Team Sky Suggestions/Improvements

[catmiles]

Let's all get behind and back Team Sky in the upcoming new season!

This was there first season it was always gonna be a bit tough, new people to work with, new team to organize and all this pressure as a british team and the expectations to do well.

What does everyone think to the past season? and how do you believe they can improve?

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

I believe we should do that a bit later this year.
There's still the Vuelta and the September classics, the Tour of Britain and the October classics.
Then I'll talk Team Sky achievements.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Let's all get behind and back Team Sky in the upcoming new season!

This was there first season it was always gonna be a bit tough, new people to work with, new team to organize and all this pressure as a british team and the expectations to do well.

What does everyone think to the past season? and how do you believe they can improve?

You do know the season doesn't end after the TDF? Come back at the end of October and ask that.

 

[taiwan]

Suggestions:

Use Wiggins more throughout the year, rather than saving him for the Tour.

Hold on to Lofkvist and Possoni at all costs.

Get another experenced Classics threat on board

...

 

[ingsve]

Hold on to Lofkvist and Possoni at all costs.

I think Löfkvist signed a three year contract so he will probably be around for another two years at least.

 

[Ryaguas]

Lets see if they can save his season in La Vuelta and October Classics

 

[Kwibus]

People are very focused on SKY on this board, but that's their own fault since they had a bit of a big mouth when the team was formed.

They actually ain't doing that bad, allthough there were quite a few moments they could've done better. That's something they really need to work on.

 

[ttrider]

Get a GC leader, get some domestiques that can climb and use them (not like Possoni)
Don t back Wiggins for a GC anymore shorely its a mistake you only make once!

 

[Mellow Velo]

People are very focused on SKY on this board, but that's their own fault since they had a bit of a big mouth when the team was formed.

For Sky, you could read Rabo

They actually ain't doing that bad, allthough there were quite a few moments they could've done better. That's something they really need to work on.

Again, for Sky read Rabo.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get a GC leader, get some domestiques that can climb and use them (not like Possoni)
Don t back Wiggins for a GC anymore shorely its a mistake you only make once!

Yes, they need a genuine GT leader, or another one, if you so prefer.
Plus, they need much better mountain domestiques, if they continue to go down the GT line.

They have a very decent sprint train, but lack the final man in the line.
Not that there are many going spare.
Greipel could have been a great investment, but I assume they can't see past that other Columbia guy.

 

[Anonymous]

There is still a lot of the season to go, Vuelta, ToB and the autumn classics so its a bit early to start investigating what if anything went wrong.

So far, nearly 60 podiums, and 20 wins. Not bad for a first season. In comparison (and this was earlier in the week so HTC are +2, as are garmin) HTC 47 wins, Saxo 35 wins, Liquigas 32 wins, Garmin 22 wins, Sky 19, Astana 18, Lampre 18, FdeJ,Katusha & Rabo 15 So in all they arent doing badly.

Positives, Hendo, Flecha, Downing have all done superbly and Eddy Boss is learning slowly.;
Negatives, Arvesen injured and some of the domestiques have looked pretty crap.

The biggest problem for SKy and what they really need to focus on is DS's. Since scott went its all been a bit haphazard with only Sean Yates having serious experience at that Level. De JOngh is learning but the rest have been support staff doing a DS's job. They need at least 1 top quality DS to replace SS and at least one other so the coaches can go back to coaching.

They have a sprint train that shows signs of getting it right, the Vigano (leaving) Henderson, Sutton, Stannard, Downing, Thomas combo is stunning, but often they have got it a bit wrong (like far too early). It takes time, its their first season together, Columbia did not get it right overnight.

Next season. Lose a couple of the makeweights, and bring in 1 top level contender, and a couple of youngsters. Find a DS to replace scott for the spring classics (or pursuede him to come back for three months)

its been a learning experience for the whole team, there were problems early in the season, illnesses, injuries and some other issues, where riders struggled to settle in to erm, some riders take longer to adapt to new training regimes, dietary regimes etc. But things have settled as the season goes on. For me replacing scott is the priority, they have plenty of riders but are very thin on staff.

