Wiggins Discussion thread.

[Jelantik]

@Skyfangirl1 (aka David Walsh) tweeted that Bailsford told him during the stage that Uran was going to attack and that was the team plan.

So it is not unreasonable to conclude that it was not a case of wiggins deciding mid stage that uran can attack.

I guess sky wanted to make Nibali team chased Uran maybe. And we did see Agnoli came to front and started pulling until nibali was with no team mate. The script should have been wiggins then attacked. *I was really waiting to see wiggins' claim of his new climbing skill*. Apparently is backfired? Now Uran is moving ahead and wiggins is moving backward. I'm really curious what happen if tomorrow is raining and wiggins got distanced again in the descent. Uran can follow nibali and evan just fine on the descent. I still don't believe that wiggins will ride for Uran as he said. He didn't want to do it for Froome why is now different? He has an ego, and if he is down with time and out of contention to win it, he'll after the podium. So that means, no way he'll bury himself for Uran then swing sideways after that.

Maybe if hesjedal endes up pulling out after stage 11, it'll give wiggins something to consider if he again looses time. At least if Giro champ is leaving the race, TDF champ is ok to leave too?

 

[willbick]

maybe if he was very boring in press conferences like most other sportsmen you wouldnt think he was a d1ck. the fact that he isnt very boring makes him a better person in my eyes but clearly not yours

 

[Jelantik]

wiggins doesnt have to 'attack' to gain 2 mins on nibali. if nibali has a bad day (for whatever reason. he might have food poisoning, whatever) then he might lose 2 mins to wiggins. or maybe he'll lose 1 min on 2 stages. whatever.

IM NOT SAYING THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. im saying it COULD happen. that is all. no more, no less. i just wish u guys would be a little more humble in your confident predictions of the future.

sure it could happen but what is the point to mention this? It is like saying I can run faster than Usain Bolt, if Usian just happen break his leg that day.

LOL Touché..

 

[The Hitch]

i would say he is the biggest 'cycling personality' in the english-speaking media world. maybe that doesnt make him the 'biggest name' in cycling but he's up there. he is certainly under more media scrutiny than 99.9% of cyclists

and in that .1% there are plenty of guys who dont come off looking so bad. Explain that.

 

[hrotha]

maybe if he was very boring in press conferences like most other sportsmen you wouldnt think he was a d1ck. the fact that he isnt very boring makes him a better person in my eyes but clearly not yours

You know who else was quite an interesting character? HITLER.

 

[The Hitch]

i would say he is the biggest 'cycling personality' in the english-speaking media world. maybe that doesnt make him the 'biggest name' in cycling but he's up there. he is certainly under more media scrutiny than 99.9% of cyclists

Ill try another way. Usain Bolt was brought up in this thread. Im not a huge fan or anything but i think he does manage to come off like a decent person. He smiles to the cameras, says good things about others and leaves it at that.

Bolt gets 1000 times the media attention that wiggins does. How does the fact that he manages to exert a positive impression on people fit into your theory that the more the media focuses on someone the worse they will appear?

 

[Dr. Maserati]

You said they were better "natural climbers"

What do you mean by natural climbers?

Seriously? .........

i would say he is the biggest 'cycling personality' in the english-speaking media world. maybe that doesnt make him the 'biggest name' in cycling but he's up there. he is certainly under more media scrutiny than 99.9% of cyclists

Cav is bigger.

 

[willbick]

as i said above, its prob because they are more diplomatic/boring with the press. wiggins speaks his mind a bit. i think that makes him a good person but you dont agree. when wiggins and nibali had a bit of a spat during 2012 tour de france wiggins patted nibali on the back after finishing a mountain stage together. i suppose you'll say that was a patronizing gesture. i thought it was an honest act of respect and concilliation

 

[Elevation]

Its May 2013, Wiggins climbing ability in 2012 is about as relevant as his 2006 climbing ability.

Almost everyone in the top 10 is a better climber, and Wiggins will do well to stay with them.

