Chris Froome to lead Team Sky in TdF

oneof1982
oneof1982 Posts: 703
edited January 2013 in Pro race
Just announced on R5L.

Web link added;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20516939

"Brailsford said the plan had not been 'completely been signed off'.

But he added: "The Tour of Italy would be a very good target for Bradley and leave Froomy then to focus on the Tour de France.""
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Comments

  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    edited November 2012
    Well, its what he's been so desperate for...in the words of Shane Sutton, he's been doing all the talking...

    So let's see what he's got.
  • mike6
    mike6 Posts: 1,199
    Be very interesting.
    He was the pick of the climbers this year and did ease off, but that was his job, as Wiggins was the leader.

    It will be a different mindset for Chris to be the protected leader at the Tour. More pressure, expectations, responsibility.
    I hope he can make the step up as his form this year was excellent.
  • mike6 wrote:
    Be very interesting.
    He was the pick of the climbers this year and did ease off, but that was his job, as Wiggins was the leader.

    It will be a different mindset for Chris to be the protected leader at the Tour. More pressure, expectations, responsibility.
    I hope he can make the step up as his form this year was excellent.


    Indeed. The pressure from the media alone at the Tour is unlike anything else. What was it Prudhomme said in the Wiggo film - 200 riders, and 2000 journos right up close to them; and Vaughters described the behaviour of the media at the Tour as 'like hyped up on meth'. Fun, fun, fun
  • Question is, if you were Dave Brailsford, who would you pick to lead your teams at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta (forgetting for the sake of this question, what the riders would like to do...)
  • Question is, if you were Dave Brailsford, who would you pick to lead your teams at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta (forgetting for the sake of this question, what the riders would like to do...)

    Wiggins to lead them all, in an ideal world obviously. Still not sure about Fenton.
  • Question is, if you were Dave Brailsford, who would you pick to lead your teams at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta (forgetting for the sake of this question, what the riders would like to do...)

    Wiggins to lead them all, in an ideal world obviously. Still not sure about Fenton.

    OK, but back to reality...
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    edited November 2012
    Giro = Uran
    Tour = Wiggins
    Vuelta = Froome

    Uran and Porte will both be in the Giro, so if i'm not sure about Uran I can tell him to go feck himself and give Porte the leaders role.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    Question is, if you were Dave Brailsford, who would you pick to lead your teams at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta (forgetting for the sake of this question, what the riders would like to do...)

    Giro - Wiggins
    Tour - Froome
    Vuelta - Uran/Henao

    Which is what I expect to happen.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    Are henao and Uran ahead of Porte? I thought he was really smashing it this year, really did a lot of the damage as the man before froome and went toe-to-toe with Clenbutador on the final stages of the vuelta.. I'd give him a go in Spain, or at least have him as the backup rider
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • RichN95 wrote:
    Giro - Wiggins
    Tour - Froome
    Vuelta - Uran/Henao

    Which is what I expect to happen.

    Reckon that's what I would go for as well. Wiggins isn't going to win that many GTs, but to win the Giro and then maybe the Vuelta? Better than winning 3 Tours. And I think the Tour is more suited to Froome anyway.
  • Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.

    It is definitely news. It may not be as interesting or as much fun as the colour of a pro's sunglasses, but it's news.

    It may have been trailed and predicted but the now emerging fact that the yellow jersey of the TdF won't defend his title is worthy of discussion.
  • edhornby wrote:
    Are henao and Uran ahead of Porte? I thought he was really smashing it this year, really did a lot of the damage as the man before froome and went toe-to-toe with Clenbutador on the final stages of the vuelta.. I'd give him a go in Spain, or at least have him as the backup rider


    Seems that Porte's lined up to be the Froome to Wiggo at the Giro (minus the Fenton-tendencies and poor-me schtick). My money's on him being leader at the Giro or Vuelta in 2014. Or who knows, maybe Tour if Froome does a terrible job next year and Wiggo doesnt want to try for a second Tour win.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.

    Debatable. I thought the "I might do the Giro" thing was bluster and he / Sky would get swayed by the whole defending champion / 100th edition thing. It still might. Kudos to Sky for considering it, though.

