Velochimp: Astrochimp on Cycling

The French AG2R team must have some smooth talking agents as they convinced Fransico Mancebo to join up. Mancebo is tagged as a possible Tour contender and will join Christophe Moreau on the team that is hoping to take up Fassa Bortolo’s spot in the Pro Tour. AG2R layed and egg at the Tour de France where they were hardly visible, and hope that the strengthened roster will make the ProTour gods pick them. But there are way too many mediocre French teams already in the Pro Tour what with Cofidis, Credit Agricole and Boygues Telecom. FDJeux has some stars, but they have fizzled out so far this year. Plus, their major stars are not French, but Aussies.

The big push may come from teams such as Panaria and Selle Italia who have a good mix of talent and can mix it up in the races they enter. Paride Grillo is a good sprinter and Emanuele Sella is a young star in the making. Selle Italia has a wealth of great climbers including Ivan Parra and everybody’s favorite Jose Rujano who almost stole the Giro victory away from Salvodelli.

So please ProTour gods, for the love of spirited competition, do not select AG2R to join the ProTour, Mancebo and Moreau can ride the Tour as a wild card selection, but there are better teams to choose from.

Yahoo! Sports - Cycling - Spaniard Mancebo in team switch