He said in an interview today they are considering it and will make a decision nearer the time.

Re bib. Are they the biggest spenders? I've heard the commentators (on the Channel 24 summary coverage) claim that other teams spend more.

Is it because Sky is spending more, or because they concentrate their spend on fewer events (if that is the case, I don't know), or because they have a long term plan and so their spending is more efficient (ie not chopping and changing plans every 5 minutes)? Or are they just better managed and have hand picked the best people to deliver their marginal changes?

They are very likely in the top 3, but they get the multiplier effect in the crossover with the British national team, which no-one else can reproduce.

I really like Froome and very many congrats to him, but I find it hard to warm to Sky. They really are like Chelsea post Abramovich. I think at least some of the French public's hostility (don't mean the spitters and urine throwers - they are a nasty minority) is because Sky are just so corporate and don't 'get' the romance, character and traditions of the Tour.
I did enjoy watching it this year though and might take in the Vuelta in late August (if for nothing else, to get a fix of a bit more summer).

It might be, but the vast majority of the hostility comes because they can't believe someone can be good without taking drugs.

Teams, although not yet the individual riders, named for the Tour of Britain in September, It will probably be the strongest line-up ever.

http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/news/...p#.Vbd4A_lVjDU

seems a bit strange to just show 1 stage of a 5 stage race......as far as know they haven't even shown any highlights of stages 1 to 4......

if anyone is thinking of watching Niki Terpstra is leading after the first 4 days but with no big mountains the field are pretty well packed up with 29 riders within 3 minutes

Sky didn't send a team and the only British rider is Dan McClay who rides for one of the second tier French teams

Don't think I'll bother.........unless it's raining at the cricket

2 of the British-registered Conti teams (NFTO & One Pro Cycling) are aiming for Pro Conti status next year, which opens up the possibility of receiving invites to WorldTour races, not to mention a higher level of participation in .HC races.

Sounds like a positive development, seeing as there are currently no British teams at Pro Conti level.

I've lost count of the global titles Sarah Storey has won since 1992 (!), but she's just added another at the UCI Para-cycling Road WCh today (in the C5 ITT).

She's also favourite to win another title in the C5 road race.

What honour will the Queen bestow on Dame Sarah if she keeps on winning on Track and Road throughout Rio 2016. Companion of Honour, maybe? Between them, Sarah and Barney Storey won 5 Golds and 1 Silver at London 2012 beating the totals of several countries.

http://www.teamstoreysport.com/

Just a reminder that the two Ride London races this weekend are live on the BBC as well as Eurosport.

yes, but why not focus on the other top riders too who did wonders towards the end of the Tour? Sky seem to really get up noses more than other riders/teams who have a bit of 'history' to them as well.

Exactly. What Sky did was precisely the same as the others did. They were strong for 2 weeks, weak for one. The only difference was that Sky were strong in weeks 1+2, the others were strong weeks 2+3. As it turned out, they got their tactics right.

thousands of people on bikes are riding up my street......they've been going past for about 15 minutes and still going......

traffic chaos..........

maybe some sort of 'fun ride' maybe with the Ride London weekend.......

Assuming the teams are following the usual convention in giving the team leader number '1' then there's a couple of interesting selections in the San Sebastian Classic today.

Sky has sent a team of mainly squad players but it looks like Nick Roche has his opportunity to be team leader

And Orecca have gone with Adam Yates with twin Simon as number 2

Usual suspects are there - Valverde, Sanchez, Uran, Rodrigues, Gilbert, Rui Costa, Bardet, Pinot, Mollema, Barguil, Dan Martin.........a lot of the principals that we saw in the Tour

Coverage on ES from 2.30

Richie Porte leaving Sky for BMC, 1 year deal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/33745722

Oh dear........pictures went down after about 20 minutes and haven't come back

I think they're giving up.......going to show the 'funny' highlights of the Tour de France....

Don't tell me I'm going to have to watch women's football.....ah, no, there's some baseball on.

Will he be their lead rider?

pictures back with 7K to go........

Adam Yates out in front with 5k to go........about 10 seconds ahead of a chase group

going downhill into the City at the moment.......good chance for Yates !

Woohoo Adam Yates off the front!!


Yes, he closes it out!!!!!!!

Bury's Adam Yates wins his first World Tour race !



brilliant !

That was well played by Adam - the chasing pack basically marked each other out. You can't help but find humour in that delayed reaction of his. Great result for Orica as well, especially given their lack of results in the TdF.

Oh, and I believe that's another 70 UCI points banked for GB, which further boosts their chances of a full-strength squad in Rio.

When was the last time British riders won a pair of WT one-day races in the same season, if ever?

I hope the Spanish TV put together some coherent coverage before the ES highlights scheduled for later this evening. They were promising the last 12km delayed despite aircraft problems.