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OPINION

Team Sky Update

Morning all,

I hope a happy weekend of riding was enjoyed by you all. Having more or less given up on the British Cycling website and their destruction of Everydaycycling (more on that to come later in the week) I am finding Mapmyride.com very useful for logging miels and inspiring me to get some training in.

The last blog focused on the possible recruitment plans for Team Sky and since then I have been pointed to a link on the brilliant Cycling Quotient website which has already listed a roster for the team in 2010.

There are a large number of question marks against some of the squad but it is beginning to form quite nicely. There are a few of the names I speculated in the blog, but plenty more that were under my radar.

Here the the link to Cycling Quotient, a website that every cycling fan should have bookmarked, and below is their list.

IN
BOASSON HAGEN Edvald
< Team Columbia - HTC

CUMMINGS Stephen
< Barloworld - Bianchi

FROOME Chris
< Barloworld - Bianchi

HAYMAN Mathew
< Rabobank

KENNAUGH Peter

< Elite-2

LÖVKVIST Thomas
< Team Columbia - HTC

POSSONI Morris
< Team Columbia - HTC

THOMAS Geraint
< Barloworld - Bianchi

AUGUSTYN John-Lee ???
< Barloworld - Bianchi

BALLAN Alessandro ???
< Lampre - NGC

BURGHARDT Marcus ???
< Team Columbia - HTC

CORNU Dominique ???
< Quick Step

FLECHA GIANNONI Juan Antonio ???
< Rabobank

GERRANS Simon ???
< Cervélo Test Team

HAUSSLER Heinrich ???
< Cervélo Test Team

KILLEEN Liam ???
< Elite-2

KROON Karsten ???
< Team Saxo Bank

LAPTHORNE Darren ???
< Rapha - Condor

MARTIN Daniel ???
< Garmin - Slipstream

NIBALI Vincenzo ???
< Liquigas

PAUWELS Serge ???
< Cervélo Test Team

STANNARD Ian ???
< ISD - Neri

SWIFT Ben ???
< Team Katusha

VIGANO Davide ???
< Fuji - Servetto
 

 

 

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21 comments

Avatar
Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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see, it should happen! Think of the entertainment, fun for all the family. However, its always painful trying to watch the cyclists run.

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dave atkinson | 14 years ago
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I just had a flashback to kevin keegan and the gravel rash  20

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Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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I like the idea of a 'Cycling Factor' show. I combination of superstars and krypton factor!

Avatar
neilwheel replied to Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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Jon Burrage wrote:

I like the idea of a 'Cycling Factor' show. I combination of superstars and krypton factor!

OMG  31
I just had a flashback to Chris Boardman in that yellow spandex tank top!
 20

Avatar
Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
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I think they're safe on that score neilwheel, as far as I understand it the team is wholly owned and funded by Sky. Dave Brailsford works for both Sky and BC, but everyone else will be employed by Sky

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neilwheel | 14 years ago
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Its just occurred to me that if any part of this project whatsoever is funded by Lottery money (i.e. the BC, Brailsford, etc.) then the average Daily Mail reader will go all jumpy up and down and purple in the face over 'Jonny Foreigner' coming over here and taking all our jobs on Lottery money.

'Where's Reg Harris, Mr. Bean, that kid in the Hovis advert, that lovely Myleene Klass, etc.' will be the likely screeches from the Mail's editorial dept when they see names like Boasson-Hagen, Cornu and Nibali being bandied about. You can just imagine the petitioners lining up outside 10 Downing St, fuming from their colostomy bags about 'those damn French taking over 'our' bike teams', etc.

Perhaps the best solution would be a 'Britain's Got Talent'- type TV show to pick the team, with Sharon Osbourne checking biological passports, and Louis Walsh looking down shorts.

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Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
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Yeah but seemed to me Jimmy it was Frank doing most of the 'looking out' where it counted at the Tour and Andy paying back with stage wins… I think Frank is the ultimate lieutenant prepared to go just that bit further for his brother than a normal team mate would + with a more intuitive understanding of him too.

