Wiggins Discussion thread.

[the asian]

Well, as expected he quits the Giro. Now to ride the Tour and ruin Froome's chances !

Hope he gets well soon.

 

[webvan]

What could be a realistic plan for Wiggins for the rest of the year? A complete rest for recovery followed by Vuelta might be ideal, but the parcours isn't suitable for him, so what else?

If he is going to ride the Tour, does he ride Dauphine as well, or train in Tenariffe?
Does he target the Worlds (presumably time trial), and if so does he need to do the Vuelta or is ToB enough?

TdS would be interesting to see if he's able to compete in the TdF, nice parcours with a good mix of MTF, a long prologue and a decent ITT. He's never ridden it AFAIK so a bit of a challenge. Starts on 08/06...

 

[The Hitch]

. If you take away Wiggin’s’ support riders, including Froome, he becomes just an average climber.

An average climber who nevertheless dropped every single rider apart from Froome in last years tdf. Dropped Nibali, dropped Pinot, dropped Valverde dropped VDB, dropped Evans, dropped TJVG and 150 others

An average climber who came 3rd in a Vuelta with only 50k of tt, where he actually sucked.

An average climber who posted such a high vam on verbier in 2009. Who posted one of the best times up Col de eze. Hell, who even beat the likes of Scarponi and Gesink on tuesday even though hes clearly off form.

Yeah, he hasn't really been an average climber last few years has he.

 

[airstream]

Well, as expected he quits the Giro. Now to ride the Tour and ruin Froome's chances !

Hope he gets well soon.

Mods, is it within the rules to keep such a high degree of acrimony, provoke lots of people and not to be sanctioned?

 

[Cimber]

Mods, is it within the rules to keep such a high degree of acrimony, provoke lots of people and not to be sanctioned?

Whats wrong with that post? he even wishes he gets well soon. If ppl get provoked by him expressing that he expected Wiggo left the Giro early thats really not his fault. Neither that he hopes Wiggo will add drama to Sky's Tour.

 

[airstream]

Whats wrong with that post? he even wishes he gets well soon

I even know for what Wiggins should get well...

 

[Cimber]

An average climber who nevertheless dropped every single rider apart from Froome in last years tdf. Dropped Nibali, dropped Pinot, dropped Valverde dropped VDB, dropped Evans, dropped TJVG and 150 others

An average climber who came 3rd in a Vuelta with only 50k of tt, where he actually sucked.

An average climber who posted such a high vam on verbier in 2009. Who posted one of the best times up Col de eze. Hell, who even beat the likes of Scarponi and Gesink on tuesday even though hes clearly off form.

Yeah, he hasn't really been an average climber last few years has he.

I think we just need to reevalute what we call it. I think a lot of ppl say average climber when they mean unexciting climber (i.e. one who cant change rythm much and cant accelerate)

 

[Cimber]

I even know for what Wiggins should get well...

Ye for the Tour so we can have an internal Sky conflict. Fair enough to hope for that.

 

[Heckler]

Where are the fanboys who called me a troll for saying that Sir Wiggo was unfit from the start and he will DNF?

I'm no fan, but, this is a little silly. He wasn't unfit at the start. Without the flat tire bike change he would have won the ITT. With no virus and sunny weather, the standings would probably look a lot different. This is what bike racing looks like; no one wins everything, no one finishes every tour.

 

[Pricey_sky]

There won't be any competition if Froome is as strong as he was last year. Froome won't wait for Wiggo again having been told he will be Tour leader.

 

[Heckler]

When was the last time a Tour de France winner was just a good rider not a great one? Enter Bradley Wiggin’s or Wiggo. If you take away Wiggin’s’ support riders, including Froome, he becomes just an average climber. Take way flat time trials and he is hopelessly lost. Through in some rain and you can forget about it. It appears to me that Team Sky won the Tour last year not Wiggin’s. Why did everybody including Uran wait for this guy early in the Giro, what a fail by Team Sky. I hope Wiggo apologizes to his teammates. If Wiggin’s wants Tour selection determined by real European road racing (rather than training on an island) his destined for domestique duties. I wonder if Team Sky can figure this one out?

The only way anyone can talk like this about Wiggins is to have never seen his resume. In addition, professional cycling is a team sport; if it weren't, they wouldn't have teams.

 

[Cimber]

I'm no fan, but, this is a little silly. He wasn't unfit at the start. Without the flat tire bike change he would have won the ITT. With no virus and sunny weather, the standings would probably look a lot different. This is what bike racing looks like; no one wins everything, no one finishes every tour.

Ye that is what cycling is like, and you you have to be able deal with different weather condition (or just rely on luck and hope you get the weather you prefer).

 

[thehog]

An average climber who nevertheless dropped every single rider apart from Froome in last years tdf. Dropped Nibali, dropped Pinot, dropped Valverde dropped VDB, dropped Evans, dropped TJVG and 150 others

An average climber who came 3rd in a Vuelta with only 50k of tt, where he actually sucked.

An average climber who posted such a high vam on verbier in 2009. Who posted one of the best times up Col de eze. Hell, who even beat the likes of Scarponi and Gesink on tuesday even though hes clearly off form.

Yeah, he hasn't really been an average climber last few years has he.

