Team Ineos (Formerly the Sky thread)

[ultimobici]

Bradley Wiggins in ITTs as a pro:

2002:
4th, Circuit des Mines (24km)
3rd, Bohemia Tour (no details, but 50" off Cancellara's winning time around 47 mins)
2nd, Tour de l'Avenir (9km - won by Pozzato of all people)

2003:
21st, Paris-Nice prologue (4,8km)
18th, Paris-Nice full length (16,5km)
5th, Driedaagse De Panne (14km)
65th, Giro d'Italia (42km)
6th, Tour du Poitou Charentes (20km)
1st, Tour de l'Avenir (11km)

2004:
9th, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque (12km)
8th, Bayern Rundfahrt (16km)
15th, Tour de Suisse (26km)
- this looks like the start of the events we can reasonably take notice of.

2005:
14th, Critérium International (8,3km)
1st, Circuit de Lorraine (16km)
11th, Giro d'Italia prologue (1,1km)
34th, Giro d'Italia stage 8 (45km)
138th, Giro d'Italia stage 18 (34km)
2nd, Tour de l'Avenir (no length available) - was Wiggins really still eligible for this in '05?!
7th, World Championships (44,1km)

2006:
7th, Paris-Nice prologue (4,8km)
21st, Dauphiné prologue (4,1km)
16th, Tour de France prologue (7,1km)
28th, Tour de France stage 7 (52km)
55th, Tour de France stage 20 (57km)
21st, Eneco Tour (5,8km)

2007:
2nd, Circuit de la Sarthe (8,8km)
1st, Quatre Jours de Dunkerque (9km)
29th, Volta a Catalunya (17,1km) - note should be disregarded - mountain TT
1st, Dauphiné prologue (4,2km)
44th, Dauphiné (40,7km)
4th, Tour de France prologue (7,9km)
4th (after Vino's demotion), Tour de France stage 13 (54km)
1st, Tour du Poitou Charentes (20km)
10th, World Championships (44,9km)

2008:
2nd, Tour of California prologue (3,4km)
11th, Tour of California (24km)
5th, Tour de Romandie prologue (1,9km)
44th, Tour de Romandie (18,8km)
157th, Giro d'Italia stage 10 (39,4km)
99th, Giro d'Italia stage 16 (12,9km) * disregard - mountain TT
4th, Giro d'Italia stage 21 (28,5km)

2009:
2nd, Paris-Nice prologue (9,3km)
2nd, Critérium International (8,3km)
1st, Driedaagse de Panne (14,8km)
6th, Giro d'Italia stage 12 (60,6km)
2nd, Giro d'Italia stage 21 (15,5km)
3rd, Tour de France stage 1 (15,5km)
6th, Tour de France stage 18 (40,5km)
4th, Eneco Tour prologue (4,4km)
20th, World Championships (49,8km) * mechanical when placed far better than this
1st, Jayco Sun Tour (10km)

Obviously prior to this Wiggins' form had been related to the Olympic cycle, as a track rider, but it's clear from the high consistency that his ITT improved somewhat at the same time as his new climbing legs came into being. Obviously races like the Jayco Tour are ones he could well have been winning anyway, but previously his top results would be tempered with some mediocre ones; this was the first time it was all top results all the time.

2010:
2nd, Ruta del Sol (10km)
3rd, Vuelta a Murcía (22km)
11th, Vuelta al País Vasco (22km)
1st, Giro d'Italia stage 1 (8,4km)
67th, Giro d'Italia stage 16 (12,9km) * mountain TT - but should probably count these from this point in his career
7th, Giro d'Italia stage 21 (15km)
76th, Tour de France prologue (8,9km) - weather affected
9th, Tour de France stage 19 (52km) - weather affected

2011:
2nd, Paris-Nice (27km)
2nd, Critérium International (7km)
77th, Tour de Romandie prologue (2,9km)
4th, Tour de Romandie (20,1km)
1st, Bayern Rundfahrt (26km)
3rd, Dauphiné prologue (5,5km)
2nd, Dauphiné (42,5km)
3rd, Vuelta a España stage 10 (47km)
2nd, World Championships (46,4km)

Looking at this, the Vuelta ITT was not a disappointment at all, and Froome was just stupendous that day.

