Cavendish confirms SKY move

RichN95.

Apparently Brailsford has said that that is it for Sky signings. So eight in, five* out so far. Which three are for the chop?

My guess - Augustyn, Downing and either Barry or Hunt.


*Gerrans, Arvesen, Henderson, Cummings, Pauwels

iainf72

Didn't De Jongh sort of let the cat out of the bag re: Downing on the weekend?

BTW Rich, check your PM's.

Turfle

Kléber wrote:

Tusher wrote:

from the Sky site-

"Edvald Boasson Hagen, who won two stages at the Tour de France for Team Sky earlier this year and was a former team-mate of Cavendish's at what was then Columbia-HTC, commented: "I know from my time riding with Mark at Columbia-HTC what a special talent he is and it’s great that we are back on the same team.

"Mark is a good guy, delivers when it matters and is another weapon in our squad for next year."



No, he ruddy well did not utter those words.

He uttered something briefer. In Norwegian.

I think the words were more like "yeah, and you want to play lead out? No thanks". EBH is versatile enough not to get caught up but what about Geraint Thomas or Ben Swift. Is this the time to decide when they become domestiques or pursue their ambitions?

It shouldn't be an issue for Thomas. He should be going for the classics and short stage races anyway. His role at the Tour de France doesn't change, all that changes is who he is leading out. Not that he'll be riding the Tour in 2012 anyway.

Swift isn't ready to be main man at the Tour yet, if he ever will be.

The only issue I can see is if Cavendish fancies riding all three Grand Tours, thus leaving Appollonio and Swift nothing to aim for. He won't in 2012, but who knows in 2013.

Turfle

iainf72 wrote:

Didn't De Jongh sort of let the cat out of the bag re: Downing on the weekend?

BTW Rich, check your PM's.

I don't think so. It was just their last ride of the season.

I don't expect Downing back, but I think too much is being read into that tweet.

LeicesterLad

Hunt seems pretty confident he will get a deal at sky, from what i read anyway.

Turfle

Yeah I think Hunt stays. Being picked for GB was a good sign for him.

Augustyn, Arvesen, Carlstrom, Cummings, Downing, Gerrans, Henderson, Pauwels,.

ermintrude

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but does anyone think the way this has been announced is a bit strange. I expected a big hoo haa, press photographs with team mates etc. In that interview (in Hyde Park ?) with the Sky newsman it was all very low key

Turfle

ermintrude wrote:

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but does anyone think the way this has been announced is a bit strange. I expected a big hoo haa, press photographs with team mates etc. In that interview (in Hyde Park ?) with the Sky newsman it was all very low key

Don't tell me he hasn't really signed?? I thought this was all finished!

Kléber

RichN95 wrote:

Apparently Brailsford has said that that is it for Sky signings. So eight in, five* out so far. Which three are for the chop?

My guess - Augustyn, Downing and either Barry or Hunt.


*Gerrans, Arvesen, Henderson, Cummings, Pauwels

I'm pretty sure Barry is going.

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

Didn't De Jongh sort of let the cat out of the bag re: Downing on the weekend?

BTW Rich, check your PM's.

Cheers :shock:

glanma

Aside from the Team Sky dynamics, this looks good for a season long ding-dong with Green Edge next year!

gingermagician

ermintrude wrote:

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but does anyone think the way this has been announced is a bit strange. I expected a big hoo haa, press photographs with team mates etc. In that interview (in Hyde Park?) with the Sky newsman it was all very low key

It was Soho Square, round the corner from my office in fact - I'd have popped down and had a look/said hello to Cav had I known!

rebs

I think Thomas will jump at the chance to be leadout man as long as he gets to focus on the team pursuit as well. Best of both worlds as the leadout is normally great training for the pursuit.

He doesnt have the race craft as renshaw but he makes up with it with out and our horse power. Should be interesting as it's very likely Thomas won't be doing the TDF this year.

SLX01

GingerMagician wrote:

ermintrude wrote:

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but does anyone think the way this has been announced is a bit strange. I expected a big hoo haa, press photographs with team mates etc. In that interview (in Hyde Park?) with the Sky newsman it was all very low key

It was Soho Square, round the corner from my office in fact - I'd have popped down and had a look/said hello to Cav had I known!

It was a bit strange that he did a load of early morning press stuff the other week after winning the Worlds. There seemed no point to it from a commercial point of view, the jersey he was showing off wasn't the HTC version just a plain white one. Usually when people get up at 6am to go on breakfast tv its to flog something.

Jez mon

SLX01 wrote:

GingerMagician wrote:

ermintrude wrote:

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but does anyone think the way this has been announced is a bit strange. I expected a big hoo haa, press photographs with team mates etc. In that interview (in Hyde Park?) with the Sky newsman it was all very low key

It was Soho Square, round the corner from my office in fact - I'd have popped down and had a look/said hello to Cav had I known!

