Nice to see Cyclingmollie, PS and WC at a really interesting talk.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Ned Boulting's growing on me
(40 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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Aye, he was quite engaging. Wasn't so sure about the interviewer himself, but he did keep things moving. Must look up Roger Riviere now.
Arrived as the queue was going in, having left home a little late, and very shiny from the ride in. As I was looking at the ticket working out which queue was which I got nabbed by PS's other half.
Didnae see tfl or Coxy there :(
Sat and had a drink in the garden afterwards, which was really pleasant in the evening warmth.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Didn't manage to spot anyone, but really enjoyed the talk. Considered buying the book again just to get it signed, but I'd bought it on Kindle and read it on holiday last month so decided to save my pennies!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Pondered it, but I still haven't read the William Fotheringham book I got a couple of years ago on Merckx...
His views on SKY were interesting, in a not-bitter-and-realises-the-good-they've-done-but-maybe-time-to-move-on kind of way. He was very candid about some of the riders as well.
Posted 9 years ago # -
An enjoyable evening - - he is very engaging and provides insight without any of the tedious certainty and over-confidence that some commentators can be guilty of.
My other half thought he might have been hinting at some nefarious goings on at Sky/Froome, but my interpretation was that he was saying they are ultra professional and will go right up to the line without crossing it. Which is their job, after all.
Another UK team for maverick British loose cannons would be great fun, as much for the soap opera that would be bound to happen as for the racing.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"His views on SKY were interesting, in a not-bitter-and-realises-the-good-they've-done-but-maybe-time-to-move-on kind of way. He was very candid about some of the riders as well."
Sounds interesting - can you give a bit more detail?
Fotheringham was interesting - very positive about French cycling, believes they are largely clean, but didn't mention Spanish or Italians, except to say he thought while French Cycling was on an upward spiral, Spanish was on a downward one ...Posted 9 years ago # -
"they've-done-but-maybe-time-to-move-on"
He used the comparison of Simon and Adam Yates to illustrate what he meant by that. Simon has been through the British Cycling system while Adam has gone to Belgium to become a pro in the old fashioned way. Ned Boulting thought Adam had retained a more passionate outlook. Am I remembering that right? (He was lumping Sky and British Cycling training methods together).
Posted 9 years ago # -
The night was nicely free of too many questions about doping as well, which was refreshing.
On the SKY thing, Cyclingmollie has recalled perfectly.
Basically SKY have done great things - they set out to achieve the Tour victories, and they're doing it, and raising the profile of the sport here etc etc etc.
There was a hint at the lack of a level playing field (0.8% of SKY's marketing budget goes on the team, and that figure still dwarfs other teams whose sponsors are lumping almost all of their marketing budgets into the teams, so there's a big disparity not only in terms of resources pushed in at the moment, but the potential for even more).
Also that SKY is very like British Cycling (which was the subject of another question about mavericks like Obree and Cooke not fitting into the BC ethos) in that it's very controlled, and very very 'our way or the high way'. Not surprising given Brailsford's journey I guess. Some riders fit into that mentality, but others don't. He used that Yates example, where Simon was seen as the better, more focused perhaps, rider, and got into BC; Adam went off old-skool to Belgium. Now both are riding together, both excellent, but Boulting had a feeling (and he's on the inside of the sport) that Adam had a bit more aggression and drive and wouldn't be surprising if he had the better career in the end).
Suggested that after Rio Shane Sutton might have thoughts of setting up a British team, and it would be really nice if there were more than one...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Thanks @cyclingmollie, @WC - that sounded really interesting.
Shame to have missed it, but enjoyed Fotheringham as well - he was quite old school.
Posted 9 years ago #
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