Riders in the Sky

124

Comments

  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Kléber wrote:
    Sky has a good roster and should win some races next year. With riders like EBH and Lovkvist, the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Nice could be in reach, as welll as a good selection of one day races.

    But so far they lack both a GC contender and a proven sprinter, that's all.

    The way I see it, they're trying to catch the British public's imagination and all they care about is a) Olympic Medals b) The Tour. If you want to engage people with cycling season long you need to do well at the Tour.

    It's a good squad, but not a great squad. You'll win races but at a Grand Tour you're probably going to win a stage or two. In terms of attacting a GT contendor, it doesn't look like a squad that could support someone having a tilt at the Tour for example. With the current line up your GT man would be in a Cadel like situation of not having much support in the mountains.

    That's not to say this can't change and probably will in the future
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Indeed and with Contador on the scene - bonjour FF - July is going to be a race for second place.
  • josame
    josame Posts: 1,162
    afx237vi wrote:
    Kléber wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    From the riders so far, Sky looks like the British Milram.
    Ouch!

    True, though. Both much-hyped quasi-national teams, neither with enough home-grown talent to make much of a serious impact. Did anyone hear Sean Kelly talking about Gerdemann the other day? And you thought my comment was harsh...

    Didn't catch it - what did he say?
    'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    I'm pleasantly surprised by the riders announced today. I didn't expect Gerrans, thats a great signing. I think EBH could become a grand tour contender when he's got classics out of his system, with the backing of the Sky trainers. But i still think the team are missing a current GT contender. Not sure about a cpl of the British guys, but so glad that Downing will get a ride. Looking forward to seeing him take on some of the classics. Roll on next season...

    And when is the kit gonna be shown? I may even break my trade team kit rules for this one..
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    josame wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Kléber wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    From the riders so far, Sky looks like the British Milram.
    Ouch!

    True, though. Both much-hyped quasi-national teams, neither with enough home-grown talent to make much of a serious impact. Did anyone hear Sean Kelly talking about Gerdemann the other day? And you thought my comment was harsh...

    Didn't catch it - what did he say?

    I can't remember any exact quotes, but the gist of it was that Gerdemann is hugely over-rated, will never be a GT rider, and can't read races well enough to be a stage-hunter.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    afx237vi wrote:
    josame wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Kléber wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    From the riders so far, Sky looks like the British Milram.
    Ouch!

    True, though. Both much-hyped quasi-national teams, neither with enough home-grown talent to make much of a serious impact. Did anyone hear Sean Kelly talking about Gerdemann the other day? And you thought my comment was harsh...

    Didn't catch it - what did he say?

    I can't remember any exact quotes, but the gist of it was that Gerdemann is hugely over-rated, will never be a GT rider, and can't read races well enough to be a stage-hunter.

    He also said something along the lines that a lot of the over hype has come from Gerdemann himself and meaningless attacks like he did the other day are about as much as he is capable of . Apart from that he quite likes him :lol:
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Moomaloid wrote:
    I'm pleasantly surprised by the riders announced today. I didn't expect Gerrans, thats a great signing

    I am pleased re the Gerrans signing especially considering there is a poster in here who think he is coached by Ferrari and his results are a result of dubious practices.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Today, the Dutch press have once again written that Wiggins to Sky is a done deal.
    Rumour has it, that Garmin will announce his replacement, in a very few days. :wink:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Today, the Dutch press have once again written that Wiggins to Sky is a done deal.
    Rumour has it, that Garmin will announce his replacement, in a very few days. :wink:

    It's becoming the cycling equivalent of the Cristiano Ronaldo-Real Madrid transfer saga
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    EBH and TL seem like very good signings for Team Sky.

    I'm sure a Wiggins deal has already been done and an announcement will follow shortly.


    LIke you have all said they still need a GT leader and who else fits the bill? (apart from M Cav that is)
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    NWLondoner wrote:
    I'm sure a Wiggins deal has already been done and an announcement will follow shortly.

    BW sez

    A huge anti-climax is heading the press's way, such a shame, for the sake of being just not stirring the shit, oh look the Vuelta's on!

    Twitpic is for CW benefit, Team Garmin rule woopty bloody doo!

    Etc etc
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Moray Gub wrote:

    I am pleased re the Gerrans signing especially considering there is a poster in here who think he is coached by Ferrari and his results are a result of dubious practices.

    So does that mean we should read into what Brailsford said during the Tour that Bertie is a bad bad man?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • BdeB
    BdeB Posts: 110
    Was that Bertie he was talking about i thought it was Di Luca
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Moray Gub wrote:

    I am pleased re the Gerrans signing especially considering there is a poster in here who think he is coached by Ferrari and his results are a result of dubious practices.


    So because some non-entity on a forum suspects that he might spend too much time in St Morritz, you're glad he has signed for the Sky mob?

    This does not make any sense.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • jim one
    jim one Posts: 183
    Timoid. wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    I am pleased re the Gerrans signing especially considering there is a poster in here who think he is coached by Ferrari and his results are a result of dubious practices.


    So because some non-entity on a forum suspects that he might spend too much time in St Morritz, you're glad he has signed for the Sky mob?

    This does not make any sense.

    Is he not trying to say that because Sky look at blood profiles etc etc before even negotiating, that it is a sign that Gerrans can be considered clean(er) despite his training locations and friends??
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Timoid. wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    I am pleased re the Gerrans signing especially considering there is a poster in here who think he is coached by Ferrari and his results are a result of dubious practices.


    So because some non-entity on a forum suspects that he might spend too much time in St Morritz, you're glad he has signed for the Sky mob?

    This does not make any sense.

