[Closed] Team Sky: Contains spoilers

I can see why they wouldn't want to get involved in autograph signing but no excuse for them not to acknowledge the crowd etc.

What is the general public's obsession with autographs? Just don't get it. Why would you want a random scribble, no matter who did the scribbling, on a bit of paper/tour guide/tennis ball? What are you going to do with it? If I was famous I'd have an autograph ban as any sad sack who wanted one I'd rather not have as a fan.

What is the general public's obsession with autographs?

Go prepared: wear a jersey and carry a permanent marker pen 8)

Who will win today?

Don't know, but no one mention it on this thread. Start another and put a spoilers warning on it, gonna watch the highlights when I get from this evenings ride. I've got this whole plan laid out with a pint and everything. 8)

Sorry djaustin, even for a sprog it's a sign of a simpleton 🙂

As a kid my school was next to the county cricket ground and we could go in for free after school. Every week is was the school nerds and potential train spotters that hung around the dressing room door to add to their autograph collection. The cool kids were out on the outfield trying to play like their heroes. Thinking about it now the autograph hunters went on to be IT administrators, admin officers, H&S inspectors (I kid you not), accountants and other thrilling occupations.

Please inform djautin jnr. of the stimulating life he has ahead of him, or give him a slap before it's too late. 🙂

Anyone think they might just be a little bit surprised/overwhelmed by the attention?

A few years back I marshalled the start of the ToB stage in MK. The marshals were the only ones wandering around the team cars/vans. Most of the riders were sat around in deck chairs. Quite a lot has changed since then, quite quickly.

The end of a stage is usually a little easier. They're more prepared to hang around and chat, but you have to be patient until they're ready.

Although with the length of the transfers after each stage I'm not sure they'll do much hanging about at the finish of stages either.

Well after the TT, he cycled up the tourmalet wearing it, so I guess that fits in with your premise. To be honest, I agree, I don't see the point in collecting squiggles on scraps of paper. But a jersey is a jersey 😉

I seem to recall Lance Armstrong stopped signing jerseys and books because then people would put them on ebay, at the same time as livestrong was selling signed jerseys for his livestrong charity.

How much would you get for a Wiggins signed Sky jersey on ebay...few quid I expect?

i feel the same as the sky riders, you sit on the coach, (not a bus for a few hours),get off, dressed in lycra and a tight brightly coloured top, wearing some expensive sunglasses,and a plastic hat filled with polystyrene, shoes that make you walk like a duck on ice, and and are surrounded by numerous people all wanting a smile or your attention, lots taking your picture,all crowding onto you,you feel uncomfortable, dont know wether to smile or look a bit miserable.

Then you suddenly realise youre at Chorlton st coach station in Manchester, next to the gay village.

and your glad youve got a bike to ride away on.

Smileys broken.

Well, David Brailsford signed my (green) Sky jersey. I could test the water 😆

Sullen or otherwise, Sky just earned their keep, with Cavendish first over the line at Dumfries.

Thinking about it now the autograph hunters went on to be IT administrators, admin officers, H&S inspectors (I kid you not), accountants and other thrilling occupations.

Whilst you're what? A brain surgeon astronaut superhero? 🙄

I recall he's a teacher. So do jobs make you interesting as a person I always assumed it was personality that made you interesting.

Whilst you're what? A brain surgeon astronaut superhero?

Who said I was one of the cool kids? 😉 Amongst the "cool kids", one went on to play for the country at cricket, another started an internet company at the start of the boom and retired before 35, another you'll see on the telly pretty much weekly and another is now an RN captain of one of our latest destroyers. Autograph collecting is for folks who prefer to look up rather than climb up.

Uncool kids can also do okay for themselves although Bill looks like someone on heavy medication.

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Sullen or otherwise, Sky just earned their keep, with Cavendish first over the line at Dumfries.

DAMN YOUR EYES! I had a plan. With Ale, and a post ride pie, and the tour... and not knowing who won. well... bother.

