Sky pull riders from Commonwealth games
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my thoughts exactly ?!?!?0
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henderson?"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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Kennaugh is the one Manx radio reported.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0
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yeah saying now its just him and NOT all sky riders0
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Will be interesting to see if Cav goes or not given his 'image'.0
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BRENDAN GALLAGHER SENSATIONALLY REBUKES IAINF72
"Peter Kennaugh decision to withdraw from C Games an entirely personal call, nothing to do with Sky as reported by some."Le Blaireau (1)0 -
Kennaugh says he was worried about Dengue fever, a disease spread by mosquitoes.0
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Geraint Thomas was on the BBC Welsh news a bit earlier. He mentioned the fact that he's had his spleen removed (which I'd forgotten tbh) and said that leaves him more prone to infections developing complications, so to be on the safe side he decided not to go. And having seen some of the pictures of the unfinished accommodation on the BBC website, who can blame him?
He deftly sidestepped the question about whether Sky had put him under any pressure to pull out...0 -
Was Cav due to go? Thought he was just sticking to the worlds?Pokerface wrote:Will be interesting to see if Cav goes or not given his 'image'.http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....0 -
durhamwasp wrote:
Was Cav due to go? Thought he was just sticking to the worlds?Pokerface wrote:Will be interesting to see if Cav goes or not given his 'image'.
Yes. "Delhi is on the way home"
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/499905/cavendish-confirms-commonwealth-games-participation.htmlTwitter: @RichN950 -
Sky absolutely aren't pulling riders from the Commy Games, at least according to the Sky General Manager, or was it the BC Performance Director, it all becomes very unclear doesn't it.
In a completely unrelated turn of events, Greg Henderson also looks like he is pulling out.
If the Sky GM and BC head were different people, this would be a scandal.0 -
Five Sky riders pull out within hours of each other. According to Brailsford, it's just a coincidence.
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Rodrego Hernandez wrote:Sky absolutely aren't pulling riders from the Commy Games, at least according to the Sky General Manager, or was it the BC Performance Director, it all becomes very unclear doesn't it.
In a completely unrelated turn of events, Greg Henderson also looks like he is pulling out.
If the Sky GM and BC head were different people, this would be a scandal.
And if Brailsford was Radovan Karadzic he'd be a war criminal. But he's not.Le Blaireau (1)0 -
Rodrego Hernandez wrote:If the Sky GM and BC head were different people, this would be a scandal.
Does that logic work at all? The whole questioning of the Sky/BC symbiotic relationship has been two pronged. Firstly is how much is the pro-team benefitting from British Cycling's resources? Secondly how much is BC benefitting from Brailsford being able to call on the Team Sky riders for the track programme whenever he wants.
Surely that was the raison d'être of setting up the Pro Tour team? Having your talented crop of endurance riders under lock and key and with tailored road programmes to suit track ambitions with no conflict with main sponsor is Brailsford's masterplan. He couldn't guarantee that level of control in the run up to 2012 if his riders were with Garmin, Katusha, Saxo Bank etc.
And let's not forget that Sky sponsor both the national track and road teams and their own high performance Sky HD track squad.
If pressure has been put on, it'll be Brailsford with his track hat on doing it. Massive qualifying period for 2012 starts this winter and losing your track stars because of Dengue fever (which two of the Indian track cyclists have caught whilst training at the velodrome in Delhi) is not the way to start.0 -
Basically the Sky team benefit from a huge amount of resource from British Cycling - the commonwealth games start next week and the rack endurance coach has been on the road with sky all season!
What I object to is the bull$hit that Dave B comes out with. He has shown his contempt to the fans too many times and his arrogance to the other teams. He's happy to be on a million plus contract with all his living expensed but for how long will this last and what will happen to the team when it all goes wrong?0 -
OK so Sky haven't set the world alight during their first season but putting personalities aside if you are going to pay someone based on their results then Dave Brailsfords results with the track team are pretty impressive."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0
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If I was Dave Brailsford I’d be on the phone to myself right now giving myself a good bollocking about all this0
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Rodrego Hernandez wrote:Basically the Sky team benefit from a huge amount of resource from British Cycling - the commonwealth games start next week and the rack endurance coach has been on the road with sky all season!
What I object to is the bull$hit that Dave B comes out with. He has shown his contempt to the fans too many times and his arrogance to the other teams. He's happy to be on a million plus contract with all his living expensed but for how long will this last and what will happen to the team when it all goes wrong?
