Team Sky and British Cycling

greasedscotsman

Earthbound wrote:

Merckx won practically that on his own on his first tour, so that would make La Vie's achievement look weak. That team did have the Badger and Lemond after all, who accumulated 8 tours between them so lets face it you've picked a pretty impressive team from just one year in history in a desperate attempt to deflate Sky. Why the hate? Why nit just say Sky did exceptionally well this year, not as well as La Vie in '86 but probably better than most team in most years.

Why as the OP said, do some people seem to have a personal, preconceived unfounded agenda to moan about Team GB / Sky, even trotting out cherry picked statistics in an attempt to self justify their bitterness. I think in terms of the OP - point proven !

OK, maybe I didn't make the point clear enough. I don't think that Sky have dominated cycle racing or the Tour this year like some people seem to think they have. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I think that Omega Pharma Quick Step have had just as good a season so far and yet nobody has claimed they have "changed" the way pro cycling works as the OP did with Sky.

Think the comparison with La Vie Claire is a good one. Big budget team wins lots of races?

Anyway, I certainly don't hate Sky. I'm not really interested in supporting teams, I'm more interested in individual riders and I do quite like several from Sky. I even have a Sky jersey which I bought in 2010. I also don't have any problem with how they ride either. That's up to them, it's up to others to counter it if they can. And I did enjoy the Tour this year, not the best race I've seen, but I still enjoyed it.

I'm not sure anyone has an agenda to moan about Team Sky. This thread was started by a "Team Sky fan", wasn't it? I think your reading far too much into what people have said. Remember, most of the people on here are at work and very, very bored.

TheBigBean

Rick Chasey wrote:

TheBigBean wrote:

I quite like Wiggins's put down of Piers Morgan on Twitter. Maybe I could start to like him.

Don't reference it - tell us what it is.

Oh I assumed I was years behind not being on Twitter, so assumed it would have already been posted. I was e-mailed the bit below, but I'm not sure Wiggins actually responded in the way quoted (which would be a shame).

Piers Morgan on twitter :

And yes, I was very disappointed @bradwiggins didn't sing the anthem either. Show some respect to our Monarch please!

Bradley Wiggins response:

@piersmorgan I was disappointed when you didn't go to jail for insider dealing or phone hacking, but you know, each to his own @bradwiggins

rick_chasey

TheBigBean wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

TheBigBean wrote:

I quite like Wiggins's put down of Piers Morgan on Twitter. Maybe I could start to like him.

Don't reference it - tell us what it is.

Oh I assumed I was years behind not being on Twitter, so assumed it would have already been posted. I was e-mailed the bit below, but I'm not sure Wiggins actually responded in the way quoted (which would be a shame).

Piers Morgan on twitter :

And yes, I was very disappointed @bradwiggins didn't sing the anthem either. Show some respect to our Monarch please!

Bradley Wiggins response:

@piersmorgan I was disappointed when you didn't go to jail for insider dealing or phone hacking, but you know, each to his own @bradwiggins

Pross

Rick Chasey wrote:

TheBigBean wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

TheBigBean wrote:

I quite like Wiggins's put down of Piers Morgan on Twitter. Maybe I could start to like him.

Don't reference it - tell us what it is.

Oh I assumed I was years behind not being on Twitter, so assumed it would have already been posted. I was e-mailed the bit below, but I'm not sure Wiggins actually responded in the way quoted (which would be a shame).

Piers Morgan on twitter :

And yes, I was very disappointed @bradwiggins didn't sing the anthem either. Show some respect to our Monarch please!

Bradley Wiggins response:

@piersmorgan I was disappointed when you didn't go to jail for insider dealing or phone hacking, but you know, each to his own @bradwiggins

Is that what the kids call 'pwned'?

lostboysaint

Top drawer!!

ddraver

I think that merits a BOOOM!!!

Monty Zoncolan

Chapeau Wiggo.

pb21

Wiggins for PM!

dortmunder

I'm really suprised about the general atitudes towards British cycling at the minute. We've waited years for success and have survived on stories of one or two riders occasionally acheiving the odd bit of success but quite frankly it was exceptionally rare. Now we have a situation where British riders are being very very successful and the profile of the sport is rising. It seems British people aren't happy with this. It seems that people have suddenly become complacent with the success of Team Sky and the track team. These are amazing times for British Cycling and we should be celebrating the achievements of Wiggins, Cavendish, Froome, Hoy, Trott et al.

greasedscotsman

dortmunder wrote:

I'm really suprised about the general atitudes towards British cycling at the minute. We've waited years for success and have survived on stories of one or two riders occasionally acheiving the odd bit of success but quite frankly it was exceptionally rare. Now we have a situation where British riders are being very very successful and the profile of the sport is rising. It seems British people aren't happy with this. It seems that people have suddenly become complacent with the success of Team Sky and the track team. These are amazing times for British Cycling and we should be celebrating the achievements of Wiggins, Cavendish, Froome, Hoy, Trott et al.

