The project is well advanced and the announcement could arrive already in the next few hours: Sky is preparing to land in the world of big bikes, not for television production, but with a UK-based ProTour team. Radiomercato indicates that a summit meeting was held this morning in London and heading the project there would be the team manager David Brailsford. The transaction would be in some way linked to the London Olympics in 2012 and should lead to military team in some of the strongest British riders in the world, starting with Mark Cavendish.
Wonder which riders they will get on board? (I reckon they will be shooting for Cavendish as he would guarantee an invite to lots of races including the Tour de France). As Sky includes Sky Italia there will be some Italians on the roster too.
Wonder which riders they will get on board? (I reckon they will be shooting for Cavendish as he would guarantee an invite to lots of races including the Tour de France). As Sky includes Sky Italia there will be some Italians on the roster too.
If they go for Cavendish they might settle for a sprinter team and not focus on the GC's at Grand Tours. I don't think they would have so much money that they could get a (competitive) GC rider and riders to support him, on top of the sprinters. A big question mark in my opinion is how much this new Sky team would have to pay for Cav. He is without doubt the fastest sprinter in the world atm and he has a contract with Columbia til the end of 2010.
Me thinks that Brad Wiggins will be on the Team Sky wish list now!There is no need to get Cavendish on board with a possible Tour de France GC contender in the house 😉 If Brailsford really aims at having a British rider on the Tour de France Podium in the coming years, Brad might be his best bet. A sports manager for Team Saxo Bank, Scott Sunderland was directing last year's Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre, surely that would be one good reason for Wiggins to consider signing for the new British Team. Imagine the publicity this will bring sky🙄 in the UK, and world wide !
Chris Froome Stephen Cummings Geraint Thomas Russell Downing Peter Kennaugh Ian Stannard Edvald Boasson Hagen Thomas Lövkvist Kurt Asle Arvesen Simon Gerrans Juan Antonio Flecha Kjell Calström John Lee Augustyn Greg Henderson Las Petter Nordhaug Morris Possoni
Chris Froome Stephen Cummings Geraint Thomas Russell Downing Peter Kennaugh Ian Stannard Edvald Boasson Hagen Thomas Lövkvist Kurt Asle Arvesen Simon Gerrans Juan Antonio Flecha Kjell Calström John Lee Augustyn Greg Henderson Las Petter Nordhaug Morris Possoni
Vive la South Africa!
John Lee and our adopted son Chris Froome - I look forward to watching these young pups rip up some hills together in France!
