Team Sky : Fortuitous Monotonous Metronome or Future of Grand Tour Cycling.

Let us make no bones about the fact that this was a great 12 months for British Cycling; starting with Mark Cavendish’s world championship win in 2011 right to the top 2 podium spots of this year’s Tour de France. At the very heart of these achievements, especially the latter, which many Brits deem greater than the 1966 world cup win, has been that ruthless cycling machine called Team Sky. Masterminded by David Bralisford and spearheaded by Bradley Wiggins (Surely ‘Sir Bradley’ in the future) , Sky demolished all and sundry in the most clinical display of team cycling , possibly in the entire history of the Tour.

The course suited Wiggins to the hilt with 2 long time trials and the paucity of major mountain top finishes. Once he gained the Yellow jersey in the 2nd week, his trusty lieutenants, notably Chris Froome and Ritchie Porte pretty much carried him piggy back over the mountains and set him up for the one thing he does best – demolish the field in the Individual Time trial. Job done – champagne uncorked, knighthoods / OBEs earmarked. People are already proclaiming US Postal / Discovery like domination of the Tour by Sky for the better part of the decade.

                                                         The Indomitable Sky Train

Sure, Sky attired itself perfectly for the course of this year’s Tour and Wiggins won Yellow without a strain of effort on his face but portends for years of dominance might just be a tad early. For one, this was the most dead pan Tour in years. For me the Tour is about the mountains , where the big boys come out to play and lay the gauntlet down for their rivals– like Lance Armstrong on the Alpe D’Huez giving the ‘look’ to Jan Ulrich , or Alberto Contador putting on his dancing shoes on many a back breaking climb. Even last year’s Tour was epitomized by the legendary long attack by Andy Schleck on the climb to the Galibier. Though Evans eventually won on the Time trial, the real battle was how he clawed precious seconds back over Andy in the final climb. The staple diet of the mountains this year were the metronomic Sky train sitting comfortably without a thought of having to attack. Even when Liquigas decided to take the battle to Wiggins to set up Vicenzo Nibali , the pace at the front of the peloton played right into the Briton’s hands, especially as Nibali much awaited ‘Contador’ dance never materialised and he was actually dropped on the final summit finish by Wiggins and Froome. Things would have been much more exciting if Froome had been allowed to show his pace , for surely he had much more left in the tank over the mountains than Wiggins , in spite of his bodyguard duties. But for the inimitable Thomas Voeckler’s heartwarming passion , one might have dozed off on the mountains this tour , woken up after 10 km and found the same sight repeating itself.....3-4 sky riders shepherding one in yellow , rapidly dwindling so-called attackers of the other teams and yes , Cadel Evans falling back disappointingly.


Is any of this Sky’s fault – of course not. They read the course and the field and plotted their victory with surgical precision. However, let us hope that future courses are planned by the Tour organisers with a bit more scope for adventure. For the 100th anniversary of the Tour next here , I’m hoping to see at least some or all of the more iconic mountain stages – Alpe D’Huez , Mt Ventoux , Galibier etc. Here’s also hoping to have a fit and raring Contadorand Andy joining the battle....also Froome given the license to fight for himself , whether on this team or another....now that might really shake things up.


Some things of course will never change....and Mark Cavendish, if he survives the 3 weeks , will still win on the Champs-Élysées.

P.S. – The most memorable vision from this tour : The Yellow Jersey leading out the final sprint on the Champs-Élysées.