As for wiggins, not going to say a thing apart from the fact Im sure he is dissapointed with how his season has gone. Hes been a passenger most of the year.

edit: to the classics comment. I think flecha combined with the talent of Stannard and Thomas (who both got very good classics finishes this spring) and possibly EbH and Cummings is enough, for the cobbles along with Lofkvist for the Ardennes

I think the problem for sky is because of the publicity surrounding them, their failings get highlighted, cervelo made mistakes their first season together, but nobody noticed, as have other new teams. Hell, the shack have been outside of the dauphine a fiasco. Takes time.

 

[maltiv]

cervelo made mistakes their first season together, but nobody noticed, as have other new teams.

Can't really argue against 8 GT stages, though.

Sky also needs to learn to adept to the race instead of sticking to a certain plan. As an example, Nordhaug had to bring water bottles for the entire race and even wait for Löfkvist in the final climb at fleche, although Nordhaug surely was their strongest rider that day and could've finished in the top 15. Instead, Löfkvist was 26th and Nordhaug 29th.

They also should have realised far earlier that Wiggins was not gonna be in contention for the TDF, and brought Henderson and perhaps Sutton to the team in order to support Edvald in the sprint (or Henderson, obviously).

I agree with what you say about the DS. They need a new, really talented DS now when Scott is gone. Perhaps some of their tactical mistakes this year comes down to the lack of a decent DS?

But in general, I think their slightly lacklustre season comes down to one major mistake: spending way too much money on Bradley Wiggins, leaving little money to sign other strong riders.

 

[theyoungest]

Can't really argue against 8 GT stages, though.

Sky also needs to learn to adept to the race instead of sticking to a certain plan. As an example, Nordhaug had to bring water bottles for the entire race and even wait for Löfkvist in the final climb at fleche, although Nordhaug surely was their strongest rider that day and could've finished in the top 15. Instead, Löfkvist was 26th and Nordhaug 29th.

They also should have realised far earlier that Wiggins was not gonna be in contention for the TDF, and brought Henderson and perhaps Sutton to the team in order to support Edvald in the sprint (or Henderson, obviously).

I agree with what you say about the DS. They need a new, really talented DS now when Scott is gone. Perhaps some of their tactical mistakes this year comes down to the lack of a decent DS?

But in general, I think their slightly lacklustre season comes down to one major mistake: spending way too much money on Bradley Wiggins, leaving little money to sign other strong riders.

Don't know if there were any signs that Wiggins would be (far) worse at the Tour than he was last year? He did ok in the leadup, winning the Giro prologue and figuring in a few mountain stages. I didn't think he would be able to repeat his 4th place, and maybe Sky should have realized that this wasn't the time trialist-turned-tempo climber kind of Tour, so you could blame them for that, but they'd sign Wiggins as the British Tour hope, so to not use him as such would be a bit stupid.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Let's all get behind and back Team Sky in the upcoming new season!

What if we don't want to?

 

[Sneekes]

Sky also needs to learn to adept to the race instead of sticking to a certain plan.

Spot on.

They're definitely a GC man short. I can't really see any still available though - unless they throw money at someone. I was hoping they'd get Intxuasti but they seem to have missed that boat.

Gerrans has been a huge disappointment for me - but there's still time left in this season - and I can't see him being any worse next year!

 

[ingsve]

The biggest problem for SKy and what they really need to focus on is DS's. Since scott went its all been a bit haphazard with only Sean Yates having serious experience at that Level. De JOngh is learning but the rest have been support staff doing a DS's job. They need at least 1 top quality DS to replace SS and at least one other so the coaches can go back to coaching.

They have Marcus Ljungkvist as well as a pure DS but he is also in the same position as De Jongh with it being his first year as a DS and also his first year of not being a cyclist. Some real experience would be very good for sure. Incidently Cervélo has a little of the same problem which also showed last year.

 

[The Hitch]

Suggestions:

Use Wiggins more throughout the year, rather than saving him for the Tour.