So everyone on this forum is British?

The nationality riders makes very little difference to me when I'm watching bike racing. I choose my "heros and villains" based on what they say or do, not what country they come from. Now if you (like the OP) are very patriotic and feel proud when a Brit does well, that's great, but why can't I see it in a different way. Why do I have to be celebrating Cavendish winning when I don't like him?

iainf72

pb21 wrote:

Wiggins for PM!

Pity it wasn't Wiggins what said it, eh?

It was this cat

http://twitter.com/mrcolmquinn/status/2 ... 5511489544

I can't see someone who gets paid by Murdoch being prepared to comment on phone hacking

Anonymous

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

The problem I have is I find the anglo-saxon 'marginal gains' - 'inner chimp' - 'we've trained for this' chat a real turn off.

Every team does that.

The thing is, most teams don't. Most don't even employ a coach - they just let their riders get on with their training by themselves.

You shouldn't underestimate how backward a lot of cycling is in it's thinking.

Yeah I don't buy into this.

For sure, Sky's probably further ahead of the curve than most, but that doesn't mean the others aren't close behind.

I watched an avondetappe with 3 different DS (Rabo, Argos, Vaconsoleil) and Knaven (from Sky). They all (inc. Knaven) said the same - we do pay attention to all the stuff. The kit, the this the that. The different is they probably don't do it quite as well or in most cases with the same budget . Even Knaven was saying look, behind all the bluff, it's what everyone's been doing - just it's a bit more focussed and professional.

IN regards to the budget look at the link I posted from INRNG. It shows in the year 11 they had the 4th or 5th biggest budget. They have changed the way pro cyclist train, I read an article the other day about this saying generally cyclists would just train themselves (see Contador during ban) but Sky have specilised training camps, coaches with the cyclists as much as possible, they have went out side cycling to bring in new ideas (They employ an ex swimming coach as do BC).


IN regards to Vikky I think she hasn't enjoyed cycling for a long time (see BBC doc) and I even wonder that if this was not a home olympics if she would have competed at all. I think the issues her relationship with the coach caused pushed her over the edge. I also think she quite genuinely doesn't like the way Mear's races.

oneof1982

dortmunder wrote:

I'm really suprised about the general atitudes towards British cycling at the minute. We've waited years for success and have survived on stories of one or two riders occasionally acheiving the odd bit of success but quite frankly it was exceptionally rare. Now we have a situation where British riders are being very very successful and the profile of the sport is rising. It seems British people aren't happy with this. It seems that people have suddenly become complacent with the success of Team Sky and the track team. These are amazing times for British Cycling and we should be celebrating the achievements of Wiggins, Cavendish, Froome, Hoy, Trott et al.

I wouldn't mistake the views of regular posters on this site as those of the majority. As was said above they are at work and bored. All my cycling mates (riders) have been whooping, hollering and dancing over the results of BC and Sky over the summer. My son's mates - not cyclists - have been talking to me about track and road cycling as never before, and as Cav said he never expected cycling to be on breakfast telly. All this threatens the geek rating of cycling, which a lot of people on here will find upsetting.

dortmunder

greasedscotsman wrote:

dortmunder wrote:

I'm really suprised about the general atitudes towards British cycling at the minute. We've waited years for success and have survived on stories of one or two riders occasionally acheiving the odd bit of success but quite frankly it was exceptionally rare. Now we have a situation where British riders are being very very successful and the profile of the sport is rising. It seems British people aren't happy with this. It seems that people have suddenly become complacent with the success of Team Sky and the track team. These are amazing times for British Cycling and we should be celebrating the achievements of Wiggins, Cavendish, Froome, Hoy, Trott et al.

So everyone on this forum is British?

The nationality riders makes very little difference to me when I'm watching bike racing. I choose my "heros and villains" based on what they say or do, not what country they come from. Now if you (like the OP) are very patriotic and feel proud when a Brit does well, that's great, but why can't I see it in a different way. Why do I have to be celebrating Cavendish winning when I don't like him?

believe it or not I'm not patriotic at all. My background is similar to Philip Hindes. I live in Britain and have always liked to see the British cyclists doing well. I'm just suprised at the negatvity I read on the internet about the Pro Scene. If people don't like it and want to question performances perhaps they should find another pastime

greasedscotsman

dortmunder wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

dortmunder wrote:

I'm really suprised about the general atitudes towards British cycling at the minute. We've waited years for success and have survived on stories of one or two riders occasionally acheiving the odd bit of success but quite frankly it was exceptionally rare. Now we have a situation where British riders are being very very successful and the profile of the sport is rising. It seems British people aren't happy with this. It seems that people have suddenly become complacent with the success of Team Sky and the track team. These are amazing times for British Cycling and we should be celebrating the achievements of Wiggins, Cavendish, Froome, Hoy, Trott et al.

