Wiggins and Cavendish told to prioritise events in 2012

[JRanton]

World champion Cavendish will be trying to defend the sprinter's green jersey he won in Paris last year and then claim Olympic road race gold, while Wiggins is chasing the overall prize at the Tour and the time trial medal in London.

But Dave Brailsford, who divides his time between being British Cycling's performance director and Team Sky's general manager, told the BBC that trying to do all this would be a "recipe for failure".

"We've got four big goals in close proximity and they all revolve around Mark and Bradley," said Brailsford.

"So at this stage of the game you look at what their form is like and, like everything in life, you prioritise.

"I think just to say that you're going to give each one equal significance and try to win everything is probably the recipe for failure.

"What we really need to do is to look at them and say: 'If you could just have one, which one would you take?'

"You then build your chances around that. We're clear in our minds about our approach for this year and it will pan out as we get there."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/17483668

So yellow is the priority for Wiggins and the Olympics Road Race for Cavendish plus stage wins in the Tour presuambly. It makes sense not to target Green as well because that would be asking too much of the Sky helpers who will also have to work for Wiggins.

It does make me wonder what will happen next year. Obviously the Olympics won't be a consideration but it will still be extremely hard to target both Yellow and Green. I won't be surprised if Cavendish (and Eisel) leave Sky at the end of this season. For one thing the length of their contracts have never been revealed.

 

[The Hitch]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/17483668

So yellow is the priority for Wiggins and the Olympics Road Race for Cavendish plus stage wins in the Tour presuambly. It makes sense not to target Green as well because that would be asking too much of the Sky helpers who will also have to work for Wiggins.

It does make me wonder what will happen next year. Obviously the Olympics won't be a consideration but it will still be extremely hard to target both Yellow and Green. I won't be surprised if Cavendish (and Eisel) leave Sky at the end of this season. For one thing the length of their contracts have never been revealed.

Wiggins said that if he wins yellow he might retire. And even if he doesn't its pretty clear that this is his big chance for the tour. if he doesn't win or even if he does then next year with some hc mtfs for schleck and The Great One probably back there isn't really going to be a shot at yellow.

 

[Nick C.]

Isn't Cav going to be there or thereabouts for the green jersey anyway by winning the usual 3-5 stages? The question might be if not Cav's team then who will work to create sprint finishes considering in the past most team's strategy was "you have the fastest guy so you ride."

 

[The Hitch]

It would be great to see a few more breaks making it if sky don't ride.

 

[JRanton]

Isn't Cav going to be there or thereabouts for the green jersey anyway by winning the usual 3-5 stages? The question might be if not Cav's team then who will work to create sprint finishes considering in the past most team's strategy was "you have the fastest guy so you ride."

He could be reasonably close, yes, but remember that HTC did a lot of work last year in the early part of stages to prevent the likes of Gilbert getting into the day's break and hovering up the large intermediate sprint points (and potentially the points available at the finish).

Project 14TI, GreenEDGE, Garmin and Lotto will all work to create sprint finishes, especially as Cavendish won't have his HTC train there.

 

[Caruut]

It does make me wonder what will happen next year. Obviously the Olympics won't be a consideration but it will still be extremely hard to target both Yellow and Green. I won't be surprised if Cavendish (and Eisel) leave Sky at the end of this season. For one thing the length of their contracts have never been revealed.

Interesting - a one year home Olympics link-up before re-assessing based on Bradley's plans. Makes some sense.

 

[Jaunty Monty]

I don't think Cavendish would want to be the reason why Britain missed out on their first TDF winner. I don't think Wiggins is decided on whether to compete in the Olympic road race so maybe he might be persuaded to if Cav sacrifices his green jersey ambitions.

 

[airstream]

Cav's stage victories are far more tangible than yellow and green jerseys. I see no contradiction in the fact that the team allegedly will be splitted into 2 parts. If the best climbers go full blast, no train will salvage Wiggo's chance. He can do it only himself. The Olimpic goals seem quite achievable.

 

[Catwhoorg]

My understanding is that Wiggo will start the RR, but his goal will be the ITT a few days later.

He will likely be in a role where he can drop after a few laps up box hill and pass off any pace pushing to other engines.

 

[simo1733]

With 5 man teams I don't think uou can aford to have anyone dropping out early

 

[Caruut]

With 5 man teams I don't think uou can aford to have anyone dropping out early

They also can't afford to plan based on having 5 fresh men for the last few kilometres. At some point, you have to accept that if a certain rider has done enough work earlier in the race, then they are not going to be an influence in the closing stages. Since they are going to be a sprint team with the #1 sprinter in a flat race, they're going to have to do a bit of work early in the race. Froome and Stannard (or Hunt?) did enormous pulls early on in the WC, and that role is going to have to be filled somehow.

Personally, I think that to save energy, Bradley will perform the same role as he did at the WC, harking back to his pursuit days, essentially riding a fast TT from 3km-1km. Either way, 1 or 2 riders will have to be there to do the heavy work early doors. My money would be on Froome and Stannard (Millar if he's allowed) early on, Bradley on the individual pursuit from 3km into as far as he can, then Geraint Thomas (or maybe Sutton) trying to shepherd Cavendish in, and do a better job than he did at the WCs, then

 

[Gloin22]

They also can't afford to plan based on having 5 fresh men for the last few kilometres. At some point, you have to accept that if a certain rider has done enough work earlier in the race, then they are not going to be an influence in the closing stages. Since they are going to be a sprint team with the #1 sprinter in a flat race, they're going to have to do a bit of work early in the race. Froome and Stannard (or Hunt?) did enormous pulls early on in the WC, and that role is going to have to be filled somehow.

