Wiggins Discussion thread.

[Midnightfright]

That's because Cancellara was going for the win and Wiggins was riding his own pace. If Cancellara had gone too early to be affected by what Martin was doing, I believe he would have beaten Wiggins by half a minute.

Wiggins looked similarly ragged at the Vuelta because he had Martin's time to aim at. I think he could have gone at least 30 seconds faster if better paced.

Agreed. Wiggins and Cancellara are in my opinion the 2 smoothest cyclist when relaxed. My fiancee actually said during the Vuelta she doesn't like Brad because the way he cycles is Crisp and smug! Needless to say she was cheering Bauke Mollema all the way.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Week 2 had a Tourmalet - Luz Ardiden mtf stage then a Plateau de Beille mtf with 80 mountain points on offer.

Yes, at the very end of it. 11 stages before that that featured a grand total of 19 seconds of non-crash, non-TTT GC action.

you only needed to be on form for ten days maximum in the Tour, and Wiggins participated in precisely zero of them. Evans was on very good form before that, but the gains he made in stages 1-11 (the most among any GC candidate) were next to nothing save for crashes.

 

[Ragerod]

Congrats to Wiggins.

However i disagree with Millar's comment on CN that Wiggins and Martin have been the best out there this year. Unless if he is referring to Martin's great season in practically most races. Wiggins has not been a standout in the ITT's i don't think. Has he won any this year???

Wiggins TT results this year

2nd - Paris-Nice stage 6, beaten by T.Martin
2nd - Criterium International stage 3, bt by A.Kloden.
77th - Romandie prologue, bt by plenty.
4th - Romandie stage 4, bt by Zabriskie, Porte & Westra.
1st - Bayern Rundfahrt stage 4,
3rd - Dauphine prologue, bt by Boom & Vino.
2nd - Dauphine stage 3, bt by Martin.
3rd - Vuelta stage 10, bt by Martin & Froome.
2nd - WC, bt by Martin.

Cancellara has more TT wins this year but he hasn't beaten Wiggins or Martin in a TT. Wiggo has gone under the radar a bit but he's definitely the third and arguably the second best TTer this year.

 

[Orvieto]

Fascinating comment from Wiggins with regards to his decision to ditch the radio for the World Championship TT.

"You’ve got to have confidence in the people giving you the information, and a few times this year, I’ve had people following me and lying to me and you lose confidence in people, so I’d rather just go in my own world really,"

I wonder how well that will go over in the team!
I'm not a huge Wiggins fan, but I like an outspoken comment that hints at controversy. It sounds like Sky people have been deploying stupid pop-psychology over the radio to get results out of Wiggins and it has backfired.

Sheds some yet another light on the race radio debate too.

 

[Moncoutie]

Fascinating comment from Wiggins with regards to his decision to ditch the radio for the World Championship TT.

"You’ve got to have confidence in the people giving you the information, and a few times this year, I’ve had people following me and lying to me and you lose confidence in people, so I’d rather just go in my own world really,"

I wonder how well that will go over in the team!
I'm not a huge Wiggins fan, but I like an outspoken comment that hints at controversy. It sounds like Sky people have been deploying stupid pop-psychology over the radio to get results out of Wiggins and it has backfired.

Sheds some yet another light on the race radio debate too.

Would imagine its people telling him hes doing well when hes not, or vice-versa.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I found it rather more interesting that he didn't use a power meter for that ride.

It showed.

In 5 years time turning up to a TT without a power meter will be like rocking up on your road bike.

 

[Anonymous]

I still find it interesting that Sean Yates wasnt the DS for the national championships with the team (and assumedly Brad) going with Servais Knaven instead.

Still wouldnt be surprised to see Yates re-unite with Bruyneel.

 

[bobbins]

Always been concerns about Yates and his past. He's been useful to get the team credibility, wouldn't be surprised if they get rid thinking that they now have credibility.

Doesn't Dave B fancy himself as a bit of a DS? That would be brilliant

 

[Anonymous]

I dont know, but ive often seen riders singing the praises of Knaven. Nico Portal as well seems to have a great relationship with the riders, Steven de Jongh seems popular as well. But I dont ever recall seeing a single article where they sang the praises of Sean.

There was a rider last winter that one of the sponsors were interested in Sky signing, and the only person that wanted him was Sean. Hes a good DS, but not sure he is the riders favourite.

 

[Winterfold]

I found it rather more interesting that he didn't use a power meter for that ride.

It showed.

In 5 years time turning up to a TT without a power meter will be like rocking up on your road bike.

who and which ride?

Wiggo definitely used a powermeter yesterday - its in the grauniad article I linked to

I agree with your last point, altough think it will be much sooner - when garmins power meter pedals come out there is no reason not to

 

[Mambo95]

who and which ride?

