Team Ineos (Formerly the Sky thread)

[User Guide]

It was my mistake to take a skybot seriously, sorry about that

LOL,well done you win the interweb.

 

[burning]

I wonder when the British investigation starts up to find how this master of marginal gains forgot to put Froome in a wind tunnel until this year. Sounds like incompetence.

Or this genius team couldnt realize that Froome is the real deal until Wiggo climbed like Froome 2009 on Angliru

 

[ManInFull]

Regardless of whether it's true or not, this is the kind of speculation in the sport today. I admit that I was thinking the same thing.

 

[lemoogle]

I've heard Sky is currently employing 500 ivy league PhD statisticians to get a grasp on the incomprehensibly complex power data they're using. Do you think they're gonna award a Nobel to brailsford for his paradigm changing additions to sports science?

500 ivy league PhD statisticians? there are not THAT many PhDs in statistics coming out of Ivy League unis

 

[BroDeal]

500 ivy league PhD statisticians? there are not THAT many PhDs in statistics coming out of Ivy League unis

Whhoooosshhh!!!

 

[Ripper]

Is this not kind of what the phrase "jour sans" was invented for?

Last i checked, one of the things that riled Paul Kimmage was riders 'never having a bad day'. He wanted to see top riders have bad days; and also wanted to see riders like Martin win.

Bang. Martin wins (thank f***ing god for that!! sorry, irish moment!) Bang. Porte has a bad, no, an awful day, as do several other skyborgs. -

Are we happier? Are we f***!. Proof he's doping, I tells ya! Proof.

Oh this place is going to amuse over the next few weeks by god. Get in the popcorn.

Many of these points are good.

About Porte though ...

I don't think he had that bad of a day, until he got gapped and could not catch back on. Here's the breakdown
- Yesterday's effort was insane. Insane.
- Today he again was covering moves and had a bad moment, got gapped.
- Movistar swept in and just drilled like MoFos.
- Porte maintained the MF gap to 2 minutes for 40-50km solo, against a whole group. That is just sick. Not surprisingly, he ran out of gas and completely died. Regardless of what Sky is doing, it is not like full 1996-99 levels.

 

[Pentacycle]

It still bugs me that Sky even allowed the fullretard mode, when Froome could've been perfectly ahead of everyone if he'd been 30'' slower yesterday. Are Sky that dumb or is Froome just that outragiously talented?

 

[BroDeal]

Regardless of what Sky is doing, it is not like full 1996-99 levels.

The number have established it is more like the full 2001 - 2003 levels.

 

[lemoogle]

Whhoooosshhh!!!

haha I blame the once-a-year british heat, I didn't realise, SeriousSam wasn't being Serious

 

[Mr. 64%]

Of what i can understand, off-days can very well be doping related. I'm not a scientist, so i shouldn't be the one to talk about what affects you negatively in which ways.

But having grown up closely folowing the lovable show that was the 90's , it would be a bummer to say that having an off-day = clean rider.

 

[Benotti69]

Many of these points are good.

About Porte though ...

I don't think he had that bad of a day, until he got gapped and could not catch back on. Here's the breakdown
- Yesterday's effort was insane. Insane.
- Today he again was covering moves and had a bad moment, got gapped.
- Movistar swept in and just drilled like MoFos.
- Porte maintained the MF gap to 2 minutes for 40-50km solo, against a whole group. That is just sick. Not surprisingly, he ran out of gas and completely died. Regardless of what Sky is doing, it is not like full 1996-99 levels.

No one is saying it is at that level. But it aint anywhere near being clean never mind the cleanER crap.

The top teams are up there loads of doms with team leaders.

Movistar today, wow. Cannondale beating up all the other sprinter teams.....lots of team 'performances', not just Sky.

 

[Mr. 64%]

No one is saying it is at that level. But it aint anywhere near being clean never mind the cleanER crap.

The top teams are up there loads of doms with team leaders.

Movistar today, wow. Cannondale beating up all the other sprinter teams.....lots of team 'performances', not just Sky.

Paints a picture of teams doing some "ahead planning" for select stages.

Could explain why Cannondale has looked seemingly weaker than the rest of the sprinter-teams on earlier stages.. Even though it would be strange not to "prepare" for the corsican stages, as they were all tailor-made for Sagan...

 

[Frosty]

How many times has Porte done very well overall on successive mountain stages in a GT while at Sky? Last year he did well on some early climbs but would then sit up and chill out through the rest of the stage. On the way to Le Toussuire he eased off so much he ended up losing 15 minutes on the last climb. Maybe he just isnt as good as people think about doing full mountain stages back to back. He wasnt the only one struggling early on today (and i dont just mean sky) although i think hardly anyone else from the top 20 yesterday wasnt there at the end.

If Kennaugh hadnt had his crash then he would have been up there IMO. If Thomas hadnt crashed heavily on the first stage then he would probably have been up there too. Thomas might have been able to help EBH out on the reduced group sprints too.

 

[Benotti69]

Paints a picture of teams doing some "ahead planning" for select stages.

Could explain why Cannondale has looked seemingly weaker than the rest of the sprinter-teams on earlier stages.. Even though it would be strange not to "prepare" for the corsican stages, as they were all tailor-made for Sagan...

This sport has produced so much unbelievable stuff that even today's so called Sky collapse could be part of some elaborate plan.

