Sky's Lead-out
http://www.roadcycling.co.nz/RaceTalk/t ... train.html
Interesting. A few of them were wearing skinsuits today too. I know Brailsford was talking about getting marginal gains wherever possible. It appears they're quite serious about it.
Interesting. A few of them were wearing skinsuits today too. I know Brailsford was talking about getting marginal gains wherever possible. It appears they're quite serious about it.
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I must admit it was nice to see Team Sky p*ss on Columbia's parade.
The Columbia train was starting to get too predictable. They even tried to muscle Sky out of the way but to no avail.0 -
Very impressive start - a team pulling their sprinter to victory is always exciting to see. HTC seemed to mess it up today - but I bet they wont be doing that when Cav is racing.0
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I seem to recall Columbia had a few epic fails with their train last year too.
But I think when it comes to Cavendish being delivered to the line, they're unlikely to mess it up.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Was a great lead out battle between them. Was mighty impressed with Downing's effort.
30min highlights video is on teamsky.com Phil & Paul commentry.0 -
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With Cav at the head of things and Renshaw as lead-out they will be a different proposition.
Still, 'twas only a crit, we'll see how the stages pan out.Le Blaireau (1)0 -
DaveyL wrote:With Cav at the head of things and Renshaw as lead-out they will be a different proposition.
Still, 'twas only a crit, we'll see how the stages pan out.
Excuse my ignorance, but how is a sprint finish in a crit different to a stage?
I know people will be more tired at the end of a long stage but a crit sprint is surely just as, if not more, manic.
It certainly didn't look like anyone was holding back.0 -
Have to say SKY were impressive, but thing that Columbia made a mess of it. Looked like they delivered Gripel at least one rider too early.0
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As Bhima says, difficult to say whether Columbia messed it up themselves or were disrupted succesfully by Sky...0
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I thought Hayman was immense!0
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I think i'll turbo to the highlights of the crit tomorrow - I may even hit the kind of wattages that normally only Nap D reaches.0
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NapoleonD wrote:DaveyL wrote:With Cav at the head of things and Renshaw as lead-out they will be a different proposition.
Still, 'twas only a crit, we'll see how the stages pan out.
Excuse my ignorance, but how is a sprint finish in a crit different to a stage?
I know people will be more tired at the end of a long stage but a crit sprint is surely just as, if not more, manic.
It certainly didn't look like anyone was holding back.
My point, which was not very well made, was that it was just one race - we'll see how the rest of the week pans out. Didn't mean to imply today was just a chipper or anything.Le Blaireau (1)0 -
Griepel lost the wheel which he does too often. Cav never does this.0
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DaveyL wrote:My point, which was not very well made, was that it was just one race - we'll see how the rest of the week pans out. Didn't mean to imply today was just a chipper or anything.
Yes, indeed. Not a chipper at all, it's UCI ranking confirms this....
Oh wait.
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
I guess the UCI points don't always dictate how hard a race is going to be
http://twitter.com/johanbruyneel/status/7856799876 Le Blaireau (1)0 -
It is funny if Sky hadn't won they would have been slatted on here. As it is they are slatted because they only won a short crit race. I am sure they are aware that yesterday's race wasn't as long as others but what did we want from them, win by a lap? they did as well as they could in a limited race and that was to win it. If it had been longer i am sure they would have tried to win it. Point is they couldn't have started better. it might have been a short crit race but i am sure every team racing would have liked to have won it.0
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iainf72 wrote:I seem to recall Columbia had a few epic fails with their train last year too.
But I think when it comes to Cavendish being delivered to the line, they're unlikely to mess it up.
And bear in mind that Renshaw is an integral part of that train. A fit & healthy Renshaw working for Cavendish is a completely different kettle of fish for Sky.0 -
DaveyL wrote:I guess the UCI points don't always dictate how hard a race is going to be
http://twitter.com/johanbruyneel/status/7856799876
71 km/h
Actually there is a slight downhill section on the circuit; Bartels Road. It isn't that steep; only 1 or so %, and only for 400 metres or so, but they did it with a tail wind, which was gusting over 30 km/h.
Each lap was 1.7 kms and the quickest they did a lap was 1 min 51" (for the last one), which works out to about 55 km/h. So that's not too bad a going.0 -
On the kit issue - Cervelo have been using aero-racing jerseys for over a year. And Rob Hayles has been racing in an adapted skin-suit (with pockets) in the Premier Calender for a couple of years. Nothing new there, really.
The Sky train looked pretty well-drilled though and to win at the first attempt is to be applauded - whatever the race. It was a pretty high-quality field, even if they aren't at 100% so early in the season.0 -
I think Andy Hampsten turned up for a shortened Giro mountain stage in a skinsuit, didn't he? Possibly the first time his team rode the Giro?Le Blaireau (1)0
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The level of preparation is interesting. In several interviews I've seen riders say the lead out went "exactly like we'd practiced it", and Brailsford and the rest of the management have praised the riders for executing the race "as planned".
It's an interesting contrast to some of the teams who enter TTTs in GTs with little or no apparent preparation, especially when you consider what a small race this is.0 -
This needs a sense of perspective really - great to win first time out but this was 'only' a crit. Yet it's being talked up like it was something special, not least by the Sky riders who are talking about having won a 'big race'.
I know, I know, the first time is always a biggie 0 -
Every team would want to start off the season with a win - and as the speeds show - they werent taking it easy.
And any team is obviously gonna big up their wins - no matter who they are. If they arent doing that, then they arent doing their job properly.0 -
Sky did everything they could yesterday: they won, and won well.
Sure, the HTC will be different with Renshaw as last lead out and Cav at the head of it all.
But won't Sky be different with, potentially, Barry, Arvesen, Flecha and EBH?
The odds still favour a Cav win, of course, but at least we have the promise of some interesting sprints rather than an HTC victory parade.
Personally, I'm looking at the battle between these two as a season-long scrap for Cav's services in 2011 and beyond.
Sky have the money to pay him, the personnel he knows and trusts and the ability to raise his profile - and therefore his earning potential - in the UK.
Cav has always said he'll sign for the best team that will bring him the most wins, whether that's HTC or Sky.
If Sky continue to prove they can do that, then I'd imagine Stapleton will start getting a little twitchy.0 -
Graeme_S wrote:The level of preparation is interesting. In several interviews I've seen riders say the lead out went "exactly like we'd practiced it", and Brailsford and the rest of the management have praised the riders for executing the race "as planned".
It's an interesting contrast to some of the teams who enter TTTs in GTs with little or no apparent preparation, especially when you consider what a small race this is.
Yes, I agree with the contrast you make. Just ask Cadel how Silence prepared for the TTT @ the TdF last year.0 -
bobbymeister wrote:Personally, I'm looking at the battle between these two as a season-long scrap for Cav's services in 2011 and beyond.
Wouldn't having Cav in the team compromise their aim to win the GC in Grand Tours? You can't run a train like Columbia's and also provide support for a GC contendor through a 3 week stage race.
I think from Sky's perspective Cav could win GT stages without a dedicated train, but from Cav's perspective wouldn't he be better sticking with a team that is (for the time being) prepared to build a GT squad around delivering him to the finish line on flat stages?0 -
It was a big race as far as team Sky's corporate backers were concerned, this would not have been lost on Brailsford etc.
Basically the first race of the season with a load of top European pros plus his highness, team Sky's first race and the eyes of the world on them. Never mind the UCI ranking, they wanted to win that quite badly. And it must feel good when the plan comes together. And Sky must be happy.0
