How will Cav and Sky fare?

[SteelUn]

Having seen the 9 men train propelling the Manx rocket to that stunning win yesterday. I can't see how. with limited resource and potentially multiple ambitions Sky and Cav can avoid some significant turmoil next year. Thoughts?

 

[Willo]

All the time Htc have a top class team, willing to devote all their resources supporting Cavendish, then career wise it seems a bit mad that he'd walk away from that.

 

[oldroadman]

If Cav goes to Sky he will no doubt bring two or three of the train with him - Eisel, Renshaw, Goss?
Cue some exits from Sky to make space. Then normal service will be resumed with the addition of the Sky drivers, just different kit. HTC look like they won't be around next year, and Cav is out of contract at the end of 2011 anyway. What does not need to happen is he ends up at Astana or something similar. Natural home, Sky.

 

[dellzeqq]

All the time Htc have a top class team, willing to devote all their resources supporting Cavendish, then career wise it seems a bit mad that he'd walk away from that.

absolutely. Here's a man with seventeen TdF stage wins to his name. Seventeen! To Sky's one! Merckx holds the record with thirty four. Cavendish has just turned 26 years old. He's eighth equal in the all time list. There is an outside chance that he could surpass thirty four stage wins and take away Merckx's record. HTC are clearly devoted to him. Why on earth would he switch teams? And, if HTC's sponsorship falls away, then Cav's winning record will surely induce another sponsor to take the team on.

As for Sky being Cav's natural home. He'll want to ride for a team that is his to command. Sky are scarcely a team, and they certainly wouldn't be his to command.

 

[SteelUn]

absolutely. Here's a man with seventeen TdF stage wins to his name. Seventeen! To Sky's one! Merckx holds the record with thirty four. Cavendish has just turned 26 years old. He's eighth equal in the all time list. There is an outside chance that he could surpass thirty four stage wins and take away Merckx's record. HTC are clearly devoted to him. Why on earth would he switch teams? And, if HTC's sponsorship falls away, then Cav's winning record will surely induce another sponsor to take the team on.

As for Sky being Cav's natural home. He'll want to ride for a team that is his to command. Sky are scarcely a team, and they certainly wouldn't be his to command.

I think they said that only 2 riders have won more Tdf stage wins than Cav within 3 seasons (and this season is still young) - Hinault and Merckx!

Don't know when Cav going to Sky was a forgone conclusion, but htc would have immediately become damaged goods as far as potential sponsors are concerned. The question is what is Sky going to do going forward?

 

[lukesdad]

Cav Italian team ....they worship sprinters !

 

[lukesdad]

Sky ? Murdo pulls the plug. Brad goes for the olympics. G is poached. Goodnight Vienna !

 

[fossyant]

Cav moving is more down to contracts and HTC most likely not continuing sponsorship.

 

[pawl]

Cav for Sky? Didnt wigo leave Cavs team because he was fed up of being Cavs lead out.Cav should stay with the team and riders that want to support him.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Cav for Sky? Didnt wigo leave Cavs team because he was fed up of being Cavs lead out.Cav should stay with the team and riders that want to support him.

Highroad may not even have a major sponsor next season. Lots of their riders are looking elsewhere.

 

[SteelUn]

Can't believe this could well be the last season, perhaps not for years again if ever, to see the wonder of an htc train. What a shame.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

absolutely. Here's a man with seventeen TdF stage wins to his name. Seventeen! To Sky's one! Merckx holds the record with thirty four. Cavendish has just turned 26 years old. He's eighth equal in the all time list. There is an outside chance that he could surpass thirty four stage wins and take away Merckx's record. HTC are clearly devoted to him. Why on earth would he switch teams? And, if HTC's sponsorship falls away, then Cav's winning record will surely induce another sponsor to take the team on.

As for Sky being Cav's natural home. He'll want to ride for a team that is his to command. Sky are scarcely a team, and they certainly wouldn't be his to command.

This. Sky can scarely pull together on Plan A. Any attempt to get them running Plan A and Plan B to get Green and Yellow risks them having to rebrand as Team Sky Marx Brothers.

 

[brockers]

Highroad may not even have a major sponsor next season. Lots of their riders are looking elsewhere.

You start to wonder what the point of advertising is. One of the reasons I bought an HTC phone was due to Cav pointing to the letters on his shirt when he crossed the line a couple of years ago. Made me find out about the company and consequently led me to buying the product. If getting x stage wins with all the exposure that entails isn't enough to keep the sponsors happy, then you do start to wonder what hope there is for any sponsored cycling team. And Sky's situation is barely helped by the current predicament with Murdoch.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Right let's have a whip round. Team CycleChat Hi-Road's got a nice ring to it!

 

[PpPete]

This. Sky can scarely pull together on Plan A. Any attempt to get them running Plan A and Plan B to get Green and Yellow risks them having to rebrand as Team Sky Marx Brothers.

Sky showed in Tour of California that they have the ability to put together an HTC style "train" - even without bring Renshaw, Eisel, Goss in along with Cav. If Cav continues to bring home success - then I can see Wiggo moving on after maybe another season