Wiggins Discussion thread.

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Well yeah, he's better at time trialing than all of those put together and squared.

Fixed.


4 vs 1 with a drafting benefit is a bit different to a TT.

 

[Ferminal]

Wiggins has an epic fortnight next year, it could define his career.

Riding for GC in Paris, riding for British Gold in the TP, riding to deliver Cav Gold in the RR, and riding personal Gold in the ITT (realistically he may not be doing the TP).

I'm slowly finding it difficult to not like Wiggins now, I hope he holds this level for next year.

He is twice the road cyclist that he was at the end of the 2009 TdF, was 2010 an important lesson?

 

[El Pistolero]

Wiggins has an epic fortnight next year, it could define his career.

Riding for GC in Paris, riding for British Gold in the TP, riding to deliver Cav Gold in the RR, and riding personal Gold in the ITT (realistically he may not be doing the TP).

I'm slowly finding it difficult to not like Wiggins now, I hope he holds this level for next year.

He is twice the road cyclist that he was at the end of the 2009 TdF, was 2010 an important lesson?

Wiggins isn't good enough to beat Tony Martin in the time trial. That gold will be silver at best. If Paris-Nice has decent stages again he won't come close to a win there.

 

[Ferminal]

Wiggins isn't good enough to beat Tony Martin in the time trial. That gold will be silver at best. If Paris-Nice has decent stages again he won't come close to a win there.

I don't expect him to personally win any of the events I listed, it is more the fact that he will be at the pointy in end in them all, mixing it with the best. He has come a long way in four years, and I think the last 3 months have been his biggest leap.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't expect him to personally win any of the events I listed, it is more the fact that he will be at the pointy in end in them all, mixing it with the best. He has come a long way in four years, and I think the last 3 months have been his biggest leap.

But winning is all that matters you know... Although a silver medal in London can be considered a victory. But Cancellara will be back on his old level then.

 

[Winterfold]

Can we add owning the entire peloton at the worlds for 20km to the list?

 

[Moncoutie]

Yep, he was amazing yesterday, so strong. Stannard was great in the finish too.

 

[Midnightfright]

But winning is all that matters you know... Although a silver medal in London can be considered a victory. But Cancellara will be back on his old level then.

Martin will be big favourite for Gold and I cant see anyone touching them but this year Canc hasnt even been the 2nd best Timetrialist in the world that goes to Wiggans so he isn't a shoe.in for Silver at all. Altough I do believe Fab will regain enough of his top form to oust Wiggans or anyone else he has been well off Martin for a while and I cant see him bridgeing that gap back

 

[theyoungest]

Wiggins isn't good enough to beat Tony Martin in the time trial. That gold will be silver at best. If Paris-Nice has decent stages again he won't come close to a win there.

The guy has just finished 3d in the Vuelta, but he won't be able to handle the climbs in Paris-Nice?

 

[Polyarmour]

Wiggins has an epic fortnight next year, it could define his career.

Riding for GC in Paris, riding for British Gold in the TP, riding to deliver Cav Gold in the RR, and riding personal Gold in the ITT (realistically he may not be doing the TP).

I'm slowly finding it difficult to not like Wiggins now, I hope he holds this level for next year.

He is twice the road cyclist that he was at the end of the 2009 TdF, was 2010 an important lesson?

I agree, he was all hype and hope before but he is the real deal now. A serious contender in many race formats. Very impressive.

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

Given the huge progress that he has made this year, and judging by his comments in the media, it looks certain that he will go to the Tour next year, instead of focussing on the track for the Olympics, and obviously try and compete for yellow.
Assuming that Cav will be at Sky next year as well, how do people see that panning out at the Tour? Who will get priority (in terms of number of climbing/lead out domestiques?) Cav, in his stripes and all, will presumably want to have an 8 man train in front of him for the flat stages? Would Wiggo want the sole focus to be on him to try and get on the Paris podium?
I think they are capable of giving Wiggins a team to support him capably in the mountains, but he's not good enough to fend for himself (like Contador for example), so will therefore need sole leadership. If he continues to ride at the level he's shown recently, I think he has earned this.

 

[Winterfold]

I think they can put togther a team for both.

If Wiggo has either EBH or Geraint giving it the mega domestique to shell out a few people at the bottom of then he only needs Froome and if he has Uran as well (not ill) then he will be better looked after than most other GT contenders

EBH, Stannard, Geraint, Swifty - enough of a leadout for Cav.

Wiggo
Geraint
EBH
Froome
Uran
Stannard
Cav
Swifty
A Barry kind of Rouleur

its a nice dilemma to have

the big problem will be Froome having Vuelta form again - much more than sharing a team with Cav IMO

 

[Morbius]

The dilemma is not just who to take to the TdF. The Olympic RR is just a few days afterwards - and so Froome, GT etc may be held back for that

 

[El Pistolero]

The guy has just finished 3d in the Vuelta, but he won't be able to handle the climbs in Paris-Nice?

Yup, Paris-Nice has bigger competition than the Vuelta. I'd like to see these recent Vuelta winners try and win Paris-Nice.

A normal Paris-Nice has steep climbs like Mende and only a prologue. Without a long time trial in a stage race Wiggins will be nowhere. If it has a 40km+ time trial next year, he'll be close again though. But I have good faith they won't make a bad course like this year again.

