What next for Team Sky?

Sunday night saw Chris Froome ride home along the Champs-Élysées, arms around his fellow teammates, as the curtain fell on what was a remarkable 100^th Tour de France. The race had it all; the failure of a two time winner, the rise of a Columbian wonder climber, a new Champs-Élysées champion and the second British Tour de France victor in two years.

Froome & Drugs – Where to draw the line?

This is a controversial topic and one which I am sure will produce a range of opinions. Following last year’s revelations relating to Lance Armstrong, I've seen many bloggers and tweeters who do not want to believe in Froome only to have their hopes and beliefs in the sport dashed once again.

Tour de France Stage 18 Preview

Thursday, 18 July - stage 18: Gap - Alpe-d'Huez, 172.5km

Stage 18 has been labelled as the most difficult, controversial and discussed stage in this year’s Tour. It begins in Gap, where Rui Costa won a stage on Tuesday, and finishes on the iconic Alpe d’Huez. It is not a long stage at 172km, yet by the time the riders arrive at the finish, they would have climbed the Alpe twice and 6 categorised climbs, 2 of them classified as HC. Another key factor in the stage is the treacherous descent after the 1999m Col de Sarenne. However, there is a strong possibility that the stage will be shortened due to the dangerous descent. As I am writing this blog, there is apparently a risk of cancellation if it rains, and weather forecasts predict it will, but we probably won’t know until hours before the stage.

Tour de France Stage 17 Preview

Wednesday, 17 July - stage 17: Embrun - Chorges, 32km individual time trial

 

Stage 17 sees the riders take on the second of two individual time trials in this year’s tour.  The first time trial saw some of Chris Froome’s main contenders in the GC slip up as they struggled to match the Kenyan born Brit’s pace on the pan flat profile. However, despite being of a similar length at just 32 kilometres, stage 17 should prove a different story. Mountain specialist like Quintana and Rodriguez should be able to cut their losses, whilst Contador should be finishing well inside the 2’ 3’’ he managed behind Froome in stage 11.

Biological Passports & Wada - a Lesson to Learn for Athletics

Just yesterday details of a positive drugs tests for two of athletics’ biggest stars, Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell, were released. In my eyes the media reaction to these two positives was negligible, the pair were at the pinnacle of their sport and I would have expected a much more robust reaction something similar to the outburst when Lance Armstrong confessed on Oprah.

Tour de France 2013 Rest Day 1 Round Up

So as we approach the midway point of the Tour we have been treated to quite a feast, with the bulk of the climbing still ahead of us we nevertheless got to see all the contenders and their relative strengths over the past two stages.

Sky showed they are immense but not impenetrable, in fact if today's stage was any indication of how things will progress they will surely be worrying and wondering how they will be able to control the 3 stages in the Alps which come all in a row. And with Kiriyenka gone, Thomas injured, Stannard also bearing bruises, Lopez looking poor and Kennaugh crashing today (though he looked fine chasing for Porte) there is more than cause to concern.

The GC Contenders

Who will it be?



Well Chris Froome has done everything right so far including eliminating Sir Bradley and now he has sole leadership of Richie Porte. The Sky team seems more vulnerable this year than last year in my opinion. Froome has managed to out do Wiggins by not only winning close to
everything he has ridden this year but also winning with relative style and panache, he seems to be riding within his limits and only time and Ventoux will tell just how strong he really is and whether he can be beaten.