Chris Froome ready to defend Tour de France title, insists he had no say in Bradley Wiggins’ omission (+ video)

I think the key point, that is stimulating the debate, is the less than 100% honesty and clarity; fine, they're out to win and to do so you select the team that will function the best, the best combination. Ok, the person deemed most capable of winning a particular race may be the starting point, the corner stone of that combination.

But I think the fans (I mean in general, not specifically Team Sky/Froome/Wiggins fans) deserve to be treated with respect and told the truth. After all, we know enough (not least via Froome's book) to see that all is not what they say it is.

Sky are in cycling to win, simple as that and to be honest as much as i like Wiggins, he's a brilliant TT rider, but hardly what you would call a mile after mile front of the peloton climber like Nieve or Lopez which is what is needed to win a GT.

Leaving out a racer who has previously won La Tour speaks volumes. The party line seems to be that the team selected is the strongest possible to win..and a recent winner is not good enough to make it in. Clearly that is not the case. It would seem that the only conclusion possible is that Wiggins' inclusion would be disruptive to team harmony. While that is a huge insult to BW, we know not if it is true or false. It's also impossible to think that Froome had no say at all on the selection.

The disappointing thing for me is that Sky were supposed to be a new and different type of team. This political bs is what has happened for many decades and I expected better of them.

I can only hope one of Froome's lieutenants goes off message and shafts him in the back the way he did in 2012....

I find neither of them particularly exciting to watch, purely as bike racers; There are other Sky riders I'd rather watch, including Thomas, Swift and Kennaugh. But they're not the GC contenders...

But for me, the post race interviews are as much a part of watching races as the commentary is, enriching the prescribed view of the race offered by the cameramen and the broadcasters. So yes, I think the personality of the guys does play a part in the audience experience of bike racing.

I think there's certainly a place for a good villain in sport, bad boys and mavericks too. But Froome ain't one of them; the only thing about him to raise a smile on my face is this:

http://chrisfroomelookingatstems.tumblr.com/

Having both in the team when one is clearly not in form to start with would give the press, especially the froggies, something to bleat on and on about and would naturally cause upset / concern within the team which is not wanted or needed.

Sky have picked the best team regardless of the fact its being held in the UK to start with.

The Sky name wont live forever but whilst its name is bringing in the money for the parent company i dont think anything will change other than the riders and to be honest if the brits aren't good enough for the team so be it. I would rather see the team doing well and winning GT's than having a team full of brits who very rarely win anything because thats when Sky will up and leave and without a major sponsor there will be no team.

You guy's take this all too seriously! Can you honestly say you have never fallen out with someone? How does the work dynamic go when people hate each other? Not well thats how. Certainly not well enough to win one of the demanding endurance events in the world.

Froome has the best chance to win and the best team was chosen to get him there physically AND mentally.

I can see it now, Bradley Wiggins super domestic! Not likely, que massive bust up, Team Sky getting ripped apart left right and centre by other teams, unhappy sponsor, Brailsford head on a block all because he pandered to the country's wishes for a commercial cycling team......

Best think Brad can do is win some more gold medals, beat Tony Martin at the worlds and retire gracefully and join the GCN crew.

He can still hold his head high that he is the first British and only British Born winner of the Tour de France. (even if his support rider was stronger and probably could have one it also)...

I also strongly believe more cheese needs to be given away at european races....

I don't know where people get the idea the Wiggins gives us more than Froome, I've never seen Wiggins do something remotely interesting in a race other than sit on a team-mate's wheel. At least Froome does stuff.

Wiggins may be more entertaining in interviews, but I watch bike racing for the racing and not the interviews. All this psycho analysis from 3rd hand sources is utter bollocks. The race is where it's at.

I don't doubt that the Froome v Wiggins personality clash is down to them both. But, Wiggins does a better job of showing a willingness to work for the same thing as Froome, making him more appealing as a person. By which I mean now, not in the past, where they've both perpetuated the spat.

So in their business as entertainers, Wiggins gives us more more, I think, and so in that sense I would have preferred to see him involved in this year's race, with or without Froome.

But, I'm sure there are others who simply want to see another 'British' victory/Team Sky victory, in which case it may well be that Froome is the better option.

I'd also agree with the sentiment that we collectively forget the issue and look forward to an exciting Tour. And I am! But, it for me Froome keeps the case open with the manner in which he puts forward his story ie coming across as though he were full of shit! But, I guess how he chooses to be and to be remembered it's down to him.

' He was the one holding back bonus payments due to Froome until Brailsford thretened to dock it from his salary if he didn't pay up.'

Who would blame him? Froome is lucky that Porte knows how to be a team player..

The lady doth protest too much, methinks

I'm relieved to be assured that all those 'disclosures' from Froome and his wife, about money and personality disputes with Wiggo, had absolutely nothing to do with Wiggo not being on the team. Phew!

Gosh an article on Froome talking about both Wiggo and about Drugs. Shock/Horror. Admittedly they are normally separate articles so I suppose compressing them saves some internet space....but Y A W N

You don't keep an inform, tour winning rider off the team unless someone has spat the dummy, end of. Wiggo, get out of there and ride for someone who has some loyalty in their bones.

Sky's PR efforts are a f***ing disaster machine.

It's like Oasis vs Blur all over again...

In an age where most sport personalities are dull as sh*t so they don't offend anyone in their sponsors target markets, at least Wiggo was a personality. I'm guttied he won't be at the tour in Yorkshire, as should sky's PR department considering he's probably the only pro cyclist most brits know.

I've always been indifferent to sky and Froome, but considering sky were started to promote British talent but aren't taking either of the two British National champion's they have, mainly at the behest of a man who seems a bit slimey under his blank exterior and changed his passport for PR reasons. I now quite dislike them.

[strokes chin]. Jimmy Hill!!

To be honest Jimmy Ray I've had a suspicion growing this year that Sky Pro Cycling as a British team is a fading dream. Original aim - Win TdF in 5 years with a British rider. Done "twice" now and possibly third on the cards.

Sky/News International are a world brand so maybe time to get exposure in other markets - See 20th Century Fox logo on shorts.

Brailsford leaves BC for sole Sky role. Needed to be done for the sake of both organisations really but does mean that he has "cut" his ties to BC.

I suspect that fewer Brits will be offered contracts when current ones end and do wonder if Team Sky will die a death to become something else anyway - Team 20th Century Fox for example.

Chris Froome is quoted as saying '...it wasn't me gov, honest... please don't hate me!'

Sky's PR team has been quoted as saying 'I'm sure we can squeeze a bit more coverage out of this story yet...'

I'm done with it.... lets get on with the tour, I'm sure it'll be a cracker as ever.

In other news, has anyone read interviews with Sky riders lately? Everything I have read has included muttered discontent in some form or other... not sure if thats journos putting their own interpretation on things, or that there will be a few british riders not renewing their contract....

I would say a very well manicured and politically correct way of putting things Mr Froome, OK so you don't pick the team... but going to Sir Brailsford and saying... please please please I need Wiggo's help can I have him in the squad would surely of cemented a place for him, as apposed to... well I'm not sure I can work with Wiggo which would almost certainly bring the current outcome.

Whilst we have only sound bites to go on, it seems like Froome is entrenched in his view that he and Wiggins can't work together. If that is the case, to "no role in team selection" is disingenuous.

This contrasts with Wiggin's assertion that he would work for Froome. I'm not a Sky or Wiggo fan boy at all, but I know who I'd rather work for (if only...), rather watch and root for.