Sky Cycling Team

The BNP are supporting Britain's British bicycle racing boys who races on the best of British bikes made by Brits in Britain for Brits.

I'd rather ride for a Canadian team: Canada - a world of possibilities.

The BNP are supporting Britain's British bicycle racing boys who races on the best of British bikes made by Brits in Britain for Brits.

Good point; were the BNP to sponsor a team containing Wiggins - and a proper British team at that - would there be a similar "I don't care where the money comes from" response? No, there wouldn't. But ask who has done more harm to this country, Murdoch or the BNP, and the answer is not the swivel eyed thugs draped in Union jacks.

I'd rather ride for a Canadian team: Canada - a world of possibilities.

I'd take a Cervélo over a Halford's Boardman ;)

And let's not turn this in to an us against them argument, you racist.

It's me against you, bitch, not us against them.

Misogynist, too. shakes head

So a man can't call another man a ladydog. *It's political correctness gone mad*.

Who owns Raleigh these days? Raleigh USA make half decent bikes - if ever there was a brand that could be revitalised on the back of the cycling boom Raleigh is it

maybe the new Raleigh team could do this?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/raleigh-back-in-the-peloton-from-2010

I'd move for £905,000

($)($)

**Team Sky 2010 so far
**Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor)

John-Lee Augustyn (RSA)

Michael Barry (Can)

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor)

Sylvain Calzati (Fra)

Kjell Carlstrom (Fin)

Dario Cioni (Ita)

Steve Cummings (GB)

Russell Downing (GB)

Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa)

Chris Froome (GB)

Simon Gerrans (Aus)

Mat Hayman (Aus)

Greg Henderson (NZ)

Peter Kennaugh (GB)

Thomas Lövkvist (Swe)

Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Nor)

Serge Pauwels (Bel)

Nicolas Portal (Fra)

Morris Possoni (Ita)

Ian Stannard (GB)

Chris Sutton (Aus)

Geraint Thomas (GB)

Davide Vigano (Ita)

Bradley Wiggins (GB)

doesn't look like team GB to me? unless we are going back to the age of empire and assimilating a few other territories?

Team Sky 2010 so far
Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor)

John-Lee Augustyn (RSA)

Michael Barry (Can)

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor)

Sylvain Calzati (Fra)

Kjell Carlstrom (Fin)

Dario Cioni (Ita)

Steve Cummings (GB)

Russell Downing (GB)

Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa)

Chris Froome (GB)

Simon Gerrans (Aus)

Mat Hayman (Aus)

Greg Henderson (NZ)

Peter Kennaugh (IoM)

Thomas Lövkvist (Swe)

Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Nor)

Serge Pauwels (Bel)

Nicolas Portal (Fra)

Morris Possoni (Ita)

Ian Stannard (GB)

Chris Sutton (Aus)

Geraint Thomas (GB)

Davide Vigano (Ita)

Bradley Wiggins (GB)

doesn't look like team GB to me? unless we are going back to the age of empire and assimilating a few other territories?

.

Up to a point; but these quotes from the Guardian are typical, I think, of how the team will be reported on in Britain:
"has signed a four-year deal to race with the new British professional squad Team Sky from 2010"
"the deal that took him to Britain's flagship squad".
And I don't think Sky's marketing department will be writing asking for a correction. They don't have to get their hands dirty creating misleading impressions: 'quality' journalism will do it for them.

Just goes to show the level of understanding in this country of pro tours. It's all about corporate sponsorship, always has been. The national pride angle is risible, like British people will only become interested in a sport if we have a national team competing. Sadly it's probably true, for those that aren't already interested.

Ashes fever? how many beery celebrators from this summer continued to follow "Eng-er-lund" on their South African tour? how many of them are genuine cricket fans who are just as interested in the Aus v WI fixtures?

Same with cycling, yes it's good that it encourages more interest, but I remember the times when Brit riders hardly figured in the TDF, yes we looked out keenly for their exploits, but really we watched it for the thrill of Cipo, Il Pirata , Abdou, Merckx...the list goes on.

the tour is business. towns pay and bribe to have the peleton ride through their streets, it's main purpose is to sell pregnacy test kits, processed cheese, farm gates, mobile phones, tile grout, anti snoring medication etc etc.
anyone who disagrees with this on principle should look at other sports to follow.
Maybe bowls? dunno if *lignum vitae *is a sustainable hardwood so perhaps chess or darts would be more suitable.

Cheese rolling.

but only if the cheese is eaten aftewards

don't upset the vegans

Same with cycling, yes it's good that it encourages more interest, but I remember the times when Brit riders hardly figured in the TDF, yes we looked out keenly for their exploits, but really we watched it for the thrill of Cipo, Il Pirata , Abdou, Merckx...the list goes on.

'We' being proper cycling fans, no?

The idea is, of course, to generate more cycling fans, but I suppose to achieve this you need stars like that again.

Armstrong and Cavendish are stars at the moment, but who else? Contador is boring and questionable, Wiggo may be becoming one but I don't think is just yet (he only has three Olympic gold medals, it's just not enough), Boonen seems to have lost it a bit, etc. There are quite a few minor stars, but not ones likely to attract the general public with no interest in cycling.

the tour is business. towns pay and bribe to have the peleton ride through their streets, it's main purpose is to sell pregnacy test kits, processed cheese, farm gates, mobile phones, tile grout, anti snoring medication etc etc.

I've just been thinking about this, and I'm pretty sure that apart from Milram (fairly ubiquitous dairy products in Germany), Telekom (bought a phone and a phone connection from them, but in those days you had no choice), Linda McCartney, and minor, cycling-related sponsors, I've never bought any products that have been advertised in the TdF. OK, I have a LeMond bike, which used to be run by Trek, and I obviously have bits and bobs from lots of other cycling brands, but all of the other companies' products are obscure to me. Obviously not to a lot of other people living, say, in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, or Italy, but Sky will be one of the first recognisable brands for Brits.

maybe the new Raleigh team could do this?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/raleigh-back-in-the-peloton-from-2010

I'm glad that Raleigh are rallying.

'Contador is boring and questionable,

Why? why is he boring? because of his explosive accelerations, and aggressive, attacking riding? because of his graceful style on the bike and superb time-trialling ability? Or is it perhaps the way he dances up mountains leaving others struggling in his wake?

I think what you mean is : he's so much better than everyone else right now ( whether this is natural or enhanced time will tell), that he doesn't always have to race too hard; this year one devastating mountain attack and a cancellara-beating TT were enough to secure him the Tour.

but don't, for gods sake say he's boring - it's just not the case. I think he's a fantastically great rider.

Calculating, not boring, init. Hence 'the accountant'. Hang on, that could mean boring :S

YouTube- Chartered Accountant by Monty Python.mp4

Calculating, not boring, init. Hence 'the accountant'. Hang on, that could mean boring :S

i've never heard him called that. Also, i can't see how he's anymore calculating than you have to be in cycling; i thought his impetuousness and hot-headedness had been called into question more than once... not to mention when he blew up at Paris-Nice because he forgot to eat; hardly the icy cold tactics of a terminator..

Accountant, not terminator.

And, FYI, 'contador' is Spanish for 'accountant', so it was inevitable really.

There you have it: Alberto Contador, the Accountant who forgot to eat.

at least he got his tax return in in time

Any sneak previews of the kit? Or will it be the same as the track stuff?