Sky next year

[JRanton]

Euskaltel's costs were 10 million euro a year I thought, so that would be 2.5 then.

I wonder if its just for the road team though, the budget could also include their track activities

No, it's just for the road team. They spend £1m on PR and Marketing and £2m on bike equipment for instance. £15.4m in 2012 was spent on rider and staff salaries.

 

[Pricey_sky]

It's just a farce to have one team that can buy every good rider that enters the transfer market.

Edit: with sky's 2013 budget Euskaltel could be sponsored for 3 years if not 4.

It's the same in every sport though isn't it? Just look at Man City or PSG in football. I heard the other day it cost £60 million to buy and run one of those Americas cup sailing teams. Everything is relative.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

That is a ridiculous budget and it shows in the riders and results.

not as high as bmc though

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

It's just a farce to have one team that can buy every good rider that enters the transfer market.

Edit: with sky's 2013 budget Euskaltel could be sponsored for 3 years if not 4.

so can katusha, astana and bmc stop your whining.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Euskaltel's costs were 10 million euro a year I thought, so that would be 2.5 then.

I wonder if its just for the road team though, the budget could also include their track activities

euskaltels costs were 6, max 7 million a year.

 

[LaFlorecita]

so can katusha, astana and bmc stop your whining.

Yes and in their case it is a farce too. Stop being a ****.

 

[postmanhat]

Yes and in their case it is a farce too. Stop being a ****.

Off the top of my head, Lopez and Kirienka were Sky's big signings last year. Nieve this year. After losing Uran, Cavendish, Rogers, Flecha etc.

How is that a team buying all the best riders?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Off the top of my head, Lopez and Kirienka were Sky's big signings last year. Nieve this year. After losing Uran, Cavendish, Rogers, Flecha etc.

How is that team buying all the best riders?

I think Deignan will be a very useful signing too but he also cant be considered in the 'buying all the best riders' bracket.

 

[oldcrank]

I think Deignan will be a very useful signing too but he also cant be considered in the 'buying all the best riders' bracket.

Ya, 'buying all the best riders' is a little silly. I wonder how many
teams were in the bidding war for Nathan Earle? (note: in no way
am I trying to belittle Nathan's talent or accomplishments)

Why is it in a time when teams are folding and riders are losing
jobs, some people feel the need to attack a stable team with
stable sponsorship that is helping keep the sport alive and
thriving and giving a decent pay cheque to it's riders and
support staff? It does not make any sense.

 

[JRanton]

Interesting comment from Brailsford:

Brailsford was coy on Bradley Wiggins' participation in next year's Tour. "It's too early to speculate about anything," he said, although he did acknowledge that Sky may have stretched itself too thinly by trying to win both the Giro d'Italia and Tour in 2013.

"This year, we wanted to have a good Giro and a good Tour de France, but perhaps next year, that might be different. Maybe we'll go and do more races in the United States for instance. We have a big US partner [21st Century Fox], so that might change our strategy, but it's all to be decided," he said.

"Maybe by creating two Grand Tour teams this year, we diluted the team a little bit. Maybe we'll put all of our best riders in the Tour team [next year]. But we don't know yet, it's not even November yet."

So maybe no Giro for Porte then.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Interesting comment from Brailsford:



So maybe no Giro for Porte then.

well, if Porte doesn't go to the Giro, I can see multiple other riders taking part. Big opportunity perhaps.

 

[Peter von]

Interesting comment from Brailsford:



So maybe no Giro for Porte then.

I think it's more likely that Porte will have the B-team and Froome will get the 12 best SKY riders standing by ready for the Tour. This year SKY divided their best riders more or less equally between team Wiggo and team Froomedog, both because Wiggins was still the big star of the team and because Wiggins was as reigning Tour champ a heavy favorite to the Giro, and of cause they're both British.

I think it's only natural, SKY can afford it if Porte looses the Giro because of lack of support from the team, but if Froome doesn't win in July the season is a bit of a failure.

 

[JRanton]

I think it's more likely that Porte will have the B-team and Froome will get the 12 best SKY riders standing by ready for the Tour. This year SKY divided their best riders more or less equally between team Wiggo and team Froomedog, both because Wiggins was still the big star of the team and because Wiggins was as reigning Tour champ a heavy favorite to the Giro, and of cause they're both British.

I think it's only natural, SKY can afford it if Porte looses the Giro because of lack of support from the team, but if Froome doesn't win in July the season is a bit of a failure.

We'll see but I guess if they send their strongest team then it might be realistic for Porte to finish on the podium with Froome. For instance Henao and Nieve can do enough damage in the mountains to leave Froome and Porte with only 1 or 2 other ''heads of state'' for company.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Porte will do the Giro. He'll have Deignan, Cataldo, Edmondon, Dombrowski, Siutsou, Knees, Pate, Zandio, Eisel and Puccio as potential teammates I would imagine.

If Sky can get their A team to peak for the Tour then a team of Froome, Henao, Nieve, Kiri, Lopez, Thomas, Kennaugh, Eddy Bos and Stannard should be plenty good enough to bore us all senseless for 3 weeks next july. It's hard to see a place for Wiggins on that team to be honest, his climbing is not good enough to warrant a place and it would be madness to take him over Stannard.

 

[Ferminal]

Brailsford is just talking ****... Sky's Tour team did the job, and on paper was ridiculously strong. Only Siutsou did the Giro IIRC so it's only blame for one, Thomas crashed, Porte had a bad day, Kennaugh was still getting back into stage racing, DLG was ok, Kiryienka exploded.

