Russ Downing

24

Comments

  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,383
    Pross wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    andyp wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    Sky says it is about developing Britiish cyclists but that's a lie.

    Geraint Thomas, Ben Swift Alex Dowsett, Peter Kennaugh, Ian Stannard and even Chris Froome think you're talking rubbish.

    rubbish talk comes from poorly informed people like you.

    So are you saying Sky aren't developing all the above and more? Russ is too old to develop, by his age you need to be the finished article. Still could ride a few more years at pro conti level though.

    Ah but you are forgetting rule no. 1 of this forum, that it is only permitted to post negative opinions about Team Sky :roll:
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Glad that Russ has had his time at Sky at the top level and been given the chance to complete a Giro, but at 33 i think even he would admit that its time for him to go back down a level.
    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....
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    I think that's a bit harsh - he had a good year last year - seem to remember he's had some illness/injury this year ?

    Not saying Sky are wrong to let him go - they are a big budget team and can afford better domestiques than some others - but Downing is certainly not out of place at Pro Tour level.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    He's definitely not out of place at Pro Tour level.

    The idea that he isn't liked is very, very wrong. He is very popular with riders and staff. Don't forget Sky renewed his contract last year.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Turfle wrote:
    The idea that he isn't liked is very, very wrong. He is very popular with riders and staff. Don't forget Sky renewed his contract last year.

    He's not popular with an influential person on the team though.

    He also won races last year, which probably had more to do with the renewal.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    durhamwasp wrote:
    Glad that Russ has had his time at Sky at the top level and been given the chance to complete a Giro, but at 33 i think even he would admit that its time for him to go back down a level.

    I used to think age was the limiting factor but some pros at top level just get burned out mentally after 10 years of it and slow down as they do less training. It's hard to say if it is age or they just can't be bothered with the training regimen anymore. Rominger was in his prime between 32 and 35...I think and hope we'll see Downing stay at a high level team as the 2 years at sky might have provide a basis on which to get a bit stronger in 2012.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    Looking at the situation objectively, it sweems unlikely that Russ sit in front of Dave B and demand a new contract, given his age/stage of career and 2011 results. It does seem that the face does have to fit at Sky and a dedicated track pedigree and junior involvement with BC is becomming a pre-requisite.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I dont think you should use Rominger as an example....

    Downing is a decent rider - but getting on a bit.

    If Cav is coming to Sky - then they're going to have to cut costs. Also G, Wiggins and Froome have all showed their potential this year - so no cutting salaries there.

    Its clearly bollox to say that Sky arent promoting British talent. On the SAME day that TWO british Sky riders stood on top of the Vuelta podium ! LOL as the youngsters say.
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    Dave_1 wrote:
    Gavin Cook wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    I'm surprised so many people think he'll get snapped up elsewhere. I like Russ but at Protour level I'm afraid he's just an average domestique and with the number of teams folding I think there are better options looking for employment.

    I think thats under estimating Russell´s ability. He has proven that he is more than an average domestique.

    I recall Russell Downing managed a top 10 on one stage in a break away and survived a very serious crash to finish the Giro, so sky should have looked at that. Sky says it is about developing Britiish cyclists but that's a lie.

    Did you write that last sentence with a straight face??? There might be good arguments for keeping him, there may not, but that is just ridiculous!
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    He's not popular with an influential person on the team though."

    Becuased he didn't come thru the Academy perhaps ?
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    He's not popular with an influential person on the team though.

    Because he didn't come thru the academy ?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    itisaboutthebike wrote:
    Because he didn't come thru the academy ?

    Chris Froome didn't come through the Academy, either.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    Pity if Sky let him go, although I think they will.

    Solid rider. Yes , maybe not the best at PT level , but I suspect I guy a lot of feloow riders like.

    Always liked watching him race. Always trries to animate a race if he can. Must have a good couple of years left in him.

    Just hope he findds another decent team.

