Two Brits Lead the Tour de France

[LaFlorecita]

Will Team Sky go away when they have their precious British Tour winner..? Please?

 

[SilentAssassin]

You can be certain that Froome will have his own team next tour. I don't see Froome acting as a domestique for Wiggins after this tour.

 

[the asian]

Will Team Sky go away when they have their precious British Tour winner..? Please?

Nope. Brailsford has said he want's to dominate cycling USPS style. There will be no more Grand Tours to Bertie.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nope. Brailsford has said he want's to dominate cycling USPS style. There will be no more Grand Tours to Bertie.

That's not even my main concern. My main concern is that they kill all races, there is no excitement left. Maybe Porte will win il Giro next year

 

[the asian]

That's not even my main concern. My main concern is that they kill all races, there is no excitement left. Maybe Porte will win il Giro next year

Or Kenaugh.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Or Kenaugh.

Also possible. And Froome for TdF, Vuelta double?

 

[Corona]

The big problem for Sky with such a dominant team is "how do you keep them in the team once their contract runs out". Plenty of teams would be in the market for a top GC rider and if Wiggins wins (not a done deal but likely), then you would assume that he would defend his crown next year. So how do you keep guys like Froome, Porte and Rogers happy? Froome already looks to be chomping at the bit for more freedom in riding his own race.

Porte especially and to a lesser degree Mick Rogers would be a great fit for OGE if they wanted to expand their team to include an experienced GT rider, while they wait for the development of young guns like Meyer, Durbridge, Bobridge, Hepburn, etc.

Interesting dilemna for Sky. I don't know enough about Froome to guess where he would consider riding if he left Sky but no doubt he would have many offers to consider. How long are the 3 of them under contract for? It will be a case of beware the raiders for Team Sky.

Well, it's pretty obvious Sky will rely on paying them far more than other teams would. The riders will have to decide what's more important to them, the money or the opportunity to win races.

I actually think Sky could be a real bun fight next year at the tour. Assuming Wiggins wins this year, he will expect to be supported next year. Froome will expect to lead as the parcourse will suit him better than Wiggins. Then you have to throw Cav into the mix, he may be happy to ride as the bottle carrier this year with his hometown Olympics coming up but he certainly won't next year. He's going to expect Sky to fully support him taking the green jersey back.

I think it could get messy with a lot of egos!

 

[Apollonius]

That's not even my main concern. My main concern is that they kill all races, there is no excitement left. Maybe Porte will win il Giro next year

It's a weak field this year so it's unlikely a single team will be able to do this next year. Stop being so melodramatic and childish.

 

[Forunculo]

There is a chance Cavendish will be next KOM

 

[LaFlorecita]

It's a weak field this year so it's unlikely a single team will be able to do this next year. Stop being so melodramatic and childish.

I say and do whatever I want, thank you very much.

 

[movingtarget]

That's not even my main concern. My main concern is that they kill all races, there is no excitement left. Maybe Porte will win il Giro next year

They are only doing what US Postal did for seven years. Nothing new, the only difference is they have two team leaders while Lance was the only one. Bit early to talking about continual dominance for the next few years. No way Wiggins will win next year but I think Froome could have an interesting battle with Contador and Schleck in the mountains and if there is a team
time trial Sky will also have an advantage over Saxo. Porte has definitely improved but not sure whether he has the goods to win a grand tour.

 

[El Pistolero]

Are you kidding? What we are seeing is a seismic shift in the balance of power in the cycling world. The Brits will go on to dominate the road, the same way they have dominated the Track in the past few years. There program is headed by the same man, and they are using the same innovative training methods & technology.
Contador & Schleck will have no chance against this highly professional, innovative team by riding in teams which have outdated training methods.
Cycling in the next decade will be dominated by riders from the Anglo Saxon countries.

It's an Olympic year in London, trust me, next year the Brits will be less.

Every Olympic year we see athletes from host country doing better than ever. Just check the medal table.

There isn't any shifting going on, just lucking out on a talented rider. Wiggins will never repeat, Froome on the other hand...

 

[Tei6chai]

There isn't any shifting going on, just lucking out on a talented rider. Wiggins will never repeat, Froome on the other hand...

LOL

France have obviously just been 'resting' for 30 years and Italy are merely 'pining for the fiords'?

 

[stampedingviking]

Will Team Sky go away when they have their precious British Tour winner..? Please?

Why, to allow a clear run for Mr Dodgy Spanish Beef?

 

[richtea]

It's an Olympic year in London, trust me, next year the Brits will be less.

Every Olympic year we see athletes from host country doing better than ever. Just check the medal table.

There isn't any shifting going on, just lucking out on a talented rider. Wiggins will never repeat, Froome on the other hand...

