Some Team Sky questions
A few topics here that I’d be interested to learn opinions of...
Do we know whether Team Sky is planning to race domestically, perhaps with a second string or feeder team? And if so would that be good or bad for the UK scene? Have we got enough Elite riders? Do any of the current crop of domestic riders have what it takes to make the step up and join a Pro-Tour team? And will Sky help them do this?
Do we know whether Team Sky is planning to race domestically, perhaps with a second string or feeder team? And if so would that be good or bad for the UK scene? Have we got enough Elite riders? Do any of the current crop of domestic riders have what it takes to make the step up and join a Pro-Tour team? And will Sky help them do this?
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I would think Team Sky is not a work experience set-up.
They will be focussing on big international races and not be participating in the domestic scene (with the exception of the TOB).
There are domestic riders that are good enough to go international - but they chose not to.
But Sky will be focussed on getting the best riders they can (with a slight British bias) and not be looking to bring on young, untested talent just to 'help them along'. British Cycling has programmes to do that already - and Team Sky is a commercial venture first and foremost.0 -
I would've thought you'd see odd riders at occassional Premier Calendars etc, just as you now occassionally see Wiggins or Hammond or Hunt pop up doing a one off race when their race calendar permits.
Wouldn't have thought you'd get the full Team Sky turning up to rip up the Beaumont Trophy or Girvan, partly because they'll have bigger continental objectives, and partly because I don't think a BC controlled team dominating all the BC calendar events would go down terribly well with everyone else.0 -
I think it will be similar to the likes of Garmin, whose "first team" ride in Europe, but then they've got a kind of 'B' team who ride races like the Tour of Georgia, Tour of Missouri etc, that are mainly the home grown riders.
Granted Georgia and Missouri are bigger than the Girvan but you see my point.0 -
they will probly be individuals racing locally when they can like in other teams (2 cervelo riders have done my local RR league) and the feeder team would be 100%me i would have thought for the under 23s and then the olypic develepment programme for the juniors0
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Pokerface wrote:
There are domestic riders that are good enough to go international - but they chose not to.
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Who are they then :?:0 -
carbotanium wrote:Pokerface wrote:
There are domestic riders that are good enough to go international - but they chose not to.
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Who are they then :?:
Guys like Clancy, Hayles, the Downing brothers, Malcolm Elliot, Tony Gibbs, Chris Newton to name a few.
They wouldn't necessarily be GOOD international pros, but they could certainly ride for big Pro teams. I know some of them have ridden for big teams in the past, and some have been offered rides recently, but have decided to stay in the UK.0 -
"2 cervelo riders have done my local RR league"
JC - was that the SSSRRL by any chance? I remember Roger Hammond turning up and destroying everyone one week, who was the other Cervelo rider?
No idea about the original question by the way...0 -
Pokerface wrote:Guys like Clancy, Hayles, the Downing brothers, Malcolm Elliot, Tony Gibbs, Chris Newton to name a few
Fair enough Clancy, Hayles, Elliott and Newton, as they've already been there and done it, though I think only Clancy (and at a push) Hayles would still make a top pro on the continent. Russ D would be an excellent choice, and I think could still end up at Sky, while his brother would rip up a few Belgian crits with ease, not sure about the really big races though. And as for Gibb
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I really like Ed Clancy and would like to see him riding on the road more. I know he's had some success riding the Tour of Britain Crit series. Is he generally a bit too big and heavy to be a top road cyclist, or could he potentially "do a wiggo" and slim down?0
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GroupOfOne MkII wrote:Pokerface wrote:Guys like Clancy, Hayles, the Downing brothers, Malcolm Elliot, Tony Gibbs, Chris Newton to name a few
Fair enough Clancy, Hayles, Elliott and Newton, as they've already been there and done it, though I think only Clancy (and at a push) Hayles would still make a top pro on the continent. Russ D would be an excellent choice, and I think could still end up at Sky, while his brother would rip up a few Belgian crits with ease, not sure about the really big races though. And as for Gibb
I DID specify that they could be Continental Pros. I didn't say they would be any good at it.0 -
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Yeah I know sorry, though don't forget Elliott and Newton were quite good at it, and Hayles may well have done better if he hadn't had his car accident.
Clancy could still be, he's young and already has some experience from riding in Belgium, while I'm sure Russ Downing would be if he got/or took the chance.0 -
This was what I was wondering, and T-Mobile used to have a similar set-uo over in Germany.TakeTheHighRoad wrote:I think it will be similar to the likes of Garmin, whose "first team" ride in Europe, but then they've got a kind of 'B' team who ride races like the Tour of Georgia, Tour of Missouri etc, that are mainly the home grown riders.
Granted Georgia and Missouri are bigger than the Girvan but you see my point.
And right now would seem to be an opportune time for someone like Sky to take advantage of what seems to me at least to be a flourishing time in UK domestic cycling.
Granted there have been problems with policing and some cancelled events, but on the whole the news has been good. I can’t remember a time when we’ve had so many domestic pro and semi-pro teams, the televised Tour Series event is to return in 2010 with 15 rounds, and Rapha-Condor have just announced new sponsorship deals.
Personally I’d like to see Sky in the Tour Series, even if it was the just up-and-coming and riders returning from injury.0 -
Edwin wrote:"2 cervelo riders have done my local RR league"
JC - was that the SSSRRL by any chance? I remember Roger Hammond turning up and destroying everyone one week, who was the other Cervelo rider?
No idea about the original question by the way...
yeh it was in the hammond race he just ripped it to pieces leaving about 10 in the finishing group (winning it by himself) and then i think dan fleeman won when he raced but i punctured in that one near eccelshall so i'm not sure0
