Team Sky - a success?

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Rich does.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,708
    ddraver wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    I would rather cyclists were liked because of their personality, tactical ability, sportsmanship and character. I have no notions of Nationality in so far as "I support British riders because they are... British" or in this case, a 'British team' Is it really a British team as it is funded by News Corp and the Murdoch empire? (who I find insidious and odious).

    You may rather but it is not the case in most other sports and certainly not the case in cycling in pretty much every other country.

    The Italians like Nibali, Pantani, Vini Fantini, Pippo, Lampre-Merida because they are Italian...


    I think Italians like Contador more than they like Pozzato... it's not just nationality... Contador rode the Giro in a very flamboyant way. Italians don't like Froome, but nobody likes Froome, not even you lot like Froome... Wiggins was respected but never liked, if you don't speak the language it's hard to be popular.
    Cancellara is hugely popular in Italy and not just because of his descents... Sagan is hugely popular too, he has been pretty much adopted.

    Cancellara is half Italian and Sagan's heyday was for an Italian team - they not exactly aliens are they..?

    I have no problem with people being nationalistic in sports, I do have a problem with people thinking they are superior because they pretend they arent...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    Rich does.
    I like everyone.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    A
    ...but nobody likes Froome, not even you lot like Froome...

    I do.

    It seems that a lot of the younger generation in France like SKY and even Froome. Mind you, they love Cav!
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    ddraver wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    I would rather cyclists were liked because of their personality, tactical ability, sportsmanship and character. I have no notions of Nationality in so far as "I support British riders because they are... British" or in this case, a 'British team' Is it really a British team as it is funded by News Corp and the Murdoch empire? (who I find insidious and odious).

    You may rather but it is not the case in most other sports and certainly not the case in cycling in pretty much every other country.

    The Italians like Nibali, Pantani, Vini Fantini, Pippo, Lampre-Merida because they are Italian...


    I think Italians like Contador more than they like Pozzato... it's not just nationality... Contador rode the Giro in a very flamboyant way. Italians don't like Froome, but nobody likes Froome, not even you lot like Froome... Wiggins was respected but never liked, if you don't speak the language it's hard to be popular.
    Cancellara is hugely popular in Italy and not just because of his descents... Sagan is hugely popular too, he has been pretty much adopted.

    Who, Ugo, apart from Pozzato likes Pozzato?
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    philbar72 wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    I would rather cyclists were liked because of their personality, tactical ability, sportsmanship and character. I have no notions of Nationality in so far as "I support British riders because they are... British" or in this case, a 'British team' Is it really a British team as it is funded by News Corp and the Murdoch empire? (who I find insidious and odious).

    You may rather but it is not the case in most other sports and certainly not the case in cycling in pretty much every other country.

    The Italians like Nibali, Pantani, Vini Fantini, Pippo, Lampre-Merida because they are Italian...


    I think Italians like Contador more than they like Pozzato... it's not just nationality... Contador rode the Giro in a very flamboyant way. Italians don't like Froome, but nobody likes Froome, not even you lot like Froome... Wiggins was respected but never liked, if you don't speak the language it's hard to be popular.
    Cancellara is hugely popular in Italy and not just because of his descents... Sagan is hugely popular too, he has been pretty much adopted.

    Who, Ugo, apart from Pozzato likes Pozzato?

    And Ignazio Moser...
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    On another note.

    UCI 'no basis to proceed further' on Henao.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    philbar72 wrote:

    Who, Ugo, apart from Pozzato likes Pozzato?

    Pozzato had his moments. He is a bit of a t-w-a-t admittedly but he has done two podiums at RVV and PR, which are races that sort the men from the boys. As a lad he also won Milano-Sanremo, which is generally a career defining race and he won in a sprint against Petacchi, Freire and Boonen (who was the team captain), so not for lack of opposition.

    I think he gets less credit than he deserves
    left the forum March 2023
  • thchris1958
    thchris1958 Posts: 117
    following Chris Froome on social medias, he has a good base of fans including me outside of UK. If he is not popular here, it doesn't mean he is not. A lot of people are not interested in forums.

    Are we going to see Henao in TDF 2016
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    inseine wrote:
    A
    ...but nobody likes Froome, not even you lot like Froome...

    I do.

    It seems that a lot of the younger generation in France like SKY and even Froome. Mind you, they love Cav!

    Based on nothing more than browsing the cycling section in airport/train station shops in the period immediately after Wiggins' and Froome's first wins, I'd say the former was a more popular winner.
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    philbar72 wrote:

    Who, Ugo, apart from Pozzato likes Pozzato?

    Pozzato had his moments. He is a bit of a t-w-a-t admittedly but he has done two podiums at RVV and PR, which are races that sort the men from the boys. As a lad he also won Milano-Sanremo, which is generally a career defining race and he won in a sprint against Petacchi, Freire and Boonen (who was the team captain), so not for lack of opposition.

