Old_school_nik (May 21, 2002)

*It's Backsteadt I believe.*

They don't need an overall GC contender to get a TDF birth. With Miller and Zabriske you have 2 world class ITT's and TDF stage winners. Throw Vande Velde and maybe one other big name like Hincapie (another TDF stage winner and fan favorite) and there is your birth.

The ASO maybe be a bunch of snobs who are great at playing politics without regard for who they hurt - (Unibet.com anyone?) but they aren't totally stupid. With only one US team all these years Disco is one failed test away from being out of the TDF. Just in the name of diversification, the ASO will want a second American team in the TDF so they can keep the US audience strong. Getting slipstream in there will do just that.

Nik


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

On paper, I'm really starting to warm up to Team Slipstream. I just hope that no doping controversies come from them. Talk about ruining any existing good faith in clean cycling...


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## bonkmiester (Sep 23, 2005)

32and3cross said:


> Its Maggie.


... when does the story break...


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

This team's going to be awesome if there's a team time trial next year.


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

bas said:


> Even if Hincapie goes, who is their tour contender?
> 
> Maybe Tommy D?


HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Man, I almost fell off my chair with that one. That's a knee slapper right there. Tour contender? Not in this lifetime Tommy D isn't.


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

Having good riders and results will not guarantee making the TDF. The Mercury team found that out.


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*But...*



MikeBiker said:


> Having good riders and results will not guarantee making the TDF. The Mercury team found that out.


But having an ardently anti doping regime in place, WILL get them a place in the Tour. Vaughters I think, knows what he's doing. He's already been playing cozy with the ASO, they'll get into the Tour next year. And Paris Roubaix (since ASO owns that race as well). Vaughters is working it well I think.

And even if there IS a doping positive on his team, more than likely, they'll catch it internally with all of the testing that they're doing.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

Next year, ASO isn't going to give a crap about the ProTour for any of their events or teams with results. They're going to invite teams that have strong anti-doping measures in place. So, yes, Slipstream, T-Mobile, etc. would be shoe-ins.

There is a real war going on now in cycling -- we are witnessing history . . .


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## JohnnyChance (Dec 13, 2006)

Einstruzende said:


> On paper, I'm really starting to warm up to Team Slipstream. I just hope that no doping controversies come from them. Talk about ruining any existing good faith in clean cycling...



if they want a GC contendor, they should go after your boy klodi. if he really is clean like he claims, and since he is so paranoid about testing positive that he might retire, and since astana might be defunct in a couple months, slipstream would be a good place for him to prove hes not doping.

i like kloden too, and i wish he is clean, and obviously im just speculating, but i think it would be a good place for a new start for him.


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## Kris Flatlander (Sep 9, 2006)

Millar and Maggy definitely go together in this one. I believe Millar was quoted as saying he wanted to punch a doper in the face, and Maggy expressed the same sentiments on his blog. Like two anti-doping peas in a pod I tells ya. This team could be made even better if they snag some of Barloworld's crop of riders (Soler, Hunter). The main gaps I see for them would be a sprinter and a true climber. Maybe they could usher Ryder Hesjadl back over to Europe, he had an excellent Tour de Suisse (or was it Romandie?) last year before he had to come back to the continental teams. Horner would make a great climber for them and I think his contract with Predictor is up at the end of the year isn't it? Another idea for sprinter could be Mark Cavendish he's still really young and developing and it might be a bit difficult for T-Mobile to hang on to Cavendish and Ciolek without the two possibly butting heads (and paycheques?). The Hincapie rumours I think may be a little out there, but he'd be an awesome classics threat. All ideas but Slipstream is going to be fun to watch next year.


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## Tugboat (Jul 17, 2006)

Who's the as yet unnamed Paris Roubaix winner Vaughters claims to have signed?

O'Grady? My money is on Van Petergem though.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Tugboat said:


> Who's the as yet unnamed Paris Roubaix winner Vaughters claims to have signed?
> 
> O'Grady? My money is on Van Petergem though.


Can't be PVP. Who would care? 

Backstedt seems the most logical as he has potential and has been vocal about doping issues.

As for Kloden, yes I'm a fan of his, but I have to take his performances with a grain of salt. Just look at the teams he has been on, and which teammates have been implicated or busted for doping. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, ...


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

I'd love to see Kloden on the team. And maybe add Freddie HotRodriguez to the sprint mix, and you'd have a dern fine team to watch. They'd have a huge fan base from day 1.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*Flight from Continental Racing?*



JohnnyChance said:


> if they want a GC contendor, they should go after your boy klodi. if he really is clean like he claims, and since he is so paranoid about testing positive that he might retire, and since astana might be defunct in a couple months, slipstream would be a good place for him to prove hes not doping.
> 
> i like kloden too, and i wish he is clean, and obviously im just speculating, but i think it would be a good place for a new start for him.


