Sky pulling out of cycling ends one of sport's most successful partnerships Imprimare
Miercuri, 12 Decembrie 2018 14:44

Sky pulling out of cycling ends one of sport's most successful partnerships - what comes next will be fascinating

There must be something about December 12. It was exactly a year ago today that news of Chris Froome’s adverse analytical finding for elevated levels of salbutamol hit the newstands.

There must be something about December 12. It was exactly a year ago today that news of Chris Froome’s adverse analytical finding for elevated levels of salbutamol hit the newstands.

Twelve months on, another bombshell: Sky is to end its involvement in cycling at the end of 2019, drawing to a close arguably one of the most successful partnerships in any sport, ever.

The intriguing question is to what extent the first news contributed to the second i.e to what extent did all the recent controversies involving Sky and British Cycling contribute to this decision?

 


 

    Remember, while Froome was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in the salbutamol affair, that story generated another six months of damaging headlines, and came hot on the heels of the TUE saga, the inquests at British Cycling and the parliamentary report which found Sky guilty of crossing ethical lines in 2012 etc.

Or was it chiefly triggered by the fact that James Murdoch lost a power struggle and resigned from the Sky board once the Comcast takeover was confirmed earlier this autumn? Murdoch, remember, was a huge Team Sky fan, a staunch defender of the team and an ally of Sir Dave Brailsford’s.

Will Sir Dave Brailsford stay if a new investor is found? Credit: Getty Images

The answer is probably a combination of all of the above.

Team Sky’s chairman Graham McWilliam tweeted on Wednesday morning that this was very much “Sky’s decision rather than Comcast’s”. McWilliam added that the end of 2019 was a “natural moment” to end the relationship. That may be so. And in cycling terms, 10 years is a very good run.

But the news definitely caught Brailsford on the hop when he was told. He had only just signed long-term deals with the likes of Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal. Sky and its chief executive Jeremy Darroch were supportive of those deals. It's safe to conclude, then, that the Comcast takeover was key. Sky Plc’s chief executive Jeremy Darroch could see which way the wind was blowing and took the decision.

As for the controversies, with Murdoch in place it felt more than ever as if Sky would stubbornly dig in. Now that he’s gone, is there the appetite for any more? Lest we forget, there is a GMC medical tribunal starting in February involving former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman, which has the potential to be explosive.

Whatever caused it, Sky now have a year to find a new backer. Half that time, in reality. Telegraph Sport understands they will probably make a decision by April/May. That will not be easy. Finding a backer prepared to shell out what Sky did will be even harder.

But not impossible. Whatever anyone says about the controversies which have dogged Team Sky over the years, they also set a new benchmark of professionalism. Any prospective owner would be buying a winning team. Would Brailsford stay? That’s another question again. It’s difficult to imagine Team Sky without him.

Whatever happens, this is a big moment in the history of British sport - the end of chapter. And a fascinating development for cycling.