Tour de France 2013

So it's 'difficult to manage the personalities' is the polar opposite of 'struggle to contain' is it? I didn't say they wouldn't win, did I? I've already said earlier in the thread it's a great back up plan to have. But from the outside looking in there seems to be a power struggle and a personality clash. We've had the Twitter wars from the WAGs, the various controversies on the roads from last year's Tour, Wiggins having a pop at Froome in his latest book and Froome looking like he wanted to eat Wiggins' heart at SPOTY.

What took place within Sky at 2012 Tour was as nothing, nothing compared to what went on in La Vie Claire during 1985/6, or almost any of the France teams from 1947 onwards (the Tour had 'national' teams for a number of years).

Roche's betrayal was down to finding out Visentini wasn't riding the Tour if memory serves

Roche's given reasons for not riding for Visentini change all the time. As you say, he mentions that Visentini wasn't going to ride the Tour. He also mentions that he was stronger than Visentini (although Visentini won one of the TTs - Roche won the other), which is probably the most important one. Counter to that, he was an irishman riding an italian race for an italian team, whose nominated leader (an italian) had won the race the year before. He then attacked his own team leader, who was in pink, and then stayed on the front whilst his entire team tried to chase him down.

Roche's given reasons for not riding for Visentini change all the time. As you say, he mentions that Visentini wasn't going to ride the Tour. He also mentions that he was stronger than Visentini (although Visentini won one of the TTs - Roche won the other), which is probably the most important one. Counter to that, he was an irishman riding an italian race for an italian team, whose nominated leader (an italian) had won the race the year before. He then attacked his own team leader, who was in pink, and then stayed on the front whilst his entire team tried to chase him down.

I know, totally ace. Love it if Froome pulled it this year

What took place within Sky at 2012 Tour was as nothing, nothing compared to what went on in La Vie Claire during 1985/6, or almost any of the France teams from 1947 onwards (the Tour had 'national' teams for a number of years).

What I was trying to say in any team/sport it's difficult to satisfy the ambitions of top athletes. Usually they may vie with each other for time for top spot for a while before one leaves. Plenty of top riders had very good lieutenants but few one that is arguably better than them.

I thought the Vuelta made Froome look like a chump. I know he was fatigued which excuses his performance but some of the tactics employed during the race were daft bordering on suicidal. It was a cobbled together team and so was always going to lack the planned, discipline attack the Tour team executed and of course the DS take plenty of responsibility but Froome looks skittish under pressure and makes bad decisions, IMO. For me Wiggins is the more natural, and better leader of a team.

We'll see how this all unfolds. Sky has lost some decent personnel to their ZTP, whether without them they can be as effective in 2013 is open to debate.

Of course Friday may well render this argument moot.

http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/06/tour-de-france-2012-prediction-prophecy/

Amusing and almost accurate prediction in 2012 by Nick Hussey.
I reckon this year will be epic,looking forward his blog this summer

Could be fun to post our own stage-by-stage predictions... Actually I might just do that closer to the event, when we know who's who this season, and I've had a chance to study the route in greater detail.

That was great

I don't know about you guys but this gets me hot:

Cav after green

Sky is all well and good, and lets face it, Wiggins is a bit of a twat, but Cav is what got me back into watching road racing. Every since 2008 or maybe before I've loved watching him rip it up on the Tour. Watching him last year was like watching a lame horse. Brailsford understood stage racing, but Sky were/are/foreverwillbe rubbish at one day/classics racing. Now he's at a team which is the best at that very thing. 51 victories matching Sky's haul.

Cav vs Sagan. Place your bets

Boonen was making noises about heading back to the Tour... le hmm

Boonen was making noises about heading back to the Tour... le hmm

Le hmm indeed, althoigh hasn't he said in the past he doesn't like riding the Tour?

lets face it, Wiggins is a bit of a twat,

Bollocks.

Bollocks.

Cav or Wiggins I take Cav everytime

Bradley Wiggins: 'I would love to win a second tour' — video

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/video/2013/jan/25/bradley-wiggins-second-tour-video

Froome is probably the main challenger for the Tour, but it doesn't hurt his chances to have another challenger in the team: a hydra-headed squad as someone else referred to it. It opens a host of tactics to unsettle and fatigue their rivals as both threats need to be covered. Imagine Wiggins in yellow and being brought to AC's group on a MTF by Froome, and he promptly attacks, but this time you don't know whether that race radio will buzz and bring him back to Wiggins. AC would have to cover it, going into the red to cover Froome while Wiggins TTs up it.

And Wiggo is the patron, it is expected he go to the Tour and try to defend his title. I think there is a certain amount of kidology going on with the contrasting statement s from Wiggins and Froome

Neither of them will win it. They'll mark each other, until fisticuffs on the biggest mountain stage, then both will retire. Nibali will win after Contador quits after eating more dodgy steak.

+1

I am not convinced that froome, wiggins or SKY will cope, when the other trade teams gang up on them.
Their kit will look spes on the telly though.. Built for comfort, not performance methinks and somewhere to put your iPlod strava thingy

Can I just get my slippery tenner on Cunty already?

Not proud of it, but he's going to win.

He'll have some new special tofu instead of the steak.

"Neither of them will win it. They'll mark each other, until fisticuffs on the biggest mountain stage, then both will retire. Nibali will win after Contador quits after eating more dodgy steak."

I'm not betting man really, but I can't say no to a free pint... You game?

I'm not betting man really, but I can't say no to a free pint... You game?

Whatever gives you the impression that I drink.. or gamble..

Oh.

Rumor has it...

I dont care about the squabbles, I'm sure they make you happy. Got my room booked 200 yards? metres from Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Will do my best to bring a special picture, what do you want in it?

A snap of Contador in a yellow jersey would\t go a miss... ;-)

A fat man in full sky/rapha kit fighting 2 skinny little spaniards.