    I think he gets less credit than he deserves
    appreciate his Palmares, not so sure about the character! he was always to me seen as being very talented but not always able to convert that to results. can be a bit of a tool.
  • markwb79
    markwb79 Posts: 937
    ddraver wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    Pinno wrote:
    I would rather cyclists were liked because of their personality, tactical ability, sportsmanship and character. I have no notions of Nationality in so far as "I support British riders because they are... British" or in this case, a 'British team' Is it really a British team as it is funded by News Corp and the Murdoch empire? (who I find insidious and odious).

    You may rather but it is not the case in most other sports and certainly not the case in cycling in pretty much every other country.

    The Italians like Nibali, Pantani, Vini Fantini, Pippo, Lampre-Merida because they are Italian...


    I think Italians like Contador more than they like Pozzato... it's not just nationality... Contador rode the Giro in a very flamboyant way. Italians don't like Froome, but nobody likes Froome, not even you lot like Froome... Wiggins was respected but never liked, if you don't speak the language it's hard to be popular.
    Cancellara is hugely popular in Italy and not just because of his descents... Sagan is hugely popular too, he has been pretty much adopted.

    Cancellara is half Italian and Sagan's heyday was for an Italian team - they not exactly aliens are they..?


    How is that even possible?
    Scott Addict 2011
    Giant TCR 2012
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    Markwb79 wrote:
    How is that even possible?
    His mum sat on the Swiss/Italian border, one leg in each country and plopped him out exactly on the border, a bit like the body in The Bridge.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    So, it seems that I can conclude the following from my education on here:
    - Team Sky has been a success as TdF is the ultimate prize
    - Wiggo is or is not Belgian
    - No-one cares a hoot about the lack of a women's Sky team (which is frankly a bit disappointing)

    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,708
    The Sky women's team has been slightly more challenging. GBs number 1 road cyclist is locked into a contract - a very good one for her - and has no reason to join a new team.

    Our more famous cyclists (Laura Trott etc) are only really interested in riding on the track and so would treat riding a road race as training at best and a hassle at worse - they re better off in smaller teams where they bring sponsors that help out other riders and their loss in Olympic years is nt felt so badly as they re only ever super-doms anyway.

    This year is the first time that GB women cyclists are genuinely breaking through now, Hannah Barnes and Lucy Garner for example, and Dani King to a lesser extent after she was sacked from the track. But these girls are already locked in contracts with well run successful teams like Wiggle High5 and Rapha Canyon, there is no need for them to have a Sky type team.

    There is perhaps scope to set up (take over) a smaller, junior, feeder type team such as Drops, or Matrix Vulpine but a Team Sky style team (or sponsor) wouldnt go for that.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    SecretSam wrote:
    So, it seems that I can conclude the following from my education on here:
    - Team Sky has been a success as TdF is the ultimate prize
    - Wiggo is or is not Belgian
    - No-one cares a hoot about the lack of a women's Sky team (which is frankly a bit disappointing)

    To what end? Lizzie Armitstead is in a great team, when Sky were set-up Emma Pooley said she wouldn't leave Cervelo (?) for a Sky women's team; the endurance team joined Wiggle en masse, and all except Dani King quickly decided a full road racing program was not for them. I'm not sure who it would really benefit now.

    The men's situation was very different. Guaranteeing beneficial race programs is very difficult when riders are scattered on teams like Barloworld, Katusha, and ISD.
  • cq20
    cq20 Posts: 207
    It also depends what you mean by success. Success in terms of cycling results or success in terms of brand promotion. The former has been covered so far but you also need to look at the hours of Sky brand promotion gained from coverage in previously unlikely channels e.g. the BBC and the promotion of the Sky brand/services in other parts of the world. IIRC, it has been claimed that 0.5% of the total Sky marketing budget is spent on cycling (whether that's the whole lot or just Team Sky, I can't remember). If that is the case, it could be a very good return on investment i.e a success.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    cq20 wrote:
    It also depends what you mean by success. Success in terms of cycling results or success in terms of brand promotion. The former has been covered so far but you also need to look at the hours of Sky brand promotion gained from coverage in previously unlikely channels e.g. the BBC and the promotion of the Sky brand/services in other parts of the world. IIRC, it has been claimed that 0.5% of the total Sky marketing budget is spent on cycling (whether that's the whole lot or just Team Sky, I can't remember). If that is the case, it could be a very good return on investment i.e a success.

    Well said.

    It's about exposure for Sky as a brand. How many times have we said the word Sky in this thread? That wouldn't be the case if they were just a sponsor and not the team name. It's the exact model Red Bull went with when they purchased the F1 team and the two football teams, why just put your name to something as a sponsor, own the team and then whenever anyone refers to it they are forced to use your name.
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    I like Froome better than any flamboyant clown out there. He is very talented and has no less passion and drive.