Sky GT Lineup 2012

[hatcher]

I'm pretty confident Froome will maintain his climbing form; maybe not quite to the level he showed at the Vuelta, but good enough to be with the first group over most climbs at the Tour. Expecting his TTing to be at his Vuelta level is, imo, fanciful.

With Swift down for the Giro I'm even more interested in the plan for Appollonio. Cav, Swift, Appo at the Giro seems like overkill, especially with G riding.

 

[Anonymous]

Nordhaug not doing the giro. Says that the teams aim in the giro is stage wins rather than the gc.

http://translate.google.com/transla...aftenbladet.no/sport/sykkel/article218359.ece

 

[JRanton]

I could see it being something like this:

Giro

Cavendish
Siutsou
Lovkvist
Kennaugh
Knees
Thomas
Dowsett
Barry
Swift

Tour

Wiggins
Froome
Uran
Rogers
Porte
EBH
Pate
Eisel
Cavendish

Vuelta

Froome
Uran
Siutsou
Henao
Zandio
Nordhaug
Flecha
Stannard
Sutton


No Grand Tour for Puccio, Rowe, Hunt, Hayman and Appollonio

 

[Richeypen]

I could see it being something like this:

Giro

Cavendish
Siutsou
Lovkvist
Kennaugh
Knees
Thomas
Dowsett
Barry
Swift

Tour

Wiggins
Froome
Uran
Rogers
Porte
EBH
Pate
Eisel
Cavendish

Vuelta

Froome
Uran
Siutsou
Henao
Zandio
Nordhaug
Flecha
Stannard
Sutton


No Grand Tour for Puccio, Rowe, Hunt, Hayman and Appollonio

Cant see them not sending Appollonio to the Giro

 

[Anonymous]

Classics Squad:
Micheal Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Cavendish, Bernie Eisel, Christian Knees, Jez Hunt, Ian Stannard, Davide Appollonio, Salvatore Puccio, and Juan Antonio Flecha

http://michaelbarry.ca/2012/01/sleep-eat-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-7269

 

[Gloin22]

Classics Squad:
Micheal Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Cavendish, Bernie Eisel, Christian Knees, Jez Hunt, Ian Stannard, Davide Appollonio, Salvatore Puccio, and Juan Antonio Flecha

http://michaelbarry.ca/2012/01/sleep-eat-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-7269

Where is Matty Hayman in that ?

He's probably one the key rider for Sky tbh on cobbles.

 

[maltiv]

Classics Squad:
Micheal Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Cavendish, Bernie Eisel, Christian Knees, Jez Hunt, Ian Stannard, Davide Appollonio, Salvatore Puccio, and Juan Antonio Flecha

http://michaelbarry.ca/2012/01/sleep-eat-ride/comment-page-1/#comment-7269

What about Matthew Hayman?

 

[hatcher]

Hayman and Sutton are in Australia at the mo. EBH wasn't named by Barry either as far as I can tell.

 

[adamski101]

I would have thought that both Hayman & Sutton would be part of the classics squad.

 

[JRanton]

Cant see them not sending Appollonio to the Giro

Don't you think that would be a bit overkill in terms of the lead-out/sprinters? Swift, Thomas and Cavendish are all scheduled to ride the Giro and I think Cavendish/Sky would rather have an extra engine in the team as opposed to Appollonio.

 

[adamski101]

Don't you think that would be a bit overkill in terms of the lead-out/sprinters? Swift, Thomas and Cavendish are all scheduled to ride the Giro and I think Cavendish/Sky would rather have an extra engine in the team as opposed to Appollonio.

yes, but the Italian market is very important to Sky, and the fact they only have 2 Italians on the squad this year and one of them is definitely not going to ride the Giro (Puccio), I imagine there is a strong chance that Appollonio could make the team. Like you say, though, it could be overkill in terms of fast men, but then Sky are probably going to be stage hunting at the giro, so maybe more the merrier.

 

[ingsve]

I like how the Team Sky website barely even mentioned that they renewed Lofkvist's contract (for one year only) , considering they wrote this after the 2010 season:

"In 2010 Thomas Löfkvist once again outlined his potential as a Grand Tour contender by finishing as Team Sky's highest-ranked rider in their debut appearance at the Tour de France."

I guess he will be a domestique for Siutsou now.

Löfkvist signed for 2 more years not 1.

It's strange that he is listed here as part of the Giro squad since on the Team Sky homepage he writes:

"I did a good second half of the Vuelta helping Bradley and Froomey to their result and for the late Italian classics I was riding really well so I was pleased with form there. It gives me a lot of confidence and motivation heading into 2012. I will try to do a good spring campaign and then hopefully make it onto the Tour squad and do a good Tour de France."

I guess that doesn't exclude doing to Giro but it doesn't really sound like that is the plan.

 

[hatcher]

And the finishes that suit Appo won't suit Cav (but will suit Swift).

 

[Anonymous]

Hayman and Sutton are in Australia at the mo. EBH wasn't named by Barry either as far as I can tell.

I would have thought that both Hayman & Sutton would be part of the classics squad.

they probably will be, but wernt named by barry as they are currently in australia..

Ebh, Hayman, Sutton and possibly Pate can all be added to his list..

 

[ingsve]

Where is Matty Hayman in that ?

He's probably one the key rider for Sky tbh on cobbles.

That's just how they divided the riders that happened to be at the training camp. The riders that are doing TDU are probably not at that camp.

