Tour Wild Cards

If Mario doesn't get invited while wearing the rainbow jersey we can clearly see that Leblanc
doesn't see further that the tip of his nose!

It will be another Tour without the most impressive, outspoken, flashy etc... cyclist...

Crystal

"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Leblanc is early this year... CA, fdjeux, QuickStep, Saeco.

Cipo's attitude hasn't been forgotten.

In article said:

If Mario doesn't get invited while wearing the rainbow jersey we can clearly see that Leblanc
doesn't see further that the tip of his nose!

It will be another Tour without the most impressive, outspoken, flashy etc... cyclist...

Crystal

"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Leblanc is early this year... CA, fdjeux, QuickStep, Saeco.

Cipo's attitude hasn't been forgotten.

Did you guys actually read Leblanc's comments or just guessing things from the list of
invited teams?

----

in french: fr.sports.yahoo.com2zrmz.htmlOpen ↗

Babel fish english version:

The new formation of Cipollini (Vacanze Dominated) does not appear in the list of the first four
invitations decided by Jean-Marie Leblanc, director of the Turn, and its collaborators. Two French
teams, Agricultural credit and fdjeux.com, the Belgian team Quick Step and the Italian formation
Saeco happy were elected ASO (Amaury Sport Organization), the organizing company. "We have a
prejudice favorable for Cipollini", declared with the AFP Jean-Marie Leblanc. "But it should be seen
how behaves its team which did not have the occasion yet to run. If it is Cipollini of the season
spent, it has a good luck to be retained ".

---

Leblanc was definitely not saying that he had a "favorable prejudice" for Cipolini last year when
the SdT decided not to invite Saeco.

jyh.

--
=====================================================================
jean-yves herve' /\ Department of Computer Science \/ e-mail --> [email hidden] and Statistics /\
University of Rhode Island \/ Tel. --> (401) 874-4400 Kingston, RI 02881-0816 /\ Fax. --> (401)
874-4617 USA \/
=====================================================================

If the sponsors of the Tour have a clue, and I'm sure that they must, they will pressure LeBlanc to include Mario's team. Even if he drops out when the road heads up, the dramatics in the first week are worth the invite.

Heck, his prologue skinsuit alone would make the invite worth it. And as for the chance that his team will be non-existant in the mountains: LOTS of teams are non-existant in the mountains every year.

"jean-yves hervé" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Leblanc is early this year... CA, fdjeux, QuickStep, Saeco.

Cipo's attitude hasn't been forgotten.

Did you guys actually read Leblanc's comments or just guessing things from the list of
invited teams?

What's interesting (besides that I called this a couple of weeks ago) is that LeBlanc's reason for
not inviting Cipollini is that Domina Vacanze hasn't raced yet. Well, last time I looked, neither
had QuickStep.

Bart, as usual, is right.

In article <[email hidden]>, "Robert Chung"

Quoted message said:

What's interesting (besides that I called this a couple of weeks ago) is that LeBlanc's reason for
not inviting Cipollini is that Domina Vacanze hasn't raced yet. Well, last time I looked, neither
had QuickStep.

Bart, as usual, is right.

Let's put it this way: Nobody knows what is Cipo's state of mind this season. After all, the guy has
reached last year his two main career goals: MSR and the Worlds. If Cipo starts the season showing
he is his old self, then his team should definitely be in. If he seems to be crusing, on phased
retirement mode, then frankly it would be a BigMat-level mistake to invite Domina Vacanze. The SdT
has made lots of mistakes in the past (for example not inviting Team Coast last year), but frankly
on this one I think they are making the right decision so far.

jyh.

--
=====================================================================
jean-yves herve' /\ Department of Computer Science \/ e-mail --> [email hidden] and Statistics /\
University of Rhode Island \/ Tel. --> (401) 874-4400 Kingston, RI 02881-0816 /\ Fax. --> (401)
874-4617 USA \/
=====================================================================

"jean-yves hervé" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The SdT has made lots of mistakes in the past (for example not inviting Team Coast last year), but
frankly on this one I think they are making the right decision so far.

