A few weeks ago, I wrote about the dominating performance of Team Sky in two races that were happening simultaneously, Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.
“In Paris-Nice, Richie Porte used his mountain goat teammates Uran, Zandio, Lopez Garcia, Siutsou and Kiryienka to smash the race to pieces on the decisive climb up Le Montagne de Lure, before delivering the knockout blow in the final kilometre,” I said.
“Meanwhile, in Italy, Chris Froome ascended to the race lead on the back of what Vincenzo Nibali described as an “infernal tempo” set by Dario Cataldo, Sergio Henao and Rigoberto Uran.”
Of course, Porte went on win Paris-Nice while Froome finished second to Nibali after losing the race lead on a brutal penultimate sixth stage.
That story highlighted the strength in depth Sky has and their ability to train their riders to perform (almost) precisely to instruction in a stage race.
No one can argue with their methods or results.
But while that was going on Sky’s other team, their Classics squad, was off on a tangent in Tenerife, undergoing high-altitude training.
The theory was it had worked for Wiggins and Froome at the Tour de France last year, so why shouldn’t it work for the cobbled classics.
So instead of following the well-worn path of Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico, Edvald Boasson-Hagen, Geraint Thomas, Matthew Hayman, Ian Stannard and Bernard Eisel went to a small, cobble-less, hilly island off the Spanish mainland.
Thomas admitted it was something ‘a bit different’ but said they ‘would find out in the next month or so’ whether this new approach would work.
Looking at the results, you would say this new approach was a failure.
In Paris-Roubaix, Eisel was the highest placed Sky rider in 12th (+0:50), with Boasson-Hagen 47th (+3:29) and Stannard and Hayman another three seconds down.
Thomas crashed and was held up by others falling and limped home in 79th place at 14:34.
We did see Hayman in a long mid-race break away with Stuart O’Grady, Gert Steegmans and Clement Koretsky, but nearly every time we saw Thomas, he was on the ground ior chasing back. Stannard, Eisel and Boasson-Hagen looked to be making some moves at the race hotted up but none of them could stay in contention.
At the Tour of Flanders, Boasson-Hagen was Sky’s best placed in 17th at 1:39 while Thomas, again afflicted by crashes – was 41st at 2:39.
Luke Rowe and Stannard were next home at 93rd and 103rd respectively at 13:35.
At Ghent-Wavelgem, Eisel managed a credible seventh but that was still 23 seconds behind Peter Sagan. Boasson-Hagen was next best placed in 20th.
And the first-race of cobbled classics, E3 Harelbeke saw Sky bring up their best result with Geraint Thomas claiming fourth, 1:04 down on a rampaging Fabian Cancellara. Boasson-Hagen was ninth at 2:15.
It began so promisingly with Matthew Hayman grabbing third in the semi-classic, and curtain raiser to this cobbled World Tour feast, Dwars door Vlaanderen 2013.
But then results just didn’t materialise.
The obvious question is why?
Clearly you need a lot of luck on the cobbles given you accept crashes are par for the course, and there’s no doubt that ‘G’ endured more than his fair share.
But apart from that, the rest comes down to training.
So was it case of not doing the enough training or not enough of the right training?
Given the way most riders failed to even challenge the top 10, then maybe it was the latter.
The Sky boys just didn’t have the legs.
We saw some simply awful weather conditions in the classics, whereas as the videos from Tenerife looked beautiful, with plenty of sun and not a beanie, pair of gloves or winter riding jacket in sight.
You can see how some Spanish hills in nice weather might compare reasonably with July in France.
But as preparation for a couple of weeks racing in on cold, slippery cobbles?
Maybe judging Sky right now is a little premature, after all the Ardennes Classics are just around the corner.
But right now, it seems they were suffering a little ‘sunstroke’ and this early in the season maybe that’s not the best thing. It will be interesting to see what Sky does this time next year.
Al-Bo
Guest
Don't know about flaws in training, but there's been a lot of floors in Geraint Thomas's racing. As a Brit, his performances this last month have been completely irritating. If it's been a big race, you've been able to count on him decking it halfway through. This is not the way to win races. I don't know whether it's tactical naivety, lack of awareness or an inability to stay far enough up the pack to stay out of trouble but it's been a bit too frequent to be a coincidence. Cycling fitness develops over years though and he's still pretty young. That said, it's notable that Edvald Boassen-Hagen appears to have gone backwards so it could well be a flaw in the team's training approach.
