Wiggins/ Froome - is it just a grudge?

[serfla]

One thing about all this grudge, as we call it, amuses me.
The tension that's raising in relation to the Sky's Tour leader is leaving impression that all involved are convinced that leadership automatically means the Tour victory.
They certainly are dominant team and, so far, better than the rest, but it's a long way to Paris and no one will surrender without fight.

 

[The Hitch]

But not according to wiggin + sky's management. Go figure.

Of course froome is leader according to the sky managment.

 

[hfer07]

Lol. I like his metaphor. Froome's sand castle... pretty accurate. In his head, Froome thinks he is the outright leader. But not according to wiggin + sky's management. Go figure.

Same as Contador when he was the indisputable Leader in 09 while Bruynnel & LA were screwing him behind close doors.....
I hope Brailsford is inteligent enough to distinguish wisely which rider needs full support this yeat & the next ones to come-and not be stubborn & blinded by his friend's influence....
SKY must acknowledge Froome as the future along with Porte, and not screw around & allow them to walk away just to please Sir Wiggo...

 

[Ripper]

I'd call Wiggo a little girl, but that's insulting the little girls.

I'd call him a cry baby, but that insults babies.

The guy is simply a whiny tool and a grad A suck hole.

 

[Ripper]

Wiggins has shown that he is prepared to ride for other people. I remember him riding himself into the ground for Cavendish at the Olympics even though he had the TT coming up (and even after Froome had stopped pulling in the same race).

So, two questions:

- If Froome hadn't showboated in last year's Tour, and if Michelle had kept her mouth shut, would Wiggins now be saying that he'd ride for Froome loyally?

- If Froome apologised to Wiggins for last year, would Wiggins stop what he's saying?

Apologised? I'd leave a big turd in Wiggo's helmet.

 

[Ripper]

Wiggins wants to defend his title. I don't think there needs to be anything other than that.

Funny, a number of months ago he wanted nothing to do with it. He did not want to 'do what Cadel did', etc. Sounded like a total a$$ monkey.

 

[Afrank]

Wiggins has shown that he is prepared to ride for other people. I remember him riding himself into the ground for Cavendish at the Olympics even though he had the TT coming up (and even after Froome had stopped pulling in the same race).

So, two questions:

- If Froome hadn't showboated in last year's Tour, and if Michelle had kept her mouth shut, would Wiggins now be saying that he'd ride for Froome loyally?

- If Froome apologised to Wiggins for last year, would Wiggins stop what he's saying?

1. Froome wasn't showboating in last years Tour, he was simply too strong. Showboating would be if he continuously kept riding away from Wiggins again and again, and stopping very soon after a gap was established by slowing way down (track stand-like slow down) quickly. He didn't do this, he stopped immediately after being told to stop. And Wiggins would still be doing the same thing he is doing now I think, just the kind of guy he is.

2. Froome's got nothing to apologize for.

Wiggins seems to only care about his own goals, and he doesn't care one bit if those goals put Froome's goals in danger. Can't wait to see Froome dropping Wiggins like a lead weight come Ax-3.

 

[leftover pie]

whatever it is i watch with interest and look forward to the inevitable "handbags at 10 pages" that 2 burly pro-cyclists will most likely indulge in.

with a potential WAG v WAG prelim bout as well.

 

[HiCadence]

i agree with g thomas when he says that this is great for the sport. lance vs contador was too. i was pumped up like hell, remember all those eurosport ads and everything? epic stuff in terms of lance/alberto saga(not racing entertainment)until verbier.
this will bring lots of attention and money which is good.
i just hope both of them will be at absolute maximum

The sport needs something positive for a change.

 

[wwabbit]

I don't believe that at all. Froome was there for insurance but there were no real challengers so he ended up hardly having to do any work for Wiggins.
In the Vuelta 2011 Froome pulled a huge amount and in hindsight gave up his chance of the overall, but not in the Tour 2012.

If being a super-domestique is as simple as doing a lot of pulls, then there are plenty of climbing doms that can do that. Froome however was pulling during critical periods - covering several attacks from Nibali and VDB. On hindsight, yes, Wiggins probably would not have lost 6 minutes to all of Nibali's combined attacks if Froome was not there, but work done is work done, and I'm sure Wiggins was more than thankful for not losing any time to Nibali in any stage.

I agree that Froome was not likely to make up 3 mins on Wiggins if he was riding for himself, but I think he would probably have made up 2 mins, which would have been sufficient if not for the mechanical on stage 1.

 

[DirtTurtle]

The way i see it is simple, Wiggins was strong enough to win the tour, Froome may have been strong enough to equal but we will never know if he could beat Wiggins in 2012, but team orders are team orders.

Next comes the backlash after the tour, alot said but I can see two clear points;

Froome was very strong last year and enough to dictate at least equal leadership pending performance. Wiggins not having equal leadership would be injustice for TDF winner from last year(yes Wiggins is a bit of a dog if he actually said this face to face to Froome rather than media).

Wiggins has the argument that he won last years TDF and will be riding to defend. Even with a podium at the Giro, I cant blame the bloke for wanting to defend if he feels he has the legs. Could you imagine being the reigning TDF champ sitting there with good legs and sit back and do the team thing.

