Wigans, back on the booze?

[Christian]

"Nothing will ever change, the Olympics is always the main focus, I just do things in the other four years to keep myself busy really"

Suddenly Andy's looking pretty good huh

 

[spalco]

Is there some inside joke I'm missing or why does almost nobody spell Wiggins' name correctly?

eta: and ontopic - duh! It's his home Olympics in 2012, of course that's a big deal for him and Britain.

 

[Andy99]

Why is there so much bitterness towards Brad amongst our American friends.

It's really quite funny.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Is there some inside joke I'm missing or why does almost nobody spell Wiggins' name correctly?

eta: and ontopic - duh! It's his home Olympics in 2012, of course that's a big deal for him and Britain.

It's also a mark of honour - to be deliberately misspelt (in a harmless way) - it means you've made it and you are still slightly human - perhaps a hangover from school boy "humour". Your foes admire your talents in this backhanded manner.

Correct me if I am wrong but: LA was never properly honoured by misspelling his name - Americans can have such an orthodox sense of humour.

 

[Ferminal]

Is there some inside joke I'm missing or why does almost nobody spell Wiggins' name correctly?

Bradley (in 2009?) referred to his old team (Slipstream) as "Wigan" and his new/current team as "Manchester United", given that "Wigan" is very close to "Wiggins" the name stuck for some people.

 

[Andy99]

Is there some inside joke I'm missing or why does almost nobody spell Wiggins' name correctly?

eta: and ontopic - duh! It's his home Olympics in 2012, of course that's a big deal for him and Britain.

There is also something special in the American intellect that I guess the rest of us can't quite grasp.

Just think George W.

 

[BroDeal]

Suddenly Andy's looking pretty good huh

I don't think it affects A. Schleck's chances at all. Did anyone ever consider Wigans a contender?

Bradley (in 2009?) referred to his old team (Slipstream) as "Wigan" and his new/current team as "Manchester United", given that "Wigan" is very close to "Wiggins" the name stuck for some people.

You also have to factor in Team Sky sucking compared to Garmin. Good ol' Wigans chose the wrong horse.

 

[Andy99]

I don't think it affects A. Schleck's chances at all. Did anyone ever consider Wiggins a contender?

Nope....

 

[Je ne sais quoi]

Suddenly Andy's looking pretty good huh

Are you suggesting that Andy can out-drink Bradley?
Interesting, well, they've both been training hard enough for it.
Ok, let's see it, mano a mano. Who says booze has to be the forbidden sponsor?

 

[happychappy]

Why is there so much bitterness towards Brad amongst our American friends.

It's really quite funny.

Because he's a ****. And the Wigan quote directed at Garmin.

 

[Jamsque]

Wiggins was never OFF the booze, didn't you guys see him chug two bottles of champagne on the podium after winning the Giro prologue last year? He's British, drinking has no effect on his ability to race. There was a thing that he used to do that he stopped when he went full time on the road, but it wasn't drinking.

As for the Olympics comment, I think most people would agree that Wiggo has a better chance of getting a Team Pursuit gold in front of his home fans next year than he does of ever winning a Grand Tour, so it makes complete sense for him to focus on that goal. He's also clearly concious of the fact that the British public cares much more about the Olympics than the Tour de France, and that any Brit who wins a gold next year will be a national hero for life.

And enough hype about the Australian TP team already. 'Two fastest IP riders in history' my ***, the track conditions were clearly a huge factor in those times and Wiggo would have been just as quick (if not quicker) if he'd ridden there. Team GB are the world record holders and reigning champs, Australia's best time this year was a second and a half slower than GB's best and three and a half short of the world record mark. I don't see how they can be called favourites.

 

[woodie]

Wiggins was never OFF the booze, didn't you guys see him chug two bottles of champagne on the podium after winning the Giro prologue last year? He's British, drinking has no effect on his ability to race. There was a thing that he used to do that he stopped when he went full time on the road, but it wasn't drinking.

As for the Olympics comment, I think most people would agree that Wiggo has a better chance of getting a Team Pursuit gold in front of his home fans next year than he does of ever winning a Grand Tour, so it makes complete sense for him to focus on that goal. He's also clearly concious of the fact that the British public cares much more about the Olympics than the Tour de France, and that any Brit who wins a gold next year will be a national hero for life.

And enough hype about the Australian TP team already. 'Two fastest IP riders in history' my ***, the track conditions were clearly a huge factor in those times and Wiggo would have been just as quick (if not quicker) if he'd ridden there. Team GB are the world record holders and reigning champs, Australia's best time this year was a second and a half slower than GB's best and three and a half short of the world record mark. I don't see how they can be called favourites.

We'll see...

 

[Winterfold]

woodie - you know that track is a big factor in those times. Would you bet on your best 4 to beat the best GB 4 on it?

...

 

[woodie]

woodie - you know that track is a big factor in those times. Would you bet on your best 4 to beat the best GB 4 on it?

...

I know exactly how important the track can be. I've raced on slow tracks and fast tracks so yes I do know. The thing is the guys Aus has in the team are consistantly going sub 4:20 or just over and are constantly improving and getting stronger. Yes, I would bet on our best four beating GB's, actually I think I will when I can.

I might be wrong and thats fine but im pretty confidant we have the riders to do the job.

