Team Sky’s hopes of competing in the 2010 Tour de France received a boost today, but reports suggesting that Bradley Wiggins is about to join them are premature at best, writes Matt McGeehan.
The international cycling union awarded the team a four-year UCI ProTour licence, but the recruitment of the under-contract Wiggins from Garmin-Slipstream as a contender for the maillot jaune, the Tour leader’s yellow jersey, appears to be no nearer.
Led by Dave Brailsford, the British Cycling performance director, and backed by BSkyB, Team Sky will launch in January, but require a wildcard entry to compete in cycling’s most prestigious race next July.
The four-year UCI ProTour licence, which runs to 2013, along with the team’s fervent anti-doping policy, is likely to be looked favourably upon by Tour de France organisers Amaury Sports Organisation.
While the award of a licence has been straightforward for Team Sky, the recruitment of a team leader is proving anything but. Wiggins, a three-time Olympic champion on the track, equalled the best Tour de France finish by a Briton in July, finishing fourth to equal Robert Millar’s 1984 record. He would be a natural fit for Team Sky, having worked closely under Brailsford at British Cycling.
Reports yesterday claimed that a £2m transfer fee has been agreed with his current team, which, in turn, could allow the American squad to recruit Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who currently rides for Kazakh squad Astana. The 29-year-old has admitted to speaking to Brailsford, but he has consistently denied he will leave Garmin-Slipstream before his contract ends next year.
Sixteen signings have been made so far by Team Sky, with six Britons recruited. Wiggins’ fellow Olympic team pursuit gold medal winner Geraint Thomas and his Barloworld colleagues Steve Cummings and Chris Froome will make the switch in 2010, as well as Tour of Ireland champion Russell Downing, Ian Stannard and Peter Kennaugh.
Edvald Boasson Hagen, ranked No.3 in the world, has been lured from Team Columbia-HTC and has celebrated his contract with four Tour of Britain stage victories and the race lead ahead of today’s penultimate day of racing.
n Ben Swift ended Boasson Hagen’s run in the Tour of Britain with victory in the penultimate stage today. The Briton held off the challenge of his Team Katusha colleague, Filippo Pozzato of Italy, and the overall leader Boasson Hagen to win a sprint to the line in Yeovil, Somerset after the 159.7km seventh stage from Hatherleigh in Devon.
Swift has been linked with a move to Team Sky despite being under contract with Russian squad Team Katusha in 2010. The rider was third in the second stage of May’s Giro d’Italia behind Mark Cavendish.
n Scots Claire Thomas and Pippa Handley will line up against a strong international field for today’s Ruien-Kluisbergen road race in Belgium, writes Colin Renton. Thomas finished on the podium at the Grand Prix Colfontaine in Belgium while Handley took world ranking points with 11th place at the Chrono Champenois in France last weekend.
Team Sky’s hopes of competing in the 2010 Tour de France received a boost today, but reports suggesting that Bradley Wiggins is about to join them are premature at best, writes Matt McGeehan.
The international cycling union awarded the team a four-year UCI ProTour licence, but the recruitment of the under-contract Wiggins from Garmin-Slipstream as a contender for the maillot jaune, the Tour leader’s yellow jersey, appears to be no nearer.
Led by Dave Brailsford, the British Cycling performance director, and backed by BSkyB, Team Sky will launch in January, but require a wildcard entry to compete in cycling’s most prestigious race next July.
The four-year UCI ProTour licence, which runs to 2013, along with the team’s fervent anti-doping policy, is likely to be looked favourably upon by Tour de France organisers Amaury Sports Organisation.
While the award of a licence has been straightforward for Team Sky, the recruitment of a team leader is proving anything but. Wiggins, a three-time Olympic champion on the track, equalled the best Tour de France finish by a Briton in July, finishing fourth to equal Robert Millar’s 1984 record. He would be a natural fit for Team Sky, having worked closely under Brailsford at British Cycling.
Reports yesterday claimed that a £2m transfer fee has been agreed with his current team, which, in turn, could allow the American squad to recruit Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who currently rides for Kazakh squad Astana. The 29-year-old has admitted to speaking to Brailsford, but he has consistently denied he will leave Garmin-Slipstream before his contract ends next year.
Sixteen signings have been made so far by Team Sky, with six Britons recruited. Wiggins’ fellow Olympic team pursuit gold medal winner Geraint Thomas and his Barloworld colleagues Steve Cummings and Chris Froome will make the switch in 2010, as well as Tour of Ireland champion Russell Downing, Ian Stannard and Peter Kennaugh.
Edvald Boasson Hagen, ranked No.3 in the world, has been lured from Team Columbia-HTC and has celebrated his contract with four Tour of Britain stage victories and the race lead ahead of today’s penultimate day of racing.
n Ben Swift ended Boasson Hagen’s run in the Tour of Britain with victory in the penultimate stage today. The Briton held off the challenge of his Team Katusha colleague, Filippo Pozzato of Italy, and the overall leader Boasson Hagen to win a sprint to the line in Yeovil, Somerset after the 159.7km seventh stage from Hatherleigh in Devon.
Swift has been linked with a move to Team Sky despite being under contract with Russian squad Team Katusha in 2010. The rider was third in the second stage of May’s Giro d’Italia behind Mark Cavendish.
n Scots Claire Thomas and Pippa Handley will line up against a strong international field for today’s Ruien-Kluisbergen road race in Belgium, writes Colin Renton. Thomas finished on the podium at the Grand Prix Colfontaine in Belgium while Handley took world ranking points with 11th place at the Chrono Champenois in France last weekend.
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