2012:
1st, Volta ao Algarve (25,8km)
2nd, Paris-Nice prologue (9,4km)
1st, Paris-Nice (9,5km) * mountain TT
11th, Tour de Romandie prologue (3,3km)
1st, Tour de Romandie (16,5km)
2nd, Dauphiné prologue (5,7km)
1st, Dauphiné (53km)

It's pretty clear that this year's results are noticeably better than before. Wiggins' ITT results have improved in the last four years, quite clearly, and this year most noticeably of all. And this is after he has improved his climbing chops and lost weight, whilst still being able to put down the same kind of power. Because he's always been a good TT rider, perhaps we've been prepared to accept it because he's just improved his climbing, but actually his TT has improved as well, just as I reconciled Kaisa Mäkäräinen's reinvention as a world beater with "well, she's always been quick on the skis, she's just improved her shooting". But her ski times were getting better and better as well, although having more to fight for was part of that of course.

The highlighted part should effectively be ignored as Wiggins's focus was on the track with his road season worked in around it.

I have to admit that I fond the weight loss reasoning a little hard to believe due to the Armstrong myth being shown to be a pack of lies. But with Wiggins I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. I met him in 1996 when he was a junior joining Condor. He was very highly thought of then, so his rise is not totally unexpected. My view is that as things have calmed down from the heady days of USPS/Discovery etc real talent can come to the surface more readily. I don't believe the sport is rid of dope, rather that the freedom to dope with impunity has gone allowing a clean/legal rider a fair crack of the whip.

As for the British Press's relationship with Wiggins and Cycling, at the slightest whiff of impropriety they'll have them for dinner. Only football gets a pass, cycling is the ugly, illegitimate redhead sport, readily sacrificed to divert attention when footballers snort coke, drink & rape/speed/insert criminal act. The only time they report cycling is when there's a Brit winning or when the Tour is on. Then it invariably has articles that have a doping reference in the first two paragraphs.

 

[blackcat]

The highlighted part should effectively be ignored as Wiggins's focus was on the track with his road season worked in around it.

not all correct.

Read his statements about the 07 season, at Cofidis.

He said, all focus on the road.

 

[Galic Ho]

Wtf?

Wiggo and Sky aren't going uphill anything like as fast as them either. Especially not Giro 2006 Basso LOL.

Don't treat me like a moron fanboy, the only person that gets a free pass is Boardman.

Wiggins is just more plausible than others in recent history. Or is that slightly less implausible ?

Less plausible. Wiggins who in 2006 was dropped on the first climbing stage (8) of the Tour was dropped by the groupetto.Wiggins gets no free pass, ever. Not after that. He was horrible in 2006. You don't suddenly wake up one day and change that kind of form with training. Not to the degree he has. Couple in the once anti-doping outspoken manner that has evaporated since his change. Get the picture?

 

[Ferminal]

not all correct.

Read his statements about the 07 season, at Cofidis.

He said, all focus on the road.

2007 was all for the London Prologue, was it not?

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Less plausible. Wiggins who in 2006 was dropped on the first climbing stage (8) of the Tour was dropped by the groupetto.Wiggins gets no free pass, ever. Not after that. He was horrible in 2006. You don't suddenly wake up one day and change that kind of form with training. Not to the degree he has. Couple in the once anti-doping outspoken manner that has evaporated since his change. Get the picture?

I think you have to take into account that he was still focused on track cycling until 2008. Not saying that suddenly explains it away but its not as one sided as you make it out to be.

 

[Bumeington]

But wait, you forgot to add in 2012 the recent news articles and Wiggins proclaiming how his "off-season training" has really changed the way he races. He is working with some not very well known former swimming coach that is now mysteriously training and using techniques that are making a cyclist and his team an amazing group of climbers!!!

Now he isn't showing up to race really, he is training to race and being on all the time.

I think this is a bit harsh. All this chat about the swimming coach is clearly is response to "have you peaked too early?" questioning by journalists. He's not saying he's suddenly amazing thanks to his coach, but rather he trusts in the plan and believes paris-nice, romandie and dauphine to be 97% performances not 100%.

I think this is an important distinction, press is saying can you really win the tour maybe you are too good too soon, he is saying it's ok I've got an amazing coach that I trust.

The press are not saying, you are winning all year that's not credible, so the swimming coach thing isn't a high cadence like excuse for great performances, rather a I trust my coach, I will be good at the tour.

