# New US squad?!?



## beaker (Feb 2, 2005)

Anyone heard anything about a new US team forming? I was going through some transfer news on cycling4all, and they had the following note (10/15)

_Chris Baldwin (Usa) has left Navigators Insurance and has signed for the new US Pro Cycling Team. Frankie Andreu is the D.S. for this team. Antonio Cruz (Usa) = Discovery; Ivan Dominguez (Cub) and Chris Wherry (Usa) = both Health Net and Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) = Colavita have all signed for this new team. (thanks Maggie)_

Hmmm, Frankie as DS and not a word elsewhere, or did I just miss it? The sponsor? Anything?


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

beaker said:


> Anyone heard anything about a new US team forming? I was going through some transfer news on cycling4all, and they had the following note (10/15)
> 
> _Chris Baldwin (Usa) has left Navigators Insurance and has signed for the new US Pro Cycling Team. Frankie Andreu is the D.S. for this team. Antonio Cruz (Usa) = Discovery; Ivan Dominguez (Cub) and Chris Wherry (Usa) = both Health Net and Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) = Colavita have all signed for this new team. (thanks Maggie)_
> 
> Hmmm, Frankie as DS and not a word elsewhere, or did I just miss it? The sponsor? Anything?


I've heard about it, but no more than what you just reported. I don't think they have had a proper announcement yet, but it does seem like a real team.

Silas


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## surftel (Apr 18, 2005)

I have heard it is UPS, team Brown, but I may have heard incorrectly.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

velonews talked about it this week, I think. It's got a bunch of strong riders, trying to take on the health net machine for domestic-USA dominance. They say it's not gonna be like navigators or TIAA-cref, doing a lot in europe. They had a roster list; can't recall all but it looked strong.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

Cyclingnews has a report on this new team:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/oct05/oct21news2

Enjoy,

Silas


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

granny gear said:


> What level is the team going to be? D3(Continental) or D2(Pro-Continental). I heard rumors that Health Net was going D2 next season, but with losses like Ivan, Tyler, Leiswyn and Wherry, I am not sure that they will have enough talent to ride at the D2 level.
> 
> This new team appears to have some kick behind it. JJ Haedo is young and needs to go onto bigger things. I think he will cause some damage in a few years at the Pro-Tour level.


What bike manufacturer and tires are they going to use?


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

granny gear said:


> What level is the team going to be? D3(Continental) or D2(Pro-Continental). I heard rumors that Health Net was going D2 next season, but with losses like Ivan, Tyler, Leiswyn and Wherry, I am not sure that they will have enough talent to ride at the D2 level.
> 
> This new team appears to have some kick behind it. JJ Haedo is young and needs to go onto bigger things. I think he will cause some damage in a few years at the Pro-Tour level.


HN is not going D2 next year. This I know for a fact. HN also replaced who they lost with talent equally as good (can't say who as contracts are still in effect for 05). They are also changing bike sponsors.

Frankie's team does not have a title sponsor yet. The problem they will have is finding someone who is okay with the idea of being an automatic second fiddle to this whole idea of the franchise. Who, as a sponsor, would want give a million dollars to be part of a team a NOT get the title sponsors spot.
Instead of Team HealthNet ot Team JellyBelly, it's going to be "The United Pro cycling Team presented by (insert sponsor name here).
Salaries are evidently really high over at Frankie's team too. Rumor has it that Cruz is making more with then than at Disco!!


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## stewie13 (Feb 5, 2005)

granny gear said:


> I heard Snow Valley lost one, but may have gained 3 big names..


Who did Snow Valley lose and who did they gain?


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Doubting it...*



granny gear said:


> Are any american teams going from the D3 to D2 next year? I heard Snow Valley lost one, but may have gained 3 big names. What is HN riding next year? Are you allowed to say.


I'm doubting any other American teams would be going to D2 (or what used to be D2) this coming season. HN p/b Maxxis was probably the only team capable of doing it based on sponsorship money and team talent. The Navigators will probably still be the only D2 US based team. D3 teams in the US have no good reason to go D2. Most don't have any aspirations of racing in semi-large big time European races and want to concentrate on the NRC calendar in the US riding in circles in parking lot crits nationwide. Also, if you go D2, then you have to actually start paying your riders some money, and let's face it, the sponsorship dollars aren't there most of the time.


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

granny gear said:


> Are any american teams going from the D3 to D2 next year? I heard Snow Valley lost one, but may have gained 3 big names. What is HN riding next year? Are you allowed to say.


I really can't say what HN is going to be on next year as their contract with Giant doesn't expire until the end of the year. I will tell you that the sponsor will be providing framesets, shoes and kits if that narrows the field at all


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

Hmmmmm, I'll take a stab at it. Could it be Louis Garneau?


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

Mootsie said:


> Hmmmmm, I'll take a stab at it. Could it be Louis Garneau?


Nope. 

I saw one of the new framesets today. It's pretty nice looking. I thought the box was empty.
Keep the guesses coming...


