Ruby United said:
True. But he hasn't had a proper chance to prove it. And when he has had the chance so far this year he has proven himself.
He was a domestique on Saxo Bank last year for Contador. He was next to useless climbing wise in the mountains of the Giro in 2011. Sky climbing pedigree is about as good as BMC. Froome is good. Very good. He's been off all season. Uran is the next best. Rogers and Porte get on the team because their chrono is good enough to gauge Wiggins on and thus they can set pace on the flat or in a chase if needed plus they are meh climbing wise. Not great but they'll suffice. Versatility is where Porte ranks. He's not a wonderful climber and never will be.
Also, though only mild mountains, he has already shown himself in the paris nice stage where westra won, being by far the most effective rider to wiggins on that stage, and of course also in Algrave.
Even though these aren't the most 'fearsome' of mountains, it's the only chance he has had so far this year, and he has risen up to the 'challenge' in these cases.
And, i feel, he will show in the tour that he is best domestique. It is his first chance to propely show how good he is in the mountains.
Just wait and see.
I have seen. In the Giro, riding for Contador. He's shown he can get time, if allowed in a break. Domestique at the end of three weeks? He'll be way down. Way down. It would require form he has never ever shown. Froome is a MUST for team Sky. I'd take Thomas as well and Lovkvist. But Sky will probably take the Dauphine team with an addition or two. Uran and Froome have to be on the team as climbing domestiques. Wiggins biggest weakness. They must bolster him and have guys to carry him because he will need the help. They want to podium at the Tour? Cav and Eisel have to go. Period. No discussion. They cannot be on the team. They'll get on.
I call it madness. Someone at team Sky needs to be kicked 'Leonidas' style into a deep, deep pit/well and left to think happy happy thoughts for a very long time.
Radioshack climbers/or guys who can pull hard on a climb for a leader - Kloden, Fuglsand, Horner, Rohregger, Tiago Machado, Monfort, Zubeldia, Jens Voigt, Gerdemann, Franck Schleck and then Andy Schleck.
Contrast with team Sky. Compare to BMC. Now deduct the presumed GC leaders. Get the point? Without adding in Cancellara and Rast or even Popovich, two of whom can cover roles, this side is on paper considerably stronger than Sky. Climbing wise they are vastly superior. Only Froome, Uran and Lovkvist have any recent GT climbing results that match team Radioshack and that's the minor guys I listed.
Team Sky doesn't have the strongest climbers in the world. They have a good team...but last year, they had to make a go of a race where their leader crashed. Stage hunting won't happen this year with their slated aspirations and aims. Radioshack turn their mess of a year around and don't crash like last year...they on paper are arguably the strongest team.
Strongest team however doesn't mean strongest GC rider. One still has to match the pace of the guys pulling up front. One has to still attack. Back in 2010, the strongest climbing pace was from Saxo Banks domestiques and Contadors two Spanish compatriots. When they put the pace on, only AC and Andy stayed with them. Sky don't have riders like that. Liquigas, Astana, Katusha, BMC, Garmin, Euskatel...all have strong climbing domestiques. All of them. Sky don't have some advantage over everyone else. Actually going full steam and doing all the work would be moronic. They need to share the effort. Sky can't do everything. They don't have the talent to. Nobody does.
Now Sky has new riders for the potential Tour squad over last year. Siutsou, Henao, Rogers and Porte to throw into the mix but seriously, they don't make Wiggins improve. For every one of them, I can replace them with a superior rider on the Shack if both riders turn up in form. I'd take Cobo or Valverde as a domestique over ANY Sky rider. Or Basso, or Franck Schleck, Cancellara, or even Vinokourov. Sky are over hyped. Their proven GT performer ironically is the one guy who conflicts with their lofty goals and should be left behind out of the squad in this years Tour. That's irony for you.
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