Team Ineos Discussion thread

[Rob5091]

Sure, the dummkopfs in the commentary booth will make some pathetic puns, but Kirby's puns are humourless, puerile and quite often bordering on the offensive. If this was the Eurosport thread I'd carry on, but as it's about Ineos and young Storm, I'll leave it at that.

 

[Salvarani]

Sure, the dummkopfs in the commentary booth will make some pathetic puns, but Kirby's puns are humourless, puerile and quite often bordering on the offensive. If this was the Eurosport thread I'd carry on, but as it's about Ineos and young Storm, I'll leave it at that.

Your post feels like the calm before the storm.

Eurosport thread will get the tunder and lightning.

 

[JRanton]

Cam Wurf was at the Ineos training camp a few weeks ago so seems quite likely that he’s extended for another season. That would bring them to 29 riders if confirmed.

 

[DNP-Old]

So why are (talented) cyclists (predominantly) avoiding Ineos?

I don't know, but I am sure Roglic is involved somehow.

 

[samhocking]

Yes, but. Bernal had/has zero name recognition in the UK, and for a team that's based selling a copy of the iconic Land Rover, that's no bueno.

It's a misconception Ineos are in sport to sell things. Yes, the switch from Ineos to Ineos Grenadiers is to publicise a product, but you don't launch new vehicles using cycling teams it's a tiny minority sport and a fraction of the marketing needed. But primarily Ineos are sponsoring all these different sports for staff performance across their global sites, same reason T-Mobile did in the last few years in the sport had nothing to do with selling phones/networks it was all about corporate performance at the staff / office level. The sponsorship increased staff performance basically more than it cost to sponsor the team so they continued.

 

[Rob5091]

Well Ineos better watch out as Hofstede is retiring and if Hessman is banned too, Visma are 2 men short and we know how they are at ... "poaching"

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Cam Wurf was at the Ineos training camp a few weeks ago so seems quite likely that he’s extended for another season. That would bring them to 29 riders if confirmed.

Are they worried that there is some sort of penalty for having too low an average age after signing August and Storm?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It's a misconception Ineos are in sport to sell things. Yes, the switch from Ineos to Ineos Grenadiers is to publicise a product, but you don't launch new vehicles using cycling teams it's a tiny minority sport and a fraction of the marketing needed. But primarily Ineos are sponsoring all these different sports for staff performance across their global sites, same reason T-Mobile did in the last few years in the sport had nothing to do with selling phones/networks it was all about corporate performance at the staff / office level. The sponsorship increased staff performance basically more than it cost to sponsor the team so they continued.

An interesting theory, and I can see that the small population of cycling fans are not a major market for big ugly off road vehicles. I had concluded that it was essentially a vanity project, and tax write off. But do you have any evidence of how it is used in employee incentives in a cost effective way?

"You have taken fewer days off than anyone else in the department this year: we'd like to give you the chance for a selfie with Kim Heiduk."

 

[RedheadDane]

Are they worried that there is some sort of penalty for having too low an average age after signing August and Storm?

August and Storm... now there's a combo of names.

 

[postmanhat]

August and Storm... now there's a combo of names.

Maybe the X-men baddies who ruin everyone's summers?

 

[postmanhat]

An interesting theory, and I can see that the small population of cycling fans are not a major market for big ugly off road vehicles. I had concluded that it was essentially a vanity project, and tax write off. But do you have any evidence of how it is used in employee incentives in a cost effective way?

"You have taken fewer days off than anyone else in the department this year: we'd like to give you the chance for a selfie with Kim Heiduk."

I always assumed they were hoping for some publicity for this car in The Middle East, US and UK, which means the TDF if you want to reach anyone but cycling fans in those markets. And the fact they aren't competitive in that race any more, has led to Ratcliffe scaling back his interest/budget over the last couple of seasons?

 

[samhocking]

It's about a company having team(s) to get behind to create worker unity, a purpose to spark conversation, common interests and celebration etc imo. T-Mobile had disparate managers and offices all over the planet, they said poorly communicating and not effectively sharing business ideas across the group. When T-Mobile crunched the business performance data they saw a huge increase in office and management productivity related to the T-Mobile team years that wasn't related to sales. Their CEO at the time said it was because they were sponsoring sports. like cycling and F1 which had the side-benefit of uniting their workforce and so productivity went up. Managers began talking to other managers, sharing ideas because they were already communicating through sport etc and that's why T-Mobile remained in cycling several years after they were going to pull out. Same reason business have boxes at football, it's nothing to do with watching football, it's because business gets done there more effectively, more openly etc.

 

[proffate]

I always assumed ÌñÈÖ§ are in sports as a way to turn a vanity project into a tax write-off. It's like the privately owned vehicles you see in the US whose owners have slapped some small business decals on the side so they can claim the thing as a business expense.

There's also the sportswashing theory, which works particularly well in cycling because people bizarrely associate bike racing with saving trees.

I suppose this worker unity explanation makes about as much sense because people really do like to organize into tribes to go hoo-rah at the mercenaries on TV who are wearing the shirts of the favored color.

