Are TeamSky set to become the Chelsea of the Pro Peleton?

pedro118118
pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
edited January 2010 in Pro race
We're barely a week into it, yet Sky seem to be the most unpopular team in the ProTour (at least with other teams!).

Can we expect to see the likes of Columbia, Garmin, Katusha all waiting for an opportunity to spoil the party at the first available opportunity?

Comments

  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Dunno, really, Chelski won stuff so a bit early to say.

    And you can't really spoil the party in football when its just 11 v 11 unlike cycling.
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  • andy81
    andy81 Posts: 118
    Possibly in the early season events such as the classics, though Columbia have the best leadout train in the peloton, so Sky are unlikely to be able to cope with them anyway.

    Sky seem to be focussing heavily on the Tour, where Wiggo will be a genuine GC podium contender. Columbia and Garmin will probably focus on the sprints and time trials, and not sure Katusha have the quality to cause any major problems. Having said that, Garmin's history suggests they may well try things (an example would be the push to deny Hincapie the yellow jersey last year when they had no need as a team to push on).

    Either way, with the Shack thrown into the mix as a new team as well, it'll be an interesting season!
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I think you'll see Garmin challenging to win the Tour.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    edited January 2010
    Teamwork doesn't count for much if you don't have the final super talent to bring it over the line first.

    Every big team needs a super talent in each discipline.

    Saxo bank are closest there for me.

    Present and dangerous in all types of classic, and the closest challengers to Contador.

    I don't think sky have that (yet?).
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    I just want them to stop mid-stage on the Champs Elyssee and spell out "Hi Rupert" with their bikes.
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    iainf72 wrote:
    I think you'll see Garmin challenging to win the Tour.

    Yeah, I wonder if VDV might be a dark horse for the podium. However, Evans and Sastre (and Menchov) wont surely have such bad years again, so we may have a group of up to ten riders genuinely with podium aspirations (and I haven't mentioned Gesink - a possible with no TT early on?). This could, in fact negate any 'pre-Tour' ideas of tactics/disliked teams as your own position on GC will be all that matters.
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  • pomtarr
    pomtarr Posts: 318
    More like Man City.

    - Both have underacheived for years (British road cycling, that is)
    - Both have had successes in the distant past (City were good in the 70s, )
    - Both are based in East Manchester (see http://bit.ly/8ihPja)
    - Both recently have had massive injections of cash
    - Massive expectations for both

    Basically the only difference is Roberto Mancini has a fine crop of hair whereas Dave Brailsford is lacking....
    "Difficult, difficult, lemon difficult"
  • terongi
    terongi Posts: 318
    Who are Team Chelsea?

    Are they in the Continental Tour?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    pedro118118 wrote:
    Can we expect to see the likes of Columbia, Garmin, Katusha all waiting for an opportunity to spoil the party at the first available opportunity?

    Columbia won't go against them, because they will want Cav to be World Champion in the next two years
    Garmin - Vaughters may act wronged publically, but he'll be delighted with his rumoured £2m pay off.
    Katusha may still be a little miffed, but they'll be more concerned about trying to get results for themselves than spoiling it for others.

    I'm not sure anyone else really cares too much.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    RichN95 wrote:

    Columbia won't go against them, because they will want Cav to be World Champion in the next two years
    Garmin - Vaughters may act wronged publically, but he'll be delighted with his rumoured £2m pay off.
    Katusha may still be a little miffed, but they'll be more concerned about trying to get results for themselves than spoiling it for others.

    If I may counter - Cuddly Bob has set the lawyers on Sky once. I don't think there's much love lost.

    Garmin : Explain how £2m replaces a Grand Tour contendor?

    Katusha might be less of a problem - Brailsford publically praised Tchmil's professionalism about the whole thing.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    £2m is a good payoff. Its a gamble that Wiggins can improve on this years performance.

    The record books are littered with people who had one decent tour and then faded away.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    iainf72 wrote:

    If I may counter - Cuddly Bob has set the lawyers on Sky once. I don't think there's much love lost.