 

[T_S_A_R]

As for the British Press's relationship with Wiggins and Cycling, at the slightest whiff of impropriety they'll have them for dinner. Only football gets a pass, cycling is the ugly, illegitimate redhead sport, readily sacrificed to divert attention when footballers snort coke, drink & rape/speed/insert criminal act. The only time they report cycling is when there's a Brit winning or when the Tour is on. Then it invariably has articles that have a doping reference in the first two paragraphs.

that's clearly not true.

what about rugby where the players are getting bigger, stronger and faster at an alarming rate but no one blinks? what about athletics where oghuru will get a pass this summer if she can medal? or rowing where redgrave and pinsent are national heroes for dominating an era where there was no testing for epo or hgh? or the energizer tennis bunnies?

if anything football get's a harder time than most sports because it is big enough and generates enough money to support critics in the press unlike minority sports where most writers are little more than paid shills who know if they lose access to the top stars they lose their jobs.

the reason the press in the uk don't go for dopers is simple. sport makes money. the media and the athletes are all on the same gravy train.

 

[Casualfan]

that's clearly not true.

what about rugby where the players are getting bigger, stronger and faster at an alarming rate but no one blinks? what about athletics where oghuru will get a pass this summer if she can medal? or rowing where redgrave and pinsent are national heroes for dominating an era where there was no testing for epo or hgh? or the energizer tennis bunnies?

if anything football get's a harder time than most sports because it is big enough and generates enough money to support critics in the press unlike minority sports where most writers are little more than paid shills who know if they lose access to the top stars they lose their jobs.

the reason the press in the uk don't go for dopers is simple. sport makes money. the media and the athletes are all on the same gravy train.

Ohuruogu was the subject of intense debate over whether she should be allowed. Dwain Chambers has just had a HUGE fight spanning over years to be allowed to compete in the Olympics (much to the unhappiness of the Press and some of the public) when numerous other countries allows their drug cheats to compete. The press DO go for dopers if they drag the country through the mud and it will be exactly the same for Wiggins if he was found.

I think the Press aren't that harsh on footballers. Even though everyone knows at major tournaments it's the mentality of the players that let's the side down most, the manager consistently takes the blame. The likes of Terry, Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard etc have been failing for years, yet there'd have been an outcry if they hadn't been selected for EURO 2012

 

[Von Mises]

OK, Sky, the gauntlet is laid down:

2008 Vuelta a Asturias, stage 1:
1 Ángel Vicioso Arcos (LA-MSS) 3'51'52"
2 Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone-Caffé Mokambo) +m.t.
3 Constantino Zaballa Gutiérrez (LA-MSS) +m.t.
4 Bruno Pires (LA-MSS) +m.t.
5 Xavier Tondó Volpini (LA-MSS) +m.t.
6 David García da Peña (Karpin-Galicia) +1'20
7 Jesús del Nero Montes (Saunier Duval-Scott) +1'20
8 Juan José Cobo Acebo (Saunier Duval-Scott) +1'20
9 Walter Pedraza Morales (Tinkoff Credit Systems) +1'20
10 Francesco Masciarelli (Acqua e Sapone-Caffé Mokambo) +1'20

Vuelta a Asturias 2008 Stage 4:
1 Tomasz Marczynski (Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce) 4'49'41
2 David de la Fuente Rasilla (Saunier Duval-Scott) +43
3 Gonzalo Rabuñal Rios (Karpin-Galicia) +45
4 Nikita Eskov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) +50
5 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Orbea) +1'20
6 Koldo Gil Pérez (Liberty Seguros) +1'27
7 Ángel Vicioso Arcos (LA-MSS) +1'40
8 Xavier Tondó Volpini (LA-MSS) +2'11
9 Bruno Pires (LA-MSS) +2'39
10 José Azevedo (Sport Lisboa e Benfica-Lagos Sports) +2'39

(yes, that is Ángel Vicioso comprehensively outclimbing Xavi Tondó, Ace, Garzelli, Mosquera, Cobo etc)

Vuelta a Asturias 2008, General Classification
1 Ángel Vicioso Arcos (LA-MSS) 19'52'27
2 Xavier Tondó Volpini (LA-MSS) +1'06
3 Bruno Pires (LA-MSS) +1'42
4 Koldo Gil Pérez (Liberty Seguros) +1'55
5 Tomasz Marczynski (Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce) +2'16
6 Gonzalo Rabuñal Rios (Karpin-Galicia) +2'23
7 Nikita Eskov (Tinkoff Credit Systems) +2'26
8 Constantino Zaballa Gutiérrez (LA-MSS) +3'05
9 José Azevedo (Sport Lisboa e Benfica-Lagos Sports) +3'18
10 Jaume Rovira Pous (Extremadura-Spiuk) +4'10

