Wiggins Discussion thread.

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Confirmed

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17546_9335682,00.html

Wiggo to try and win the b-team race.

Suisse lineups really have been dog **** the last few years.

 

[offbyone]

wiggo not in le tour would be a disgrace of epic proportions. we need some drama!!!!!

and yes i think wiggo could win suisse

There will be drama especially with the TDF route. It is comparably "easy" and suits wiggins well. The biggest mountain days aren't that big. Wiggins also magically found his form this year.

I will never understand why they don't make him ride the Giro especially after he showed some form early season. Sky embarrassed themselves at the Giro. All that money, all that talent and they didn't bring anyone to compete.

 

[christopherrowe]

Sky embarrassed themselves at the Giro.

Eh, there were teams that did worse. I thought Dario Cataldo had a good Giro, and Sebastian Henao impressed in the uphill TT. Deignan showed himself a time or two.

 

[jens_attacks]

so no sergio henao in these races?

overall win for wiggo in tour de suisse should mean automatic selection for tdf. otherwise his fans should go mad. and rightfully so.

 

[elfed68]

If I remember right, the Tour de Suisse has virtually zero TV coverage

Hopefully he'll repeat the Tour of California performance and make it really difficult for Cound to leave him out.

 

[JRanton]

so no sergio henao in these races?

overall win for wiggo in tour de suisse should mean automatic selection for tdf. otherwise his fans should go mad. and rightfully so.

Henao is a reserve for both the Dauphine and Suisse. Most likely he'll replace one of the Giro riders in the Suisse line-up assuming he's given the all clear at some point in the next 10 days or so.

 

[del1962]

If I remember right, the Tour de Suisse has virtually zero TV coverage

Hopefully he'll repeat the Tour of California performance and make it really difficult for Cound to leave him out.

It was on Eurosport last year

 

[Wallenquist]

Looks like Henao for Tour is done. Could be good for him if they let him focus on Vuelta and Lombardia or bad if they leave him out of racing for God knows how long.

 

[roundabout]

So Wiggins is actually sent to ride for GC in a major race that he can win instead of pacing Froome around France. I'd say that he is getting a better deal than Porte on that front.

Or maybe it's some "clever" plan from Brailsford to show the world that Wiggins is no TdF GC contender after he is dropped before the right turn in Saas-Grund.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Confirmed

http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17546_9335682,00.html

Wiggo to try and win the b-team race.

Suisse lineups really have been dog **** the last few years.

Sir Wiggo gotta get down to business again, just like he did in California. With or without team mates. The route will suit him.

Outright favorite to win in land of cheese with big holes.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

If I remember right, the Tour de Suisse has virtually zero TV coverage

Hopefully he'll repeat the Tour of California performance and make it really difficult for Cound to leave him out.

TdS runs full live TV production. Only question is who picks up the rights,

 

[elfed68]

It was on Eurosport last year

Was it not a 30 minute highlight show late on one of Sky's sports channels? Or is that another race I'm thinking of?

 

[del1962]

Was it not a 30 minute highlight show late on one of Sky's sports channels? Or is that another race I'm thinking of?

Actually I am not sure whether it was on Eurosport or Sky last year, I do remember watching it (could have just been highlights though), there was an incident when Voight was in the break and their was a possibility of a railway crossing interupting the race towards the end, I think it did not effect things but it was close.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Henao is a reserve for both the Dauphine and Suisse. Most likely he'll replace one of the Giro riders in the Suisse line-up assuming he's given the all clear at some point in the next 10 days or so.

Most likely he won't be riding either.

 

[CycloAndy]

If Froome wins CdD and Wiggins wins TdS then the press coverage is going to be unbearable.

It could be the best way of getting Wiggo to prove his worth though. Do well in Switzerland or you're not going to France.

 

[offbyone]

Eh, there were teams that did worse. I thought Dario Cataldo had a good Giro, and Sebastian Henao impressed in the uphill TT. Deignan showed himself a time or two.

None with the magnificent budget of team sky. You can chalk it up as bad luck, but it is pretty disappointing.

Right now it seems like they are going to burn all 3 of their main GC guys in one grand tour. They should at least make Wiggins ride the vuelta. I know he is scared of the wet roads in the Giro, but the vuelta should suit him fine. Bringing him to the TDF is just foolish.

 

[webvan]

Well it's not so bad then, going to make for two interest one week races to follow !

"Bradley heads to Switzerland with a strong team after a great win in California and we've got the right group for the Dauphine, especially considering the nature of the course."

Brailsford explained that the races will also form part of a larger picture when it comes to picking the nine riders for the Tour de France in July.

"Both of these races will form part of our selection for the Tour" he added. "We have to name 13 riders in a long list during June and we'll do that from across the squad, including riders at the Route du Sud, not only those in the Dauphine and Tour de Suisse groups."

Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17546_9335682,00.html#Kxy85pVGpyaBzGPy.99

 

[Jelantik]

If Froome wins CdD and Wiggins wins TdS then the press coverage is going to be unbearable.

It could be the best way of getting Wiggo to prove his worth though. Do well in Switzerland or you're not going to France.

maybe it's the best way for sky to settle whether or not wiggins goes to TDF. If he can't win it.. then Froome can easily use an excuse that other riders are better form .. bla, bla, bla. But if wiggins won Switzerland, there's NO way Froome can deny him the spot on TDF. And it might even complicated, is wiggins going to get a free role?

it's funny to read Froome's comment that said if there's something happen to him, Porte can step up to replace him. Really? Porte hasn't been finishing his race since TA. And wiggins finished 9th at PR and won TOC. And still Porte is his replacement? Come on..