The Vuelta TT is what he's referring to. (I have no idea if he did or didn't).

 

[bobbins]

I dont know, but ive often seen riders singing the praises of Knaven. Nico Portal as well seems to have a great relationship with the riders, Steven de Jongh seems popular as well. But I dont ever recall seeing a single article where they sang the praises of Sean.

There was a rider last winter that one of the sponsors were interested in Sky signing, and the only person that wanted him was Sean. Hes a good DS, but not sure he is the riders favourite.

He knows his stuff but is a bit too old school in all the wrong areas.

If sponsors are picking riders that's half the problem with the team over the past season but that's a different thread.

Yates got the team respect in the convoy and is a tough nut, some of the soft, nancy boy, won't fly economy sky boys won't like that.

 

[Anonymous]

If sponsors are picking riders that's half the problem with the team over the past season but that's a different thread.

To clarify a high profile Italian rider was available, and so the Italian sponsors who probably know very little about cycling were keen that he should join Sky. Sky however didnt want the rider in question with the exception of one ds and the rider did not join Sky. The rider had a questionable history. But like you say, that is for another thread (and for another forum)

On the other thing, Yates is old school, hes a great DS, but i dont think its his big aim to be the riders friend. Hes their boss, coach, director. Which is probably why you dont see the riders praising him all the time.

 

[daveinzambia]

I dont know, but ive often seen riders singing the praises of Knaven. Nico Portal as well seems to have a great relationship with the riders, Steven de Jongh seems popular as well. But I dont ever recall seeing a single article where they sang the praises of Sean.

There was a rider last winter that one of the sponsors were interested in Sky signing, and the only person that wanted him was Sean. Hes a good DS, but not sure he is the riders favourite.

and have seen plenty of articles where Yates has had a go at the riders.

I remember him complaining about Brad not pulling for Swift in california. and think he was questioning the tactics the riders were using in ToB recently.

I do not know Brad but get the feeling the public criticism is not something he would accept well.

 

[Winterfold]

I do not know Brad but get the feeling the public criticism is not something he would accept well.

Yah - quite possibly

On the other hand the massive private rocket up the **** from DB this time last year seems to worked, well, like a rocket up the ****...

 

[Richeypen]

Wasnt the public bollocking after stage 3 of Romandie where the feeling was that Brad was saving himself for the TT the next day and it cost Swift the stage. On stage five (granted the TT was done and dusted) Brad worked his **** of to help Swift win. So maybe the public bollocking did work.

 

[daveinzambia]

Wasnt the public bollocking after stage 3 of Romandie where the feeling was that Brad was saving himself for the TT the next day and it cost Swift the stage. On stage five (granted the TT was done and dusted) Brad worked his **** of to help Swift win. So maybe the public bollocking did work.

you are right it was Romandie, knew it was somewhere where swifty was sprinting well and just missed out on the win to a late escape. Millar gave him stick for the same thing in final stage of 2009 tour.

 

[joe1265]

So is Wiggans firing his shot across the bow with the statement that the TdF and Olympics will be too much for 'Cav?

If so, 2012 will be an interesting year for Sky!

 

[goggalor]

Cav and all his competitors will do the Tour+Olympics. No question. Don't know what Wiggins is on about. Of course it would be ideal for him if Cav skipped le Tour, and I don't blame him for that bit of wishful thinking. He has a decent shot at the podium next year (depending on the course a bit).

 

[ferryman]

So is Wiggans firing his shot across the bow with the statement that the TdF and Olympics will be too much for 'Cav?

If so, 2012 will be an interesting year for Sky!

So it's sort of unofficially official that Cav has signed for Sky? Wiggins does come across as a bit distant from the team in some of those quotes.

 

[euanli]

2013 will be even more interesting for Sky.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Rider of the day today. A thousand and one apologies for previous questioning of his team-ethic.

Maths we learnt today...


Wiggins > (Voeckler + Hoogerland + Sorensen + Lodewyck)

 

[Four Winds]

Very impressed. What a strong ride when he could have rested on his laurels after silver in TT. Also gave Cav a bit of pay-back for the Beijing Madison!!

 

[jens_attacks]

Rider of the day today. A thousand and one apologies for previous questioning of his team-ethic.

Maths we learnt today...


Wiggins > (Voeckler + Hoogerland + Sorensen + Lodewyck)

froome and a little bit of insane grabsch(i think even here he rode with the 58) were the riders of the day for me.i watched the race from the beginning.the two of them were doing pullings of 150 km combined,a normal vuelta stage.incredible.
wiggins good too.

 

[luckyboy]

Rider of the day today. A thousand and one apologies for previous questioning of his team-ethic.

Maths we learnt today...


Wiggins > (Voeckler + Hoogerland + Sorensen + Lodewyck)

Well yeah, he's better at time trialing than all of those.