StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Sky TdF team...
- Thread starter rich p
- Start date
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Oh, f off Stu
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Apparently, I was wrong on this!
I still think Porte is a potential GT winner - in much the same way that, say, Purito has always been a potential GT winner. And in the same way that Poulidor was always a potential TdF winner. On form, he's clearly stronger than all but a select handful of other riders in the pro peloton. Maybe his temperament is questionable though. And maybe it was a bit optimistic of Brailsford to send him to the Tour on current form.
In mitigation, I do think the team has hugely missed Stannard this year. And Henao. And Kennaugh. And EBH.
They've missed Lopez too. (What do you mean he's in the race? I won't believe it until I've seen him!) Whatever the reasons for not taking Kennaugh, it's hard to believe he would have been any more of a spare part than Lopez. Or even Eisel.
I remain unconvinced about whether or not they've missed Wiggo. I'd have taken him, but I've already shown what my opinion is worth.
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Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Another cyclist who seems to have taken a backward step in terms of progression since joining SKY. They're not very good at fulfilling potential are they?
HF2300
Insanity Prawn Boy
Sky's aims are quite rigid - even limited - and revolve around a single goal. That probably means fitting people into quite rigid roles within the team and perhaps doesn't allow people to play to their strengths or show their full potential in areas that don't fit the aim.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
RobNewcastle
Senior Member
Agree 100% about Lopez, I thought he was poor in last years your and he's done absolutely nothing apart from getting dropped this year. Woeful.
As for the sky team as a whole, there are fine lines in the Tour de France. Had Froome not crashed he'd be there or thereabouts right now. He's had issues going into the tour this year and even if he was a few % below the form of last year he'd still have been able to win it this year or atleast give himself a good chance going in the TT. So had Froome still been here apart from Lopez I don't think many would've been questioning the sky team. With his absence though I guess it's exposed the teams ability to go and get stage wins but then they weren't set up for that.
Sky will need some more "umph" for next seasons tour if Froome is going to win it, given you'll probably have Nibali as defending champ, Contador and Quintana returning to the tour. They've clearly missed Rogers influence since he left so probably need another personality back in the team and considering the GC teams are meant to be awesome in the climbing department, sky aren't anywhere near the likes of someone like Movistar. They definitely need some more punch as too many of their riders look a bit flat to me. That said I think they've been pretty unlucky this season with illness and injury. Porte has the tendency for a bad day and I might not be a true GC contender but as proved last year on form he's an awesome lieutenant for Froome. This year I think that virus issue seems to have really knocked him back a bit.
As for the sky team as a whole, there are fine lines in the Tour de France. Had Froome not crashed he'd be there or thereabouts right now. He's had issues going into the tour this year and even if he was a few % below the form of last year he'd still have been able to win it this year or atleast give himself a good chance going in the TT. So had Froome still been here apart from Lopez I don't think many would've been questioning the sky team. With his absence though I guess it's exposed the teams ability to go and get stage wins but then they weren't set up for that.
Sky will need some more "umph" for next seasons tour if Froome is going to win it, given you'll probably have Nibali as defending champ, Contador and Quintana returning to the tour. They've clearly missed Rogers influence since he left so probably need another personality back in the team and considering the GC teams are meant to be awesome in the climbing department, sky aren't anywhere near the likes of someone like Movistar. They definitely need some more punch as too many of their riders look a bit flat to me. That said I think they've been pretty unlucky this season with illness and injury. Porte has the tendency for a bad day and I might not be a true GC contender but as proved last year on form he's an awesome lieutenant for Froome. This year I think that virus issue seems to have really knocked him back a bit.
Roscoe
Veteran
- Location
- Clarkston, Glasgow
Will be interesting to see who gets signed. Sir Dave suggested he would be looking for more riders with "personality".
Sean Yates suggested that when he and Rogers left the team, they lost a lot of tactical sense/experience. Problem is, if you want a DS with loads of tactical sense/experience, will they fit the 100% clean mould?
Sean Yates suggested that when he and Rogers left the team, they lost a lot of tactical sense/experience. Problem is, if you want a DS with loads of tactical sense/experience, will they fit the 100% clean mould?
mr messy
Veteran
- Location
- Sunny? Glasgow, the friendly city...
I think Sky team has looked weak, fleeting glimpses here and there for the camera but at best also rans. Does question team selection if this is the best they had to offer. So many of them appear to have little or no form for whatever reason. When Nibali rode away from the field and Froome didn't seem able to respond raised questions there too. Obvious comparison is with Tinkoff, same position but still able to threaten and achieve stage wins.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
True that.
