Wiggins Discussion thread.

[offbyone]

As much as I would love to see Wiggo focus on GC and a top ten place, I just can't see it, he will likely pull out after ITT.

Would he be able to wear his Rainbow Jersey in the TTT?

I was thinking he will pull out when it starts raining. I hear he has read 4 different versions of the farmers almanac in order to plan his season.

 

[elfed68]

I was thinking he will pull out when it starts raining. I hear he has read 4 different versions of the farmers almanac in order to plan his season.

Strange how he destroyed the field in the pouring rain in the national TT then.

 

[Kwibus]

Wiggins rode the last 110km of P-R yesterday together with Eisel and Stannard under the guidance of Knaven.(winner of p-r and rode it 16 times).

The goal is to make sure Wiggins learns the sections and roads because he really wants to win it this year, but lacks experience.

Last year he proved that he is capable of riding with the best, often starting the cobbled sections way too far behind as he clearly sucked in positioning.

Wiggins has proven that once he sets his mind to a certain goal he often achievs it, allthough winning P-R isn't that simple. I don't think he will win, but without serious bad luck he will be among the first 10 again...... Unless it rains


I doubt Wiggins will ride the Giro for the GC. His focus is now on the cobbles and the track.

 

[Carols]

Wiggins rode the last 110km of P-R yesterday together with Eisel and Stannard under the guidance of Knaven.(winner of p-r and rode it 16 times).

The goal is to make sure Wiggins learns the sections and roads because he really wants to win it this year, but lacks experience.

Last year he proved that he is capable of riding with the best, often starting the cobbled sections way too far behind as he clearly sucked in positioning.

Wiggins has proven that once he sets his mind to a certain goal he often achievs it, allthough winning P-R isn't that simple. I don't think he will win, but without serious bad luck he will be among the first 10 again...... Unless it rains


I doubt Wiggins will ride the Giro for the GC. His focus is now on the cobbles and the track.

I'm impressed! He should have a good showing in P-R with this kind of focus. But P-R it is filled with pitfalls. Good luck to him!

 

[offbyone]

Strange how he destroyed the field in the pouring rain in the national TT then.

It was just a joke. I am sure you saw his last Giro...

 

[wrinklyvet]

It was just a joke. I am sure you saw his last Giro...

It's a joke too often repeated, but let's all laugh if you want. Believe that Giro was typical if you like.

 

[elfed68]

It was just a joke. I am sure you saw his last Giro...

It's strange how that Giro seems to outweigh all his many other accomplishments for some people.

 

[oldcrank]

I've never really considered post
concussion syndrome a joke.

 

[offbyone]

It's strange how that Giro seems to outweigh all his many other accomplishments for some people.

Accomplished he is and in quite a diversified manner. But I think there is good reason for the focus on that Giro. So much of his road racing career was focused on having success in a grand tour. Despite all the promise he showed and annual hype, the repeated and consistent failures seemed to be reality. But then in 2012 he did it in fine style and not just the tour, the season. It was an overwhelming win and the way he performed during the tour and season was such a stark contrast to his historical accomplishments on the road at least, that skepticism is only natural. After all those failures, it was hard to believe and so we all watched for the success to be backed up by a repeat performance or at least a competitive one. But since he won that GT he has either pulled out of races for various reasons (personal, team decisions,etc)....or there was that one Giro that he quit because he couldn't ride in the rain. So there you have it.

Obviously, the guy is legit as he keeps winning stuff, but I still have to think that GT win was a once in a blue moon ride for him and the stars aligned only that once for him. Unfortunately, we will never know if he never tries. To date, the only one he really did was that Giro he failed in. I really would like to see him just ride any grand tour again for the win. It is hard not to believe that the course of this up coming Giro isn't another perfect one for him. So if he rides it and quits after the time trial or only rides it for the time trial, then I will be very disappointed.

 

[wrinklyvet]

So if he rides it and quits after the time trial or only rides it for the time trial, then I will be very disappointed.

You sound a little more reasonable this time than you did with your "joke" remark, "I was thinking he will pull out when it starts raining."