You sir have spoiled my Pie. 😛

Thanks for that cakefacesmallbollx. Ever heard of a spoiler?

Muppet.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO ! My sincere apologies. 😳 Logs out to find forum etiqutte.

Might not be too late to edit it.. if you are quick

They'll be all smiles out side the Sky coach tomorrow.

No one should be surprised that a thread about team sky on a cycling forum might reveal the result of the days racing, if you don't want to know it, avoid the obvious places its likely to be discussed 🙄

Met Haille Gebrselassie once very briefly before a race. He stopped said hello and couldnt have been more friendly.

He had just warmed up and 10 minutes later broke the world 5000m indoor world record.

If thats not an achievement that requires focus then I dont know what is. Being "focused on the job in hand" doesnt cut it I'm afraid.

I also recall Darren Cambell was very friendly and Judy Oakes was downright rude.

Booooo

Maybe I'll forget that post by the time the highlights are on tonight?

Dumfries is less than 10miles away to where i am at the moment, i'm farm and dog sitting (6 of them) for friends who are away on holiday so i got up super early this morning (still dark) to deal wi the farm stuff and take the dogs out wi the quad bike up onto the moor with smug intentions of popping into Dumfries to see the sprint finish this afternoon..................but guess what muppet got the quad bike stuck in the moorland bog 3 miles away - DOH!...frickin edjit!.
So i walked back down to the farm yard, washed the dogs, spent 20mins hunting for the Telehandler keys, found them in the ignition 😳 and back up the hill to lift the Quad out the bog and back down to the farm it was too late, i'd wasted 3hrs......Arghhhhhhhh.....i've been up since 4am....with only one intention for the past week which was to see the sprint finish.......only one thing for it, i'm gonna get drunk instead.

Mr. Sinatra, thanks for the title edit ! ( posted from our doghouse :wink:)

Surfer

Judy Oakes was downright rude - she was never nice.

Just think how much faster Haille Gebrselassie would have gone if he'ed been in the zone.

Spent the day chasing pros at Stoke so thought I might as well give you an update.

As last year every pro we met was thoroughly nice and friendly.
Hung round the sky bus waiting for the team to come out and as the crowds were massive they had barriers up, My 3 year old boy, who was waiting patiently to meet his heroes was at the front and they just let him jump the barriers and mooch round in front of the bus. We waited for about 40 mins and in this time he played with his toy car at the feet of all the sky staff and wandered about Ned Boulting and David Brailsfords legs.
When the riders came out one by one they all gave time to the fans signed autographs and had pics taken.
My lad ended up with his tour cap signed by all six riders (Wiggo, Cav, Knees, Hunt, Eisle and Rowe) as well as Brailsford and Boulting. They even gave him one of there water bottles (had to throw the contents away so he didn't have the squits all day, god knows what it was, minging).
My lad even went and asked Cav where Dowsey was (Alex Dowsett) as he was his favourite lol

My 5 year old daughter was shouting Cav at the start line and when he looked over she shouted "I love you" he gave her a little wave and blew her a kiss. Proper made her day!!

So nothing has been changed in my mind, the Sky team are nothing but down to earth gents and a true inspiration to youngsters. I'd rather my kids have these as heroes than some stuck up celebrity that's famous for being famous.

give you a tenner for the cap.

Haha I'd go and take it out of his sleeping hands but I fear they may be tears in the morning!

perhaps they have read this lot and thought better. I'll give you 15 quid for the cap, let the little bugger cry he'll have forgotten it by tomorrow. 🙂

Just take the cap off him and tell him that Cav was done for doping.

It's a tough lesson but he'll thank you for it one day.

A TdF yellow jersey, signed by bradders after one of his yellow jersey days went for £1200 on ebay t'other week, if anyone's interested...

My missus has just shown me her mates Facebook page. They bumped into the guys at Crewe hall where they are staying and they let her 12 year old son onto the bus for photos and cav, wiggo and DB all posed for photos with him- considering it was a bad day at the office I would say fair play to them