Wiggins Discussion thread.

[El Pistolero]

Meh, in this year's form he would probably win. Carlos Sastre was quite good in the Giro 2009, but the race wasn't mountainous enough for him and too much time trials. Also was fighting with unequal weapons probably...

 

[webvan]

these climbs simply don't really suit guys like Evans and Wiggins. They get destroyed by Italians/colombians with tempo changes

Like Friggin' Hesjedal got destroyed this year? Come on...

 

[Afrank]

Like Friggin' Hesjedal got destroyed this year? Come on...

Hesjedal's more a climber then he is a TTer who can climb like Evans and Wiggins.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Wiggins would have won the Giro this year, absolutely no question. Of course, it may be a stronger race next year or he might not be in the same form. To suggest that he couldn't compete with Hesjedal is plain silly though.

 

[del1962]

The big question for me with Brad is will he have the focus to train as hard next year, having won the tour will he be as motivated, will he be distracted by all the other stuff that goes with being a tour winner, I actually thought he might retire at the end of this season, but I hope he can find the motivation to put in the same work as he did this year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Like Friggin' Hesjedal got destroyed this year? Come on...

You are too oblivious to the fact that giro climbs are different type of climbs than TDF climbs. They suit Hesjedal much more than they would suit Wiggins. But you'll see for yourself in May.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

You are too oblivious to the fact that giro climbs are different type of climbs than TDF climbs. They suit Hesjedal much more than they would suit Wiggins. But you'll see for yourself in May.

Plenty were saying Wiggins couldn't climb well enough to win the TDF, no doubt the same people are now sating the same thing about the Giro.

 

[webvan]

Point is, where did you see the "tempo changes by Italians and Columbians that would gave destroyed" Wiggo and Evans in this year's Giro ? Other than a short Pozzovivo attack in the first week that didn't destroy anyone, I'm not sure...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I didn't say that, try reading first, then replying... for gods sake

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Point is, where did you see the "tempo changes by Italians and Columbians that would gave destroyed" Wiggo and Evans in this year's Giro ? Other than a short Pozzovivo attack in the first week that didn't destroy anyone, I'm not sure...

I love these mythical Colombians who we always hear about on these forums, the two best Colombians are teammates of Wiggins. Quintana has a long way to go before he can be talked of as a GC contender.

 

[postmanhat]

The big question for me with Brad is will he have the focus to train as hard next year, having won the tour will he be as motivated, will he be distracted by all the other stuff that goes with being a tour winner, I actually thought he might retire at the end of this season, but I hope he can find the motivation to put in the same work as he did this year.

I wouldn't have been too surprised if he'd jacked it in either. He, or any other British cyclist will ever top last year.

From everything he's said, I think he'd be happier playing a support role for Froome in the TDf, rather than go for a solo win in The Giro. Can't see how he'd be able to do both?

EDIT - reading back it seems Wiggo is going for the Giro? Read a quote a while back from Nibali that the course was 'tailored for Wiggins'. Assumed it was just Italian mind games at the time..

 

[webvan]

Yes, note to self, ignore haters, just a waste of time...

 

[cineteq]

Point is, where did you see the "tempo changes by Italians and Columbians that would gave destroyed" Wiggo and Evans in this year's Giro ? Other than a short Pozzovivo attack in the first week that didn't destroy anyone, I'm not sure...

You're getting delusional with the whole thing that Wiggins will ride the Giro. I prefer Henao as leader way more than Wiggins. Btw, those Colombians (check the spelling for next time) are more suited than Wiggins for next year's Giro.

 

[webvan]

What ? Have you been living under a rock ?...Havng said that I'd like to commend you on finally dropping your ridiculous signature about Nibali's anatomy.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Btw, those Colombians (check the spelling for next time) are more suited than Wiggins for next year's Giro.

This isn't really relevant. If Wiggins decides to go for the Giro, Sky will have an everything for Wiggins policy again.

There are no flies on Wiggins, by the way. Going for the Giro with its shallower opposition is clever as compared with almost certain defeat in the Tour. Say what you like about him, he's had (or his team have had) a pretty good idea of how to maximise his return from his abilities over the last couple of years.

