Tour de France 2017

Even for Sky, will that cover staff costs?

Nine riders on an average of €1m per year is 519k. Plus drivers, plus soigneurs...

Distinct lack of tarmac roads too in 1016. Tough parcours.

U wot m8?

The prize money doesn't go to Sky, it's shared between the riders and the support staff.

What is sky cycling annual budget?
What is sky's (thebbigbbeast) annual income?

Ah I see. Thanks.

The team has a budget of approx £30 million per annum. I believe Sky UK's marketing budget is over £300 million per annum. Revenue for the entire company was £12 billion last year.

As always, inrng has done some good blogs on how this all works.

They also earn money from other sponsors - car providers, kit suppliers etc.

Exactly

Anyway, isn't it about time this thread was replaced as a sticky by the TCR?

Will dot watchers be throwing bags of urine over @hippy ?

I really want to see froome win a classic. I think he needs it on his palmares.

you can run two cycling teams for the transfer sum of many a single big league football player, still baffles me

Froome will never win a classic. He doesn't have the attributes or the inclination.

Maybe.
He really needs a world champs jersey too.

Maybe TT WC stripes, but I can't see him being a Road WC unless he stops focusing on La Vuelta after finishing Le Tour every year.

World championship courses that are hard enough to suit Froome are like hens teeth.

The proposed course for Innsbruck next year looked hard though.

Froome's more likely to potentially win World TT championships on hillier terrain, or a super hilly world road race. Maybe Lombardia one day?

He's been close to winning the Vuelta, so that would be a good pick for another big win other than the Tour.

Looking forward to seeing some of the newer GC favourites battle him, such as Dumoulin, should match or beat him on TT miles, and they'll be a keener battle on the climbs.
Froome will still have the edge on climbing I think, but will have to face the battering of the climbers like Barguil, Aru, Landa, Bardet.

Has anyone here been to see the final stage in Paris with a young family? We were all watching it last night and I'd love to take the kids to see it. Even the wife said she'd love to go. Not fussed about getting the best viewing spot etc, more to take in the atmosphere and enjoying the evening.

Betancur watch - 18th in GC, I was thinking that he was looking pretty solid, and has the leg size of a much heavier rider

AndyP>Inrng

Nah. 3rd is not even first of the losers. No one remembers who came third.

Bardet has been one of the most memorable and exciting things about this tour.

Except in the TT, obvs.

Pretty amazing achievement from Landa to come 4th as a domestique....

Nice to see the French have a good tour as well.

I've been to Paris to watch it but not with a family. There were lots of families around, as long as you're not trying to see the final sprint there's lots of areas to get a decent view. Sure it would work fine, everywhere is busy but really good atmosphere

I'd like to see Froome in a one day race, mostly because through the whole year of racing you get to see Froome alone for like 20 mins in total. He is shepherded around by such incredible teammates in the TdF that he's never isolated and so we rarely get a chance to see his race-craft. A classic would nicely bring this to the fore, though I can't think of a reason to ride them other than for others, not his, enjoyment.