Team Sky....Discuss

Gkam84 wrote:

The way I see it, Henao is doing this for the benefit of cycling, not just Sky.

He is being monitored by the UCI while taking on different tests at both sea level and altitude to see how his levels compare to "normal" people. I think (not 100%) on this, that they have a test subject, also being tested, that was not born at altitude, so their system for doing things is different.

I don't think it has much to do with him failing any tests or doing any doping. It shows that the UCI are being pro-active.

I don't know if he was picked on purpose or just had more inconsistent levels as can be expected from someone born and raised at altitude.

The UCI have nothing to do with the decision. It's been entirely taken by Sky management. Yes, Sky have said they will make the findings available to UCI, WADA etc, but the fact remains this is a purely management decision. Again, if Henao is clean, he has every right to be annoyed, especially as Sky are robbing him of the ability to accumulate UCI Points, points that are vital to any kind of career progression should he ever change team.

s_lim wrote:

Has Dombrowski had a look-in on anything this year? Or has he been shelved? Same for Kiryenka.

And has there been any follow-up on Henao / JTL's suspensions...

A snippet here on Kiryenka:

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,30569_9285765,00.html

JTL: his case has been in the hands of UKAD since Dec. UKAD head said at a conference a few weeks ago that a decision might be reached on his case by late May

Henao: he's back in Colombia, training, and being tested regularly at the Coldeportes lab. All the signs are that he's being well-supported by the team. Gave an interview that was published yday in which he said he hoped to be back racing TdS and the Tour

Sim1 wrote:

Henao: he's back in Colombia, training, and being tested regularly at the Coldeportes lab. All the signs are that he's being well-supported by the team. Gave an interview that was published yday in which he said he hoped to be back racing TdS and the Tour

Good to finally hear some news on the Henao situation. That said, if Sky want us to believe in their clean cycling ambitions they really need to more open. The Henao situation is completely unprecedented in cycling - if Henao hasn't failed a drug test why isn't he loudly complaining in public that the team won't let him race? If he's clean he would have every right to be outraged. Bizzare that a professional racer is happy to be benched when he hasn't broken, or been caught breaking, a single rule of the sport. The cycling press has been far too timid in approaching sky about this. If I was Henao and I was clean I would be going crazy, at the very least considering legal action against the team for preventing me from racing without due cause.

If we accept that Henao was happy to do this, the only plausible explanation is that he failed an internal Sky doping control, and sky are trying to privately deal with the failure without the negative press that comes from failing a real doping control. This whole 'research' thing feels to me a smokescreen for this.

Him Up North wrote:

The past few weeks you can file under terribly bad luck. Bigger picture they seem a team in transition. To my mind they should have offered Rigoberto Uran whatever he wanted (unto half of Dave Brailsford's kingdom) to sign an extension. For his part, Rigo might just be wondering if he made the right move.

I have to disagree with this. Uran is a man with grand tour GC ambitions, and its clear that Sky have a pecking order where GCs are concerned. Previously it was Wiggins before Froome, now its Froome before Porte. Uran was realistically never going to get a team lead role unless the 'A' rider suffered a miss fortune, much as we saw with Wiggins at the Giro last year. At Omega Pharma Uran gets to be the 'A' rider in grand tours.

giobox wrote:

Him Up North wrote:

The past few weeks you can file under terribly bad luck. Bigger picture they seem a team in transition. To my mind they should have offered Rigoberto Uran whatever he wanted (unto half of Dave Brailsford's kingdom) to sign an extension. For his part, Rigo might just be wondering if he made the right move.

I have to disagree with this. Uran is a man with grand tour GC ambitions, and its clear that Sky have a pecking order where GCs are concerned. Previously it was Wiggins before Froome, now its Froome before Porte. Uran was realistically never going to get a team lead role unless the 'A' rider suffered a miss fortune, much as we saw with Wiggins at the Giro last year. At Omega Pharma Uran gets to be the 'A' rider in grand tours.

Having looked at the presumptive startlist for the Giro, perhaps I was harsh re. OPQS's Grand Tour ambitions. Re. Uran staying at Sky, I honestly think Porte doesn't have it in him to contend GC in Grand Tours whilst Uran does, and in that respect Sky got their pecking order wrong. No doubt Richie will prove me wrong in July when he's the one being told to slow down for his leader..!