First and last post about MY opinion of LT/RS merger.

First of all: if you can’t handle other persons opinions, you better don’t read this. Second of all: I respect others opinions if they’re formulated in a respectful way. I hate disrespect, I hate posts involving an Andy-face saying that he’ll cheat if he wins the Tour next year. Question yourself if you truly love the sport and if you truly know something about it… Click the read more button for the full rant… I don’t wanna ruin your dashboard with it.

There. I’ve said the first part of it. Let’s see if there is anyone who would read further. Can you see I’m not amused? Well, you’re right, I’m not. There are so many opinions out there. Most of them based on nothing but nonsense and not the true raw facts. Rumors. Often heard, often abused. And so not balanced. Now what bugs you so much, Eva? Tell us! We’re dying here. Well, I’ll tell you. It bugs me that everyone points their finger at Leopard Trek. Have you read all the articles? Now did you? There is a merger, means TWO teams are involved. Why are you all concentrating on Leopard Trek? Cause you don’t know the other team, because it’s so easy to hate on a team like Leopard Trek because they were mysterious from the start? Because they were able to control the media from the start? There is also Radioshack. And Trek. Trek is the main factor of this happening. Read articles. Trek-boss has started the merger. Not wanting to sponsor two teams anymore. Money. That’s what it’s all about. Yeap, true. That is. Get over it, it has been since years like that. Be angry about it for a day. Not for a whole damn month. It’s like that, you won’t be able to change that.

So, there are more actors and factors than only Leopard Trek. Now you all are more pissed off by the sneaky way it has been done. I was too. But then I became rational old me. I can be rational when cycling is involved. I really can. I’ve learned to do so through the years or it eats you alive… How did we find out about the rumors about the merger? Right: MEDIA. What’s media? They give information about what they know, about we have to know. Right. But it’s more. Media have commercial goals as well: they want to SELL their stories. Some journalist has caught the rumor of LT/RS having talks about a possible merger. Journalist goes to the redaction and his chief: “Hey, boss, what do you think? Would it sell?” Chief says yes. Definitely! The team of the number 2 and 3 of the TDF! Great story, big money. Yes, media. This brings me to the second part of the sneakiness. Because of the fact that the media is on it and putting pressure on it - first denials, you know why they denied, right? I mean… they denied so they could work on it relaxed, with no pressure, so they could actually inform the staff and the teammates, no I’m not naief… it’s actually how it would have gone. - they had to come out with the news very soon, especially after the major article that was published in L’Équipe. No time was left to inform the riders. Drama, fans were angry, team was not pleased. What you wanna do about it? If the media is on your shoulders… If you keep denying it, you’re a liar, if you tell the truth, you’re an idiot and betrayer. It’s a the less worse option-choice. I was angry, yes, at the very beginning. Not anymore. I have accepted it.

Now, the pointing fingers at Andy and Fränk. It’s their team, built around them. Sure Becca asked them what they’d thought about having Bruyneel in the team. Sure they give their opinion. But the merger itself. Completely out of their hands. They had no part of signing the contracts, deciding who stays… All the things the management of both LT and RS should do. AS WELL AS INFORM THEIR TEAMMATES. Really? The pointing fingers at Andy for not saying anything to Jakob for example. Best example I come up with right now. Please! If Andy had told Jakob… he still wouldn’t have told Max… if he told those two, he wouldn’t have told Jens…. AND SO FUCKING ON! It’s not their job. All they have to do, is ride their fucking bike! That’s all. If they had informed Jakob, and they didn’t inform the rest, what would be your opinion then? The Schlecks would still be betrayers. Right? It’s not their job, it’s the job of the management, they’re getting paid for that. Period.

One more word on the riders with a 1 year contract. Guys, you had a 1 year contract. You know you have managers to make contacts with other teams or with the team. Sorry, no compassion for you guys, you know how it works. I’m sorry if you can’t find a team. But cycling on the Pro-level is hard. You know it…

Nevertheless I hope every rider finds a team and will be happy. I’m ready to support my guys and LT/RS. The riders. Each of them. So I support the team. Hating the team for the managers… sorry, not for me. I love a team for the riders, not for who are running the team. Anyone who’s offended by this, you know where my unfollow-button is. There. I’ve said all I wanted to say, it’s the last thing I wanna say about it. There you go, have a nice day.

Eva. X

43 Notes/ Hide

  1. desotodeson reblogged this from lycrabibsandabluewhale and added:
    THANK YOU. I’ll miss my Leopards hehe
  2. notdianearbus said: Eva, I was expecting the Mayan Apocalypse to start counting down when I clicked “read more”—it turns out just to be a passionate opinion. I was expecting Sturm und Drang, or at least a lot of expletives :P I’m glad you got it off your chest.
  3. trailsofangeles said: I agree with you. I’m glad you posted your opinion. I thought I was alone and taking crazy pills. :P My hope is that management is dealing with contracts behind the scenes and that’s why we don’t know anything. Better to have everything settled first
  4. tennisncyclingyeah said: And I’m with you and will support the new team. Will miss screaming “Go Leopards!!” though. ;-) And fingers crossed they find a decent name and don’t use the Leo-Radio-Nissan-Trek-whatever. lol
  5. emily30andon said: I agree the media pushed them to reveal things before they were ready & weren’t able to inform riders ahead of time, but it’s mid-September, it’s getting late in the season. There are still too many riders with contracts than there are openings.
  6. lycrabibsandabluewhale posted this