Cycling: Team Sky won two major national tours in 2018 in the person of Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. This should be repeated in the last season of the main sponsor. But who gets to enjoy the role of captain at the Tour de France?
Sky 2018: Froome & Thomas dominate Giro & Tour
The year 2018 should also be a successful one for Team Sky. The British team was once again able to impress, especially in the major national tours. Chris Froome was bought for the Giro d'Italia and was actually allowed to start after the acquittal in his Salbutamol case. The four-time Tour de France winner won the Tour of Italy in an impressive manner. On the 19st stage he attacked on the Colle delle Finestre and pulled off an 80-kilometer solo. The experts agreed: this was one of the greatest achievements in the history of cycling. Just a few weeks later he was also up front in France. However, it should not be enough for the overall victory. His teammate Geraint Thomas jumped into the breach and secured his first victory in the Tour de France. In total, the team celebrated 43 successes and ended up on the other 56 podium places. Above all Gianni Moscon, Michal Kwiatkowski and Egan Bernal contributed good results.
Transfers: Has Sky brought the next rising star into the team with Sosa?
Team Sky has hardly made any mistakes on the transfer market in recent years. Drivers who were able to selectively strengthen the current squad were always brought in. The signing of the contract by Egan Bernal last winter can probably be described as a royal transfer. The Colombian has already secured a number of victories in 2018 and is considered the next top driver. With Ivan Sosa a Colombian has now been signed again. And he should also have some talent. Should be next to him Filippo Ganna and Manuel Narvaez and Ben Swift provide help services. Was delivered with Louis Hainaut also a once great talent from Colombia, but he has not lived up to expectations in recent years. The departures from Philip Deignan, Benat Intxausti, and David Lopez and Lukasz Wisniowski should not be particularly important.
| departures | Additions | |
|---|---|---|
| Sergio Luis Henao (UAE Team Emirates) | Filippo Gana (UAE Team Emirates) |
|
| Beñat Intxausti (Euskadi Basque Country – Murias) | Jonathan Manuel Narvaez (Quick Step Floors) |
|
| Philip Deignan (end of career) | Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) |
|
| Lukasz Wisniowski (CCC) | Ben Swift (UAE Team Emirates) |
|
| David Lopez (end of career) |
Sky 2019: A good conclusion seems guaranteed for Sky
Since Team Sky was founded in 2010, the team has evolved every season. 2019 should the last year under the name of this main sponsor become. How the team will continue after that is currently still in the stars. A successor sponsor is being sought who will take over the troupe and thus continue to guarantee success. Because even in the 2019 season, it is strongly assumed that the squad is strong enough for great success. With Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas will once again play an important role in the major national tours. Also Egan Bernal will take the next step and will therefore be one of the absolute favourites. The squad of winners is completed by Michal Kwiatkowski, Gianni Moscon and Wout Poels, who will also act as noble helpers in some races. A top season also seems to be guaranteed in 2019 - and the end of this squad is not yet inevitable.
Sky has announced that 2019 will be the final year of its involvement in cycling, drawing to a close an association spanning more than a decade of unprecedented success.
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— Team Sky (@TeamSky) 12 December 2018