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Team sky
Just what is happening with team sky at the tour de france? The squad selected has been awful.it was bad luck with froome going out but the plan 'b' of porte leading makes no sense as he obviously has no form and not capable of competing in the GC battle.Team sky also had awful Giro d'italia,how can the biggest team with biggest budget have no one capable of challenging?
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23 comments
I think it's a little unfair to criticise the 'plan b' of using Porte. They can only do what they can with the remaining 8 riders. If you think it makes "no sense", please let us know what you would have done?
They did have a rider capable of challenging. His name was Chris Froome. There is such a thing as bad luck you know...
It would be a Piti to see Valverde on the podium.
I will admit to wanting to see Pinot knock Valverde off the 2nd spot, but I think I'm going to be disappointed.
Much of sport is down to luck, and Sky's has not been great in this tour. People will always fall off bikes, and sometimes bones break. Their main aim is the Tour, so if that goes tits up then of course their season isn't going to look as shiny. You could say they need a better plan B than Porte, but he's apparently been struck down by a chest infection.
Sky aren't always the most exciting team to watch dominate things, so this tour has been pretty fun. But to call them average at best is just ignorance - two tour wins within 4 years of starting the team is exceptional. You cannot expect to win the Tour every year, there's just too many uncertainties. I'd even go out on a limb and suggest that the number of bad days endured by Sky ought to dampen down some people's doping rumours a little too.
If you are using Manchester United before last season as your definition of an average team, then the results are going to be somewhat skewed.
Quite the opposite. I'm using them as an example of a superlative, dominant team, one that can reasonably expect to achieve their core target for the season. Which Sky have not done this year.
Same; I'm glad to not see the black death riding to watts on the front of every climb this Tour. It's been all the more exciting for it, even with Nibali likely to hold on to yellow the whole way. The way he rode over the cobbles showed he's the complete package.
Having said that, I think the Tour is poorer for the lack of Froome & Contador. I'm not a fan of either, but would have loved to see them battle on the hills
Totally agree!
The respective woes of Froome and Porte have give Team Sky the opportunity to actually go for it which is quite refreshing! It was great to have Kiri in the break today. And no, it's not a man crush. Well, not much of one.
Coming next: Danny Pate shows everyone a clean pair of heels over the Tourmalet and Hautacam!!
Just because everything's gone wrong for them at the tour doesn't necessarily mean they've had a shite season.
Anyone'd think folks don't know there's more races than just the Giro & TdF.
Personally, despite it being a bit poo that Froomes our and poor Porte is struggling, I think it's nice the Tour's been shaken up a bit with some of the bigger contenders having left - it's been way more exciting in recent stages - yesterday's finish was a fine example!
+1
It would be great to see Nibali's closest rivals put some time into him over the next two or three days. I think Vincenzo is worried he's going to get stiffed in the time trial which is why he's being so aggressive. If Valverde or van Garderen close the gap in the Pyrenees it will be a very interesting final weekend. Those boys can TT.
Ooh deffo, the TT will be pretty mega too, I didn't even think about that! Would love to see them close that time gap up a bit.
For the first time in ages I've actually enjoyed watching more than 10 mins of the odd stage in a GT!
He's worked a lot on his TT, and in the penultimate stage of a GT it's not going to be as much about the TT specialists, but who has it left in the tank.
But I can see some death or glory rides going on, knowing they only have the procession into Paris left means some super gutsy rides will happen!
I'm more interesting the the battle for white.
You're seeing 'marginal gains' for what it is - BS
Never mind the Tour de France.
Sky 2011 - didn't win much.
Sky 2012 - won a few early season stage races, and the Tour. Nothing much else.
Sky 2013 - won a few early season stage races, and the Tour. Nothing much else.
Sky 2014 - won the Tour of Oman (where?), Romandie (where?), and... nowt else.
I know they cultivate this big untouchable 'Death Star' thing, like Man Utd (before last season) but it's simply an illusion of competence. They're average at best. OGE and OPQS are better TTT teams and win far more races.
Don't be a sarky b*stard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Team_Sky_wins
Nothing much.
The Middle East, just next to Saudi Arabia.
Switzerland.
Not forgetting most recently Austria!
Surprisingly I did know where they were, and knew about Kennaugh's win in Austria too. However, for a team whose image is built on dominance and who structure their year around winning the Tour... it's not gone well, has it.
Interestingly, when Sean Yates left he made a comment that a Sky no longer had anyone who knew that much about bike racing. I guess that's what happens when you bin all the former/suspected dopers!
They were shockingly poor in the Giro and their team selection means I have little sympathy for them in the TdF.
Interesting to see if they get in right in Spain.
After Froome abandoned I doubted Porte had a GC win in him but was hopeful of a podium. That was dependent on his team mates working really hard for him. Up to Planche des Belles Filles he showed great promise. Yesterday in the Alps was unfortunately where he got found out. A fit Froome would have bossed that stage, don't you think? Going forward I suspect we'll see more of Sky trying to get in the break and, hopefully, Nieve or Thomas being let off the leash a bit.
Sadly, any thread titled Team Sky on here can only end up heading in one direction.
No offence to you Shane.