    If Wiggins wins the Giro, though, he must be leader for the Vuelta as well, surely?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    edhornby wrote:
    Are henao and Uran ahead of Porte? I thought he was really smashing it this year, really did a lot of the damage as the man before froome and went toe-to-toe with Clenbutador on the final stages of the vuelta.. I'd give him a go in Spain, or at least have him as the backup rider


    Seems that Porte's lined up to be the Froome to Wiggo at the Giro (minus the Fenton-tendencies and poor-me schtick). My money's on him being leader at the Giro or Vuelta in 2014. Or who knows, maybe Tour if Froome does a terrible job next year and Wiggo doesnt want to try for a second Tour win.

    Needs to stay upright and stop getting crazy viruses.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    afx237vi wrote:
    Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.

    Debatable. I thought the "I might do the Giro" thing was bluster and he / Sky would get swayed by the whole defending champion / 100th edition thing. It still might. Kudos to Sky for considering it, though.

    If Wiggins wins the Giro, though, he must be leader for the Vuelta as well, surely?


    BC/Sky have always made out they're not sentimental about performance.

    We've been saying the latest route favours Froome over Wiggins.

    Seems fans aren't always wrong after all ;).
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    afx237vi wrote:
    Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.

    Debatable. I thought the "I might do the Giro" thing was bluster and he / Sky would get swayed by the whole defending champion / 100th edition thing. It still might. Kudos to Sky for considering it, though.

    If Wiggins wins the Giro, though, he must be leader for the Vuelta as well, surely?

    I still think he will ride the Tour - just not as leader
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    RichN95 wrote:
    I still think he will ride the Tour - just not as leader
    Yep.
    Sky can, and probably will, continue a game of smoke and mirrors for quite a while...
    They're the No 1 team, with a proven bullet-proof roster of GT riders...
    While most teams struggle to field 1 serious GT contender, they can play with at least 2...
    They don't have the Cav or Olympic distraction...

    All the other teams will be pulling their hair out because Sky will almost certainly continue to wrong-foot everyone with "Wiggo and Fenton to have separate race programmes until Paris-Nice/T-A (ooh, what does that mean?)" or "Wiggo rethinks honouring 100th Tour after best training figures ever" or "Fenton & Wiggo consider a double leadership pact for Giro AND Tour", stories etc...

    Brailsford and his squad are holding so many chips right now, why on Earth would they consider showing their hand?
  • To be honest I don't think Sky will feel any obligation to have Wiggo lead the Tour team just because it's the 100th edition and he is the defending champion. It has to be the best man for the job and the parcours suggests Froome.

    It's not a matter of showing your hand as there is nothing to hide. Common sense suggests it will be a moveable feast depending upon form and condition of the riders.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • nathancom
    nathancom Posts: 1,567
    To be honest I don't think Sky will feel any obligation to have Wiggo lead the Tour team just because it's the 100th edition and he is the defending champion. It has to be the best man for the job and the parcours suggests Froome.

    It's not a matter of showing your hand as there is nothing to hide. Common sense suggests it will be a moveable feast depending upon form and condition of the riders.
    It is the only way to keep a group of high caliber riders together as well. Froome would most likely be gone if he didn't get the opportunity. It just makes sense all round.

    I will miss Wiggins leading at the Tour though, much more interesting interviews than Froome will surely give.
  • RichN95 wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.

    Debatable. I thought the "I might do the Giro" thing was bluster and he / Sky would get swayed by the whole defending champion / 100th edition thing. It still might. Kudos to Sky for considering it, though.

    If Wiggins wins the Giro, though, he must be leader for the Vuelta as well, surely?

    I still think he will ride the Tour - just not as leader

    That will be great - especially if it turns into a Badger/Lemond scenario :twisted:
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    LeicesterLad, why have you not picked JTL for any of the GTs? Hope the love isn't fading :)

    I'm not convinced by Uran/Henao for the Vuelta. They're both decent riders for sure, but they seem more solid top 10 types rather than real challengers.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Froome needs Wiggins there to tell him what to do. Isn't it reported that CF's race craft is somewhat lacking?

    Anyway, with a fit Contador and Schleck there I'd put Froome on the 2nd tier with a bunch of other people.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • phreak wrote:
    LeicesterLad, why have you not picked JTL for any of the GTs? Hope the love isn't fading :)

    I'm not convinced by Uran/Henao for the Vuelta. They're both decent riders for sure, but they seem more solid top 10 types rather than real challengers.

