Team Sky - How they doing to date?

Tusher

Dan Martin was turned down by British Cycling and subsequently discovered his Oirishness.

Agree that he would have made a superb Sky mountain goat, but I think he fits Garmin very well and from what I've read he's happy, contented and well supported there.

rebs

He was turned at a time where they were focused on nothing but the track. Think their were a handful of riders who were turned down who might have been handy going up hill now.

I dunno why I do find pure climbers a strange bunch :P

Neil Buckley

P_Tucker wrote:

BarryBonds wrote:

Pennine Daz wrote:

Maybe there just a clean team

:roll:

Why is it always the people who can barely spell that think Sky/British riders are clean?

And why shouldnt they be? I know someone who rides fo Sky hes clean....

P_Tucker

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

BarryBonds wrote:

Pennine Daz wrote:

Maybe there just a clean team

:roll:

Why is it always the people who can barely spell that think Sky/British riders are clean?

And why shouldnt they be? I know someone who rides fo Sky hes clean....

Thank you for underlining my point.

Neil Buckley

P_Tucker wrote:

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

BarryBonds wrote:

Pennine Daz wrote:

Maybe there just a clean team

:roll:

Why is it always the people who can barely spell that think Sky/British riders are clean?

And why shouldnt they be? I know someone who rides fo Sky hes clean....

Thank you for underlining my point.

Sorry for mispelling something, weres your conclusive proof apart from I cannot spell that makes all of Sky riders dopers then? I must be an utter mong because how? because people are not as obiously educated as you, because some people see the positive side of having a British registered cycling team who are trying to achive something good to cheer and their lack of education makes Sky a doping team??? Idiot. Its a stupid argument, like the 'which British rider is going to get bust for doping first' no wonder some people look at cycling so badly, you should go work for the UCI with reasoning like that.

Jez mon

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

BarryBonds wrote:

Pennine Daz wrote:

Maybe there just a clean team

:roll:

Why is it always the people who can barely spell that think Sky/British riders are clean?

And why shouldnt they be? I know someone who rides fo Sky hes clean....

Thank you for underlining my point.

Sorry for mispelling something, weres your conclusive proof apart from I cannot spell that makes all of Sky riders dopers then? I must be an utter mong because how? because people are not as obiously educated as you, because some people see the positive side of having a British registered cycling team who are trying to achive something good to cheer and their lack of education makes Sky a doping team??? Idiot. Its a stupid argument, like the 'which British rider is going to get bust for doping first' no wonder some people look at cycling so badly, you should go work for the UCI with reasoning like that.

tsk...fanboys :roll:




Perhaps Brailsford is not able to replicate the track success on the road, due to drugs...perhaps it's because British Cycling focussed on riders who could ride track, but failed to nurture road racers.

I think it's due to the fact that the serious cycling nations do not seem to take track seriously, but I could well be wrong, I'm definitely in a minority in saying that I think there is a good chance Cav will not end up at sky.

RichN95.

Jez mon wrote:

Perhaps Brailsford is not able to replicate the track success on the road, due to drugs...perhaps it's because British Cycling focussed on riders who could ride track, but failed to nurture road racers.

I think it's due to the fact that the serious cycling nations do not seem to take track seriously, but I could well be wrong, I'm definitely in a minority in saying that I think there is a good chance Cav will not end up at sky.

The track success didn't happen overnight. It took many years to get to the top.

As long as Sky keep improving every year, then they're doing OK.

As far as Cav & Sky is concerned, in the latest Real Peloton podcast, Ned Boulting said he had heard a rumour as to why Cav will never ride for Sky. Annoyingly he wouldn't repeat the rumour though.

inkyfingers

Yes, i'd love to know what Ned Boulting knows about that!

Neil Buckley

Jez mon wrote:

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

BarryBonds wrote:

Pennine Daz wrote:

Maybe there just a clean team

:roll:

Why is it always the people who can barely spell that think Sky/British riders are clean?