    Good luck Russ !
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    Chris Froome didn't come through the Academy, either

    Yeah I know................but he's a lot younger. And I think coming 2nd in the V would have something to do with him being reatained..................
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    itisaboutthebike wrote:
    Chris Froome didn't come through the Academy, either

    Yeah I know................but he's a lot younger. And I think coming 2nd in the V would have something to do with him being reatained..................

    And there you have the crux of it. Downing is too old and not good enough.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,185
    RichN95 wrote:
    itisaboutthebike wrote:
    Chris Froome didn't come through the Academy, either

    Yeah I know................but he's a lot younger. And I think coming 2nd in the V would have something to do with him being reatained..................

    And there you have the crux of it. Downing is too old and not good enough.

    Ssshhh you're not allowed to say that! :shock: :wink:
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    RichN95 wrote:
    itisaboutthebike wrote:
    Chris Froome didn't come through the Academy, either

    Yeah I know................but he's a lot younger. And I think coming 2nd in the V would have something to do with him being reatained..................

    And there you have the crux of it. Downing is too old and not good enough.

    As much as I like Russ I think you are right.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    his 2010 season was good, deserved a place in a grand tour in 2010 and his Giro 2011 was solid..he should be kept on.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    Steve Cummings is a good rider (with some excellent results this season). Sky didn't even offer him a contract. On that basis, I'd be surprised if they did offer Downing one.

    Downing would be a good Pro Continental rider. It would be sad if he ended up riding back on the UK scene as he is better than that.
  • mz__jo
    mz__jo Posts: 398
    RichN95 wrote:
    itisaboutthebike wrote:
    Because he didn't come thru the academy ?

    Chris Froome didn't come through the Academy, either.

    Steve Cummings 2nd ToB contract not renewed
    Chris Froome 2nd Vuelta contract not renewed before that result came in
    Russell Downing? Sky must have a contracts policy but if they decide not to renew you have to be in a winning position on a GT before they even look again.

    I personally think that they came within an inch of losing Froome (and serve them right if they had!)
    http://rctl.ffct.org/
  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    squired wrote:
    Steve Cummings is a good rider (with some excellent results this season). Sky didn't even offer him a contract. On that basis, I'd be surprised if they did offer Downing one.

    Downing would be a good Pro Continental rider. It would be sad if he ended up riding back on the UK scene as he is better than that.

    How do you know Cummings wasn't offered a contract?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    squired wrote:
    Steve Cummings is a good rider (with some excellent results this season). Sky didn't even offer him a contract. On that basis, I'd be surprised if they did offer Downing one.

    Downing would be a good Pro Continental rider. It would be sad if he ended up riding back on the UK scene as he is better than that.

    How do you know Cummings wasn't offered a contract?

    He said so in an interview.

    Asked how he came to sign for BMC, Steve simply replied, “Max Sciandri asked if I was interested and I told him I was because Sky had not made an offer or anything. So I signed when I was allowed to sign by the UCI.”

    From here: http://www.velouk.net/2011/10/04/exclus ... -cummings/
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    to think of the number of times Downing will have been instrumental in setting his Sky team mate up to win and the Sky team winner will have said "thank you" to his sky team mates in front of media and repeats how " I couldn't have done it without my team" blah blah blah bet that feels like hollow praise to Russel Downing now!! I feel sorry for Downing and think Cav and the others should ease off on the hollow thanking of team mates comments next season..just take the credit as winner and don't give undue sense of worth/job security to domestiques with such hollow praise...the domestique thinks his job is safe ..but they are fired at the end of the season like Downing in many cases.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • MrTapir
    MrTapir Posts: 1,206
    Dave_1 wrote:
    to think of the number of times Downing will have been instrumental in setting his Sky team mate up to win and the Sky team winner will have said "thank you" to his sky team mates in front of media and repeats how " I couldn't have done it without my team" blah blah blah bet that feels like hollow praise to Russel Downing now!! I feel sorry for Downing and think Cav and the others should ease off on the hollow thanking of team mates comments next season..just take the credit as winner and don't give undue sense of worth/job security to domestiques with such hollow praise...the domestique thinks his job is safe ..but they are fired at the end of the season like Downing in many cases.