Hold on to Lofkvist and Possoni at all costs.

Get another experenced Classics threat on board

...

they did. He was just so poor you probably didnt realise. I did because eurosport advertised the events by pointing out he was there. eg vuelta pais vasco

And get this. He rode the giro. He didnt pull out after the prologue, he actually rode the giro.
Honest, he did.

 

[ingsve]

It would be interesting to see what Wiggins could do with a season if he wasn't so focused on only the Tour. He could perhaps get some good TT wins which could also net him a GC in a week long stage race. That would not be a bad thing I think. It almost seemed like he wasn't even trying most of the year with all focus just on one race. I guess it may go back to his track days where all focus is on that one championship and not a steady focus on the whole season like road racing usually is.

 

[The Hitch]

i do think they should give wiggins another chance though. But probably best in the vuelta. If he impresses then he can try the tour again. It is their best option, considering they have to keep paying him big bucks.

 

[ingsve]

i do think they should give wiggins another chance though. But probably best in the vuelta. If he impresses then he can try the tour again. It is their best option, considering they have to keep paying him big bucks.

I think he still needs to try the Tour rather than the vuelta especially if they don't get a new big GC star but it should be at the expense of the rest of the season.

One thing I'm not quite clear on though is whether he was simply not in peak form or if he was in form but simply not good enough to follow the best. They'll have to evaluate to see exactly what could be done if anything. I think blaming it on the Giro might not be the best remedy so hopefully they can get some more insight than that.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Spot on.

They're definitely a GC man short. I can't really see any still available though - unless they throw money at someone. I was hoping they'd get Intxuasti but they seem to have missed that boat.

The problem is, giving Wiggins such an enormous salary and talking about getting a British Tour winner in all their hype will only serve to put off any potential GC rider going to them because they know that they won't have the full support of the team. Why should a young rider like Intxausti go to Sky, when they're short of mountain helpers, don't have an experienced GC contender to learn from, and they'll probably have to spend July dragging Wiggins up every cat-1 in France?

 

[auscyclefan94]

- A leadout coach to teach the team to properley perform leadouts or some new leadout men who already know how to leadout.

- A rider for the ardennes

- A gc rider

 

[stefrees]

- A leadout coach to teach the team to properley perform leadouts or some new leadout men who already know how to leadout.

- A rider for the ardennes

- A gc rider

As much as you like to diss sky, you have hit the nail on the head- whether or nit that was your intention

 

[stefrees]

The problem is, giving Wiggins such an enormous salary and talking about getting a British Tour winner in all their hype will only serve to put off any potential GC rider going to them because they know that they won't have the full support of the team. Why should a young rider like Intxausti go to Sky, when they're short of mountain helpers, don't have an experienced GC contender to learn from, and they'll probably have to spend July dragging Wiggins up every cat-1 in France?

I'd love to see sky sign someone in the mould of Intxausti but I can never see it happening, same with uran. it seems beyond sky remit. For pretty much reasons you suggest

 

[taiwan]

they did. He was just so poor you probably didnt realise. I did because eurosport advertised the events by pointing out he was there. eg vuelta pais vasco

And get this. He rode the giro. He didnt pull out after the prologue, he actually rode the giro.
Honest, he did.

I suppose I meant in more of a team role, maybe in the train.

 

[Anonymous]

- A leadout coach to teach the team to properley perform leadouts or some new leadout men who already know how to leadout.

On occasions they have got it right, but it seems to the same old riders involved, tour down under, picardie etc. Vigano, Swift, Henderson, Downing etc. The leadout hasnt worked with other riders involved. But like i say, you dont get a train overnight and they are never going to be going for sprint wins in the grand tours like columbia, i think they are happy picking up sprint wins in smaller races as they did in Picardie etc.

Still think a DS is the biggest problem facing sky. Scott Sunderland is a huge loss, without him in the spring they are ******ed.

when you say a gc rider do you mean a tour de france gc rider? Lofkvist has the ability to do well in either the giro or the vuelta.