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It's finally official, Brad is not going to Yorkshire.
http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,30906_9363512,00.html
Richie Porte, Geraint Thomas, Mikel Nieve, Vasil Kiryienka, David Lopez, Bernhard Eisel, Xabier Zandio and Danny Pate.
Great selection IMO, don't see what Wiggins would have brought to the table except Hollyoaksness.
Looks a bit weak without Froome!Richie Porte, Geraint Thomas, Mikel Nieve, Vasil Kiryienka, David Lopez, Bernhard Eisel, Xabier Zandio and Danny Pate.Great selection IMO, don't see what Wiggins would have brought to the table except Hollyoaksness.
😉
Come on Contador!!
So many British riders to support there. I'll bet all the replica kit will be flying out of the shops on the back of this 🙂
All the BS about the team not being selected yet. Not much to like about Sky now and the money comes from Murdoch to boot. This seals it for me, I'll not make the trip up even though my daughter has been quite heavily involved in the organisation.
It will be interesting to see how many "Where's Brad" type signs we'll see in Yorkshire and what he has to say himself.
Here's some fish for your chip Jambalaya
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Not much to like about Sky now
Seriously? He wasn't up to it. His form was crap in the Tour De Suisse. There's still two British riders in the team to get behind, so how about you get over yourself and do that instead.
While I can understand that people are disappointed that Wiggo won't be riding, I don't understand why people are so anti-Froome.
He isn't the most charismatic of people, but he is Britains best chance of a win and despite this people will happily support Contador instead. Why?
If he were Italian or French, it would never happen.
I don't care where he is born, or what grievances there are between himself and Wiggo - that is for him and the team to sort out. The country should get behind Froome now.
While I can understand that people are disappointed that Wiggo won't be riding, I don't understand why people are so anti-Froome.
100% agree.
Richie Porte, Geraint Thomas, Mikel Nieve, Vasil Kiryienka, David Lopez, Bernhard Eisel, Xabier Zandio and Danny Pate
Brilliant, stunning efforts, exceptional underated climber, powerhouse extrodinare, climber par excellance, stoic defiance, protector, windbreaker.
That's how I'd describe them 😀
Froome? Billy Whizz.
There's still two British riders
One surely? As far as I'm aware Froome's never lived here.
I don't care where he is born, or what grievances there are between himself and Wiggo - that is for him and the team to sort out. The country should get behind Froome now.
You would say that, you're Welsh 😉
One surely? As far as I'm aware Froome's never lived here.
Lucky there's two bits of fish up there, you can share with Jambalaya. 🙄
I hope Contador crushes him, and Nibali, in fact I don't want to see froome anywhere near the podium!
Although it would be funny to have Hinaut throw him off!
One surely? As far as I'm aware Froome's never lived here.
And Wiggins is really Belgian and Millar is Maltese. Who gives a ****? Froome has an English dad and British grandparents and has always had a UK passport.
Lucky there's two bits of fish up there, you can share with Jambalaya.
😀
Whilst I have no love for Froome he's the only rider that can keep Steak Boy from winning.
I don't understand why people are so anti-Froome.
Dull in press conferences in the main
Brad is charismatic and a tad eccentric. Does not do BS PR and comes across as honest
His wife is not a gob shite either.
He is cool basically Froome is not
I am explaining not saying I agree
He isn't the most charismatic of people, but he is Britains best chance of a win and despite this people will happily support Contador instead. Why?
As others not he is British by family and has never lived here. Given this many see him, rightly or wrongly, as not very British.
Maybe Sky did a long weather forecast and see it going to rain a lot over the tour and thought best not to take Brad........
Also looks like he not racing the Nat champs this Sunday.
"NATIONAL Time Trial champion Sir Bradley Wiggins won't take part in Sunday's road race in Monmouthshire after confirming that his Tour de France hopes are over for this year."
As others not he is British by family and has never lived here. Given this many see him, rightly or wrongly, as not very British.
So someone who is suitably patriotic that despite not having lived here wants to call himself British is worse than someone who is definitely not British, has no claim to ever being British, and cheats?
Yep, that really makes sense.
i don't get all this 'support the brits' nonsense. This isn't football. I, like many others watch cycling for the excitement, the charisma, the hard men, not to support someone who is British.
I'll be supporting Cav because he's exciting, i'll be supporting Millar because he has panache and beautiful form on the bike, and likes to attack, I'll be supporting Sagan because he's mental, I couldn't care less about team Sky, and Froome.
But, i will say not taking two potential GC contenders on a tour with Pave smacks of cutting off your nose despite your face. There's potential for a lot of disappointed sky fans if Froome takes a tumble on the cobbles....
If he were Italian or French, it would never happen
erm.....I'm not sure thats true
Also looks like he not racing the Nat champs this Sunday.
Is confused, This article states he just won the national tt champs...
Njee That is exactly what I was trying to get across there with my explanation
WELL DONE
IMHO no one is wore than Bertie steak boy in the current peleton.
i assume the come on contador was troll not worth responding to tbh
Considering the TdF is such a massive marketing vehicle, I find it strange that Sky are leaving Wiggo out. I suspect a lot of British people won't be tuning in to watch it like they did 2 years ago. Seems a daft decision in my opinion.
He isn't the most charismatic of people, but he is Britains best chance of a win
He isn't 'British' though. He's just using a flag of convenience, which I think is wrong, really. He should race under the Kenyan flag, like he did when he was young. Most British people don't recognise him as British, unlike Wiggo, who actually grew up here.
While I can understand that people are disappointed that Wiggo won't be riding, I don't understand why people are so anti-Froome.
Froome's not 'one of us' in the way Wiggo is.
As for the "who's the most British" thing...
Froome makes almost constant reference to his Kenyan upbringing and family ties, Wiggins you wouldn't know wasn't a "Brit" unless you delved into his biog.