    Im sure Downing is wise enough to know the score when it comes to contracts being renewed or not, also its not up to the winning rider really to offer contracts? e.g. Cav says he couldnt have done it without the team because its true, I doubt that would make the domestiques get all misty eyed about their job being safe for years to come
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Dave_1 wrote:
    to think of the number of times Downing will have been instrumental in setting his Sky team mate up to win and the Sky team winner will have said "thank you" to his sky team mates in front of media and repeats how " I couldn't have done it without my team" blah blah blah bet that feels like hollow praise to Russel Downing now!! I feel sorry for Downing and think Cav and the others should ease off on the hollow thanking of team mates comments next season..just take the credit as winner and don't give undue sense of worth/job security to domestiques with such hollow praise...the domestique thinks his job is safe ..but they are fired at the end of the season like Downing in many cases.

    How is Downing being fired? He's reached the end of his contract of employment, it hasn't been terminated.

    You clearly have an agenda and you express your views in such a pathetic way that you look like a keyboard warrior, not someone who wants a discussion.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    Choppered wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    to think of the number of times Downing will have been instrumental in setting his Sky team mate up to win and the Sky team winner will have said "thank you" to his sky team mates in front of media and repeats how " I couldn't have done it without my team" blah blah blah bet that feels like hollow praise to Russel Downing now!! I feel sorry for Downing and think Cav and the others should ease off on the hollow thanking of team mates comments next season..just take the credit as winner and don't give undue sense of worth/job security to domestiques with such hollow praise...the domestique thinks his job is safe ..but they are fired at the end of the season like Downing in many cases.

    How is Downing being fired? He's reached the end of his contract of employment, it hasn't been terminated.

    You clearly have an agenda and you express your views in such a pathetic way that you look like a keyboard warrior, not someone who wants a discussion.

    It's a bit of a shitttty sport sometimes and Downing's demise is a good reminder of that!!!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • top_bhoy
    top_bhoy Posts: 1,424
    We all have shittty jobs at times why the special consideration for sportspersons? At least Downing had a multi year (pretty much guaranteed) contract, many living in the real world don't have that luxury.
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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    You've got to look at the big picture. Russ is one of a few riders leaving Sky. If we look at John Lee Augustyn, he's not turned a pedal in anger this year, yet he's managed to get a pro-conti gig for next year.

    As the saying goes, the lord helps those that help themselves. Or that have a really good agent.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    Top_Bhoy wrote:
    We all have shittty jobs at times why the special consideration for sportspersons? At least Downing had a multi year (pretty much guaranteed) contract, many living in the real world don't have that luxury.

    I think pro cycling equips people with few real transferable skills for a post cycling non-cycling related career..at least in the real world we have some freedom to try different jobs. I think it is also so much harder than most real world jobs as well. The domestiques are the ones to feel sorry for..made little money, finally career over.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • MrTapir
    MrTapir Posts: 1,206
    Dave_1 wrote:
    Top_Bhoy wrote:
    We all have shittty jobs at times why the special consideration for sportspersons? At least Downing had a multi year (pretty much guaranteed) contract, many living in the real world don't have that luxury.

    I think pro cycling equips people with few real transferable skills for a post cycling non-cycling related career..at least in the real world we have some freedom to try different jobs. I think it is also so much harder than most real world jobs as well. The domestiques are the ones to feel sorry for..made little money, finally career over.

    +1, there's a bit in The Bicycle Book about CHarlie Wegelius that is quite poignant and kind of destroyed some of the romance of bike racing for me. Kind of like, here's your P45, thanks, have a nice life.

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