Vier, funf, Schlecks again?

What is going on?

Yesterday, watching the recording of Stage 2's Tour with LLB, we clearly heard the commentators say that a new German sponsor had been taken on "by the Schlecks". The sponsor makes hair products, which lead to a lot of predictable jokes about hair, although oddly enough, they didn't mention tuftage. But they did say that the sponsor was on board "as from today".

They also did  not mention RadioShack, which was very interesting.

I have scoured the news reports this morning, and all I can find is this report, which can't make its mind up whether to run with "Schlecks leave Shack for new German team" or "Shack get additional sponsor".

As Brian Nygaard says in the report - and, oh, how interesting that they chose to ask him, of all people - it is simply not possible to put a team together between now and September.

Mr McQuaid - remember him? - says that it would be lovely to have a German team again, but confirms that it's unlikely that a completely new team could be created between now and September.

The report also mentions the strong link between the new sponsor - Alpecin - and Trek. Which would support the idea that was rumoured earlier this week, about Trek being unhappy with not getting named billing in the team name, and looking to start a new team.

Jensi also has something to say, "I haven't received a call with a concrete contract yet"  he says. Which implies that he has received some calls, just not a concrete one. This makes it sound as though a new team is a distinct possibility.

But there's a different report out today, in which Frankie is quoted as saying that he and Andy have a contract until 2014 and that they will honour their contract.

Then, just this afternoon - yes, I am updating this blog twice in the same day! Have I no work to do? - there is another report telling us that Kim Andersen is denying that he's been invited to participate. He, like Frankie, is saying firmly that he will honour his contract, which runs for another year.

How intriguing!

Oh,and a side issue from the Kim Andersen report is that apparently, Mr Bruyneel didn't let him go the Tour at all, even after he, Mr Bruyneel, was blocked from attending himself. What a meanie! Talk about dog in the manger, Mr Bruyneel couldn't go because of his part in the ongoing Lance Armstrong investigation, but he's told poor old Kim Andersen that he can't go either. "Boo!"

And what do we know about Alpecin?  Well, it's basically hair products to prevent hair loss *muffled sniggers* and their tagline is "German engineering for your hair". In particular, they make a caffeine shampoo.  Wonder if they do a clenbuterol conditioner? Let's hope not, eh?