Wiggins Cycling Weekly Interview

[Stingray34]

Who else thinks Sky may be a fractious and unhappy team come the middle of July?

I can't see Wiggins being a popular leader or inspiring LA-type devotion. He's a prat. Cav may inspire more loyalty and be a safer bet because of his obvious superiority as a sprinter, although it remains to be seen if the team are as successful at forming an HTC-style train. And if Wiggins thinks he's going to have six riders in front of him on a climb, that leaves just one rider dedicated to Cavendish. That's not going to work.

His 'Cav out the back' comment seems a bit of a snipe already. What about Froome?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The "only 5 races" is a bit harsh, I fear. Those 5 races result in over 30 race days, which is plenty of warmup for the Tour.

 

[Polish]

The "only 5 races" is a bit harsh, I fear. Those 5 races result in over 30 race days, which is plenty of warmup for the Tour.

That was my thought too. Appropriate Tour Prep scheldule.
Well, maybe add/sub the AToC in there.
THEN it would be perfecto mundo.

 

[Mambo95]

Preference given to certain riders and camps forming.

Like every other team then. In all sports.

 

[Mambo95]

My point is that Wiggins referenced Postal at all. In fact the full quote is probably worse. Postal is just a bad reference. Anyone who knows anything about cycling needs no further explanation.

Exactly. Anyone who knows anything about cycling knows that he was pointing out that Sky have a very strong team which could be capable of riding on the front in mountains and controlling a race. The obvious (and really only) parallel is US Postal. He was being complementary about the strength of Sky. He was certainly not tipping off the press that he's doping.

***

 

[BYOP88]

Who else thinks Sky may be a fractious and unhappy team come the middle of July?

I can't see Wiggins being a popular leader or inspiring LA-type devotion. He's a prat. Cav may inspire more loyalty and be a safer bet because of his obvious superiority as a sprinter, although it remains to be seen if the team are as successful at forming an HTC-style train. And if Wiggins thinks he's going to have six riders in front of him on a climb, that leaves just one rider dedicated to Cavendish. That's not going to work.

His 'Cav out the back' comment seems a bit of a snipe already. What about Froome?

I agree with that, in my view Wiggins is a decent rider but if everyone else arrives at the Tour in top form I can see Wiggins struggling to make Top 10. My issue with Wiggins is this and I could well be wrong as I don't know him. But he doesn't seem like a team player, that if he bombed and Froome or someone was in a better position he wouldn't help out. As for the Cav comment I'm sure he'll have Eisel with him and without knowing the Sky TdF team surely there'll be a guy like Swift, Flecha, EBH who wont be on the front setting the tempo on a series of climbs.

 

[Neworld]

Exactly. Anyone who knows anything about cycling knows that he was pointing out that Sky have a very strong team which could be capable of riding on the front in mountains and controlling a race. The obvious (and really only) parallel is US Postal...

Or t-mobile, Saxo bank or Leopard ...

NW

 

[The Cobra]

Being a Wiggins fan sure as hell is hard work sometimes. I think he should be banned from doing interviews for the rest of his life as every time he opens his mouths a load of s*** comes flying out.

Aside from the obvious ill-advised doping references,some of the other things are kind of stupid. Why only five races before the Tour? Talk about piling the pressure on, seems like 2010 all over again. Why not race all year like 2011, seemed to work well for him.

Also: 'having 5 or 6 guys ahead of me in the mountains like the postal days,' who does he think he is? Lance? So Skys plan is to burn all their guys on the front and provide the perfect launch pad for Contador and co while Wiggo get dropped like a bag of steaming s***?

Who can see this ending in the mother of all b**** fights between Cav and Wiggo when it all goes tits up?

 

[thehog]

I agree with that, in my view Wiggins is a decent rider but if everyone else arrives at the Tour in top form I can see Wiggins struggling to make Top 10. My issue with Wiggins is this and I could well be wrong as I don't know him. But he doesn't seem like a team player, that if he bombed and Froome or someone was in a better position he wouldn't help out. As for the Cav comment I'm sure he'll have Eisel with him and without knowing the Sky TdF team surely there'll be a guy like Swift, Flecha, EBH who wont be on the front setting the tempo on a series of climbs.

