Tour of Britain 2014...on my doorstep (may contain SPOILERS)

[Flying_Monkey]

I've been really unimpressed with the team riding in this Tour of Britain. On Stage 6, Sky and OPQS are unable to control the stage and let a rider take yellow from the breakaway. Today, Dowsett has the lead, yet Movistar are completely unable to control the stage and keep him in yellow instead letting another breakaway rider take yellow. It's exciting, no doubt, but it's like amateur racing.

 

[jarlrmai]

To be honest what the hell happened to Movistar? I saw one other teammate on the front of Dowsetts group but otherwise Dowsett was doing all the work..

 

[HovR]

Can't believe the commentary team missed that. He seemed to roll over the line though so no too badly injured.

Thought I was seeing things when they didn't mention it!

 

[suzeworld]

Sky and OPQS didn't seem to try yesterday, well OPQS did a bit near the end .. but I was wondering myself why the other teams wiht men in the top ten were leaving it all to CAV to try and reel in the breakaway!

Hats off to Dowsett .. not seen all of today's stage so dunno where he got unseated today, but what a shame he couldn't find the legs to stay with the chase and keep his jersey ... he has done so well this week
x

 

[suzeworld]

To be honest what the hell happened to Movistar? I saw one other teammate on the front of Dowsetts group but otherwise Dowsett was doing all the work..

Did his team let him down then? Last night we were thinking they'd all be fresh to support Dowsett today as he had workers from the breakaway looking after him to put him in yellow in the first place. His team should have been raring to go today ...

 

[NorvernRob]

Did his team let him down then? Last night we were thinking they'd all be fresh to support Dowsett today as he had workers from the breakaway looking after him to put him in yellow in the first place. His team should have been raring to go today ...

There was only Visconti left with him when he got dropped, he turned himself inside out to help Dowsett but Dowsett had to do plenty of pulls on the front himself. For obvious reasons none of the other riders in the groups they caught were interested in doing any work.

 

[rich p]

I've been really unimpressed with the team riding in this Tour of Britain. On Stage 6, Sky and OPQS are unable to control the stage and let a rider take yellow from the breakaway. Today, Dowsett has the lead, yet Movistar are completely unable to control the stage and keep him in yellow instead letting another breakaway rider take yellow. It's exciting, no doubt, but it's like amateur racing.

This^
I wondered if it had something to do with lack of radios but it smacks of sheer incompetence. Even allowing that Vermote won the stage today OPQS should have ensured that Kwiatowski got into yellow.
Sky seemingly did nothing to protect Swift's jersey or promote Wiggins' chances.
Why was BMC in the shape of Cummings and Zabel doing all the legwork after Eastbourne?
It was almost as if they didn't realise that time gaps of 10 minutes are tough to pull back.
They assumed that Movistar would do it all but it was clear to anyone with some local knowledge that AD wouldn't cope with the last 2 climbs.

 

[Bollo]

Agree with all the points above but I also wonder, looking beyond the decent crowds, there's end end-of-term feel about the ToB. Quite a few of the established riders seem happy to tool around the relatively gentle countryside, while the young'ns on the protour teams don't get enough trust or support from the big names to step up.

 

[Fnaar]

Do ToB riders think "I wish I was actually in the Vuelta"? i.e. is it seen as second rate?

 

[400bhp]

Agree with all the points above but I also wonder, looking beyond the decent crowds, there's end end-of-term feel about the ToB. Quite a few of the established riders seem happy to tool around the relatively gentle countryside, while the young'ns on the protour teams don't get enough trust or support from the big names to step up.

+1end of season procession for some.

Are there uci points at stake?

 

[Bollo]

Do ToB riders think "I wish I was actually in the Vuelta"? i.e. is it seen as second rate?

I wondered about that a little, but the ToB has been 'promoted' this year to 2.HC status. Ok - not a grand tour, but only one down. I suspect it's got just as much to do with it's date in the calendar after all the Grand Tours have effectively been and gone.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

http://summeronabianchi.blogspot.co.uk/

Pics of what i saw on top of ditchling beacon today

 

[rich p]

Wiggins and some of the rest were probably using this as a platform for the Worlds TT and road race

 

[Bollo]

Just uploaded photos from the start of today's stage. Most are head shots of riders, And apologies, because I got within 6 feet of Michael Gove in the hospitality area and yet failed to punch him.

Selection here...








Linky to all pics here if you're interested.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3xBpdF
Warning - contains Gove.

 

[srw]

You think Sky should continue to pay him at possibly the highest salary on the team for his past successes which are over 2 years ago? The are a business not a charity. I think they are being made fools of.

He's the most famous member of the team by a very long way, and is still basically synonymous with the brand. Professional sportsmen and sportswomen aren't paid by results, they're paid for exposure. I'd expect Kristian House to command a better salary now because he's been on telly with a nice Rapha logo twice a day for the last week (and, incidentally, is being very engaging).