Richie Porte's Non-British Sky Squad

t4tomo

Froome picks his TdF squad, that has most of the Brits in it that would be up for a GT. The Froome squad won't do the Giro. Porte has second Dibs for his Giro squad.

Whoever isn't broken at the end of the season will be packed off to the Vuelta.

rick_chasey

Non story.

Said it in another thread - forum was better when there were barely any Brits at all in the peloton.

Focus was more on racing.

Or doping. Or something.

Less tedious than jingoism anyway. Though maybe it's because cycling then tended to attract people who were a bit ambivalent, identity wise. Ex pats and other polyglots/mongrels. Not the case anymore.

Probably talking BS, but hey, it's a forum right?

EKIMIKE

There are 7 Brits in the full 28-man team. Only two (Froome, Kennaugh) could be considered stage-race specialists. Most of the remainder have ridden a full spring calendar.

As above - non story.

RichN95.

t4tomo wrote:

Froome picks his TdF squad, that has most of the Brits in it that would be up for a GT. The Froome squad won't do the Giro. Porte has second Dibs for his Giro squad.

Is it like picking football teams in the school playground with Chris Sutton and Nathan Earle as the fat kids who are picked last and have to go in goal.

above_the_cows

ddraver wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

How many hours before this thread gets more posts than a thread of the best stage race of the year as far as the fans and the racing is concerned. Telling.

Again, can you tell us who these fans are?

Given that in Belgium & Holland it would have to beat the RVV Thread, for me and Pross probably the P-R Thread, French people the future Tour thread, Spanish people the future Vuelta Thread...I don't see what you mean.

Now, now, everyone knows its all about the Eneco Tour Thread. Pah, call yourself a fan?

DeVlaeminck

Rick Chasey wrote:

Non story.

Said it in another thread - forum was better when there were barely any Brits at all in the peloton.

Focus was more on racing.

Or doping. Or something.

Less tedious than jingoism anyway. Though maybe it's because cycling then tended to attract people who were a bit ambivalent, identity wise. Ex pats and other polyglots/mongrels. Not the case anymore.

Probably talking BS, but hey, it's a forum right?

Not at all, it is not jingoism to discuss whether Sky is still a feeder for British talent into the pro peloton, you don't even have to care if any British riders are in the pro peloton to think it's interesting just a cycling fan.

RideOnTime

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Non story.

Said it in another thread - forum was better when there were barely any Brits at all in the peloton.

Focus was more on racing.

Or doping. Or something.

Less tedious than jingoism anyway. Though maybe it's because cycling then tended to attract people who were a bit ambivalent, identity wise. Ex pats and other polyglots/mongrels. Not the case anymore.

Probably talking BS, but hey, it's a forum right?

Not at all, it is not jingoism to discuss whether Sky is still a feeder for British talent into the pro peloton, you don't even have to care if any British riders are in the pro peloton to think it's interesting just a cycling fan.

When I see Sky, I think British team, simple as, and they're not.

Ashbeck

I love the way the word 'jingoistic or jingoism' is portrayed as a bad word to use.

Whats wrong with expecting a British rider to be in a British team for the Giro? after all, the whole SKY concept has been sold to us as a 'British team' so most people expect at least 1 British rider in any given event, but the minute we flag it up we're almost considered racist for doing so. Its really grating now and old hat.
You know there's nothing wrong with supporting your country and expressing it, life is too short to worry about living to other peoples expectations.

So to SKY I say, 'where are the British riders?!!!!' you're supposed to be a British team so start acting like it, otherwise stop with the bullish*t rhetoric about it.

Im proud to be British, I'm proud of our British riders and I want to see them in races like the Giro, so do one.

ddraver

Ashbeck wrote:

Im proud to be British, I'm proud of our British riders and I want to see them in races like the Giro

Agree completely but I'm hampered by living in the real world. In that real world there is no British Rider, currently riding for Team Sky, who should be there.

rick_chasey

Ashbeck wrote:

I love the way the word 'jingoistic or jingoism' is portrayed as a bad word to use.

Whats wrong with expecting a British rider to be in a British team for the Giro? after all, the whole SKY concept has been sold to us as a 'British team' so most people expect at least 1 British rider in any given event, but the minute we flag it up we're almost considered racist for doing so. Its really grating now and old hat.
You know there's nothing wrong with supporting your country and expressing it, life is too short to worry about living to other peoples expectations.

So to SKY I say, 'where are the British riders?!!!!' you're supposed to be a British team so start acting like it, otherwise stop with the bullish*t rhetoric about it.

Im proud to be British, I'm proud of our British riders and I want to see them in races like the Giro, so do one.

Because we don't discuss the same about any other team.

It's an issue that isn't really a cycling one (who's the best team for the race in the context of the season) and instead one that's framed in a nationalist question, which just happens to be cycling.

You don't discuss Trek missing an American rider, or BMC often fielding teams without any swiss.

No-one mentioned racism, so don't protest too much about it.

iainf72

I have a dream

A dream where people stop typing Sky in capital letters

Turfle

I like rooting for Brits as much as the next proud Brit, but it's not a one (or two or three) race season. Nearly all the Brits on TEAM SKY have just come off their major season objective (Stannard, Rowe, arguably Thomas), are injured (Swift), or are coming from injury and building for the Tour (Kennaugh - maybe even getting to lead a big race in Cali instead).

Sure, it would be nice to see Andy Fenn leading out Viviani, or on the 20 non-sprint stages to know he was getting bottles before live coverage even started, but some things aren't meant to be. Hopefully he'll be off winning sprints in Norway instead.

inseine

And they're going to replace Wiggins with Kwiatkowski. No money to get Cav back on the team.

dish_dash

I don't agree with much of what he says, but Oleg's comment on team selection seems relevant:

Rovny is the only Russian rider in the team, which is a pity but we don’t choose the team on nationality, it’s about the fitness and the level of the riders.

