Team Ineos (Formerly the Sky thread)

[bobbins]

What a load of nonsense.

Brailsford is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

What else can he do? Either way you lot would accuse of omerta enforcement.

He's basically saying that a rider / staff member that took a bit of amphet or cortisone back in the 90s is going to be treated the same as a rider who was on a full blown epo program last season.

I'd keep quiet, unless I wanted out in which case I'd say I used a ventolin for an evening ten without have a tue which should be enough to get me out.

Team sky need a disaster management company to run it. Never has a media company been so inept at handling the media. I think they are clean but looking at the way they deal with me media, it's almost as if they want people to think they are dirty!

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

Does Brailsford have to sign?

Irrespective of what Brailsford signs, he'll be toast if it is shown that there has been doping at Sky or on the track team on his "watch".

For undisclosed misdemeanours of team members in their pre-Sky days, I would think sacking them when the misdemeanours come to light would suffice. Brailsford could rely on the "I feel betrayed, they've lied to me" defence. This document that the team members are being required to sign feels like a variation to employment terms to allow riders to be disposed of for pre-Sky offences.

Rodgers is pretty certain to get the chop, I'd think. He's served his purpose and can easily be replaced by Geraint Thomas in Wiggo's team of mountain helpers. Jullich may act as Yates' "human shield". Sacking a couple of foreigners will sit well with the UK press, as it demonstrates decisiveness without getting too close to suggesting that Brits might actually dope.

 

[Franklin]

What an idiotic measure. Omerta reestablishment.

Instead he should have said: Anyone rider who steps forward now will be forgiven.

We fire the dodgy staff. "Mr. Yates, sorry, you are untenable". Then give him a nice handshake and ditch him.

Clean the slate.

 

[sittingbison]

...looking at the way they deal with me media, it's almost as if they want people to think they are dirty!

This is the reason this thread is approaching 7000 posts. Almost everything they do, everything they say, is highly suspicious and immediately opens them to investigation. Its been like keystone cops. Hiring guys like Dodger and Svitsov (sic) who are on the top of the suspicion index and have very dodgy pasts, hiring dodgy doctors like Leinders which is contrary to their policy, changing that policy, wiggos complete about turn on dopers, training on Tenerife (lol there is Ferrari of all people saying Tenerife is known hot bed of doping and the vampires are circling), etc etc etc.

They have brought it all on themselves, guilty or not.

 

[orbeas]

Sky

The doping history of Shane Sutton has been on forums since 2010 at least, by Darryl Webster who was his team mate..

Neither Sky or British Cycling have dd anything them so why will they now ???

 

[bobbins]

The doping history of Shane Sutton has been on forums since 2010 at least, by Darryl Webster who was his team mate..

Neither Sky or British Cycling have dd anything them so why will they now ???

Lots of talk around this but nothing concrete. No positives / cover ups, just talk. I know of several people who trained with SS and not heard anything to make me believe the storys.

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

The doping history of Shane Sutton has been on forums since 2010 at least, by Darryl Webster who was his team mate..

Neither Sky or British Cycling have dd anything them so why will they now ???

This isn't to defend Shane Sutton or take a pop at Darryl Webster, but if any team had to take into account doping disclosures made on the internet then the Tour would be a shoot-out between Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nelson Mandela and Mary Poppins, though the latter's ability to get children to sleep can only be because she used extra strong Gripe Water, so even she's a bit dodgy.

 

[fat_boy_fat]

Whatever the outcome will be (if ever): Slipstream’s second-chance policy is much more robust than Sky’s zero tolerance policy. The latter can let the whole thing explode after only one significant finding.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Whatever the outcome will be (if ever): Slipstream’s second-chance policy is much more robust than Sky’s zero tolerance policy. The latter can let the whole thing explode after only one significant finding.

What second chance policy?

White was ditched immediately - even if the offence occurred a month before they circulated their explicit internal policy of doctor approved medical visits only.

 

[Richeypen]

This isn't to defend Shane Sutton or take a pop at Darryl Webster, but if any team had to take into account doping disclosures made on the internet then the Tour would be a shoot-out between Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nelson Mandela and Mary Poppins, though the latter's ability to get children to sleep can only be because she used extra strong Gripe Water, so even she's a bit dodgy.

