# Levi sounds lukewarm on Team TandyShack



## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/leipheimer-discusses-team-radioshack-recovery-from-tour-crash

Maybe he's sick of Lance barking at him to pull up front and he wants to be his own man again. Good for him.


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## rt1965 (Mar 9, 2009)

Not sure how you can gauge anything from that article. If I'm not mistaken, I think that the rules state that announcements of who will ride for who can't be announced until after the season is over.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

rt1965 said:


> Not sure how you can gauge anything from that article. If I'm not mistaken, I think that the rules state that announcements of who will ride for who can't be announced until after the season is over.


Bingo. You're right. There is such a UCI rule. Plus the last thing Levi wants to do is give Vino his Astana cronies the basis to bring a tortious interference-type claim against the new RadioShack team management for trying to poach a rider that is under contract through 2010 with Astana in violation of the UCI rule.

I think Levi is prudent for being measured in his responses. Absolutely nothing to read into it. If anything, Levi and Lance got along quite well this season.

Next thread.


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## ProRoad (Oct 13, 2008)

Sept 1st is the deadline, so we will have to wait one month and then we get an explosion of transfers.


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

It works out for Levi to join in. Tour of California will be dead without Lance re-entering, who wont enter to win (he knows its a worthless race) but will support Levi all the way through. In turn, Levi supports Lance on the bigger races.


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## gregario (Nov 19, 2001)

I wonder what the heck he meant when he said "it really isn't up to me". If it's not up to him whose decision is it??


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

ProRoad said:


> Sept 1st is the deadline, so we will have to wait one month and then we get an explosion of transfers.


That's what I remember too...


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## SwiftSolo (Jun 7, 2008)

Read this! ==============================,================!!!! I think that pretty much sums it up the entire matter.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

DZfan14 said:


> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/leipheimer-discusses-team-radioshack-recovery-from-tour-crash
> 
> Maybe he's sick of Lance barking at him to pull up front and he wants to be his own man again. Good for him.


Levi quote-"I have had a great time with Lance this year."
If you're conjecture is correct, then he's a disingenuous, hypocritical liar. Why do you hate Levi?


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## stbarsh (Jul 7, 2009)

Don't Lance and Levi regularly train together?


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

ProRoad has it right. No public discussion can take place until September 1. Teams are also obligated to negotiate with a riders's current contract holder to obtain permission to talk to the rider.

JSR


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## rt1965 (Mar 9, 2009)

Levi, stayed at Lances house while they trained in Aspen prior to the tour. I think they get along just fine. Levi saying it really isn't up to him would make it sound like he wants to be part of the team but has to get an actual job offer. I think you'll see Levi, and Horner on the team. Since Johan is the current contract holder, I doubt that there have been any obstacles in negotiations.


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## El Caballito (Oct 31, 2004)

Team Caddyshack is looking for a few good yes men...


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## ProRoad (Oct 13, 2008)

JSR said:


> ProRoad has it right. No public discussion can take place until September 1. Teams are also obligated to negotiate with a riders's current contract holder to obtain permission to talk to the rider.
> 
> JSR


Yeay! Finally I win, thanks JSR....


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## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

Jesse D Smith said:


> Levi quote-"I have had a great time with Lance this year."
> If you're conjecture is correct, then he's a disingenuous, hypocritical liar. Why do you hate Levi?



Talk about being disingenuous. Nice selective editing on your part. Do you work for FOX News too?

Here's the entire quote:

"I have had a great time with Lance this year. As you know, I have been with Johan for three years and I have had the best years of my career.* I am not saying that I would definitely not go there.*"

That's the very definition of lukewarm. I hope Levi is considering all of his options.


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## culdeus (May 5, 2005)

No way he has anything left to be his own man. He got shelled in the Giro by second tier riders. Maybe he wants his own team to win the ToC, but that's the only thing he has a shot at anymore.


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

DZfan14 said:


> Talk about being disingenuous. Nice selective editing on your part. Do you work for FOX News too?
> 
> Here's the entire quote:
> 
> ...


That selective editing and conjecture is miniscule compared to your first post.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Man, you guys are parsing his comments in way too much detail. He has to be circumspect because he's not allowed to comment on any potential moves. He's not particularly good at using weasel words. Not bad, but just not great.

