Sky Grand Tour Line Up

[Raceoftruth]

Interesting point of note, Steve Cummings is not down to do any races at all in march which I find a bit odd. I also think the basis of the Paris nice team will be the tdf

Think there may be a few changes to the squads to allow for injury and illness! Good call on the paris-nice team though!

 

[sublimit]

Just remember Morzine last year. Sky got on the front and Flecha and someone else blew the race apart and resulted in Wiggins trailing off the back.

That was Cummings going up the road with a small group then Flecha and Wiggins came up and then Cummings blew up. Followed by Wiggins and Flecha!

 

[JRanton]

Interesting point of note, Steve Cummings is not down to do any races at all in march which I find a bit odd. I also think the basis of the Paris nice team will be the tdf

It is very odd. He has just done the Tour of the Med and Algarve back to back but even so you would expect him to ride at least one of the Spanish stage races next month.

 

[adamski101]

It is very odd. He has just done the Tour of the Med and Algarve back to back but even so you would expect him to ride at least one of the Spanish stage races next month.

maybe the injuries he picked up in Algarve were worse than first thought, either that or he maybe taking part in the track worlds in March.

Also Christian Knees isn't in any of the squads as well.

 

[JRanton]

maybe the injuries he picked up in Algarve were worse than first thought, either that or he maybe taking part in the track worlds in March.

Also Christian Knees isn't in any of the squads as well.

I'm pretty sure the squads were announced before his crashes in the Algarve. Anyway, I just checked the Sky website and it shows that he's now down to do the Criterium International on 26/27 March.

 

[ingsve]

maybe the injuries he picked up in Algarve were worse than first thought, either that or he maybe taking part in the track worlds in March.

Also Christian Knees isn't in any of the squads as well.

Ya, it could be that the lists that were put up where a bit old which would explain why Knees wasn't in them. At the same time it is a month for the cobbled classics so priority would probably go for the cobbled guys to get race fit for their part of the season and the ardennes guys like Cummings and Knees has a training period before they start preparing for the ardennes with Pais Vasco and Castilla y Leon.

 

[sky forever]

On form, the Giro and Tour squads will probably have a similar look to it with people there for the GC leaders and people there for the sprinter.

Giro:

Thomas Lofkvist - GC.
Dario Cioni.
Morris Possini.
Serge Pauwels.
Greg Henderson - Sprinter.
Chris Sutton.
Chris Froome.
Jeremy Hunt.
Simon Gerrans.

Tour:

Bradley Wiggins - GC.
Rigberto Uran.
Christian Knees.
Michael Rogers.
Edvald Boasson Hagen - Sprinter.
Kurt Asle Arvesen.
Geraint Thomas.
Juan Antonio Flecha.
Steve Cummings.

I only wouldn't take Lofkvist because of fatigue after the Giro. But both of them I think are well balanced to have a good go at the GC and Sprinters.

I think the Vuelta team will be mainly young riders to gain experience. Like last year until the illnesses and tragic death of Texma Gonzalez. But will have the experience to help the youngsters.

Vuelta:

Thomas Lofkvist - GC.
Peter Kennaugh.
Ben Swift - Sprinter.
Alex Dowsett.
Lars Petter Nordhaug.
Xabier Zandio.
Davide Appollonio.
Serge Pauwels.
Matthew Hayman.

 

[Anonymous]

On form, the Giro and Tour squads will probably have a similar look to it with people there for the GC leaders and people there for the sprinter.

Wheres Downing

 

[Andy99]

Wheres Downing

Yep. Without doubt, Russ deserves a berth in one of the squads. One of the most consistent of sky's riders by far.

 

[sublimit]

I'd be tempted if I was Brailsford to put Downing in the Tour and give him licence to get into breaks so Sky dont have to chase.

Quality leadout guy on top of that and can go top 10 in the bunch gallops.

 

[JRanton]

My predictions:

Giro

Lofkvist
Cioni
Possoni
Gerrans
Knees
Nordhaug
Hayman
Downing
Sutton

Tour

Wiggins
Uran
Rogers
Zandio
Cummings
Flecha
Thomas
EBH
Henderson

Vuelta

Lofkvist
Uran
Zandio
Gerrans
Kennaugh
Flecha
Stannard
Swift
Henderson


That would leave nine riders without a grand tour ride: Hunt, Dowsett, Froome, Augustyn, Carlstrom, Pauwels, Appollonio, Barry, Arvesen.

 

[ingsve]

That would leave nine riders without a grand tour ride: Hunt, Dowsett, Froome, Augustyn, Carlstrom, Pauwels, Appollonio, Barry, Arvesen.

There is no way they will leave Arvesen out of all three GTs this year as well unless he gets injured. He's the most experienced road captain they have.

 

[JRanton]

There is no way they will leave Arvesen out of all three GTs this year as well unless he gets injured. He's the most experienced road captain they have.