And why shouldnt they be? I know someone who rides fo Sky hes clean....

Thank you for underlining my point.

Sorry for mispelling something, weres your conclusive proof apart from I cannot spell that makes all of Sky riders dopers then? I must be an utter mong because how? because people are not as obiously educated as you, because some people see the positive side of having a British registered cycling team who are trying to achive something good to cheer and their lack of education makes Sky a doping team??? Idiot. Its a stupid argument, like the 'which British rider is going to get bust for doping first' no wonder some people look at cycling so badly, you should go work for the UCI with reasoning like that.

tsk...fanboys :roll:




Perhaps Brailsford is not able to replicate the track success on the road, due to drugs...perhaps it's because British Cycling focussed on riders who could ride track, but failed to nurture road racers.

I think it's due to the fact that the serious cycling nations do not seem to take track seriously, but I could well be wrong, I'm definitely in a minority in saying that I think there is a good chance Cav will not end up at sky.

Why is it being a 'fanboy? some people write some Shi*e on here, isn't someone allowed to like a team or is that against some stupid rule? Dave Brailsford cannot replicate the success on the road because as we all well as know there is too many variables on the road, simple as. IMO I think Cav will end up at BMC. Plus the fact there is the Team Sky - BC link, the amount of money riding (pardon the pun) in the track squad, the whole Olymipic money would be lost, lets face it without the cyclists the Bejing games would not have been succesfull, or did they dope too? highly bloody unlikely...... that would be lost with Team Sky posting a positive, garenteed. I agree BC in the past have proberly not done its best on the road with young riders, but young lads like Luke Rowe, Ben Swift, Pete Kannuagh and the likes coming through but they have not done that bad, Steve Cummings, Brad, Geraint Thomas, Cav. Plus on another point if Bradley Wiggins doped during 2009 Tour, why did he post his blood results?? also why has he said post his whole blood passport? Cue fanboy bollocks, its not, its putting some bloody objective sense to the crap that gets wrote here by people who need to get out more...

Jez mon

RichN95 wrote:

Jez mon wrote:

Perhaps Brailsford is not able to replicate the track success on the road, due to drugs...perhaps it's because British Cycling focussed on riders who could ride track, but failed to nurture road racers.

I think it's due to the fact that the serious cycling nations do not seem to take track seriously, but I could well be wrong, I'm definitely in a minority in saying that I think there is a good chance Cav will not end up at sky.

The track success didn't happen overnight. It took many years to get to the top.

As long as Sky keep improving every year, then they're doing OK.

As far as Cav & Sky is concerned, in the latest Real Peloton podcast, Ned Boulting said he had heard a rumour as to why Cav will never ride for Sky. Annoyingly he wouldn't repeat the rumour though.

Fair point, the track success did take a while to come and they didn't have the constant media spotlight at the start, so that possibly helped, the Sky team didn't have the advantage of anonymous beginnings. Perhaps they should have developed the road side along the track, but I suppose there wasn't really the money or the will, due to the lack of olympic medals on offer and possibly due to Road cyclings image?

mroli

I've heard a rumour completely the o/s to that of Ned, that Cav will end up at Sky.

As for how are Sky doing - I can safely say after a 10 day tour of the country that Sky replica shirts are winning the battle out there on the roads. Hands down.

Kléber

They are doing better than last year and seemingly riding as a team. But they have a lot of wins in smaller races, the Bayern Rundfart is another example. Most teams would love the wins but Sky have a massive budget... only to spend a substantial proportion of this on the services of Wiggins. Still, a shame that the likes of Lofquist seem to be misfiring and Michael Rogers has health issues. Hopefully they can pull something out for the summer, especially July.

Rodrego Hernandez

inkyfingers wrote:

Yes, i'd love to know what Ned Boulting knows about that!

The deal is being done at the moment, shows what Ned Boulting knows. I fear he's another Harmon in the making!

Plenty of skeletons in BCs cupboards too.

RichN95.