Just wait to Froome is ahead of him on GC and Wiggo starts attacking his own team-mate. It will be great to watch this team implode. Then Wiggo will drop some veiled doping suggestions about Froome to the media to make himself feel better.

or

Sky actually do ride like Postal. But after leading Cav to a record 7 stages they manage to have enough strength to launch Wiggo up all the mountain stages.

Brad will then be upset by doping suggestions in the media and blame the French Lance style that it was all based on hard work alone.

 

[Stingray34]

Just wait to Froome is ahead of him on GC and Wiggo starts attacking his own team-mate. It will be great to watch this team implode. Then Wiggo will drop some veiled doping suggestions about Froome to the media to make himself feel better.

or

Sky actually do ride like Postal. But after leading Cav to a record 7 stages they manage to have enough strength to launch Wiggo up all the mountain stages.

Brad will then be upset by doping suggestions in the media and blame the French Lance style that it was all based on hard work alone.

I agree with you but the bolded made me lol

 

[BroDeal]

Exactly. Anyone who knows anything about cycling knows that he was pointing out that Sky have a very strong team which could be capable of riding on the front in mountains and controlling a race.

Exactly. Anyone who knows anything about cycling would know that he was pointing to the most outrageously doped team the sport has ever seen, a team where flatlanders would ride climbing specialists off their wheels on climbs, a team where nearly every member has admitted to being doped or has been caught. Wigans is well aware of this. His previous team was filled with ex-Postal members who undoubtedly told him all about Postal's top fuel racing program. That Wigans would compare Sky to Postal speaks volumes.

 

[Nederick]

Aside from the fact that the Postal years in the tour contributed to some of the most boring racing ever. Mind numbing.
Is Brad having a dig back at Cav for getting a rev about his poor showing in the madison maybe in Cav's book?

 

[Ripper]

Brad's an idiot in interviews!

He also tries to say things that'll rev people up, somewhat like Horner, but with way less class, panache, or accuracy (and Chris can also be an idiot in a interview).

 

[nevada]

Like every other team then. In all sports.

My point is that I can see there being real issues there now cav has joined.

 

[badboygolf16v]

Now someone who knows nothing about cycling would think "Postal. That's Armstrong. Doping! Doping! Know I've got only got 100 posts but I've found this! Aren't I clever! Please accept me! Please accept me!"

What's my post count got to do with anything? Anyway, you carry on with your amateur psychology.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

My point is that Wiggins referenced Postal at all. In fact the full quote is probably worse. Postal is just a bad reference. Anyone who knows anything about cycling needs no further explanation.

Nice... You know everything there is to know and so anyone who disagrees with you must be wrong. Are you twelve?

Wiggins likes to stir (I don't know whether that translates in your country/planet, but it means to say things that will wind up people who take it all a bit too seriously, i.e. You. You could call it trolling I suppose). I believe he then peruses cycling forums, maybe even this one, to see what reactions his words have provoked. Stupid ones mainly.

 

[Benotti69]

Nice... You know everything there is to know and so anyone who disagrees with you must be wrong. Are you twelve?

Wiggins likes to stir (I don't know whether that translates in your country/planet, but it means to say things that will wind up people who take it all a bit too seriously, i.e. You. You could call it trolling I suppose). I believe he then peruses cycling forums, maybe even this one, to see what reactions his words have provoked. Stupid ones mainly.

If Wigans spouts BS to then get a kick by reading fans reactions of forums, he is a completes saddo.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

If Wigans spouts BS to then get a kick by reading fans reactions of forums, he is a completes saddo.

Well, I imagine he has a lot of time to kill.

Anyway, he doesn't say this just for your benefit; there's a little pop at Cavendish in there, a word of warning to his team mates that there is one priority at the tour, a nudge to Sky management that they could be something special if they concentrate on one goal and likewise a message to the opposition. And all that with a glib throwaway comment with a grin on his lips. Your reaction's a bonus.

 

[Benotti69]

Well, I imagine he has a lot of time to kill.

