Feillu fail


Heads we win, tails you lose

The Feillu brothers are nice guys in our sport. But they took a gamble by moving to Vacansoleil and it didn’t pay off: no ride in the Tour de France. Worse, the were able to manipulate the odds on the bet, given they were supposed to impress ASO in early season races like Paris-Nice and the Critérium International. It was partly because they failed to inspire that the team’s invite never appeared.

Band of Brothers
Only now it’s reported they are interested in breaking their contract to move to the new Luxembourg team being formed by Kim Andersen and the Schleck brothers. To me this isn’t right. Breaking a contract because you failed to deliver is bad form and if I were running a team, I’d think twice before signing riders who play games like this. The Feillu brothers need to find better reasons to leave the team, a genuine breach of contract.

Photo: cyclingnews.com

4 thoughts on “Feillu fail”

  1. I disagree about Vacansoleil not inspiring during the first part of the season. I enjoyed watching them. I think ultimately they were a victim of that daft agreement meaning fewer wildcards and Radioshack/Sky appearing this year.

  2. Anonymous, you are quite right. Vacansoleil were good in the first part of the season but what I mean is that they were not good when it counted in terms of impressing ASO. They needed a result, or just to excite the race, in things like Paris-Nice but it didn't happen.

    Vacansoleil themselves must be annoyed with the two brothers. They signed them on good contracts and they've not delivered that much on the road and now they want to leave.

  3. Personally, I didn't feel that theinnerring was commenting on Vacansoleil as a whole when he was talking about them not being inspiring.

    I think most will concur that Vacansoleil made a lot of races interesting BEFORE the last hour of the race. However, in French races linked to ASO, they always dissappointed, according to me because they always tried playing out the brothers Feillu, who weren't that good, instead of letting their other riders try and make the day.

  4. (same guy) I guess so. But if you look at the wildcard entries:
    Radioshack
    Team Sky
    Katusha
    Garmin-Transitions
    Cervélo
    BMC Racing
    I think they were always going to struggle to top one of those.

    Mind you – I've just looked at the 16 guaranteed teams and the only ones I could see them beating are french which makes it unlikely too. Maybe Omega Pharma-Lotto?

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