I also doubt that Cav will be doing that many classics. It's probably just for Milan - San Remo. It would be a bit much for Cav to do the whole classics season and then also do the Giro and Tour ahead of the Olympics.

 

[Anonymous]

Löfkvist signed for 2 more years not 1.

It's strange that he is listed here as part of the Giro squad since on the Team Sky homepage he writes:

"I did a good second half of the Vuelta helping Bradley and Froomey to their result and for the late Italian classics I was riding really well so I was pleased with form there. It gives me a lot of confidence and motivation heading into 2012. I will try to do a good spring campaign and then hopefully make it onto the Tour squad and do a good Tour de France."

I guess that doesn't exclude doing to Giro but it doesn't really sound like that is the plan.

we only have him down as a one year extension as well..
Dont think Lofkvist will ride the giro, but I think hes one of about four riders battling it out for the same spot (probably Thomas's spot).

Apples will almost certainly do the giro. Sky are stage win hunting, and theres no way they wont send an italian considering the italian language site, Dario Cioni now running the Sky Italia side.. be a bit pointless if they send no italians to the giro.

 

[ingsve]

we only have him down as a one year extension as well..
Dont think Lofkvist will ride the giro, but I think hes one of about four riders battling it out for the same spot (probably Thomas's spot).

Apples will almost certainly do the giro. Sky are stage win hunting, and theres no way they wont send an italian considering the italian language site, Dario Cioni now running the Sky Italia side.. be a bit pointless if they send no italians to the giro.

Hmm, I thought I heard he signed for 2 more years but listening to the interview again it seems it's not stated.

 

[Jan the Man]

Giro Squad-

Mark Cavendish
Bernhard Eisel
Alex Dowsett
Michael Rogers
Geraint Thomas
Davide Appollonio
Christian Knees
Thomas Lovkvist
Kanstantin Svistov


Tour Squad-

Brad Wiggins
Chris Froome
Rigoberto Uran
Richie Porte
EBH
Danny Pate
Juan Antonio Flecha
Bernhard Eisel
Mark Cavendish


Vuelta Squad-

Chris Froome
Sergio Heano
Chirs Sutton
Matt Hayman
Juan Flecha
Xavier Zandio
Ian Stannard
Ben Swift
Peter Kennaugh

 

[JRanton]

yes, but the Italian market is very important to Sky, and the fact they only have 2 Italians on the squad this year and one of them is definitely not going to ride the Giro (Puccio), I imagine there is a strong chance that Appollonio could make the team. Like you say, though, it could be overkill in terms of fast men, but then Sky are probably going to be stage hunting at the giro, so maybe more the merrier.

Possibly but they have Cavendish now and I'd have thought that should ensure more than enough exposure at the Giro and in the Italian market.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

It's strange that he is listed here as part of the Giro squad since on the Team Sky homepage he writes:

"I did a good second half of the Vuelta helping Bradley and Froomey to their result and for the late Italian classics I was riding really well so I was pleased with form there. It gives me a lot of confidence and motivation heading into 2012. I will try to do a good spring campaign and then hopefully make it onto the Tour squad and do a good Tour de France."

I guess that doesn't exclude doing to Giro but it doesn't really sound like that is the plan.

Yeah, I was going by TeamSkyFans' post on the first page of this thread. I figured he would know, but apparently not.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I was going by TeamSkyFans' post on the first page of this thread. I figured he would know, but apparently not.

thought he was, then learnt he wasnt.. I double think myself sometimes..

 

[JRanton]

thought he was, then learnt he wasnt.. I double think myself sometimes..

What do you mean by ''Thomas's spot''? Do you think there are already 8 spots that have been pretty much filled (at least provisionally) - Wiggins, Froome, Uran, Porte, EBH, Cavendish, Eisel, Pate?

 

[JRanton]

we only have him down as a one year extension as well..
Dont think Lofkvist will ride the giro, but I think hes one of about four riders battling it out for the same spot (probably Thomas's spot).

Apples will almost certainly do the giro. Sky are stage win hunting, and theres no way they wont send an italian considering the italian language site, Dario Cioni now running the Sky Italia side.. be a bit pointless if they send no italians to the giro.

I guess that's probably right. Appollonio to replace Lovkvist in my Giro selection then.

 

[airstream]

Kanstantin Siutsou said in the interview that he would go both GT's and he'll be the captain in the Giro naturally.

 

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by ''Thomas's spot''? Do you think there are already 8 spots that have been pretty much filled (at least provisionally) - Wiggins, Froome, Uran, Porte, EBH, Cavendish, Eisel, Pate?

Definate
--------
Wiggins
Cavendish
Eisel (assumedly)
Edvald Boasson Hagen

the rest
--------
Froome - DB been quoted as saying he needs to repeat last years form
Porte - Said in interview hes in the tour squads during the year but fighting for a place
Siutsou - Said in interview hes riding both - possible for the tour if he can continue his form through
Uran - Likely for the tour unless they want to hold his form for the Vuelta with Henao.
Knees/Zandio - Wiggins favourite two domestiques
Flecha - normally a foregone conclusion but may be past his best for this year
Barry - Not doing the giro, possible road captain for the tour

So already thats 8 riders fighting it out for five places before you even include the likes of Pate, Nordhaug (who isnt riding the giro and hoping to get a tour shot - but more likely vuelta)

Sky are spoilt for choice