Why Team Sky will dominate cycling till 2018

[Pricey_sky]

Not entirely, they seem to be gradually learning how to race the classics, instead of simply trying to ride everyone off 2012 TDF style. The improvement seems to have started when they kicked Failsfraud out of the team car for the one day races.

Yes, Sir Dave should stick with what he knows best and that's smashing every other nation at the Olympics on track.

 

[Electress]

Even the title of this thread depresses me. What a terrible prospect that would be.

On a more serious note, I'm interested (vaguely) to see whether Sky will try and broaden their horizons and become a tad more rounded. There are individuals in the team I like and want to see getting some individual opportunities for all their hard work.

 

[nhowson]

Even the title of this thread depresses me. What a terrible prospect that would be.

On a more serious note, I'm interested (vaguely) to see whether Sky will try and broaden their horizons and become a tad more rounded. There are individuals in the team I like and want to see getting some individual opportunities for all their hard work.

I really want GT to get some help in the classics.

 

[oldcrank]

Yes, my friend, I sort of wish Sir Brad's goals
for 2015 included helping Mr. Thomas get the
best possible result at Paris-Roubaix rather
than going for the win himself.

 

[nhowson]

Yes, my friend, I sort of wish Sir Brad's goals
for 2015 included helping Mr. Thomas get the
best possible result at Paris-Roubaix rather
than going for the win himself.

*Classics* in general. Flanders, Omloop, K-B-K, E3 etc. Along with Stannard as well.

 

[Pricey_sky]

*Classics* in general. Flanders, Omloop, K-B-K, E3 etc. Along with Stannard as well.

Well Sky got a top 10 in Flanders, got 2 in the top 10 in Roubaix, won Omloop and podiumed E3 and MSR. Not all doom and gloom on the one-day scene.

 

[nhowson]

Well Sky got a top 10 in Flanders, got 2 in the top 10 in Roubaix, won Omloop and podiumed E3 and MSR. Not all doom and gloom on the one-day scene.

My point, hopefully they realise that they if they throw in some weight behind the classics, which have been generally low priority compared to GTs, they can get some really good results going. If they were still doing crap as they were in the past I would continue in the same vein, but now the hiring of rouleurs and baroudeurs has had the side effect of a decent to good classics team.

Full disclosure though, it's mostly because I prefer classics to GTs myself. (I'm not exactly Echoes though )

 

[Electress]

I really want GT to get some help in the classics.

Me too. I dislike Sky intensely, but there are individuals I like a lot and GT is one of them.

 

[oldcrank]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgBDO0R7VIk

 

[Pricey_sky]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgBDO0R7VIk

Nicely done from G!

 

[Bexon30]

Anyone have thoughts on Nico Roche at Sky? I know there's nothing to suggest he will improve now he's joined them, but I feel he will improve and in the mountains as well. He should be a good rider to have come July. Plus he's now got bags of experience, a rider I like at a team I dislike. The worst.

 

[antmills]

Sky are clearly the best and only team that can help Cycling to a clean future

It never ceases to amaze me when I read people commenting on how they claim to dislike Sky. In every case, they never explain in any logical manner, why that is. Every time you read such comments it is clear that what they really feel is envy. But why shoud they, these commenters are never going to race a bike at pro level. They should simply accept that Sky are a great team, with the best ethics in cycling and no dodgy baggage (as most other teams do sadly have). People may not like their professional approach to training, nutrition and race day tactics, but that is the nature of true sport. There is more than one way of approaching a race and if other teams wish to break their domination at the front of the peleton, they should work harder and train better, rather than winge about being left behind.

 

[Electress]

Brailsford on Roche in today's Telegraph:

Roche, Brailsford said, had been signed for his experience and willingness to “sacrifice” for the good of the team, which basically means his willingness to work for Froome

and Viviani because he wants Sky to become “serious about sprinting again”.

Have Sky ever been serious about sprinting? Not sure Cav. would agree.

 

[nhowson]

Brailsford on Roche in today's Telegraph:





Have Sky ever been serious about sprinting? Not sure Cav. would agree.

There goes Roche's chance of winning a hilly classic. Tempo tempo tempo... Just like Kiriyenka. Hopefully they won't kill König off as well, love that guy.

I think Sky realise they need to be more rounded now, and they'll have a sprint focus in some of the week long races, and I can't think they'll put everything behind Porte at the Giro.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

There goes Roche's chance of winning a hilly classic. Tempo tempo tempo... Just like Kiriyenka. Hopefully they won't kill König off as well, love that guy.

I suspect that the hilly classics are low enough down their order of priorities that Brailsford wouldn't even mention what a rider was expected to do in those races unless they had signed one of the top four hilly classic contenders (Valverde, Martin, Purito, Gilbert).