    2014 for JTL if he has a decent enough year next year (by decent a mean showing himself as a good domestique and maybe getting a few podium finishes) but I doubt he will ever get leader status at a GT with the current Sky crop - it's a massive step-up from continental all the way to WorldTour and without at least a season in his legs I doubt Sky will even consider JTL for anything major. Oh, the horrible truth :(

    I of course think JTL could easily win all three GT's next year. :wink:
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    nathancom wrote:
    To be honest I don't think Sky will feel any obligation to have Wiggo lead the Tour team just because it's the 100th edition and he is the defending champion. It has to be the best man for the job and the parcours suggests Froome.

    It's not a matter of showing your hand as there is nothing to hide. Common sense suggests it will be a moveable feast depending upon form and condition of the riders.
    It is the only way to keep a group of high caliber riders together as well. Froome would most likely be gone if he didn't get the opportunity. It just makes sense all round.

    I will miss Wiggins leading at the Tour though, much more interesting interviews than Froome will surely give.

    And you can Guarantee we ll al b1tch and moan about sky's lack of personality! ;)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • The team management might not be sentimental when it comes to picking a leader, but from a sponsors' point of view are they all equal? I'm not sure that Froome can win over the public in the same way Wiggins has. On the other hand, the Giro would get a much higher profile in the UK with a potential British winner.
  • Mechanism wrote:
    The team management might not be sentimental when it comes to picking a leader, but from a sponsors' point of view are they all equal? I'm not sure that Froome can win over the public in the same way Wiggins has. On the other hand, the Giro would get a much higher profile in the UK with a potential British winner.

    There is a certain risk that when the Tour comes around the 'new' cycling public will say "oo, its the Tour de France, is Wiggins riding?" and when the response is "no" they will just switch off and forget about it. Hopefully that won't be the case. If Wiggins rides the Giro it may raise the profile in Britain, but unless he's clearly winning it then I doubt it will get as much notice as the Tour last year.
  • Mechanism wrote:
    The team management might not be sentimental when it comes to picking a leader, but from a sponsors' point of view are they all equal? I'm not sure that Froome can win over the public in the same way Wiggins has. On the other hand, the Giro would get a much higher profile in the UK with a potential British winner.

    There is a certain risk that when the Tour comes around the 'new' cycling public will say "oo, its the Tour de France, is Wiggins riding?" and when the response is "no" they will just switch off and forget about it. Hopefully that won't be the case. If Wiggins rides the Giro it may raise the profile in Britain, but unless he's clearly winning it then I doubt it will get as much notice as the Tour last year.


    There is that. Also Wiggins has a profile that Froome not only lacks but is never going to have, given the fact that he doesnt have Wiggins background and history (e.g. multi-Oly medals) that makes him more interesting to the public. Also when interviewed he doesnt come across as having much of a personality - though the Sky machine will swing into action next year to promote him to the public, big-stylie.

    One thing that absolutely needs to happen is for free-to-air ITV4 to show the Giro. Ideally same level of coverage as the Tour - last couple of hours, then highlights in the evening. At minimum highlights in the evening as per the Vuelta.
  • ddraver wrote:
    nathancom wrote:
    To be honest I don't think Sky will feel any obligation to have Wiggo lead the Tour team just because it's the 100th edition and he is the defending champion. It has to be the best man for the job and the parcours suggests Froome.

    It's not a matter of showing your hand as there is nothing to hide. Common sense suggests it will be a moveable feast depending upon form and condition of the riders.
    It is the only way to keep a group of high caliber riders together as well. Froome would most likely be gone if he didn't get the opportunity. It just makes sense all round.

    I will miss Wiggins leading at the Tour though, much more interesting interviews than Froome will surely give.

    And you can Guarantee we ll al b1tch and moan about sky's lack of personality! ;)


    Hmm. Even lower odds against that happening than on Bradders winning SPOTY
  • RichN95 wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Hardly news really is it?

    Was always going to be this way.

    Debatable. I thought the "I might do the Giro" thing was bluster and he / Sky would get swayed by the whole defending champion / 100th edition thing. It still might. Kudos to Sky for considering it, though.

    If Wiggins wins the Giro, though, he must be leader for the Vuelta as well, surely?

    I still think he will ride the Tour - just not as leader

    That will be great - especially if it turns into a Badger/Lemond scenario :twisted:


    Was discussing that with a mate this morning. The scenario's going to make it a little spicy for sure!