Team Sky Squads for the Grand Tours

[Escarabajo]

If Henao is planned to do the Tour-Vuelta double instead of Giro-Vuelta double, that could mean Uran would be the designated leader instead of him. Hmm...

I am not sure if they are worried about that right now. Their main focus now is the Giro-Tour. So it seems.

 

[JRanton]

True, but the thing is, this morning Wiggins said at Tuttobiciweb that Henao will be his right-hand in the Giro.

«Nei giorni scorsi non sono riuscito a completare la ricognizione come volevo, ma dopo il Trentino avrò tempo e modo di provare la cronometro. In ottica Giro la condizione è complessivamente buona, l’avvicinamento è stato simile a quello del Tour dell’anno scorso, ho buone sensazioni. Henao sarà all’altezza di sostituire Froome, ho piena fiducia in lui».
http://www.tuttobiciweb.it/?page=news&cod=57902&tp=n

Ah right, confusing. Maybe Brailsford means that if Wiggins hasn't recovered well enough for the Tour then Henao will ride it instead (despite him also having ridden the Giro).

So possibly Giro-Tour for Henao, maybe Giro-Vuelta for Wiggins depending on how he feels after the Giro.

 

[liamito]

Ah right, confusing. Maybe Brailsford means that if Wiggins hasn't recovered well enough for the Tour then Henao will ride it instead (despite him also having ridden the Giro).

So possibly Giro-Tour for Henao, maybe Giro-Vuelta for Wiggins depending on how he feels after the Giro.

Could be, it seems unlikely to me, but with regard to all the given quotes the only remaining option.

 

[CycloAndy]

I think that cycling weekly article has only really confirmed that Kennaugh and Cataldo will be there, as expected. The other sources seem to confirm Lopez and Zandio (despite what the CW article says) as well. Reckon Knees and Siutsou are a given as well.

That means Wiggins, Kennaugh, Cataldo, Lopez, Zandio, Knees, Siutsou are a given and would say the choices remaining are Uran/Henao (for the climbs) and Kiryienka/Pate (for the team time-trial and the flats).

 

[JRanton]

I am not sure if they are worried about that right now. Their main focus now is the Giro-Tour. So it seems.

It would seem pretty unfair on Henao if he has to be a domestique at both the Giro and the Tour. At least missing the Tour gives him time to prepare for the Vuelta. Hopefully Wiggins recovers well from the Giro, but I've had a feeling for a while that Wiggins won't want to go to the Tour and play second fiddle to Froome.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

It would seem pretty unfair on Henao if he has to be a domestique at both the Giro and the Tour. At least missing the Tour gives him time to prepare for the Vuelta. Hopefully Wiggins recovers well from the Giro, but I've had a feeling for a while that Wiggins won't want to go to the Tour and play second fiddle to Froome.

would be the final nail in the coffin for him. I think he will refuse to do the tour and or leave the team when they want him to do that.

 

[JRanton]

would be the final nail in the coffin for him. I think he will refuse to do the tour and or leave the team when they want him to do that.

We will have to wait and see. I'd be surprised if they made him do that because he impressed greatly at the early season training camps and there was a lot of talk about him leading at the Vuelta. His performances in races should only have improved his prospects of leading at the Vuelta. Reality is though that winning the Tour with Froome is much more important to Sky, so if they need another climber then Henao has to go to France.

 

[CycloAndy]

I don't think Henao will do both (the Giro and TDF), think he will do one and Uran will do the other, before they share leadership at the Vuelta. or would that be too sensible?

My thoughts were that Uran would have been promised the Vuelta leadership being the elder of the two, and Henao is given a leadership role at a few minor tours (vuelta al pais vasco and vuelta ao algarve) this year then get to be a GT team leader next year.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

uran is not given leadership anywhere except in the classics with henao.

 

[JRanton]

I don't think Henao will do both (the Giro and TDF), think he will do one and Uran will do the other, before they share leadership at the Vuelta. or would that be too sensible?

My thoughts were that Uran would have been promised the Vuelta leadership being the elder of the two, and Henao is given a leadership role at a few minor tours (vuelta al pais vasco and vuelta ao algarve) this year then get to be a GT team leader next year.

If you only send one of the Colombians with Wiggins and something happens to them (crash/illness) then Wiggins will be completely exposed once the favourites start attacking in the final week. If Sky are serious about winning the Giro with Wiggins then they need to send both of the Colombians along with Lopez, Cataldo and perhaps even one of the Belarussians as well.

