Team Sky are going to attempt to sign the Yates brothers, Adam and Simon, in 2016. The two neo-pros have been revelations at Australian outfit Orica-Greenedge this year and may be the antidote to Sky’s problems in 2014.
“It doesn’t take a genius [to figure it out],” team boss, Dave Brailsford told Cycling Weekly. “We are a British team ultimately, with a global roster and global race programme, but to have them would seem to make absolute sense.”
“They’re in the right team, they made the right decision,” Brailsford added. “They are getting their opportunities. Those opportunities are difficult to get in our team. If they were in our team they’d be working.”
The twins spoke with Sky at the end of 2013, but elected to sign with Orica due to having more leadership opportunities there.
Orica sports director, Matt Wilson explained: “They get more chances in our team, if they went to Sky, they’d be working for Chris Froome. Instead, Adam had the chance to ride his own race in the Dauphiné.”
“You have to sometimes look at the bigger picture. We are competing in every race at the high level and trying to win,” added Brailsford. “For young guys to come in and try to get development opportunities… You can only offer that to so many young guys, if you have too many young guys you can’t do it.”
Simon has broken his collarbone but was really impressive in the Tour of the Basque Country but Adam has stolen the headlines so far, winning a stage and the overall of the tour of Turkey as well as just recently finishing 6th overall in a tough Criterium du Dauphine. Both have enjoyed their 2014 and have remained tight-lipped on life after 2014.
“It’s like going and doing your apprenticeship and learning, getting a lot of info,” Brailsford said. “At a certain point in time, we’d like to think they’d ride for Sky. For sure, absolutely.”
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