A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down

 

[blackcat]

just how is Brailsford gonna manage it when Cath Wiggins does a tweet like Tom Danielsons ex wife, and admits guilt in doping.

he is stuffed.

 

[MartinGT]

Well... if I was Mark Cavendish I'd be laughing. There's no point signing if he doesn't want to stay there, so they have to let him go.

Do you really think that would make Cavendish look good?

"Mark wouldnt sign to say he hasnt been involved in doping so we had to let him go"

It makes him look like he has blood on his hands IMO.

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

just how is Brailsford gonna manage it when Cath Wiggins does a tweet like Tom Danielsons ex wife, and admits guilt in doping.

he is stuffed.

Such a situation is unmanageable, but there's no sign that Mrs Wiggo is anything other than fiercely loyal to her man.

Wiggo is hopefully acquainted with the old saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and behaving accordingly. Even if he's clean, a confession from Mrs Wiggo would be catastrophic. She could currently be the most powerful woman in cycling!

 

[MartinGT]

just how is Brailsford gonna manage it when Cath Wiggins does a tweet like Tom Danielsons ex wife, and admits guilt in doping.

he is stuffed.

What Tweet was that?

Cath Wiggings comes from a background of cycling so she knows the ropes. I know someoene who has raced on the track with her and apparently, you dont cross her or she will have your ******** on a plate.

Doubt she would confess at all.

 

[ebandit]

eh?

just how is Brailsford gonna manage it when Cath Wiggins does a tweet like Tom Danielsons ex wife, and admits guilt in doping.

he is stuffed.

first state what cath could admit to?.......................still so much talk
but no facts

 

[Franklin]

first state what cath could admit to?.......................still so much talk
but no facts

Sorry, you do know that indeed there are many facts against Sky and that the defense solely rests on belief, not facts

Spin all you want, the hard facts will not go away.

 

[veganrob]

What second chance policy?

White was ditched immediately - even if the offence occurred a month before they circulated their explicit internal policy of doctor approved medical visits only.

I believe Matt White was fired for what appeared to be actively participating in a doping coverup for a rider while with the team. His prior associations may or may not have been known. If they were known then he was already on his second chance and blew it.

 

[Catwhoorg]

I definitely more of a fan of the Garmin approach.

This stinks of reinforcing omerta, even if the popular press will probably like it.

 

[T-Nielsen]

Any news on who will be picking up Rogers for next year ?

I don't like this "holier then thou" approach from Sky.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

I believe Matt White was fired for what appeared to be actively participating in a doping coverup for a rider while with the team. His prior associations may or may not have been known. If they were known then he was already on his second chance and blew it.

No JV confirmed there was no doping problems at all - which is why GreenEdge had no issues hiring him - JV told GE that there was no doping involved. Just a standard quarterly health check as mandated by UCI.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

The point was more to separate "disliking Sky" from "disliking Britain/Britons" given the conflation of the two (and the blurring of the distinction between the two in cycling terms), but I do see how it reads that way.

Your point was well made and I was probably being a bit facetious - it just struck me as quite funny.

I think one possible issue with some British people taking it personally is that there has only been the odd British rider that has done well in road racing history. Naturally, when one team does so well (out of seemingly nowhere) then there is an increased focus on them. It is frustrating that you wait all this time for a British team to come along and when it does everyone wants to criticise them. Note. I am not saying that the criticisms are unwarranted...

In a funny way I think I enjoyed cycling more when there was no Sky for the sheer reason that I only supported riders who attacked. It did not matter if they won or not, where they were from or who they were racing for. Now I feel compelled to support Sky as well. Oh well...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Any news on who will be picking up Rogers for next year ?

I don't like this "holier then thou" approach from Sky.

who says he's leaving?

 

[Franklin]

Now I feel compelled to support Sky as well. Oh well...

I stepped away from that after 1984 when my idol (Winnen) bombed and his nemesis of he year before (Lolo) crushed everyone again in the most exciting style ever. I simply couldn't maintain not being a fan of such a fantastic guy... and that was the end of my juvenile nationalistic supportership.

I'm (still) a fan of cycling, nationality means nothing to me.

 

[MartinGT]

I must admit I get annoyed with the Brit bashing that goes on here.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I must admit I get annoyed with the Brit bashing that goes on here.

Welcome to the world of dirty Southern Europeans.