SKY, Pinarello and Rupert Murdoch.

bristolpete

Interesting thing I heard today.

Does anyone else have knowledge or know that Rupert Murdoch of the media fame, backer of team Sky has a 30% stake in Pinarello?

I was told in a business meeting today of which it was advised that SKY will not entertain a.n.other brand due to this alleged stake in the bike business. Now, I can't confirm it is true or false, but oddly, the source was no other than Mark Cavendish. I kid you not and being honest it's not something that will affect me, but just found it very interesting.

Any opinions?

RichN95.

So what if he does.

bristolpete

RichN95 wrote:

So what if he does.

Thanks ?????

Will this is a little late, but I suppose in relation to the chat reference sky changing bike suppliers at the behest of Cavendish.....

dougzz

I'm not sure that posting comments made in a business meeting on the Internet will go down that well for your business. But that aside it's really not surprising is it, a guy with interests in many businesses makes cross over use them. He probably owns a private detective firm and a phone company too.

TMR

Well I thought it was interesting. Doesn't surprise me though.

cajun_cyclist

Interesting story nonetheless to hear. If I were really engaged in the subject and there are connections, I would think websearches might find something. Might check on this later, if only I had a Pinarello.

Gazzaputt

It wouldn't surprise me that the stake was made after Sky Pro Cycling started. I know a sticking point with Cav was the bike choice and also component choice.

symo

How do you know? :P

dougzz

cajun_cyclist wrote:

Interesting story nonetheless to hear. If I were really engaged in the subject and there are connections, I would think websearches might find something. Might check on this later, if only I had a Pinarello.

I think it's a private company so I'm not sure how much info you can get about ownership. Often there are financial research organisations that can source more info, but usually that comes with a hefty fee. Don't we have a few city types on here that could put the research departments of the organisations they work for to a proper use

huret

Sounds completely feasable to me if Murdoch has bought into Pinarello.
"Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization"

Rodrego Hernandez

Gazzaputt wrote:

It wouldn't surprise me that the stake was made after Sky Pro Cycling started. I know a sticking point with Cav was the bike choice and also component choice.

BS I'm afraid. Specialized just milked their sponsorship for as long as they could.

bristolpete

dougzz wrote:

I'm not sure that posting comments made in a business meeting on the Internet will go down that well for your business. But that aside it's really not surprising is it, a guy with interests in many businesses makes cross over use them. He probably owns a private detective firm and a phone company too.

Completely irrelivant as it was simply an informal conversation that actually had nothing to do with my business which away from cycling is imagery. However, the source claimed to be valid. I merely found it interesting, but who knows.

bristolpete

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

Gazzaputt wrote:

It wouldn't surprise me that the stake was made after Sky Pro Cycling started. I know a sticking point with Cav was the bike choice and also component choice.

BS I'm afraid. Specialized just milked their sponsorship for as long as they could.

Time will tell but you too speak as if you have inside knowledge but my source is valid. I found it an interesting point, so much so that I posted it here, but I wont loose sleep on it what so ever as I am not that bothered and as Cavendish can win races on a shopping trolly it is a moot point though. He has clout though as it seems that they are now on pro kit, Fizik and Zipp at his behest ?

I refer to the Sean Kelly quote about the biggest lie in pro cycling "it is the best bike I have ever ridden".

Finally, I believe it.

Rodrego Hernandez

They got rid of prologo saddles as the riders hated them - really hated them!

Pro came with the shimano test team deal - they get to use 11sp Di2 but have to use Pro cockpits.

They have used Zipp, Hed and other wheels before.

Murdoch doesn't own any of pinarello. James has a Dogma but he didn't pay for it

rick_chasey

A bit of vertical integration.

Makes sense.

Murdoch doesn't own anywhere near as much of Sky as many people think he does.

takethehighroad

Sky Pro Cycling are sponsored in part by M&S, due to an ongoing deal between them.

Jaguar also provide the cars for the team.

There, I said it

yourpaceormine

And we know that Sky are adopting Jaguars and all that rainforest rescue stuff.

The evil empire just gets biggerer and biggerer. Mark my words he'll be backing intergalactic trade federation wars on the quiet and planning on building death stars next. Slippery slope

sensible mode: Wouldn't surprise me if Murdoch Empire does have a stake in Pinnarello - might it be a vanity project for Murdoch snr (who quite likes bikes as does Sir Alan Sugar)?
Jaguar and M&S backing Sky - I'm sure most British companies (with the money to do such things) wishing to expand in the global market are going to jump on the BC/Sky bandwagon and want to be associated with the team. In the same way that Cofidis backs a team and the national squad, Rabobank backs a team and the national squad

skylla

bristolpete wrote:

Interesting thing I heard today.

Does anyone else have knowledge or know that Rupert Murdoch of the media fame, backer of team Sky has a 30% stake in Pinarello?

I was told in a business meeting today of which it was advised that SKY will not entertain a.n.other brand due to this alleged stake in the bike business. Now, I can't confirm it is true or false, but oddly, the source was no other than Mark Cavendish. I kid you not and being honest it's not something that will affect me, but just found it very interesting.

Any opinions?

Yes, that is interesting. When they were shopping around for riders (at the Tour 09 for instance -or was it 08?) they were still looking for bike sponsors. So if Rupe has bought a stake it must have happened after Sky proteam was set up..