It's clear that he'd like to go with RadioShack. He's a first-tier rider who should command a high salary. He's also a veteran who knows a deal is not a deal until it's signed. Give it a month and all will be clear.

JSR


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Most of this stuff will become clear by Sept 2nd. . . 

Bigger question is how many teams are going to fold up shop, opening up some very talented riders to move around.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

The Giro was not won by second tier riders. 
Levi is being measured in his statements because of UCI regs and who says what they're going to do BEFORE you actually negotiate a contract? Levi will be highly sought after by more than one squad.


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

jhamlin38 said:


> The Giro was not won by second tier riders.
> Levi is being measured in his statements because of UCI regs and who says what they're going to do BEFORE you actually negotiate a contract? Levi will be highly sought after by more than one squad.


Correct. The first tier riders were up the road. The second tier riders were behind, from this group Levi was dropped.


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## JohnHemlock (Jul 15, 2006)

culdeus said:


> No way he has anything left to be his own man. He got shelled in the Giro by second tier riders. Maybe he wants his own team to win the ToC, but that's the only thing he has a shot at anymore.


Am I the only one here who doesn't have an opinion on whether this rider is shot or that rider sucks,etc, etc. Just curious, maybe I am in the minority for not having any opinion on Lance or AC or Bruyneel or Levi or etc etc etc.


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## gegarrenton (Jul 10, 2009)

JohnHemlock said:


> Am I the only one here who doesn't have an opinion on whether this rider is shot or that rider sucks,etc, etc. Just curious, maybe I am in the minority for not having any opinion on Lance or AC or Bruyneel or Levi or etc etc etc.


Welcome to the (tiny) club my friend. And be prepared to be accused of being a shill for all the above riders as well.


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

Spunout said:


> Correct. The first tier riders were up the road. The second tier riders were behind, from this group Levi was dropped.


One of those being diluca.:thumbsup:


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

I suspect Levi will go with Lance and Team Radio Shanty...but wonder if he shouldn't wait out a better offer from a team that will treat him like a GC contender and not just a truck to pull Lance up front?


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## desmo13 (Jun 28, 2006)

moabbiker said:


> It works out for Levi to join in. Tour of California will be dead without Lance re-entering, who wont enter to win (he knows its a worthless race) but will support Levi all the way through. In turn, Levi supports Lance on the bigger races.



the ToC was far from dead the 3 years prior to Lance being in it. And will be fine with or without Lance. And how do you define a worthless race?


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

I think it is detrimental to the sport to consider that one personage is bigger than the sport itself, or 'makes' a race.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

moabbiker said:


> It works out for Levi to join in. Tour of California will be dead without Lance re-entering, who wont enter to win (he knows its a worthless race) but will support Levi all the way through. In turn, Levi supports Lance on the bigger races.


Dead? Really? you mean dead as in a rose bowl area packed with people in the rain last year? 
If it dies it's because of a change of month for the race.


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## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

desmo13 said:


> the ToC was far from dead the 3 years prior to Lance being in it. And will be fine with or without Lance. And how do you define a worthless race?


Agree with you 100% on this. The ToC was prominent without Lance to begin with and it seems to be resilient enough given the adverse weather the Californians put up with.

Missouri seems to be strong as well, they've run two good races sans Lance and they probably won't get him there this year either.


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## Silver222 (Aug 5, 2004)

Yeah, Levi has tons of success when he's his own man...

Nobody attacks like Leipheimer!


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Silver222 said:


> Yeah, Levi has tons of success when he's his own man...
> 
> Nobody attacks like Leipheimer!


He attacks at the Tour of California. It was a pretty sweet one this year.

Maybe he group up more since Gerolsteiner?


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## Infini (Apr 21, 2003)

JSR said:


> ProRoad has it right. No public discussion can take place until September 1. Teams are also obligated to negotiate with a riders's current contract holder to obtain permission to talk to the rider.
> 
> JSR



What about the Lance / Radio-shack announcements?


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Hmm, I'm not sure this was envisioned in the rules. 
"I'm going to start a new team." Clearly allowed. 
"I'm going to negotate with myself to be on the team." Grey area.

JSR


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