- Aug 4, 2010
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Bushman said:I'm really pissed off at Sky because of Geraint Thomas. Here is a rider who, god forbid, shows great potential for the classics, so lets turn him into the next GT robot. How boring can it be?
Thomas could have been a really interesting rider, a bit Cancellara/Van Avermaet like (not that these two are similar) who could race in the northern classics, MSR and maybe Amstel, win short tt's and prologues and hunt stages in medium mountains and hilly routes. Now he is just another rider who can go up a climb really fast and ride a good tt.
I still like him and he was great in last year's Tour, but I can't help feeling a strong dislike for Sky and their desire to turn EVERYONE into a GT rider. I reckon Moscon is the next allround, exciting talent to be turned into the next Chris Froome.
I absolutely agree with everything you say. Yes, it's partially Thomas' choice, but maybe if Sky valued the classics more/at all, he wouldn't have been inculcated with this 'only GTs matter' attitude that leads him to ignore his potential as a classics rider and doggedly pursue a pipe dream of the giddy heights of a Tour top 10. If they do the same with Kwiatkowski - who seems worryingly blinkered as well, judging by his comments about EQS not supporting him enough going for GC - I'll be spectacularly disappointed.Bushman said:I'm really pissed off at Sky because of Geraint Thomas. Here is a rider who, god forbid, shows great potential for the classics, so lets turn him into the next GT robot. How boring can it be?
Thomas could have been a really interesting rider, a bit Cancellara/Van Avermaet like (not that these two are similar) who could race in the northern classics, MSR and maybe Amstel, win short tt's and prologues and hunt stages in medium mountains and hilly routes. Now he is just another rider who can go up a climb really fast and ride a good tt.
I still like him and he was great in last year's Tour, but I can't help feeling a strong dislike for Sky and their desire to turn EVERYONE into a GT rider. I reckon Moscon is the next allround, exciting talent to be turned into the next Chris Froome.
Sky would value the classics more only if they could win some..Cannibal72 said:I absolutely agree with everything you say. Yes, it's partially Thomas' choice, but maybe if Sky valued the classics more/at all, he wouldn't have been inculcated with this 'only GTs matter' attitude that leads him to ignore his potential as a classics rider and doggedly pursue a pipe dream of the giddy heights of a Tour top 10. If they do the same with Kwiatkowski - who seems worryingly blinkered as well, judging by his comments about EQS not supporting him enough going for GC - I'll be spectacularly disappointed.Bushman said:I'm really pissed off at Sky because of Geraint Thomas. Here is a rider who, god forbid, shows great potential for the classics, so lets turn him into the next GT robot. How boring can it be?
Thomas could have been a really interesting rider, a bit Cancellara/Van Avermaet like (not that these two are similar) who could race in the northern classics, MSR and maybe Amstel, win short tt's and prologues and hunt stages in medium mountains and hilly routes. Now he is just another rider who can go up a climb really fast and ride a good tt.
I still like him and he was great in last year's Tour, but I can't help feeling a strong dislike for Sky and their desire to turn EVERYONE into a GT rider. I reckon Moscon is the next allround, exciting talent to be turned into the next Chris Froome.
In a Q+A with Thomas last year he answered my question as to wether he could see himself playing a part in both classics and GT's in the future. He said that he see's himself getting stronger as a GC rider and that's what he wants to focus on, despite enjoying himself in the one-day races his performance in the Tour has opened up new possibilities. I don't think it was Sky's choice at all, sorry to disappoint you.Bushman said:I'm really pissed off at Sky because of Geraint Thomas. Here is a rider who, god forbid, shows great potential for the classics, so lets turn him into the next GT robot. How boring can it be?
Thomas could have been a really interesting rider, a bit Cancellara/Van Avermaet like (not that these two are similar) who could race in the northern classics, MSR and maybe Amstel, win short tt's and prologues and hunt stages in medium mountains and hilly routes. Now he is just another rider who can go up a climb really fast and ride a good tt.
I still like him and he was great in last year's Tour, but I can't help feeling a strong dislike for Sky and their desire to turn EVERYONE into a GT rider. I reckon Moscon is the next allround, exciting talent to be turned into the next Chris Froome.
But if Team Sky had a culture that appreciated the classics, then he wouldn't feel the drive to convert himself into a GT rider. I don't think you can blame Sky for this entirely - any young British boy who becomes a pro cyclist dreams of winning the yellow jersey - but they could have done a lot, like not relentlessly focusing on the Tour.Pricey_sky said:In a Q+A with Thomas last year he answered my question as to wether he could see himself playing a part in both classics and GT's in the future. He said that he see's himself getting stronger as a GC rider and that's what he wants to focus on, despite enjoying himself in the one-day races. I don't think it was Sky's choice at all, sorry to disappoint you.Bushman said:I'm really pissed off at Sky because of Geraint Thomas. Here is a rider who, god forbid, shows great potential for the classics, so lets turn him into the next GT robot. How boring can it be?