If Brad Wiggins has previously said face to face to Froome with an honest conversation that he will ride 100% for him at the tour 2013 and wont, thats a dog act. Media conversations should be taken with a grain of salt.

There is a massive world behind the scenes for that team, isnt the media attention so fantastic that its focusing on the TEAM SKY gc riders than the regular tdf winner debate. Win to SKY

Cycling is a business, they are paid to ride just as regular workers are paid to work, if Sky cant manage that then its no different to a corporate environment, if a rider isnt happy that there is no promotion, they can quit.

Money talks people, I wouldn't be surprised if Sky hasnt already got this worked out and building hype about it. Honest truth is we will prob never know.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

The Sky Marketing budget is all about Wiggins. You can bet your bottom dollar there are sponsors leaning on Brailsford to have Wiggins as leader.
If it was just a dispute between 2 guys on the team then given his reputation for being ruthless and unemotional its fair to assume that Brailsford would have ended it and told them both to STFU. There is something more going on here behind the scenes. In more ways than one its reminiscent of Lemond v Hinault with Sky taking the role of Tapie to promote their prefered rider.

 

[HL2037]

Somebody is trying to create some Froome/Wiggins drama. But there is no way of disguising it: The grand tours are going to be deadly boring this year, thanks to team Sky.

 

[Winterfold]

The idea that Froome could somehow have made up over 3 minutes if he had been allowed to ride on his own is ridiculous

THis. The idea that Froome was stronger that Wiggo is a joke, he could have gained 20s on him chasing down Valverde and what else?

Wiggo owned him in the TTs

The guy is getting his just rewards for trying to flick his team leader.

(Assuming it isnt all a big PR stunt and misdirection)

 

[Flamin]

i agree with g thomas when he says that this is great for the sport. lance vs contador was too. i was pumped up like hell, remember all those eurosport ads and everything? epic stuff in terms of lance/alberto saga(not racing entertainment)until verbier.
this will bring lots of attention and money which is good.
i just hope both of them will be at absolute maximum

Exactly, just sit back and enjoy this great show. In fact, Froomey and Wiggo are probably doing the same, since the media has blown this completely out of proportion and therefore people are reading way too much into it.

 

[maltiv]

THis. The idea that Froome was stronger that Wiggo is a joke, he could have gained 20s on him chasing down Valverde and what else?

Wiggo owned him in the TTs

The guy is getting his just rewards for trying to flick his team leader.

(Assuming it isnt all a big PR stunt and misdirection)

Keep in mind that Froome lost 1:30 or so due to a crash on stage 1.

 

[William H]

Funny, a number of months ago he wanted nothing to do with it. He did not want to 'do what Cadel did', etc. Sounded like a total a$$ monkey.

It's been pretty obvious for some time now that Wiggins wants to defend his title.

The team clearly prefers Froome, which is why they've sent Wiggins to the Giro, and sometimes Wiggins manages to stick to the party line, but often his own desires come out.

Wiggins is really very bad at talking to the press. Some riders speak their minds, some speak PR speak, but Wiggins switchess between them and ends up contradicting himself.

 

[wwabbit]

THis. The idea that Froome was stronger that Wiggo is a joke, he could have gained 20s on him chasing down Valverde and what else?

Froome could have taken maybe 1'30" at La Toussuire.

 

[goggalor]

Wiggins is just being Wiggins. He's not a particularly pleasant person. Froome will get him back by dropping him on the first 2nd cat.

 

[airstream]

le Tour de France 6th July Castres – Ax 3 Domaines 194 km

Froome 0
Wiggins, Rodriguez, Andy +'25
Alex, Contador, Pinot +'45

 

[Angliru]

What on earth has Wiggins said that is so wrong? Merely that he wants to go for a podium at least and that it is up to the team to decide who is the leader. IMO it is Froome who is shouting his mouth off saying that he is the leader.

Frankly Froome did very little to help Wiggins win last year - he pulled for 3km and gave up the chance of winning a stage. Big deal.

What race were you watching? I would think that Wiggins wouldn't have felt the need to promise to ride for Froome in the Tour (eventually) as he did publicly if he didn't feel that a debt needed to be repaid.

 

[willbick]

Froome could have taken maybe 1'30" at La Toussuire.

 

[Jan the Man]

Last year's route was tailor made for Wiggins. This year's route is designed for an excellent climber who can TT well.

On top of that you add the fact that the Giro has the toughest parcours of any GT. It makes the Giro Tour double extremely difficult, bordering on the impossible, in the modern era (even someone as good as Contador failed in 2011).

Even they are both equal leaders and even if Wiggins is in Yellow after the TT. If both arrive at Plateau de Bonsacre there will be attacks from someone (Purito/Contador if not initiated by Froome) I know who from Froome and Wiggins I'd be backing to be the best bet and it's not the knight who's got a Giro in his legs.

 

[willbick]

Typical 'meedya' storm in a teacup.

 

[XlandaluzeX]

Froome's biggest disadvantage (in general, but also in this) is Michelle. If I was Froome I'd tell her to STFU.

i say its him being kenyan while Wiggins is as english as u can get

hes never going play with Oasis and make it to the frontpages, really i dont think they ll go with Froome for the long term