So far as the Tour de France was concerned I feel he would have been up for it a second time if Froome had not behaved as he did and if Brad had been selected, but a win would have been a big ask. Consecutive or repeat wins are not simple, as Froome has discovered.

If you ever get to read "My Time" you may understand better the man himself and the input necessary for that TdF win. If he never achieved anything else he would have his place in history, but he went on to be Olympic Time Trial champion and World TT champion on top of all his other Olympic titles.

That Giro was unfortunate, but it is not the way to measure Wiggins. Incidentally I give him huge credit for his willingness to tackle Paris-Roubaix and put all his usual effort into it.

It's too much to expect that posters on here would treat champions with respect. There are strong precedents that militate against it. I don't want to sound too heavy, but every now and again clever quips devalue the achievements of people who deserve better.

 

[Carols]

You sound a little more reasonable this time than you did with your "joke" remark, "I was thinking he will pull out when it starts raining."
I don't want to sound too heavy, but every now and again clever quips devalue the achievements of people who deserve better.

When said champions ride like scared old women they will get some ribbing. He devalued himself with that Giro non-performance. It was an embarrassment, so expect some jokes about it for a long time.

 

[offbyone]

You sound a little more reasonable this time than you did with your "joke" remark, "I was thinking he will pull out when it starts raining."

So far as the Tour de France was concerned I feel he would have been up for it a second time if Froome had not behaved as he did and if Brad had been selected, but a win would have been a big ask. Consecutive or repeat wins are not simple, as Froome has discovered.

If you ever get to read "My Time" you may understand better the man himself and the input necessary for that TdF win. If he never achieved anything else he would have his place in history, but he went on to be Olympic Time Trial champion and World TT champion on top of all his other Olympic titles.

That Giro was unfortunate, but it is not the way to measure Wiggins. Incidentally I give him huge credit for his willingness to tackle Paris-Roubaix and put all his usual effort into it.

It's too much to expect that posters on here would treat champions with respect. There are strong precedents that militate against it. I don't want to sound too heavy, but every now and again clever quips devalue the achievements of people who deserve better.

Oh don't give me too much credit I will still wonder out loud if he is mentally capable to ride successfully in bad weather. And no, TTs don't count, there aren't any other riders to bump into.

I am tired of hearing about the Froome polemics. The 2013 course didn't suit wiggins, but even if it did who cares. Go win another GT if you can't ride the TDF.

Seriously, I just want to see him ride another GT. Any GT. I could care less if Froome is involved. I just want to see him compete.

 

[The Hitch]

You sound a little more reasonable this time than you did with your "joke" remark, "I was thinking he will pull out when it starts raining."

So far as the Tour de France was concerned I feel he would have been up for it a second time if Froome had not behaved as he did and if Brad had been selected, but a win would have been a big ask. Consecutive or repeat wins are not simple, as Froome has discovered.

If you ever get to read "My Time" you may understand better the man himself and the input necessary for that TdF win. If he never achieved anything else he would have his place in history, but he went on to be Olympic Time Trial champion and World TT champion on top of all his other Olympic titles.

That Giro was unfortunate, but it is not the way to measure Wiggins. Incidentally I give him huge credit for his willingness to tackle Paris-Roubaix and put all his usual effort into it.

It's too much to expect that posters on here would treat champions with respect. There are strong precedents that militate against it. I don't want to sound too heavy, but every now and again clever quips devalue the achievements of people who deserve better.

Wiggins has behaved like an ******* for years, swearing at journalists, attacking witnesses against Lance, actling like a 5 year old and refusing to give Froome a share of the prize money, insulting other cyclists left right and centre (JV, Rodriguez, Contador) whenever he feels like, throwing tantrums during the Tour, trying to steal Froome's TDF leadership away from him in May 2013 after a few months earlier acting all noble about how he was graciously giving Froome the leadership (what kind of person announces in October that Froome can have the leadership and then tries to take it away from them), making sexual inuendos towards the presenter at a charity event for sexual assault victims. That's not including his close friendship and with and defense of several of the most unsavoury characters in the sport and extreme hypocricy on how he judges others and judges himself, on clinic issues, which I wont go into here.

