I cant help feeling that the majority reaction to Team Sky in France is down to jealousy - particularly from the French! So Sky are a professional team, in the professional era, doing what a professional team does to get the job done within the rules. Until the other teams up their game to compete with Sky, then this will rumble on.
For a good example of this, just look at the different attire that was worn by the riders in today’s TT - some looked like they were out for a Sunday afternoon bimble.
If the French want a French team and a French rider to win a future Tour, then they are going to have to finance it the same way that Sky do.
Until then - watch out for a 5th Tour win from Froome next year! Thomas will most likely pitch for the Vuelta and Giro before then.
“Jealous, moi!” says every French person I speak to. So yes the words grapes and sour come to mind - thank heavens Alaphillipe did good otherwise there would have been even more spitting.
But perhaps some things should be levelled out…so standard skin suits for everyone?
I was a competitive swimmer 35/40 years ago, at the time the opposition was on anabolic steroids and god knows what else. We were half their size!
I think they all dope up as much as they can, while sport attracts big bucks it will continue to be the case, unfortunately. What an extraordinary coincidence they should all be asthmatic, thank goodness for salbutamol, eh.
I think it also comes down to the National attitude and approach to the training from a young age.
Look at the British winners : Wiggins was a result of the Manchester cycling academy and won many titles on the track before his Tour win. Thomas too has the same background. This approach worked to produce a Tour winner, but it takes years and the chances of multiple Tour wins for these two Gents are and were (in Wiggins’ case) limited by age. Froome came through the road-racing route with his contract at Sky as a Domestique - learned the ropes that way and came to dominate. I do see another Tour win in him and then he will most likely retire.
I dont see the French cyclists making the jump from track to road (or being that successful on the track anyway), or an academy set up to take the talented youngsters through the system. I think they rely on the ‘time-served’ approach of local races leading to national races leading to being noticed by teams and then working their way up. No central policy, no progression training or path.
I think the other Pro teams in the Peloton need to wake up and realise what they have to do to compete - it isnt rocket science, Sky have shown them what to do…
Rather sweeping statements Vero that they ALL ‘dope up’ as you call it…and that they are ALL asthmatic… I would have expected a better response myself having read many of your past posts.
Sorry that you are in that position, but you might find delving into the moving wallpaper soothing, as the Vuelta (the Spanish equivalent) is on soon. Not only do you have great scenery, but it’s actually an interesting sport as relies on team co-operation amd strategy in the face of ever changing scenario - weather, road condition, and so on. It’s not just about the winner, and you can get caught up in many individual stories - like the first time young Colombian rider supporting Froome got huge praise even as people were spitting on Froome. Or Lawson Craddock who made it to the end despite injuries to be able to complete his commitment to raise money for charity. There’s a lot of good beneath the headlines about drugs.
Team Sky have the biggest budget which enables them to assemble the best riders and support staff which gives them a headstart in winning the major races, nothing to do with drug taking. It’s a coincidence that at the moment Sky’s top riders are Brits as most of their 30 man team come from other countries and with both Froome and Thomas in their early 30’s it won’t be long before a non-UK rider wins the TDF.
The whole TdF Circus, is nonsense, it’s been discredited for years, because of drugs, and now, to cap it, all you need is a health prob’ i.e., asthmatic, to be able to use ‘rocket fuel’, legally
To appreciate any humour you have to a have a sense of it Bill, perhaps you could put it on the Christmas or Birthday list you give to Babeth as clearly she has a good one.
