A couple of years ago, exciting Kazakh racer Alexandre Vinocourov met with a group of Kazakh businessmen and formed a team called Astana. As luck would have it, Vino got banned from racing for two years for blood doping. The team soldiered on without him, with (eight-time Tour winner team manager) Johann Bruyneel in the car and an umatched cast of stars on the bike seats.
Vino's suspension is almost up. He wants back in - back on the team. He's SO connected with the sponsoring businessmen that he can dictate terms, he claims. He's an offer the team cannot refuse.
Either I'm in, he says, or Bruyneel is OUT.
Reluctant to believe me?
Here's the VeloNews newsflash.....
1 comment:
OK, so Vino gets back on the team? Is he in shape? If he's not, and forces Johan Bruyneel out for not letting him be the team leader, who's going to be on the Astana team next year?
Bruyneel will find a new sponsor, get a license and field a winning team. Astana will be Vino and a bunch of lower budget no names, and could even fail to get invited to the Tour.
Vino needs Bruyneel a lot more than Bruyneel needs Vino!
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