This could be a trend as racers want to "get the hell outa Dodge". Kloden's fear that his food could be tampered with is a justifiable fear. We might see the sponsors want to focus on getting off the continent as well.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*Soler has re-upped with Barloworld.*



Kris Flatlander said:


> (Soler, Hunter). .


and I believe Hunter has another year on his contract.


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

Here is the million dollar slipstream question... What if Landis is cleared.... Local boy, GC contender...available to sign a contract...good friends with Z,

Would you sign him?


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## WeakMite (Feb 20, 2005)

*Demol?*

Did they say that the Paris-Roubaix winner was signed as a rider? 

I was just thinking... no offence to the capabilities of Vaughters, but the team could probably use some more experience in terms of DS's. So I wondering if they might have possibly signed Dirk Demol? (he won it in '88) He's been with Postal/Disco for a long time, maybe he's interested in some accomplishments where he's not just another name under Bruyneel.


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## bonkmiester (Sep 23, 2005)

desmo13 said:


> Here is the million dollar slipstream question... What if Landis is cleared.... Local boy, GC contender...available to sign a contract...good friends with Z,
> 
> Would you sign him?



...Phloyd on "_The_ Anti-Doping Team"...????....no freakin way...


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

Not so much of a stretch, after all, Millar is signed.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

I don't think they're saving a spot for when Floyd fesses up. Unless it's in hell, which happens to be frozen over...


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## WeakMite (Feb 20, 2005)

yep... Millar admitted, Floyd is still fighting (though presumed innocent?).
;-)


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## bikerjones (Mar 25, 2006)

Floyd would be my first choice.


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## enemyte (Jan 31, 2006)

*i will go for maggie*



jahona said:


> Hasn't the big Swede spoken out against doping in the past? That could mean a possible connection to Slipstream...maybe. I know he's also basically a Brit - friends with Millar possibly??? If the PR recent winner thing is true, its gotta be him or Stuey.



Maggie was also devastated to miss out on the tour team (he said so on the eurosport pre-TdF stage commentary) despite having his best form in 3 years, and winning the Swedish national champs on his own (he is the only Swede on the Liquigas team) :thumbsup:


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Lets just think about this a while. Why the f$ck would a team that hails itself as "clean" and has hired some strong anti-dope riders and has a strict internal anti-doping policy hire (possibly) the only rider to be ever stripped of his yellow jersey title and is STILL entangled in doping accusations for their team?


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

Kram59 said:


> Lets just think about this a while. Why the f$ck would a team that hails itself as "clean" and has hired some strong anti-dope riders and has a strict internal anti-doping policy hire (possibly) the only rider to be ever stripped of his yellow jersey title and is STILL entangled in doping accusations for their team?


No good reason at all, but let's say, he is CLEARED of doping charges (I put it in caps, because you seem to have missed that word the in my first post) 

Or, are you one of those people who will think he is guilty, even if he is found not-guilty? Will he be tainted forever?


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

I woul LOVE for him to be cleared, but I doubt he will be.....


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## justinb (Nov 20, 2006)

enemyte said:


> Maggie was also devastated to miss out on the tour team (he said so on the eurosport pre-TdF stage commentary) despite having his best form in 3 years, and winning the Swedish national champs on his own (he is the only Swede on the Liquigas team) :thumbsup:


Slight bit of thread drift--

In the results for the Swedish Championships, Maggie is listed as riding for someone not Liquigas:

1 Magnus Bäckstedt (Kopparbergs CK) 4.44.24
2 Johan Landström (CK Cykelcity.se) 0.28
3 Gustav Larsson (Skoghalls CK - Ha) 0.31
4 Christofer Stevenson (Cyclecomponents.c) 1.48
5 Marcus Ljungqvist (Falu CK) 
6 Nicklas Axelsson (CK ECI Champion) 1.50
7 Petter Renäng (CK Cykelcity.se) 

(from cyclingnews). 

Still, he did win it on his own, as I can find no other rider from Kopparbergs CK listed in the results. 

Is this just a Swedish Federation thing? Gotta ride for a Swedish club to participate? Whatever the case, he is on great form, and would be a fantastic get for Slipstream.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

justinb said:


> Slight bit of thread drift--
> 
> In the results for the Swedish Championships, Maggie is listed as riding for someone not Liquigas:
> 
> ...


I think that is the case. Ljungqvist is another protour rider and is on a club team for the championships as well.

For some reason I think Thor Hushovd did a similar thing to win his Norwegian championship a couple seasons ago.


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## cadence90 (Sep 12, 2004)

SilasCL said:


> I think that is the case. Ljungqvist is another protour rider and is on a club team for the championships as well.
> 
> For some reason I think Thor Hushovd did a similar thing to win his Norwegian championship a couple seasons ago.


Interesting.
I guess it is true that they have to be registered on a national club in order to compete.
I just saw that the young Francaise des Jeux rider Thomas Lövkvist rode for CK Cykelcity.se in the Swedish Nats.
You're right Silas: I looked and Hushovd/Arvesen/etc. are listed under Norwegian teams.