 

[BYOP88]

How many times has Porte done very well overall on successive mountain stages in a GT while at Sky? Last year he did well on some early climbs but would then sit up and chill out through the rest of the stage. On the way to Le Toussuire he eased off so much he ended up losing 15 minutes on the last climb. Maybe he just isnt as good as people think about doing full mountain stages back to back. He wasnt the only one struggling early on today (and i dont just mean sky) although i think hardly anyone else from the top 20 yesterday wasnt there at the end.

If Kennaugh hadnt had his crash then he would have been up there IMO. If Thomas hadnt crashed heavily on the first stage then he would probably have been up there too. Thomas might have been able to help EBH out on the reduced group sprints too.

There you go Porte's GT record before Sky, on MT stages and 'hilly' stages

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?p=1285213#post1285213

 

[Ripper]

No one is saying it is at that level. But it aint anywhere near being clean never mind the cleanER crap.

The top teams are up there loads of doms with team leaders.

Movistar today, wow. Cannondale beating up all the other sprinter teams.....lots of team 'performances', not just Sky.

My point was mainly that Porte did not have such a bad day, he had a moment after just a sick power output both all day yesterday and for the first part of today. Then he did an amazing 50km TT. Some folks seem to think his inability to catch the Movistar group was an indication of his being clean. My response is - only in comparison to 96-99, when such gaps could be closed solo by someone with blood as thick as molasses.

In other words, Porte was still just scary. But regardless of preparations, sh*t still happens.

 

[User Guide]

This sport has produced so much unbelievable stuff that even today's so called Sky collapse could be part of some elaborate plan.

Nah, I dont think you really believe that.If it was an organised thing Porte would of dropped on the penultimate climb rather than making EBH VK PK Stannard work for him all who have been less than stellar or have crashed etc.
Doing it on his his own protecting his and his best buddys image wouldnt be beyond the warped logic of a doper though.

 

[Frosty]

My point was mainly that Porte did not have such a bad day, he had a moment after just a sick power output both all day yesterday and for the first part of today. Then he did an amazing 50km TT. Some folks seem to think his inability to catch the Movistar group was an indication of his being clean. My response is - only in comparison to 96-99, when such gaps could be closed solo by someone with blood as thick as molasses.

In other words, Porte was still just scary. But regardless of preparations, sh*t still happens.

There was talk of others who were with Porte going on ahead and making it to the front group. Porte was not able to stay with them though. Once he was chasing by himself though then it was a bit desperate.

 

[User Guide]

My point was mainly that Porte did not have such a bad day, he had a moment after just a sick power output both all day yesterday and for the first part of today. Then he did an amazing 50km TT. Some folks seem to think his inability to catch the Movistar group was an indication of his being clean. My response is - only in comparison to 96-99, when such gaps could be closed solo by someone with blood as thick as molasses.

In other words, Porte was still just scary. But regardless of preparations, sh*t still happens.

Plenty of riders made it across,Porte only started gaining time/holding time when the fav's bunch eased off as soon as they put hammer down he was gone real quick.Am not implying you can read anything into it,but for whatever "reason" Porte wasnt great today.

 

[Ripper]

There was talk of others who were with Porte going on ahead and making it to the front group. Porte was not able to stay with them though. Once he was chasing by himself though then it was a bit desperate.

It's the good old racing attack and drop the TT'r. Seen it lots of times. Someone is pulling, they have a lull and boom. Off go some folks. Because you've been giving full gas, you cannot accelerate right then. So back to work you go and the cycle repeats. Porte was so strong yesterday that no one was going to share workload with him. Just wait till the moment and then go.

Most folks have those down moments. Perhaps Porte has developed a tell that indicates when he's suffering just a bit more.

EDIT: add to this yesterday's mammoth effort and the first part of today, and you have a recipe for crash and burn.

 

[Trond Vidar]

Anyone know what happened to Kiryienka today? I haven't found a statement or interview about it yet.

 

[Pulpstar]

Last team I can remember with performances as up and down as this in a race was


VINI FANTINI

 

[DirtyWorks]

... Porte maintained the MF gap to 2 minutes for 40-50km solo, against a whole group. That is just sick. Not surprisingly, he ran out of gas and completely died. Regardless of what Sky is doing, it is not like full 1996-99 levels.

Pull 40-50K on enormous climbs the day after riding the peloton off his back wheel isn't a sign of doping? Did lots of riders do that before the 1990's?

Since this is Pro Cycling, there's a range of things from ASO organizing some sports fraud to Movistar's great execution of a plan that are possible explanations for today.

I'd be tremendously surprised if Porte is not back on that third step of the podium by week three. Yesterday's display of power was ridiculous.

 

[Cycle Chic]

This sport has produced so much unbelievable stuff that even today's so called Sky collapse could be part of some elaborate plan.

Benotti I cannot believe you have been sucked in to Sundays display from Sky. The WORLD'S PRESS were calling it as' FROOME IS ARMSTRONG.., back to the old days, ..embarrassing,..USPS'

What could Sky do to alleviate THE ACCUSATIONS ?? exactly what they did...pretend the whole team has collapsed from one of their 'usual days at the office'....which by the way they have been doing for the last 2 years....and hey presto problem solved....everyone believes the CHARADE.

 

[hrotha]

I don't think that's it, honestly. Leaving Froome completely isolated for so long on purpose would have been way too reckless.