You still have to wonder why they plunked "Grenadier" on the chest. It's probably true that the median cyclist won't buy the thing, but if you weight hobby cyclists by their propensity to spend money, I would expect the markets to have a good deal of overlap. In other words, they're after the dentists.

 

[pastronef]

I always assumed ÌñÈÖ§ are in sports as a way to turn a vanity project into a tax write-off. It's like the privately owned vehicles you see in the US whose owners have slapped some small business decals on the side so they can claim the thing as a business expense.

There's also the sportswashing theory, which works particularly well in cycling because people bizarrely associate bike racing with saving trees.

I suppose this worker unity explanation makes about as much sense because people really do like to organize into tribes to go hoo-rah at the mercenaries on TV who are wearing the shirts of the favored color.

You still have to wonder why they plunked "Grenadier" on the chest. It's probably true that the median cyclist won't buy the thing, but if you weight hobby cyclists by their propensity to spend money, I would expect the markets to have a good deal of overlap. In other words, they're after the dentists.

without people going hoo-rah and watching mercenaries on TV, there wouldn't be sponsors nor pro-cycling

 

[ingsve]

You still have to wonder why they plunked "Grenadier" on the chest. It's probably true that the median cyclist won't buy the thing, but if you weight hobby cyclists by their propensity to spend money, I would expect the markets to have a good deal of overlap. In other words, they're after the dentists.

Are they going to sponsor the team with cars to use as team cars perhaps or something like that. That would be one reason I suppose to slap the name on there.

 

[proffate]

without people going hoo-rah and watching mercenaries on TV, there wouldn't be sponsors nor pro-cycling

I personally tend to hoo-rah at the individuals I like. My comment was directed more at the phenomenon Jerry Seinfeld described thusly:

Loyalty to any one sports team is pretty hard to justify, because the players are always changing, the team can move to another city. You're actually rooting for the clothes, when you get right down to it. You know what I mean? You are standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city. Fans will be so in love with a player, but if he goes to another team, they boo him. This is the same human being in a different shirt; they hate him now. Boo! Different shirt! Boo!

 

[RedheadDane]

I personally tend to hoo-rah at the individuals I like. My comment was directed more at the phenomenon Jerry Seinfeld described thusly:

He's not wrong... that is a strange concept.

 

[pastronef]

I don't think Seinfeld was thinking about cycling. more of team sports with organized fans. cycling fans are so very different and follow for many reasons.
I am a Sky-Ineos fan, yes, but I don't boo riders who leave for other teams. I still like Landa, Tulett, Plapp, Ellissonde etc

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't think Seinfeld was thinking about cycling. more of team sports with organized fans. cycling fans are so very different and follow for many reasons.

Of course he wasn't talking about cycling. In fact, it seems sometimes in cycling, the opposite happens.
If someone has a favourite rider, and that rider switches team, then the new team becomes the "favourite team".

 

[SHAD0W93]

Of course he wasn't talking about cycling. In fact, it seems sometimes in cycling, the opposite happens.
If someone has a favourite rider, and that rider switches team, then the new team becomes the "favourite team".

That happens with other sports too, there’s just a lot less team specific fans.

 

[Sciatic]

Of course he wasn't talking about cycling. In fact, it seems sometimes in cycling, the opposite happens.
If someone has a favourite rider, and that rider switches team, then the new team becomes the "favourite team".

You’re right, probably wasn’t talking bout cycling given his audience.

Interesting side-note: on some episodes you could see a Klein road- or mtn-bike hanging in a back room. Maybe Jerry does know cycling

 

[Sciatic]

That happens with other sports too, there’s just a lot less team specific fans.

There also is probably some difference because cycling has trade teams not necessarily teams connected to a specific city. Some stupid fan behavior is hometown tribal stuff, which intensifies when it’s a traditional rival.

 

[CyclistAbi]

I don't know, but I am sure Roglic is involved somehow.

Could be. But to be honest i don't get you obsession. It's like Rogla is everywhere. For you.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

I saw Ganna was taken off the startlist for Roubaix… Well, it‘s still few months ahead, but is that possible? Ganna was very promising at Roubaix recently.

Whom do Ineos then want to win Roubaix for them?

I fear this could become another complicated year for Ineos. On paper, they have lots of „1b riders“, hardly any „1a riders“. I also do not really see a clear strategy - where to the team wants to move.

I actually see Visma, UAE and Bahrain at the top, 1a. Ineos, Soudal and Bora nowadays are rather 1b.

Good to see Bernal and Sheffield back, soon. Poor guys had to go through some difficult times. May they stay healthy, and enjoy racing. Their comebacks were already promising.

 

[proffate]

I don't think Seinfeld was thinking about cycling. more of team sports with organized fans. cycling fans are so very different and follow for many reasons.
I am a Sky-Ineos fan, yes, but I don't boo riders who leave for other teams. I still like Landa, Tulett, Plapp, Ellissonde etc

exactly.. but the original topic of discussion was the suggestion that the T-Mobile cycling sponsorship and other ones like Ineos were intended to unite corporate employees by giving them some laundry to cheer