Brailsford on 'humbling' TdF

autobahn

Its only when Pedro above summarised, that no results of note in any of the Grand Tours, or Monuments I realised the term humbling is not really strong enough to describe the past season.
I really want them to do well, and am not anti Team Sky. I was in the Alps in the summer cheering on Sky. I dont blame Wiggins for moving, his life is sorted now for the rest of his days, only thing is what are they gonna do with him for the next 2 years?
Ive seen other postings giving off, about being negative and not getting behind the team,
but with the budget they've had , the resources , the personnel , backroom staff, I'd be really peeved off, if I was James Murdoch & all, on the return to date from my investment.
Not many sports/teams get that much money thrown at them to go and learn the ropes and Im sure the pressure is on and a return in the shape of results next year is expected.I would love to be a fly on the wall at the meeting when DB is asking for more money for next year.
You talk a good game, now forget your unturned stones , marginal gains and recalibration and give us some results next year.

RichN95.

My god, some people are impatient. You should be chairmen of football clubs.

Sky was always going to take two or three seasons to reach where they wanted to be.

I can't think of a brand new team (i.e. not largely based on a previous team) that was brilliant in it's first year, since La Vie Claire.

British Cycling didn't dominate the track from year one. It grew steadily.

mididoctors

Luckao wrote:

. They're not the inspiration a professional needs prior to a day of racing, they're bloody boring.

iainf72

RichN95 wrote:

I can't think of a brand new team (i.e. not largely based on a previous team) that was brilliant in it's first year, since La Vie Claire.

British Cycling didn't dominate the track from year one. It grew steadily.

Cervelo year 1 won stages in all grand Tours, podiumed in a GT and in classics.

If Sky had done that this year, no one would've been critical.

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

Cervelo year 1 won stages in all grand Tours, podiumed in a GT and in classics.

If Sky had done that this year, no one would've been critical.

And how are Cervelo doing now? You must be a fan of boom-bust economics.

They got very lucky with the folding of Credit Agricole and Gerolsteiner (Haussler, Hushovd etc). Sky got Barloworld.

mididoctors

RichN95 wrote:

My god, some people are impatient. You should be chairmen of football clubs.

Sky was always going to take two or three seasons to reach where they wanted to be.

I can't think of a brand new team (i.e. not largely based on a previous team) that was brilliant in it's first year, since La Vie Claire.

British Cycling didn't dominate the track from year one. It grew steadily.

I think you have it surrounded but they didn't do themselves any favours with all the hype

their biggest flop was not winning ToB

other poor shows

failed at every attempt to control one week stage races that on paper they could have won.. and far too early lead out syndrome... but if they keep doing it perhaps they will be able to hold onto the front for 3k and then the jokes on everyone else i guess.

way to much hype is a fair criticism

dulldave

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Cervelo year 1 won stages in all grand Tours, podiumed in a GT and in classics.

If Sky had done that this year, no one would've been critical.

And how are Cervelo doing now? You must be a fan of boom-bust economics.

They got very lucky with the folding of Credit Agricole and Gerolsteiner (Haussler, Hushovd etc). Sky got Barloworld.

To be fair the fact that Cervelo pulled out of running a team doesn't weaken his point in any way. The cost of running a team went up and they decided they couldn't afford it. In fact it just shoes that they got those results whilst spending a lot less than Sky. They did get lucky with teams folding though.

Turfle

One-day podiums:
Winner Omloop
3rd KBK
3rd Roubaix
2nd Strade Bianchi
3rd E3
Dutch Food Valley Classic
Ster Elektrotoer
2nd Vattenfall
2nd Quebec


Stage wins:
TDU
Qatar (TTT)
Oman * 2
Paris-Nice
Tirreno
Criterium International
Giro
Picardie (and overall)
Dauphine
Brixia
Wallonie (and overall)
Eneco
Tour of Britain


Not awe inspiring, but nowhere near as bad as is being painted.

RichN95.

dulldave wrote:

To be fair the fact that Cervelo pulled out of running a team doesn't weaken his point in any way. The cost of running a team went up and they decided they couldn't afford it. In fact it just shoes that they got those results whilst spending a lot less than Sky. They did get lucky with teams folding though.

Yeah, it doesn't. But it's worth considering - which is better, boom and bust or long term growth.

Other points I'd make are:

The hype: Yes, there was quite a bit of it. But cycling is partly about getting your sponsor's name out there, so hype comes with the territory. Also, we all get our cycling news from, mostly, British media, and they got a bit excited about having a British team with people whose numbers they had on their mobile.

