Sky GT Lineup 2012

[El Pistolero]

Not that I'm a moderator or anything but this thread is about Sky's GT lineup, and you're arguing about the classic potential of Geraint Thomas...

Just pretend it's the 2010 Tour with that cobbled stage in it

Anyway, I'll bring this on topic. Is Froome riding the Tour or Vuelta? Or is he doing both? Normally he could win the Vuelta, but I don't see it happening this year. He has a good time trial though, so it would be a shame to skip the Tour.

 

[The Hitch]

Everybody is biased at something. What's your point?
.

This is my point

i find it funny that I'm the one who's called biased here though. I'm not the one that's calling Flecha + Geraint Thomas a better duo for the cobbled Monuments than Chavanel and Boonen.

http://forum.cyclingnews.cohowpost.php?p=790509&postcount=139

Not bad, there are definitely teams who will do worse this Spring, but hardly worth being called the best .

who is calling them the best ?

 

[El Pistolero]

Well Froome has spoken out saying he wants to ride the Tour but i dont think Dave Brailsford has confirmed it.

Would be stupid to just go for the Vuelta now Contador is confirmed of riding it. Giro + Vuelta would be better then, but Tour + Vuelta would be even better. Giro doesn't have enough time trials for someone like him and Froome can also take some pressure away from Wiggo at the Tour. It's also safer to bet on two horses instead of one as we saw last year at the Tour.

 

[jens_attacks]

froome will ride both tour and vuelta

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...-Tour-de-France-and-London-2012-Olympics.html

 

[El Pistolero]

This is my point










who is calling them the best ?

According to a poll thread they apparently have the best lead-out train this year.

And this thread has Sky practically tied with BMC:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=16237

I don't think neither teams are the best out there.

froome will ride both tour and vuelta

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...-Tour-de-France-and-London-2012-Olympics.html

That's good news. Will be an interesting Vuelta. Tour will be boring though, not enough mountains and too much Cavendish.

 

[Froome19]

Not bad, there are definitely teams who will do worse this Spring, but hardly worth being called the best squad. There are 4 teams I rate higher for the Spring classics(Movistar, QS, BMC and RS). I know Radioshack's cobbled classics squad sucks, but Cancellara more then makes up for that. And they also have Zaugg, Fuglsang and the Schlecks for the hilly classics.

According to a poll thread they apparently have the best lead-out train this year.
And this thread has Sky practically tied with BMC:
http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=16237
I don't think neither teams are the best out there.
.

Indeed they are labelled the best lead out team and the best pro tour team but what has that got to do with their spring classics team??

 

[hatcher]

How about, they've got some really good riders, and are potentially going to be a factor in a lot of races this year?

Deal?

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

I think Geraint Thomas could be a big contender for the cobbled classics in the next few years. I was impressed big time with him in the 2010 cobbled Tour stage and i am very interested to see what he does in the future. He also put in a pretty decent performance in Flanders last year. As Hitch just said its only recently he has probably known he is good on the cobbles and therefore he will dedicate a lot of himself from now on to this. Because hes only realised hes good enough now there should be a lot more room for improvement in this area in the years to come.

He did win P-R espoirs back in 2004, so he's always had a bit of talent on the cobbles.

As for GT's, I think Froome was always pencilled in for the Vuelta - certainly ahead of the Giro. I hope he is able to put in another good performance like last year. Will Henao also go the Vuelta (as well as the Giro?) And assuming Uran is nailed on for the Tour, will he also go to the Vuelta?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I think I was making good enough sense.

There is sense, and then there is over the top dribble.

The difference the way I see it between Sky and all the other top teams is that Sky do not have merely domestiques. If you say BMC or Radioshack is better indeed they may well have better top riders but in some races they are going to go missing because they also have many domestiques who are not as good.
Nordhaugs' win for sky is a prime example of Sky's strength because a rider who is considered effectively a dometique for Sky and who is certainly not considered one of the stronger riders dominates a hilly race against top class oppositon (never mind the time of year).

You think this is uncommon? You think Sky are the first team to have one of thier domestiques win smaller races in early season? You think sky are the only team who have domestiques capable of performing? Ignorant much?

They are a very good all round team no doubt, they are however nothing unheard of or blowing the minds of cycling. Please keep your feet on the ground.

The new recruits such as svitsov and porte also are now required to become domestiques just highlighting how every riders in

svitsov and porte were often domestiques at the old teams too, getting a chance here or there. your point? did you see Porte leading much last year? Even in a weak team.

you are praising the norms of cycling.

Sky's roster is truly good enough to win top races, and they will thus excel in any race they send a squad to this season, as i said previously.

once again you just look like a love stoned fanboy.
Or maybe you and Dave are right. Sky have revolutionised the sport

BTW teams like nissan radio shack, also have a sqaud where every rider is capable of a result. This is why i posted a pic of rose tinted glasses. Because you are looking at your beloved team with no objectively. You are looking at all the riders with the potential you see in them, and failing to rate other teams with the same criteria.

Your posts in this thread are a joke. be objective.

 

[The Hitch]

who is calling them the best ?

According to a poll thread they apparently have the best lead-out train this year.

