Tour De France 2018

Sounds like Katusha will be in the market for a couple of strong rouleurs, and they're already a bit Millwall themselves so...

I wish I could get a contract that makes me the winner. Save a lot on fuel going to all those events I don't win. ;)

Brailsford is a fucking idiot with his comments about the French. Someone just needs to take him away from the microphones and cameras. In fact he should recognise that fact, but he likes the limelight too much.

Yes, he's not helping matters :)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/brailsford-blames-tour-de-france-roadside-reactions-on-a-french-cultural-thing/

I'm reeling from this Sagan divorce news TBF, but I take it that means he's on the market? I've made peace with the fact that I'll never make the pro tour myself, but I could get a taste of the lifestyle by being Mrs Sagan II.

Alas, I don't care. These people have been manipulating us since 2011.

Most upvoted comment on L'Equipe's latest story about Sky leadership being in question... Studied indifference being what it is, Macron has even cancelled his visit to the Tour (probably because fuck all French wins tho).

Brad's enjoying himself

You don't think he has a chance in the Pyrenees stages?

I took it to mean that Sky will be pissed off with Fortuneo, so will shut down any attempts by Barguil to get into a break.

apparently it wasn't Fortuneo that took it to the commissaires so I dunno if there will be much aggro there.

because their guy is punished for something all team mates would say is absolutely unacceptable behaviour?

Probably isn't helping matters, then again Madiot, Lappartient, Prudhomme, Bardet, have probably had a bigger impact. This may be reflected in the type of questions the french media are asking them however.
Even if Brailsford had called all the French a bag of cunts, the public should still not be throwing piss and spitting on riders.

I understand you may be referring to an article in Cycling News? I believe these quotes came from a rest day press-conference, so it was his job to be there, correct? It's not like he called the press-conference just to announce this.

I also understand people may view Sky and/or Brailsford as hypocritical, however, after reading the actual comments quoted, I feel emphaty. I once worked as a manager of a team of young-ish people, and when one yound lady was sort-of bullied by an older colleagues, I was really vocal about the case. Imagine yourself in the shoes of a manager of 30+ people in another country in a very hostile environment, where most of the people can face any number of abusive locals who may try to hit them or spit at them, while you, as a manager, are not really able to protect them in any kind of way?..

We don’t know what caused Moscon to react like that. His teammates do.

we don't know, indeed, but Poels was very clear on the subject today.

Just watched the Moscon video. "Punch" is a bit generous.

Oh I agree regarding the spitting and piss, it really does reflect badly on the French, but there are more tactful ways of addressing it. This is on top of him criticising Lappartient and saying he retains the mentality of a regional French mayor.

Sky have a history of appalling PR, one blunder after another which have undoubtedly contributed to the toxic atmosphere in France. He is right of course: you don't get this in the Giro or Vuelta, and the spitting and physical violence does reflect badly on the French. And while the riders and staff don't deserve it, the buck stops with Brailsford. Considering the recent disasters he is lucky to have a job, and he would do Sky a massive favour by stepping back from giving interviews. He doesn't have to be there, I am sure he could send in a DS.

He is right of course: you don't get this in the Giro or Vuelta, and the spitting and physical violence does reflect badly on the French. And while the riders and staff don't deserve it, the buck stops with Brailsford.

Eh? Surely the buck stops with the people doing the spitting and physical violence. And if any third party has led them to do it, I'd say Bernard Hinault, the ASO and the French press have far more to do with it than Brailsford.

Isn't talking down to the French a British national pastime? Crack on I say....

How many people are spitting? 10? 100? 1000? Are they all French?

It's a bit rich to call it a "French thing" out of a country of 67 million, at an international sporting event with spectators from all over the world. The tour's placing in the calendar and its status will attract more goons than the Giro and Vuelta combined.

People don't like Sky-a trait that spans borders, races and language-in large part because of fancy bears revelations and a DCMS report Brailsford refuses to comment on.

Brailsford comes across as just as jingoistic and inflammatory as Hinault...

I think Froome's pretty diplomatic about the whole situation. Not escalating the shit anyway.

Brailsford on the other hand...

Really? After everything that has gone at Sky over the years? When Sky started up there was a fair amount of goodwill, Wiggins was initially quite popular, but I think that has been steadily ground down and that is down to very bad PR, and that ultimately down to Brailsford.

Ze Germans have a word for what happens to me when Brailsford opens his yap hole: Fremdschämen

Fremdschämen

Google translate does not know this word

Fremdschämen