So stop acting like a star struck Bieber fangirl and demanding everyone "respects" your hero. I don't really idolize any celebrity, especially none who got to the top of the absolute cesspool that is modern professional cycling. But even there, few are as big *******s as Wiggins and no one is mandated to pay him the respect you demand.

 

[Jspear]

Wiggins has behaved like an ******* for years, swearing at journalists, attacking witnesses against Lance, actling like a 5 year old and refusing to give Froome a share of the prize money, insulting other cyclists left right and centre (JV, Rodriguez, Contador) whenever he feels like, throwing tantrums during the Tour, trying to steal Froome's TDF leadership away from him in May 2013 after a few months earlier acting all noble about how he was graciously giving Froome the leadership (what kind of person announces in October that Froome can have the leadership and then tries to take it away from them), making sexual inuendos towards the presenter at a charity event for sexual assault victims. That's not including his close friendship and with and defense of several of the most unsavoury characters in the sport and extreme hypocricy on how he judges others and judges himself, on clinic issues, which I wont go into here.

So stop acting like a star struck Bieber fangirl and demanding everyone "respects" your hero. I don't really idolize any celebrity, especially none who got to the top of the absolute cesspool that is modern professional cycling. But even there, few are as big *******s as Wiggins and no one is mandated to pay him the respect you demand.

Couldn't have said it better...

 

[damian13ster]

When said champions ride like scared old women they will get some ribbing. He devalued himself with that Giro non-performance. It was an embarrassment, so expect some jokes about it for a long time.

Wouldnt say he devalued himself.
Multiple olympic championships, World Champion, TdF winner. If he ever gets Roubaix win (time is working against him but he was really impressive this year already), he is one of the all time greats. Hard to devalue that with unsuccesful Giro.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

We can stop all polls before they even started. Wiggo wants to win Roubaix, Wiggo wins Roubaix.

 

[wrinklyvet]

So stop acting like a star struck Bieber fangirl and demanding everyone "respects" your hero. I don't really idolize any celebrity, especially none who got to the top of the absolute cesspool that is modern professional cycling. But even there, few are as big *******s as Wiggins and no one is mandated to pay him the respect you demand.

Nobody demanded anything. Thanks for demonstrating just what a nice fellow you are and exactly what is wrong about this environment. The comments that I noted are so mild by comparison with yours.

 

[Netserk]

Wiggins has behaved like an ******* for years, swearing at journalists, attacking witnesses against Lance, actling like a 5 year old and refusing to give Froome a share of the prize money, insulting other cyclists left right and centre (JV, Rodriguez, Contador) whenever he feels like, throwing tantrums during the Tour, trying to steal Froome's TDF leadership away from him in May 2013 after a few months earlier acting all noble about how he was graciously giving Froome the leadership (what kind of person announces in October that Froome can have the leadership and then tries to take it away from them), making sexual inuendos towards the presenter at a charity event for sexual assault victims. That's not including his close friendship and with and defense of several of the most unsavoury characters in the sport and extreme hypocricy on how he judges others and judges himself, on clinic issues, which I wont go into here.

So stop acting like a star struck Bieber fangirl and demanding everyone "respects" your hero. I don't really idolize any celebrity, especially none who got to the top of the absolute cesspool that is modern professional cycling. But even there, few are as big *******s as Wiggins and no one is mandated to pay him the respect you demand.

When has that ever happened? I know he has refused to share some of his personal Sky bonus with Froome, but I've never heard he has refused to share prize money with him.

 

[Carols]

Wouldnt say he devalued himself.
Multiple olympic championships, World Champion, TdF winner. If he ever gets Roubaix win (time is working against him but he was really impressive this year already), he is one of the all time greats. Hard to devalue that with unsuccesful Giro.

In your opinion. I for one will Never be able to erase the images of the supposed champion totally losing his nerve going downhill in the wet multiple times.

Winning Roubaix might redeem him a bit for me. That is a hard mans race. Winning an ITT does nothing to mitigate the Giro images, winning Roubaix on the other hand, especially if it is wet, well that might be epic!