 

[CycloAndy]

Porte will do the Giro. He'll have Deignan, Cataldo, Edmondon, Dombrowski, Siutsou, Knees, Pate, Zandio, Eisel and Puccio as potential teammates I would imagine.

If Sky can get their A team to peak for the Tour then a team of Froome, Henao, Nieve, Kiri, Lopez, Thomas, Kennaugh, Eddy Bos and Stannard should be plenty good enough to bore us all senseless for 3 weeks next july. It's hard to see a place for Wiggins on that team to be honest, his climbing is not good enough to warrant a place and it would be madness to take him over Stannard.

I agree but Porte will also do the tour. Henao and Nieve should take enough of the work away from him to still be a great help.

I really can't see a place for Wiggins either, his commitment just wouldn't be there. I'm hoping he goes for PR or LBL instead. Not that he would win either though.

 

[Pricey_sky]

If Wiggins can get himself into some kind of form then i'm not sure how people can say he won't be of use in the mountains? Im pretty sure that with the Tour starting in England he would want to be there and put in some effort in what could be last GT appearance.

Pretty sure Porte would do the Tour as well as he will still be a big help. I wonder if Sky will be tempted to put Eisel into the Tour team with his form on the cobbles or just stick with G and Stan.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

If Wiggins can get himself into some kind of form then i'm not sure how people can say he won't be of use in the mountains? Im pretty sure that with the Tour starting in England he would want to be there and put in some effort in what could be last GT appearance.

Pretty sure Porte would do the Tour as well as he will still be a big help. I wonder if Sky will be tempted to put Eisel into the Tour team with his form on the cobbles or just stick with G and Stan.

Now Wiggins has put the extra weight on, Sky have better climbers than Wiggins to choose from. In Stannard, Kiri, Thomas and Eisel they have riders who will do a far more commited team job on the flatter stages than Wiggins. Wiggins will have to concentrate on races like the Bayern Rundfahrt and Tour of Denmark next year.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Tour Team: Giro Team:

Froome Porte
Porte Cataldo
Henao Deignan
Nieve Lopez
Kennaugh Edmondsen
Kiryienka Siutsou
EBH Knees
Thomas Eisel
Stannard Pate

 

[CycloAndy]

Tour Team: Giro Team:

Froome Porte
Porte Cataldo
Henao Deignan
Nieve Lopez
Kennaugh Edmondsen
Kiryienka Siutsou
EBH Knees
Thomas Eisel
Stannard Pate

I guessed almost exactly the same teams, except Eisel won't do the Giro, Zandio will. It's too soon after the classics. I also think Edmondson will do the vuelta, not giro, to allow Dombrowski to do the USPC and Giro.

 

[JRanton]

Brailsford is just talking ****... Sky's Tour team did the job, and on paper was ridiculously strong. Only Siutsou did the Giro IIRC so it's only blame for one, Thomas crashed, Porte had a bad day, Kennaugh was still getting back into stage racing, DLG was ok, Kiryienka exploded.

Apparently Brailsford completely freaked out on stage 9 and was seen visibly shaking in the team car as events unfolded. He's a control freak so maybe the comment about taking their very best team to the Tour (including Porte) is an (over)reaction to that.

 

[JRanton]

Porte will do the Giro. He'll have Deignan, Cataldo, Edmondon, Dombrowski, Siutsou, Knees, Pate, Zandio, Eisel and Puccio as potential teammates I would imagine.

If Sky can get their A team to peak for the Tour then a team of Froome, Henao, Nieve, Kiri, Lopez, Thomas, Kennaugh, Eddy Bos and Stannard should be plenty good enough to bore us all senseless for 3 weeks next july. It's hard to see a place for Wiggins on that team to be honest, his climbing is not good enough to warrant a place and it would be madness to take him over Stannard.

He might do the Giro but Brailsford's comments suggest he also might not do the Giro. I remember he made a similar comment towards the end of this year's Tour, about selecting their very best team for the 2014 edition, so I wouldn't dismiss it.

 

[Peter von]

He might do the Giro but Brailsford's comments suggest he also might not do the Giro. I remember he made a similar comment towards the end of this year's Tour, about selecting their very best team for the 2014 edition, so I wouldn't dismiss it.

And i think you're right not to do so.

But it seems Porte has already set his eyes on the Giro and because of this if he is to be told now that it's one more year as a slave in the Tour he might end up a demotivated shadow of himself. And thus Brailsford risk missing a chance to win the Giro and weaken his Tour squad.

 

[CycloAndy]

He might do the Giro but Brailsford's comments suggest he also might not do the Giro. I remember he made a similar comment towards the end of this year's Tour, about selecting their very best team for the 2014 edition, so I wouldn't dismiss it.

You might be right but I reckon using Henao and Nieve will be more than enough to avoid the problems the sky train had last year. Having an injury free Thomas will also help. Like people are saying, Porte will do the Giro but all of the best domestiques will be saved for the tour.

 

[Peter von]

Tour Team: Giro Team:

Froome Porte
Porte Cataldo
Henao Deignan
Nieve Lopez
Kennaugh Edmondsen
Kiryienka Siutsou
EBH Knees
Thomas Eisel
Stannard Pate

Pretty good guess, although i think at least one(or two, depending on what they expect from Wiggins, younger riders) of Cataldo, Deignan and Lopez will be in the running for a spot in the Tour and therefore won't do the Giro, Dombrowski or new guy likely to replace them.

both in case of injury, but perhaps more importantly to ensure some competition between the riders before the Tour, they know it's their Tour to loose and Porte is still young for a GC leader and SKY can afford to loose the Giro much better than they can the Tour.