Anyway, he doesn't say this just for your benefit; there's a little pop at Cavendish in there, a word of warning to his team mates that there is one priority at the tour, a nudge to Sky management that they could be something special if they concentrate on one goal and likewise a message to the opposition. And all that with a glib throwaway comment with a grin on his lips. Your reaction's a bonus.

Well IF he is 'busting his a$$ six hours a day on his bike' i doubt he has a lot of time to kill

IF he is sad enough to have a pop at team mates via the media it says lots about the mood in TeamSky, and it aint good.

Since he now has a thread dedicated to his comment about the doping blue train and the reaction it has provoked to his, according to you, massive enjoyment no doubt we will be hearing a lot more since he has so much time on his hands.

C'mon Wigans do your best boy, we are waiting with baited breath........yawn.

 

[Bonkstrong]

Exactly. Anyone who knows anything about cycling knows that he was pointing out that Sky have a very strong team which could be capable of riding on the front in mountains and controlling a race. The obvious (and really only) parallel is US Postal. He was being complementary about the strength of Sky. He was certainly not tipping off the press that he's doping.

***

Mambo, this is The Clinic. This is no place for level headed logic and obvious references!!!! You've been around long enough to know that there is little point in trying to be reasonable in logic and arguments in these situations. Just join in with the ludicrous over-exaggerations and acute tangents and assumptions, it's much more fun!

FWIW and in the spirit of The Clinic, it was clearly an attack on Cav for spoiling the teams “preparation”. By saying Cav will be “out the back” it’s obvious that by Cav winning the WC he will now be the most tested athlete on earth. BUT, now that Wiggins is running the Sky show in the same style as HWSNBN he can’t risk involving Cav in “the program” as it will be too suspicious when the Manx missile goes Postal and rides Clenbutador off his wheel up in the mountains; and with the collapse of the NoTW Mr. Murdoch can’t afford to bribe Pat McQuids to cover up any positives unearthed by dodgy journalism (oh the irony). SO, Cav has been left out of the brown envelope hand-outs and will have to fend for himself in the mountains by hanging to cars as usual…

If you read the interview again it really is that obvious!

 

[richtea]

Well IF he is 'busting his a$$ six hours a day on his bike' i doubt he has a lot of time to kill

You must be on the wind up here. 6 hours of 'work' a day is practically a life of leisure, although that probably represents a packed week for those of you that are students...

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Well IF he is 'busting his a$$ six hours a day on his bike' i doubt he has a lot of time to kill .

Don't think he sleeps eighteen hours a day. He's not Spanish.

IF he is sad enough to have a pop at team mates via the media it says lots about the mood in TeamSky, and it aint good..

I think it's a cultural thing, Cavendish would have found it funny, thereby increasing team bonds etc. I'd expect similar banter at GreenEdge or anywhere with a large Brit/Anzac/Irish contingent.

 

[Benotti69]

You must be on the wind up here. 6 hours of 'work' a day is practically a life of leisure, although that probably represents a packed week for those of you that are students...

well by the time he gets his 'preperation' from the team Doc, then his massage after and more 'preperation' not including meals, media commitments (slagging team mates) it does not leave a lot of time in the day.

A serious note, Martin Early met Sean Kelly at a bike show during their time as pros and Kelly told him not to do much walking, not good for the legs.

Part of training is rest and recovery time.

 

[Benotti69]

<snip>

I think it's a cultural thing, Cavendish would have found it funny, thereby increasing team bonds etc. I'd expect similar banter at GreenEdge or anywhere with a large Brit/Anzac/Irish contingent.

If it's a cultural thing, no doubt we will see Cav's reply in the same vein of Cultural humour.

 

[richtea]

I suspect Cav is one those people who doesn't mind taking the mickey, but can't take it back.

EDIT: I don't know you've ever heard of happy slapping, but a brilliant variant of this was developed called 'pigeon' in Croydon in the mid 2000s. This involved ejaculating in your hand and slapping someone in the face while shouting 'PIGEON' - for extra laughs, record it on your mobile phone and it put it on Youtube. This is the strategy I suspect Cav will take.