 

[CycloAndy]

If you only send one of the Colombians with Wiggins and something happens to them (crash/illness) then Wiggins will be completely exposed once the favourites start attacking in the final week. If Sky are serious about winning the Giro with Wiggins then they need to send both of the Colombians along with Lopez, Cataldo and perhaps even one of the Belarussians as well.

You may be right but I don't think a team of Zandio, Lopez, Cataldo and Siutsou would be too bad a team for the climbs even in the event that Henao/Uran crashed. Especially with Pate, Kennaugh and Knees for the flats.

Ryo, my thinking was that Uran might not have been offered leadership yet (although you can argue that at Volta ao Algarve he had joint leadership), because they were getting Henao to peak for the Giro and Uran to peak later for the Vuelta?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

henao was told he was going to be their leader for the vuelta already back in february

 

[Miburo]

uran is not given leadership anywhere except in the classics with henao.

That's a good choice. He's not of the same caliber as henao for example.

Although who would have though that about Porte?

Maybe Uran can do after all...

 

[wwabbit]

If Sky are serious about winning the Giro with Wiggins then they need to send both of the Colombians along with Lopez, Cataldo and perhaps even one of the Belarussians as well.

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.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

if henao ride sthe tour he will be the last man. he's a better climber than porte obviously. no rider can basiclaly do the tour vuelta double. so now it would be very bad if henao was to ride the tour.

 

[JRanton]

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.

Not really because Froome is a better climber than Wiggins, can respond to accelerations and he'll have Porte, Kiryienka, Thomas, EBH etc available to him anyway. Thomas will be Rogers-esque in the Tour and as for Kiri, he hasn't even been to Teide yet, so god knows how good he'll be in July!

 

[Pentacycle]

if henao ride sthe tour he will be the last man. he's a better climber than porte obviously. no rider can basiclaly do the tour vuelta double. so now it would be very bad if henao was to ride the tour.

How's Quintana gonna deal with that?

 

[CycloAndy]

Does anyone think that Stannard will be at the TDF? He would make a great domestique for the flatter sections. Him, Kiryienka and Eisel would be a formidable line up for the flats!

 

[JRanton]

Does anyone think that Stannard will be at the TDF? He would make a great domestique for the flatter sections. Him, Kiryienka and Eisel would be a formidable line up for the flats!

Yes, perfectly possible. Kiryienka won't be used for the early donkey work. If he does work on the flats then it will be between mountains on the big climbing stages.

 

[jaylew]

we cna only hope, but I really, really doubt it. this is disatsrous news for henao, as he will be empty after the tour obviously. sky may rot in hell on my part. hope henao realises it like uran and will leave the team after this season.

What did Uran say?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

How's Quintana gonna deal with that?

we will see about that. I hope he falls under "basically" the exception

quintana's base level like henao is incredibly high though, so even not in topshape he's very strong. only problem is, if he's tired he's going to fade of course

 

[Escarabajo]

We will have to wait and see. I'd be surprised if they made him do that because he impressed greatly at the early season training camps and there was a lot of talk about him leading at the Vuelta. His performances in races should only have improved his prospects of leading at the Vuelta. Reality is though that winning the Tour with Froome is much more important to Sky, so if they need another climber then Henao has to go to France.

Maybe Sky knows that they can not keep Henao after this season. Might be too expensive and might also want leadership role in a British Team. So maybe, just maybe he is expendable for them and could use him the way they want or the way that can fulfill their goals.

 

[CycloAndy]

Maybe Sky knows that they can not keep Henao after this season. Might be too expensive and might also want leadership role in a British Team. So maybe, just maybe he is expendable for them and could use him the way they want or the way that can fulfill their goals.

I think Henao will stay. Wiggins won't be able to compete in GTs for much longer so then Sky can have Froome, Porte and Henao as GT leaders with Uran as a back-up.

 

[Froome19]

You are obviously not part of the intended audience of this thread. On the behalf of everyone that has contributed to this thread, I would like to sincerely apologize to you for your time wasted reading this thread. We wish you a nice day and hope that you will enjoy participating in the other threads in this forum.

Nice ....

 

[Afrank]

Maybe Sky knows that they can not keep Henao after this season. Might be too expensive and might also want leadership role in a British Team. So maybe, just maybe he is expendable for them and could use him the way they want or the way that can fulfill their goals.

Snatch up one the biggest climbing talents around, use him for mountain work, then when he gets too ambitious, toss him aside. Yep, that sounds like something Sky would do.
Henao will likely leave after this season I think, so I wouldn't doubt that Sky might do this. Really hope he is at least given leadership in the Vuelta at least though, and that Sky don't send him to the Tour before.