Update – Transfer rumors

UPDATE

Cruz is headed to Rock Racing in 2010

I just had an email exchange with Tony Cruz of BMC and he confirmed he’s  riding for Rock in 2010. Cruz is another rider with European experience and proved his worth in the 2005 Giro when he was a teammate to Paolo Savoldelli, that year’s overall winner. Since then he’s been the consummate teammate on every team he’s been a member of. New riders and new equipment, Rock is pulling out all the stops for 2010.

Landis wondering how he'll look in R&R jeans?

My sources tell me that Floyd Landis will be racing for Rock next year. The Rock team is to be registered in Mexico with the long-tern goal of being the first Mexican registered ProTour team. Rock has had a limited European and South American campaign in 2009 and to make that ProTour dream a reality, team owner Michael Ball might be thinking of protracted trips out of the country. Landis has that experience and the harder races overseas would suit him better. It’s an interesting combination of independent thinker, “telling it like it is” Landis and the very hands-on team owner Ball. Very interesting… Looks like Fred Rodriguez, Victor Hugo Pena, Ivan Dominguez and Oscar Sevilla are back as well. Maybe 2010 is going to be a good year for jeans?

BMC is going to have more than one American national champion on the squad if my sources continue to be correct. John Murphy, reining American criterium champ from team OUCH, is going to be riding for BMC. This seems like a smart move for him as he’ll be learning about the Classics from the the masters: George Hincapie and Allessandro Ballan. That’s not to say Murphy has no experience on the pave. As a member of the National U-23 team, Murphy has raced the cobbles of Belgium before. I hope BMC has the patience to bring Murphy along like Garmin did with Farrar.

This was news late last night when I was told, however other on-line cycling sites have now started to post that Alberto Contador looks to be going to the Spanish team Caisse d’ Epargne. I’ll take it a step further by saying my Spanish conection said he will. Either that or I really need to improve my conversational Spanish. This is another move that makes sense. It’s a Spanish team with the sole purpose of having Contador repeat at the Tour. There won’t be any drama with Vinokourov about who’s leading the team and Caisse d’ Epargne needs a G.C leader that isn’t banned from one country and may be soon banned from others. With Valverde out of the picture that could free up some payroll money for Contador.

While there has been no announcement about the Tour de Georgia for 2010, they have a spot on the UCI calendar, so who knows what could happen? Sure it’s a long shot, but think about how cool the American calendar could be. In April racers compete in the Tour de Georgia, then Tour of Battenkill (April 29th and May 2nd ), from there go to Southern California for a series of short stage races that are in the works. A drive north to Nevada City for the start of the Amgen Tour of California which starts May 16th.

With still a couple of months to go before the start of the 2010 racing season, it’s already looking to be interesting.