There was a brief, maybe throwaway, comment during the Tour that Fernando Alonso was planning to found and sponsor a cycling team.

Is this true? I haven´t heard anything anywhere else.

And if true, any idea who he´s hoping to recruit? Alonso is madly popular in Spain and I guess, if he wanted to start a team, he could attract some mighty big names.

Just googled this while munching on my tea and loads of sites report him talking about it.  Seems he's a big fan, went training with Sastre and Cevelo last winter, wants Contador on his team (surprise, surprise) but won't be looking realistically at competing in the TDF until 2011.  He's certainly got the money and appears to a fanboy ;).   Could this be the start of teams becoming rich mens play things just like football?  Probably not, but it would be great fun if it was.

You could argue they already are rich men's play things..... i.e. Armstrong (multi millionaire).

And, if you look back at the 80's a certain Bernard Tapie was owner of Le Vie Claire (which Hinault, LeMond, etc) rode for.... and he also owned Marseille Football Club.... but we all know what happened to him in the end.......

On the topic of new teams, and new sponsorship deals....

Good to see that a new team (James Smith Rutrainingtoday) are also starting on the UK Premier Calendar  racing scene... with Sir Paul Smith also involved with the Rapha Condor Professional Cycling Team team.... was hoping he would be a co-sponsor of the British team racing on the continent... bring some Paul Smith style to the peleton!

Not so good news for Nicole Cooke: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/8182399.stm