Team Sky, the future of their squad.

[Sneekes]

The ability to purchase favour is wrong in most civilised thought. It should be frowned upon regardless of who the teams buy. BMC and Cervelo have bought big names. They are doing the hard yards in the Continental license category. Why not Sky and the Shack?

This uncivilised mind recognises that professional sport is a business. Sky and Shack are not "purchasing favour" - they're simply acquiring riders using the available resources - they should not be hamstrung by other teams inability to compete.
If I'm opening a new factory, and I can afford the best plant and the best staff - I go out and buy them, I don't start out with second hand plant and an inexperienced workforce unless I'm strapped for cash.

I think I understand your view that teams should compete at least a year in pro-continental before pro-tour, and I wouldn't be against that as a rule - but it would need to be a rule, and not just a vague corinthian notion that is obviously not universally held.

The British winner in 5 years thing isn't offensive at all. It's stupid - because they've set themselves a goal that they are unlikely to achieve, and is to a large extent out of their control, and raises the issue that Maltiv pointed out.
It is arrogant, but arrogance is not out of place in cycling!

 

[Anonymous]

Team sky's future is Peter Kennaugh.. that simple..

 

[Andy99]

Nothing is wrong with stating they aim to win the Tour in 5 years. I don't think they have a hope with a British rider, no offense intended. I'm a realist and call it as I see it. But add in Maltiv's point and consider the negotiations, PR talk and overall undertaking and you combine these together Sky don't look so rosy any more.

The Tour winner in 5 years. Look at Wiggins statements this year and his change in attitude. Then consider how on earth could he possibly deliver on all of it. Natural talent? He's not that much of a freak. Contador is but he's the only one apart from Cancellara in the peloton. The subtle undertone is that something foul has been planned (clinic talk).

You entirely missed the point about Vancansoleil and Skil Shimano. Teams have to prove they deserve a Pro Tour license. Continental teams have done this. They should have been upgraded as the UCI rules indicate this. Letting Sky and the Shack jump queue only enables those with long lines of credit to get away with whatever they want. This is not a good thing. The ability to purchase favour is wrong in most civilised thought. It should be frowned upon regardless of who the teams buy. BMC and Cervelo have bought big names. They are doing the hard yards in the Continental license category. Why not Sky and the Shack? It is nothing more than elitism (ever heard of the saying that superior beliefs nurture superior attitudes, aka arrogance and narcissism). Mind you this has nothing to do with their riders. This is a management and authoritative issue with the UCI.

Probably a valid point, though as far as I'm aware neither Cervelo nor BMC actually have any desire to be part of the ProTour.

 

[timturpinfleck]

Team sky's future is Peter Kennaugh.. that simple..

and that was the impression I got when watching ITV4's highlights of the TdF when they talked about a future British winner while showing Peter Kennaugh at the nationals - he finished on the podium of the National Road Race for the second year running and he or Froome are likely to win that next year with a strong Sky presence at the nationals. Time will tell mind with regards to him being a British GC contender but he is probably our best hope in the next 5 years.

 

[Anonymous]

EbH and Juan Antonio Flecha doing pretty hectic classics schedules...
Here under races>2010 rider stats

 

[auscyclefan94]

Nothing is wrong with stating they aim to win the Tour in 5 years. I don't think they have a hope with a British rider, no offense intended. I'm a realist and call it as I see it. But add in Maltiv's point and consider the negotiations, PR talk and overall undertaking and you combine these together Sky don't look so rosy any more.

The Tour winner in 5 years. Look at Wiggins statements this year and his change in attitude. Then consider how on earth could he possibly deliver on all of it. Natural talent? He's not that much of a freak. Contador is but he's the only one apart from Cancellara in the peloton. The subtle undertone is that something foul has been planned (clinic talk).

You entirely missed the point about Vancansoleil and Skil Shimano. Teams have to prove they deserve a Pro Tour license. Continental teams have done this. They should have been upgraded as the UCI rules indicate this. Letting Sky and the Shack jump queue only enables those with long lines of credit to get away with whatever they want. This is not a good thing. The ability to purchase favour is wrong in most civilised thought. It should be frowned upon regardless of who the teams buy. BMC and Cervelo have bought big names. They are doing the hard yards in the Continental license category. Why not Sky and the Shack? It is nothing more than elitism (ever heard of the saying that superior beliefs nurture superior attitudes, aka arrogance and narcissism). Mind you this has nothing to do with their riders. This is a management and authoritative issue with the UCI.

The reason that the Shack have jumped the queue is because of Lance armstrong, sky have jumped the queue to get a protour liscence because they want to make the sport bigger in more countries.

I personally think that Euskatel and lampre are a waste of space in the Protour. Euskatel have withdrawn from the giro. What a joke. With those teams out BMC and Cervelo should have their place in the protour.

 

[lucybears]

Bradley Wiggins is aiming to win the Tour de France and an Olympic gold medal in the same year in 2012.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,15264_5765159,00.html

 

[Moondance]

Bradley Wiggins is aiming to win the Tour de France and an Olympic gold medal in the same year in 2012.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,15264_5765159,00.html

Good for him.... Good luck getting on the pursuit team BTW Brad, it's not like there are a dozen or so great riders hungry to take your place or anything.

 

[Anonymous]

Good for him.... Good luck getting on the pursuit team BTW Brad, it's not like there are a dozen or so great riders hungry to take your place or anything.

never gonna happen.. i dont see any way brad will get in the team pursuit side unless the entire squad get swineflu

 

[Clemson Cycling]

The reason that the Shack have jumped the queue is because of Lance armstrong, sky have jumped the queue to get a protour liscence because they want to make the sport bigger in more countries.