Maybe we're overdoing this 'everybody is a better climber than Wiggins'. He was climbing at over 6watts during the tour. That should be enough to stay with this guys, even if he is not as explosive in attacking terms. I agree though his options are now limited. He will be hoping for another occasion like during the tour when he and Froome rode away from a field that included Nibali and Evans. Nibali does usually have a bad day on the climbs. Evans' cracked at the tour. It's very possible. The odds are against it, but Wiggins is still in with a shout.

 

[The Hitch]

You know who else was quite an interesting character? HITLER.

Wouldnt use the h word myself (tis taboo) but since you already went there, he would also fit into willbecks " he isnt perfect just like you and i" catergory.

 

[willbick]

Seriously? .........


Cav is bigger.

and cav is also considered by many to be a d1ck, and also by me to be essentially a decent person

 

[willbick]

ok now yr comparing wiggins to Hitler. goodnight

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Wouldnt use the h word myself (tis taboo) but since you already went there, he would also fit into willbecks " he isnt perfect just like you and i" catergory.

"Its complex" .....

 

[Elevation]

as i said above, its prob because they are more diplomatic/boring with the press. wiggins speaks his mind a bit. i think that makes him a good person but you dont agree. when wiggins and nibali had a bit of a spat during 2012 tour de france wiggins patted nibali on the back after finishing a mountain stage together. i suppose you'll say that was a patronizing gesture. i thought it was an honest act of respect and concilliation

Wiggins doesn't have a formula when he speaks. He frequently makes little mistakes, like comparing himself to a girl. He doesn't always use full sentences to explain himself, which allows people to disingenuously misrepresent him. Personally I love his honesty and the fact he will lay himself open.

 

[The Hitch]

Seriously? .........

I thought if anyone would actually answer a simple question it would be you considering you usually follow a principle of following arguments to their core.

I was genuinely interested in what answer you would give

wiggins has in 3 seperate gts been 1 of the best climbers in the race. Not just the 2012 tour but also the 2009 one and the 2011 vuelta. He also climbed very well in trentino last month, and in the dauphine 2 years ago.

So which 10 other riders would you rank as better climbers than him?

And if your answer is, - the 9 riders who beat him on the climb today, then why did you mention gesink as an example, considering wiggins beat gesink today.

 

[Jelantik]

I suspect Wiggins' problem in this Giro is ego. I don't think he's fully trained for it because he thought he could win and still have something in reserve for the Tour. Now he's going to lose the Giro and Froome will be sole leader for the Tour, and he won't get either.

Don't agree that it was ego.

I believe is "his big mouth".

That's what I hear from his interview.
"I'm better than last year. My number is great. I have a new climbing skill, I practice the turbo charge even though I don't like it, but it gives me a killer acceleration. I won 6 minutes against nibali in TDF. I would loose few seconds here and there in mountain to nibali. I took 3 minutes of Nibali on TT last year (*in his head, I could be 2/3 minutes ahead after stage 8*. Not) Chris and I both came out good and we'll be the leader through the first week of TDF and dave will decide. I don't like that chris was trying to drop me last year (*in his head: how dare you Chris. I can eat you in TT*)... and bla, bla, bla"

All his talk sounds good but he forgets that he has to descent in the rain

 

[Dr. Maserati]

and cav is also considered by many to be a d1ck, and also by me to be essentially a decent person

He is - even though I have no problem with either of them.

But you were responding to this post originally:

Not really. This is more why:

3 he's arrogant
4 he's disrespectful
5 he's bad teammate
6 he doesn't deserve to be a knight

There are others but I can't think of them right now.

Miburo do you want to start a poll for this? It's right up your alley.

hich you defnded by saying he is under the media spotlight
Don't think all 4 points can be said of Cav.

 

[The Hitch]

Wiggins doesn't have a formula when he speaks. He frequently makes little mistakes, like comparing himself to a girl. He doesn't always use full sentences to explain himself, which allows people to disingenuously misrepresent him. Personally I love his honesty and the fact he will lay himself open.

Strange example. Did anyone go after wiggins for comparing himself to a girl? Did anyone attack him for that?

I believe ive built a reputation around here as someone who doesn't particularly like wiggins (not since 2012 anyway) but even i said when i saw it that it was a very honest interview.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I thought if anyone would actually answer a simple question it would be you considering you usually follow a principle of following arguments to their core.