RideOnTime

iainf72 wrote:

I have a dream

A dream where people stop typing Sky in capital letters

Sorry this is a bit random. These were in the news I guess they're not a new SKY ladies team.

Ashbeck

Rick Chasey wrote:

Ashbeck wrote:

I love the way the word 'jingoistic or jingoism' is portrayed as a bad word to use.

Whats wrong with expecting a British rider to be in a British team for the Giro? after all, the whole SKY concept has been sold to us as a 'British team' so most people expect at least 1 British rider in any given event, but the minute we flag it up we're almost considered racist for doing so. Its really grating now and old hat.
You know there's nothing wrong with supporting your country and expressing it, life is too short to worry about living to other peoples expectations.

So to SKY I say, 'where are the British riders?!!!!' you're supposed to be a British team so start acting like it, otherwise stop with the bullish*t rhetoric about it.

Im proud to be British, I'm proud of our British riders and I want to see them in races like the Giro, so do one.

Because we don't discuss the same about any other team.

It's an issue that isn't really a cycling one (who's the best team for the race in the context of the season) and instead one that's framed in a nationalist question, which just happens to be cycling.

You don't discuss Trek missing an American rider, or BMC often fielding teams without any swiss.

No-one mentioned racism, so don't protest too much about it.

Why would i mentioned Trek or BMC when we're talking about Sky? we're not discussing fish and chips, which is why i haven't mentioned salt and vinegar :roll:

I'm neither American or Swiss so those teams don't interest me from a loyalty perspective. Im interested in them from a cycling perspective but couldn't care less if they don't have their respective riders involved. Im interested in Sky having British riders because I'm British. End of story.

Nobody mentioned racism per sea, but the under-current expression is there when people have a subtle pop at others by using words such as 'jingoistic'. Im not in the wrong for telling it how it is, thats how i am in life.

I'm like that because my grandad got his kidney shot out in WW2 for my freedom. So if i want to protest, I will. Its called democracy.

adr82

Ashbeck wrote:

I love the way the word 'jingoistic or jingoism' is portrayed as a bad word to use.

Actually it is a "bad word" and for good reason. It means extreme, blind patriotism and is usually associated with aggressive intentions or actions. If being patriotic is singing the national anthem, being jingoistic is singing the national anthem while invading another country.

I agree with Rick about it being a non-story. I don't care if Sky happen to have no British riders in their squad for this particular race. We've seen Stannard and Thomas winning races already this season, Wiggins and Rowe and Swift and Fenn and Kennaugh and Froome have all been racing, and I'd imagine the latter will have at least 1 or 2 Brits in his TdF squad too. This isn't step one of some fiendish plan to eliminate every British rider from their roster, and frankly given the level of success Sky have had with British riders in the last few years it's ridiculous to start criticising them over something this innocuous.

tailwindhome

talius

Rick Chasey wrote:

Non story.

Said it in another thread - forum was better when there were barely any Brits at all in the peloton.

Focus was more on racing.

Or doping. Or something.

Less tedious than jingoism anyway. Though maybe it's because cycling then tended to attract people who were a bit ambivalent, identity wise. Ex pats and other polyglots/mongrels. Not the case anymore.

Probably talking BS, but hey, it's a forum right?

I suspect it's really about Sky. I know that's where all the Brits are, but if they'd all gone into a variety of different teams it would have been different, and less of this sky-against-everyone-else or everyone-else-against-sky cr@p we see.

Although to be fair, I'm no fan of sky, so I can hardly talk...

RideOnTime

TailWindHome wrote:

oh my... now that is camp.

the one with the Union Jack looks kinda awkward... is that a bloke?

hammerite

RideOnTime wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

oh my... now that is camp.

the one with the Union Jack looks kinda awkward... is that a bloke?

Podium girl

RideOnTime

hammerite wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

oh my... now that is camp.

the one with the Union Jack looks kinda awkward... is that a bloke?

Podium girl

r u sure?

hammerite

RideOnTime wrote:

hammerite wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

oh my... now that is camp.

the one with the Union Jack looks kinda awkward... is that a bloke?

Podium girl

r u sure?

Whoever it is seems to be wearing high heels.

menchovʹsstabilisers

Not just a non-British Sky squad, but I think also a non-British Giro.

I can't see a single British rider.

I think it's a shame given the strides British cycling has made in recent years that the second most important tour doesn't have a single British rider. Would that be the first time this millennium?

RideOnTime

Menchov'sStabilisers wrote:

Not just a non-British Sky squad, but I think also a non-British Giro.

I can't see a single British rider.

I think it's a shame given the strides British cycling has made in recent years that the second most important tour doesn't have a single British rider. Would that be the first time this millennium?

careful, careful... see Inseine comments about talking loose... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

RideOnTime

inseine wrote:

This has been mentioned in the pre race chat. Does it really merit it's own thread?

RideOnTime

loose lips, sink ships...
comments in the right place at the right time. you need to scour every post in the last 10 years..

adr82

Menchov'sStabilisers wrote:

Not just a non-British Sky squad, but I think also a non-British Giro.

I can't see a single British rider.

I think it's a shame given the strides British cycling has made in recent years that the second most important tour doesn't have a single British rider. Would that be the first time this millennium?

It's not like the race has gone from having dozens of Brits every year to zero this year, it's gone from having a handful (1-5 in the last few years) to having none. That's much less noteworthy and easily explained by the relatively few British riders happening to be injured or on new teams or focusing on other races. Last year I think there was only a single British rider (Ben Swift).