    Of course it does it gives credence to my assertion that he is a clean rider if we assume that Sky are thorough with regard to who they sign. As for calling yourself a non entity stop bumming :wink:
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    iainf72 wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    I am pleased re the Gerrans signing especially considering there is a poster in here who think he is coached by Ferrari and his results are a result of dubious practices.

    So does that mean we should read into what Brailsford said during the Tour that Bertie is a bad bad man?

    Well that depends on what he said refresh my memory please as i cant recall him saying anything to that effect.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Moray Gub wrote:

    Well that depends on what he said refresh my memory please as i cant recall him saying anything to that effect.

    He was asked during the Tour whether he might sign Contador and simply, but firmly said "No".

    To be honest, given their clean riding manifesto, there was no way they could sign anyone with even the slightest whiff of Puerto about them (and it's very slight IMO)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    RichN95 wrote:
    Moray Gub wrote:

    Well that depends on what he said refresh my memory please as i cant recall him saying anything to that effect.

    He was asked during the Tour whether he might sign Contador and simply, but firmly said "No".

    To be honest, given their clean riding manifesto, there was no way they could sign anyone with even the slightest whiff of Puerto about them (and it's very slight IMO)

    Isnt it amazing how the word No can come to mean so much eh.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • heftyrider
    heftyrider Posts: 70
    only just started trying to follow pro cycling. Why would Wiggins even consider Sky? My understanding so far is that it is a fledgling team that won't be able to make him competitive where as Garmin can offer success. Is it a money thing or loyalty to British Cycling?
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    He has huge loyalty to the British Cycling system, knows loads of people running it, and money can never be ignored.

    Still think he'll stick with Garmin.

    The fledgling team thing is a bit of a red herring - Cervelo have shown that with the right back up and intelligent rider recruitment you can make an immediate impact. And of course Scott Sunderland who put much of that into place jumped ship to do a similar job at Sky.

    Without Wiggins I think they'll ignore GC contending this year. They have their 5 year plan get out card. Too many of the real GC contenders either are tied to contracts or have the odd whiff of dog's blood about them so they may as well wait until next year.

    On sprinters, with Cavendish's dominance it's a pretty shallow pool. Again who of the real elite is available?
    @stagehopper
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Moray Gub wrote:

    Isnt it amazing how the word No can come to mean so much eh.

    It was the way he said it. Rendell phrased the question that Contador may be available and if he was, would Sky want to recruit him. Brailsford's expression said it all.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Contador is linked to Puerto. For all we know, a young Alberto could have been cleaning Eufamio's office or just popping round for a coffee, not a pint of blood. But being named in the investigation is enough to rule him out of the Sky team, they simply don't want to deal with the issue.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    heftyrider wrote:
    only just started trying to follow pro cycling. Why would Wiggins even consider Sky? My understanding so far is that it is a fledgling team that won't be able to make him competitive where as Garmin can offer success. Is it a money thing or loyalty to British Cycling?

    Many cycling teams out there are 'fledgling teams". Even Garmin was fresh on the scene only a few years ago. That's like saying - do you think Radio Shack won't make an impact next year just because they are 'new'?


    Brailsford may be new to the Pro ranks - but he knows his stuff and there's little doubt that Team Sky will be a success.
  • thamacdaddy
    thamacdaddy Posts: 590
    only just started trying to follow pro cycling. Why would Wiggins even consider Sky? My understanding so far is that it is a fledgling team that won't be able to make him competitive where as Garmin can offer success. Is it a money thing or loyalty to British Cycling?

    Also if you look at the rosters imo Sky has far more to support a GT contender than Garmin. Millar and VdV is all the support Wiggins can really get in the hills and EBH, Gerrans, Lokvist, Froome, Augustyn, Carlström, Flecha etc are all decent at supporting a solid team, the fact gerrans wasn't including for cervelo this year was a big shock to me. Although many are great classics riders they will be the ones that can help get over the hills.

    That's not to say I expect Wiggins to move with all he has been saying but the Sky roster is far far better than Milram (personally think thats a very chirlish comment) and can easily support a good known GC contender.

    Classics wins isn't a bad thing to be getting in your first season either.

    I like the look of the team. I saw it mentioned somewhere also that Hayden Roulsten might be moving?
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    thamacdaddy wrote:
    Millar and VdV is all the support Wiggins can really get in the hills
    Wiggins will have Dan Martin and Tom Danielson too and they've just hired Kesiakoff.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Kléber wrote:
    thamacdaddy wrote:
    Millar and VdV is all the support Wiggins can really get in the hills
    Wiggins will have Dan Martin and Tom Danielson too and they've just hired Kesiakoff.

    And DZ can climb when needed.

    They're more proved in GT's.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    thamacdaddy wrote:
    I like the look of the team. I saw it mentioned somewhere also that Hayden Roulsten might be moving?
    He has signed with Columbia.
  • thamacdaddy
    thamacdaddy Posts: 590
    Kléber wrote:
    thamacdaddy wrote:
    Millar and VdV is all the support Wiggins can really get in the hills
    Wiggins will have Dan Martin and Tom Danielson too and they've just hired Kesiakoff.

    Good to see they are strengthening up that roster with good riders like that too.

    Agreed DZ can do a job too but I still think the SKY roster can support GC as good or better than most of th PT teams providing they get a big name. If they don't then yeah it's gotta be a classics season and stage wins for the first season. Still think their results will outstrip the likes of Milram in the next season.

    Oh and roulsten I did see that silly me!!! :oops:
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I think Sky have had the money set aside for Wiggins, but its not gonna happen now. I reckon they'll save it til next year and maybe they can afford Wiggins next year ?
    He had the element of surprise on his side this year - next year he's going to be marked and its going to be a harder battle to get up the placings.

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