Daily Express - 30.07.2019

Daily Express Tuesday, July 30, 2019 59

DX1ST

RIDE LIKE
THE WIND:
Sir David
Brailsford
has overcome
controversy
to lead his
teams to
unparalleled
success, the
latest being
wonder boy
Bernal, left

By Mike Walters

TOUR DE FRANCE: CYCLING’S SERIAL WINNER

LE TOUR: HOW BRAILSFORD REACHED FOR THE SKY... AND BEYOND

MEDAL GURUS: FERGUSON V BRAILSFORD

is eventually broken,

although team boss

Brailsford’s influence

endures – with Egan

Bernal christening Team

Ineos under their new title

sponsor by registering

Colombia’s first victory

on Le Tour.

2017: Froome makes it

four Tour crowns – despite

not winning a single stage

in the event, although the

Briton was desperately

close in the time

trial around

Marseille.

2018: Riding below

the radar, Thomas,

right, surges to his

first Tour de France

crown, with

memorable back-to-

back mountain stage

wins at La Rosiere

and Alpe d’Huez.

2019: The

British

stranglehold

retires hurt on stage five

and Geraint Thomas is

Sky’s highest-placed

Briton in 22nd place.

Vincenzo Nibali wins.

2015: Froome wins

again, holding off

Nairo Quintana’s

spirited rally on

the Alpe d’Huez

to cling on with a

minute to spare.

2016: A third

victory for ‘Va Va

Froome’, featuring

his daredevil

‘Superman’

descent into

Bagneres-de-

Luchon.

IF Dave Brailsford was

hurt by criticism and

insinuations about the

authenticity of his

leadership, he shows

few signs of it.

Like Alex Ferguson,

he almost seems to

thrive on it.

The national

velodrome was

nicknamed the ‘Medal

Factory’ during his 10

years as performance

director at British

Cycling and now he

has orchestrated the

largest collection of

yellow jerseys outside

Brazil’s football

Selecao.

Brailsford said:

“If you look at the

successful people in

life, they’re not the

haters.

“If you want to be

a winner, hating is not

the way to operate. I

have had a lot of time

to reflect on things

and I don’t bear any

grudges.

“I don’t respect

some people or rate

others, but I don’t hold

it against them.

“I just look forward

and try to be grateful

for what I’ve got.

“Some of the most

successful managers in

sport feed off the

resentment of their

success, it fuels them.

“But this game

teaches you to be

resilient and the more

you’re challenged,

the more resilient

you become.

“It takes me back

to my upbringing in a

Welsh slate mining

village... they were

tough guys, those

miners, and you

learn good values

from them which

have stood me

in good stead.”

Hate only

eats you

up, says

Brailsford

SIR DAVE: Knighthood

2010: Team Sky formed

with mission statement to

win Tour de France within

five years. On their debut

in the event, they make

little headway.

2011: Bradley Wiggins

crashes out with broken

collarbone and Colombian

Rigoberto Uran finishes

as Sky’s best-paced rider

in 24th spot, almost

43 minutes off the pace.

2012: Achieving the big

breakthrough – Wiggins,

below, powers to a

landmark victory, ending a

century of

virtual British

anonymity

on Le Tour.

2013: Chris

Froome makes it

two British wins in

as many years,

decorating his

maiden triumph

with three stage

victories,

including the

iconic climb of

Mont Ventoux.

2014: A blank

year – Froome

LIFT-OFF:

Launch of

Team Sky

in 2010

SIR DAVE BRAILSFORD

AGE: 55

Honours (British Cycling): 59 world

championship rainbow jerseys

(2003-2013); 18 Olympic gold medals,

(2004-2012 – 2 Sydney, 8 in Beijing,

8 London)

Honours (Team Sky/Team Ineos):

7 Tour de France wins (2012-2019);

2 Vuelta a Espana titles (2011, 2017);

1 Giro d’Italia (2018)

NOT ALL

ROSY:

Brailsford

had to

defend

himself in

front of

MPs

TRIPLE

CROWN:

With Tour

winners

Thomas,

Froome,

right, and,

below left,

Wiggins

SIR ALEX FERGUSON

AGE: 77

Honours (Aberdeen): 3 Scottish League

titles (1980-85); 4 Scottish FA Cups

(1982-86); Scottish League Cup (1986);

European Cup Winners’ Cup (1983);

European Super Cup (1983).

Honours (Manchester United): 13

Premier League titles (1993-2013), 5

FA Cups (1990-2004), 4 League Cups

(1992-2010), 2 Champions League

wins (1999, 2008), 1 European Cup

Winners’ Cup (1991), 1 European Super

Cup (1991), 1 FIFA Club World Cup (2008).

TWO OF A KIND: Brailsford is

cycling’s version of Ferguson