Choosing a team to support

[themosquitoking]

How does someone do this in cycling? With most other sports it's reasonably simple you choose the one with the place name closest to where you are or are from but cycling is a bit unique in the fact that the teams are named after companies rather than places, so how did you do it?

 

[cyberknight]

Given that many football ( boo hiss silly game ! ) clubs are not owned by local people but american, asian and middle eastern entrepeneurs i cant really see much difference.
I support riders rather than individual teams , for instance i like Tommy Voeckler for his panache and gurns

 

[laurence]

i usually support certain riders - ones that i enjoy watching, such as Cancellara.

many years ago i was watching a race and a team had bright orange jerseys. this being my favourite colour i decided to try and get one. only Prendas sold them at the time, so i ended up getting to know the guys there, as they were top blokes and also become a fan of Euskaltel Euskadi. their kit was fairly plain, if bright orange, but i loved it. as i watched them i grew to love the team as well - their ineptitude at riding in the top level appealed to me.

they are still 'my team' and i buy their jersey every year. i also wear a EE hat in winter and i am often mistaken for a Basque.

i am just finishing a book on Basque history and plan to visit the region soon - the ethos of the team and their history is a world apart from the big money teams (even though they now employ non Euskara speakers).

even if the team leave the Pro ranks i will still support them, part of me is now an Euskadi, even if i only know a few words of Euskara.

gora Euskadi!

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

When I started riding again it was the time of the Team Highroad trains featuring Mark Cavendish which were just incredible to watch, the commitment shown by Cav always impressed me, I'm not sure he's the most talented rider out there but few want it more than him. He also does not come across as a PR machine and I like the fact he gives emotional responses to interviews at times...Over time I have also become a big fan of Tom Boonen and Tony Martin .......So at this time I support OPQS
I also adored watching the fiesty little Laura Trotted during the Olympics and other than being exceptionally talented she genuinely looked surprised at what she achieved when she won, it was apparent that she loves her sport... So I also support Wiggle Honda.

 

[laurence]

When I started riding again it was the time of the Team Highroad trains featuring Mark Cavendish which were just incredible to watch, the commitment shown by Cav always impressed me, I'm not sure he's the most talented rider out there but few want it more than him. He also does not come across as a PR machine and I like the fact he gives emotional responses to interviews at times...Over time I have also become a big fan of Tom Boonen and Tony Martin .......So at this time I support OPQS
I also adored watching the firstly little Laura Trotted during the Olympics and other than being exceptionally talented she genuinely looked surprised at what she achieved when she won, it was apparent that she loves her sport... So I also support Wiggle Honda.

oddly, i support OPQS because of Boonen! he's a top bloke.

Wiggle also have orange in their kit! they have a super team too, Trott, King, Rowsell, etc. i did used to support any team Judith Arndt rode for, but, alas, she has retired.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

.you got a lot of love going on for the colour Orange there Laurence

 

[AndyRM]

I like all of the British riders, and am a big fan of the AG2R La Mondiale kit so I like them too. Other riders I look out for are Sagan, Voigt and Voeckler.

 

[Herzog]

Any belgian team gets my heart racing

 

[themosquitoking]

Any belgian team gets my heart racing

That's kind of my point though. How do you know their Belgian when they're named after a company that could be from anywhere?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

That's kind of my point though. How do you know their Belgian when they're named after a company that could be from anywhere?

The UCI show where all teams are registered from and based
http://www.uciprotour.com/templates/UCI/UCI2/layout.asp?MenuId=MTYzMDE&LangId=1

The link above only shows world tour teams, you would need to look at continental teams for Eurocar and similar teams

 

[themosquitoking]

The UCI show where all teams are registered from and based
http://www.uciprotour.com/templates/UCI/UCI2/layout.asp?MenuId=MTYzMDE&LangId=1

I never would have guessed Astana were from Kazakhstan. Is what used to be USPS still represented at all?

 

[cyberknight]

I never would have guessed Astana were from Kazakhstan. Is what used to be USPS still represented at all?

US postal ?
Defunct , but i guess radio shack /leopard /trek would be the closest with trek taking full control next year.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I never would have guessed Astana were from Kazakhstan. Is what used to be USPS still represented at all?

Only in the court of law does the old usps team get any representation these days.

As a matter of interest.. USPS were only the team sponsor, which changed at a later date to Discovery.. the team was operated by tailwind sports which is part owned by Armstrong.
Armstrong is also a Trek shareholder and director which is why the team rode this brand

 

[Noodley]

Current teams tend to have a trail backwards to previous-sponsor incarnations.

 

[themosquitoking]

US postal ?
Defunct , but i guess radio shack /leopard /trek would be the closest with trek taking full control next year.

Only in the court of law does the old usps team get any representation these days.

As a matter of interest.. USPS were only the team sponsor, which changed at a later date to Discovery.. the team was operated by tailwind sports which is part owned by Armstrong

I thought the teams might be a bit like the American football franchises where they can pass from one city (sponsor) to another whilst personnel stay more or less the same.