Q & A Interview
Frankie Andreu of Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
NashvilleCyclist.com caught up with Frankie Andreu at the start of the Amgen Tour of California to talk about his new position and the state of cycling as a whole. Frankie is best known as the former captain of Lance Armstrong's US Postal team, but his new role is Team Director of the upstart Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team. Since our interview took place his team has won two stages in the Tour of California as Juan Jose Haedo has two sprint victories. With Haedo's immediate success combined with an all-star roster his team appears poised to stamp their authority on the domestic racing scene.
25 Feb 2006
NC.com - As team director of a start-up what has been your most important objectives initially, and what do you see as long-term objectives that must be achieved?
Frankie - Initially, it was putting together a team that would work well together while combining the strengths of each rider to make a good team. We needed workers, climbers, sprinters and time-trialists and I believe we put together an excellent squad to race in America and win.
Long term is to win and create an organization that will attract many fans and sponsors. We want to bring cycling to everyone inside and outside the sport and of course to do that we need to win races.
NC.com - The team's sponsorship concept is unique to say the
least. Others have made similar attempts with mixed results.
Could you explain the basic premise, and why you feel this is a
viable long-term strategy for team stability?
Frankie - We built a brand that will continue racing year after year and attract a fan base. Sponsors continually come and go and we don't want to have a team disappear after just a couple of years. At the Toyota-United website, www.toyotaunited.com, we have membership programs that give insight to the team, chats with the team, updates, and promotional items.
NC.com - In this age of information overload regarding media you
were able to keep the details of your team quiet. How and
why did you hold back key details of Toyota-United Pro
Cycling until February 2006?
Frankie - Toyota made the decision to keep things quite to make one big announcement and to have the maximum impact. We feel it worked very well.
NC.com - Guys like USPRO champ Chris Wherry, US TT champ Chris
Baldwin, Tony Cruz, Ivan Dominguez and Juan Jose Haedo grace
your roster. How were you able to assemble such a powerful
squad so quickly, and who are some other up-and-comers looking
to make a name for themselves?
Frankie - We have some great riders and we knew who wanted on the team. We had to first figure out who had contracts and who did not, after that we pursued the riders that were needed. It actually was not quick putting the together the team, almost a year in the planning and there was plenty of work during that time.
NC.com - Aside from the Tour of California and the Tour de
Georgia, what are your team's main goals for 2006? What will
constitute success for your season, on and off the bike?
Frankie - Again, it's simple we have to win. We are targeting many races and in our eyes a win at every event is a goal. California and Georgia are important because of the media but other events we want to excite the fans and get them involved. The US Championships will be important and also many races in the Midwest area.
NC.com - You have been an Olympian twice, a team member of 7-11, Motorola and US Postal. What have you taken from those experiences to build upon which are guiding you through this new endeavor, and what is being added that's uniquely Frankie?
Frankie - The teamwork idea. It's simple to write and to talk about but it's hard to always implement. It's a focus of our team and one that will be stressed. Justin England is a good young rider along with Steffano Barberi. We hope to develop these riders to the top of their class and they can learn from riders like Baldwin and Cruz who have tons of experience.
NC.com - With the addition of Toyota-United Pro Cycling the
domestic racing scene should see increased competition and a
more level playing field. Domination by one team usually isn't
healthy for the sport as a whole. Describe your hope for the
domestic racing scene over the next five years, and how a
team such as yours adds value to that landscape.
Frankie - When Lance won 7 Tours many people saw the Tour as predictable and sometimes boring. With many team competing and no one dominating it makes each race exciting. We have our work cut out for us but it's healthy. In football, NASCAR, there are rivalries and we want that to come out in the sport of cycling in a healthy way.
NC.com - The Pro Tour model in Europe is still taking shape
despite the Grand Tours not participating. The teams are behind
it and structuring their season around those events. Eventually
do you see a similar system becoming viable here in the US, and
do you feel it can provide the organized structure our sport
needs?
Frankie - We have the NRC and USA cycling does a great job with that. It's important to have a ranking system and to give something the fans can follow or keep track of. I think eventually we will have 3-5 very large stage races and possible one National Tour. We will bring over the Euros and have them compete in our back yard and let us have the home court advantage. Right now the Americans are riding great all over the world so why not let them show off their power and strength in their home country.
NC.com - I have been blogging consistently about the lack of
scientific continuity within the administration of drug
testing. The appearance of either sloppy documentation or the
appearance of dishonest testing methods has brought a cloud of
doubt over the whole process. It's hard for fans to put their
faith in either the riders or the testing process when both
sides are stubbornly touting their version of truth. What must
be done to fix this problem, and what do you advise a fan to
consider?
Frankie - Cyclists get tested all the time and we have to
have fail proof tests. I believe USADA and WADA have a lot of
time and money invested making those tests valid. I don't know
how to fix the problems but when there are mistakes or no
answers for a few years or nothing happens when information
comes out it does beg for some questions. The truth does need to
come out and the sooner that does the better the riders will
feel about the tests. If there is a mistake in the tests someone
needs to stand up and let it be known. If the tests are valid
then everyone needs to know that also.
NC.com - The last time we spoke we discussed the retirement of
Lance and the talent available to take up his mantle. You
mentioned we could possibly face a Tour with only one American
or no Americans participating. Now we see the emergence of Tom
Danielson, Tyler Farrar, Saul Raisin, Chris Wherry, Jason
McCartney and David Zabriskie to name a few. Now that Lance is
retired what do you envision for the future of the American
professional cyclist?
Frankie - I still believe that in five years we may only have one or two Americans in the Tour de France. There are some big talents coming up but the gap will remain between the great American riders racing right now and the next Tour riders or contenders. If we continue to have big races in America then we can continue to build great riders. Things are looking good right now and I believe the sport will continue to grow.
NC.com - Lastly, here are 5 rapid fire
questions.
Favorite cyclist of all-time? Frankie -
Johan Museeuw and Laurant Jalabert
Person you most admire? Frankie -
my wife
Person you'd most like to meet? Frankie -
Osama bin Laden, then I could turn him in
Favorite book? Frankie - No time
for reading
Favorite daily vice? Frankie -
riding in the morning with my friends at home