No Kimmage at Team Sky.

[Dr. Maserati]

Paul Kimmage was due to follow Team Sky throughout the Tour but Dave Brailsford reneged on that because Bradley did not want Kimmage snooping around.

A request to interview Michael Barry was also refused by someone in Team Sky.

Brailsford said this in May when the Barry story broke:

Brailsford insisted he had "nothing to hide" and was available to answer questions from journalists at any time.

"We are an open transparent team and we're here to race clean."

Next weeks Sunday Times could be interesting.

 

[Big GMaC]

Next weeks Sunday Times could be interesting.

It won't be.

Murdoch own Sky and the Sunday Times.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

It won't be.

Murdoch own Sky and the Sunday Times.

That could make it worse - Kimmage being no longer part of the Team Sky set-up has been picked up by everyone else on the Tour.

Murdock owns the Sunday Times -but he is only a sponsor (through Sky) of the cycling team. If a spotlight is shone that makes Murdock uncomfortable he will protect his commercial interest, not something he sponsors.

 

[Kodiak]

That could make it worse - Kimmage being no longer part of the Team Sky set-up has been picked up by everyone else on the Tour.

Murdock owns the Sunday Times -but he is only a sponsor (through Sky) of the cycling team. If a spotlight is shone that makes Murdock uncomfortable he will protect his commercial interest, not something he sponsors.

Sky is his commercial interest as well. more so than one reporter.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Personally, I find it hilarious that people actually believe Team Sky is clean.

Seriously? No top team is clean. None. I'm actually shocked that people still believe the myth that top teams can race cleanly.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Sky is his commercial interest as well. more so than one reporter.

Correct - and that is what I was highlighting, Sky and ST are commercial - any unwantted publicity and he will protect the brand (Sky)....think T-Mobile in 2007. Also remember the glee jouro's from other publications take in seeing one of their rivals eat humble pie - Murdoch cannot control that.

But again the point is why Brailsford talked the talk, but it appears can't walk the walk? What happened to all his standards?

 

[scribe]

It won't be.

Murdoch own Sky and the Sunday Times.

Indeed!!__

 

[hfer07]

the problem with that situations isn't that he wasn't "granted" access to the team-perhaps it was a bad timing when Kimmage showed up-or the riders he wanted to talk to were tired or unavailable---the problem is how those small details transform into rumors & speculations that overtime keep growing the wrong way....
the fact of the matter is that Kimmage is a journalist with an independent investigating orientation, not an a$$ kisser or biased reporter, being paid to comfort the newspaper's interests--so if he's denied to get access to the new "clean" team-he's going to get more curious about what is going on beyond the races...

 

[luckyboy]

the problem with that situations isn't that he wasn't "granted" access to the team-perhaps it was a bad timing when Kimmage showed up-or the riders he wanted to talk to were tired or unavailable---the problem is how those small details transform into rumors & speculations that overtime keep growing the wrong way....

Can't really see that changing with the sport as it is tbh.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

But again the point is why Brailsford talked the talk, but it appears can't walk the walk? What happened to all his standards?

He talked the talk alright.
Brailsford told Cycling Weekly magazine "We will speak to Michael. But like anything else in life, you have to establish the facts. We have procedures and the procedures will be based on fact - not allegations. If allegations can be substantiated... there's procedures to handle everything from there"

"If Michael Barry holds his hands up - or anyone else does for that matter - and says ‘actually you know what guys, I doped', that then goes automatically up to the next level which is WADA. I imagine that will then go forward, the procedure kicks in and we will take appropriate action. It's simple. Establish the facts. Then process."

Translation: were going to ask him and if he denies it we are going to do nothing more.

Barry described the discussion afterward: "They just wanted to know my side of the story, that was it. They have faith in me, that is why they hired me,"

Brailsford spun a pretty story in the press, but it was could never be more than words; there was no other action they could take unless Barry confessed to them. At the first opportunity to back the words up with actions, Sky chooses not to.........

 

[bobs nob]

Personally, I find it hilarious that people actually believe Team Sky is clean.

Seriously? No top team is clean. None. I'm actually shocked that people still believe the myth that top teams can race cleanly.

Deep down inside we're nothing but a bunch of hopeless romantics. Will someone please tell my wife?

 

[Hillavoider]

Kimmage would have torn Team Sky to shreds.

 

[BroDeal]

It does not surprise me that Wigans would not want anyone looking into his miraculous transformation.

Brailsform telling Barry to keep his mouth shut and nothing will happen to him tells me all I need to know about Sky.

 

[pedaling squares]

Paul Kimmage was due to follow Team Sky throughout the Tour but Dave Brailsford reneged on that because Bradley did not want Kimmage snooping around.

Doc - where does the info about Wiggins not wanting Kimmage present originate? This is unfortunate although unsurprising. I was interested in what Kimmage would report about his observations.