Thomas could have been a really interesting rider, a bit Cancellara/Van Avermaet like (not that these two are similar) who could race in the northern classics, MSR and maybe Amstel, win short tt's and prologues and hunt stages in medium mountains and hilly routes. Now he is just another rider who can go up a climb really fast and ride a good tt.
I still like him and he was great in last year's Tour, but I can't help feeling a strong dislike for Sky and their desire to turn EVERYONE into a GT rider. I reckon Moscon is the next allround, exciting talent to be turned into the next Chris Froome.
The problem for Anglophone riders is that in their countries the Tour de France is the be all and end all. When Cavendish won Milan San Remo there was barely a mention of it in the press because it meant nothing to the wider sporting public in the UK. A Flanders or Roubaix win might generate a bit more coverage and interest but I'm afraid it's probably about 1% of the coverage that a Tour win would generate. I don't think Thomas will ever win the Tour but even a podium or top 5 (which I think he is capable of in the future) would be huge for him in financial terms.Kwibus said:Thomas indeed made it clear he wanted to go for the GT's. Unfortunately.
Or back in the '90s... I agree with JRanton. The best exposure is the TdF. I won't count LeMond post-accident, but the fixation really started with BigMig after he lost the Giro in '94. He could have got his share of Vueltas, gone back to the Giro: nope. Going for the BIG one. Very clear philosophy best exemplified by Wonderboy... or even Ulle for that matter: he could have danced around (i.e. avoided) Lance, won 4-5 Giro/Vueltas in the early 2000s, but the Tour is where the hype, publicity, $, is. Even if your the runner-up in his case. Yikes. A team like Sky doesn't give a crap about PR or RVV. It's all about the BIG one.kenk09 said:It's good to be back in 2012.
Wonder what ambitions for the Flanders are.ferryman said:Nice comfortable win for Geraint in the end. From his post race interview, he is fully committed to supporting Froome in the TDF. And, his next four races are a mix of one weekers and one dayers. Missing Belgium next weekend but then it's Paris-Nice, MSR, Catalunya and then Flanders. Interesting mix for a very interesting rider![]()
Have to agree 100%.Tonton said:Or back in the '90s... I agree with JRanton. The best exposure is the TdF. I won't count LeMond post-accident, but the fixation really started with BigMig after he lost the Giro in '94. He could have got his share of Vueltas, gone back to the Giro: nope. Going for the BIG one. Very clear philosophy best exemplified by Wonderboy... or even Ulle for that matter: he could have danced around (i.e. avoided) Lance, won 4-5 Giro/Vueltas in the early 2000s, but the Tour is where the hype, publicity, $, is. Even if your the runner-up in his case. Yikes. A team like Sky doesn't give a crap about PR or RVV. It's all about the BIG one.kenk09 said:It's good to be back in 2012.
ferryman said:Nice comfortable win for Geraint in the end. From his post race interview, he is fully committed to supporting Froome in the TDF. And, his next four races are a mix of one weekers and one dayers. Missing Belgium next weekend but then it's Paris-Nice, MSR, Catalunya and then Flanders. Interesting mix for a very interesting rider![]()
I hear you. But Henao has to do more. Like it or not this race was and always was about Geraint.cineteq said:Meanwhile, a more talented rider, Henao, is left alone, unsupported. Shame on Sky!
ferryman said:Nice comfortable win for Geraint in the end. From his post race interview, he is fully committed to supporting Froome in the TDF. And, his next four races are a mix of one weekers and one dayers. Missing Belgium next weekend but then it's Paris-Nice, MSR, Catalunya and then Flanders. Interesting mix for a very interesting rider![]()
Where is the evidence that Henao is more talented? If Henao is more talented then he has been under performing for a couple of seasons now, he's certainly overratedcineteq said:Meanwhile, a more talented rider, Henao, is left alone, unsupported. Shame on Sky!
maybe they dont give a crap about Sanremo or Liege (or even the Giro until last year)Tonton said:Or back in the '90s... I agree with JRanton. The best exposure is the TdF. I won't count LeMond post-accident, but the fixation really started with BigMig after he lost the Giro in '94. He could have got his share of Vueltas, gone back to the Giro: nope. Going for the BIG one. Very clear philosophy best exemplified by Wonderboy... or even Ulle for that matter: he could have danced around (i.e. avoided) Lance, won 4-5 Giro/Vueltas in the early 2000s, but the Tour is where the hype, publicity, $, is. Even if your the runner-up in his case. Yikes. A team like Sky doesn't give a crap about PR or RVV. It's all about the BIG one.kenk09 said:It's good to be back in 2012.