The Sky-Con-O-Meter. Predictions on how much more ridiculous they can get

[BYOP88]

Froome thread. IMHO, Johann Brailsford is doing well deflecting. He's re-spinning the "you can't prove a negative" and adding a bit more life into it compared to Armstrong.

Good times.

Yes, Count Johan Von Brailsfraud is using the USPS play book, but given it a little tweak here and there. #legend.........wait for it..............ary!

 

[thehog]

Words cannot describe.

I have no idea what I'm watching anymore.

Is this still a bike race?

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

Words cannot describe.

I have no idea what I'm watching anymore.

Is this still a bike race?

It's 1980s style cycling, where the top contenders are pedalling squares at the end of a 41+ minute ascent of the Alpe (Quintana and JRod excepted.)

 

[thehog]

It's 1980s style cycling, where the top contenders are pedalling squares at the end of a 41+ minute ascent of the Alpe (Quintana and JRod excepted.)

True. But after Ventoux and a-3?

Ummmm?

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

True. But after Ventoux and a-3?

Ummmm?

Fair comments. Your previous post was a bit overly dramatic if truth be told.

 

[hfer07]

So "faking a hunger knock" is part of the Sky PR nowadays????? WOW - I think they're getting a lot of pressure to even reach that pitch

 

[thehog]

Fair comments. Your previous post was a bit overly dramatic if truth be told.

Not at all.

The entire stage was odd. I'll have to watch the alpe again. It just didn't look real.

Maybe it was? But it doesn't add up.

Senseless attack the base of the climb. Then slowing. Then attacking again. Then bonking. It was just.... odd.....

Especially after Ventoux. Contador was gone.

Exaggerated arms movements for food.

Then Porte came back. And all was good again.

Like I said.

Odd. Just very odd.

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

Post 2nd rest day focus should be on Movistar and Katusha. Highest likelyhood of refills.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Not at all.

The entire stage was odd. I'll have to watch the alpe again. It just didn't look real.

Maybe it was? But it doesn't add up.

Senseless attack the base of the climb. Then slowing. Then attacking again. Then bonking. It was just.... odd.....

Especially after Ventoux. Contador was gone.

Exaggerated arms movements for food.

Then Porte came back. And all was good again.

Like I said.

Odd. Just very odd.

Exactly. The strangest mountain top finish since I don't know when.

 

[DirtyWorks]

It's 1980s style cycling, where the top contenders are pedalling squares at the end of a 41+ minute ascent of the Alpe (Quintana and JRod excepted.)

No pre-EPO performances among the GC contenders. No way.

Slower than no hematocrit limits, EPO-go-go-go grand tour racing, yes.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Team direction

I don't think Froome has enough cycling experience - seriously - I don't think he knows how to race. This is the constant race radio fiasco.

It was Yates and Sutton before..and they knew what they were doing. But since they left its all going to pot. And to add even more confusion is Froome who is clueless. What experience does Brailsford have of road racing ?

Actually this should be in the' Is Brailsford Tactically Inept' thread.

 

[timbo25]

I don't think Froome has enough cycling experience - seriously - I don't think he knows how to race. This is the constant race radio fiasco.

It was Yates and Sutton before..and they knew what they were doing. But since they left its all going to pot. And to add even more confusion is Froome who is clueless. What experience does Brailsford have of road racing ?

Actually this should be in the' Is Brailsford Tactically Inept' thread.

froome is not a good cyclist, but the best athlete

 

[thehog]

Tinkoff calling it

Tinkov’s relationship with the Team Sky boss is interesting. He claims to admire him greatly, but clearly enjoys baiting him, accusing the Briton of being a hypocrite with regard to his 'zero tolerance’ stance. “It is true,” he shrugs. “It is pure hypocrisy. I don’t know if he was pushed by his sponsor, which is [BSkyB owner Rupert] Murdoch, to say this, or whether he said it for the sponsor, but it is all hypocrisy. It is just nice marketing, if you wish. Zero tolerance? Then your members of team should not be over 30, because anyone over that age will have been involved somehow, directly or indirectly.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...osite-Sir-Dave-Brailsford-is-a-hypocrite.html

 

[ray j willings]

Of course DB is a hypocrite. Look how many staff he got rid of due to the knee jerk reaction of the Armstrong case. IMO I doubt Rupert Murdoch knows what is going on with much of his company. He's just a figure head these days. He and his company have turned into all the things he used to be against. All money not much integrity. Instead of Sky injecting some excitement into cycling they injected a load of money and blandness and for 2 years we witnessed some of the most boring racing ever and in Wiggo's case the worst tour winner ever. Thank god for Tinkov and the likes as they have passion and try and put excitement back into the sport. The fact that Froome is only going to ride the tour and not race mano -mano with Contador at the Giro shows how Sky operate. They have no balls and just stack all the odds they can in their favour. Contador is a racer and wants to race and ride win or lose and that brings excitement into the sport not boring marginal gains and special socks and we only race if we don't lose face mentality of Sky.

