'Team Sky'

SACH Central

Yes folks the worst kept secret in British cycling is finally out!

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Team_Sky_takes_off_Britains_pro_team_dream_is_a_reality_article_277570.html

has the lowdown.

smithslist

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/feb09/feb26news

SACH Central

Hope it doesn't go pear shaped for them like ANC-Halfords & Linda McCartney before them. They certainly won't have, it seems, any money problems. I wonder what D Brailsford's cut of the annual £10 Mil is?

Raam

Huge budget. I hope they do well.

Chips Lovell

I can see them bending over backwards to sign Cavendish.

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

I can see them bending over backwards to sign Cavendish.

He'll cost a fortune.

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

He'll cost a fortune.

They've got a fortune. And they need a star.

Esroh

After the flight home from Bejing episode( as the only cyclist with no medal he was left down in the cheap seets while all others were in first class) where they showed what his Grand Tour stage wins were worth to them they will have to bend over along way.He mentioned it enough in interviews over the winter to show it cut deep

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

They've got a fortune. And they need a star.

They've stated that they want a tour winner also. Cav will never win it, so who is going to be their prospect?

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

They've stated that they want a tour winner also. Cav will never win it, so who is going to be their prospect?

Who knows. Can't see Miller, Wiggins or Charlie Wegelius doing it.

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

They've stated that they want a tour winner also. Cav will never win it, so who is going to be their prospect?

Expect strong overtures to Dan Martin to revert to british status

Otherwise Maybe Johnaton Bellis ?

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

Who knows. Can't see Miller, Wiggins or Charlie Wegelius doing it.

Isn't Millar a part owner of Slipstream? He's gonna be stuck there for a while. Stuck is probably the wrong word.

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

Isn't Millar a part owner of Slipstream? He's gonna be stuck there for a while. Stuck is probably the wrong word.

That's right, I'd forgotten that. Sans EPO though, I don't think he's capable of winning big stage races.

TinyExplosions

It does say that they're no going to sign exclusively British riders at the start... I do have a bit of a feeling that this is going to be like a Rock Racing or a Real Madrid -as in, let's throw money at the problem and see if we can buy success (at least in the start)

scottreynolds

Raam wrote: »

They've stated that they want a tour winner also. Cav will never win it, so who is going to be their prospect?

Not only a winner..... but "Create the first British winner of the Tour de France, within five years.". There's a god bunch of young british riders on a few teams but I don't think that any have shown the real talent to succeed at the TDF. I guess they plan on finding a talent who's 18-20 now and build them into a TDF rider.

stuf

TinyExplosions wrote: »

It does say that they're no going to sign exclusively British riders at the start... I do have a bit of a feeling that this is going to be like a Rock Racing or a Real Madrid -as in, let's throw money at the problem and see if we can buy success (at least in the start)

TBH - I don't see how you could create an exclusively British team in the beginning and expect success. A successful road race team needs a large squad and needs experienced and talented domestiques. Also because it is a financial venture then they need returns quickly to make it work long term.

Very analogous to the rugby situation where Munster would never have had their success without some key overseas signings, beginning with Jim Williams in 2001 who brought not only talent and dedication to the team but became part of the team culture and history, going on to coach them after his playing days were over.

Track cycling was much easier to create success in as it relies on individuals and small team units. The road project is far more complex.

cantalach

stuf wrote: »

Very analogous to the rugby situation where Munster would never have had their success without some key overseas signings, beginning with Jim Williams in 2001 who brought not only talent and dedication to the team but became part of the team culture and history, going on to coach them after his playing days were over.

Going way off topic here I know...but a personal connection requires me to point out that John Langford was the first big overseas signing. He had two very successful seasons (including a Heineken Cup Final appearance) before Williams ever came along. And as his former Brumbies team mate, Langford was actually instrumental in persuading Williams to sign for Munster.

stuf

cantalach wrote: »

Going way off topic here I know...but a personal connection requires me to point out that John Langford was the first big overseas signing. He had two very successful seasons (including a Heineken Cup Final appearance) before Williams ever came along. And as his former Brumbies team mate, Langford was actually instrumental in persuading Williams to sign for Munster.

fair point - I'm a begrudging Leinster supporter so I make it my business to know as little as possible about Munster rugby and their success - of course there was a less successful overseas signing that year when Rob Henderson moved to Limerick

smithslist

Raam wrote: »

They've stated that they want a tour winner also. Cav will never win it, so who is going to be their prospect?

he may not win it, but is a good contender for the 'green jersey' which will keep the sponsor on for a extra year or two.

In general, your looking at a British version of the 'an Post' team, just bigger financially and goal settings, nourishing British talent and bringing them on, and having older experience riders in the team to bring them along (as with the non-Irish at an post). I hope they do it right and not fall apart.

Oh, wouldn't Duffield loved to be back in the commentary seat now!!!!!!

Raam

RobFowl wrote: »

Expect strong overtures to Dan Martin to revert to british status

I hope he doesn't! CyclingWeekly always need to remind us in every article that he is British born.

petethedrummer

On this podcast there is a speech from Dave Brailsford detailing his philosophies on training and management. Seems like a decent bloke. (Also an interview with bike snob).

http://thebikeshow.net/9-february-2009-british-cycling-bikesnobnyc/

jamesd

http://news.sky.com/story/sky-to-end-investment-in-professional-cycling-and-team-sky-11578462

Sirius Boner

Perhaps the thread that announced Team Sky is the best place to announce its end..... Sky pulling it's backing next year

retalivity

Jesus....didn't expect that.

I guess they just couldn't go on without Phil deignan.

Thinkingaboutit

Will they do a tie up with inhalers or ventolin?

Tom Mann Centuria

Sorry, not a cyclist just saw this on first page of boards, going by Sky's usual practice, stand by for a massive drop off in coverage of cycling on Sky Sports News.

py

https://www.the42.ie/team-sky-sky-2019-involvement-in-cycling-end-4389704-Dec2018/



Edit: Hope Eddie gets sorted though.

Steve SilverMint

A very controversial team, not much love for them outside the UK to be fair.

I'm glad they are going as I've never enjoyed watching them race and have always been sceptical about their many achievements.

TheBlaaMan

A couple of months after the team agree a 5 year contract with one of the sports up and coming stars?
What happens to this now..... somebody, not the sponsor, is on the hook for 4 more years after 2019...
It suggests someone wasn't 'on message'

Macy0161

I'm sure there's lots of good people who could lose their jobs in the background, so kinda find it hard to rejoice even if I am delighted as even if they survive as a team, hard to see the budget being matched (so hopefully a knock on effect of less control of racing).

I hope Eddie does enough this year to get sorted should it go belly up.

My other thought is that they signed up Bernal on a 5 year contract just a couple months ago (and a few other young riders on multi year deals). For all the stick Delaney (rightly) got, not sure that says great things about Brailsfords people management...

mloc123

Has to be good news for cycling in general? Having a single team with a budget so much bigger than all others has made for a pretty boring 5yrs of tours.