If Wiggins doesn't ride the tour, why would that be?

[thehog]

I voted for not enough ITT kms, but Wiggo has to be scared SH*TLESS of Alberto if he watched the Vuelta and Froome has filled his ears with tales

I agree.

“What I have achieved is difficult to match,” he said. “I have worked for so long and then it becomes difficult to do even better. I hope that winter brings me ideas. I'd like to win the Giro. Maybe by next year, who knows?

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...s-gets-international-award.aspx#ixzz28AlhfRHA

 

[the asian]

Someone help me out here. Obviously im not a fan of wiggins, so am i just being biased against him, or do others see a wee bit wrong with the above too?

Must have thought that cycling only started in 2012.

 

[Angliru]

I think an in form Wiggins, such as at this years Tour, would not loose to Contador by 10 minutes. If there is a couple of long TTs then he can even dream of winning. On the other hand, Alberto will surely drop him in the mountains. Would it be by several minutes, or just a couple? On the top of his game and on the right course it would be by the former.

Bottom line, Alberto is still the best cyclist on the world and is up there with the all time greats of the sport, though Wiggins prooved himself a real champion this year and perhaps the sports all time greatest time trialest.

But Alberto is a fuori classe and if Wiggins is to be considered a legend, he needs to beat him man to man.

Wouldn't performances over more than one season be better in deciding such a lofty title? How does he compare to Cancellara, Anquetil and Indurain? He hasn't even taken on the hour record yet.

 

[MellowJohnny]

Problem is (and all teams have this) - Sky only have 2 riders to target 3 GCs in Wiggins and Froome, I guess they could throw Uran at the Vuelta if they were daring but they won't be.

The Giro looks tailored for Wiggins, they want a Tour winner in their race, it will hype it up further which will be good for all.

I wonder How Wiggins will feel after the Giro, maybe he will play super domestique for Froome this team if so, but I can't see a Hinault/LeMond scenario again any time soon

 

[rhubroma]

Wouldn't performances over more than one season be better in deciding such a lofty title? How does he compare to Cancellara, Anquetil and Indurain? He hasn't even taken on the hour record yet.

Yea, well I threw that out there to be deliberately provocative.

At the same time I was really impressed with his performances. I mean, you could have put a glass of Champagne on his back and it would not have fallen throughout the entire course!

Incredible....

The British have made a model school of time trialing, Boardman being the stellar example till now.

I think Wiggins could legitimately vie for that title, even against an Indurain, who undoubtedly had more style, but less perfection in my opinion.

 

[rhubroma]

You're right, the spelling is atrocious.

Ahh, so true!

 

[cineteq]

Problem is (and all teams have this) - Sky only have 2 riders to target 3 GCs in Wiggins and Froome, I guess they could throw Uran at the Vuelta if they were daring but they won't be.

I guess Henao and Uran are not Brits, thus they can't be considered as GT leaders.

 

[rhubroma]

Wouldn't performances over more than one season be better in deciding such a lofty title? How does he compare to Cancellara, Anquetil and Indurain? He hasn't even taken on the hour record yet.

He beat Cancellara. I'm not saying he deserves such a lofty title, however, his performances this year at least raise the suspicion.

I find it, furthermore, hard to believe that anyone in the past would have bettered his performaces this year.

 

[manafana]

The Giro for 2013 looks to suit him, he could ride it then target the vuelta and the worlds too.

 

[T-Nielsen]

He beat Cancellara. I'm not saying he deserves such a lofty title, however, his performances this year at least raise the suspicion.

I find it, furthermore, hard to believe that anyone in the past would have bettered his performaces this year.

And how many times did Cancellara beat him ?

 

[The Hitch]

Wiggins beat Cancellara in 1 tour tt. Surely we are not counting the olympic tt for which cancellara was injured and was only even cleared to do the day before.

Chris Froome also beat Canc in both tts (the real one and the one i think takes the liberties). Does that make him 2nd best tter of all time?