Then, one week later

GP Paredes Rota dos Movéis 2008, Stage 3
1 Constantino Zaballa Gutiérrez (LA-MSS) 3'25'54
2 Ángel Vicioso Arcos (LA-MSS) +m.t.
3 Tiago Machado (Madeinox-Boavista) +9
4 Adrián Palomares Villaplana (Contentpolis-Murcía) +12
5 Pedro Cardoso (LA-MSS) +14
6 David Bernabéu Armengol (Barbot-Siper) +14
7 Massimo Codol (Acqua e Sapone-Caffé Mokambo) +19
8 Alexis Rodríguez Hernández (Fercase-Rota dos Movéis) +19
9 Koldo Gil Pérez (Liberty Seguros) +19
10 Eladio Jiménez Sánchez (Fercase-Rota dos Movéis) +22

GP Paredes Rota dos Movéis 2008, Stage 4
1 Pedro Cardoso (LA-MSS) 3'31'31
2 Ricardo Mestre (Palmeiras Resort-Tavira) +17
3 Eladio Jiménez Sánchez (Fercase-Rota dos Movéis) +22
4 Antonio D'Aniello (Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce) +38
5 Dainius Kairelis (Ceramica Flaminia-Bossini Docce) +38
6 Rui Costa (Sport Lisboa e Benfica-Lagos Sports) +38
7 Constantino Zaballa Gutiérrez (LA-MSS) +38
8 Koldo Gil Pérez (Liberty Seguros) +38
9 Ángel Vicioso Arcos (LA-MSS) +38
10 Enrique Salgueiro Alfonso (Extremadura-Spiuk) +46

GP Paredes Rota dos Movéis 2008, General Classification
1 Pedro Cardoso (LA-MSS) 15'10'51
2 Constantino Zaballa Gutiérrez (LA-MSS) +21
3 Ángel Vicioso Arcos (LA-MSS) +22
4 Ricardo Mestre (Palmeiras Resort-Tavira) +34
5 Koldo Gil Pérez (Liberty Seguros) +53
6 Alexis Rodríguez Sánchez (Fercase-Rota dos Movéis) +1'05
7 Massimo Codol (Acqua e Sapone-Caffé Mokambo) +1'05
8 David Bernabéu Armengol (Barbot-Siper) +1'15
9 Nuno Ribeiro (Liberty Seguros) +1'19
10 Enrique Salgueiro Alfonso (Extremadura-Spiuk) +1'21

Is it Wiggins improving or is peloton getting cleaner? These numbers alone do not give an answer.

 

[nevada]

I think you have to take into account that he was still focused on track cycling until 2008. Not saying that suddenly explains it away but its not as one sided as you make it out to be.

And do these people making these comments race ? Humans aren't machines and bodies react differently from one day to the next.

 

[Caruut]

Ohuruogu was the subject of intense debate over whether she should be allowed. Dwain Chambers has just had a HUGE fight spanning over years to be allowed to compete in the Olympics (much to the unhappiness of the Press and some of the public) when numerous other countries allows their drug cheats to compete. The press DO go for dopers if they drag the country through the mud and it will be exactly the same for Wiggins if he was found.

I think the Press aren't that harsh on footballers. Even though everyone knows at major tournaments it's the mentality of the players that let's the side down most, the manager consistently takes the blame. The likes of Terry, Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard etc have been failing for years, yet there'd have been an outcry if they hadn't been selected for EURO 2012

The press are happy to kick people when they're down, but in terms of doing any digging or uncovering anything new, they're next to useless. There's nothing at all other than ridiculous moralising about the likes of Chambers and Millar "bringing shame to our country". So long as you don't get caught, the press don't really care - they're too interested in getting their exclusives to do something that might upset the stars.

 

[cineteq]

Is it Wiggins improving or is peloton getting cleaner? These numbers alone do not give an answer.

Back at you. Are Wiggins and the whole Sky team the only clean riders?

 

[happychappy]

Is it Wiggins improving or is peloton getting cleaner? These numbers alone do not give an answer.