 

[Parker]

The fact that Froome is only going to ride the tour and not race mano -mano with Contador at the Giro shows how Sky operate. They have no balls and just stack all the odds they can in their favour. Contador is a racer and wants to race and ride win or lose and that brings excitement into the sport not boring marginal gains and special socks and we only race if we don't lose face mentality of Sky.

So why has Contador only previously raced the Giro when he knew he was going to miss the Tour (2008) or thought he was going to miss the Tour (2011)?
And why is he doing it now? He hasn't won the Tour since 2009 (or 2010 if you're a fan). Maybe he should focus on that.

 

[The Hitch]

Thank god for Tinkov and the likes as they have passion and try and put excitement back into the sport. The fact that Froome is only going to ride the tour and not race mano -mano with Contador at the Giro shows how Sky operate. They have no balls and just stack all the odds they can in their favour. Contador is a racer and wants to race and ride win or lose and that brings excitement into the sport not boring marginal gains and special socks and we only race if we don't lose face mentality of Sky.

You lost me when you got to here.

 

[LaFlorecita]

So why has Contador only previously raced the Giro when he knew he was going to miss the Tour (2008) or thought he was going to miss the Tour (2011)?

Because he was still young and wanted to establish himself as a GT star (by winning Tours, exactly what Froome is doing now)

And why is he doing it now?

he wants to challenge himself.

He hasn't won the Tour since 2009 (or 2010 if you're a fan). Maybe he should focus on that.

ICYMI, he is focussing on the Giro and the Tour next year yes, he has a smaller chance to win because he is riding il Giro, but it would be foolish not to try imo

 

[ray j willings]

So why has Contador only previously raced the Giro when he knew he was going to miss the Tour (2008) or thought he was going to miss the Tour (2011)?
And why is he doing it now? He hasn't won the Tour since 2009 (or 2010 if you're a fan). Maybe he should focus on that.

My point is that if Contador can race he will ,even if he is not in his best shape. He will always try something to light up a race , He did that in Evans tour winning year. Sky only seem to enter Froome or Wiggins [before] when they knew the chances of winning/odds are stacked in their Favour. I do enjoy the rivaly of Bertie and Froome and it's a shame that Froome or Sky won't race him in the Giro. Froome originally said he was not going to ride the tour. But now Bertie is def riding the Giro Froome and Sky are hoping on a weakened Bertie so that Froome can win. I think they should be worried about a few others not just Bertie. I doubt that Froome would have raced the tour if Bertie had just focused on the Tour.

Parker did you see my reply concerning my ban on the BR forum, on the other sky thread we posted on ? I can't believe the Sh%t RC has come out with.

 

[sniper]

"... it’s Brian’s responsibility..."

they talk on the phone alot i guess.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/brailsford-resets-team-skys-strategy-for-2015

 

[Sorped]

How "set-in-stone" are the riders' schedules for 2015? Can they change after the season gets going?
I wouldn't put it beyond Oleg Tinkov to try and manipulate Sky like - in march/april Contador "gets an injury" and voíla, a fully fit Contador for le Tour... Whether he would be able to convince Riis is another story

 

[ray j willings]

How "set-in-stone" are the riders' schedules for 2015? Can they change after the season gets going?
I wouldn't put it beyond Oleg Tinkov to try and manipulate Sky like - in march/april Contador "gets an injury" and voíla, a fully fit Contador for le Tour... Whether he would be able to convince Riis is another story

I reckon if Oleg tried that, Sky would pull Froome out of the tour and ride the Vuelta or say he's going into the tour with an injury as to save face if he gets his *** kicked

 

[Electress]

How "set-in-stone" are the riders' schedules for 2015? Can they change after the season gets going?
I wouldn't put it beyond Oleg Tinkov to try and manipulate Sky like - in march/april Contador "gets an injury" and voíla, a fully fit Contador for le Tour... Whether he would be able to convince Riis is another story

Can't honestly see that happening. Contador hasn't showed any signs of backing down about his schedule. I suspect doing the double is a point of pride with Contador now. But anyway, Tinkoff stole the initiative with this double stuff and they still have the PR advantage of having thrown down the gauntlet. That makes others look a little bit like cowards. They would lose all that gain if they jacked in the effort now and went back to just the Tour.

