Wiggins Discussion thread.

[elfed68]

Am I the only one completely puzzled by the fact that a heavier Wiggins (+8kg according to some reports) sucks so much in TT's compared to the anorexic version that won the Tour?
Shouldn't you TT better in the flats if you're heavier?

Has he ever been any good at prologues, thought he only really excelled at the longer time trials.

 

[trevim]

Has he ever been any good at prologues, thought he only really excelled at the longer time trials.

I don't know how that translates to road but he was pursuit Olympic and World Champion on track and in prologues he was 4th in the Tour 2007, 1st in Dauphine 2007, 3rd in Tour 2009, 1st in Giro 2010, 2nd in Dauphine and Tour 2012.... Actually the longer TT's were where, in my opinion, he progressed more after his breakthrough in 2009

 

[PremierAndrew]

Am I the only one completely puzzled by the fact that a heavier Wiggins (+8kg according to some reports) sucks so much in TT's compared to the anorexic version that won the Tour?
Shouldn't you TT better in the flats if you're heavier?

Prologues don't really suit him. If you look at today's top 10, this really suited explosive TTers rather than those with higher endurance. Kwiatkowski is not a bad sprinter, and Degenkolb and Michael Matthews were both in top 10, and you can hardly say they are decent at a TT, but great sprinters. I personally think that 2013 Sagan on top form would have won that prologue - it really doesn't suit Wiggins (although I would still have expected him to be above Porte, and probably Thomas too)

 

[trevim]

Prologues don't really suit him. If you look at today's top 10, this really suited explosive TTers rather than those with higher endurance. Kwiatkowski is not a bad sprinter, and Degenkolb and Michael Matthews were both in top 10, and you can hardly say they are decent at a TT, but great sprinters. I personally think that 2013 Sagan on top form would have won that prologue - it really doesn't suit Wiggins (although I would still have expected him to be above Porte, and probably Thomas too)

Maybe too short but I still think it's a bad result for someone who is supposed to peak some weeks from now.

 

[Netserk]

Prologues don't really suit him. If you look at today's top 10, this really suited explosive TTers rather than those with higher endurance. Kwiatkowski is not a bad sprinter, and Degenkolb and Michael Matthews were both in top 10, and you can hardly say they are decent at a TT, but great sprinters. I personally think that 2013 Sagan on top form would have won that prologue - it really doesn't suit Wiggins (although I would still have expected him to be above Porte, and probably Thomas too)

How many of those ahead of him has better prologue palmares than him?

 

[willbick]

you guys love to draw a lot of firm conclusions from one race lol

 

[TMP401]

Maybe too short but I still think it's a bad result for someone who is supposed to peak some weeks from now.

But how relevant is a 7km prologue to Roubaix?

 

[SeriousSam]

Has he ever been any good at prologues, thought he only really excelled at the longer time trials.

We were told the reason Sir Brad started dominating long road time trials is that his pursuit mastery just translates really well, and now this. Full circle.

 

[willbick]

i expect wiggo's lost a bit of top end power at his age (34?) so aint so good on prologues. PN prologue wouldn't have been a target for him anyway so not surprising to see a moderate performance really.

 

[vedrafjord]

If he's put on a load of weight for Roubaix then the 1.1km 5% drag was probably enough to make sure he was never going to win the prologue, combined with the old Wiggo selective motivation.

 

[willbick]

Anyone here got any ideas how Wiggins can win PR? Obviously he can be in a select group near the finish but how can he win? I think he'll need a fair bit of luck to go his way

 

[Netserk]

Anyone here got any ideas how Wiggins can win PR? Obviously he can be in a select group near the finish but how can he win? I think he'll need a fair bit of luck to go his way

He needs to attack between the sectors a little out (10-30km) and hope some of the others look at each other for a bit so he can get away alone. Being crazy strong would be preferable as well.

 

[King Boonen]

Anyone here got any ideas how Wiggins can win PR? Obviously he can be in a select group near the finish but how can he win? I think he'll need a fair bit of luck to go his way

Honestly, I don't think he can and with Boonen out I think it's harder.

Had Boonen been there he could have made a break for it and no-one would have wanted to drag Tom back onto his wheel, but with him out everyone is going to fancy their chances in a sprint at the end (Caveat below).

Of course, there are other sprinters who can last the distance, so for Wiggin's sake I think he needs to hope Kristoff, Sagan, Degenkolb or even Boom (are they all riding?) can hold on to the select group. Then he needs to pick his time and ride away hard, he's not explosive so it probably needs to be one long push right at the end of a cobbled sector.

 

[scholar]

Honestly, I don't think he can and with Boonen out I think it's harder.

Had Boonen been there he could have made a break for it and no-one would have wanted to drag Tom back onto his wheel, but with him out everyone is going to fancy their chances in a sprint at the end (Caveat below).

Of course, there are other sprinters who can last the distance, so for Wiggin's sake I think he needs to hope Kristoff, Sagan, Degenkolb or even Boom (are they all riding?) can hold on to the select group. Then he needs to pick his time and ride away hard, he's not explosive so it probably needs to be one long push right at the end of a cobbled sector.

