Fernando Alonso wants to set up cycling team

AstraMonti

MADRID (AFP) – Spain's two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso is planning to set up a cycling team headed by his compatriot Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour de France winner, a newspaper said Monday.
Alonso has already discussed the project with Contador, who is delighted to take part in it even though he still has a year left on his contract with his current team Astana, sports daily Marca reported without citing any source.
The team could be sponsored by one of the current sponsors of Alonso's Renault team, including Santander, Spain's largest bank and one of Europe's biggest, the newspaper added.
Alonso, the Formula One world champion in 2005 and 2006, was present at the start of the Tour de France on July 4 in Monaco in which Contador is taking part.
Contador is now second overall in the Tour, six seconds behind yellow jersey holder Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy following the race's ninth stage on Sunday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090713/sp_wl_afp/autoprixcyclingespfratouralonsocontador_20090713105710
http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15329&Itemid=219

ednwireland

great they can sit there and complain the someones got a better bike than them or the mechanic sabotaged the bike

no actually great news any new sponsors inTo cycling is good news

pburns

I wonder what Alonso's motivations are - is he trying to help a fellow Spanish sportsman or is Santander the motivating force behind all this?

There's a few of the F1 drivers into cycling, Mark Webber being the most obvious example. I notice he rides Giants - does anyone know if he has a relationship with the company?

petethedrummer

pburns wrote: »

Mark Webber being the most obvious example.

He just recently had a pin removed from his leg (knee perhaps) which was due to a bicycling accident.

Johnnio13

Isn't Alonso a mad keen cyclist? and tri-athlete?

All sportsmen regardless of profession have to appreciate the effort involved in something like the tour - and of course a spanish team, fronted by a spanish cyclist and spanish main sponsor would do wonders for merchandise in Spain!

scottreynolds

pburns wrote: »

I wonder what Alonso's motivations are

money and fame

pburns

scottreynolds wrote: »

money and fame

Money maybe, fame...Alonso is notoriously private, don't think so. Some of the other F1 guys are media whores alright...

godtabh

Is it worth a new thread I dont know but this could be big news?

Alonso joins forces with NOVO ahead of possible new team