As much as Froome wanted to say it was over, well, the timing of his book release and his statement on the press about wiggins chance of making the spot, just indicates he's probably reluctant to have wiggins on the team. And wiggins is no dummy either. He used media to help his cause. He made statement on the press about how he wanted to make the TDF team and willing to ride in support for Froome. And he went so far to have public support by saying that TDF is Froome's team and it's up to Froome to choose his team.

Of course there's nothing wrong to say that. But knowing the past bad blood between these two, and the fact that clearly wiggins has a good form this year and he is the only sky rider who isn't injured or sick, it's logical that he should make the TDF squad. So by saying that wiggins is kinda saying that if he doesn't make TDF squad, it's not because he doesn't have the form, but because Froome doesn't want him on the team. And Froome answered it with the timing of releasing his new book. And of course this is just my conspiracy theory

 

[Jspear]

maybe it's the best way for sky to settle whether or not wiggins goes to TDF. If he can't win it.. then Froome can easily use an excuse that other riders are better form .. bla, bla, bla. But if wiggins won Switzerland, there's NO way Froome can deny him the spot on TDF. And it might even complicated, is wiggins going to get a free role?

it's funny to read Froome's comment that said if there's something happen to him, Porte can step up to replace him. Really? Porte hasn't been finishing his race since TA. And wiggins finished 9th at PR and won TOC. And still Porte is his replacement? Come on..

As much as Froome wanted to say it was over, well, the timing of his book release and his statement on the press about wiggins chance of making the spot, just indicates he's probably reluctant to have wiggins on the team. And wiggins is no dummy either. He used media to help his cause. He made statement on the press about how he wanted to make the TDF team and willing to ride in support for Froome. And he went so far to have public support by saying that TDF is Froome's team and it's up to Froome to choose his team.

Of course there's nothing wrong to say that. But knowing the past bad blood between these two, and the fact that clearly wiggins has a good form this year and he is the only sky rider who isn't injured or sick, it's logical that he should make the TDF squad. So by saying that wiggins is kinda saying that if he doesn't make TDF squad, it's not because he doesn't have the form, but because Froome doesn't want him on the team. And Froome answered it with the timing of releasing his new book. And of course this is just my conspiracy theory

^This^ I agree with your conspiracy theory.

 

[elfed68]

^This^ I agree with your conspiracy theory.

Up there with the Man on the Moon, JFK, Diana conspiracies at the moment.

 

[PosterBill]

It would suck not to see Wiggins in the Tour...at least for the fans. It would add some spice with the Froome/Wiggins relationship. And it's a British start which should honor Wiggins especially considering his age etc. I don't really even get why Froome wouldn't want Wiggins in there. We make a big to do about speculating who is in form this time of year but the road usually plays out like always, the superior rider wins out and that's generally Froome or Contador right now. This was reinforced to me after watching the opening GIRO and actually believing Evans had a chance. Wonder what the betting odds would have changed to after the first giro week? Smart money would have still probably taken Nairo because he's the superior climber.

Wiggins is not going to ride off and leave Froome behind in the mountains. Maybe he could cause some early troubles in a time trial or prologue but 2014 only features one TT at the very end of the race...If Froome is really this worried then something is major wrong in his preparation (back problems?) and it's showing a sign of weakness. If it's for other reasons then that's being a bit selfish (although Froome basically gifted Wiggins a TDF)

 

[offbyone]

It would suck not to see Wiggins in the Tour...at least for the fans. It would add some spice with the Froome/Wiggins relationship. And it's a British start which should honor Wiggins especially considering his age etc. I don't really even get why Froome wouldn't want Wiggins in there. We make a big to do about speculating who is in form this time of year but the road usually plays out like always, the superior rider wins out and that's generally Froome or Contador right now. This was reinforced to me after watching the opening GIRO and actually believing Evans had a chance. Wonder what the betting odds would have changed to after the first giro week? Smart money would have still probably taken Nairo because he's the superior climber.

Wiggins is not going to ride off and leave Froome behind in the mountains. Maybe he could cause some early troubles in a time trial or prologue but 2014 only features one TT at the very end of the race...If Froome is really this worried then something is major wrong in his preparation (back problems?) and it's showing a sign of weakness. If it's for other reasons then that's being a bit selfish (although Froome basically gifted Wiggins a TDF)

It sucks even worse that Wiggins chose to ride the kiddie race in california when he could have led the team in the Giro.

 

[PosterBill]

I agree, the TDC is a ridiculous idea..it always bothered me that top racers would do the TDC instead of the GIRO because the sponsors wanted it. The TDC is just a drain on top notch cycling

 

[argyllflyer]

Was it not a 30 minute highlight show late on one of Sky's sports channels? Or is that another race I'm thinking of?

You are correct. In 2013 Sky showed 1 hour of highlights the week after the race. There was no live coverage. British Eurosport did show it in 2012 though.

And the good news is that once the Dauphine is finished, BE is showing TdS live too. The time trial on the 14th does not appear to be being shown, there are highlights from Sunday 15th of that day's stage (and prob the ITT as well), then live on Mon, Tues etc...

 

[del1962]

It sucks even worse that Wiggins chose to ride the kiddie race in california when he could have led the team in the Giro.

Don't agree with this, what would he have done in the Giro, other than potentially winning the flat TT, he would not have challenged for the podium, however he picked up a win in Cali