This is actually not a big surprise. I mean LAnce and Johan will build the team with multi options vecause at 38 and then close to 39 it will be tough to put all your hopes on just Lance. I agree that the goal was not only the podium but the top 4 and Contador broke the plan. It’s understandable. The team staff have ben employed by Lance/Johan/Capito; Sports for years and into the future so Alberto probably got freaked out a bit. With the technology based team Lance has around him schleck will improve add that to potential blunders by Contador and this years race was even. I do not think that they will go into the tour without one option and the leader strategically isn’t always the guy who wins for the team.
Saxo Bank is one of the top teams, so it is unlikely Radio Shack would have any technical or other equipment related expertise/advantages to offer over what he is already being provided.
Andy is better off staying at Saxo where he has the strongest helper in the mountains in the form of brother Frank, has other good climbers like the Sorensons, and diesels for the flat stages and lower slopes of the major climbs in the form of Jens, Stuey, Cancellara and Arveson. Add in some of their other young up-and-comers like Breschel and Fugelsang, and it is hard to not like the composition of the team Saxo already has.
Remember, for the past two tours Saxo is one of only a handful of teams that could control the peloton.