 

[Afrank]

Problem is (and all teams have this) - Sky only have 2 riders to target 3 GCs in Wiggins and Froome, I guess they could throw Uran at the Vuelta if they were daring but they won't be.

The Giro looks tailored for Wiggins, they want a Tour winner in their race, it will hype it up further which will be good for all.

I wonder How Wiggins will feel after the Giro, maybe he will play super domestique for Froome this team if so, but I can't see a Hinault/LeMond scenario again any time soon

I guess you didn't see the Giro this year .

 

[ferryman]

If Sky and Wiggins turn up to any GT in the same shape as July 2012 I doubt they have much to fear from anybody - unfortunately they are well capable of strangling the life out of any race based on what I have seen this year. They never even got into a situation where Wiggins and Froome had to ride together to limit losses. Cavendish and Eisel out, Kiryienka (who will probably turn out to be the best diesel of all) and Thomas in. They've probably only scratched the surface so far

Gradients, altitudes - none of this will really make much difference in a 3 week race. They could probably kill off most of the opposiiton on a breezy flat stage if they chose to. It's going to get pretty ugly

So much wishfull thinking in one post. July with Saxo and Contador and the Shack and Andy blow away Sky in the mountains. Contador at 80% has already handed it to them and to Froome in the ITT. Wiggins has already given his team an instruction to give out the excuses for him not to ride.

And as for the flat stage comment I'm sure Voight and Cancellara would maybe have a say in that no. Bertie is gathering some nice guys as well.

You are right about one thing though, it will be ugly July 2013 behind Contador and Schleck when they take off. Maybe Uran or Henao can save face on that front.

 

[hiero2]

Someone help me out here. Obviously im not a fan of wiggins, so am i just being biased against him, or do others see a wee bit wrong with the above too?

I'm not a Wiggo fan, but I'm not biased against him either. And I'm with you on this one, hitch. Wiggins is not the best TT man the sport has ever known. In the top percents, ok, I'll buy that, but not numero uno. But who would numero uno in th ITT be?

 

[Eyeballs Out]

So much wishfull thinking in one post. July with Saxo and Contador and the Shack and Andy blow away Sky in the mountains. Contador at 80% has already handed it to them and to Froome in the ITT. Wiggins has already given his team an instruction to give out the excuses for him not to ride.

And as for the flat stage comment I'm sure Voight and Cancellara would maybe have a say in that no. Bertie is gathering some nice guys as well.

You are right about one thing though, it will be ugly July 2013 behind Contador and Schleck when they take off. Maybe Uran or Henao can save face on that front.

Wishful thinking ???? You couldn't be more wrong

 

[ferryman]

I'm not a Wiggo fan, but I'm not biased against him either. And I'm with you on this one, hitch. Wiggins is not the best TT man the sport has ever known. In the top percents, ok, I'll buy that, but not numero uno. But who would numero uno in th ITT be?

Wiggins barely scratches the surface. How far do you want to go back? Anquetil maybe for his epic solos.

 

[hiero2]

How do they repeat this year? A crowing British public new to cycling will want to see a repeat. They have no idea the pancors were softened for a Wiggins win.

Contador is not only better but he did a number tactically on Froome in the Vuelta and I don't think Wiggins has any tactical smarts to handle such a race.

The other problem being when Contador attacks Froome will follow and will be able to follow for the most part. Wiggins doesn't have that ability. He needs to keep everything at the same pace the entire time. Then what does he do? He'll then be a in support role.

No doubt there will be comments about Alberto's eligibility from Sky in the lead up to the Tour.

I think this year's TdF had all the stars aligned for Wiggo. I'll go with ya on that. Next year, tho - I think he's going to be suffering from too many vodka-tonics over the winter. His spring is not gonna be so good in 2013, and after taking all the **** he took this year about doping, I don't think he his heart is in another TdF. So, I'm thinking we might see Froome-boy take the reins in July.

As for Contador - if the Sky 2013 team does anything like the job the 2012 team did - it will be a tight race. I think it will be hard for AC to use his typical breakaway tactics. AC is getting smarter every GT, though. That boy learns while he works. In the Vuelta this year, Sky was a mere shadow of their spring performances. All I saw was the occasional glimpse of that earlier form, and I think it was because they were righteously tired.