 

[cineteq]

Winning Roubaix might redeem him a bit for me. That is a hard mans race. Winning an ITT does nothing to mitigate the Giro images, winning Roubaix on the other hand, especially if it is wet, well that might be epic!

I'm with you here. Hope he rides the Giro again.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Accomplished he is and in quite a diversified manner. But I think there is good reason for the focus on that Giro. So much of his road racing career was focused on having success in a grand tour. Despite all the promise he showed and annual hype, the repeated and consistent failures seemed to be reality. But then in 2012 he did it in fine style and not just the tour, the season. It was an overwhelming win and the way he performed during the tour and season was such a stark contrast to his historical accomplishments on the road at least, that skepticism is only natural. After all those failures, it was hard to believe and so we all watched for the success to be backed up by a repeat performance or at least a competitive one. But since he won that GT he has either pulled out of races for various reasons (personal, team decisions,etc)....or there was that one Giro that he quit because he couldn't ride in the rain. So there you have it.

Obviously, the guy is legit as he keeps winning stuff, but I still have to think that GT win was a once in a blue moon ride for him and the stars aligned only that once for him. Unfortunately, we will never know if he never tries. To date, the only one he really did was that Giro he failed in. I really would like to see him just ride any grand tour again for the win. It is hard not to believe that the course of this up coming Giro isn't another perfect one for him. So if he rides it and quits after the time trial or only rides it for the time trial, then I will be very disappointed.

What are you talking about? Cycling in a parallel universe?

So much of his road racing career was focused on having success in a grand tour.

So much? Unless you mean focus on prologues, focusing on having success there (but failing), that's just completely wrong. 2002 FdJ til before the Giro 2009 there was ZERO focus on success in a GT. Even in 09, some attempts to win prologues, some whining when Contador, a GT rider, won a prologue, something about that being not normal, that such guys win prologues, then a little first mountain test in the Giro 09 managed a senstational stage for his prior results to Alpe di Siusi. Then the Tour with a surprising 4th
2010 focus on the TdF: Failed completely
2011 focus on the TdF, BUT, unlike in 10, trying to get results before, which he did. And then crashed out of the TdF, got 3 in the Vuelta.
2012: TdF, won it.
2013: Focus on the Giro, failed.
So you could say he has had 4 years of GT GC focus. Not "so much of his career"

Despite all the promise he showed and annual hype, the repeated and consistent failures seemed to be reality.

Promise he showed? None til July 09. There he did. Annual hype and repeated failures, you realize he "failed" twice, 2010 and 2011. And 2011 was not even a real failure, crash out of the TdF, then podium the Vuelta, thus confirming his TdF 09. And the hype, ok, depends where I guess, if you're from the UK, probably yes, in other places not so much, at least until 2012.

 

[djpbaltimore]

Nobody demanded anything. Thanks for demonstrating just what a nice fellow you are and exactly what is wrong about this environment. The comments that I noted are so mild by comparison with yours.

I totally agree with your response and tone and sincerely hope you continue to post on this forum.

The hilarious thing is the very same poster accused Sky fans of being close-minded and hurling insults in the Froome thread in the clinic. The pot calling the kettle black, IMO.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Participating in the Giro just to try and clinch the ITT on stage 14 seems unambitious to me.

Go for Giro GC or focus on other races please.

 

[wrinklyvet]

I totally agree with your response and tone and sincerely hope you continue to post on this forum.

Thank you for your kind comment. I expect I will hang in here! It does not interest me as much as the comments section of the main website, presently disabled. Very similar anti-Wiggins posts to those seen here have appeared there from time to time and God knows (if anyone does) what motivates the authors of them.

But as I stroll through the latter years of my seventh decade of life and third decade of competition I can afford to take a relaxed view of more youthful forumites who try to prove their manliness by insulting posts.

 

[oldcrank]

Like many sporting legends, Sir Bradley Mark Wiggins CBE,
has had most of his greatest athletic accomplishments
quadrennially during Olympic years. So while I hope he is
first onto the Velodrome at Roubaix in 2015 and has time to
raise both arms in victory, as long as he has a transcendent
2016 I believe his legion of fans around the world will be happy.