Team Sky Squads for the Grand Tours

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Not sure why they would need both Eisel & Stannard with EBH and Thomas there already.

Given the newly founded rumours on Stannard he may miss out.

 

[Ruby United]

then you'd have to say that Uran would be favourite to replace Wiggins (given that Henao was tired at the Giro and they apparently want him to lead the team at the Vuelta).

But surely Wiggins will be given Vuelta leadership ahead of Henao (especially if Uran races the Tour)?

 

[JRanton]

But surely Wiggins will be given Vuelta leadership ahead of Henao (especially if Uran races the Tour)?

Have you seen the Vuelta route? Anyway, if rumours are to be believed Sky have pretty much given up on Wiggins.

 

[ILovecycling]

Have you seen the Vuelta route? Anyway, if rumours are to be believed Sky have pretty much given up on Wiggins.

Which is good for them,and Henao

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

You can say the same for Tour de France too... if Sky is serious about winning the Tour with Froome I think they will need to send one of the Colombians along with Porte. So I can definitely see the Colobians being split for Giro and Tour, I just think it makes more sense for the designated leader for the Vuelta to do the Giro.

However, I think it's possible for Henao to support Froome in the tour and then lead the Vuelta. Unlike Froome last year, Henao will not be Froome's last man (that will be Porte's role), will not be competing in the ITTs, will not be leading out Cavendish on the flats, and will not be competing in the Olympics. If Henao does the tour, he will be much more fresher in the Vuelta than Froome was last year.

You do remember he rode the Giro, yeah?

 

[Pricey_sky]

With the TdF coming up, it's time to restart the debates.
Who do you think will make it into Team Sky's squad?
My predictions are:
Froome
Porte
Lopez
Kiriyenka
Thomas
Eisel
Stannard
EBH
And one other?

Possibly Uran in as a helper in the mountains. Also Kennaugh in for Stannard even though I thought Stannard would be in the team it seems unlikely now.

 

[HCl+HN03]

From the Giro Squad I think Siutsov would be the best opporturinaty. He is a good climber, descender and can do some work in the flats. He seems to be lojal with the team, and not raced that much during the spring.

The colombians should be saved to the Vuelta.

 

[CycloAndy]

Not sure why they would need both Eisel & Stannard with EBH and Thomas there already.

Given the newly founded rumours on Stannard he may miss out.

Sorry if I've ha my head in the sand but what are the newly founded rumours about?

I think the plans for Henao have changed so doubt he'll make it. I think Siutsou is the best option from the Giro squad and Kennaugh is the best but still limited option from the rest. If Stannard is out then Knees would be a good option.

 

[JRanton]

Praying Kennaugh will get in, he is the only one you mentioned who actually does have a shot at the Tour. He has been given the chance to show what he can do at the Dauphine and it is crucial he takes it, after an underwhelming start to the year for him.

Don't know about Eisel, possibly but certainly not assured. Stannard is the other rider who isn't assured in reality but he must have done enough this year to earn a place in the team.

From what I have heard I don't think any of the Giro squad will ride the Tour, but I may be wrong..

I'm not sure what role Kennaugh would be able to play that others in the squad wouldn't be better at. He'd have to be climbing extremely well to make the squad. A few people have him pegged as a flat domestique but I've no idea why...

 

[JRanton]

Not sure why they would need both Eisel & Stannard with EBH and Thomas there already.

Given the newly founded rumours on Stannard he may miss out.

Looking at the Tour route, there aren't many stages that Eisel and Stannard would be completely useless on (2 or 3) whereas there are 10+ stages where they'd be very useful. EBH and Thomas won't be doing the early donkey work on the flat so you might as well bring rouleurs like Eisel and Stannard to do that.

 

[Poursuivant]

Kennaugh finished with the peloton today, climbed well.

 

[Froome19]

Kennaugh finished with the peloton today, climbed well.

Needs to beat the competition and nearly all of Sky's team finished with the peloton today..

 

[maxmartin]

EBH is nowhere near his last year Tour form

 

[Gloin22]

EBH is nowhere near his last year Tour form

Why should he be ?

It's June. Not July.

 

[maltiv]

EBH is nowhere near his last year Tour form

Let's not exaggerate, he had one bad day in Dauphine and suddenly he's "nowhere near" last year's form...Well, in ToN this year he was MUCH stronger than last year, dropping guys like Mollema et al on a 5 km climb at 10% without opening his mouth.

Also, he's almost 2 kg's lighter than last year.

 

[theyoungest]

Let's not exaggerate, he had one bad day in Dauphine and suddenly he's "nowhere near" last year's form...Well, in ToN this year he was MUCH stronger than last year, dropping guys like Mollema et al on a 5 km climb at 10% without opening his mouth.

Also, he's almost 2 kg's lighter than last year.

Mollema, the guy who is always bad in his first race back

I'm sure EBH's form is alright, good enough to ride on the front for three weeks in July, but the Tour of Norway is just a nothing race.

 

[maltiv]

Mollema, the guy who is always bad in his first race back

I'm sure EBH's form is alright, good enough to ride on the front for three weeks in July, but the Tour of Norway is just a nothing race.

I agree, but he still was better than he was last year in ToN, which is why it's a relevant comparison.

 

[wwabbit]

You do remember he rode the Giro, yeah?

If you checked the date when my post was written, you would have noticed Giro team had not yet been announced then.

 

[greenedge]

EBH is nowhere near his last year Tour form

When i watched the TV, he seemed to be leading some Sky riders to the front, then 10k later i saw him trying to catch on. Maybe he just decided to take it easy

 

[liamito]

I think Uran will do the Tour. Also because he is leaving the team, there is not really a reason for Sky to keep him fresh for the Vuelta. If they want Henao to be the team leader in Spain, it seems a bit naive to me to think that Uran will act as a support rider there.

 

[CycloAndy]

I think Uran will do the Tour. Also because he is leaving the team, there is not really a reason for Sky to keep him fresh for the Vuelta. If they want Henao to be the team leader in Spain, it seems a bit naive to me to think that Uran will act as a support rider there.

Uran is probably the best climber, which is what they need, as ideally Froome probably needs more than just Porte, Lopez and Thomas for help in the mountains, but will he not be too tired from the Giro to help much?

Also, is you concern that he might not want to help at the Vuelta if he is leaving? If so, I think he would be far more likely to obediently support Henao (at the Vuelta) than Froome at the TdF.

 

[CycloAndy]

Needs to beat the competition and nearly all of Sky's team finished with the peloton today..

I didnt get to see todays stage but by the sounds of it he (Kennaugh) was second to last man and did a great job of keeping attacks in check. Maybe he will make the squad after all.

 

[Froome19]

Yep today's stage was very promising. All the others gave way very quickly after Movistar ramped up the pressure but Kennaugh looked very comfortable and whittled down the group quite considerably.

 

[Froome19]

EBH is nowhere near his last year Tour form

I would say he isn't that far off it.

 

[maltiv]

I would say he isn't that far off it.

Well, that much is pretty obvious after the last 3 days.

Perhaps the most disappointing of Sky's train today was Lopez. He didn't do any turn on the front and was dropped much earlier than for example EBH and G. His TDF spot might not be as safe as first assumed if he keeps riding like this.