Cannibal72 said:
Yes, they were settled at the end of last season in a system that still bewilders me in its arcane and Byzantine aspects. I believe GB qualified the maximum 5.
Ah thanks!
In the spirit of random Sky team fantasising, I give you Team GB:
-Stannard, Thwaites and Rowe as the tough rouleurs who could create echelons or chase them down, and perhaps give GB attacking options if the race doesn't come down to a sprint. Alternatively, Dowsett
-Cummings as the 2km to go attacker. But probably just as another rouleur.
-Thomas to repeat his 2011 role
-Wiggins as the powerhouse of old giving it one last pull on the front. Assuming he can qualify...?
-Pick any of Doull, McLay, Fenn, Blythe and Swift for the actual leadout.
-Cavendish.
GB obviously have some good riders on the flat, but I fear the lack of a quality last leadout man will result in another instance of Cavendish starting the sprint on Kittel's wheel and covering more ground than him but ultimately losing by half a wheel. If GB specifically drilled Stannard, Thomas and Rowe to lead out rather than simply get Cavendish on Kittel's wheel, I'd say he'd have a great chance.