Wig Strong

[Eyjafjallajokull]

...... I think it is a stretch to say they 'imply' other teams dope - they don't, they highlight what they do and never mention other teams.

Well whatever they mean by it, it can have an implication that perhaps other people don't like. I was speculating that this might have been the type of thing Wiggins was refering to. I don't know.

I was wondering what you meant by "honesty" - if it is in relation to yesterdays comments, then I agree - it was one of his best statements.

Yes I think so.

But you said "as ever" - so I would be interested in seeing what statements he made before have been 'twisted'.

You haven't read "Wigans quote watch"? There are several uses on this site who always twist everything he says. They hate the fact he is not big headed and there is a good chance he is clean - it's their worst type of rider.

 

[Jamsque]

This thread is a laugh riot from start to finish. Galic Ho, you are amazing and I love you. Never stop being crazy.

Volcano boy, well spoken but you might as well try to drain the Atlantic with a sponge. There is no fighting the Irrational Sports Hatred. There are people on this board who will find the negative in absolutely everything Wiggins or Cav say or do, every time. If they lose, they are over-rated and chokers, if they win, they're dirty, if they are asked about doping and make a considered, intelligent response, they are hypocrites or they are bagging on their old team or whatever.

 

[Anonymous]

This thread is a laugh riot from start to finish. Galic Ho, you are amazing and I love you. Never stop being crazy.

Volcano boy, well spoken but you might as well try to drain the Atlantic with a sponge. There is no fighting the Irrational Sports Hatred. There are people on this board who will find the negative in absolutely everything Wiggins or Cav say or do, every time. If they lose, they are over-rated and chokers, if they win, they're dirty, if they are asked about doping and make a considered, intelligent response, they are hypocrites or they are bagging on their old team or whatever.

No, Wigans actually IS over-rated.

 

[badboygolf16v]

I think he's under rated, actually. How many riders go from 3h25m down on GC to 6m down and within a sniff of the podium in a few years?

Him and Brailsford should write a book so schmucks like me can learn how it's done.

 

[blackcat]

Wigans will make the podium this year.

And credit to Wigans for telling it like it is, and dispensing with the clean ruse. Goodluck making the podium, not that he will need it.

 

[Anonymous]

I think he's under rated, actually. How many riders go from 3h25m down on GC to 6m down and within a sniff of the podium in a few years?

Him and Brailsford should write a book so schmucks like me can learn how it's done.

Hire a good doctor.

You can send the $29.99 you would have spent on that book to me. PM me for my address.

 

[keen_but_slow]

I think he's under rated, actually. How many riders go from 3h25m down on GC to 6m down and within a sniff of the podium in a few years?

You have to remember that England is a small island and NOT part of Europe. If BW wins a grand tour, it might get a mention in the papers. Win an olympic medal on the track and you're on talk shows. That's just how it is. So now put yourself in his shoes. You have a track team with massive budget and technological resources to help you win the pursuit, or you have the annual EPO-fest in July which you know can't be won clean. Where do you put your effort? I can't say I'm surprised that he trundled round in the 'bus looking to maybe do something in the TTs. So that's why he's 3h down, he's not 3h down because that was the limit of his ability. If he'd given it his all, he wouldn't have been anything like that far back.

I'm not commenting on whether or not he's riding clean, but it's clear that the doping edge has narrowed, the guys cheating the old way are now conspicuously good (Sella, Ricco etc). For me, the key moment in the last few years was the day the maillot jaune group went up Alpe d'Huez in 42 minutes (2008) and nobody really had any turn of speed to get away higher up (compare and contrast with Mayo's day on there). That was probably the day that Armstrong and Wiggins (and others) realised that the race can be won clean-ish.

The only consolation for Wiggins fans comes from Bernard Kohl's comments. He basically told us that the day to spot the autologous blood transfusers is the second day after the second rest day, and that was the day Armstrong rode away from Wiggins (and Contador rode away from Kloeden).

 

[Not Riding Enough]

"My memory of [today's] stage is being congratulated by most of my peers: Vinokourov, Basso, Garzelli. Them showing you respect like that is nice. It was still a great day," he said.

Intersting who he singles out as his peers.

 

[Not Riding Enough]

Now off to watch the F1 and see my countryman hand his team mate another frebbie. Then the Giro.

Webber won this time.

