I've noticed a spike in my HTC- Highroad and Specialized post lately. I figure I would follow-up with another post looking more into them and a few other teams. It has come down to Specialized versus Trek.
I have come to the conclusion that the merger between HTC-Highroad and Specialized is indeed a political one. It seems that Trek bikes and Specialized run a sort of high-stakes rivalry in the pro-cycling world. It comes down to who can sponsor the biggest and the best. Trek, as you all know has sponsored 7-time Tour de France champion, Lance A., and his team throughout that reign. Trek also sponsored Lance's Team Astana including Alberto Contador's wins and continue to support his Team Radioshack.
Trek made a big leap to sponsor the Schleck brother's team project for the coming season with huge names to their team like powerhouse Fabian Cancellara, the ever-ready teammate Jens Voigt, and young-gun Frenchman, Brice Feillu. This huge sponsorship deal probably got Specialized a little scared. They lost the big names they were sponsoring on Team Saxobank in 2010. But let's keep in mind that they will be continuing to sponsor Team Saxobank for 2011 with Alberto.
They probably thought to themselves... If we can't sponsor the number one team, we might as well sponsor the one who gets the most wins. HTC-Highroad with Mark Cavendish is where they've turned. It's all politics in my book. I come to this conclusion because I have become enlightened to the fact that Specialized target man isn't so happy about the new team bike sponsor.
Mark Cavendish isn't a happy man for the bike switch. In fact, it has been highly rumored that Cav. has asked that he be allowed to still ride and race his trusted, proven, beautiful Scott Addict bike for the 2011 season, but have it painted as a Specialized bike. If only, Mark. This will be the last year on Mark's contract with his HTC- Highroad. Who knows where Mark will go after this, but he may find he misses his Scott bike.
The rivalry between these bike companies will probably not spell a big thing when it comes to the 2011 season, but it's interesting to look into how things go for these big businesses and how important it is for them to sponsor the biggest and the best. I am a huge fan of Scott, but certainly not Trek. I am okay with Specialized, but yeah I really don't like Trek. I think anyone that shows up to a race with a Trek must be a Lance fan and I think Lance fans must be illiterate cycling fans. There are better racers out there. Just winning the Tour de France isn't everything in cycling at all. There are other, better American cyclists out there. Trek does not make the best bike out there. I think someone showing up with a trek bike and any team "Discovery Channel,""Postal Service", or "Livestrong" gear to a race or group ride is just embarrassing. Get to know the cycling sport a bit better, please. Otherwise, you just end up being "that guy."
I was going to write a long and well-thought out reply to this post. Then I realized I could sum up what I was thinking with this: Individuals who are all about Lance-paraphernalia and Trek products are as much cyclists as backyard wiffleballers are competitive athletes.
ReplyDeleteAs I have grown to know, the recreational rider has an entirely different mindset in regards to the sport of cycling than does a professional, amateur, and/or age grouper. Though the two sets of people are different in some regards, they both have a passion for the two-wheeled mode of transportation, albeit dissimilar ones.
To be noted: Unicyclists are anarchist hipsters. Do not trust them... at any cost.