EDIT: Here's a quote from Kimmage to Pez Cycling in 2006 when asked about Flandis, "You might not believe this, but I knew he was doping before the test results were even released. It’s the answers these guys give - they refuse to condemn drug use; Landis refused to criticize Ulrich and Basso, his answers were indirect and evasive, even when pushed. I like how Bradley Wiggins speaks-out against drug-taking."

So at one point he was a fan of Wiggins. I remember Wiggins being "vocal" via twitter as recently as 2009 when DiLuca tested pos. What has created the apparent divide?

 

[Cobblestones]

Doc - where does the info about Wiggins not wanting Kimmage present originate? This is unfortunate although unsurprising. I was interested in what Kimmage would report about his observations.

It doesn't seem like further observations are necessary (or desired). I think we can move on to the verdict.

 

[fourstagesinoneday]

Kimmage spent a number of days with Wiggins in the Pyrenees as he prepared for the Tour so initial access was there. Wonder what the story is here?

Mind you given the way Kimmage soft pedalled on Garmin in 2008 not sure what the benefit is of "embedding". Allen Lim described PK as a good friend after that Tour - the same Lim who this season moved to The Shack and has since been implicated by Landis in his doping regime.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Doc - where does the info about Wiggins not wanting Kimmage present originate? This is unfortunate although unsurprising. I was interested in what Kimmage would report about his observations.

EDIT: Here's a quote from Kimmage to Pez Cycling in 2006 when asked about Flandis, "You might not believe this, but I knew he was doping before the test results were even released. It’s the answers these guys give - they refuse to condemn drug use; Landis refused to criticize Ulrich and Basso, his answers were indirect and evasive, even when pushed. I like how Bradley Wiggins speaks-out against drug-taking."

So at one point he was a fan of Wiggins. I remember Wiggins being "vocal" via twitter as recently as 2009 when DiLuca tested pos. What has created the apparent divide?

What has changed since Wiggins was outspoken in 2006?

The doping culture within the sport? No.
Paul Kimmages reporting? No.
Bradley Wiggins performance? .... lets move on...

As for being outspoken:

"Those who have recourse to illegal substances irritate me. They must not be excluded for just a few months, but for life in cycling."

Jan Ullrich T-Mobile.

 

[pedaling squares]

What has changed since Wiggins was outspoken in 2006?

The doping culture within the sport? No.
Paul Kimmages reporting? No.
Bradley Wiggins performance? .... lets move on...

I agree with you completely. Just wondering if there's been any documented dispute between these two or if Kimmage has questioned Wiggins's improvement from the autobus to the Sky bus.

 

[badboygolf16v]

Deep down inside we're nothing but a bunch of hopeless romantics. Will someone please tell my wife?

That you love cycling more than her? That'll go down well.

 

[Winterfold]

If I wanted to give the impression that something may be going on - giving Kimmage access, then denying it, would be a good way of doing it...

 

[Roland Rat]

I suspect this was confusion over the meaning of full access - Brailsford probably thought it meant access to everyone but with no promise over when, whereas Kimmage probably thought he would have access to everyone, everywhere, any time.

I was surprised they even agreed to it in the first place. The last thing they need is Kimmage asking tough questions of Barry and Wiggins during the TdF. After the TdF is finished, fair enough, go to town on FLandis and Lim, but for now they have more pressing issues.

But yes, it does look bad. Best case, Barry and Wiggins are helping the Feds with their enquiries but want it to be kept quiet for LA retribution reasons (see Wiggins' sucking up to LA earlier in the year - he obviously doesn't want to get on his bad side). Worst case... well, we all know what that would be.

BTW, you should all listen to the ITV podcast brailsford interview, he goes into depth about doping - they want to do it clean and if any rider does dope on their team then that rider is the most stupid person ever as there is no pressure. I like how he comes across, that he wants to do it clean but acknowledges some riders may take it upon themselves and if so he'll deal accordingly. A better attitude than the "we're 100% clean" blinkered view of some other teams.

 

[euanli]

BTW, you should all listen to the ITV podcast brailsford interview, he goes into depth about doping - they want to do it clean and if any rider does dope on their team then that rider is the most stupid person ever as there is no pressure. I like how he comes across, that he wants to do it clean but acknowledges some riders may take it upon themselves and if so he'll deal accordingly. A better attitude than the "we're 100% clean" blinkered view of some other teams.

Similar to Vroomen's approach with CTT.

 

[roundabout]

Seems more like plausible deniability to me.

Regarding no pressure, i thought Sky plan to have a British Tour winner within 5 years?

 

[Benotti69]

it's BS on Brailsford part. Garmin did it, why not Sky. What they got to hide? Everyday they are surrounded with the innuendo of doping. Uniballer breezes past in the peleton, what do they think? oh he's in the shït with Floyd or hey LA great tan dude.....Kimmage talks in his book about the bus talking openly about the juice....no diff now i imagine,maybe diff names for it, but they still gonna talk about it....

Brailsford not being transparent screams doping......So Wiggin's it appears has decided to go the uniballer route....

I predict he won't make top 10 this year.

 

[riobonito92]

What has changed since Wiggins was outspoken in 2006?

He moved from the track to the road.