The question isn't whether they are making the right decision or the wrong decision--the question
(to me) is whether Bart's analysis (i.e., that Cipo is being singled out) is correct. LeBlanc could
have decided not to make early announcements, or he could have decided to make early announcements
but not give any reason. To specify that Domina Vacanze hasn't yet raced and then extend a wild card
invitation to QuickStep is pointed behavior.

And I'm not sure that not inviting Coast last year was a mistake.

"Robert Chung" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"jean-yves hervé" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The SdT has made lots of mistakes in the past (for example not inviting Team Coast last year),
but frankly on this one I think they are making the right decision so far.

The question isn't whether they are making the right decision or the wrong decision--the question
(to me) is whether Bart's analysis (i.e., that Cipo is being singled out) is correct. LeBlanc
could have decided not to make early announcements, or he could have decided to make early
announcements but not give any reason. To specify that Domina Vacanze hasn't yet raced

and

Quoted message said:

then extend a wild card invitation to QuickStep is pointed behavior.

Well, ya.

It's been established that the Societe will be biased. Past behavior is evidence of that.

It's also been established that people will whine about that bias. Past behavior is also
evidence of that.

The Societe owns the race, it is a private entity. They can do as they wish with the wild cards. The
same thing happens in all other races.

"Robert Chung" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<3e380b20$0$19126?

Quoted message said:

What's interesting (besides that I called this a couple of weeks ago) is that LeBlanc's reason for
not inviting Cipollini is that Domina Vacanze hasn't raced yet. Well, last time I looked, neither
had QuickStep.

Bart, as usual, is right.

Quickstep was at the Tour Down Under, but I get your point. Still four more places to be filled.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What's interesting (besides that I called this a couple of weeks ago) is that LeBlanc's reason
for not inviting Cipollini is that Domina Vacanze hasn't raced yet. Well, last time I looked,
neither had QuickStep.

It would be nice to see Cipo in the Tour, but it's kind of hard to justify letting the guy in just
so he can race the flat stages only to bail when they hit the mountains. Either enter with the
intention of finishing the Tour or don't bother. There are tons of riders who would gladly take his
place. Just my $.02.

Thanks, Ronde Chimp

"ronde chimp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Either enter with the intention of finishing the Tour or don't bother. There are tons of riders
who would gladly take his place. Just my $.02.

Thanks, Ronde Chimp

This $.02 was proudly presented by the "Everybody's A Winner" Foundation.

"Kurgan Gringioni" <[email hidden]> wrote > The Societe owns the race, it is a
private entity. They can do as they wish

Quoted message said:

with the wild cards. The same thing happens in all other races.

Leblanc is right to be suspicious. Cipo wants to shine in the classics, and pump up the stage
wins record in the Giro. A longer than 5 days appearance in the Tour -doing his act on an
occasion or 2- is not self-evident then. Heard Cipo and Leblanc already had a phonecall over it
though, which went OK.

Another problem this year: The Tour reaches Alpe d'Huez in the first week. The sprinters don't get a
lot of time to show off.

"Bart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Kurgan Gringioni" <[email hidden]> wrote > The

Societe owns

Quoted message said:

the race, it is a private entity. They can do as they wish

Quoted message said:

with the wild cards. The same thing happens in all other races.

Leblanc is right to be suspicious. Cipo wants to shine in the

classics, and

Quoted message said:

pump up the stage wins record in the Giro. A longer than 5 days

appearance

Quoted message said:

in the Tour -doing his act on an occasion or 2- is not self-evident

then.

Quoted message said:

Heard Cipo and Leblanc already had a phonecall over it though,

which went

Quoted message said:

OK.

I can think of plenty of riders who fall into the catagory of "Why are they here?" who aren't being
mocked by the Tour. At least we can be sure that Cipo will make a clean try of it for the first
week. What are the odds that in the first week there are more dropouts than a whole team?