Personally, I think that to save energy, Bradley will perform the same role as he did at the WC, harking back to his pursuit days, essentially riding a fast TT from 3km-1km. Either way, 1 or 2 riders will have to be there to do the heavy work early doors. My money would be on Froome and Stannard (Millar if he's allowed) early on, Bradley on the individual pursuit from 3km into as far as he can, then Geraint Thomas (or maybe Sutton) trying to shepherd Cavendish in, and do a better job than he did at the WCs, then

I'd add Eisel to that squad guys

 

[RownhamHill]

I'd add Eisel to that squad guys

What, and not EBH? (Unless, I suppose, he's decided to ride in the GB pursuit team on the track. . .)

 

[Caruut]

I'd add Eisel to that squad guys

Are there any rules preventing blatant collaboration, such as (in a purely hypothetical scenario) an Austrian leading out his British best friend?

 

[Gloin22]

Are there any rules preventing blatant collaboration, such as (in a purely hypothetical scenario) an Austrian leading out his British best friend?

Don't know, one thing for sure Eisel and Cav are more than best friends imo and if possible Eisel will defitnely pace the peleton when needed for Cav.

 

[Catwhoorg]

There will also be other nations with interest in contesting the sprint helping out.

Thomas will not be there (he is going to focus on the Track)
Cav, Wiggo, Froome, Stannard + 1 other seems the most likely grouping. Maybe Dowsett, maybe Millar, maybe Swift for leadout.

2 of the same group for the ITT (Wiggo obviously, then it could be any of Froome, Stannard, (Millar or Dowsett), I'd be thinking Froome but could be surprised. Stannard is no ITT slouch)

 

[Caruut]

There will also be other nations with interest in contesting the sprint helping out.

Thomas will not be there (he is going to focus on the Track)
Cav, Wiggo, Froome, Stannard + 1 other seems the most likely grouping. Maybe Dowsett, maybe Millar, maybe Swift for leadout.

2 of the same group for the ITT (Wiggo obviously, then it could be any of Froome, Stannard, (Millar or Dowsett), I'd be thinking Froome but could be surprised. Stannard is no ITT slouch)

But, like the WC, they also know that their best chance of beating Cavendish is if GB are depleted in terms of man-power at the end.

 

[Afrank]

What, and not EBH? (Unless, I suppose, he's decided to ride in the GB pursuit team on the track. . .)

EBH is Norwegian, so Norways team (Hushovd) will either ride for him or Hushovd, depending on who has the better form.

 

[Nielsa]

Are there any rules preventing blatant collaboration, such as (in a purely hypothetical scenario) an Austrian leading out his British best friend?

You can't have a rule because it's too hard to enforce. How do you separate leading out from sprinting for your own chances?
There was a lot of hypothesising about HTC members like Bak and Eisel working for Cav in Copenhagen. Didn't materialise.

 

[Caruut]

You can't have a rule because it's too hard to enforce. How do you separate leading out from sprinting for your own chances?
There was a lot of hypothesising about HTC members like Bak and Eisel working for Cav in Copenhagen. Didn't materialise.

Well, Bak was never going to just pull for Cav in front of his home crowd, was he? I think it's a different case entirely with 5-man teams, though.

 

[Nielsa]

Well, Bak was never going to just pull for Cav in front of his home crowd, was he?

No, that's my point, and IMHO it applies even more so to the summer Olympics.

I think it's a different case entirely with 5-man teams, though.

No, I don't believe Eisel going to disgrace his Austrian jersey for free by blatantly helping GB win a gold in the summer Olympics, the second most watched sports happening in the world.
Other teams would certainly protest.
And how would the GB public react if the gold is tainted that way?

 

[ferryman]

Are there any rules preventing blatant collaboration, such as (in a purely hypothetical scenario) an Austrian leading out his British best friend?

Don't think so but it happens. I remember the 2005 World Champs in Madrid where 2 GB riders, Wegelius and Southam blatantly rode for Italy on the first few circuits. Neither ever represented GB again.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

There will also be other nations with interest in contesting the sprint helping out.

Thomas will not be there (he is going to focus on the Track)
Cav, Wiggo, Froome, Stannard + 1 other seems the most likely grouping. Maybe Dowsett, maybe Millar, maybe Swift for leadout.

2 of the same group for the ITT (Wiggo obviously, then it could be any of Froome, Stannard, (Millar or Dowsett), I'd be thinking Froome but could be surprised. Stannard is no ITT slouch)

Swift will be focusing on the Track for the Olympics aswell.

 

[mb2612]

Hunter spent a few laps of the Olympics pacing the bunch.

Why not, probably got a nice payday and it's not like he ever had a shot of being there at the end.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Swift will be focusing on the Track for the Olympics aswell.

Thankee for that, I wasn't aware of that.