What a Joke!!

[AndreZA]

Bianchi and Barloworld join forces

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Barloworld Team Manager Claudio Corti has joined forces with cycling great and Bianchi representative Felice Gimondi to supply the Italian Professional Continental Team with bikes for the 2008 season with options for additional years. The classic celeste-coloured Italian frames ? to be ridden by Mauricio Soler and Robert Hunter, both stage winners in this year's Tour de France ? will replace that of American manufacturer Cannondale.

"Supplying racing frames provides a critical source of input, via feedback, for development," said Bianchi CEO Bob Ippolito to Cyclingnews Thursday morning at the EICMA bicycle trade show in Milan.

The firm has a long history in sponsoring teams in the sport, and has seen some great names go on to win cycling's biggest events ? riders like Gimondi himself, Magnus Backstedt, Danilo Di Luca, Andrea Tafi, Marco Pantani, Gianni Bugno, and Moreno Argentin. Its most recent period in big league sponsorship ended with the 2006 season at team Liquigas. During its time with the lime-green team, it supplied the bikes that Di Luca rode to his wins in the Amstel Gold and Fl?che Wallonne.

"We decided to stop for a year but with the idea of always returning to the sport," Ippolito continued.

The firm is based in Treviglio, near Bergamo, and believes it has found the right match for its international interests. "Twenty riders with ten different nationalities, it is a global team like Bianchi. This is particularly important for us, and it promotes our interests in the USA, China and other emerging areas of cycling."

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The component group has not yet been decided for 2008, and meetings were ongoing as Cyclingnews was in Milan. Barloworld used Campagnolo in 2007, though, and it would seem likely that the Italian firm would stay on board to finish off the Bianchi machines.

The main bikes of the team will be the 928 T-Cube and the 928 Carbon SL. "This bike is for sprinters and Classics riders, and you will see it a lot in the spring," noted Product Department Manager Lars Svalin of the T-Cube. The 928 Carbon SL is expected to be the main rig to be used in the Grand Tours.

"Hunter likes a shorter top tube but a very rigid frame," said Product Manager Angelo Lecchi. Lecchi also added that the T-Cube is also available in two rigidity levels, and Hunter will almost certainly go with the stiffer option. Moreover, the frame can be custom-sized and Lecchi and Svalin are already studying the riders' measurements.

Frames have already been shipped to the team officials for inspection but the riders will not be able to officially ride the frames until January 1. The colour scheme ? viewed by Cyclingnews in unpublished documents ? will be mostly celeste with some red representing Barloworld.

From cyclingnews.com

[bruce]

One of the best marketing examples:

CSC=Cervelo

 

 

As a marketing example it doesn't even come close to USPS/LA/Trek.

 

And not even that gets close to Seaco' date=' Chippo and Cannondale.

[/quote']

Marketing and sponsorships are measured in terms of % return on investment i.e. how much company revenue improves due to the sponsorship or marketing strategy.  If this is the metric, then no, Saeco, Chippo, and Cannondale would be comparitively insignificant.

[Mudsimus]

One of the best marketing examples:

CSC=Cervelo

 

 

As a marketing example it doesn't even come close to USPS/LA/Trek.

 

And not even that gets close to Seaco' date=' Chippo and Cannondale.

[/quote']

Marketing and sponsorships are measured in terms of % return on investment i.e. how much company revenue improves due to the sponsorship or marketing strategy.  If this is the metric, then no, Saeco, Chippo, and Cannondale would be comparitively insignificant.

 

Maybe...But if I had to buy a bike 8 years ago, that red cannondale would have been my first choice. Lance and his treks did not have the same effect on me...