It was a bit strange that he did a load of early morning press stuff the other week after winning the Worlds. There seemed no point to it from a commercial point of view, the jersey he was showing off wasn't the HTC version just a plain white one. Usually when people get up at 6am to go on breakfast tv its to flog something.

He was selling himself so to speak. Ultimately you have to strike whilst the iron is hot, it's difficult to show off yourself as world champion weeks after the event.

Ultimately, Cav being a well known face is good for Cav, good for the sport, and good for what ever team he rides for.

Teddy Westside

I'm surprised there's been no speculation about this move.


Seriously though, it will be interesting to see how this affects the team dynamic.

Moomaloid

GingerMagician wrote:

ermintrude wrote:

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but does anyone think the way this has been announced is a bit strange. I expected a big hoo haa, press photographs with team mates etc. In that interview (in Hyde Park?) with the Sky newsman it was all very low key

It was Soho Square, round the corner from my office in fact - I'd have popped down and had a look/said hello to Cav had I known!

Looked like the Malmaison hotel in Farringdon to me... just saying

andrew_s

I think the Tour team will be biased towards Wiggo.

a) Cav's main target for the season will be the Olympics, even at the expense of not completing the Tour. There's nothing he can do at the Tour that he hasn't done, or can't do the next year.
b) Given what we know about the route, it's likely to be Wiggo's best chance ever.
c) Beating both Martin and Cancellara at the Olympics isn't certain enough to be worth compromising the Tour for.
d) Sky do dual duty as a commercial team and as the GB team

I'd guess Eisel, Suitsou and EBH for Cav, the others for Wiggo (in so much as you can allocate someone to one or the other only).

timturpinfleck

I'd have thought Boassan Hagan would be there for Wiggo along with Froome and Uran.

Whatever, it'll be interesting to see how Sky play it and I just hope they don't mess it up if the route looks to suit Wiggo.

carl_p

LeicesterLad wrote:

I Like Cavendish. I Like Sky. I don't like them together though. I'll reserve judgement untill i see how 2012 pans out, i'm jus hoping this move doesn't become a career ender for others.

Well G in your avatar will certainly be busy being Cav and Wiggo's b1tch. He'll be utterly shagged time the Olympics arrive

MrTapir

Tusher wrote:

from the Sky site-

"Edvald Boasson Hagen, who won two stages at the Tour de France for Team Sky earlier this year and was a former team-mate of Cavendish's at what was then Columbia-HTC, commented: "I know from my time riding with Mark at Columbia-HTC what a special talent he is and it’s great that we are back on the same team.

"Mark is a good guy, delivers when it matters and is another weapon in our squad for next year."

No, he ruddy well did not utter those words.

He uttered something briefer. In Norwegian.

I think the quote was probably more like "Mark is really great and its really great that we are the same team again, he's really great at doing a stage win and thats great"

Harry182

I reckon Sky's 2012 Tour team will look something like this:

WIggo
EBH
Cav
Eisel
Froome
Porte
GT
Uran
Zandio

sonny73

Harry182 wrote:

I reckon Sky's 2012 Tour team will look something like this:

WIggo
EBH
Cav
Eisel
Froome
Porte
GT
Uran
Zandio

Good call, I'd agree with that.

iainf72

Who fetches the bottles on that team?

inkyfingers

iainf72 wrote:

Who fetches the bottles on that team?

Only one true domestique on that list and that's Zandio, he'll be a busy man.

prawny

iainf72 wrote:

Who fetches the bottles on that team?

I'm sure I've seen cav fetching bottles on not sprinters stages, that he's not going to miss the time cut on.

But Porte mostly

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

Who fetches the bottles on that team?

Porte, Thomas, Froome, Eisel, Zandio, Hagen on a day that doesn't suit him.

bigmat

I reckon Thomas will be focusing on the Olympics and may give the Tour a miss this year. Wouldn't be surprised to see Froome focus on Giro / Vuelta either. That leaves a couple of spaces for, say, Sioutsou and Stannard.

Richj

Harry182 wrote:

I reckon Sky's 2012 Tour team will look something like this:

WIggo
EBH
Cav
Eisel
Froome
Porte
GT
Uran
Zandio

Wiggo and Froome in the same team?? Surely they'll give Froome a proper crack at a GT and he'll ride the Giro or Vuelta?? He deserves his chance.

I'm also not convinced the Olympic Road Race will be a big goal, yes it's big news in the UK as it's in London, but apart from the track does the cycling world really care about the Olympic's. Also isn't the Olympic Road Race only 5 riders per team, very difficult to control Box Hill 9 times then the 40K run in to the finish.

Rodrego Hernandez

Froome won't be riding the Tour, unless WIggins is off form or ill.