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James Warrener | 14 years ago
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If a Schleck is to win the Tour, it is my opinion they need to split up and not ride together.

They cant keep looking out for each other and expect to wni the worlds biggest bike race.

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othello | 14 years ago
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I've heard that Lance wants Andy Schleck but not Frank, which is proving a sticking point for Andy.

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Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
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Well, you should know squirrel. So any more nuggets on some big names for Team Sky?

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Secret Squirrel | 14 years ago
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My sources tell me that Gerrans and Serge P will be flying high in a friendly sky next year!

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Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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Andy and Frank will ride together but at the shack, really? Lance did himself some favours by appearing more humble that contador this year during the tour but you just know he wants to be team leader and with the schlecks would that happen? Does anyone thing VDV would be willing to be a joint team leader with wiggo, after all wiggo has proved himself and I doubt garmin want to lose that.

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Secret Squirrel replied to Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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2009 taught Lance that he cannot beat Contador. 2010 might see a more philosophical big Tex as a DS at the Shack, sort of player manager. He see Andy Schleck as someone who he can mastermind to beat the little Spaniard...

Rumour mill 2. Stannard to Columbia, with Peter K...

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Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
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If Andy goes to the Shack surely he'll take Frank with him - I doubt he'd be as effective a rider without him

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othello | 14 years ago
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If you follow Wiggins on twitter you will know he has spending a lot of time thinking about 'options'. Read into that what you will. His interview in the Guardian was interesting. Lance must have mentioned to him about joining The Shack because he said he wouldn't because Andy Schleck is going there. Wiggins says he wants to be a team leader. Sky would give him that.

Frank Schleck would be an interesting choice for Sky. He could play team leader for a year or so until Wiggins etc are available. If Andy goes to The Shack he may want to leave Saxo.

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James Warrener | 14 years ago
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I took the list as read from the website so apols if there are some duffers in there !

I had read somewhere else that Liam Killeen would be a cert as they want a mountain bike prescence too.

Sir Chris Hoy could get a ride as a full time track man perhaps...

What has everyone else heard?

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Secret Squirrel | 14 years ago
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I can say with pretty much certainty that Serge P and Haussler - will not be joining Team Sky, Jimmy. Gerrans unlikely, though he could be unhappy there after his non-ride at the Tour

Best stearing clear of young Italian 'sensations' I'd say, Kohl, oops I mean Nibali, had a really good ride at the Tour though didnt he?!

Agree with othello that the team will struggle to achieve Pro Tour status unless they get some pretty big hitters, still all will be revealed in about 3 weeks!

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thebikeboy | 14 years ago
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Interesting list Jimmy, but Nibali, Haussler and maybe Boasson Hagen aside this squad looks like it'd be more at home as a Pro Continental outfit than in the Pro Tour.

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Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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I think sky will struggle to get in to the tdf, especially with radioshack (with lance they WILL be in the tour), whatever team contador goes to or starts (the links with alonso and santander)...which teams are going to fold, are there others that may get wildcards? Will there be space for sky?

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neilwheel replied to Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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Jon Burrage wrote:

I think sky will struggle to get in to the tdf, especially with radioshack (with lance they WILL be in the tour), whatever team contador goes to or starts (the links with alonso and santander)...which teams are going to fold, are there others that may get wildcards? Will there be space for sky?

That's a good point; the ASO are a law unto themselves, and if you're out, you're out. I think a fair bit of Mandelson-style background politics might be needed to twist arms, grease palms, etc.

Anyone at Team Sky got a yacht moored off the shore of a Greek island??

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othello | 14 years ago
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If Nibali is available then Sky need to get him. They need a 'name' to head the team, especially as it will be a struggle to get a TdF entrance next year.

If Wiggins is staying put, then they need a rider who can challenge (not to win but be challenging) for a Grand Tour.

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