 

[L'arriviste]

You have to remember that England is a small island and NOT part of Europe. If BW wins a grand tour, it might get a mention in the papers. Win an olympic medal on the track and you're on talk shows ... Where do you put your effort?

Good points. Well, I think that whether Britain is in Europe or not is a matter of conjecture and the thinking of individuals.

I raced as a youngster in the UK and I remember Wiggins/Wigans as a useful junior rider at that time. It was never easy to pick out names for the future but I must confess I never thought he'd go on to do as well as he has done, if only because there was so much obvious talent among kids back then, many of whom are now probably working nine to five. However, as a (very lowly) contemporary of his, I'd say:

1. You couldn't have convinced me back then that the track had any of the kudos that the pro road world had, doping or not.

2. Wiggins has said he loved to watch the romantic races and that's always going to be preferable to someone with a soul who's getting dizzy going round and round on the boards.

3. Though well funded, I can't believe the financial rewards were the same for an Olympian, unless you're a track and fielder. Brits only really venerate track and fielders like Linford Christie, Seb Coe, Steve Cram, Kelly Holmes, Fatima Whitbread and Jonathan Edwards. And the odd swimmer.

 

[Avoriaz]

"My memory of [today's] stage is being congratulated by most of my peers: Vinokourov, Basso, Garzelli. Them showing you respect like that is nice. It was still a great day," he said.

Intersting who he singles out as his peers.

Pre-race favourites. I would single them out too. Would you really care if had written that William Bonnet, Jackson Rodriguez and Michele Merlo had congratulated him (and they may well have done)?

 

[Jamsque]

3. Though well funded, I can't believe the financial rewards were the same as an Olympic cyclist, unless you're a track and fielder. Brits only really venerate track and fielders like Linford Christie, Seb Coe, Steve Cram, Kelly Holmes, Fatima Whitbread and Jonathan Edwards. And the odd swimmer.

The track team's medal haul over the past three olympic games has gotten a lot of media attention. They've made Cav, Wiggo, Sir Chris Hoy and even Victoria Pendleton household names here. You're right that there is generally more money in the big road races than the track, but as you say Britain's track program is very well funded; I guess Brad probably figured he would do better in a stable environment on the track than hopping from team to team in Europe, picking up the odd win in small races here and there against the EPO-charged field that was riding at the turn of the millenium.

 

[L'arriviste]

They've made Cav, Wiggo, Sir Chris Hoy and even Victoria Pendleton household names here.

Have they really? That's great to read - things must have changed quite recently. I figure Cav's achievements last year would have made headlines, possibly the Wiggins/Wigans 4th, but that sort of ubiquity is a nice surprise.

 

[Roland Rat]

That was probably the day that Armstrong and Wiggins (and others) realised that the race can be won clean-ish.

The only consolation for Wiggins fans comes from Bernard Kohl's comments. He basically told us that the day to spot the autologous blood transfusers is the second day after the second rest day, and that was the day Armstrong rode away from Wiggins (and Contador rode away from Kloeden).

You mean the day Wiggins concluded it could be won clean, and Armstrong concluded it could be won by an old man on dope.

 

[keen_but_slow]

Have they really? That's great to read - things must have changed quite recently. I figure Cav's achievements last year would have made headlines, possibly the Wiggins/Wigans 4th, but that sort of ubiquity is a nice surprise.

The BBC have an annual poll - Sports Personality of the Year. Hoy won in 2008. Cav got nominated last year and came nowhere. Wiggins not even nominated. By contrast, I'm almost getting bored of seeing Pendleton's face in the papers, although it must be said she photographs better than average.

Wiggins won the world junior pursuit, no? That's enough of a pedigree isn't it? Millar won the junior national TT with a '52' on a pretty average course. Hammond was world junior 'cross champion when it was held in Leeds (1992?).

 

[L'arriviste]

Hammond was world junior 'cross champion when it was held in Leeds (1992?).

Yes, I remember Hammond winning that. I was there watching in Roundhay Park! I am actually British but I live in Belgium now.

 

[Mellow Velo]

The ladies junior sprint/keiran double World champion, also won the BBC Wales junior sports personality, this year.
There's been quite a lot on her in CW, on the BBC website, even the Telegraph.
Then again, I would say that.

 

[frenchfry]

All teams are only as clean as their last dope test.
I am amazed to find myself in agreement with Mr Volcano.
Been saying for some time that those who come out with ludicrously, OTT statements about "dopers", do so, to polish their own "clean" image.