 

[Parrulo]

it's not the accelerations that wiggins can't handle, what he can't handle and was lucky not have on the tour 2012 was this:

constant up and down at high altitudes. how high was the highest MTF at last years tour? la toussuire at 1705 meters just 1000 shy of the galibier and 600 of tre cime. . . and the highest point in the entire race? the tourmalet at 2.1k which was placed far far away from the finish.

 

[The Hitch]

I wouldn't have been too surprised if he'd jacked it in either. He, or any other British cyclist will ever top last year.

From everything he's said, I think he'd be happier playing a support role for Froome in the TDf, rather than go for a solo win in The Giro. Can't see how he'd be able to do both?

EDIT - reading back it seems Wiggo is going for the Giro? Read a quote a while back from Nibali that the course was 'tailored for Wiggins'. Assumed it was just Italian mind games at the time..

What kind of mindgames is asking a superior rider to race, potentially costing you victory?

 

[The Hitch]

it's not the accelerations that wiggins can't handle, what he can't handle and was lucky not have on the tour 2012 was this:

constant up and down at high altitudes. how high was the highest MTF at last years tour? la toussuire at 1705 meters just 1000 shy of the galibier and 600 of tre cime. . . and the highest point in the entire race? the tourmalet at 2.1k which was placed far far away from the finish.

If he can woop Nibali up Tour mountains - few as they may have been, he was clearly superior, why can he not do it up slightly steeper ones? Its not like Nibali is some Purito like guy who increases relative to the peloton the higher the grades go. In fact not long ago we were calling these kind of stages Nibalis weakness, and 1 great showing up Zoncolan followed by getting dropped by about 10 guys on the next 2 mountain stages, imo has not neccesarily changed that.

 

[The Hitch]

I love these mythical Colombians who we always hear about on these forums, the two best Colombians are teammates of Wiggins. Quintana has a long way to go before he can be talked of as a GC contender.

Did you see the Vuelta? Quintana was flying away from the other Colombians for minutes. He then procceeded to match them in Lombardia when no one expected it, and took hisself a classic.

Henao was good for his first year in europe, but he never matched the heads of state all the way up a mountain like Quintana did in the Vuelta when it was absolute carnage. And as a 22 year old moving to 23 he should improve more than a 24 year old moving 25.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Like Friggin' Hesjedal got destroyed this year? Come on...

hesjedal is a climber way more than an itt guy. and he recuperates incrediblly well into the third week, which was his weapon in this years giro and will be again next year

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Wiggins would have won the Giro this year, absolutely no question. Of course, it may be a stronger race next year or he might not be in the same form. To suggest that he couldn't compete with Hesjedal is plain silly though.

wiggins would've never won the giro this year. not enough itt and purito >>>>>>>>>>>> wiggins any day and even he couldn't defeat hesjedal in the end and then there was de gendt and his show, that wiggins could've never followed either as he sucks too much in downhil too

the most important problem wiggins will face is 3 or 4 back to back mountainstages. he always sucked in more than 2 back to back mountainstages. same problem nibali has for instance. the giro seperates the climbers from the wannabees

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Plenty were saying Wiggins couldn't climb well enough to win the TDF, no doubt the same people are now sating the same thing about the Giro.

this years tour course and compeition was a joke. I've never said he couldn't win this years tour. but he will never win one again though, with guys like contador

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I love these mythical Colombians who we always hear about on these forums, the two best Colombians are teammates of Wiggins. Quintana has a long way to go before he can be talked of as a GC contender.

you have to be a total blind fool to think wiggins is a better climber than quintana. quintana >>>>> anything sky has. we saw in dauphinee and vuelta, can you imagine what he will be next year? with a gt in his legs and the extra experience and improvements?? the guy is still an u23 rider

 

[El Pistolero]

Since when did Quintana won a classic Hitch?

 

[webvan]

He didn't say a climber he said a GC Contender !

For those who have been stuck under a rock since this morning :

"I'm probably going to concentrate on the Giro d'Italia next year," he told Eurosport and the media squeezed into the interview area behind the main stage.

"For me, along with Paris-Roubaix, it's the only race on the calendar that's up there with the Tour de France for its history. It's just beautiful and I'd love to win that pink jersey along with the yellow jersey."

"I'll be at the start (of the Tour de France), that's for sure. If Chris is the leader then we go for it. My priority is the Giro d'Italia. It's become apparent that it's very difficult to compete in two Grand Tours and so it's very likely I'll be there in a helping capacity.

From http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-compares-armstrong-to-father-christmas