Thursday 16 June 2011

Cavendish to Team Sky - what to expect?

This morning I woke up to the news that Cav's going to Team Sky, receiving impressingly £1,5 million a year.

Not a new rumour, according to different media outlets and Brailsford himself, Cav has been on the wish list a long time. Cav also enjoys a close relationship with his personal coach, Rod Ellingworth, who also happens to be a performance coach at Team Sky.
I'm coming home

What will this mean to the riders? 
Team Sky has from the beginning said that the team is all about getting a Brit to the top position on the tour de France podium. Does this indicate a shift in their focus? Many would said so, history shows that it is very difficult to win the tour while nailing the green jersey, at least with two different riders, which has been the case the last 20 years or so. The last years we have all seen the domination of HTC. Cav sets some premises and demands much of his team, that's why he has dominated GT sprints the last three years.

On the other hand, HTC has, at least the last year, had many different riders wining. Goss, Greipel, Degenkolb. Is this an indication that Cav is willing to let other team members win?  
The real question is; will the focus be stage wins or GC in GTs as well, and if it does, will the other riders in Team Sky be happy winning other races?

I don't think a Brit will win the tour as long as Contador's around, so perhaps has Brailsford accepted this and shifted the focus towards stage wins? After all, Team Sky is a team for Brits and Cav will have a natural place there, I'm just wondering if he will take too much room.

Team Sky has many great talents amongst the riders, EBH, Geraint Thomas, Appollonio, Kennaugh and Dowsett to mention a few. How will they react to Cav's return to Britain? After Renshaw's head-but, Cav showed he's not that dependant on a train as people have said.

Summary
I'm left with many questions, but if the rumour's true, the fastest man on the planet is coming home, and there is not a team around who'd not want to sign him, if they had the money. What the other riders will think, that's another important question. Will Team Sky now be a Skytrain or will they have several opportunities to go for victory. And, will Team Sky have focus on building talent?
Did you see that?
Photo 1 downloaded here.
Photo 2 downloaded here.

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