I remember his win from a (relatively select) bunch at Romandie in 2012. He's not explosive, no, but he does have the ability to put out a lot of power in an aero position -- such that no one was able to come round him on that day. Obviously, there's a big difference between a Romandie stage and the velodrome at Roubaix -- and I agree that his best option would be a solo attack -- but if the group's select enough to shed Greipel, Sagan and co, I'd at least be interested to see what happens.

(What I don't quite understand is why so many people are talking about him as a contender for PR. I mean: it would be massively impressive if he could do it, but so far he's only got a top-ten finish there, and the difference between that and winning is huge.)

 

[King Boonen]

I remember his win from a (relatively select) bunch at Romandie in 2012. He's not explosive, no, but he does have the ability to put out a lot of power in an aero position -- such that no one was able to come round him on that day. Obviously, there's a big difference between a Romandie stage and the velodrome at Roubaix -- and I agree that his best option would be a solo attack -- but if the group's select enough to shed Greipel, Sagan and co, I'd at least be interested to see what happens.

(What I don't quite understand is why so many people are talking about him as a contender for PR. I mean: it would be massively impressive if he could do it, but so far he's only got a top-ten finish there, and the difference between that and winning is huge.)

From memory that win was more about him being on the front, surprising people by pressing on and a bit of confusion, but I was surprised when no-one came round him.

He knows how to ride on the track, maybe if he can enter with a slight lead it'd be enough for him to hold them off but I'd back pretty much anyone who is going to be there at the end over him if a group gets on the track together.


I think he deserves to be included in possible winners. He's won pretty much everything he's put his mind to and his performance last year was very strong, probably stronger than the position he finished in. But I agree, the difference between top 10 and winning is massive, even top 5 would be extremely impressive.

 

[scholar]

From memory that win was more about him being on the front, surprising people by pressing on and a bit of confusion, but I was surprised when no-one came round him.

The last km and a bit are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeHQoBVjxvA&t=35m25s : it looks to me like at least as much power as surprise and confusion, with no one able to come past him.

He knows how to ride on the track, maybe if he can enter with a slight lead it'd be enough for him to hold them off but I'd back pretty much anyone who is going to be there at the end over him if a group gets on the track together.

I think he deserves to be included in possible winners. He's won pretty much everything he's put his mind to and his performance last year was very strong, probably stronger than the position he finished in. But I agree, the difference between top 10 and winning is massive, even top 5 would be extremely impressive.

Agree with every word. I'd nonetheless be interested to see what happened if he went onto the velodrome in a small group without any of the specialist sprinters. The thought's whetting my appetite already. After all this it'll probably end up a disappointing edition.

 

[King Boonen]

The last km and a bit are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeHQoBVjxvA&t=35m25s : it looks to me like at least as much power as surprise and confusion, with no one able to come past him.

Thanks, was good to see guys congratulating him at the end too!

Does seem to be power but it was Westra, Van Garderen, Tiralongo etc. not Vanmarcke, Cancellara, Terpstra, Stybar, Degenkolb et. al. who will be there at PR.

Will still be very interesting, but I'm not sure we're going to get to see it, fingers crossed though.

Personally I'd prefer Stannard to get it if it was a Brit, I hope they are both protected.

 

[scholar]

Personally I'd prefer Stannard to get it if it was a Brit, I hope they are both protected.

I'd be happy to see either of them win it (not least because I find it hard to imagine a situation in which either could win that wasn't also a really interesting race). My preference, though, as far as I have one, would be for Vanmarcke.

 

[OffTheBackAdam]

Point to bear in mind, is how knackered they'll all be after 253km with 1/5 of that over cobbles. How many times they'll have to get back on after a puncture, other mechanical or a crash.
Remember the lead-out he gave Cav on the Champs in 2012? Albacini was sprinting just to keep pace with Wiggo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4SzcoD4lDw
If Wiggo's in shape, then he's got a chance.
Big problem is, that like Spartacus, nobody's going to let him go off the front with say 5 or 10km to go, otherwise the next time he'll be seen is on the finish line, waiting to see who'll be first loser!
As a race, it is anachronistic, but isn't that why we all love to watch it?

 

[May0maniac]

His team will be pretty strong Eisel, Stannard, Thomas and Wiggins should be one of the strongest teams only the Etixx should be better, even without Boonen.

 

[del1962]

Brad can't be training that well, not selected for E3

Doesnt look good for P-N

 

[IndianCyclist]

No he will suddenly appear in PR and win just like 2009

 

[happychappy]

Re:

Brad can't be training that well, not selected for E3

Doesnt look good for P-N

Couldn't be bothered to finish a one week race, now can't even be bothered to start a one day race.

 

[DBotero]

Sir is back in business http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins ... t-wevelgem

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Brad can't be training that well, not selected for E3

Doesnt look good for P-N

Couldn't be bothered to finish a one week race, now can't even be bothered to start a one day race.

I think it's just ultra-selectively avoiding as many hills as possible.