So, dentists and media moguls- does the latter still include Sir/Lord Suga? And if so, is he going to be happy?

Rodrego Hernandez

Sugar and Murdoch don't get on.

Murdoch / News Group don't own a stake in Pinarello.

rc856

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

Sugar and Murdoch don't get on.

Murdoch / News Group don't own a stake in Pinarello.

Without it sounding like a dig at you, can you tell us how you're so sure of that?
I for one don't know either way...you just seem really sure.

Ta

Rodrego Hernandez

It's fairly common knowledge that Murdoch and Sugar don't get on.

Pinarello is privately owned.

Some of these conspiracy theories are just bizarre. I know enough people close to the team etc to know the reality of things.

dougzz

Yeah, but privately owned is just a status in regard to legalities of share trading, company reporting requirements and such. It doesn't reveal anything about who the private owners are.

bristolpete

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

It's fairly common knowledge that Murdoch and Sugar don't get on.

Pinarello is privately owned.

Some of these conspiracy theories are just bizarre. I know enough people close to the team etc to know the reality of things.

Maybe, but you are quick enough to let us know when something or someone you say you know can impart us with what you refer to the truth but like the rest of us, you could be a middle aged man living within the realms of fantasy.

We all know someone who knows someone. Last year I sang live at an Elvis Presley tribute event in the USA. So someone who was with me knows me. I also went out training with Rapha last year, but hardly means I know them....

Personally, I think that Murdoch more than likely saved Pinarello with a cash injection and thus committed to SKY. I suppose that the paradox of the Dogma is that due to Wiggins ill advised tweet regarding weight when they first got the bikes way back when they have been fighting an uphill battle in more ways than one. If your sources are valid then you more than us will know how they quickly developed Dogma 2 at Team Skys' request and the R&D goes on for Cavendish it would seem as F. Pinarello has admitted to building a bespoke bike for him.

ddraver

I don't see what the big deal is here - so the world champion has a bespoke bike made for him to his exact specifications, who cares? It used to be de rigeur for the team leaders to have custom bikes. If we were buying a new bike and a Spesh fitted better than a Trek, we'd buy the Spesh. This clearly isn't an option for sponsored teams so the most accomplished riders get custom bikes (no doubt, some no-name neo-pro just has to suffer!)

In the pro-MTB world, especially in DH, it is almost an exception NOT to have a custom bike made.

bristolpete

ddraver wrote:

I don't see what the big deal is here - so the world champion has a bespoke bike made for him to his exact specifications, who cares? It used to be de rigeur for the team leaders to have custom bikes. If we were buying a new bike and a Spesh fitted better than a Trek, we'd buy the Spesh. This clearly isn't an option for sponsored teams so the most accomplished riders get custom bikes (no doubt, some no-name neo-pro just has to suffer!)

In the pro-MTB world, especially in DH, it is almost an exception NOT to have a custom bike made.

There is no big deal. As I said before, interesting reference the chat that was being banded about SKY changing bikes at Cavendish' behest, hence the delay in him signing, but now it seems like as much as SKY wanted to supply him with Specialized, evidently, they cant due to a contract more complex than a normal 3 year pro peloton deal. I thought it made for interesting BR chat.

ddraver

ahem...thought I was in the other thread :oops:

bristolpete

ddraver wrote:

ahem...thought I was in the other thread :oops:

LOL. Your point is valid though as Cav is having a new bike made.

No_Ta_Doctor

ddraver wrote:

I don't see what the big deal is here - so the world champion has a bespoke bike made for him to his exact specifications, who cares? It used to be de rigeur for the team leaders to have custom bikes. If we were buying a new bike and a Spesh fitted better than a Trek, we'd buy the Spesh. This clearly isn't an option for sponsored teams so the most accomplished riders get custom bikes (no doubt, some no-name neo-pro just has to suffer!)

In the pro-MTB world, especially in DH, it is almost an exception NOT to have a custom bike made.

God how I'd love to suffer having to ride a top of the range Pinarello.... I must be a complete masochist.

skylla

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

It's fairly common knowledge that Murdoch and Sugar don't get on.

Pinarello is privately owned.

Some of these conspiracy theories are just bizarre. I know enough people close to the team etc to know the reality of things.

It's privately owned so of course Murdoch (james) would be able to buy a stake in it and this would not have to be declared. If it wasn't private (public, listed/unlisted) we would know who would have stakes in this business. For you to say this is a conspiracy theory is very weird, but then again you're not a person of many words or renowned for your sense of humour. Hence the comment re. sugar and murdoch which went over your head, didn't it?

Rodrego Hernandez

Cav is riding an off the peg regular Dogma 2, albeit with a custom paint job. He was offered a custom mould but didn't want one.

The Murdochs don't own any of Pinarello

Sky didn't want to supply Cav with a Specialized.

This information is from a variety of sources very close to Pinarello and to Team Sky - as in working for them in senior positions.

skylla

bristolpete wrote:

Last year I sang live at an Elvis Presley tribute event in the USA. So someone who was with me knows me. I also went out training with Rapha last year, but hardly means I know them....

No, you didn't! ....or did you? Youtube link please