I was genuinely interested in what answer you would give

wiggins has in 3 seperate gts been 1 of the best climbers in the race. Not just the 2012 tour but also the 2009 one and the 2011 vuelta. He also climbed very well in trentino last month, and in the dauphine 2 years ago.

So which 10 other riders would you rank as better climbers than him?

And if your answer is, - the 9 riders who beat him on the climb today, then why did you mention gesink as an example, considering wiggins beat gesink today.

I didn't think I needed to explain why i think is a very basic point.

The basic disciplines in cycling are, climbing, TTing/Rouleur, Sprinter.
Natural climbers = people who are at home in the mountains.
Wiggins is a natural TTer.

 

[The Hitch]

I didn't think I needed to explain why i think is a very basic point.

The basic disciplines in cycling are, climbing, TTing/Rouleur, Sprinter.
Natural climbers = people who are at home in the mountains.
Wiggins is a natural TTer.

If wiggins isnt a natural climber then what did you mean when you said they were "better natural climbers"

Sure, Nibali could lose a lot of time - but what about Evans, and what about Gesink and the rest of the top 10 who are all better natural climbers than Wiggins.

With the explanation you present above surely it should have read - there are 10 riders in the race who are natural climbers unlike wiggins (because he is a natural tter not a natural climber) no?
How can someone be a worse natural climber if they arent a natural climber?

 

[Angliru]

the main reason people on this forum hate him is

1 he's british
2 his riding style is unexciting.

seems rather harsh to me but there you go. I guess people like to find any lame excuses to have a good rant

How is it you surmise that he is generally disliked on this forum because he is British? I think has more to with him being figurehead along with, Brailsford, of a team that is quite reminiscent of US Postal.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

If wiggins isnt a natural climber then what did you mean when you said they were "better natural climbers"



With the explanation you present above surely it should have read - there are 10 riders in the race who are natural climbers unlike wiggins (because he is a natural tter not a natural climber) no?
How can someone be a worse natural climber if they arent a natural climber?

Indeed I could have a written a novel, on each and every rider, or produced slide show and pictures.
Wiggins is a natural TTer - but he can climb - it is not his natural forte, I couldn't say he cannot climb, because someone might try to be pedantic about that.

Still hurt over the Walsh thing, eh?

 

[Elevation]

Strange example. Did anyone go after wiggins for comparing himself to a girl? Did anyone attack him for that?

I believe ive built a reputation around here as someone who doesn't particularly like wiggins (not since 2012 anyway) but even i said when i saw it that it was a very honest interview.

It wasn't a major mistake. The fact he immediately clarified his comments showed it wasn't exactly what he meant. http://rawrbikes.com/content/bradley-wiggins-there-are-no-excuses

His mistakes often get him in trouble with the internet. He says things off the top of his head that don't often make sense, like describing Garmin as Wigan. He casually stated that he didn't race with Armstrong, when he was trying to make the point that he wasn't challenging him during his TdF wins. He frequently doesn't make absolute sense, and people get very angry about it, but to me it shows he wouldn't be very good at being part of an organized lie. He's a bit of an open book. I like him.

 

[Angliru]

The guy has never before in his (admittedly short lived) career as a GC contender attacked in the mountains to my knowledge. How can you expect someone like that to pull back 2 minutes? He might take some time back in the TT but he could be 3 or 4 minutes down by the eve of the TT.

He did attack in the 2009 Tour but it was so weak and laughable that it has been easily forgotten. Wiggins has been quoted as saying that he worked on improving his ability to better respond to rival's accelerations and which would in turn potentially allow him to create an immediate gap on his own should he attempt to attack. It doesn't appear to have bore any fruit.

 

[thehog]

For those who read Italian. Weather from Thursday onwards is dire.

Rain, hail and snow.

http://www.meteoweb.eu/2013/05/alle...tappa-per-tappa-sara-un-weekend-epico/202892/

Maybe see some stages shortened due to neve. The Galiber will be minus -0.

I'd say that's the end or Wiggins.

The Passo dello Stelvio will have one meter or fresh snow by next week.