A few years back when Sky came on the scene much was made of Britain as a new super-power but the claim (at least in men's road racing) felt hollow. Without Cavendish and Wiggins/Froome there was little in the way of victories or, just as importantly, number of riders. Aside from the Tour (and week-long races used in the lead up to the Tour) only Cavendish won a major 1 day race and the record at the Giro was awful. Even at the Tour it was possible to only have a handful of British riders. Things though are starting to look really promising.
Alongside Froome's wins the Yates brothers are now regularly in the Top 10 in Grand Tours. Thomas will surely finish on the podium before his career ends (I really hope) and has won big week-long races, Cummings is threatening in stages and we can still hold on to the possibility of Swift/Stannard/Rowe winning a Monument.
But it's the new influx that excites me I believe I'm right that there will be 20 riders at World Tour level in 2018. Is this a record? I'd be interested to know what people feel about these and which ones have a chance of winning some big races. What do you think we should hope for from the new guys?
Team Sky:
Froome
Thomas
Rowe
Stannard
Geoghegan Hart
Doull
Lawless
Dimension Data:
Cavendish
Cummings
Thwaites
Davies
Orica:
Yates
Yates
Bora-Hansgrohe:
Kennaugh
Cannondale:
Carthy
McLay
Katusha-Alpecin:
Dowsett
Quick-Step Floors:
Knox
Lotto–Soudal:
Shaw
UAE:
Swift
Alongside Froome's wins the Yates brothers are now regularly in the Top 10 in Grand Tours. Thomas will surely finish on the podium before his career ends (I really hope) and has won big week-long races, Cummings is threatening in stages and we can still hold on to the possibility of Swift/Stannard/Rowe winning a Monument.
But it's the new influx that excites me I believe I'm right that there will be 20 riders at World Tour level in 2018. Is this a record? I'd be interested to know what people feel about these and which ones have a chance of winning some big races. What do you think we should hope for from the new guys?
Team Sky:
Froome
Thomas
Rowe
Stannard
Geoghegan Hart
Doull
Lawless
Dimension Data:
Cavendish
Cummings
Thwaites
Davies
Orica:
Yates
Yates
Bora-Hansgrohe:
Kennaugh
Cannondale:
Carthy
McLay
Katusha-Alpecin:
Dowsett
Quick-Step Floors:
Knox
Lotto–Soudal:
Shaw
UAE:
Swift