The Cav SKY drama

[Zinoviev Letter]

From the front page

I actually found what he was saying about the tactical differences between now and the mid 1990s more interesting. Is he right that teams were much less tactically sophisticated and well drilled even that recently?

 

[Catwhoorg]

Flecha resigned for 2 years through to 2013, so obviously was 2011 expiration, but he is staying.

Its as if the riders don't seem to feel that the Cav signing is going to limit them.

 

[The Hitch]

Do you mean this one? Can't play it though and can't find on Youtube
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zmyxb

Very likely

Although if he has seen the leaked route things may have changed since march 6th 2011 especially considering the Vuelta

I think it's the "history of saying stupid things into the mike without thinking" that explains why he's said exactly the opposite in practically every recent interview.

If he's up for the Olympics at all now, it sounds like the ITT, not the track.

And BC won't allow him to sacrifice Cav's Olympic RR chances, like he did the madison in 2008.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cycling/15022400.stm

Post-Vuelta he says 100% going for Tour GC. Olympics will fit around that goal.

I know hes going for the Tour now. I was just pointing it out. Strange to see someone makes such a statement as to say that everything he does between olympics means nothing compared to London 2012 and now barely half a year later, that life defining moment is to be sacrificed for another goal.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I don't see why Cav will need to win another 5 or 6 stages of each TdF to win green.

But winning 5 or 6 stages is better than winning Green, and Cav's real intent goal.

 

[User Guide]

Very likely








I know hes going for the Tour now. I was just pointing it out. Strange to see someone makes such a statement as to say that everything he does between olympics means nothing compared to London 2012 and now barely half a year later, that life defining moment is to be sacrificed for another goal.

In that 6 months he saw cuddles winning the Tour he also saw the "numbers" it was won with and thought" I can do that"

 

[hatcher]

I know hes going for the Tour now. I was just pointing it out. Strange to see someone makes such a statement as to say that everything he does between olympics means nothing compared to London 2012 and now barely half a year later, that life defining moment is to be sacrificed for another goal.

Deep down I think he lacks confidence. After his 2010 season I bet he was doubting his stage race credentials; suggesting 2011 didn't matter was probably his way trying to lessen his own expectations. As the Dauphine went and the Tour approached there was a definite change in his talk.

The above amateur psychology could all be nonsense though.

 

[usedtobefast]

if i am Sky, i am going full on for Cav, and will give Wiggo some "room" to move also. love or hate, Cav is an amazing talent with a big resume at 26. Wiggo knows this for sure.

 

[thehog]

If there are less bunch sprints for the victory, there will be still be ample point scoring opportunities. If the big points positions have gone to a break away rider who may not score any points again in the three weeks, that won't really be a threat to Cav's green. He will still probably win 8 or 9 bunch sprints, its just that only 2 or 3 of those will be for the stage victory, and the rest for intermediates and remaining finish points.

While Cav is busy wining the green, the rest of the team can get Brad to the end of the stage safely (not mutually exclusive), and then ride for him in the mountains. (Will Cav need a team in the bus on moutain stages?) Brad can then do a Cadel and win the GC in the TT stages.

It appears to be falling apart for Cav and Wiggo. One of them has to step down and work for the other. My suggestion would be that Cav has one more go tomorrow (Friday) and then hands over Eisel and EBH to Wiggins. If the Greipel wins again then Cav won’t be happy and want more chances after the mountains. He hates not being “the man”.

Interesting to note that Lotto seem to be doing a much better job than Sky at splitting the priorities from Greipel and VDB/ Vanendert. VDB seems piano tranquillo.

 

[Froome19]

It appears to be falling apart for Cav and Wiggo. One of them has to step down and work for the other. My suggestion would be that Cav has one more go tomorrow (Friday) and then hands over Eisel and EBH to Wiggins. If the Greipel wins again then Cav won’t be happy and want more chances after the mountains. He hates not being “the man”.
.

How has Wiggin's chances been compromised just yet?

He may have been isolated sometimes but until something goes wrong such a statement can not be made.

 

[cineteq]

If the Greipel wins again then Cav won’t be happy and want more chances after the mountains. He hates not being “the man”.

He must have thrown a tantrum las night at dinner time:"I want my old train back!". Sure enough, they sort of tried today but it was worse than him trying by himself.

 

[thehog]

How has Wiggin's chances been compromised just yet?

He may have been isolated sometimes but until something goes wrong such a statement can not be made.

Inch by inch they are being compromised. Saturday will be a telling day to see how splitting the team up for Cav has hurt Wiggins chances. You can see they’re not a happy team at this point and its barely being held together. One thing going wrong and I can see Wiggins blaming Cav.

 

[Froome19]

We will see...

 

[goggalor]

Sky should've been doing from the start what they did today. Staying on the front with the team and keeping both Wiggo and Cav out of trouble that is, not the part where they left Wiggo in the wind with 3 km to go, and then had EBH pull from 2.9, and then finally made Cav sprint from 15th position...

 

[Ragerod]

Inch by inch they are being compromised. Saturday will be a telling day to see how splitting the team up for Cav has hurt Wiggins chances. You can see they’re not a happy team at this point and its barely being held together. One thing going wrong and I can see Wiggins blaming Cav.

I'd say damage has already been done. HTC Cav would have at least two stage wins and possibly three. Wiggins hasn't been compromised yet, but Cav has big time.

He must have thrown a tantrum las night at dinner time:"I want my old train back!". Sure enough, they sort of tried today but it was worse than him trying by himself.

Tantrum or not, both Brailsford and Wiggins have said post-stage that they went to the front because they were afraid of Brad being caught in a crash after yesterday.

