lol forgot that, Wiggins the Gladiator on wet cobbles lol. I think I will just underestimate him.
- Jun 14, 2010
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simo1733 said:
To say he can be in the mix at because he "can ride cobbles" is a bit like saying Hushovd can win a gt because he "can climb".
The cobbles aren't some distraction that riders merely need to be able to know how to ride for 2 seconds to get over. They are the whole ****ing race, and its about how good can you ride them.
A 34 year old who has ridden about 2 days of cobbles in his life is not going to be able to ride the cobbles anywhere near as well as guys who have been riding them for years or even all their lives.
- Jul 24, 2009
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A great opportunity for British riders to test themselves
on the cobbles is the Ronde Van Calderdale Sportive:
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/sp...sive--The-roads-of-the-Ronde-Van-Calderdale-0
Try to drop your mates on the Shibden Wall and
support the Kirklees Cycling Academy http://www.k-ca.org
on the cobbles is the Ronde Van Calderdale Sportive:
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/sp...sive--The-roads-of-the-Ronde-Van-Calderdale-0
Try to drop your mates on the Shibden Wall and
support the Kirklees Cycling Academy http://www.k-ca.org
Wiggins finished Paris Roubaix 25th in 2009 coming in with the Hammond & Hincapie chasing group iirc. It was wet too, so he knows how to ride cobbles pretty good I think guys! Obviously in 2009 his objective was Tour de France with Garmin as he was super skinny that year like in 2012 & 13.
- Oct 26, 2010
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Paris Roubaix is always a bit of a gamble. Realistically we could make a case for every guy who has finished in the top30 in the past years. I hope he doesn't constest it because I'm always afraid of what Sky might achieve. It's bad enough for me to see them bossing GT's around, I wouldn't like to see them winning classics, specially not Roubaix.
About Wiggins, he has the engine, he has some experience, I doubt his technical skills a bit (Giro was shocking although that wasn't his level clearly), let's see what happens anyway. I just hope they don't use Stannard as a dom. I don't like him either but he deserves at least a free role there.
About Wiggins, he has the engine, he has some experience, I doubt his technical skills a bit (Giro was shocking although that wasn't his level clearly), let's see what happens anyway. I just hope they don't use Stannard as a dom. I don't like him either but he deserves at least a free role there.
- May 23, 2009
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^^^ThisThe Hitch said:
Wiggins also wanted to get light enough so that he could have a real shot at the TT's later on in GT's without being too exhausted from the mountains.
He was expecting to only be hanging on in the mountains until he surprised himself at the '09 Giro, after that he then thought it might be possible to help CVV early in the TdF's mountain stages. There was never talk about being a contender until CVV had a run of bad luck in the first week.
The Hitch said:
Bingo! Plus he was 25lb heavier back then and his body was more of track rider than skinny GC time trial specialist.
Cancellara is already laughing at him now ... http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...aris-gc-riders-will-be-rocking-roubaix_317266
Jancouver said:
Hang on a second, Wiggins lost 25 pounds in 2 and half months. Impressive.
So when choosing what is more likely Wiggins was preparing as a GC rider/all around domestique and claiming he was only looking for a good prologue or preparing as a prologue rider and came 4th on GC you guys are thinking it's the 2nd option that is more likely. Weird.
karlboss said:
"Wiggins finished Paris Roubaix 25th in 2009" ... you got to read the whole thread, not just the last post
Jancouver said:"Wiggins finished Paris Roubaix 25th in 2009" ... you got to read the whole thread, not just the last post
Wiggins 25th roubaix, 2009 4th tour de france 2009. So either he was GC weight for roubaix as the first poster pointed out, or he came 4th in the tour at 25 lbs heavier?
I have no doubt that Wiggins can put on the weight necessary and have sustainable power good enough to win Roubaix. I have serious doubts about his general one day riding skills especially when cobbles are thrown in. Have a quick flick through his record and you'll not he's not had one significant result in any one day race ever, in fact that 25th in 2009 may be his best ever. It's the same concern I'd have if Froome states he's going to target Liege, or the worlds and even to a lesser extent if Contador was to have a go. One day racing requires more experience and skill than does stage racing and Wiggins doesn't have it. If he rode a full cobbled program this year then maybe next year he may be in the mix, but this year will be a tall order indeed.
- May 23, 2009
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Agreed, Sky's chances of ever winning a monument went out the door along with DS's like Yates, Julich and Sunderland. The way they race will only win difficult stage races unless someone throws away their radio and races off instinct for once.
Contador is 1000x more likely to win a big classic than Froome and Wigans combined for this reason.
Contador is 1000x more likely to win a big classic than Froome and Wigans combined for this reason.
42x16ss said:
It's awesome to some folk he is still "Wigans".
I didn't claim he was heavy in 2009. I was just saying you can't claim he was heavy in 2009 roubaix and not 2009 tour. He was heavy in both, or light in both.
- Apr 11, 2010
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- May 23, 2009
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I didn't think sokarlboss said:
Wigans was definitely light in both. I also remember everyone's reaction when that Roubaix photo first came out and it certainly wasn't "Wow, Wiggins has made a great choice! He's going to smash the TdF this year."
As soon as the 08 Worlds were over Wigans started slimming down so that he'd be fresher for GT ITT's and hopefully win one. GC wasn't even in the picture.
Wiggins' was primarily just a domestique TT results getter up until 2009 like Boardman was. Then a drop in weight and a change of training focus suggested by Vaughters changed things for Wiggins. To suggest the lack of past one day results means he is not a good one day racer is like saying he never had any GC results as a TT rider.
No doubt it would be very impressive for a rider to go from Track to GC to Classics and win at all three. He has his eyes on the Worlds too I believe.
No doubt it would be very impressive for a rider to go from Track to GC to Classics and win at all three. He has his eyes on the Worlds too I believe.
- Mar 28, 2011
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Wiggins would be very lucky to top 20 in Paris - Roubaix. He has never showed an aptitude and has little experience in the cobbled classics.
He was just making positive noises in response to an interviewer's question which was almost a prompt. His reply has been completely misconstrued.
Paris-Roubaix? Forget the Wigmeister.
He was just making positive noises in response to an interviewer's question which was almost a prompt. His reply has been completely misconstrued.
Paris-Roubaix? Forget the Wigmeister.
No domestique ever shows aptitude for the classics or one days. If they do, they screwed up as clearly didn't work for the leader. I doubt very much Wiggins was even chosen as a plan B option for Classics either!
trevim said:
I disagree. Rarely do we see complete outsiders winning P-R, unless there is a tactical play involved.
Its almost always one of the strongest guys who wins.
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