    Garmin : Explain how £2m replaces a Grand Tour contendor?

    Katusha might be less of a problem - Brailsford publically praised Tchmil's professionalism about the whole thing.

    I'll recounter:

    1. Lawyers at management level is one thing - that doesn't bother the riders. But start taking it personally against the riders and they're not going to ride for Cav come the Worlds

    2. Garmin: It doesn't replace a GT contender, but they've still got CVV and Martin coming through. £2m gives them some amount of financial security. If you were Vaughters would you rather have Wiggins for a year or $2m
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    RichN95 wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:

    If I may counter - Cuddly Bob has set the lawyers on Sky once. I don't think there's much love lost.

    Garmin : Explain how £2m replaces a Grand Tour contendor?

    Katusha might be less of a problem - Brailsford publically praised Tchmil's professionalism about the whole thing.

    I'll recounter:

    1. Lawyers at management level is one thing - that doesn't bother the riders. But start taking it personally against the riders and they're not going to ride for Cav come the Worlds

    2. Garmin: It doesn't replace a GT contender, but they've still got CVV and Martin coming through. £2m gives them some amount of financial security. If you were Vaughters would you rather have Wiggins for a year or $2m

    I agree i think 2million was a great deal for Garmin as Cougie says cycling history is littered with one off Tour perfomances. Also maybe they could use that 2million to buy in a GT rider for 2011
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    yeah, two million for one year thats probably a tenth of their bidject and theres imo i don't see wiggins repeating his preformance, the schleks will be there again as will bertie and probably armstrong and i would expect evans gesink vdv to all be in with a shout
  • paulcuthbert
    paulcuthbert Posts: 1,016
    pomtarr wrote:
    More like Man City.

    - Both have underacheived for years (British road cycling, that is)
    - Both have had successes in the distant past (City were good in the 70s, )
    - Both are based in East Manchester (see http://bit.ly/8ihPja)
    - Both recently have had massive injections of cash
    - Massive expectations for both

    Basically the only difference is Roberto Mancini has a fine crop of hair whereas Dave Brailsford is lacking....

    You forgot about the sky blue (no pun intended!) connection...

    I don't agree with the Chelsea thing. Chelsea were on the up before Abramovich bought them over. Vialli did a good job even before Abramovich came in- so to suggest that they only started being successful due to money being pumped in is a false claim. Yeah, they were undoubtedly stronger with the Russian, but they weren't exactly in the relegation zone before, were they...
    The most painful climb in Northern Ireland http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs200.snc1/6776_124247198694_548863694_2335754_8016178_n.jpg
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    paulcuthbert wrote:
    pomtarr wrote:
    More like Man City.

    - Both have underacheived for years (British road cycling, that is)
    - Both have had successes in the distant past (City were good in the 70s, )
    - Both are based in East Manchester (see http://bit.ly/8ihPja)
    - Both recently have had massive injections of cash
    - Massive expectations for both

    Basically the only difference is Roberto Mancini has a fine crop of hair whereas Dave Brailsford is lacking....

    You forgot about the sky blue (no pun intended!) connection...

    I don't agree with the Chelsea thing. Chelsea were on the up before Abramovich bought them over. Vialli did a good job even before Abramovich came in- so to suggest that they only started being successful due to money being pumped in is a false claim. Yeah, they were undoubtedly stronger with the Russian, but they weren't exactly in the relegation zone before, were they...