I also think that Wiggins has delivered a statement, that should meet approval with most savy cycling/doping followers.

Forget who made the statement for a moment. Someone asks a rider for his opinion on a recently returned violator. He faces 3 choices, on the spot.
1) Say nothing and end up getting slammed by the experts.
2) Go ape **** and have a "dirty/clean" rant and end up applauded by the casual observers/naive/press etc. Slammed by the experts.
3) Make a realistic assessment and call out the hypocrisy.

I'm no fan of Wiggins, but I like the fact that he highlighted a few things that needed saying.
Take note, Mr Harmon.

In this modern world, anything goes for marketing purposes - anti-doping statements, cancer victims, unborn children, etc.

The bottom line is what counts.

This entire debate illustrates the nefast effects of the culture of doping. Who is clean, who is doping, is everyone cheating or only those we don't like anyway. This kind of discussion can only take place in an environement where everyone is suspect, and the suspicion is legitimate.

 

[joe_papp]

venga venga venga Vino

Actually he is only doing precisely what almost everybody here was demanding the kid from RadioShack do last week...

You know how Wiggo always disses cycling forum posters? Well reading the transcript of his interview after the prologue and seeing him lend a hand to Vino and shield him while calling out his other pros to stop being hypocrites was great, if surreal! I had to wonder if Brad, with nothing better to do than read Cyclingnews.com one night, browsed to the forum and was as shocked as many other(s) (cynical dopers and ex-dopers) to see Phinney turning on the soon-to-be-patrón of the peloton.

Vino blood doped.
Vino got caught.
Vino served ban.
Vino no apologize.
Vino come back.
Some guys no like Vino b/c 1) he has his own team and 2) he no apologize and 3) ...
Vino win L-B-L.
Taylor Phinney shout at Vino to go home, cheat!
A day later Levi Leipheimer's 1996 positive drug test info can suddenly be found on the internet.
Vino ride strongly in Giro prologue.
Wiggo win Giro prologue.
Wiggo no call Vino "cheat" - he call himself and others "hypocrites" for picking on poor Vino.
Let Vino Ride?
Vino ride venga!venga!venga!
Vino turns pink.
Wiggo turns green (?), but manages to swallow all of his own vomit?

Go Vino!

 

[Ripper]

...

Papstermania, let the TP thing go man! It's so last week!

 

[joe_papp]

Papstermania, let the TP thing go man! It's so last week!

lol

Yo - I DID get a reply from USA Cycling that I don't want to give away yet, because it provided for follow-up by myself and a correspondent from one of the big three (ABC/NBC/CBS) who is also interested. I'll post the same in that thread but since you mentioned it here...

 

[SpartacusRox]

Papstermania, let the TP thing go man! It's so last week!

Yeah if you want to ask the kid out on a date why don't you twitter him

 

[Galic Ho]

Webber won this time.

Yes he did. Good to see he did not fold and hand Vettel a freebie like in Malaysia. Seem that I did see clearly at the Malaysian press conference. Webber's eyes showed fury. He looked ****ed off.

Didn't know whether he would not capitulate again. He didn't which was a positive. Can therefore expect him to show the same attitude for the remainder of the season. Brits didn't have much luck. Hamilton's tyre on the last lap...to let let Alonso get second in Spain. Ironic and funny given 2008. Button stuck behind Schumacher the entire race. Poor Jensen once again didn't mix it up and got caught out. At least he got championship points.

Back to Brad. Unless Sky win tomorrow I suspect all will be quiet on Wigans watch till the Tour comes around. He's got training to do and that is it till July. Anyone think BroDeal's prediction of his performance at the Tour is off? So far it is looking very accurate.

 

[Parrot23]

I think Bradley should be indicted for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. If he loses, it's an epic fail. If he shows up, he's guilty.

This just about covers all bases and should ensure a conviction and satisfy "natural justice" for the large number of borderline personalities who post at CN.

 

[blackcat]

Back to Brad. Unless Sky win tomorrow I suspect all will be quiet on Wigans watch till the Tour comes around. He's got training to do and that is it till July. Anyone think BroDeal's prediction of his performance at the Tour is off? So far it is looking very accurate.

Gallic, want to have 20 quid on it. Wigans will be on the podium.