People (well, clinic dwellers) seem to be ignoring the so called "big names" of the past few years seem to be completely lacking _anything_ in the tank this year.
The times are certainly changing, for better or worse remains to be seen.

 

[Von Mises]

Back at you. Are Wiggins and the whole Sky team the only clean riders?

I do not know. Thats my only answer.
(I did not want to say that Wiggins is clean and his improvement of results comes from the fact that peloton around him is cleaner. I just wanted to point out that there are many variables and I we do not know all of them. What seems clear is that MTF´s during recent years have generally been slower than 5-15 years ago, but I havent seen similar analysis about prologues and TT-s)

 

[sartoris]

Is it Wiggins improving or is peloton getting cleaner? These numbers alone do not give an answer.

Actually, it's a mixture of both: Wiggins is improving cause he's dirtier.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Several teams (Sky, Europcar, Garmin) have put forward the theory that their recent successes are due to cycling being much cleaner now

There's some logic to that but for it to be true and not just a convenient PR tool it would require all of the "cleaner-than-most" teams to be doing significantly better now. I'm not sure we're seeing that yet

 

[dolophonic]

ok now

Sure Gilbert looked so normal last year, so did Boonen this spring oh and Sky well they look totally normal!

 

[Normandy]

Libertine immediately questioned your comment about Froome, but I have to agree. Sky has purchased some riders who have consistently shown upper echelon quality.

Wiggins says the swimming coach has them training differently. Ok - I have seen, in my lifetime, evidence that there might be something to this. In junior high, I swam. In my mid-30's I raced bicycles. I don't think training has gone through some semi-secret development evolution that has made buckets of performance difference. But I CAN see a couple of percentage points made possible by a change in training.

For instance - in my 20's I did the transcendental meditation bit. Later, when I was racing, and learned to apply tm while I was doing a tt, my performances significantly improved, much to the chagrin of one particular junior who kept thinking he should be able to catch the "old man". Also, when I was racing (pre-EPO days), triathlons had become big. We constantly got hit by new road racers coming over from triathlons who were intensely, insanely, strong. What the hell did they do differently? Train.

What else could it have been, but training differences? Were they all somehow self-selected by doing well in triathlons, to be monster when applying that capacity to road races? Maybe, somewhat, but having watched these people, I don't think that was all the answer. Maybe all these tri-guys (and gals) were more willing than the guys I raced against to use steroids (unlike EPO, steroids were available then)? Again, that answer just doesn't do it for me. I don't think so.

Which brings me back to - training. There must have been something different somewhere in how they prepared, either mentally or physically, or both. Something that allowed a higher peak performance, and a longer peak period.

But now I am really gonna bring down the house. Putting aside for a minute the connection of Lance to doping, part of what made him believable was his training. Don't get me wrong, I believe Lance doped. There is no question in my mind about it. But you don't take a donkey to the Kentucky Derby and win by doping. Lance came from the tri-world. He was renowned for training differently than most cyclists. He trained during the off season. He planned his season around the Tour. He studied the stages better than other cyclists. All of which indicate to me that he also has a mental toughness that is hard to find, even for top level athletes. You can train the mentality, too.

Just because Lance doped, does not mean that he wasn't doing something else right - or that riders today can't learn something from his training behavior.

So Wiggo is doing high-altitude training in January. Hey, Bob Roll had to bum a tent and live on peanut butter just to race in April! Now the sport has enough money Wiggins and the team can afford to go live and train where they can get high-altitude climbs in January.

So, there are a couple of instances where I have seen real progress in training methods. Wiggins has also been outspokenly anti-doping. You can be suspicious. I am. But it could be true - and at least at the moment I am inclined to give Wiggo the benefit of the doubt.

Why have you ranted on in another post in the Clinic about De Gendt must be doping after one stage win in the Giro, but you believe Sky and Wiggins are whiter than white despite all their run of wins this year. Paid up member of the Sky fan club?

 

[Ferminal]

People (well, clinic dwellers) seem to be ignoring the so called "big names" of the past few years seem to be completely lacking _anything_ in the tank this year.
The times are certainly changing, for better or worse remains to be seen.

Like Evans?

Several teams (Sky, Europcar, Garmin) have put forward the theory that their recent successes are due to cycling being much cleaner now

There's some logic to that but for it to be true and not just a convenient PR tool it would require all of the "cleaner-than-most" teams to be doing significantly better now. I'm not sure we're seeing that yet

Serious?

