Wiggins Discussion thread.

[El Pistolero]

wiggins is way better than 2009,even if you aren't a fan you gotta see that.he just stormed col d'eze at 30 km/h.he said he was in paris-nice just at 95%.he'll be strong as hell in le tour.
i don't think there are just 5 rivals,this tour will be open to everybody.there will be some surprises i'm sure.

His time up Mende wasn't anything super good to be honest... Nothing to suggest he can win the Tour some day. Of course this particular year he can...

 

[jens_attacks]

His time up Mende wasn't anything super good to be honest... Nothing to suggest he can win the Tour some day. Of course this particular year he can...

i disagree,mende is one of the climbs definitely not suited to wiggo.he still did very well there and smoked col d'eze with frigo's speed.andy will even need an improvement of 2009 watts to beat him.

 

[hatcher]

Found his tweet to Cav quite amusing:

@MarkCavendish cheers Mark, Looking more likely now I can win Yellow and Green in the Tour?

 

[ruswilks]

Found his tweet to Cav quite amusing:

@MarkCavendish cheers Mark, Looking more likely now I can win Yellow and Green in the Tour?

And Cav's reply is pretty good as well:

@bradwiggins nah, apparently it'll never work with us.... I may as well go for yellow and green too.... Bring it on, *****.

 

[El Pistolero]

Found his tweet to Cav quite amusing:

@MarkCavendish cheers Mark, Looking more likely now I can win Yellow and Green in the Tour?

It's funnier if you read it on Twitter, here it sounds arrogant lol.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

'If I can win Paris-Nice, I can win the Tour de France'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/mar/12/paris-nice-tour-de-france-bradley-wiggins

 

[DominicDecoco]

He can but definitely not based on a P-N win.

 

[Havetts]

Is this a joke?? I didnt bother translating it but Wiggins drinking whilst at the tour.... one of the most driven and intense guys in the peloton.. WOW that is truly something to make up

Not a joke but it is known that Wiggo is a drinker which is what he described. But he also says that he never is a drinker and a proffesional bike racer at the same time.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

'If I can win Paris-Nice, I can win the Tour de France'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/mar/12/paris-nice-tour-de-france-bradley-wiggins

I'll be awaiting the Tour wins of Luis Leon Sanchez and Tony Martin then

 

[cineteq]

I'll be awaiting the Tour wins of Luis Leon Sanchez and Tony Martin then

What a silly comment.

PN was different this year, it showed since Martin didn't have a chance. Btw, Evans won Tirreno last year, another 1 week stage race.

 

[DominicDecoco]

What a silly comment.

PN was different this year, it showed since Martin didn't have a chance. Btw, Evans won Tirreno last year, another 1 week stage race.

So that means Horner will win The Tour? Let's not fool ourselves here and make P-N to more than it is.

Tony Martin is btw in a killer-form...

 

[cineteq]

So that means Horner will win The Tour? Let's not fool ourselves here and make P-N to more than it is.

Tony Martin is btw in a killer-form...

That's the whole point, it might or might not mean anything. Btw, it's the first time I've seen Wiggo 'in control' unlike his participations at Dauphiné or La Vuelta last year. So mentally it might mean a lot.

 

[DominicDecoco]

That's the whole point, it might or might not mean anything. Btw, it's the first time I've seen Wiggo 'in control' unlike his participations at Dauphiné or La Vuelta last year. So mentally it might mean a lot.

He was much better shape than everyone else in that race that's the main reason. Christ, his biggest competitor was, no disrepect, Westra. A P-N win means f'ck all to a potential Tour victory.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What a silly comment.

PN was different this year, it showed since Martin didn't have a chance. Btw, Evans won Tirreno last year, another 1 week stage race.

And LL Sanchez won a much harder edition against Contador...

Still doesn't mean he can win Le Tour (never).

For wiggins it's different, like I stated before I believeh e can win the tour. but not because of this Paris Nice, that's ridicolous. For crying out loud Westra finished 2nd at 8 seconds...do we expect him???

 

[jens_attacks]

For crying out loud Westra finished 2nd at 8 seconds...do we expect him???

well if he goes with these numbers in july then yes i do

 

[Froome19]

For wiggins it's different, like I stated before I believeh e can win the tour. but not because of this Paris Nice, that's ridicolous. For crying out loud Westra finished 2nd at 8 seconds...do we expect him???

I consider him a time trialling version of Pierre Rolland so yes he does have a chance.

 

[The Hitch]

I felt sorry for Leipheimer in the PN. no one deserves that but it is part of the sport.

I was reffering to the Chrismas every day proposition.

 

[Angliru]

It would have to be Menchov yes, although Menchov is his usual crappy "off form" self right now, I wonder why it is that some riders like Evans, Contador or Wiggins can be competitive year round and some dudes like Menchov or Schlecket are "one trick ponies" per season.

If I'm not mistaken, Menchov usually features in at least one week long stage race prior to the Tour. He's invisible in the Ardennes, if he does them at all.

 

[Angliru]

Wiggins will never win over some on here. If he wins the Tour it will be because there is too much TTing/boring race/etc etc bla bla bla

He will certainly gain more respect but you can't expect people to suddenly enjoy watching him race if his style doesn't appeal to them. He's effective and efficient which usually doesn't necessarily translate to entertaining IMO.

 

[webvan]

Well at least he's a rider with "limits", unlike LA or Contador (other than 2011 TDF), so it's certainly less boring (not to mention "human") than watching these guys blow up the field everywhere, mountains, ITTs, etc...

 

[hrotha]

Well at least he's a rider with "limits", unlike LA or Contador (other than 2011 TDF), so it's certainly less boring (not to mention "human") than watching these guys blow up the field everywhere, mountains, ITTs, etc...

Contador has only really been unstoppable at the 2009 Tour and 2011 Giro.

As for Wiggo, I agree with those who say winning Paris-Nice has very little to do with showig you're able to win the Tour. Hell, winning the Dauphiné was probably a better indication, despite the weak field full of super strong names not taking it completely seriously.

 

[Froome19]

ya he is a much better rider now, from 29 to 31 years of age he progressed much more then riders that were 23/24 when he was 29 and are now 27. makes perfect sense.
:

Some things dont need to make sens they just are.....
Anyway this makes a bit of sense considering he had never focused on riding mountains until 2009 and his TT in long time trials was also some thing he just started to focus on, as he mainly focused on the track in the years of progression which you mentioned, so yes there is a reason but no we dont need a reason.

 

[Froome19]

As for Wiggo, I agree with those who say winning Paris-Nice has very little to do with showig you're able to win the Tour. Hell, winning the Dauphiné was probably a better indication, despite the weak field full of super strong names not taking it completely seriously.

Winning Paris-Nice may not be all that important indicator but the perfomance he displayed on Mendee (where considering what type of rider he is he surpassed expectations madly) and in the TT do indicate that he can win the tour this year as it shows he can handle steepr shorter climbs, somehting he struggled with in the vuelta and Dauphine.

 

[hrotha]

Winning Paris-Nice may not be all that important but the perfomance he displayed on Mendee (where considering what type of rider he is he surpassed expectations madly) and in the TT do indicate that he can win the tour this year as it shows he can handle steepr shorter climbs, somehting he struggled with in the vuelta and Dauphine.

It's not a matter of Paris-Nice not being all that important. I rate it as the most important non-GT stage race. It's a matter of the parcours being completely incomparable to a GT.

 

[Froome19]

It's not a matter of Paris-Nice not being all that important. I rate it as the most important non-GT stage race. It's a matter of the parcours being completely incomparable to a GT.

I meant it not beng important in that it is not an important indcator for who will win the tour.