Is the phrase "little tweaks" a euphemism for "medical program"

[blackcat]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/sep/07/bradley-wiggins-team-sky

Rumours abound that the money Sky will offer to buy out Wiggins's contract could allow Garmin to sign Contador. But Garmin's manager, Jonathan Vaughters, said yesterday while he has discussed Contador's possible arrival with Wiggins, it is a moot point while the Spaniard is under contract.

"He's a great rider, probably the most talented in the world," said Vaughters of Contador. "It would be great to have him on the team, but he's under contract. You can't negotiate with someone who's under contract. When the situation is clear then, of course, he's an interesting, expensive rider. But as of now, he's under contract, so it's theoretical. The way I see it, Bradley and Christian [Vande Velde] are our GC [general classification] riders; they're the people we're building the team around. And I think, with a couple of little tweaks, we can win the Tour with them."

I reckon little tweaks is but a euphemism for the medical program

 

[bianchigirl]

Thanks to the parcours and the strong TTT, Wiggins found himself in the unusual position of being able to defend a high placing on GC this year. Honestly I can't see any tweaks that he can make that will turn him into a rider capable of coming close to Contador in the TTs or the mountains. Replace the joke that was the Pyrenees this year with a few proper Pyreneean stages, take out or truncate the TTT and Wiggins would be surprisingly highly placed in the GC but under no circumstances being talked of as a Tour winner. And no amount of riding the climbs beforehand makes you a GT winner.

As for Team Sky and their much vaunted ambitions - the road is a very different place to the track

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

And no amount of riding the climbs beforehand makes you a GT winner.

don't forget that some people think that because Lance rode the tour climbs in training in May that means he could ride up them with 460 watts in July.

While all the European riders sat on the couch too lazy to train because they hadn't had cancer - and this must be true because American cycling media didn't report on them ever doing any training.

 

[Jonathan]

don't forget that some people think that because Lance rode the tour climbs in training in May that means he could ride up them with 460 watts in July.

While all the European riders sat on the couch too lazy to train because they hadn't had cancer - and this must be true because American cycling media didn't report on them ever doing any training.

American media and Mart Smeets...

 

[Bala Verde]

American media and Mart Smeets...

Everything for unlimited access

I won't say what I think every time I see him acting like a 6 year old girl who meets Britney Spears for the first time

 

[bianchigirl]

Mongol, that was precisely why I phrased it the way I did

Wiggins got lucky - we'll never see him that competitive again now that he'll actually aim to do well. Contador reportedly came off the beach and won a GT, and even with a million 'little tweaks' Wiggins can never hope to match Contador's level of innate talent. Personally, I'm sick and tired of seeing riders talked up as GT winners who manage to make it into the top 10 through luck/strong TTT/vagaries of the parcours and never put in a single attack in the entire race. And, let's face it, you could level that accusation at just about the entire top 10 of this year's Tour. Percentage riding sucks.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

Percentage riding sucks.

I get your point, but I am more sick and tired of guys effortlessly riding away from the elite mountain groups and gaining minutes. This is far more of an indication of doping to me....

Especially if they used to be a bull necked classics specialist who couldn't climb for toffee.

 

[BroDeal]

Vaughters should sell Wiggins to Sky. Wiggins' perceived value is higher now than it will ever be. Once Wiggo faces a Tdf with a route that includes real mountains, his value will fall significantly. Sky is probably willing to overpay for Wiggins, so why not take the money and buy some other riders? Heck, why not use the money to buy Evans? If Vaughters and his magic diet can transform Tommy D., just think what could be done with Evans.