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HuwB · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 4:36 pm Post subject: Astana Hit Rock Bottom

From elsewhere

bianchigirl · Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 4063

The jig was up when there was that announcement that had Harmon and the fanboys salivating about the identity of the new sponsors and turned out to be - a sweepstake to win a trip to see Armstrong at the Tour. It just happened to coincide with the news that the Kazakh Fed would be paying the back wages.

Factor in the news from the team at Catlonia and Horner's interview where he said he'd always been paid and that if Contador hadn't been he was sure he'd have found a new team and we're left with one conclusion - that Bruyneel has been lying and trying to leverage the PT license fraudulently.
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Cobblestones · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Ohio

My Dutch is quite rusty, but does it actually say anything new? The stuff about Contador is still in the rumor phase. The missing payments from the Kazakhs is old stuff, also the threat that the UCI might take away the license. The article doesn't mention the confusion over which Astana riders have been paid so far and which haven't.

Anyway, Astana seems to hit rock bottom. Besides lack of payments, they have nothing to show in the Giro, TdF participation in question and their best GC hope likely leaving the outfit. Sounds like it's folding any time now.

Biosphere · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 1787 Location: Midlands, UK

I think a good pointer of the current economic climate for sponsors is the fact that the Brawn F1 team having won 5 of the 6 opening races to the season still have a predominantly white car having failed to lure a title sponsor into the fold.

BG, I think people might have indulged your personal opinions on Menchov a little bit more, were you not so prone to telling us what was the only conclusion we were allowed to draw about your hated ones. Laughing

bianchigirl · Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 4063

Edited
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Biosphere · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 1787 Location: Midlands, UK

CapeRoadie · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 11:00 pm Post subject:

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Biosphere · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 1787 Location: Midlands, UK

CapeRoadie · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 12:19 am Post subject:

Just remove it, and I'll remove my comments as well. Deal?
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END THE MADNESS

I dduw bo'r diolch

"This bike is so pimp it hit your mother and all she could say was 'Thank you, sir!'".

berck · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 5:22 am Post subject:

McQuaid is quoted as saying that the 6/1 dedline has been extended, and that things are much better than they were a few weeks ago. Although, he did say that could come back later in June and pull the license.

source

Biosphere · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 1787 Location: Midlands, UK

HuwB · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:13 am Post subject:

Where did my thread go?
Amica Chips have had their licence withdrawn, by the UCI, due to lack of funds.

Classic piece of McQuaid double-talk, I thought:
"To the best of my knowledge, the bank guarantee has been repaid," he said. "As far as I am aware, everything is up to date with them. But having said that, it is still not completely clear."

So, who paid Chris Horner, I wonder and how come he was forced to wear the protest jersey?
A takeover gambit gone wrong?

Mysterion · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 506

Here is a story from a Kazakh news service interviewing Kazakh Federation VP Proskurin.
http://translate.google.com/trans...&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
It's a Google translation so a little fuzzy but it does not seem to be very optimistic. They have until June 5th to meet obligations. The state of the license will be decided June 11th.

bianchigirl · Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 4063

huwb - I had a diva strop and was going to flounce off in a flurry of sequins - thought better of it as who else will voice 'very strong opinions' around here? Laughing

Mysterion, thanks for that - seems as if the KF are ready top concede, or know that McQuaid is just itching to give the license to Bruyneel/Armstrong (what is it this time Pat? a 9 hole golf course?).
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HuwB · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 10:06 am Post subject:

kathy · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 10:17 am Post subject:

So McQuaid yet again is involved in duplicity - he can pull the rug out from under a struggling little team like Amica Chips, but when there's a threat to his bank balance, it's a different story. I wonder if JB has threatened to reveal the extent of the bribes if Pat doesn't play ball.
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Mrs John Murphy · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 11:41 am Post subject:

What is perhaps most worrying is McQuaid's attacks on Kohl's personality because he is blowing the whistle. It seems that McQuaid is becoming a staunch defender of Omerta.

Mysterion · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 506

mr shifter · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject:

Slapshot 3 · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:37 pm Post subject: