Geraint Thomas, the next british hope

[spalco]

Re: Re:

[...]

For somebody like that to be springing up to the podium would be a difficult pill to swallow considering all of the other factors swirling around Sky and the fact that Thomas' history and development is so interlinked with Brailsford - but Péraud's example shows that it's not an impossibility - just extremely bizarre and unlikely.

[...]

Assuming the answer is "doping", it really makes you wonder though, what the hell is it exactly that favoured riders at Sky are taking, that other riders on the team don't have access to, and other teams apparently don't even know about.
Or is everyone else clean except Sky? That doesn't seem likely.

I don't understand how that's possible, I don't think there are any real secrets in stuff like that anymore, everything's published in journals and conferences, discussed in forums and googlable.

 

[Billie]

Re:

They probably prepared Thomas to win the Tour in case Froome wasn't allowed to ride.

this is what happened

 

[Billie]

Re: Re:

[...]

For somebody like that to be springing up to the podium would be a difficult pill to swallow considering all of the other factors swirling around Sky and the fact that Thomas' history and development is so interlinked with Brailsford - but Péraud's example shows that it's not an impossibility - just extremely bizarre and unlikely.

[...]

Assuming the answer is "doping", it really makes you wonder though, what the hell is it exactly that favoured riders at Sky are taking, that other riders on the team don't have access to, and other teams apparently don't even know about.
Or is everyone else clean except Sky? That doesn't seem likely.

mechanical doping

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

[...]

For somebody like that to be springing up to the podium would be a difficult pill to swallow considering all of the other factors swirling around Sky and the fact that Thomas' history and development is so interlinked with Brailsford - but Péraud's example shows that it's not an impossibility - just extremely bizarre and unlikely.

[...]

Assuming the answer is "doping", it really makes you wonder though, what the hell is it exactly that favoured riders at Sky are taking, that other riders on the team don't have access to, and other teams apparently don't even know about.
Or is everyone else clean except Sky? That doesn't seem likely.

I don't understand how that's possible, I don't think there are any real secrets in stuff like that anymore, everything's published in journals and conferences, discussed in forums and googlable.

Oh the medical stuff is developing with the speed of light in the labs of Pharmasutical companies who spend collectively 100's of billions annually on that research. I can easily imagine the money Sky has compared to other teams will get them far closer to "future". The things we "know" publically are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

[...]

For somebody like that to be springing up to the podium would be a difficult pill to swallow considering all of the other factors swirling around Sky and the fact that Thomas' history and development is so interlinked with Brailsford - but Péraud's example shows that it's not an impossibility - just extremely bizarre and unlikely.

[...]

Assuming the answer is "doping", it really makes you wonder though, what the hell is it exactly that favoured riders at Sky are taking, that other riders on the team don't have access to, and other teams apparently don't even know about.
Or is everyone else clean except Sky? That doesn't seem likely.

I don't understand how that's possible, I don't think there are any real secrets in stuff like that anymore, everything's published in journals and conferences, discussed in forums and googlable.

Oh the medical stuff is developing with the speed of light in the labs of Pharmasutical companies who spend collectively 100's of billions annually on that research. I can easily imagine the money Sky has compared to other teams will get them far closer to "future". The things we "know" publically are just the tip of the iceberg.

and the riders who left Sky (Uran, Porte, Kennaugh, Landa) have no way now to access the fuel they had at Sky?

 

[samhocking]

I would argue the relatively small ROI for Sky UK off £40M ownership of Team Sky wouldn't be worth investing in new $billions of non-detectable doping technology. Sky UK are seeing about around £0.5 Billion return off their £40 million when Sky win Tour de France. They spend £7 Billion / year on football TV rights alone, just to put cycling into any kind of ROI perspective.
For Football they don't have to do anything illegal, dope any players or anything and see way more ROI there football than sponsoring a little cycling team and spending $billions on some special sauce for 2x Sky riders earning less than most footballers do in a month in a whole year.

 

[bambino]

I would argue the relatively small ROI for Sky UK off £40M ownership of Team Sky wouldn't be worth investing in new $billions of non-detectable doping technology. Sky UK are seeing about around £0.5 Billion return off their £40 million when Sky win Tour de France. They spend £7 Billion / year on football TV rights alone, just to put cycling into any kind of ROI perspective.
For Football they don't have to do anything illegal, dope any players or anything and see way more ROI there football than sponsoring a little cycling team and spending $billions on some special sauce for 2x Sky riders earning less than most footballers do in a month in a whole year.

I wasn't saying Sky would invest billions, wasn't I? But Money gives power and connections that will help to get closer to the folks that are investing billions. They have been publically done tests in i.e. GSK's labs. Just saying.

 

[SeriousSam]

lol

 

[Pantani Attacks]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Holy sh*t...unbelievable, literally.

 

[ontheroad]

Back to back stage victories in the Alps with yellow on his back for the former pursuit rider!!

 

[DFA123]

Good to see that, despite now becoming the best climber in the world, Thomas hasn't had to sacrifice any sprint power or explosivity. Oh, and his TT has also taken big strides forward at the same time he lost weight.

All legit though obviously.

 

[Saint Unix]

G following the career path of Papy Horner. Imagine how good this young, promising talent will be in ten years when he reaches his peak.

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

[...]

For somebody like that to be springing up to the podium would be a difficult pill to swallow considering all of the other factors swirling around Sky and the fact that Thomas' history and development is so interlinked with Brailsford - but Péraud's example shows that it's not an impossibility - just extremely bizarre and unlikely.

[...]

Assuming the answer is "doping", it really makes you wonder though, what the hell is it exactly that favoured riders at Sky are taking, that other riders on the team don't have access to, and other teams apparently don't even know about.
Or is everyone else clean except Sky? That doesn't seem likely.

I don't understand how that's possible, I don't think there are any real secrets in stuff like that anymore, everything's published in journals and conferences, discussed in forums and googlable.

Oh the medical stuff is developing with the speed of light in the labs of Pharmasutical companies who spend collectively 100's of billions annually on that research. I can easily imagine the money Sky has compared to other teams will get them far closer to "future". The things we "know" publically are just the tip of the iceberg.

and the riders who left Sky (Uran, Porte, Kennaugh, Landa) have no way now to access the fuel they had at Sky?

Do they even know the kind of fuel that Sky was administering to them?

 

[SeriousSam]

He treated the last stretch to the line there like a track. He made it his terrain. Stands to reason that the others wouldn't be able to perform on his level there.

 

[zlev11]

you just have to laugh your ass off at this point. at least when Bernal starts to dominate the Tour in the next few years it will feel somewhat realistic.

 

[spalco]

Re: Re:

Do they even know the kind of fuel that Sky was administering to them?

That's a possible explanation, but also really *** risky.
If that got out, it would expose Sky to crazy liability, especially if they are playing with experimental secret juice.

 

[ontheroad]

G Thomas in his interview said he was speechless and that it was unbelievable to win on Alpe d'huez!

Touche, G, touche!!

 

[Saint Unix]

Unbelievable is quite appropriate.

 

[Franklin]

Re: Re:

Assuming the answer is "doping", it really makes you wonder though, what the hell is it exactly that favoured riders at Sky are taking, that other riders on the team don't have access to, and other teams apparently don't even know about.
Or is everyone else clean except Sky? That doesn't seem likely.

I don't understand how that's possible, I don't think there are any real secrets in stuff like that anymore, everything's published in journals and conferences, discussed in forums and googlable.

Oh come on. Think USPS. It''s not just doping, it's also influencing the TUE process through financial muscle.

It's like some people looked at the USPS years, got really upset and then all of a sudden forgot that story again.

During USPS there was also a loud clamoring of how "other teams"were the same. When all came out, it became clear that it went much deeper than just putting in a few pints of blood. It's the same here. Sky is not just jet fueling (so is Sunweb for example), but also about being above the law.

 

[ontheroad]

I honestly think Thomas is acting as a shield for Froome by taking yellow and stage wins.

Thomas has been booed onto the podium for consecutive days. Imagine the vitriol if Froome was in yellow now.

You can almost write the script. Thomas will have a bad day and Froome will relieve him of yellow in another week. No way will Thomas be allowed deprive Froome of his place in history.

 

[zlev11]

the thing is if other teams are jet fueling they aren't jet fueling the entire team. sky have the whole team on insane form for every single tour, it's not normal.

 

[hfer07]

"G" has reached another milestone in his "transformation" - The Leader/Domestique Nirvana

I wonder if the SKY management is going to allow him to win Le Tour in order to avoid the wrath of the French? Not that G ain't getting boos either, but perhaps for PR appearances, The Magic Kenyan is too much of a damage to deal with at this moment ..... :Question:


unless of course SKY just do not even care anymore and unleash the Magic Kenyan on the 3rd week with his pal Poels to smash it ......

 

[OldCranky]

G wins on the Alpe in Yellow. Another glorious victory for clean cycling. What a time to be alive!

 

[hfer07]

Re:

I honestly think Thomas is acting as a shield for Froome by taking yellow and stage wins.

Thomas has been booed onto the podium for consecutive days. Imagine the vitriol if Froome was in yellow now.

You can almost write the script. Thomas will have a bad day and Froome will relieve him of yellow in another week. No way will Thomas be allowed deprive Froome of his place in history.

BINGO