I strongly suspect that Roche will get co leadership in those races and the Vuelta (if Froome isn't interested), because why not? They don't care and it will keep him happily riding tempo in the races they do care about..

 

[Pricey_sky]

Roche should get a go in the hilly classics as he said in his interview last week. He will then help Froome at the Tour before getting a free role at the Vuelta.

I wouldn't make a big deal about DB's comments, Lets not forget he was Contador's helper at Saxo too and he did a nice job, that was probably what he was alluding to.

 

[ILovecycling]

Brailsford on Roche in today's Telegraph:





Have Sky ever been serious about sprinting? Not sure Cav. would agree.

Oh my,I cant believe how stupid Brailsford is if he thinks Roche will ride 100% pace for Froome more than one season

 

[vedrafjord]

Roche should get a go in the hilly classics as he said in his interview last week. He will then help Froome at the Tour before getting a free role at the Vuelta.

Do you have a link to the interview? I wish Roche had done a serious tilt at the classics a long, long time ago. He's a proper all rounder with a decent engine. In some ways being put into a GC role early on with a team of climbers who couldn't TT was the worst thing he could have done, it led to lots of there or thereabouts results but a lot fewer wins than he could have had by now.

 

[hayzer114]

Roche will be a valuable asset to Sky in terms of both Grand Tours and the Classics. He will be a good asset for Froome to have in the Tour as he can ride a good steady tempo and give himself for the team. His attacking mentality could be a major asset in the Classics in particular in a race like Amstel or San Sebastian which are the two I feel he could do very well in. San Sebastian in particular given his general peak of fitness during the Tour/Vuelta period. His loyalty has been questioned but like any rider one will always want to have their chance. I feel that Sky should give him leadership in the Vuelta, give him solid riders such as Deignan (whom he has a strong bond with) and Kennaugh to ably assist him.

 

[roundabout]

Roche, a guy who over a decade of riding at top level has the best result of about 5th in major races.

But let's worry about Sky screwing his chances by making him ride for a much better rider.

 

[SDub_Vo2Max]

Roche, a guy who over a decade of riding at top level has the best result of about 5th in major races.

But let's worry about Sky screwing his chances by making him ride for a much better rider.

this is 100% accurate. +1

 

[Pricey_sky]

Roche, a guy who over a decade of riding at top level has the best result of about 5th in major races.

But let's worry about Sky screwing his chances by making him ride for a much better rider.

I agree. Nice post!

 

[trevim]

There goes Roche's chance of winning a hilly classic. Tempo tempo tempo... Just like Kiriyenka. Hopefully they won't kill König off as well, love that guy.

He lost any chance to win a hilly classic when he decided to be an anonymous pseudo GC rider. He lost a lot of his punch. I will never forget him b**** about Bonnafond or whatever because he went in some break instead of defending his top20.

Oh my,I cant believe how stupid Brailsford is if he thinks Roche will ride 100% pace for Froome more than one season

Even for one season.... He was never in top shape while climbing for Contador; luckily he's pretty well rounded and could still make a good effort in flatter stages.

Roche, a guy who over a decade of riding at top level has the best result of about 5th in major races.

He's very overrated as team leader and that's entirely AG2R fault who let him be anonymous for years while riding for GC. He's really convinced that he deserves a team riding for him in a GT.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

He's really convinced that he deserves a team riding for him in a GT.

Given that his two most recent contracts were with the teams of Contador and Froome, I'd suggest that's demonstrably false. In fact I think he has a pretty good idea of what his place in the sport's hierarchy is - not many riders would have the self awareness to call himself as a confused stage hunter who thinks he's a GC man when asked to summarise himself as a rider in an interview, as I've seen him do.

In general, I don't think his years at Ag2r, back when they were useless, did his development any good. He'd have better palmares if he'd developed as a stage hunter and classics rider rather than a third rate GC man.

 

[trevim]

Given that his two most recent contracts were with the teams of Contador and Froome, I'd suggest that's demonstrably false. In fact I think he has a pretty good idea of what his place in the sport's hierarchy is - not many riders would have the self awareness to call himself as a confused stage hunter who thinks he's a GC man when asked to summarise himself as a rider in an interview, as I've seen him do.

In general, I don't think his years at Ag2r, back when they were useless, did his development any good. He'd have better palmares if he'd developed as a stage hunter and classics rider rather than a third rate GC man.

He went to Tinkoff with the idea of leading one GT at least a year and working for Alberto in the Tour. Then Majka breakthrough and all that and he lost some space there. The point is that he wasn't hired as a slave. As for signing for Sky I don't have any idea why would he do that other than $$$. He has like zero chances even in 1 week races; as for the classics Poels and Henao (depending on the injury) are way better.

Totally agree with the second part.