The attitude of the peloton: I think a lot of that came down to a) jealousy (bus, contracts, attention, whatever) and b) picking on the new boys - if Fly V get pro tour, they'll take their place.

The money: If you have an unlimited budget to plan a banquet, but are only allowed to shop in Iceland and Lidl, you're not going to get a sumptuous spread. Let's see who they've signed this year (Porte, Rogers and Uran would be pretty good IMO).

stagehopper

Sky killed their hype many months ago. It's the forums which still seem obsessed with it.

RichN95.

stagehopper wrote:

Sky killed their hype many months ago. It's the forums which still seem obsessed with it.

The forums are also obsessed with the 'British Tour winner in 5 years' quote, which was only ever for the benefit of a largely clueless British public.

Some people see it as 'the Moon by the end of the decade' , a goal with no other possible objectives.

stagehopper

And let's not forget it was an aspiration, not a promise.

pedro118118

I suppose we'll see over the nexty couple of years - I would be happy for Sky to be a success. What irks me is this refusal to accept/acknowledge that this season has fallen short of hope/expectations.

It pains me to say it (really), but Wiggo's 4th at the Tour last year does look like a fluke and he isn't GT podium material. Which is a tricky situation to manage, because how/where else do you get the best out of him? He'll win the odd prologue (at least the ones that Canc and Martin aren't interested in) and probably top 10 on GC, but that can't be the focus, surely? And whilst G has shown is made of pretty strong stuff, he looks a little bit like Wiggo 2.0, with a slightly faster finish.

For me, they need a top-drawer sprinter, some climbing 'super' domestiques and pray to God that EBH remains healthy.

mroli

pedro118118 wrote:

No GT stage wins or jerseys (unless you include Wiggo's prologue

Wasn't G in white in the TdF? and pretty close to yellow on the road at one stage too.

mididoctors

stagehopper wrote:

Sky killed their hype many months ago. It's the forums which still seem obsessed with it.

..


too late even if true.. which is why you dont do it

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

Let's see who they've signed this year (Porte, Rogers and Uran would be pretty good IMO).

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see them sign Porte, there were times at the ToB where Sky appeared to be taking points from other riders that would benefit Porte rather than anyone in their own team!

pedro118118

mroli wrote:

pedro118118 wrote:

No GT stage wins or jerseys (unless you include Wiggo's prologue

Wasn't G in white in the TdF? and pretty close to yellow on the road at one stage too.

Jersey's won, not jersey's worn.
Or almost worn!

iainf72

I'm curious who they've binned.

Morris P?

stagehopper

They didn't have the biggest squad - 26 if I remember correctly so always had a little wiggle room. Richie Porte still under contract at Saxo for 2011 so we might have to go down *that* road again ... of current squad thought these would be most vulnerable:

John-Lee Augustyn
Sylvain Calzati
Kjell Carlström
Dario David Cioni
Nicolas Portal
Morris Possoni
Davide Viganò

inkyfingers

I'd have thought Cioni, Calzati, Portal & Vigano would be the most at risk as they've done little this year. JLA is still pretty young and has had some health problems so will probably get another crack, Carlstrom has been a solid domestique and Possoni has had some decent results albeit in small races (Brixia Tour).

I think Porte or Rogers would be good signings and would be likely to bring some TT wins and good placings in 1 week races. EBH staying fit will be important, they had a good spring classics season considering he missed most of them, they could be even stronger next year with EBH, Flecha, Thomas, Stannard, Hayman and possibly Wiggins if they risk him on the cobbles - could be a very useful rider to have to try and pull back the inevitable Cancellara attacks.

iainf72

Riis is getting pretty firm on the Porte thing now and saying No.

Sounds a lot like his agent has been chasing the dollar bill y'all.

inkyfingers

If Porte was on my team I wouldn't want to give him up without a fight either. Rogers could do a similar job in the short term, albeit without the long term potential to be a real superstar.

Rodrego Hernandez

stagehopper wrote:

They didn't have the biggest squad - 26 if I remember correctly so always had a little wiggle room. Richie Porte still under contract at Saxo for 2011 so we might have to go down *that* road again ... of current squad thought these would be most vulnerable:

John-Lee Augustyn
Sylvain Calzati
Kjell Carlström
Dario David Cioni
Nicolas Portal
Morris Possoni
Davide Viganò

They could easily get rid of the above plus Chris Froome and Serge Pauwels, they have added nothing to the team as far as I can tell. They also need to clear out some of the back-room staff. De Jongh, Sciandri and Hunt and keep Brailsford out of the team car.

Compassionate ruthlessness is certainly needed, somehow I can't see Brailsford knowing what to do next.