Team Sky riders rally to show support for Dave Brailsford

Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh, Elia Viviani join Sky team-mates in expressing support for Dave Brailsford as pressure builds in wake of UKAD investigation
Nigel Wynn

Team Sky‘s riders have engaged in a public show of support for the British WorldTour team’s boss Sir Dave Brailsford.

Over half of Sky’s pro cyclists took to Twitter on Monday evening to say that they backed Sky team principal Brailsford.

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The show of solidarity on social media came after the publication of a news report on Monday that at least one Sky rider has called for Brailsford to quit his position.

Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh, Elia Viviani, Jon Dibben, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Luke Rowe, Danny van Poppel, Owain Doull, Wout Poels, Diego Rosa and Michal Kwiatkowski were among those showing support.

Thomas was one of the first riders to tweet a message, saying “It shouldn’t even need saying, but we all back Dave B 100%!!! I’ve known him a long time and I wouldn’t want anyone else leading Team Sky.”

Peter Kennaugh said: “I think all the riders on Team Sky would join me in saying they are completely behind Dave Brailsford.”

Brailsford has come under intense pressure in recent weeks due to an on-going UK Anti-Doping investigation into British Cycling and Team Sky in relation to the administration of therapeutic use exemption certificates, the delivery of a ‘mystery package’ to Sky during the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné and its medical record keeping.

>>> Everything you need to know about the British Cycling/Sky mystery package saga

Brailsford appeared in front of a Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in December to give evidence to MPs in Parliament for its inquiry into doping in sport.

Some spectators on social media commented on the simultaneous messages from Sky riders on Monday evening.

Both the UKAD investigation and Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry are on-going.