Be it Wiggo, or Froome-boy, I'm looking forward to next year's competition w/ AC. Florecita will like who I'll be cheering on, I think!

 

[ferryman]

Wishful thinking ???? You couldn't be more wrong

Time will tell my friend

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Time will tell my friend

Just to clarify .... I hope you're right

 

[thehog]

I think this year's TdF had all the stars aligned for Wiggo. I'll go with ya on that. Next year, tho - I think he's going to be suffering from too many vodka-tonics over the winter. His spring is not gonna be so good in 2013, and after taking all the **** he took this year about doping, I don't think he his heart is in another TdF. So, I'm thinking we might see Froome-boy take the reins in July.

As for Contador - if the Sky 2013 team does anything like the job the 2012 team did - it will be a tight race. I think it will be hard for AC to use his typical breakaway tactics. AC is getting smarter every GT, though. That boy learns while he works. In the Vuelta this year, Sky was a mere shadow of their spring performances. All I saw was the occasional glimpse of that earlier form, and I think it was because they were righteously tired.

Be it Wiggo, or Froome-boy, I'm looking forward to next year's competition w/ AC. Florecita will like who I'll be cheering on, I think!

You only need to see what Contador did to Shleck in the 2011 Tour on the stage into Gap. It was no change in the GC day. P1ssing down with rain and Contador attacks on a corner up a small climb. Attacked twice. Then went again on the downhill.

Put Shleck in a box mentally. Wiggins, Froome and team couldn't deal with such tactics. 450w does nothing to stop that sort of riding.

Contador was a shadow of himself in that race due to the Giro and injuries but he has a bit of Pantani unpredictability in him which other can't handle.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I'd have said injured. But scared of AC works too.

 

[thehog]

You only need to see what Contador did to Shleck in the 2011 Tour on the stage into Gap. It was no change in the GC day. P1ssing down with rain and Contador attacks on a corner up a small climb. Attacked twice. Then went again on the downhill.

Put Shleck in a box mentally. Wiggins, Froome and team couldn't deal with such tactics. 450w does nothing to stop that sort of riding.

Contador was a shadow of himself in that race due to the Giro and injuries but he has a bit of Pantani unpredictability in him which other can't handle.

You only have to watch this stage to see little Richie Porte and Rogers wil have no response. Let alone Wiggins.

Beautiful tactics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXj2Xf-JhCU&sns=em

 

[rhubroma]

And how many times did Cancellara beat him ?

I don't know. However, my point was something else: namely, regardless of how we may feel about the athlete, it seems to me that Wiggins TT performances this year, especially at the Tour, were nothing less than sensational. Secondly, that they me be among the best, formally and aesthetically, of all time.

Does this make him the greatest TTer of all time? Probably not, but they at least put him on the list of those riders who can expect to be considered as such. I agree, however, that longevity is also important. If, therefore, Wiggins continues to generate these type of performances over the next several years, he wins hands down. So we'll see.

 

[thehog]

Looking outside Italy, Moser said that he also considers it premature to regard Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins as a new star. “He won the yellow jersey as the Tour has been designed specifically for his characteristics,” he said, claiming that his team did much of the work to set him up in the mountains, and that the difference was made in the time trials. “I do not think would be able to do it again with a different parcours. The only real great, I think, is Contador.”

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...gins-are-not-yet-champions.aspx#ixzz28EjytQH4

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Looking outside Italy, Moser said that he also considers it premature to regard Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins as a new star. “He won the yellow jersey as the Tour has been designed specifically for his characteristics,” he said, claiming that his team did much of the work to set him up in the mountains, and that the difference was made in the time trials. “I do not think would be able to do it again with a different parcours. The only real great, I think, is Contador.”

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...gins-are-not-yet-champions.aspx#ixzz28EjytQH4

I guess if anyone would know about having a Grand Tour designed specifically for his characteristics, its Moser.