Tour of Britian Team Manager Questions...

[fusion_todd]

Hey, I'm writing an article about the Tour of Britain and have the opportunity to speak with the team managers of some of the top UK domestic teams.

What would you want to know from them? Any info about nutrition, race preparation, what they have done during the season so far? Anything!

Would be a massive help as always good to know what people want to know from the teams rather then just what I think they want to know!

Thanks in advance! Fire away...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I would really be interested to know how the advent of Team Sky has affected them; in terms of competition, in terms of exposure (eg how the Nationals are now a Sky parade, does that affect the teams in terms of marketability or morale?), whether they would like more stage races and how they feel they could go about getting that.

 

[argyllflyer]

On this week's (much improved) Cycle Show, Ned Boulting was advocating Tour of Britain being upgraded to World Tour status (unlikely unless we re-locate to Asia!) but that would be really bad for the Continental teams as they'd all be discounted under the present rules. There is the new once day London race coming in, but it'd be a shame if none of the Continental teams could enter a high profile stage race in the UK. My question would be along the lines of what is the future for cycling in the UK outside of the World Tour. What kind of developments would best suit the sport and develop it as a high profile spectator attraction. Tour of Britain to .HC level? A new stage race alongside ToB that might be a .WT event? Could one of the British squads i.e. Endura step up to Pro Continental?

 

[jimycooper]

How are riders on the continental teams treated by the WT teams?

What can be done in terms of increasing the numbers of British talents that are able to compete at TOB level, for example from the amount of quality racing in Britain, from prem cal level to lower continental level - or in terms of development squads like the GB 100 percent ME and the newlook rapha focus?

 

[LugHugger]

What can/is being done to address the police's antipathy towards providing rolling roadblocks? Too many races have been cancelled due to promoters being unable to secure the parcours. Given the Big Bang in British cycling participation and a potential flood of new racers, how is the sport going to address races on closed roads? Don't accept the closed circuit (Hog Hill, Brands Hatch, Olympic VeloPark) response! This might be BC question rather than team managers but I'm sure that they have an opinion and it might be good to get it out there in the media.

 

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to find more challenging routes that also show GB off well like they do in France.

We have a very good climb in Dorset, starting from the foot of the Marshwood Vale and reaching Pilsdon Pen, the highest hill top in Dorset? Really steep that one.

 

[B_Ugli]

Many people feel that the state of Britains roads have worsened since the recession and councils are spending less on repairs.

Just how many wheels do you wreck as a team on British roads each year?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Samu riding it. wow.

 

[mudplugger]

Do the other managers see Endura's total dominance of the British races as positive or negative? Has it raised standards by causing others to work harder or just been demoralising. What is their view of next season when it is highly likely Endura will not be there?

To Endura...how did their riders who were pulled out of the European shop window for 2-3 months to ride a load of British (and in career terms pretty meaningless) non UCI races (Tour Series & Premiers) feel about it?

 

[Froome19]

How has the British success on the World Tour platform, particularly the success of Wiggins and to a degree Cavendish, affected the Domestic platform and their teams.

Has it increased popularity amongst sponsors? Has it increased interest amongst younger cyclists? Has it increased interest from teams and riders abroad? etc etc