Brailsford: 2016 must be Team Sky's most successful year ever

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Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford has called on his squad to deliver their best ever season in 2016 as they aim to carry through with their ‘2020 Vision’ of becoming cycling’s best team.

Team Sky enjoyed a successful season in 2015 wining the Tour de France for a third time courtesy of Chris Froome. In 2016 they are expected to try and win two Grand Tours with new signing Mikel Landa set to lead at the Giro d’Italia in May, having impressed in the race with Astana last year.

“You may remember that last year we set out our 2020 Vision for Team Sky, and at the heart of it the goal of becoming indisputably and consistently the greatest cycling team in the world - and to be viewed as one of the best sports teams in the world. I think we are well down that track,” Brailsford wrote in a blog on the Team Sky website.

“But to maintain the momentum 2016 must be our most successful year ever, on and off the bike.

“Every year we like to set ourselves tough and ambitious targets and 2016 will be no different. In the next two weeks we will outline exactly what we want to achieve and I can promise you that they are a set of objectives to excite any cycling team and any cycling fan. I firmly believe we have the team to deliver excellent results this season, so watch this space.”

Team Sky have made a number signings for this season and along with Landa, Michał Kwiatkowski has joined from Etixx-QuickStep, Beñat Intxausti moved from Movistar and Danny van Poppel arrived from Trek Factory Racing. Brailsford has not announced the specific targets for his team in 2016 but has given the squad the parameters to be successful in a number of areas.

“The more we have achieved the more we have been put in a position of leadership in the sport more generally. We welcome the extra pressure and responsibility that comes with that. Because at the same time as meeting the main goal of winning bike races, we will continue to play a leadership role in moving the great sport of cycling forward to a brighter future - innovating, riding clean and winning clean.”