 

[Winterfold]

yer - just read an interview with Geraint where he said he may well NOT do TdF

but also what an honour it would be to lead out Cav every day

 

[Angliru]

Given the huge progress that he has made this year, and judging by his comments in the media, it looks certain that he will go to the Tour next year, instead of focussing on the track for the Olympics, and obviously try and compete for yellow.
Assuming that Cav will be at Sky next year as well, how do people see that panning out at the Tour? Who will get priority (in terms of number of climbing/lead out domestiques?) Cav, in his stripes and all, will presumably want to have an 8 man train in front of him for the flat stages? Would Wiggo want the sole focus to be on him to try and get on the Paris podium?
I think they are capable of giving Wiggins a team to support him capably in the mountains, but he's not good enough to fend for himself (like Contador for example), so will therefore need sole leadership. If he continues to ride at the level he's shown recently, I think he has earned this.

It'll be quite difficult making Cavendish and Wiggins happy at the Tour. Wiggins now believes he can win the Tour and will be likely wanting a certain level of support to pursue that goal. Cavendish will want support for pursuing another green jersey. Two massive egos with goals that don't mesh at all. Curious to see how it all plays out.

 

[hatcher]

It'll be quite difficult making Cavendish and Wiggins happy at the Tour. Wiggins now believes he can win the Tour and will be likely wanting a certain level of support to pursue that goal. Cavendish will want support for pursuing another green jersey. Too massive egos with goals that don't mesh at all. Curious to see how it all plays out.

Wiggins has said he's not the sort of GC rider who needs/wants his whole team on the front in the mountains. Now whether that opinion has changed with how he and Froome rode the Vuelta mountains would be interesting to know.

If Cav does sign for Sky, and I don't think it's a slam-dunk, he will have been made aware that he won't be Sky's only goal at the Tour.

Wiggins, Uran, Froome, Lofkvist, Cummings/Zandio, Thomas/Stannard, EBH, Eisel, Cav.

Something like that should provide good enough support to both.

 

[El Pistolero]

Wiggins has said he's not the sort of GC rider who needs/wants his whole team on the front in the mountains. Now whether that opinion has changed with how he and Froome rode the Vuelta mountains would be interesting to know.

If Cav does sign for Sky, and I don't think it's a slam-dunk, he will have been made aware that he won't be Sky's only goal at the Tour.

Wiggins, Uran, Froome, Lofkvist, Cummings/Zandio, Thomas/Stannard, EBH, Eisel, Cav.

Something like that should provide good enough support to both.

But Cav does on the flat and in the mountains

 

[ramjambunath]

Judging by what wiggins has said to the guardian (not a great guide), I think he believes Cavendish will pull out of the tour as in 2008 to concentrate on the Olympic RR because of the proximity of the final TdF stage and the Olympics.

 

[Anonymous]

Judging by what wiggins has said to the guardian (not a great guide), I think he believes Cavendish will pull out of the tour as in 2008 to concentrate on the Olympic RR because of the proximity of the final TdF stage and the Olympics.

It would also make sense for Cvendish to focus on the Giro. Its not like Sky have ever threatened the overall in any way in the Giro, nor are likely too. That would at least give Sky something from the giro. Wiggins for the Tour, and Rigo/Froome/Henao for the vuelta

 

[ramjambunath]

It would also make sense for Cvendish to focus on the Giro. Its not like Sky have ever threatened the overall in any way in the Giro, nor are likely too. That would at least give Sky something from the giro. Wiggins for the Tour, and Rigo/Froome/Henao for the vuelta

So where would that put Peter Kennaugh, will he ride in the giro or be a domestique for wiggins in the tour.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Cav not riding the tour would be an absolutely boneheaded move for any team paying Cavendish.

Sky sports news barely reported the Vuelta until it finished. If Sky are paying for a team for actual sponsorship, and they're funding Cav's signing to the tune of £2.5m per annum, they're going to want him to pick up results in the only race non fans give a monkeys about.

 

[ramjambunath]

Cav not riding the tour would be an absolutely boneheaded move for any team paying Cavendish.

Sky sports news barely reported the Vuelta until it finished. If Sky are paying for a team for actual sponsorship, and they're funding Cav's signing to the tune of £2.5m per annum, they're going to want him to pick up results in the only race non fans give a monkeys about.

It would be a bad choice especially if the parcours of the giro is similar to the last couple of years. The tour is the only race non cycling fans care about but I think brailsford would rather win GBR's first Olympic gold than the green jersey. I personally think he will start the tour, look to win a bunch of stages and abandon before the end of the race as in 2008. There's only 5 days between the end of the tour and the Olympic RR.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

It would be a bad choice especially if the parcours of the giro is similar to the last couple of years. The tour is the only race non cycling fans care about but I think brailsford would rather win GBR's first Olympic gold than the green jersey. I personally think he will start the tour, look to win a bunch of stages and abandon before the end of the race as in 2008. There's only 5 days between the end of the tour and the Olympic RR.

We'll see - really I don't see how his form is going to horribly degrade between winning in Paris, and having a could of days to rest then get back in to it, but we shall see.

 

[Ragerod]

It would also make sense for Cvendish to focus on the Giro. Its not like Sky have ever threatened the overall in any way in the Giro, nor are likely too. That would at least give Sky something from the giro. Wiggins for the Tour, and Rigo/Froome/Henao for the vuelta

Depends on the parcours. If they are similar to this year it would be stupid to send Cavendish to the Giro and not the Tour. Cavendish will be favourite for 4 or 5 stages where as Wiggins will have an outside chance at a podium. If you can only take one, you take the World Champion.

If the tour is back-loaded like this year then Cav can pick up his stage wins, leave a week early to prepare for the Olympics and let Wiggo have 2 or 3 mountain domestiques in the final week.