Kléber wrote:

They are doing better than last year and seemingly riding as a team. But they have a lot of wins in smaller races, the Bayern Rundfart is another example. Most teams would love the wins but Sky have a massive budget... only to spend a substantial proportion of this on the services of Wiggins. Still, a shame that the likes of Lofquist seem to be misfiring and Michael Rogers has health issues. Hopefully they can pull something out for the summer, especially July.

They're definitely in the market for a superstar rider, though (of which there are ten at very most). They tried for Cancellara, they'll definitely be going for Cav and they're also looking to hire Gilbert.

cal_stewart

gilbert and cav now that would be good. However for the british public they need a top 3 GT rider for the tour

Tusher

Dunno- if they can get Pip and Cav on the team, the virtually guaranteed wins should satisfy. And that in turn could allow EBH (if he stays) and Geraint to mature into GT riders.

RichN95.

Tusher wrote:

And that in turn could allow EBH (if he stays) and Geraint to mature into GT riders.

I personally doubt either of them will be a GT rider. Uran, on the other hand....

inkyfingers

Tusher wrote:

Dunno- if they can get Pip and Cav on the team, the virtually guaranteed wins should satisfy. And that in turn could allow EBH (if he stays) and Geraint to mature into GT riders.

In my opinion GT and EBH are destined to be great classics riders who can also do well in short stage races with TTs. Can't see why they would try and turn them into GT contenders.

P_Tucker

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Neil Buckley wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

BarryBonds wrote:

Pennine Daz wrote:

Maybe there just a clean team

:roll:

Why is it always the people who can barely spell that think Sky/British riders are clean?

And why shouldnt they be? I know someone who rides fo Sky hes clean....

Thank you for underlining my point.

Sorry for mispelling something, weres your conclusive proof apart from I cannot spell that makes all of Sky riders dopers then? I must be an utter mong because how? because people are not as obiously educated as you, because some people see the positive side of having a British registered cycling team who are trying to achive something good to cheer and their lack of education makes Sky a doping team??? Idiot. Its a stupid argument, like the 'which British rider is going to get bust for doping first' no wonder some people look at cycling so badly, you should go work for the UCI with reasoning like that.

You have basically created an army of strawmen there, good work. I'm not going to argue with you - I suspect you'd beat me with experience.

Pross

Unusual to see Sky with 3 riders in the final selection of a 'mountain' finish today (albeit a very small one). Good ride by EBH suggesting a return to form and Uran looked good driving it on to try to catch the break. not sure if EBH will ever be a GT contender as I'm not sure he is good enough in the proper mountains ( may be proved wrong in next few days) but definitely in with a shot at a points jersey. I think G will concentrate on Classics, Kennaugh may be the best British GT hope long term. Given Gadret's emergence in GTs maybe Roche would be a good target to replace Wiggo as the main man unless Uran proves himself?

fastandfurry

I think it's safe to say that sky are ON FIRE right now...

1st @ Bayern Rundfart (and Wiggins beats Cancellara in a TT!)
1st @ Dauphine
3rd @ Route du Sud
2 x stage wins @ Tour of Cali
2 x top ten placings at Ster Elektroer

And just generally we're starting to see Sky riders to the for of most of the stage races. Loving their work bringing everyone to their peak at the right time! Not that I think Wiggins can win in France..and no I don't work for them; though I was pretty awestruck by Alex Dowsetts performance at the Smithfield Nocturne!

Turfle

Parochially speaking it's nice to see the maturation in recent months of Kennaugh, Dowsett, Froome, Stannard, Swift. All seem to have taken a step or two forward.

Pross

I still think there are quite a lot of riders not pulling their weight. Granted they are there as domestiques rather than to get wins but I've seen a few sitting on the back doing nothing in several races. I would like to see more of them getting into breaks as well. Other than Downing getting in a break they were pretty much invisible for the last two weeks of the Giro. They tend to be all over a race when it looks like it will go to a sprint or when defending a jersey but just don't seem to get involved otherwise.