MinnMan

Froome has 2 years left on his Sky contract, Thomas has none. So does Sky sign Thomas again, at a much greater salary? And if so, do they really run the TdF with Thomas as team leader and either banish Froome to the Giro or demote him to domestique? It's hard to see how that would play out.

So it seems more likely that some other team will snap up Thomas.

Which one?

Brocephus

I was just gonna ask what everybody thought Sky was gonna do with two premium riders on the team. They've got quite the conundrum. Thomas was clearly the stronger rider, but that's probably just because Froome had bitten off more than he could chew (or recover from).
Froome's not over-the-hill or anything, in fact, all things being equal, he's still probably the better rider. But it's gonna really rankle Sky to let Thomas go, but they may not can afford him anymore. And he'll probably hate to go, but he won;t pass up the opportunity (or the money) to lead his own team. But on the other-other hand, he knows that team won't be Sky's caliber. This is a toughie.
I'm happy for Thomas, he's a class act, and he earned this. But when all this shakes out, I'm expecting kind of a lose-lose sorta thing, for everybody but maybe Froome (who stays the sole leader of the strongest team, and goes into next year's TDF as the favorite again.)
Those are my half-baked ruminations,anyway.

MinnMan

Yeah, agree with all that.

MinnMan

Brailsford: Froome wants a 5th tour

Flip Flop Rider

Thomas stays (imo). Team Sky stays together and Froome goes for number 5

if he leaves, I'd go with Quick-Step, because they need him

the thing I'm not sure of is which teams have predominently certain nationalities of riders. Like Moviestar is mainly a Spanish team

lots of nationalities among the teams. Think Dimension Data may be some UK guys (Cavendish I know)

slcbob

Sky is big enough that they can pay for G, put him in the Giro / Vuelta double as the undisputed leader with a legit support team, and let Froome focus on Le Tour for his 5th.

I don't know if Froome will try to double up again. Or if G will settle for that. But it's an option.

Caretaker

I expect Thomas to stay with Sky and ride the Giro next year. I think Froome will concentrate on the TdF.

peter_d

I'm guessing that deals have already been done within the team during the last three weeks. I would expect that for next year Thomas will be team leader for the Giro and Froome will be given his chance at a fifth Tour.

MinnMan

Well, maybe not a reliable source, but according to this, he'll stay with Sky

Call me cynical, but I think that the value for Sky of keeping him and having him ride the Giro will be, in part, that he won't be riding for another team, against Sky, in the TdF next year. Considering the salary they will be paying him, the press and glory of him competing in the Giro, and maybe the Vuelta thrown in, is small compared to the value he just brought them in winning the TdF.

'cause, in the end, the team sponsors are really buying advertising, and when it comes to cycling, all the other grand tours, classics, etc., together probably still don't yield an audience as large as the TdF.

MinnMan

It's all understandable, but it's also a pity. When people tune in to the TdF, they expect that they are watching a competition between the greatest cyclists in the world, not the best of those for whom their team allowed them to show up.

The Giro and the Vuelta are not the same. Just look at the volume of traffic on this sub-forum for those, as compared to the TdF. And that's measuring the interest of cycling fans

diphthong

thomas is smart enuff to see that sky is the strongest team for gt's. if thomas wants to race the classics, then he'll sign with quick-step or lotto.
there's plenty of gt's and one week races to keep thomas and froomie busy for the next few years.

MinnMan

The Telegraph article I posted a little while ago was from 3 days ago, but based on more recent press, the story is not yet official or settled. This article, from the Guardian on Monday, indicates that Thomas could sign with Sky, but that there's been no official word. It also indicates that Thomas could conceivably ride the TdF for Sky next year. And this article also speculates that Thomas and Froome could be back at the TdF for Sky next year.

Stay tuned.

JT Burkard

I am in agreement with what some of you posted. I think SKY will have two leaders for their team for the Grand Tours. I expect Thomas to go for the Giro win, then ride with Froome in the Tour as a co leader but with Froome the chosen rider for a 5th historic win in the Tour de France. If Froome falters, G is there to take over. There are a lot of strong riders coming up and Sky will need a backup plan in case Froome can't do it.

diphthong

if thomas resigns with sky, ain't no way he's gonna put his ambitions on hold just so froomie can go for #5 . it'll be just like this year. mano y mano if (and they will) they both ride the tdf.
let the best man win. team will support whomever has the hot legs that day. neither will ride the giro. one will ride the dauphine, one will ride the tour de suisse. loser will definitely ride the vuelta.