Sky..Poor in last one day race...

vinnymarsden
vinnymarsden Posts: 560
edited October 2013 in Pro race
Once again Team Sky have failed to show up for the last monument race..Giro D Lombardia...I don't get it really...they seem totally unable to get this one day racing into any kind of organised attempt.
I'm not knocking them as a team, but it just seems really peculiar that in EVERY one of the big one dayer's they have totally failed to turn up....I'm not slagging them off, far be it from me to question ANY pro team at all....it just really is weird..wondered what everyone else thought??
I know some people say once you have realised you can't win, why carry on....I think my answer as Sky and Brailsford would be simply that you are paid to perform not to give in if it doesn't go your way.
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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Their best bet for this race was Uran but he was DNS because he crashed heavily in Florence.


    Sky are weaker in 1 day races because they don't have world beating one day riders.

    Simple. As.
    _
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    Weren't some of the potential team on the sherberts yesterday?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Who did you have in mind to win Lombardy?
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Cataldo went OK.
    Contador however has become a lightweight, no panache.........amongst other things.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • vinnymarsden
    vinnymarsden Posts: 560
    I had Dan Martin down for it...so 4th was okay....but well done to Rodriguez...think he made a "gesture" to Valverde after last week in Worlds....
  • ju5t1n
    ju5t1n Posts: 2,028
    I suspect Sky are pretty happy with their season...
    #1 ranked team
    #2 ranked rider
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    Yes they were poor again today, who wants one team to dominate everything anyway. I think Rick is partly right , they don't have the riders for 1 day races, but in part we don't think of them as one day riders because they under perform in them. The likes of Thomas looked a very promising classics man a few years back and an explosive climber who can time trial like Froome should be tailor made for the last two Sundays.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Fans would do well to remember cycling is a sport in which most of the time your rider or team loses. However good you are.
    _
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Even in stage races where they dominated, they reliably fell apart on stages with a 'classics' parcours. While there were other factors at play in all cases it's interesting that the calamities always seemed to happen on the lumpy stages.

    Edited to add that despite Froome's extravagant physical attributes he's been nowhere in these races, improving little since being gubbed by JTL in the 2011 Worlds (albeit post Tour/Vuelta). I suspect that to win a tour by 5 mins you don't do the work for the repeated short sharp efforts which happen from early in a one-dayer. Contador doesn't have much of a one-day palmares either.

    How good would Nibali and J-Rod be in the Tour if they forgot about classics (which I hope they don't, obv)?
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Their best bet for this race was Uran but he was DNS because he crashed heavily in Florence.


    Sky are weaker in 1 day races because they don't have world beating one day riders.

    Simple. As.

    Uran and Henao were racing but got `caught` behind a crash.

    Another unsurprisingly rubbish performance by the boys in blue...always the case when the racing is hard to control and it is every man for himself.

    That being said, Cataldo did well...another rider whose chances would be greatly improved if he were in other teams.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Cataldo was in other teams, and only did OK
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Was Henao's 2nd place in Fleche Wallonne all a dream and I'll wake up in the shower Bobby Ewing-stylie?


    Asking for a friend.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    Yeah but after that Sir Dave sent him to get some coaching on descending and bunch riding from Sir Brad and G and since then he fits in much better with the rest of the riders. There are still some concerns that he doesn't ride the first 60k on the front but Rod Ellingworth will work on race tactics with him over the Winter.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Ah, so I didnt dream it, thank for confirming. Phew, thought I'd gone a bit mad there.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    DeVlaeminck wrote:
    Yeah but after that Sir Dave sent him to get some coaching on descending and bunch riding from Sir Brad and G and since then he fits in much better with the rest of the riders. There are still some concerns that he doesn't ride the first 60k on the front but Rod Ellingworth will work on race tactics with him over the Winter.
    science-sarcasm-professor-frink-comic-book-guy-631.jpg?w=760
  • vinnymarsden
    vinnymarsden Posts: 560
    As the OP of this thread...I wasn't knocking TeamSky , I just wondered if they re looking back now, and realising they didn't quite hit the spot re the one day biggies...maybe they need to sign a big name....it's not like SBW or Froome seem interested in the classics...and everyone else seems to be there for those 2...so it's a bit of a Catch22 IMHO...come on Sky....you've got the dosh....god knows with what it costs to subscribe you must have....!! Make an approach to Cancellara or another legend..it looks like SBW has called time on his road career anyway if reports are to be believed.....
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    VinnyMarsden wrote:
    SBW


    Let's not start that. Eh?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    VinnyMarsden wrote:
    As the OP of this thread...I wasn't knocking TeamSky , I just wondered if they re looking back now, and realising they didn't quite hit the spot re the one day biggies...maybe they need to sign a big name....it's not like SBW or Froome seem interested in the classics...and everyone else seems to be there for those 2...so it's a bit of a Catch22 IMHO...come on Sky....you've got the dosh....god knows with what it costs to subscribe you must have....!! Make an approach to Cancellara or another legend..it looks like SBW has called time on his road career anyway if reports are to be believed.....
    Signing a ready made champion* isn't really the way they tend to go about things though - that's more a BMC approach. I think they would prefer to develop the riders they have and maybe get in some with potential. If it doesn't work, then so be it.


    *Cavendish is really the only one - and they've had plenty to do with developing him in the past
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    Rich95, here's one for you, as you're handy with the stats: UCI points table, but split into two, one for stage races and one for classics. Stage wins don't feature in either.

    I'll expect it on my desk by tomorrow morning, thanks.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rich95, here's one for you, as you're handy with the stats: UCI points table, but split into two, one for stage races and one for classics. Stage wins don't feature in either.

    I'll expect it on my desk by tomorrow morning, thanks.
    Will this do?

    c533.png
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    I know this is off topic, but that table highlights a forgettable year for TV and his Europcar teammates.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    RonB wrote:
    I know this is off topic, but that table highlights a forgettable year for TV and his Europcar teammates.
    Er, it's only World Tour teams. Europcar are Pro Conti.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    The cowardly thing to do at this point would be to edit my last post but hey ho. Thanks Rich :oops:
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    While we're at it: Top ten individuals

    z4vj.png

    (There's a typo - Rui Costa is on 170 too)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    So despite perception Sky are far from the worst in one day races (ahead of Lotto and OGE amongst others) as well as being streets ahead as a GC team.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    OPQS have had a relatively poor year.

    Shows the importance of having a Top Tier rider.......
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    TailWindHome wrote:
    OPQS have had a relatively poor year.

    Shows the importance of having a Top Tier rider.......

    Who, Boonen?
    _
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,910
    Is Greg van Avermaet the Zubeldia of one day races?
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    OPQS have had a relatively poor year.

    Shows the importance of having a Top Tier rider.......

    Who, Boonen?

    Well. Yes I'm aware of his work.

    They haven't really had him this year though.....
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,910
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    OPQS have had a relatively poor year.

    Shows the importance of having a Top Tier rider.......

    Who, Boonen?

    That's Cav's injured lead out man, right?

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