Pro-cycling thread

french, spanish and italians.... what have they ever done for cycling, eh?

I just meant the commentary....

ah, I just meant everything ;-) but I do realise we've been spoiled over here for many years

This almost makes me miss the days of armchair DSing.

I hope anyone other than Adam Blythe wins this weekend so we are spared another year of white shorts and slevless

Preach. It just ain't right.

No Wout Poels pulling Froomey's black train up the French mountains next month, sadly. (Not that they will especially need him by the look of this line-up but) I wonder if they'll let him have a team to go for La Vuelta GC...

https://www.teamsky.com/article/team-sky-announce-tour-de-france-lineup

Six team leader calibre riders out of nine, plus Kiryienka who is a human freight train.

Seems legit.

Has someone photoshopped CF's head on Sagan's body?

Oh for Fucks sake, why can't they leave Landa for the Vuelta?

That said he's a decent Plan B if Froome is off the boil, as he looks at the moment.

I'm sad not to see Kennaugh going to the Tour, particularly after his Dauphine stage win (and also being a fellow Manxman) but looking at the pretty stellar line up it's not surprising. Obviously now hoping this will spur him on to a win on home roads this Sunday!

are the nationals on the bbc or did I dream that?

That said he's a decent Plan B if Froome is off the boil, as he looks at the moment

Hadn't thought of that, would be a big surprise!

Well I just hope they don't burn him up trying to aide a struggling Froome if it comes to that, and he should get protected status over Thomas.

Froome's train will be clad in white at the Tour this year.

Strong team though, it'll be interesting to see how Froome's form is on stage 5.

I'd imagine this all but confirms Landa's departure from Sky at the end of the season.

Stannard as well?

Yep, a tilt at the Giro and Vuelta in a a single season makes sense and I'd imagine it is what landa preferred. Now he is being used as a super-dom, I wonder if he goes off-piste like he did riding for Aru in the Giro? I fucking pray he does. It'll be boring as shit watching him ride tempo for Froome.

Not necessarily: Stannard has been off his previous levels this year, pretty anonymous in the classics. I imagine that was done on merit.

To Froome's credit he's been trying to be less boring the last couple of years. I guess that comes with the confidence of being (one of) the best riders in the peloton. So here's hoping!

Sky's line up reminds me - have we discussed the full lineup yet?
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-start-list-2-230321

I presume Team Dimension Data are going to find some more riders?!

needs more mickeys

Yeah but Landa's considered one of the best if not the best climbers there is. Pacing Froome up climbs will be a huge under-use of his talent and his ability to animate races.

A bit like Froome doing it for Wiggins in '12.

I was really hoping to see Landa be leader at the Vuelta.

Don't get me wrong - I don't want Landa riding for Froome. Just hoping we won't have the Sky-train-of-death everyone got used to a few years ago.

Again Team Sky copies CS Grupetto kit.