 

[Gloin22]

Lol, you all seem experts in Cav-Wiggo relations *lol*

Now, do you have some insdie info we common people don't have ?

Becasue so far Cav looks to be happy : Funny emotions tonight. Regardless how many stages we win this year, I won't be happy unless we have the yellow jersey in Paris #allezwiggo

Twitts don't mean much - but mean much more than your made up **** relations between them

 

[cycladianpirate]

Can't see Cav going much beyond the first week (perhaps a little PR bidon carrying, leading the group up to the first climb, etc.) and then Sky can settle down to the business in hand.

Frankly, at the moment, he's proving an unwelcome distraction - not his fault, of course, the guy likes winning bike races (and there's nothing wrong with that). However, as many here and elsewhere have said, if he wasn't "Cav", and the World Champion to boot, Sky wouldn't have taken him to the Tour in the first place.

To be honest, Wiggins is so....."unusual", he might like the fact that all the talk is about his teammate and not him.

But, for all that, Cuddles has to love this, he's just got to love this - winning on points without a doubt - he probably sleeps with a smirk on his face....

 

[asdfgh101]

Problem: Split goals, team seemingly unable to assist both riders.

Solution: Eisel drops Cav onto a wheel on flat stages and does bottle carrying (before Cav gets dropped on mountain stages; at which point he drags his bff up the climbs). The rest of the team support Wiggins.

Problem: Sky are spread too thin to defend a yellow jersey for a succession of days.

Solution: If Wiggins takes the maillot jaune after the first time-trial conspire to lose the jersey on one of the two obvious breakaway stages that follow.

 

[zigmeister]

It is pretty clear they are only dedicating maybe 1-2 guys at most to Cav on the sprints. Eisel has seen the deck also, that isn't good. But for the mountains, he isn't really the guy they need. But they did take a hit with one of the main climbing guys.

But hey, if Wiggo is so great, he doesn't need some guy pacing him up, just jump any of the other top climber's wheel, and sit in. You know Cadel and company are going to be up there doing their work, and they've luckily stayed out of trouble at BMC so far.

Just like Cav doesn't really need a lead-out always to win, Wiggo has enough guys to help him get where he needs to be in the mountains....in the end, it is up to Wiggo himself anyway. As long as somebody can keep bringing him water bottles, he should be good to go. You can't get a tow up the mountain, you have to climb yourself.

 

[Jericho]

Seems like an overreaction to one fall. It's happened before to Cavendish. Granted, it's not the same for wither Wiggins or Cavenidsh not having a team solely dedicated to them. but the idea that it cannot work seems a bit silly too. One small hiccup and all of a sudden it's all over... Let's let things play out.

 

[JRanton]

My suspicion pretty much ever since he announced that he was joining Sky is that he has a break clause in his contract allowing him to leave at the end of this year. Note that his contract length was never revealed when he signed. Holm's comments about why Cav joined Sky were pretty enlightening too. Of course what will ultimately force the decision either way is the results that Cav and Wiggins achieve over the next month or so.

 

[ingsve]

You guys are really fast to scream bloody murder. You are saying that Cav has been compromised because he failed to win 1 stage so far. The first sprint stage he won, the second he got taken down in a crash which is something that happens and in the third sprint he failed to win so that must surely be proof that he's done for and should be left to his own devices.

 

[Swabian Lass]

I'm not sure that Cavendish will leaving Sky at the end of the year.

If you look at the longer term, Sky need results, preferably from a British rider Where are they going to get them? This year is Wiggins best chance for the Tour. Can't see him getting such a good chance again. Sure he may (probably will) win more one week races, but who in Britain has heard of Paris-Nice? Sky need Cavendish winning Tour stages because that's where they'll get their publicity from.

 

[maltiv]

I'm not sure that Cavendish will leaving Sky at the end of the year.

If you look at the longer term, Sky need results, preferably from a British rider Where are they going to get them? This year is Wiggins best chance for the Tour. Can't see him getting such a good chance again. Sure he may (probably will) win more one week races, but who in Britain has heard of Paris-Nice? Sky need Cavendish winning Tour stages because that's where they'll get their publicity from.

Wiggins and/or Froome will be contenders for the TDF for several years ahead, so I don't see why they need Cavendish in order to do well at the TDF. Geraint Thomas will surely get some good results in the classics.

Also, Sky has some amazing non-british talents on their squad, but I guess they're irrelevant in the long run.

 

[LugHugger]

Can't see Cav going much beyond the first week (perhaps a little PR bidon carrying, leading the group up to the first climb, etc.) and then Sky can settle down to the business in hand.

Frankly, at the moment, he's proving an unwelcome distraction - not his fault, of course, the guy likes winning bike races (and there's nothing wrong with that). However, as many here and elsewhere have said, if he wasn't "Cav", and the World Champion to boot, Sky wouldn't have taken him to the Tour in the first place.

To be honest, Wiggins is so....."unusual", he might like the fact that all the talk is about his teammate and not him.

But, for all that, Cuddles has to love this, he's just got to love this - winning on points without a doubt - he probably sleeps with a smirk on his face....

That's an interesting opinion and one I'm sure Cadel doesn't share. He's 10 seconds down on the road. I'm willing to bet that he doesn't feel as though he's winning anything at the moment.

 

[noddy69]

Cav doesnt usually get going in the tour till the second week, so to start suggesting things are not going well is a bit premature to say the least. He has a stage already so he is better than usual.

Seriously though, he really is a bit of a bad tempered child before races, leaving little to the imagination on what he thinks of the press. Hope he doesnt take that attitude to the race meetings.