British Riders in TdF 2012

[fatblokish]

In all seriousness, what is most curious?

In fairness to you, there's been a lot read in to what you say (by myself included) but perhaps you could clarify it and tell me what your point is?

OK, thanks for the opportunity! I find it curious that 80% of our boys in this year's TdF were not born on mainland Britain. In fact, if indeed my estimate of 95% of Brits were born in mainland Britain is anywhere near accurate, I guesstimate the odds of such a situation to be in the order of 150,000 against. The sample size is, I acknowledge, very small.

National teams like football, rugby or cricket do not reflect these odds, so why cycling?

 

[Noodley]

National teams like football, rugby or cricket do not reflect these odds, so why cycling?

In order for you to be so sure you must have a very deep knowledge of the birthplaces of the members of national teams for a wide range of sports. And, in case you had not noticed, Sky are not a national team. And there are a few other brits in Team Sky who were not riding the Tour de France - do you know where they were born?

 

[rich p]

In order for you to be so sure you must have a very deep knowledge of the birthplaces of the members of national teams for a wide range of sports. And, in case you had not noticed, Sky are not a national team. And there are a few other brits in Team Sky who were not riding the Tour de France - do you know where they were born?

I'm not sure but was it Nagpur?

 

[ASC1951]

OK, thanks for the opportunity! I find it curious that 80% of our boys in this year's TdF were not born on mainland Britain. In fact, if indeed my estimate of 95% of Brits were born in mainland Britain is anywhere near accurate, I guesstimate the odds of such a situation to be in the order of 150,000 against. The sample size is, I acknowledge, very small.

National teams like football, rugby or cricket do not reflect these odds, so why cycling?

Maybe because competitive road racing is a minority sport in the UK compared with many other countries, so a child with the physical talent born abroad would be more likely to take it up than a child with the same talent in the UK?
But a sample size of five is too small for any statistical significance. It's not much different from saying that people with surnames beginning with R are unlikely to be the next Prime Minister because the most recent three have begun with B and C.

 

[fatblokish]

It's not much different from saying that people with surnames beginning with R are unlikely to be the next Prime Minister because the most recent three have begun with B and C.

It is a bit different really as the chances of the next PM's surname beginning with a R are about 1 in 26 (if surnames are randomly distributed through the alphabet) and the candidates and voters have no particular surname preferences etc.

 

[Arch]

It is a bit different really as the chances of the next PM's surname beginning with a R are about 1 in 26 (if surnames are randomly distributed through the alphabet) and the candidates and voters have no particular surname preferences etc.

Which, as a glance at the phone book will reveal, they are not...

 

[ASC1951]

It is a bit different really as the chances of the next PM's surname beginning with a R are about 1 in 26 (if surnames are randomly distributed through the alphabet) and the candidates and voters have no particular surname preferences etc.

How do you know they don't? Almost every democratic country elects leaders taller than their average, which is just as irrational.

My point was that with such a small sample, it is no more 'curious' - your original post - that 4/5 of UK Sky riders were not born on the mainland than it is curious that the last 3 PMs' surnames have been in the first three letters. You are trying to suggest a cause when none exists.

 

[fatblokish]

Which, as a glance at the phone book will reveal, they are not...

I realised that which is why I said about 1 in 26.

 

[fatblokish]

How do you know they don't? Almost every democratic country elects leaders taller than their average, which is just as irrational.

My point was that with such a small sample, it is no more 'curious' - your original post - that 4/5 of UK Sky riders were not born on the mainland than it is curious that the last 3 PMs' surnames have been in the first three letters. You are trying to suggest a cause when none exists.

If you think that there is no cause, why did you suggest one (...minority sport...)?

 

[fatblokish]

. And, in case you had not noticed, Sky is are not a national team.

FTFY

"And there are a few other brits in Team Sky who were not riding the Tour de France - do you know where they were born?" And there are a few other Brits not in Team Sky or indeed in any team, cycling or otherwise. What's your point, if you have one?