Froome is more interesting to watch on the bike, he'll actually attack.
Everything else is secondary.
If Froome does tumble early doors then GT could be in Yellow by the end of the Pave. He'll fall off on the 1st tidy hill though. Could be Porte and Contador slugging it out up the big ones.
I'd love to see Garmin be in with a shout of the Yellow Jersey towards the end...can't see it though.
scruff9252 - Member"Also looks like he not racing the Nat champs this Sunday."
Is confused, This article states he just won the national tt champs...
Road race is on Sunday.
Chris "Zola Budd" Froome is just not very likeable.
Froome is more interesting to watch on the bike
Froome is absolutely horrible to watch on the bike
The thing people seem to have forgotten is that this is a Pro-tour, commercial teams competing in a commercially funded event, its not a World championship or the 'lympics.
Team Sky may have been tied into BC originally to create the ultimate gold and Yellow jersey winning machine, it was mutually beneficial but that link is over and done with now, DB has made the jump to the "Commercial side" and the Team did the same some time ago...
Strictly speaking neither Wiggins or Froome ride Grand tours for their country, as professional cyclists they ride it for good ol' dirty money, lets not romanticize it...
Where is the incentive to field a Sky Team that the management doesn't believe to be their strongest, just to keep the UK's [I]new golfers[/I] happy?
Sky will get more column inches and sponsors logos in print, by winning than they ever would for knowingly delivering a slice of plucky, patriotic failure...
If Wiggins actually wants another TDF Ride then he needs to find another team its pretty simple really...
Ok so its disappointing that Wiggo is not going to the TDF but it is a team sport and could Brad really offer the support Froome will need to beat the other GC contenders. Loads of whingers going on about how its a disgrace Wiggo's not going blahdeblah, yeah ok but get over it and enjoy the spectacle the Tours's going to be and get behind all British riders even the ones without a blue stripe.
heavy_rat - Member"Froome is more interesting to watch on the bike"
Froome is absolutely horrible to watch on the bike
Yeah but it's definitely 'interesting' 😀
I mean more in terms of the race than his actual physical appearance. His attack up Ventoux last year ferinstance.
And +1 Cookeaa
But, i will say not taking two potential GC contenders on a tour with Pave smacks of cutting off your nose despite your face.
1) it's cutting your nose off "to spite" your face, not "despite" your face, although I like that!
2) yes and no, potentially more disruptive than having a clear leader, if a team can't decide who's riding for who (and you've got two big egos to deal with), you're virtually banking on one crashing to decide the team, the likelihood of which is fairly slim really.
Wait, what? I'm supposed to support Froome 'cos he's British? (when it suits him)
Must have missed that memo, best stop cheering for Wiggo for his style on the bike, Nibali for his die hard descending, Cav's electric sprints or Cancellara 'cos well it's Cancellara. I'm sure I'll forget about how incredibly ugly Froome looks on the bike and look forward to his dry as **** monotone voice, at least his Mrs will keep us entertained. Fans need moar than the performance and certainly more than a common nationality to become fans.
The country should get behind Froome now
One of the things I really, really like about watching bike racing is that I can pick and choose who I am rooting for without worrying about what country they're from. I simply don't experience it as a nationalistic thing.
I'm not drawn to Froome. Without Wiggins, my next natural choice as "person to feel happy when they do well" would have been Boasson Hagen. He's ruled out too, so it'll probably be Thomas Voeckler.
🙂
Where is the incentive to field a Sky Team that the management doesn't believe to be their strongest, just to keep the UK's new golfers happy?
Because it's those 'new golfers' who keep Sky/other sponsors in business. I only ever wathc the Td F, I'm not interested in cycling sport much. In 2012, I watched every single race (highlights). Mny non-cylcing people tuned in. Viewing figures were unprecented. There's never been such British interest incycle sport. Last year, I watched a handful of races. I just wasnt'y as interested. And neither were many others. So it's about maximising your exposure potential, more than it is to actually wn.
Great selection IMO, don't see what Wiggins would have brought to the table except Hollyoaksness.
What he brings to the table is being Sky's second best rider. Sure, he was abysmal at the TdS but Froome didn't exactly cover himself in glory at the Criterium, did he?
1) it's cutting your nose off "to spite" your face, not "despite" your face, although I like that!
I never knew that 🙂
I also don't get the fascination with Froome and the pave? Why is he the one who's automatically going to crash and not Contador?
ransos - MemberWhat he brings to the table is being Sky's second best rider.
Not for this parcours.
Sure, he was abysmal at the TdS but Froome didn't exactly cover himself in glory at the Criterium, did he?
Won the points jersey.
I also don't get the fascination with Froome and the pave?
I *think* it is a result of Froome bleating like a schoolgirl that he didn't like bumpy bits when it was announced that there would be some pave.
Really? What did he say?
mtbmatt - Member
While I can understand that people are disappointed that Wiggo won't be riding, I don't understand why people are so anti-Froome.
Weird alien arms.
Looks like a good team to me. I'd have loved Wiggo to be there but realistically it was never going to happen with Froome as the leader.
My dream TDF over the coming weeks would include at least some of the following:
Jens Voigt and David Millar in some tasty breakaways, ideally with a stage win for each.
Tommy Voekler gurning his way to a win somewhere as well, if not at least throwing it all on the line in the hills and blowing up 2km from the top.
Geraint Thomas in the mix for GC. I really do think there is a top class GC rider in him somewhere.
Cav to win the early sprints, wear yellow early, finish in green.
Garmin to cause general havoc and light up the racing like that did at the Dauphine.
Niki Terpstra to show the grand tour riders how to ride cobbles.
Froome to win GC.
And finally, the Schleck brothers to drop away early, never to be heard from again.