Wiggins Article

[Nuash65]

CN live feed: "Very interesting story in today's Sunday Times on Wiggins from Paul Kimmage."

I knew it was coming but didn't realise they were already charging to view online. Anyone know what this article says? Might not be clinic material, can't tell!

 

[palmerq]

there is nothing about drugs...

 

[Tim_sleepless]

there is nothing about drugs...

That doesn't sound very interesting..

 

[palmerq]

this is in the wrong forum :S

 

[Big GMaC]

It is about how pants wiggins is

 

[Nuash65]

Oh, ok. Thanks

 

[Benotti69]

It is about how pants wiggins is

post some of the more interesting paragraphs

 

[Digger]

I read itall - nothing whatsoever about drugs. Kimmage said that it looks as though Wiggins was a one hit wonder. He followed the team into a training camp in the moutains a couple of weeks prior to the tour and he could see that Wiggins was not going well. Wiggins has cost 6m pounds so this is a bad return. Questioned the logic of DB putting all his eggs into one basket with the Sky tour squad. DB had to tell another person to tell Wiggins he is going well, to basically build his confidence. Wiggins is portrayed as an arrogant pr*** - when L'Equipe quite rightly said this was the end of his podium hopes, he called them wa*****. And for me the worst parto f the story - a photographer came to the training camp in France (from london) for a portrait shot which would have taken five minutes. He booked it two days in advance. Bradley refused to do it the first night and refused to do it the following morning because 'he hadn't shaved'. Kimmage said that every time the road went upwards, Bradley went backwards Even at the tour presentation the guy introducing the riders said to Bradley in a genuine way, ;Ihave not seen you with sideburns that long before, Bradley replied, at least i have hair. No need for it. The guy said will the cobbles be a problem? Bradley said they could be for everyone else but not for Sky because the have such a great team. What an a**.

 

[Digger]

Saw Wiggins interviewed yesterday. He's very humble and hasn't lost his sense of humour and accepts it hasn't gone to plan this year, but thinks he can make it back to the top ten. Other riders could copy his attitude. Seems like a very down to earth guy.

BPC The Arbiter.

 

[Benotti69]

I read itall - nothing whatsoever about drugs. Kimmage said that it looks as though Wiggins was a one hit wonder. He followed the team into a training camp in the moutains a couple of weeks prior to the tour and he could see that Wiggins was not going well. Wiggins has cost 6m pounds so this is a bad return. Questioned the logic of DB putting all his eggs into one basket with the Sky tour squad. DB had to tell another person to tell Wiggins he is going well, to basically build his confidence. Wiggins is portrayed as an arrogant pr*** - when L'Equipe quite rightly said this was the end of his podium hopes, he called them wa*****. And for me the worst parto f the story - a photographer came to the training camp in France (from london) for a portrait shot which would have taken five minutes. He booked it two days in advance. Bradley refused to do it the first night and refused to do it the following morning because 'he hadn't shaved'. Kimmage said that every time the road went upwards, Bradley went backwards Even at the tour presentation the guy introducing the riders said to Bradley in a genuine way, ;Ihave not seen you with sideburns that long before, Bradley replied, at least i have hair. No need for it. The guy said will the cobbles be a problem? Bradley said they could be for everyone else but not for Sky because the have such a great team. What an a**.

maybe the real reason for Kimmage being refused the embedded journalist with Sky was because DB saw the future, ie Wiggins maybe top 25? and knew Kimmage would see it and didn't want that written about in Sunday Times as the plan was to break it to Wiggins gently.

I reckon Wiggins won't go well in the TT, top 10/15 maybe, which for a guy like Wiggins is a fail. he should be top 3.

Wiggins quote's today, may have been a result of reading the article made him realise he was being an ar$ehole, as he was pretty straight and an honest.

 

[woodburn]

His poor prologue was an indication that his form was bad. The tour was also much more difficult route this year and is being ridden a lot harder with more contenders.

The winner in all of this is Vaughters, who has the money in his pocket and Hejesdal ahead of his former rider.

 

[BroDeal]

His poor prologue was an indication that his form was bad.

It could just be an indication of stupid tactics. A rider who is a good time trialist should be on the road at the same time as his rivals, so that they all ride in the similar conditions. The time trialist can then make gains based on the natural advantages he has over the other riders. Instead Wigans and Sky tried to gain even more of an advantage by gambling with the weather. The rolled the dice and lost.

