Tag: Dave Brailsford

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Froome to Lead Team Sky on Tour?

Chris Froome to lead Team Sky at Tour de France 2013After much speculation as to how Team Sky will play the big races of 2013 we seem to be a step closer to knowing with Sky boss Dave Brailsford commenting, ‘It does look as though the plan going into next year… is that the Tour of Italy would be a very good target for Bradley and leave Froomey then to focus on the Tour de France.’ Brailsford, speaking to reporters at UK Sport’s World Class Performance conference in Leeds, said: ‘We are just getting back into training now and need to do quite a lot of planning.’

 

Chirs Froome of course looked strong (arguably in contention for an overall win despite team instructions) at this year’s TdF and the idea of unleashing him unfettered on the 2013 Tour as every bit as exciting as the prospect of Wiggins adding a Giro title to his impressive roster. The Giro takes place May 4 – 26, whilst the TdF (the 100th edition, with a course likely to favour climbers like Froome) runs June 29 – July 21.

 

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Sean Yates Quits Team Sky

20121028-170221.jpgTeam Sky’s lead Sports Director, Sean Yates has announced he is quitting the team and retiring from cycling after three decades in the sport. Yates was himself a pro cyclist, the British individual pursuit champion in 1982 and 1983 and a stage winner at both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España in 1988, before retiring in 1996 to follow a management career in the sport. He joined Team Sky at their inception and is largely credited with masterminding Bradley Wiggins win at this year’s TdF.
 
In a statement Team Principal Dave Brailsford said: ‘After a long career in professional cycling, he has told us that he wants to move on, for purely personal reasons… Sean has been a great support to the riders on the road and a valuable colleague to us all. We wish him the best for the next step in his life.’

 

The news of his departure comes immediately on the back of Team Sky’s Race Coach, Bobby Julich, leaving the outfit after disclosing that he used a banned substance whilst a pro cyclist during the late 1990s. However Sky are at pains to point out that, although he was interviewed – along with all staff – about any historic misdemeanours there were ‘…no admissions or disclosures that would have required him to leave the team,’ and his exit is, ‘for purely personal reasons.’

 

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Another One Bites the Dust

20121027-092526.jpgAfter two seasons as Race Coach, Bobby Julich has left Team Sky after disclosing that he used a banned substance whilst a pro cyclist during the late 1990s. This comes both on the back of the on-going Armstrong scandal and after Sky’s season-end declaration that they would be asking everyone involved on the team to volunteer information about any previous misdemeanour in order to move forward with a completely clean slate. In a statement Team Principal Dave Brailsford said: ’Bobby has shown courage in admitting to the errors he made long before his time with Team Sky. We understand that this is a difficult step for him and we’ve done our best to support him… It’s important to emphasise that there have been no doubts about his work with us or his approach as a coach. He has done a good job and been a good colleague during his two years with us. Bobby has our best wishes for the future.’ Brailsford concluded by saying, ’We’ve made clear our commitment to being a clean team and been open about the steps we’re taking. Although it’s never easy to part, we believe this is the right thing to do.’