“You’re only as good as your last race” is cycling’s version of “what have you done for me lately?” and Team Ineos’s selection for the Tour de France is a clear demonstration. Out go Thomas and Froome, in come Carapaz and Amador.
Team Sky
Ineos To Takeover Team Sky
It’s official, UK petrochemicals firm Ineos will take over from Sky as the new team sponsor and the newly branded kit will be unveiled on 1 May at the Tour of Yorkshire. Here’s a look at a few related things, from changing kit mid-season to budget talk.
Sky Reaches The End of the Road
Sky has announced it is pulling out of sponsorship of the pro team and 2019 will be the last year for the UK media firm in the peloton. Now the team faces a race to secure funding for 2020 with realistically only months to do this. It’s yours for £30 million a year.
Team Sky’s Finances
The latest set of Team Sky’s accounts has been published and here is a closer look at their finances including a bumper budget.
The Finances of Team Sky
Team Sky’s accounts for the year ending 2016 are out and they’re bigger than ever, the team budget increased by 27% for the year and Sky’s title sponsorship payment by 50%. Here’s a look at their budget, spending, wage bill and more.
Team Sky’s “New” Skinsuit
Much has been made of Team Sky placing four riders in the top-10 of the Tour de France’s opening stage, including the special skinsuit with talk of a special new fabric incorporating aerodynamic advantages. Here’s a closer look at the material and the topic.
Known Unknowns
Believe in Team Sky? Have faith in Dave Brailsford? Pro cycling ought to be as simple as riding a bike, of 200 riders trying to cross a white line first. Only it’s more complicated. This sophistication can satisfy as we learn about aerodynamics or geography, sometimes it’s tiresome as we trawl the UCI rulebook or WADA Code. As Team Sky’s TUE saga goes on, it’s not so much learning about new subjects, it’s more an exploration of the frontier of what we know and what we don’t.
The Never-Ending TUEsday
It’s turning into the never-ending story. What could have been a quick medical matter is turning into an ethical saga that’s now being played out across the British media. The leaked revelation that Bradley Wiggins injected cortisone on the eve of major races shows a grey area where private medical needs meet a history of steroid abuse in sport. This matter should have been cleared up but rumbles on.
Reengineering The Tour De France
The 2016 Tour de France had plenty of highlights but the yellow jersey contest was not a vintage edition. It’s brought calls for all sorts of changes, from the Tour’s route to structural changes to the sport like reducing the team size and imposing a salary cap.
The Finances of Team Sky
Team Sky’s annual accounts for the year ending 2015 have just been published and they report a budget cut for the first time since the team’s creation. Here’s a look at their budget, spending, wage bill and a comparison with other squads.