 

[PCutter]

The winner in all of this is Vaughters, who has the money in his pocket and Hejesdal ahead of his former rider.

Spot on. JV's got a fat bank roll and a team of some of the best young riders/prospects going around. If he can find a GC guy at the end of the season (all props to Ryder, but I don't think hes that guy) for the next couple of years while they're coming through he'll be in a great position. There's a few coming off contract like Sammy Sanchez (but culturally may not be a fit), Menchov and some younger prospects, but they (the GC riders) would still need to be prepared to ride in a team with sprint finishes on their mind with Farrar - an American on an American team.

 

[barn yard]

garmin is signing le mevel fwiw

 

[thingswelike]

I like his media-unfriendly quotes

I also think us brits have got some people to shout for, which is nice for a change. When Lokvist came over the line yesterday I thought it was wiggo and got all a bit excited - stood up and cheered! Later I realised and was a bit disappointed, but then realised how lucky I was to even have the ups and downs this year compared to the last 10 when all we had was Millar.

Not just Wiggo of course - G has been great to watch too.
Plus I've been shouting for the other Sky team members, just like I did Garmin last year and again this year.

 

[Kerbdog]

As stated above they took a chance in the Prologue with the weather & got bitten by it. Im also wondering if doing the Giro has had a serious effect on Wiggins. Most of the guys doing really well in the Tour this year stayed away from the Giro which was an exceptionally hard Giro. Id like to see him stay away from it next year & just focus on the Tour. Just a thought.

 

[nevada]

Did Wiggo go off the rails before the start of the Tour ?

The signs were there from the start and I think Brailsford knew it with quotes like " Just giving their best is all he can ask for"

As it doesnt appear he was ill I fail to understand how they could prepare this badly and some of the tactics have been abismal.

 

[sublimit]

Did a great TT at the Giro for the win and had reasonable form, but he hasn't turned up at the Tour.

The heat, better riders, all out racing from the gun in some of the stages and just faster racing etc etc.

 

[Benotti69]

Did a great TT at the Giro for the win and had reasonable form, but he hasn't turned up at the Tour.

The heat, better riders, all out racing from the gun in some of the stages and just faster racing etc etc.

The heat is definitely having a big affect on Wiggins. The faster pace has upset a lot of potential top 10 placings for lots of guys and i imagine there is a 'clinic' reason as to why some are 'managing' better with the conditions than others....

 

[SpartacusRox]

The heat is definitely having a big affect on Wiggins. The faster pace has upset a lot of potential top 10 placings for lots of guys and i imagine there is a 'clinic' reason as to why some are 'managing' better with the conditions than others....

They would have probably had more success if they had dumped Wiggins and took Greg Henderson. He may have won them a sprint stage at least. A total and dismal failure of a Tour for Sky. The should look to Quick step as an example of a team that took their chances well and provided a return for the sponsors.

 

[Benotti69]

They would have probably had more success if they had dumped Wiggins and took Greg Henderson. He may have won them a sprint stage at least. A total and dismal failure of a Tour for Sky. The should look to Quick step as an example of a team that took their chances well and provided a return for the sponsors.

Ah Jeebus Sparty, man you know everything about everything......how do you know what TeamSky were expecting. all teams talk up their expectations, but DB would have known how good everything was with riders and he aint no slouch. A bit of luck and they could be having a fantastic tour. They are on a 5 year plan. DB's first TdF so i am gonna cut him some slack. I'll judge TeamSky after their 3rd TdF.

I consider RadioSmack and absolute disaster on this TdF, look at the caliber of rider's on the team and 1 stage win. Only once have they pulled at the front of the peloton to chase the big and dangerous CdE and that did not last long, the rest of the the time they have been sitting out of the wind do nothing.

 

[ProfRichie]

While they're a team in their infancy, they were seriously talking up their chances when launched. I'm not sure if a high GC finish was ever truly likely considering many of these guys just wouldn't stick with the top contenders long enough to give a 2009 Wiggins any support worth having (wait a few years). I feel that the pursuit of a British champion will take a few more years yet (>4), just with the time it takes to assemble a strong team around a PROVEN GC contender. Wiggins is NOT proven on the road. He had a great ride in 2009. In regards to the above hint at "clinic" reasons for some riders' recovery etc, maybe we should look at Wiggins' change in performance between 2009-2010? Yes, I understand this is blasphemy to some, but we're all too quick to make the same comparisons of other riders.