So you've got no logical argument here, it's just your intense dislike of Brailsford?0 -
Just showing that the joint leadership of Sky / BC won't work in situations like this. The national fed need the riders to ride to put on a good show. The pro team are worried about the riders for next year.
Conflict of interests.0 -
Rodrego Hernandez wrote:Just showing that the joint leadership of Sky / BC won't work in situations like this. The national fed need the riders to ride to put on a good show. The pro team are worried about the riders for next year.
Conflict of interests.
I've just pointed out that it's far more likely the national fed are the ones doing the worrying here. They've already withdrawn the likes of Pendleton and Hoy preferring to chase ranking points in Europe. The whole point of Team Sky is to allow the top GB road riders totally freedom to pursue their track ambitions which they might not get at other Pro Tour teams.0 -
Not sure if I believe Sky on this, the simultaneous withdrawal of all their riders looks odd, especially given other British, Kiwi riders are going. Certainly Sky have every interest in getting their riders away from the games, there's little interest in a medal for Murdoch's empire.
But British Cycling is meant to play by different rules, no?0 -
Kléber wrote:Not sure if I believe Sky on this, the simultaneous withdrawal of all their riders looks odd, especially given other British, Kiwi riders are going. Certainly Sky have every interest in getting their riders away from the games, there's little interest in a medal for Murdoch's empire.
Sky may have just e-mailed all the riders, saying 'Make up your own mind, but here's what our doctor says about India...'
It would be irresponsible to not keep them informed. The CW road cycling should be for up and coming riders in my opinion (e.g. Evans in 2002).Twitter: @RichN950 -
Just like to say that as far as I am concerned, whether it be the rider's choice or Sky's choice, the decision not to go is the right choice... Why take the risk? I wouldn't...0
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Matt Hayman's take on it:
"At this stage I haven't withdrawn, but I've got some concerns about going," Hayman is being quoted in the Sydney Moring Herald on Friday. "I was reading things about extra security and talk about sniper helicopters (following the race for protection) but it's not really the place you want to be. Hiding in buses and getting to and from a race like that doesn't sound like fun.
"On the other hand I always love representing my country. It's a tough call." The 32-year-old added he wouldn't make a decision about pulling out until after the Worlds.
and Henderson:
"It's about my family; it's not just about Greg Henderson any more. I've got to think about my wife [former Australian Olympic cyclist medallist Katie Mactier] and little girl Charlie and they don't want me going to the Commonwealth Games," he told BikeNZ.0 -
Forgetting whether Sky have told them to or not I can understand why the riders are pulling out or thinking of pulling out. It's a shame though as even if the games go ahead I think this could damage the future of the Commonwelath games irreparably, i'd be particularly worried if I was organising the Glasgow games in 2014.
If the road race is won by a rider from a minnow country then it won't really have any value if Henderson, Cavendish and Swift etc weren't there, same will go for all the other events."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Kennaugh's withdrawal is a real blow for the Island. On the bright side it moves me up to 69,999th on the reserve list 0
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I think the riders must take some responsibility. I'm guessing they're all mates, or at least get on and talk to each other, perhaps the Sky team riders had been talking amongst themselves about whether they fancy the idea of riding at the Commonwealths or not.
If I was in their position I'd have to think long and hard as to whether I'd take part or not. They're in effect contractors working for Team Sky, if as a result of them competing in India they become ill, injured or attacked (I know the latter is unlikely, but possible) then it could mean that they're not able to perform their job properly. They can't perform their job properly = their contract not being renewed/missing out on sponsorship opportunities. They're not representing their employers at the Commonwealths so the employer has no obligation to be loyal to them should something happen to the them at the games.
As a sportsperson you have a limited shelf life, so it's about making the most of that shelf life. Greg Henderson, Russ Downing and Mathew Hayman are all in their 30s so the shelf life is coming to an end soon (hard me saying that as I'm the same age!). If they don't get their contracts renewed, or can't get a contract with another team then it effects the lives of them and their families. It can't be an easy decision.
Same goes for anyone in any sport going to the Commonwealths, particularly those who take part in amateur sports, and have a day job to maintain, In the grand scheme of things it's not a high priority competition, is it worth risking your livelihood over it?
I'm not sure it's something you can insure against, and it's not like in most cases that these athletes are on anywhere near the earning levels of say a top footballer.0 -
^ Or anyone going to the Worlds and having a conflict between nation and trade team. But thank goodness that doesn't happen and it's only nasty Sky and BC we're talking about.Le Blaireau (1)0
