Why is it that we're the best in the world, by some distance, when it comes to cycling round a small indoor track but as soon as we go outdoors we turn to shit?
I know Cavendish will win a good few stages, but why the fuck aren't any of our cyclists challenging for the overall title?
Quite simple really...a significant pot of dosh was thrown at track cycling. The athletes all train in the same velodrome under the same top coaches.
Road racing has never been in the British tradition, where the time trial dominates at club level, so it's on the continent where the major action happens.
Any aspirant Brit has to get a ride there, be a top man in all the disciplines of mountain climbing and time trialling, get onto a strong team, and then become a patron.
All this while passing drug tests....it can be done, Stephen Roche of Ireland won a tour.
David Millar looked like he might have the all round ability, but fell foul of the testers, and was banned for 2 years.
Tommy Simpson was probably the last British serious contender for yellow, but he died from amphetimine induced dehydration going up Mont Ventoux.
Our track boys like Bradley Wiggins and in the past Chris Boardman, can do well in TT's but can't get up mountains....our last decent grimpeur Robert Miller, couldn't time trial