If you don't think Armstrong has grown the sport, in America especially, you must not have watched too much cycling over the past ten years. Armstrong has grown the sport on this side of the pond more then any other athlete has grown their sport in history

 

[Murray]

BMC and Cervelo have bought big names. They are doing the hard yards in the Continental license category. Why not Sky and the Shack?

I'm pretty sure it's because neither Cervelo or BMC applied for Pro Tour status, not because the other teams bypassed them.

 

[Angliru]

I personally think that Euskatel and lampre are a waste of space in the Protour. Euskatel have withdrawn from the giro. What a joke. With those teams out BMC and Cervelo should have their place in the protour.

What marketing interests would Euskatel have in Italy? They are a Basque government sponsored team. They also represent Spain's strongest cycling supporting region. Teams are not required to field a team in all 3 grand tours.
What has BMC done as a team to deserve taking Euskatel or Lampre's places in the Pro Tour? To reiterate a point made earlier, Cervelo has no desire to be part of the Pro Tour.

 

[Angliru]

If you don't think Armstrong has grown the sport, in America especially, you must not have watched too much cycling over the past ten years. Armstrong has grown the sport on this side of the pond more then any other athlete has grown their sport in history

I'm there are facts to back up this bs of a statement. That's like him being the most tested athlete in sports or wasi in the history of sports?

 

[Anonymous]

What marketing interests would Euskatel have in Italy? They are a Basque government sponsored team. They also represent Spain's strongest cycling supporting region. Team

i think thats more likely political, or protecting their riders from over enthusiastic italian testers.. but thats clinic territory

 

[auscyclefan94]

What marketing interests would Euskatel have in Italy? They are a Basque government sponsored team. They also represent Spain's strongest cycling supporting region. Teams are not required to field a team in all 3 grand tours.
What has BMC done as a team to deserve taking Euskatel or Lampre's places in the Pro Tour? To reiterate a point made earlier, Cervelo has no desire to be part of the Pro Tour.

That's a very stupid statement, it's like saying what marketing interest would Radioshack be in any other country? It's to get publicity for the brand name. I think it's fair to have all the best teams in the Protour and lampre and euskatel do not deserve the brand name.

 

[Clemson Cycling]

I'm there are facts to back up this bs of a statement. That's like him being the most tested athlete in sports or wasi in the history of sports?

Just ask Versus/OLN what their tv ratings looked like with LA riding vs not riding in the last ten years.

 

[Angliru]

That's a very stupid statement, it's like saying what marketing interest would Radioshack be in any other country? It's to get publicity for the brand name. I think it's fair to have all the best teams in the Protour and lampre and euskatel do not deserve the brand name.

I'll take the high road and ignore your insulting first sentence. Radioshack sells their product online which is accessible worldwide. Euskatel Euskadi is a Basque government run telephone company.
They obviously believe that their energies are better focused on other events at that time of the year. If you look at the schedule for April there is a large block of Spanish based races that I would think they would want to do well in. Looking at May there is but one Spanish race. Rather than exhaust their resources trying to perform well in April and May they apparently choose to focus on the Spanish based races as well they should.

Given the choice of competing in the Tour, Giro and Vuelta which one's do you think they would select? Just because you would prefer that Cadel and BMC be in the Pro Tour doesn't make it so. Additionally you still choose to ignore the fact that neither Cervelo or BMC have a desire to be part of the Pro Tour for 2010.

 

[BroDeal]

Just ask Versus/OLN what their tv ratings looked like with LA riding vs not riding in the last ten years.

That just goes to show that a large number of viewers are not cycling fans. The are pod people under control of a cult of personality. Over the long term these people are irrelevant. They will disappear as soon as they move on to the celebrity.

 

[Anonymous]

ok.. THIS IS A SKY THREAD....

NOT ANOTHER FRICKING LANCE THREAD

 

[kurtinsc]

That just goes to show that a large number of viewers are not cycling fans. The are pod people under control of a cult of personality. Over the long term these people are irrelevant. They will disappear as soon as they move on to the celebrity.

Actually, from a marketing perspective, you couldn't be more wrong.

The "hardcore" cycling fans will be there regardless. They really don't matter... they're money in the bank. The key is attracting attention from the NON-Cycling fans. That's where money is made. Relatively speaking, there are very few "hardcore" fans of any sport. The casual guy is who marketeers are trying to rake in.

 

[Murray]

Actually, from a marketing perspective, you couldn't be more wrong.

The "hardcore" cycling fans will be there regardless. They really don't matter... they're money in the bank. The key is attracting attention from the NON-Cycling fans. That's where money is made. Relatively speaking, there are very few "hardcore" fans of any sport. The casual guy is who marketeers are trying to rake in.

That is spot on. You can bet that most people who read this forum will watch cycling no matter what the sponsors are.

 

[Rice Daddy]

i dont see any way brad will get in the team pursuit side unless the entire squad get swineflu

Better chance of making the pursuit team and winning gold than getting a whiff of the top step of the TdF podium . . .

 

[lucybears]

Programme de courses de Sylvain Calzati:

Grand Prix Cycliste La Marseillaise
Etoile de Bessèges
Tour du Haut-Var
Paris-Nice
Critérium International
Flèche Wallone
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
Tour de France

 

[Anonymous]

Four days and counting... damn its exciting for us brits..
For those who havnt seen it yet, the unofficial fanpage

 

[ingsve]

Brailsford has said that all riders will ride at least one GT next year. That sounds like they have pretty much all teams for the three GTs mostly figured out already. I wonder how soon we might know who will ride what.

Another thing is that given what the rooster is like it's unlikely that they will be able to support a GC rider in any real way for more than one GT.