Sir Dave Brailsford admitted the 2007 Tour de France Grand Depart – in London – sowed the seeds for the formation of Team Sky. Yet the 2014 Grand Depart, in Yorkshire, will see just two Brits riding for the British team – defending champion Chris Froome and in-form Geraint Thomas.
pic: ©Huw Evans Picture Agency
Among the riders to have missed the cut are the injured Ian Stannard and newly-crowned British champion Peter Kennaugh – both of whom were in Sky’s squad last time out.
The omission of Kennaugh was perhaps the most surprising, the Manxman expressing his frustration to reporters after pulling on the red, white and blue striped jersey in Abergavenny. Brailsford said of his exclusion, he had only just missed out. Despite winning the Coppi e Bartali, he has suffered an inconsistent year, according to Team Sky’s senior management.
Nevertheless, having been tipped as a future world champion by Rod Ellingworth it is surprising he did not make the cut – particularly after illness forced him to miss the Giro d’Italia.
Ben Swift is another to have missed out, denied the fairytale chance of contesting the sprint in his home county on stage one. Luke Rowe and Josh Edmondson, meanwhile, must wait for their Tour debuts.
Unlike some of the other Tour absentees, however, Sky’s nearly men have youth on their side and plenty more opportunities to prove their worth.