    The money had been "pumped in" for a number of years before Abrahmovic turned up hence their massive debts when he took over.
    @stagehopper
  • DanielFriebe
    DanielFriebe Posts: 102
    http://www.bikeradar.com/blogs/article/ ... ntry-24566
    New blog on roughly this topic.
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Aye - Vaughters will "pretend" to be upset, but the form of Wiggins was a bonus for him last year - he still has a decent all round team, CVV was his leader and still is and Martin (if he continues to develop) will just get stronger. £2m in the bank is not a bad bit of business for a rider who was unsettled in any event - this isn't football...
    http://www.georgesfoundation.org
    http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
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  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    paulcuthbert wrote:
    I don't agree with the Chelsea thing. Chelsea were on the up before Abramovich bought them over. Vialli did a good job even before Abramovich came in- so to suggest that they only started being successful due to money being pumped in is a false claim. Yeah, they were undoubtedly stronger with the Russian, but they weren't exactly in the relegation zone before, were they...

    When he bought Chelsea they were £100m in debt and a week away from going into administration.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • cyclingtaz
    cyclingtaz Posts: 326
    iainf72 wrote:
    I think you'll see Garmin challenging to win the Tour.

    who with ?
    "you tried your best and failed miserably. the lesson is never to try"
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    cyclingtaz wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    I think you'll see Garmin challenging to win the Tour.

    who with ?

    Well VDV and DM are both better GT prospects than Wiggins.......
    I like bikes...

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  • pontarlier_pete
    pontarlier_pete Posts: 195
    redddraggon wrote:

    Well VDV and DM are both better GT prospects than Wiggins.......

    Agree about VDV, but I think DM needs a couple more years yet. Definitely one for the future though.
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    Pontarlier Pete wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:

    Well VDV and DM are both better GT prospects than Wiggins.......

    Agree about VDV, but I think DM needs a couple more years yet. Definitely one for the future though.

    £2million quid buys an awful lot of time in a wind-tunnel :wink:
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • paulcuthbert
    paulcuthbert Posts: 1,016
    RichN95 wrote:
    paulcuthbert wrote:
    I don't agree with the Chelsea thing. Chelsea were on the up before Abramovich bought them over. Vialli did a good job even before Abramovich came in- so to suggest that they only started being successful due to money being pumped in is a false claim. Yeah, they were undoubtedly stronger with the Russian, but they weren't exactly in the relegation zone before, were they...

    When he bought Chelsea they were £100m in debt and a week away from going into administration.

    As a business, yes... As a football team, they were doing alright!
    The most painful climb in Northern Ireland http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs200.snc1/6776_124247198694_548863694_2335754_8016178_n.jpg
  • cyclingtaz
    cyclingtaz Posts: 326
    Pontarlier Pete wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:

    Well VDV and DM are both better GT prospects than Wiggins.......

    Agree about VDV, but I think DM needs a couple more years yet. Definitely one for the future though.

    even though i like dm he's not a gt contender and i dont rate vdv either having said that brad has a hell of a lot of improving to do before july to be a true contender to win
    "you tried your best and failed miserably. the lesson is never to try"
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    I would have thought Saxo were the Chelsea of pro-cycling - good solid all round team, a few superstars.

    Terry - Voigt - Mr Dependable
    Drogba - Cancellara - Sometimes Unplayable
    Lampard - A Schleck - Probably there best player
    Cech - F Schleck - dependable but prone to bangs on the head

    Sky probably reemble QPR at the minute, all that money and yet to achieve anything (of course this could be subject to change very shortly)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Dan Martin was a little bit disappointing at the Vuelta, but wasn't he ill or injured or something? He still has many years to improve.
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    If Sky are the chelski of cycling does that mean I'll suddenly find the pub full of people that supported them 30 years ago?
  • brakelever
    brakelever Posts: 158
    it sounds in some quarters as thought people cant wait to see sky fail and then turn round and say ( told you so i was right all along ) yes they have pumped a large amount of money in , and lots of pr but is that not a good thing for cycling ? would it not be brillant if wiggo won or is it all to brash for a lot of purists out there , just how many people out there would love to see someone from this small island win a grand tour ? :roll:
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    @brakelever
    It would be great if British Cycling continued to improve, and good luck to Sky. But the only way there's a British winner of the TDF in the next 5 years is if AC or Andy Schleck fancy a British passport Zola Budd style, a bit like the way half the England cricket team don't have British accents :)

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