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## hoovypedals (Oct 16, 2004)

*I've got a guess!!!!*

How about Cannondale? I think they are losing Lampre for next year. So they won't be in the pro peleton for the first time in years. I think they have one of the best bikes on the road ( six13 ). It has won alot of races. Just my 2 cents!!

HOOV


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## Steve-O (Jan 28, 2004)

*2 foot putt*

Framesets? Shoes? Kits? Gotta be Specialized (Do I win a prize?)


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

hoovypedals said:


> How about Cannondale? I think they are losing Lampre for next year. So they won't be in the pro peleton for the first time in years. I think they have one of the best bikes on the road ( six13 ). It has won alot of races. Just my 2 cents!!
> 
> HOOV


I can neither confirm nor deny such things...


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

Steve-O said:


> Framesets? Shoes? Kits? Gotta be Specialized (Do I win a prize?)


Cue announcer's voice... "Oh and he lips the gimme putt and loses the Open..."


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## CabDoctor (Jun 11, 2005)

Maybe it's Nashbar or Supergo LOL they have their own stuff


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## Uprwstsdr (Jul 17, 2002)

*It's TIME I took a guess.*



merckx56 said:


> Nope.
> 
> I saw one of the new framesets today. It's pretty nice looking. I thought the box was empty.
> Keep the guesses coming...



Could it be?


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

Just because the manufacturer is supplying the frameset, clothing and shoes does not mean that all of the brands are produced by that manufacturer. The could be an importer for one of the three things...

Think about who has the capacity to turn out a lot of custom painted frames in a short time, in several different iterations. Who does clothing and who does very high end road shoes...


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## bicyclenerd (Feb 16, 2005)

Look frames, Sidi shoes

veltec sports imports them...


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

bicyclenerd said:


> Look frames, Sidi shoes
> 
> veltec sports imports them...


BZZT...try again...


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## fleck (Mar 25, 2005)

GERRRR....

no one likes a tease!


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## telecaster (Feb 26, 2004)

Torelli frames/Parentini kit/Vittoria shoes?


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## peterpen (May 5, 2004)

Alabici - Nalini kit and shoes, De Rosa frames. dunno about the ability to "the capacity to turn out a lot of custom painted frames in a short time, in several different iterations" so maybe I'm wrong.

the paint thingy makes me think Seven or Serotta but those bikes are tanks.

heehee, just kidding, Ti guys...


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## peterpen (May 5, 2004)

this is kinda fun - looking at your handle, whaddabout Gita - Merckx frames, Giordana kit, Diadora shoes.

hmm, or Sinclair - Ridley, Carnac, and uh...uhh dunno about the kit. But Ridley could do the custom paint easy, that's pretty much all they really do.


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

peterpen said:


> this is kinda fun - looking at your handle, whaddabout Gita - Merckx frames, Giordana kit, Diadora shoes.
> 
> hmm, or Sinclair - Ridley, Carnac, and uh...uhh dunno about the kit. But Ridley could do the custom paint easy, that's pretty much all they really do.


I'll give you a hint. Gita doesn't do Diadora anymore, someone else will be importing them from now on...


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## bicyclenerd (Feb 16, 2005)

My last bet...

Cannondale, Diadora, and Sugoi... I think they all are in cahoots now. I could be wrong. I love my Diadora Pro Racer's and the top of line Cannondale are real nice. I am not a C'dale fan, but that bike looks nice. I have had some Sugoi stuff in the past and that works well. So, if it is the threesome than the new US squard will be very well equipped


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## peterpen (May 5, 2004)

I'm also going with C-dale and Diadora. Note that the C-dale suggestion is the only one Merckx56 doesn't actually say no to. Also, although Gita is still listed by Diadora as a Us distributor on their website, the other outlet listed is... Cannondale.

On such matter, I wonder why Specialized doesn't pick up a higher profile domestic squad? Or maybe they'll supply Andreu's new gang?


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## hoovypedals (Oct 16, 2004)

*Yeah!!*

Hey I put in the Canondale guess first!!! Do I get the prize!!!! 
And buy the way I DO LIKE Cannondale!!!
HOOVY


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## johngfoster (Jan 14, 2005)

*Trek?*



merckx56 said:


> I really can't say what HN is going to be on next year as their contract with Giant doesn't expire until the end of the year. I will tell you that the sponsor will be providing framesets, shoes and kits if that narrows the field at all


I don't know why they would do this, but they do put out a lot of custom-painted frames. Don't know about the importing--Nike?


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

peterpen said:


> I'm also going with C-dale and Diadora. Note that the C-dale suggestion is the only one Merckx56 doesn't actually say no to. Also, although Gita is still listed by Diadora as a Us distributor on their website, the other outlet listed is... Cannondale.
> 
> On such matter, I wonder why Specialized doesn't pick up a higher profile domestic squad? Or maybe they'll supply Andreu's new gang?


You and hoovy left out clothing which will be Sugoi and Not Cannondale house brand stuff.


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## merckx56 (Aug 16, 2004)

teoteoteo said:


> You and hoovy left out clothing which will be Sugoi and Not Cannondale house brand stuff.


Not Sugoi...


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