I knew somebody would say that but I just don't think his form will be quite good enough to justify a place and it's not like Sky don't have other experienced riders. We'll see how he performs in the Classics.

I tried to fit him into the Vuelta line-up but Flecha will want to do that and Stannard deserves an opportunity. Maybe he could go instead of Henderson but then you weaken the sprint lead-out.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yea, sure they have other experienced riders, but Arvesen is close to the best road captain in the business. That he was the road captain on a team with Jens Voigt and Stuie O'Grady on it speaks volumes. When Sky made their signings for 2010, Kurt-Asle Arvesen was by far the shrewdest move they made. His injuries hurt their season more than anything else, and I include EBH in that.

 

[JRanton]

Yea, sure they have other experienced riders, but Arvesen is close to the best road captain in the business. That he was the road captain on a team with Jens Voigt and Stuie O'Grady on it speaks volumes. When Sky made their signings for 2010, Kurt-Asle Arvesen was by far the shrewdest move they made. His injuries hurt their season more than anything else, and I include EBH in that.

I appreciate that but his form has to be at a certain level in order to justify a pick otherwise he'd still be riding grand tours at the age of 50. On reflection, I could see him riding the Giro instead of someone like Nordhaug.

 

[Raceoftruth]

Cant post links from my phone, but it seems downing is doing the giro.

 

[Anonymous]

For Downing, personally I think he'd be useful in the giro as a leadout/foil for Appollonio, but depends how he comes through the spring.

Good to see Mr Brailsford paid attention to my email

 

[maltiv]

I appreciate that but his form has to be at a certain level in order to justify a pick otherwise he'd still be riding grand tours at the age of 50. On reflection, I could see him riding the Giro instead of someone like Nordhaug.

Nordhaug is one of the best climbers on Sky and has reportedly improved massively in the winter. Leaving him out of the Giro squad would be silly. He will probably be Löfkvist's last remaining teammate in the mountains.

 

[JRanton]

Nordhaug is one of the best climbers on Sky and has reportedly improved massively in the winter. Leaving him out of the Giro squad would be silly. He will probably be Löfkvist's last remaining teammate in the mountains.

This is why I had a problem including Arvesen in the Giro team.

Lofkvist, Possoni, Cioni and Downing will definitely be in. Downing won't be going as the main sprinter so Sky will take Sutton I think.

I'd be surprised if they didn't take Matt Hayman to boost the lead out train, otherwise Downing and Sutton won't be positioned well enough for the last 500 metres.

So if you want to include Nordhaug that leaves two spots available. I think Sky will take either Gerrans or Cummings to mainly target a stage win but also to support Lofkvist a little bit in the mountains.

That would leave Christian Kness who is a very handy grand tour domestique. IMO he would add more to the team physically than Arvesen but Arvesen's experience might add more overall.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Steve Cummings loves the Giro and usually does pretty well at it. I'd send him to the Giro if I was Sky.

 

[ingsve]

This is why I had a problem including Arvesen in the Giro team.

Well, it's all academic since Arvesen won't be in the Giro anyway. He's in the extended squad for the Tour so that's where he will most likely go and if not the Tour then probably the Vuelta.

 

[JRanton]

Well, it's all academic since Arvesen won't be in the Giro anyway. He's in the extended squad for the Tour so that's where he will most likely go and if not the Tour then probably the Vuelta.

Has he confirmed that he definitely won't be riding the Giro? All I've heard him say is that he'd prepare for a grand tour after the classics. I guess that statement probably suggests a Tour/Vuelta ride anyway. If so, then I'll stick with my original Giro squad.

 

[Anonymous]

This is why I had a problem including Arvesen in the Giro team.

Lofkvist, Possoni, Cioni and Downing will definitely be in. Downing won't be going as the main sprinter so Sky will take Sutton I think.

I think they will keep the sponsor happy and take Appollonio. Sky are going to be making big efforts in the Italian market this year. Very big Efforts. I would be amazed if both italian riders didnt make the squad. Id say both were 95% sure to be going.

And Davide already has four podiums in his short time with Sky.

 

[JRanton]

I think they will keep the sponsor happy and take Appollonio. Sky are going to be making big efforts in the Italian market this year. Very big Efforts. I would be amazed if both italian riders didnt make the squad. Id say both were 95% sure to be going.

And Davide already has four podiums in his short time with Sky.

Can't see it myself as I don't think he's ready to ride the Giro. Sky would be taking two Italians in Cioni and Possoni.

 

[ingsve]

Has he confirmed that he definitely won't be riding the Giro? All I've heard him say is that he'd prepare for a grand tour after the classics. I guess that statement probably suggests a Tour/Vuelta ride anyway. If so, then I'll stick with my original Giro squad.

Well, it hasn't been stated explicitly but Sky has already taken out an extended squad for the Giroand teh Tour at least and Arvesen has stated that he is in the extended squad for the Tour while Nordhaug is in the extended Giro squad. If Arvesen were to ride the Giro it will not have been planned but instead something that would have come up as a change of plans.