And this thread has Sky practically tied with BMC:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=16237

I don't think neither teams are the best out there.

Oh you got me there Pistolero, you finally won one. Chapeau.























Is what I would say had you not specified that you were talking about the spring.

The above thread is about Sky OVERALL and their leadout train. yes they are the best overall. But no one is saying that they are the best this Spring.

Not bad, there are definitely teams who will do worse this Spring, but hardly worth being called the best squad.

Nice try

 

[El Pistolero]

How can Sky be the best if they can't dominate the Monuments or GTs? At least they can win a Monument, can't say the same about GTs.

 

[The Hitch]

How can Sky be the best if they can't dominate the Monuments or GTs? At least they can win a Monument, can't say the same about GTs.

If Androni win the Giro, Katusha win the Tour, Saxo win the Vuelta, Garmin win MSR, Radioshack win RVV, Farnese win PR, Movistar win LBL and Lampre win Lombardia, who is the best team?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

wouldn't be a matter of best team, but rather a tight contest between many decent teams. In reality these big races are what sponsors are most concerned with, so when judging best team it is no brainer to consider the results of said races.

At the same token depth is a good thing, and a team who is at least amongst it in most races are always gonna be considered one of the strongest teams imo.

Different angles.

 

[greenedge]

I'd guess Zabel's Sky team would be something like Wiggins, Froome, Rogers, EBH, Eisel, Sutton, Cav + two engines for the train/to pull back breaks (Pate, Porte, Siutsou, Flecha etc)

The main difference from other squads listed would be dumping a climber (Uran) for a specialist final lead out man (Sutton)

Porte would be wasted in that role. In principle i agree that Wiggins probably does not need so many men ( but Uran, Froome, Porte and Rogers can all provide good support for him/ he needs the knowledge the team is behind him ). And Uran is such a talent.

 

[greenedge]

I'm a Sky fan but on paper they're certainly not the strongest team ''by far''. Radioshack, BMC, OP-Quickstep and Movistar are at worst close to Sky's level and I could perfectly understand if some people think Sky are actually below the level of one or two of those teams. Sky have the potential to have an outstanding season but I think there are more question marks over their elite riders than there are over BMC's and Radioshack's in particular. There are more proven winners/performers on those two squads but Sky's depth of talent and potential for success across the entire season is probably a bit better.

You are right sry. I meant to just say they shall win the most races.

 

[greenedge]

Finnally it matters on how you determine how a good team is. If you are a sponsor then yes GT or Monument wins would be the most important things but if you're not, then it should be on how you challenge in every race (something Sky are much better at) and you're CQ points.

Not every one considers CQ points.

 

[greenedge]

Seriously? EBH has been injured for the classics the last two years, hayman and stannard could step up this year, and geraint? If you don't think he's got any potential your more one eyed than I thought!

+10000 with the Hayman pick ( stronger than Flecha at P-R yet he was wasted in the break ). Stannard/ Eisel/ Flecha/ Hayman could challenge at some cobbled races but i do not think Geraint is doing the Classics this year.

 

[greenedge]

If he focuses more on the cobbles over the next few years than he very much does have potential to challenge. Id rate him as a better cobbled rider than both last years cobbled monument winners last year.

At the moment or later
Also Nuyens beat him in two cobbled races this year. Johan Van Summeren had consistently placed at P-R, Thomas has not done much there.

 

[maltiv]

+10000 with the Hayman pick ( stronger than Flecha at P-R yet he was wasted in the break ). Stannard/ Eisel/ Flecha/ Hayman could challenge at some cobbled races but i do not think Geraint is doing the Classics this year.

Wasted in the break? The breakaway that ended up having the winner and almost the entire top 5?

I read that EBH will be the absolute leader in RVV, by the way. The new RVV is far too hilly for the likes of Stannard, Eisel and Hayman. It's closer to an ardennes classics now.

 

[greenedge]

If Androni win the Giro, Katusha win the Tour, Saxo win the Vuelta, Garmin win MSR, Radioshack win RVV, Farnese win PR, Movistar win LBL and Lampre win Lombardia, who is the best team?

Hitchs' fantasy/ vision It would still be BMC as the highest ranked team.

 

[El Pistolero]

If Androni win the Giro, Katusha win the Tour, Saxo win the Vuelta, Garmin win MSR, Radioshack win RVV, Farnese win PR, Movistar win LBL and Lampre win Lombardia, who is the best team?

Movistar.

....

 

[theyoungest]

Wasted in the break? The breakaway that ended up having the winner and almost the entire top 5?

I read that EBH will be the absolute leader in RVV, by the way. The new RVV is far too hilly for the likes of Stannard, Eisel and Hayman. It's closer to an ardennes classics now.

Yeah, chances are if Flecha were in that break, he'd have won

Hayman is a very good rider, but let's not overaussie him, shall we?

 

[Zerak-Tul]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/feb/13/bradley-wiggins-tour-de-france

Blog post by Wiggins over at the Guardian.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

why did cav finished 8th today?...can't wait to see the HL.

 

[El Pistolero]

Let's face it, Cav era is over, the Kittel era has begun