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Is Brailsford tactically inept?

Has possibly the greatest GT rider in terms of numbers on his team. A budget like no other team. Support roster as long as a Russian last name.

But does he have any idea how to plan out a race? It's like the classic teams performance!

Froome is 20w above anyone else and Brailsford is letting the team implode.

Surely they can't lose this? Can they?
 
Apr 10, 2011
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A budget like no other? Please.

BMC, Katusha and Astana have same budgets, with BMC and Katusha both having higher than Sky.

Brailsford is not a genius obviously as a DS, however he's a good overall manager, but it wasn't DS that made the calls today from interviews, but the riders. Froome made a bad call, and in a split it was all gone.
 
Oct 2, 2012
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The sure have one of the biggest budgets, but also one of the least experienced teams GT-wise. I was sure that it would be a tactical fail to leave both Eisel and Knees at home.

Brailsford couldn't have known, though. There's no echelons on track
 
Combination of errors and bad luck are weakening Sky.

G Thomas - Bad luck, no tactics at fault. Now obviously crocked.
EBH - bad luck, but perhaps should have been positioned differently.
Kennaugh - still suffering a bit from the crash I think, was just bad luck too.
Kiriyenka - Burnt up pacing Porte back, tactical misjudgement that he is out
Lopez - Poor pick
Sioutsou - Looking ragged
Porte - Should have had an easy time trial, may have been able to contribute more today if he'd taken things a bit easier on the 2 pyrenean stages (Ax-3 after Froome went) and the TT. Let off the leash a bit much.
Stannard - No issues here but perhaps marginally underperforming - hard to tell..

Sky may have overworked the Tenerife camp this year, alot of fatigued doms now. Which would be Brailsford's error.
 
Michael Boogerd said on Dutch tv that Brailsford sometimes interferes with the tactics in the car during the race instead of the DS's, and that thats when things go haywire. He heard this from Steven de Jongh btw.
 
Gloin22 said:
A budget like no other? Please.

BMC, Katusha and Astana have same budgets, with BMC and Katusha both having higher than Sky.

Brailsford is not a genius obviously as a DS, however he's a good overall manager, but it wasn't DS that made the calls today from interviews, but the riders. Froome made a bad call, and in a split it was all gone.

Froome was lucky Greipel missed the break Katusha and BMC for whatever reasons decided to ride, Saxo was lucky that Belkin and Cav and Sagan (Thus taking Cannondale & OPQS out the chase) made it in.

Overall that was probably a wash.
 
Pulpstar said:
Combination of errors and bad luck are weakening Sky.

G Thomas - Bad luck, no tactics at fault. Now obviously crocked.
EBH - bad luck, but perhaps should have been positioned differently.
Kennaugh - still suffering a bit from the crash I think, was just bad luck too.
Kiriyenka - Burnt up pacing Porte back, tactical misjudgement that he is out
Lopez - Poor pick
Sioutsou - Looking ragged
Porte - Should have had an easy time trial, may have been able to contribute more today if he'd taken things a bit easier on the 2 pyrenean stages (Ax-3 after Froome went) and the TT. Let off the leash a bit much.
Stannard - No issues here but perhaps marginally underperforming - hard to tell..

Sky may have overworked the Tenerife camp this year, alot of fatigued doms now. Which would be Brailsford's error.

Brailsford is a manager, he has no input into training whatsoever
 
Gloin22 said:
Froome made a bad call, and in a split it was all gone.

Going by what I saw, the split nearly left Cav behind too and he had to sprint to get onto the front group after getting Kwiatkowski to sacrifice himself by moving aside - what was Froome to do? If Cav nearly missed it, Froome had no chance as he doesn't have the kind of kick to do that. If Froome made any mistake today it was not riding on Contador's wheel in that big group before the split.
 
Gloin22 said:
Froome made a bad call, and in a split it was all gone.

Hardly the case. He's still got a solid lead headed into the dreaded Ventoux, did not work particularly hard compared to Saxo/Belkin riders today. Saxo/Belking will pay for their efforts tomorrow and perhaps Sunday.

Froome didn't panic either. Which, I'll give him, or the person talking in his ear, credit for handling the situation well.
 
Mar 31, 2010
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thehog said:
Has possibly the greatest GT rider in terms of numbers on his team. A budget like no other team. Support roster as long as a Russian last name.

But does he have any idea how to plan out a race? It's like the classic teams performance!

Froome is 20w above anyone else and Brailsford is letting the team implode.

Surely they can't lose this? Can they?

accroding to steven de jongh a few days ago in dutch tv he is. he said when braislford would take the role in the teamcar things were going wrong. he doesn't understand it
 
Mar 31, 2010
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DirtyWorks said:
Hardly the case. He's still got a solid lead headed into the dreaded Ventoux, did not work particularly hard compared to Saxo/Belkin riders today. Saxo/Belking will pay for their efforts tomorrow and perhaps Sunday.

Froome didn't panic either. Which, I'll give him, or the person talking in his ear, credit for handling the situation well.

froome definitely worked hard today. if you fele uncomfortable in echelons and you have no helpers you lose tons of energy. I've sene the whole day froome sprinting to the front. he wasted more enegry than contador today, who was always well placed and protected until they went with their attack
 
Mar 12, 2010
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Richeypen said:
Brailsford is a manager, he has no input into training whatsoever

Yes, he does. DB has a finger in everything, he will admit he is not the best in particular areas, but nothing happens without his ok. And yes, he frequently interferes in DS matters.
 
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argyllflyer said:
If Froome made any mistake today it was not riding on Contador's wheel in that big group before the split.

+1

Froome had to chose positioning himself in the safety of his team OR marking the wheel of a contender.

Contador attacking with his team on a crosswind flat was a complete surprise to everyone. Belkin and Omega pitching inhelped a lot.

I think the split was more a factor of Saxo, Omega, and Belkin responding instinctively to a cross-wind opportunity catching Sky playing it conservatively.

Much respect to Contador for seizing an opportunity outside of his specialty.
 
thehog said:
It's like the classic teams performance!

That's exactly what I thought this afternoon - any sign of the race getting a little chaotic, as it did today and on Sunday, and they can't handle it.

The sight of Froomie looking over his shoulder after he'd watched Cav sprint on to the back of Saxo's break almost made me feel sorry for him!
 
Vino's Mum said:
That's exactly what I thought this afternoon - any sign of the race getting a little chaotic, as it did today and on Sunday, and they can't handle it.

The sight of Froomie looking over his shoulder after he'd watched Cav sprint on to the back of Saxo's break almost made me feel sorry for him!

That's what happens with no old school upbringing.

Tactically weak. 450w will not beat brains.

Porte is a dunce. Froome, well. But Brailford. Amateur hour.

Contador schooled them at the Vuelta. And again?

Nibali was right. SRMs. Ban 'em.
 

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