The only thing that could really make AC look bad they way things are is if he was on shocking form and lost the Giro / performed really badly. Then he'd potentially look pretty arrogant. But if he wins the Giro, no matter what in the Tour, he's going to come away either as the guy who lost the Tour having tried to do something epic, or the guy who got the double.

My point is that if Contador can race he will ,even if he is not in his best shape. He will always try something to light up a race , He did that in Evans tour winning year. Sky only seem to enter Froome or Wiggins [before] when they knew the chances of winning/odds are stacked in their Favour. I do enjoy the rivaly of Bertie and Froome and it's a shame that Froome or Sky won't race him in the Giro. Froome originally said he was not going to ride the tour. But now Bertie is def riding the Giro Froome and Sky are hoping on a weakened Bertie so that Froome can win. I think they should be worried about a few others not just Bertie. I doubt that Froome would have raced the tour if Bertie had just focused on the Tour.

I don't disagree that Contador lights up whatever race he's in, but I do think Sky would always have focused on the Tour, tbh. It's the high profile event and all that stuff about it not favouring Froome coz there are hills and little TT is just, frankly, hogwash. Total waste of oxygen.

I worry about what mutantness will emerge out of Brailsford's blank sheet of paper next year. Porte particularly looks like he has marginal gains to claw back from the new revolution that Brailsford is plotting.

 

[pastronef]

Can't honestly see that happening. Contador hasn't showed any signs of backing down about his schedule. I suspect doing the double is a point of pride with Contador now. But anyway, Tinkoff stole the initiative with this double stuff and they still have the PR advantage of having thrown down the gauntlet. That makes others look a little bit like cowards. They would lose all that gain if they jacked in the effort now and went back to just the Tour.

The only thing that could really make AC look bad they way things are is if he was on shocking form and lost the Giro / performed really badly. Then he'd potentially look pretty arrogant. But if he wins the Giro, no matter what in the Tour, he's going to come away either as the guy who lost the Tour having tried to do something epic, or the guy who got the double.

I don't disagree that Contador lights up whatever race he's in, but I do think Sky would always have focused on the Tour, tbh. It's the high profile event and all that stuff about it not favouring Froome coz there are hills and little TT is just, frankly, hogwash. Total waste of oxygen.

I worry about what mutantness will emerge out of Brailsford's blank sheet of paper next year. Porte particularly looks like he has marginal gains to claw back from the new revolution that Brailsford is plotting.

did you watch the Vuelta this year? I seem to remember Contador and Froome were more or less on the same kind of "fuel" if you agree.

so how come Contador is epic and Sky/Froome are coward-dumb?

style of racing? ok agree about it.
super fuel propelled light up racing? no forgiveness for both

 

[ray j willings]

"I worry about what mutantness will emerge out of Brailsford's blank sheet of paper next year. Porte particularly looks like he has marginal gains to claw back from the new revolution that Brailsford is plotting."

I think Froome was in top form when he tried to ride the legs off of Bertie at the Dauphine. Sky and Froome knew Bertie would only get better, that was a real shock for them. that he could not drop Bertie. They really need a TT but they forget that at his best Bertie will not lose much or any time. Porte has lost a lot of weight from recent pics. It does not matter now. Talansky proved at the Dauphine that he could follow the Sky train and beat Froome as well. Unless they have something new in the juice bag I can't see anything major happening.

 

[ray j willings]

did you watch the Vuelta this year? I seem to remember Contador and Froome were more or less on the same kind of "fuel" if you agree.

so how come Contador is epic and Sky/Froome are coward-dumb?

style of racing? ok agree about it.
super fuel propelled light up racing? no forgiveness for both

Its more about how Sky have come into the sport. Loads of money all the marginal gains talk going on about how clean they are yet they had a prominent doping Dr on their books and the results all of a sudden got better. Froomes times in his tour winning year were better times than known dopers and way ahead of all his rivals who were well down on his times.
It's the smug arrogance of Brailsford and the fact that for 2 years Sky turned cycling into a boring soulless bag of dirge racing. It was like watching paint dry.