 

[happychappy]

Like Evans?

I've always considered Evans one of the cleaner riders, Evans along with Wiggins have both "improved" the past few years - it very well could be down to the rest of the peloton getting cleaner, their power remaining similar but others' dropping. I'm not sure why this opinion gets dismissed instantly. Probably because it would be less interesting if true.

I remember a few years ago when people were slating Evans, calling him a wheelsucker. All I remember was him gurning uphill, looking like he's about to drop dead just about hanging on while certain others were sprinting off with a serene blank look slapped across their chops. Now it SEEMS like things might be changing. The podium of the Giro seems like a step in the right direction.

 

[2008885]

Actually, it's a mixture of both: Wiggins is improving cause he's dirtier.

Do you have any evidence to support this view?

 

[red_flanders]

I've always considered Evans one of the cleaner riders, Evans along with Wiggins have both "improved" the past few years - it very well could be down to the rest of the peloton getting cleaner, their power remaining similar but others' dropping. I'm not sure why this opinion gets dismissed instantly. Probably because it would be less interesting if true.

I would imagine there's a more nuanced reaction than dismissal. For Evans, the change or improvement in his abilities has been what I'd expect if the level of the group came down somewhat. He was near the best before, but not quite top level. Now he's at the top. I would imagine he's cleaner than he used to be as well, quite frankly.

Wiggins is basically a joke IMO. The improvement in his TT'ing and in particular his climbing have been from wheel-sucking to hang on in the grupetto to what looks like world-beating form at this point. It's ridiculous. The level of the group has probably dropped off a bit, and combine that with his obvious full-program versus none before and you get the joke results he's getting now.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Do you have any evidence to support this view?

Evidence like what? A positive? Some sort of legal trouble related to hauling PED's around the world? Even then, there are deniers.

Circumstantial evidence supporting the likelihood Sky's doping:
-the team doctor from Rabo's individualized doping program works for Sky.
-Rider on the suspicion index.
-Strategic trip to Tenerife and the remarkable climbing power graced to all who go to Tenerife with it's lack of testing, proximity to doping doctors and rumored loose borders.
-DS from the corroborated Armstrong/Tailwind doping program.
-Sky Train shattering the peloton on monster climbs.
-Sky Train wildly inconsistent possibly due to doping cycle.
-UCI seems to have blessed Sky based on some media reports that mirror the old Armstrong myth maintenance hyperbole. Everything is for sale at the UCI and Sky's backer has the ethics to buy.
-Wiggans has gone silent with the anti-doping rhetoric.
-Watt/kilo rates are not quite stratospheric. But, wow. Huge numbers.

Circumstantial evidence supporting the "talent and hard work got them where they are now."
-2012 Wiggans is performing consistently.
-Sky Train performance wildly inconsistent due to a number of legitimate health issues resolving just in time.
-Sky simply purchased more talent for 2012 season.
-Watt/kilo rates are not quite stratospheric. But, wow. Huge numbers.

Historically riding really well right now does not translate into great form into the last week of the TdF. As mentioned elsewhere, we'll have lots more information in a few weeks.

 

[hrotha]

Lol, the comparison between Evans and Wiggins must be some kind of sick joke. For a GT contender, Evans is actually quite credible. Whether you believe in him or not depends almost entirely on how far you think this "cleaning up" business has gone rather than on what he's done or been involved in. But Wiggins? Come on. Wiggins didn't climb up that ladder slowly for 5 years before making it to the top.

 

[Lanark]

I've always considered Evans one of the cleaner riders, Evans along with Wiggins have both "improved" the past few years - it very well could be down to the rest of the peloton getting cleaner, their power remaining similar but others' dropping. I'm not sure why this opinion gets dismissed instantly. Probably because it would be less interesting if true.

I remember a few years ago when people were slating Evans, calling him a wheelsucker. All I remember was him gurning uphill, looking like he's about to drop dead just about hanging on while certain others were sprinting off with a serene blank look slapped across their chops. Now it SEEMS like things might be changing. The podium of the Giro seems like a step in the right direction.

Has he? I honestly don't think Evans is any better than he was in 2007/2008. He completely cracked under pressure in 2008, but physicially, he was great in those years, good enough to win the Tour. In 2009 and 2010 he saw a big drop in performance in GT's, I guess the peloton suddenly got very dirty in GT's those years, and in 2011 he was back to his 2007/2008 form.