Wiggins Discussion thread.

[Kvinto]

Not sure where that came from as I've always found Wiggo to be pretty respectful of his opponents? Anyway, yes it's going to be an interesting fight, I suspect Sky is going to be climbing that very fast, with Porte doing what Wiggo did at Algarve. Too bad Froome isn't there.

I afraid too many teams are interested in slow pace tommorrow, and Sky is one of these teams

 

[webvan]

Maybe during the day but I very much doubt that this is what's going to happen on the "montée Laurent Jalabert", the higher the pace Sky can sustain, the less chances anyone can take off.

 

[Kvinto]

Valverde is a stronger climber than Wiggo and Sky are aware of this. High uphill pace favours the strongest climbers and sustaining this high pace by Sky on the Laurent Jalabert climb contains huge risk that the work will be done for Valverde.

 

[luckyboy]

Yep, up to Movistar to work and bring the break back. Should be as long as Sky and QuickStep know what they're doing anyway.

 

[webvan]

Valverde is a stronger climber than Wiggo and Sky are aware of this. High uphill pace favours the strongest climbers and sustaining this high pace by Sky on the Laurent Jalabert climb contains huge risk that the work will be done for Valverde.

Right, Valverde's got better acceleration than Wiggins, but the whole point of riding a high tempo is preventing killer attacks, the last thing you want is riding slowly to allow pure climbers to jump out and make major damage.

 

[Kvinto]

Right, Valverde's got better acceleration than Wiggins, but the whole point of riding a high tempo is preventing killer attacks, the last thing you want is riding slowly to allow pure climbers to jump out and make major damage.

Killer attacks are useless (and rather suicidal than killer) if due to the slow tempo your opponent can form up a strong chase group. High tempo means reducing the bunch, reducing the bunch is the foundation for killer attacks.

 

[Richeypen]

Killer attacks are useless (and rather suicidal than killer) if due to the slow tempo your opponent can form up a strong chase group. High tempo means reducing the bunch, reducing the bunch is the foundation for killer attacks.

Climb is too short for that, its not the Galibier we are talking about. Sky will keep the pace high to try and nullify Valverde's acceleration best they can.

 

[webvan]

I give up...just watch the Algarve mountain top finish and reread Wiggo's latest interview and think it over.

 

[Froome19]

Killer attacks are useless (and rather suicidal than killer) if due to the slow tempo your opponent can form up a strong chase group. High tempo means reducing the bunch, reducing the bunch is the foundation for killer attacks.

If Valverde can get the right killer acceleration at the right time (towards the end of the climb) especially if he gets someone strong to go with him (one of the kiserlovskis or Jeanneson) then he could easily pull out 10 sec+ and get the 10 bonus seconds, so I cant see why sky wouldnt keep the pace high.
This is especially because Wiggins is looking in exceptional form and i think the harder the climb gets the better he will be regardless of the length and gradient. Today on a totally unsuited finish he held his own superbly so tomorown i expect him to defy peoples expectations and actually be the protagonist (probably just by riding everybody of his wheel).

 

[Kvinto]

Sky would love to control the tempo tomorrow, but that tempo won't be satisfactory for Valverde. Wiggo is great locomotive, but he has troubles on steepnesses which they gonna face tomorrow. What he (Wiggo) needs is constant tempo, not very slow of course, but very high pace is what Valverde (not Wiggo) needs.

 

[Richeypen]

Sky would love to control the tempo tomorrow, but that tempo won't be satisfactory for Valverde. Wiggo is great locomotive, but he has troubles on steepnesses which they gonna face tomorrow. What he (Wiggo) needs is constant tempo, not very slow of course, but very high pace is what Valverde (not Wiggo) needs.

Remember that it isnt just Valverde that Sky have to worry about. A slow pace allows attacks from the like of Chavanel who is very capable of winning this race. Levi and TJVG will also want to try something tomorrow and they would be best suited to a slow pace from the field.

 

[Kvinto]

Remember that it isnt just Valverde that Sky have to worry about. A slow pace allows attacks from the like of Chavanel who is very capable of winning this race. Levi and TJVG will also want to try something tomorrow and they would be best suited to a slow pace from the field.

I guess you've missed my point. I'm not saying Sky should do nothing, they should sustain the tempo high enough to prevent attack from the likes of Chavanel but on the other hand they can't do what they did to Porte in Algarve, they should control the race ie they shouldn't leave Wiggo alone till the very end, or lets say till the last 500m, otherwise their work will be the work for Valverde

 

[Parrulo]

If Valverde can get the right killer acceleration at the right time (towards the end of the climb) especially if he gets someone strong to go with him (one of the kiserlovskis or Jeanneson) then he could easily pull out 10 sec+ and get the 10 bonus seconds, so I cant see why sky wouldnt keep the pace high.
This is especially because Wiggins is looking in exceptional form and i think the harder the climb gets the better he will be regardless of the length and gradient. Today on a totally unsuited finish he held his own superbly so tomorown i expect him to defy peoples expectations and actually be the protagonist (probably just by riding everybody of his wheel).

actually the sooner the attacks and changes of pace start the worse for wiggins dispite his lack of acceleration he can still manage to respond to one or two changes of pace on a short climb but if things become chaotic he will have to ride within himself very smartly to manage his losses.

what valverde should do is create a first selection with a testing acceleration before the steepest part then let a couple of other guys try their chances and force wiggins to respond and then hit it hard on the 20% gradient where wiggins will struggle the most.