So everyone on this forum is British?

The nationality riders makes very little difference to me when I'm watching bike racing. I choose my "heros and villains" based on what they say or do, not what country they come from. Now if you (like the OP) are very patriotic and feel proud when a Brit does well, that's great, but why can't I see it in a different way. Why do I have to be celebrating Cavendish winning when I don't like him?

believe it or not I'm not patriotic at all. My background is similar to Philip Hindes. I live in Britain and have always liked to see the British cyclists doing well. I'm just suprised at the negatvity I read on the internet about the Pro Scene. If people don't like it and want to question performances perhaps they should find another pastime

Well, I think the views on here are pretty balanced. For every poster who can't stand Team Sky, there's another who loves them! Anyway, it really doesn't matter too much, as I said before, alot of what's posted is people who are bored at work!

richard wants a baum

I find this all quite funny, guys that have just signed up telling some guys that have been on here years " ya dont like Sky are you hate cycling find another past time " . For what its worth coming from someone that is neither a Brit and has been on here long enough to now some of the dynamic, most of the non-sky poster on here seem to have been following cycling since before Sky and the current crop of successful cyclist. And as such have supported riders from every country and don't particularly find a GB focused team all that appealing, and there is nothing wrong with that just like supporting that team because they are a GB team is fine.

As far as Sky changing cycling, ya nicked it from us Aussies so Your Welcome

dortmunder

richard wants a baum wrote:

I find this all quite funny, guys that have just signed up telling some guys that have been on here years " ya dont like Sky are you hate cycling find another past time " . For what its worth coming from someone that is neither a Brit and has been on here long enough to now some of the dynamic, most of the non-sky poster on here seem to have been following cycling since before Sky and the current crop of successful cyclist. And as such have supported riders from every country and don't particularly find a GB focused team all that appealing, and there is nothing wrong with that just like supporting that team because they are a GB team is fine.

As far as Sky changing cycling, ya nicked it from us Aussies so Your Welcome

I guess how long you have been signed up on this forum is a direct indicator of how long someone has been following cycling.
Or is there a period of time you have to have been a member before you can express an opinion?

afx237vi

dortmunder wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

I find this all quite funny, guys that have just signed up telling some guys that have been on here years " ya dont like Sky are you hate cycling find another past time " . For what its worth coming from someone that is neither a Brit and has been on here long enough to now some of the dynamic, most of the non-sky poster on here seem to have been following cycling since before Sky and the current crop of successful cyclist. And as such have supported riders from every country and don't particularly find a GB focused team all that appealing, and there is nothing wrong with that just like supporting that team because they are a GB team is fine.

As far as Sky changing cycling, ya nicked it from us Aussies so Your Welcome

I guess how long you have been signed up on this forum is a direct indicator of how long someone has been following cycling.
Or is there a period of time you have to have been a member before you can express an opinion?

If that's the message you got from reading richard's post, it just reinforces the point that several people have already made in this thread about Sky supporters trying to find a grudge when there isn't one.

greasedscotsman

dortmunder wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

I find this all quite funny, guys that have just signed up telling some guys that have been on here years " ya dont like Sky are you hate cycling find another past time " . For what its worth coming from someone that is neither a Brit and has been on here long enough to now some of the dynamic, most of the non-sky poster on here seem to have been following cycling since before Sky and the current crop of successful cyclist. And as such have supported riders from every country and don't particularly find a GB focused team all that appealing, and there is nothing wrong with that just like supporting that team because they are a GB team is fine.

As far as Sky changing cycling, ya nicked it from us Aussies so Your Welcome

I guess how long you have been signed up on this forum is a direct indicator of how long someone has been following cycling.
Or is there a period of time you have to have been a member before you can express an opinion?

Think that definitely deserves an Annette Edmonson faceplam...

richard wants a baum

And here i thought it would be the last sentence that would cause issue I quite carefully made the point of not making any link between post count and what anyone knows or how long they'd followed cycling, as that would be just stupid. What i did do was comment on what my opinion of what most of the established posters point of view came from. As Monkey man said i get the feeling that some people are looking for things that are just not there aka some Sky hating based on the fact there British and Successful, well certainly not on this forum.