 

[Jamsque]

Once the Aussies field a squad with all of these great new IP riders that goes under 3:55 we can start having this conversation.

 

[Roland Rat]

Wiggins was never OFF the booze, didn't you guys see him chug two bottles of champagne on the podium after winning the Giro prologue last year? He's British, drinking has no effect on his ability to race. There was a thing that he used to do that he stopped when he went full time on the road, but it wasn't drinking.

Ooh... don't tell me he enjoyed the Boonen Party Powder too?!

 

[Winterfold]

The WR would go if our best team went flat out on that track right now - they are going to have to find more than 3.5 seconds. But we wont be showing our best time for quite a while yet so they will have to guess how fast they are going to have to go...

Anyone think the London track wont be the fastest ever?

If I was the Aussies I would be trying to work out if a sub 3:50 schedule is possible on a superfast track, they probably have the raw talent to make a go of it.

 

[theswordsman]

Wiggins was never OFF the booze, didn't you guys see him chug two bottles of champagne on the podium after winning the Giro prologue last year? He's British, drinking has no effect on his ability to race. There was a thing that he used to do that he stopped when he went full time on the road, but it wasn't drinking.

But he CLAIMED to have been off it. Last May he told The Daily Mail, and Cycling Weekly claimed to believe it, that he hadn't had a drop in eight months, was living like a monk, etc. Too bad his own tweets in November of 2009 and 2010 prove him wrong. I don't have a problem with a guy drinking when he's not racing, but if he goes out of his way to make stuff up to mislead fans, for no reason, why should I believe him about training time or dedication or whatever? So I stopped reading what he says.

From this thread, it seems like he looks at road cycling as his job, the way a lot of people look at their jobs. Just something you do to support your lifestyle. I doubt that the Sky riders who are already putting up victories in 2011 feel the same way. If you're a Sky domestique, who likes your job and winning, who would you work harder for - a guy who trains to be his best, and to succeed, or a guy who goes through the motions?

Sky admits their efforts last year didn't get the results they expected. Maybe this year they let him do it his way and hope to get some value for their dollar. Or they hope Rogers has a good year. I dunno

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ot...nk--win-Tour-France-says-Bradley-Wiggins.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/jul/03/tour-de-france-2010-bradley-wiggins

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/511405/cycling-weekly-s-news-review-of-2010.html

 

[woodie]

Once the Aussies field a squad with all of these great new IP riders that goes under 3:55 we can start having this conversation.

I look forward to it. Look up our national championships and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Winterfold]

He obviously responds well to the 'control everything' Team GB approach in an environment that you can totally control - so its not that he lacks discipline.

But in an uncontrolled environment - which he knew much better than Team GB - he may already have understood it wasnt going to work, or got to that point much quicker than DB.

I think the day he lost the pink jersey was critical last year and affected his whole demeanour. I think it would have been part of the SKy project plan and gantt chart to keep it for as long as possible, but because people fall off bikes at unexpected times and if you have been obnoxious the bunch doesnt wait for you, it became very obvious that this was not mano a mano on the track, but 150+ guys on a public road and you need a more agile approach.

What motivates anyone is very complex, and Wiggo seems a far from straightforward character.

 

[Jamsque]

Ooh... don't tell me he enjoyed the Boonen Party Powder too?!

Oh nothing as bad as that.

 

[euanli]

But he CLAIMED to have been off it. Last May he told The Daily Mail, and Cycling Weekly claimed to believe it, that he hadn't had a drop in eight months, was living like a monk, etc. Too bad his own tweets in November of 2009 and 2010 prove him wrong. I don't have a problem with a guy drinking when he's not racing, but if he goes out of his way to make stuff up to mislead fans, for no reason, why should I believe him about training time or dedication or whatever? So I stopped reading what he says.

From this thread, it seems like he looks at road cycling as his job, the way a lot of people look at their jobs. Just something you do to support your lifestyle. I doubt that the Sky riders who are already putting up victories in 2011 feel the same way. If you're a Sky domestique, who likes your job and winning, who would you work harder for - a guy who trains to be his best, and to succeed, or a guy who goes through the motions?

Sky admits their efforts last year didn't get the results they expected. Maybe this year they let him do it his way and hope to get some value for their dollar. Or they hope Rogers has a good year. I dunno

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ot...nk--win-Tour-France-says-Bradley-Wiggins.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/jul/03/tour-de-france-2010-bradley-wiggins

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/511405/cycling-weekly-s-news-review-of-2010.html

If I remember he tweeted about drinking at the braveheart dinner at the start of november and nothing after that. almost 8 months later he says he has given up drinking in the last 8 months. almost same difference no?

if you want to go on about his attitude to training, he also tweeted about going out on christmas day.

 

[Jamsque]

I would be very very surprised if Wiggo has gone 8 months without a drink since he turned 14 years old. When he says 'not a drop' in interviews he probably means ' I haven't gone out and gotten blind drunk'.

 

[Roland Rat]

Oh nothing as bad as that.

Good to hear.

 

[sublimit]

I think they target events that nobody cares about.

I dunno... i prefer it to watching an endless supply of pointless sprinting repecharges between riders from god knows where - like watching paint dry.

Anyway The US, Australia, And Britain have superb bike riders that will miss out after the death of Individual 4 k pursuit not just Wiggans.