I know that in Italy though the riders ride for their ProTour team, regardless of what country the team itself is based in (i.e. Visconti/Quikstep).


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

For whatever reason, a few of the countries with less of a tradition in pro cycling seem to go by this method.

Italy, Belgium, France, Australia, US, etc. all have the normal trade teams.


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## maddog (Feb 26, 2004)

WeakMite said:


> Did they say that the Paris-Roubaix winner was signed as a rider?
> 
> I was just thinking... no offence to the capabilities of Vaughters, but the team could probably use some more experience in terms of DS's. So I wondering if they might have possibly signed Dirk Demol? (he won it in '88) He's been with Postal/Disco for a long time, maybe he's interested in some accomplishments where he's not just another name under Bruyneel.



My guess is that the negotiations Slipstream are having with Axel Merckx are for a director position, not to ride.


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## bonkmiester (Sep 23, 2005)

maddog said:


> My guess is that the negotiations Slipstream are having with Axel Merckx are for a director position, not to ride.


..because he is retiring, no?

..but Axel is linked to Ferrari...

that would not be a good move for Slipstream right now...


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## kyler2001 (Sep 8, 2005)

bonkmiester said:


> ... when does the story break...


Vaughters said on Eurosport that he could not release the names of riders who did not give permission to release untill September.


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## bonkmiester (Sep 23, 2005)

kyler2001 said:


> Vaughters said on Eurosport that he could not release the names of riders who did not give permission to release untill September.


..that's a clue....

doesn't Axel retire effective Sept [before teh Vuelta?]


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## rideorglide (Dec 3, 2005)

*Great riders, pity about the team kit!*

Doggone, half my favorite riders there, Millar Zabriskie and maybe Hincapie.

Wish I could say I liked their kit but it makes me want to barf. (Almost like seeing below-the-knee wool socks in birkenstocks on a mountain bike.)

Argyle, well maybe it's hip now, but it was the kind of clothing pattern that was forced on me as a kid sometimes, and later in life, by way of gifts of socks, hand-me-down socks, socks and more socks. Maybe it was my own bad karma that brought on me gifts of tight-fitting, and sometimes even Christmasy-colored Argyle socks. (Yes I did use 'em from time to time, hoping it would in some way placate the deity of Argyle socks, but it didn't)

Good thing I'm not into fast food, cos I wouldn;t be able to eat a chipotle burrito without thinking of old socks in my sock drawer. Argyle Sock Burritos. 

Urrggghhrurrggle!

Please change the team kit already.

(Apols in advance to ye Argyle sock lovers. If y'alls want I could ebay them -- all sizes and lengths, wool, cotton, etc for little more than the customary shipping handling and processing charges!)


EDIT:

I dunno, maybe it's like cauliflower, and eventually I'll end up 'actually' liking it. Maybe even wearing it...and I'll regret all this.

Now let me go see if I still have those blueish-colored Argyle sox...


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

il sogno said:


> This team's going to be awesome if there's a team time trial next year.


Disco has a good team as well.

CSC would be good too actually but yeah, it would be a nice fight at the Eindhoven TTT perhaps and the TdF if there was one.


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## bonkmiester (Sep 23, 2005)

rideorglide said:


> Doggone, half my favorite riders there, Millar Zabriskie and maybe Hincapie.
> 
> Wish I could say I liked their kit but it makes me want to barf. (Almost like seeing below-the-knee wool *socks* in birkenstocks on a mountain bike.)
> 
> ...


...guess you go barefoot these days...


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## Tugboat (Jul 17, 2006)

Kris Flatlander said:


> ...gaps I see for them would be a sprinter and a true climber. Maybe they could usher Ryder Hesjadl back over to Europe, he had an excellent Tour de Suisse (or was it Romandie?) last year before he had to come back to the continental teams. Horner would make a great climber for them and I think his contract with Predictor is up at the end of the year isn't it? Another idea for sprinter could be Mark Cavendish he's still really young and developing and it might be a bit difficult for T-Mobile to hang on to Cavendish and Ciolek without the two possibly butting heads (and paycheques?). The Hincapie rumours I think may be a little out there, but he'd be an awesome classics threat. All ideas but Slipstream is going to be fun to watch next year.


Kiwi sprinter and current national road champion Julian Dean has announced on his website that he is leaving Credit Agricole to join Slipstream next year. He's a pretty sharp sprinter as those who have seen his leadouts for Thor Hushovd would know.


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## jahona (Aug 23, 2005)

And Backstedt it is according to cyclingnews:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/aug07/aug08news


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## Kris Flatlander (Sep 9, 2006)

jahona said:


> And Backstedt it is according to cyclingnews:
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/aug07/aug08news


Called it


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## rideorglide (Dec 3, 2005)

bonkmiester said:


> ...guess you go barefoot these days...


Finally a buyer for my argyle sox. I send you nice picture.
Snap em up before Hincapie, Millar, Zabriskie, Backstedt, Dean, et al. all come calling ... ;-}


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