While Tour cyclists had to abide by the motorhome ban, Team Sky’s manager spend three and a half weeks in his personal motorhome during the Tour
Team Sky‘s Chris Froome secured his second win at this year’s Tour de France this past weekend, despite regulations enforced by cycling’s world governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), which saw him banned from staying in his team’s luxurious motorhome.
Prior to the beginning of this year’s Tour de France, controversy surrounded Team Sky’s push for the use of their own motorhomes acting as accommodation for their cyclists. And, while Froome was capable of a victory without the use of the Team Sky home on wheels, Team Sky’s general manager, Sir Dave Brailsford, still believes that the motorhome could prove to be a major prerequisite for success.
At the time, Brailsford hit back at the ban, deeming the comfort of his team members as heavily important with regards to an athlete’s performance, whilst believing that a minimum standard of accommodation should be met.
Although cyclists were not allowed to use their own motorhomes, team members were not restricted, meaning Brailsford got to spend three and a half weeks in his personal caravan.
Of the motorhome, Brailsford said: “I don’t know what I am going to do now I am going home. I love that motorhome, I absolutely love it. I am going to have to transition myself back to normal life,” Brailsford said.
Froome’s victory this past weekend – his second in the Tour de France and Team Sky’s third – doesn’t mean Brailsford and company will be taking it easy.
Brailsford said: “When you’re up there and you do it for the second time I’m not sure it has the same level of impact maybe as you did first time round. We’ve just won the Tour de France. It’s great, but it doesn’t do it for me.”
For Brailsford defeat pushes him, and his team, even further. In the 2014 Tour Froome had a fairly serious crash which resulted in a broken hand and fractured wrist. While the loss was a lot for Froome to handle, Brailsford was just as upset.
“When I don’t win, like last year, it was horrific. I wasn’t in a very good place. I get embarrassed by it, humiliated. It’s a horrible experience and I’ll do anything I can to get out of that,” Brailsford said.
Brailsford wants Team Sky to be excellent, there is no room for average in his mind.
“Great victories only come through massive defeats. You’ve got to go through those horrific moments if you really want to get to big, big results.
Brailsford has certainly moved beyond the 2014 crash, but with his standard of excellence for Team Sky we have to wonder if he will push for personal motorhomes at the next Tour.
“You’ve got to articulate what excellence is, where the line is. And push people there,” Brailsford finished.