This study confirms it - except in (track) cycling.

http://www.uksport.gov.uk/docLib/What-we-do/Events/Home-Advantage.pdf

It's not a very sophisticated approach mind you.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Are you kidding? What we are seeing is a seismic shift in the balance of power in the cycling world. The Brits will go on to dominate the road, the same way they have dominated the Track in the past few years. There program is headed by the same man, and they are using the same innovative training methods & technology.
Contador & Schleck will have no chance against this highly professional, innovative team by riding in teams which have outdated training methods.
Cycling in the next decade will be dominated by riders from the Anglo Saxon countries.
Bradley Wiggins has shown us that by professionalism, dedication & sacrifice, a World Class Track Pursuit rider can become a top notch GC rider.
In the future, the grand tours, and especially the Tour will be won by, not by the likes of Pinot, Rolland, Landa or Quintana, but by the likes of Froome, Kenaugh, Bobridge, Durbridge, Hepburn, Van Garderen & Talansky.

First of all, i was talking about next year. Furthermore, this is a jokepost, right? I will repeat: had the Tour THIS YEAR not been tailormade for Wiggings (few real mountain stages, few mountaintop finishes, 100+ k timetrials...) with what we have seen up till now, you can not say Wiggins would have won this TDF. Maybe he would have, maybe not. He's vulnerable uphill, he takes time in the ITT. Next year, the TDF will be different, next year Contador and Schleck will participate, next year half of the top 10 contenders might not crash out.

Get a reality check. Fast.

 

[Dr.Sahl]

The world must be ending soon.

 

[Andy99]

Four riders of Sky. I don't see the rest of Sky doing anything extraordinary. In fact, considering their budget they are underperforming. Guys like Flecha, Zandio, Appolonio never made a step forward (I know some of them are quite old, but so is Wiggins). Does the science not work for them, don't they bother with it or are there other reasons?

You can't polish a turd.

 

[Andy99]

It's a weak field this year so it's unlikely a single team will be able to do this next year. Stop being so melodramatic and childish.

I think she is a child.

Plus if one team is going to be criticised for being dominant - surely conversely, the other teams need to be criticised for sending weak squads??

 

[LaFlorecita]

Why, to allow a clear run for Mr Dodgy Spanish Beef?

Not at all.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I think she is a child.

Ha...

Sky fanboys don't like my Sky hatred, it seems.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

First of all, i was talking about next year. Furthermore, this is a jokepost, right? I will repeat: had the Tour THIS YEAR not been tailormade for Wiggings (few real mountain stages, few mountaintop finishes, 100+ k timetrials...) with what we have seen up till now, you can not say Wiggins would have won this TDF. Maybe he would have, maybe not. He's vulnerable uphill, he takes time in the ITT. Next year, the TDF will be different, next year Contador and Schleck will participate, next year half of the top 10 contenders might not crash out.

Get a reality check. Fast.[/QUOT

Have you been watching cycling lately?

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

First of all, i was talking about next year. Furthermore, this is a jokepost, right? I will repeat: had the Tour THIS YEAR not been tailormade for Wiggings (few real mountain stages, few mountaintop finishes, 100+ k timetrials...) with what we have seen up till now, you can not say Wiggins would have won this TDF. Maybe he would have, maybe not. He's vulnerable uphill, he takes time in the ITT. Next year, the TDF will be different, next year Contador and Schleck will participate, next year half of the top 10 contenders might not crash out.

Get a reality check. Fast.[/QUOT

Have you been watching cycling lately?

I'm struggling to think of any genuine contenders who have crashed out this year, maybe Sanchez although that looked unlikely after his performance on stage 7. Pretty obvious though that this is Wiggins only chance to win the Tour, hopefully sky will get fully behind Froome next year.

 

[the asian]

First of all, i was talking about next year. Furthermore, this is a jokepost, right? I will repeat: had the Tour THIS YEAR not been tailormade for Wiggings (few real mountain stages, few mountaintop finishes, 100+ k timetrials...) with what we have seen up till now, you can not say Wiggins would have won this TDF. Maybe he would have, maybe not. He's vulnerable uphill, he takes time in the ITT. Next year, the TDF will be different, next year Contador and Schleck will participate, next year half of the top 10 contenders might not crash out.

Get a reality check. Fast.

A TimeTriallers' course will be tailor made for Wiggins, a climbers course will be tailor made for Froome. Either way Sky will win.

 

[Apollonius]

I say and do whatever I want, thank you very much.

Except you don't. I bet you don't act so churlish and juvenile away from the internet.

Sky aren't the new US Postal and Wiggins certainly isn't the new Lance Armstrong so I don't know why people are fretting. Sky are simply making hay whilst the sun shines. When strong riders are back in GC contention next year we won't see Sky having things all their own way.