Zeb Woodpower
Roar Guru
Thomas had a crack at London gold and his road season was non-existent because of this. In 2013 his goals has been the Classics but his also said he wants to get 'skinny' like Froome and Wiggo to give stage racing a go. His certainly had his fair share of crashes over the last month, perhaps mentally his not ready to take the step up as a protected rider
Abdu
Guest
Didn't Matty Hayman give it a good crack though? He's a Classics rider, and should have had far better support from Sky. Stannard might be too tired carrying the expectations from all those Poms but he should have done far more. Bernie Eisel is usually so reliable, less bongo playing and more attention from him. Last year at Roubaix, Sky's sole input was getting organised too late and making a visible but pointless chase in the dust that was Tom Boonen a few minutes before. Sure Spartacus was the worthy winner at PR, but it was his hardest fought win for a long time and could have been another version of MSR when Gerro took him. But for OPQS riders being smarter and riding in the middle of the cobbles, it would have been an entirely different podium. This year PR was gettable...
Lee Rodgers
Expert
That's one of the problems with many commentators, once they've championed some young rider they seem almost compelled to continue praising them. There's no doubt that Hagen has talent and a lot of it, but he's been misfiring now for quite some time. I think he needs to leave Sky and have more freedom. Looks like it'll be Sagan and Gilbert dominating in the Ardennes... can;t wait!
Abdu
Guest
PS. The free ride and loading up of expectations given to Eddy Bo Hag are surely getting old. Apart from his 2 TdF stage wins, he's a massively over rated and under performing rider. He's had more opportunities and team support around him than James Packer. I am amazed that people annually talk about him winning something, then never get called on it. If we're honest, he's the modern equivalent of an Alfa Sud - great to look at, but consistently disappointing. He must bankrupt every fantasy league coach who has the brain-snap to select him. For all the slobbering man-love that Phil puts forward commentating on him every race, Eddy disappoints again and again. He looks to be a good performer at the buffet though. Not surprisingly, his palmares includes a win in 2010 at the Dutch Food Classic...
Abdu
Guest
Yes GT was in Melbourne this time on the track last year, and in January at the TDU obviously. He should have joined Quickstep because he's always on the floor too (boom tish). At CSC, Scott Sunderland developed a Classics squad and took them (including classic team Soignies and mechanics) to the cobbles months before. In training and testing he smashed wheels and bikes at Arenberg and no doubt smashed riders. Milan-San Remo and Paris Roubaix wins filled their trophy cabinets. Sunderland helped set up Sky, its team structures and recruited riders. They won Omloop with Flecha but Scott left back to Oz later in 2010. Brailsford isn't the wise guru the fat sycopantic English journo's think he is...
Tim Renowden
Expert
Sky has been pretty ordinary on the cobbles, and pretty ordinary in the other classics (apart from Stannard's solid ride in Milan-San Remo). Whether they can do any better in the Ardennes classics will be worth watching - I reckon these races suit Eddy B.H. but he's looked well off his best this year. What about sending Porte to Amstel Gold?
Colin N
Guest
"Wasn’t Thomas in Melbourne this time last year at the World Track Champs or I am still half asleep, waiting for my morning coffee to sink in?" Probably. Don't know for sure but he put his road career on hold to go for the Olympics last year. Can't see him going for Rio though, so I suspect his primary focus for the rest of his career will be on the road.
Bones506
Roar Guru
Sky will never dominate the cobbled classics whilst the likes of Cancellara and Omega Pharma exist. To win on cobbles you need to train on cobbles. The riding is completely different. Sky are a Grand Tour and road team. Getting a result at a cobbled classic is just a bonus. It wasn't just sky who didn't have the legs - almost no one did at both Flanders and PR to match Cancellara. He and Boonen are cobbled specialists and dominate for a reason.
Ridley
Guest
I think the Team Sky precision approach to training and team riding suits the stage races they've done well in, but less able to react on-the-move in the out of control hustle of the cobbled classics races.
Kate Smart
Expert
I guess saying Sky must be disappointed with their Classics campaign so far is probably an understatement. Eddy Boss has had what I would call a disappointing campaign. I think he and his fans, of which I am one, would have liked, even expected to see a little better. I think your point about training in Tenerife during the winter months is good for the Tour, but especially during an exceptionally cold winter, I think you've hit the nail on the head, John. Training in sub zero temperatures possibly would have been more beneficial. Then again, hindsight is a wonderful thing and had their Tenerife training paid off, what a different tune we would all be singing! Perhaps Thomas' issues in the Classics is one of experience? What I mean by that, is now he is no longer splitting his time between the track and the road, he can focus on the road and improve his experience in the Classics. Wasn't Thomas in Melbourne this time last year at the World Track Champs or I am still half asleep, waiting for my morning coffee to sink in?
liquor box
Guest
It is scary to think that a team like Sky are prepared to risk a new method of preparation, imagine their dominance if it actually worked! Will this mean that these riders will carry extra form into all three grand tours? Maybe Porte might get the left overs after Wiggins and Froome decide what they want to win this year!