It seems to me that Disco is built to peak for TDF every year. While the riders are out in different races, and definitely will go for GC in other races. This seems to be a second priority behind TDF.
So what about next year? Do they go the traditional Euro team way and get some sprinters with a leader in each race to go for a GC spot in the majors? Or do they place someone on the mantle and keep with the same program.
I don’t think they would bring in another leader, I get the feeling that Pop will be their man. If he trains properly, I think Popo could come in and prosper under the current program. Would he mind being a one race man?
It seems to me that Disco is built to peak for TDF every year.
I respectfully have to disagree as you seem to be forgetting about ‘Il Falco’s’ win at the Giro? Personally, while I dislike many aspects of the ‘Pro Tour’ concept, I do that as a consequence, Disco still manages a podium spot at this years Vuelta!
Some crappy disco will die out & be forgotten once the fad passes. The big discoteques like Studio 54 will close or revamp to cchase the next wave of popular culture.
Some of the music called disco, however, will be recognized years later for what it was: Great soul & funk tunes (Gloria Gayners “I will survive” for example).
Unfortunenly, some of the crappy disco music will live on thru wedding receptions and timeouts at sporting events (Y.M.C.A. by the Village people, for example).
<< Unfortunenly, some of the crappy disco music will live on thru wedding receptions and timeouts at sporting events (Y.M.C.A. by the Village people, for example). >>
You say that like it’s a bad thing. It could be worse - I have 2 words for you:
The Macarena.
C’mon, lots of Disco is so bad it is good. Play That Funky Music White Boy, Brick House, Celebrate, pretty much anything by KC and the Sunshine Band, Bee Gees, etc.
So much better to dance to than a lotta the crap that’s out today. I was at a wedding recently, and even tho I hafta admit that I didn’t know many of the newer songs that got played, they just weren’t “danceable”. When the DJ played 70’s and 80’s dance music, the floor was packed.
My $ is on Disco throwing a lotta LA’s former salary at Basso. With him, Danielson, Hincapie, and Il Falcon, (plus all the others they currently have on roster) they’d have quite a versatile powerhouse team.
That’s what I am saying. Lots of it turned out to be great music in retrospect (kind of like the Schwinn Sting Ray with the banana seat and 5 speed shifter on the top tube. I rejected it as being cheesy and silly when I was 10 and it was handed down to me. Now I realize it was the coolest bike on the street).
<< According to CSC, they won’t throw it at Basso until at least '09 as he has re-singed until then >>
Well, it’s not like in professional sports that an athlete will always actually honor a contract, if they can get a better one for more $ elsewhere.
Even w/o signing Basso, Disco has a pretty good overall team coming back for next season. Probably won’t win the Tour (GH is too old, Danielson is too young, etc.), but I bet they can kick butt in the other Tours and spring classics.
My $ is on Disco throwing a lotta LA’s former salary at Basso.
Aside from Basso’s renewal with CSC, is there any reason to believe that LA will take a pay cut next year? I thought he inked a 2-year deal with a promise of one more TdF … job done.
At most jobs, when you announce you are retiring from doing said job, then your former employer stops paying your salary once you stop working.
Now - he may still continute to work for Discovery in some non-riding sort of manner, in which case, yeah, I guess they will still keep on writing him big fat checks. And he will keep on cashing them.
But, I don’t know the details of his contract w/ Disco. So, if they are paying him to ride a bike professionally (and yes, I do know he only promised them one more TdF, as you mentioned), then if he doesn’t do that for them anymore, then he is no longer abiding by the terms of the contract, and hence they don’t hafta pay him any more.