 

[Richeypen]

I guess you've missed my point. I'm not saying Sky should do nothing, they should sustain the tempo high enough to prevent attack from the likes of Chavanel but on the other hand they can't do what they did to Porte in Algarve, they should control the race ie they shouldn't leave Wiggo alone till the very end, or lets say till the last 500m, otherwise their work will be the work for Valverde

Think that is a moot point anyway as I dont expect Wiggins to have more than one or two men at the foot of the final climb anyway.

 

[Kvinto]

Think that is a moot point anyway as I dont expect Wiggins to have more than one or two men at the foot of the final climb anyway.

Well, if Wiggo has only 1-2 domestiques at the bottom of the final climb, that means either these domestiques should work very hard or the team banks on Wiggo's ability (his perfect form) to hold on Valverde's wheel

 

[webvan]

Maybe during the day but I very much doubt that this is what's going to happen on the "montée Laurent Jalabert", the higher the pace Sky can sustain, the less chances anyone can take off.

Bingo, high pace by Sky and Valverde wasn't able to do better than steal a time bonus from Wiggo...great work by Porte and Uran did a bit of work in the end too, probably had lost most of his legs to go back to the front of the group.

 

[Gloin22]

Uran and Porte were great today ( 9th and 15th respectively ). And Wiggo did great not loosing anything to Valverde, as everyone expected around 10 - 15secs loss. Quite impresseive.

 

[JRanton]

Sky will be pretty happy with that. Porte was great and Uran was good too.

Valverde shouldn't be a threat now and Wiggins now has a 10 second gap on Levi which is pretty handy.

Of course Westra in that form is now a huge danger for Sunday.

 

[Kvinto]

Great ride by Sky, they managed to ride their race and prevent Movistar from riding their. Uran and Porte did great job to lead Wiggo to the finish line.
Movistar and Valverde were disappointing, they failed to control the race in the final part though their line-up was pretty strong.

 

[JRanton]

It also shows how important it will be for Wiggins to have as many helpers in the mountains as possible at the Tour. At least Froome, Uran and Porte. So sorry Cav, but I'm afraid you'll have to manage with a much smaller train this year.

 

[webvan]

Didn't do too bad today after Greipel got stuck and Boasson Hagen took over...it always helps when you're the fastest ;-)

But yes, at the TDF Sky with Porte, Uran, Froome and Wiggins is going to be hard to match.

As a side note, it's nice to see guys in decent shape throughout the season or at least putting up a good fight and not getting dropped like stones à la Frank Schleck or Kloden.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It also shows how important it will be for Wiggins to have as many helpers in the mountains as possible at the Tour. At least Froome, Uran and Porte.

It's going to be a bit grim to watch with them grinding their way up each and every mountain at a high steady pace. Evans will be happy enough with it too, with a much stronger climbing team than BMC keeping the pace steady and neutralising attacks.

 

[cycladianpirate]

It's going to be a bit grim to watch with them grinding their way up each and every mountain at a high steady pace. Evans will be happy enough with it too, with a much stronger climbing team than BMC keeping the pace steady and neutralising attacks.

A very good point - and with Evans streets ahead of Wiggins at the 'punchy' finishes, such a tactic could well play into his hands.

 

[JRanton]

A very good point - and with Evans streets ahead of Wiggins at the 'punchy' finishes, such a tactic could well play into his hands.

Has it been confirmed whether or not there will be time bonuses at the Tour this year? It will be a big boost for Wiggins if there aren't. He needs to absolutely smoke the time trials which he's obviously capable of.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

A very good point - and with Evans streets ahead of Wiggins at the 'punchy' finishes, such a tactic could well play into his hands.

Yes. At the same time though, it isn't as if there's some other option open to Sky if they are serious about winning. Wiggins is at his best when there is a very steady, high, pace kept up constantly. The fact that other diesels will benefit from their work is the price they'll have to pay. So Evans and people like Nibali or Menchov, if they are in contention, will happily leave them to it. People who have to attack on the climbs to have a chance will be at even more of a disadvantage.

I don't blame Sky for following the strategy that gives them a chance to win, but as someone with no particular love or hate for Wiggins, I will be seriously annoyed if they actually manage to turn the all too few climbing stages into festivals of tedium.