Problem is that Froome rode TA and Romandie in driving rain.

Pinot rode Romandie and attacked in the rain.

Contador rode in the rain.

Nibali won TA in the rain.

They are ready for for whatever comes.

Wiggins avoided all of that this season. The same issue occurred to the classics team. They placed way too much emphasises on the Tenerifie sessions. Thomas was a little upset with the lack of racing and it shows in the performances.

Controlled environments on the track and in swimming may work but not on the road.

 

[Heckler]

Ye that is what cycling is like, and you you have to be able deal with different weather condition (or just rely on luck and hope you get the weather you prefer).

He's won in every condition. Some pros go their whole career without winning anything. Some without winning anything without help...

There was a theory posed elsewhere that the respiratory infection messed with his inner ear, and therefor his balance. It's just a theory, but...

 

[thehog]

He's won in every condition. Some pros go their whole career without winning anything. Some without winning anything without help...

There was a theory posed elsewhere that the respiratory infection messed with his inner ear, and therefor his balance. It's just a theory, but...

He has? Can't remember wiggins winning anything other than in good weather with a full team riding him to the finish.

Effective, yes. But not all of the time.

 

[Cimber]

He's won in every condition. Some pros go their whole career without winning anything. Some without winning anything without help...

There was a theory posed elsewhere that the respiratory infection messed with his inner ear, and therefor his balance. It's just a theory, but...

Lol, that is really farfetched. I was wondering when ppl started to argue that an infection made him descend like a girl. We already saw in the Tour that he could be attacked on descents, but then it was sunny and he had Froome and Mick to close the gaps.

Anyways, what I dont like is coming up with loads of excuses. Just deal with it and be gratious when winning as well as losing.

Also, he crashed out in the 2011 Tour on a wet descend. Guess he had an inner ear infection to mess with his balance back then too (;

 

[cineteq]

Mods, is it within the rules to keep such a high degree of acrimony, provoke lots of people and not to be sanctioned?

Sanctioned for calling out Sir Wiggo's bluff from the start?

 

[Cyivel]

Wiggins should go for the Tour win, might earn him a Lordship in the future.

 

[ThirdWorld]

He has? Can't remember wiggins winning anything other than in good weather with a full team riding him to the finish.

Effective, yes. But not all of the time.

and with the route perfectly made for him, of course. How much the Queen paid for that 2012 tour route?!

 

[the asian]

Mods, is it within the rules to keep such a high degree of acrimony, provoke lots of people and not to be sanctioned?

My Commiserations. I know it must be a hard time for you.

But cheer up, Andy's finishing races and his form is coming back and Wiggo's going to be strong for the theTour.

We may have podium of Froome, Wiggins and Andy at the Tour.

 

[Cyivel]

Talking to Sky Italia

"I'm disappointed, but some things you can't control," Wiggins told Sky Italia. "It's really disappointing to stop in this way because we came here for so much more.

"This morning the doctor said 'That's enough', because I didn't really have much sleep last night and yesterday was really bad and we had a long stage again today.

"It's how long you can keep fighting for before you say the GC has gone now."

"It's hard to be part of the Giro just to be a number because everybody expected so much. There are a lot of riders in the peloton at the moment that are sick, but as the winner of the Tour, you can't hide away and get over it.

"It was hard being in that position yesterday, because I am not used to it. I am not used to being dropped on the flat from a grupetto. That's a sign that something is not right.

"The decision was made with a view to being back to full strength for the Tour, so I think had we continued in this Giro, the risk was that I did more damage long-term, so I think the team have taken the decision to put a stop to it now and start thinking about getting back to full strength for the Tour"

 

[King Boonen]

Talking to Sky Italia

"I'm disappointed, but some things you can't control," Wiggins told Sky Italia. "It's really disappointing to stop in this way because we came here for so much more.

"This morning the doctor said 'That's enough', because I didn't really have much sleep last night and yesterday was really bad and we had a long stage again today.

"It's how long you can keep fighting for before you say the GC has gone now."

"It's hard to be part of the Giro just to be a number because everybody expected so much. There are a lot of riders in the peloton at the moment that are sick, but as the winner of the Tour, you can't hide away and get over it.

"It was hard being in that position yesterday, because I am not used to it. I am not used to being dropped on the flat from a grupetto. That's a sign that something is not right.

"The decision was made with a view to being back to full strength for the Tour, so I think had we continued in this Giro, the risk was that I did more damage long-term, so I think the team have taken the decision to put a stop to it now and start thinking about getting back to full strength for the Tour"

He loves stirring the pot doesn't he?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Also, he crashed out in the 2011 Tour on a wet descend. Guess he had an inner ear infection to mess with his balance back then too (;

When he broke his collar bone and crashed in 2011 it was on a dry, flat road.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Mods, is it within the rules to keep such a high degree of acrimony, provoke lots of people and not to be sanctioned?

Quit whining. You're making Andy into a hard man by comparison.

 

[airstream]

My Commiserations. I know it must be a hard time for you.

But cheer up, Andy's finishing races and his form is coming back.

I'm ok, just a bit shocked from people reaction. Such gloat obviously entails very nefarious human instincts...On the other hand, this feeling is the base of interest to cycling for many fans like you.