Wolweseun Posted July 20, 2007 Share With the tour now just past the halfway mark, Barloworld has already achieved all the goals they set out to achieve! I think we are now going to see a lot more of them as they are now very confident with two stage wins and placings in all the jerseys except yellow. As a lot of you will know, it is a lot easier to do well when you are on a winning streak. The team has recieved huge publicity and I am sure the board of Barloworld are suitably chuffed with their investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastapouch Posted July 20, 2007 Share I think they might just be there again next year. Problem is that teams (certain ones for that matter) seem to stagnate when they in the Pro Trour /TDF etc. They're there and thats it. I hope Barloworld gets there, and with hopefully 3/4 RSA riders next year.. and build on their good results of this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewep Posted July 20, 2007 Share Agreed cervelo. BT is an excellent example. As the P's say, they're just there to get TV coverage. I wonder what would've happened if Mr. Cox was there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted July 20, 2007 Share Im really hope they get some more wildcards. Selle Italia did very well 2 years ago in the Giro, but all that happened is some their riders like Rujano got offers from Protour teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boeing Posted July 20, 2007 Share Im pretty sure that Barloworld will get invited to the Protour! Ryan stupidly had that fall out with Corti, so it looks like his contract won't get renewed, which leaves Robbie and John-Lee as the only SA's in the set-up! Mayb they'l get Ian McLeod or a couple of the other local lads! As Robbie said there is plenty talent here! What do the Belgians say? Whenever there is a two, there is a three (watch this space - Champs-Elysee perhaps ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted July 20, 2007 Share There may be a problem with the UCI offering more protour licenses. If TBL get one they may get shunned like Unibet, and race less big races than they do now. The passion and excitement that TBL brought to the TDF actually highlights some of the shortcomings of the protour system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewep Posted July 20, 2007 Share According to me the following guys (in my limited knowledge) should/could be offered a spot if TBL goes Pro Tour: Robbie Hunter JL Darryl Impey Maybe Nic White, although his age might count against him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastapouch Posted July 20, 2007 Share According to me the following guys (in my limited knowledge) should/could be offered a spot if TBL goes Pro Tour:Robbie HunterJLDarryl ImpeyMaybe Nic White' date=' although his age might count against him[/quote'] imo NW (32 now?) - probably in SA, for experience I would take him to the Tour. He still has 4-6 years left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trackz Posted July 20, 2007 Share Please forgive my pessimism on a lovely day but unless the local guys go live and race in Europe they will never get to the same level. Its a very different ball game over there. Barloworld will probably take the young talent from SA and base them into a "development" squad in Europe (like many of the other top teams) and if they good enough they will make their way into the big races. You can't go train Suikerbosrand and expect to even survive any of the Cat 2 climbs in France. You gotta ride those mothers every day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastapouch Posted July 20, 2007 Share true, and we need those longer race distances to help launch the guys closer to that level. So ya, NW might be getting long in the tooth now... married with a child. So ya, that won't be on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rock Posted July 20, 2007 Share they should really relugate (spell?) the last 3 or so Protour teams each year to make way for the top pro-continental team and other aspiring or new teams...if memory serves the top division 2 team automatically became a division 1 team the following season with the old system..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruxpearl Posted July 20, 2007 Share That's one of the big things that the ASO has against the current Protour rules, you get a Protour license for 4 years and do not have to perform to keep the license, and it guarantees you entry to all Protour races.So if all Protour teams have a four year license and none quit or go bang, no new teams can get entry to the Protour, there is no relegation or advancement from Continental Team status Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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