Wiggo at the 2012 Olympics

[Eric8-A]

Bradley Wiggins is a double gold medalist at the individual pursuit. I also believe he's the only rider to defend that tittle. He's said he wants a spot on the 2012 Olympics team to try and go for a third. Given that he has focused on being a GT conteder since 2009, how well do you think he'll be on the track. It's said he'll be doing some training on the track to get warmed up. Will he able to get gold again?

 

[adamski101]

we should have a good idea this weekend as he is part of the Team Pursuit squad at the World Cup in Manchester.

There is no individual pursuit at Olympics next year so his only hope of getting gold at 3 consecutive games will be in the Team Pursuit.

 

[will10]

Bradley Wiggins is a double gold medalist at the individual pursuit. I also believe he's the only rider to defend that tittle. He's said he wants a spot on the 2012 Olympics team to try and go for a third. Given that he has focused on being a GT conteder since 2009, how well do you think he'll be on the track. It's said he'll be doing some training on the track to get warmed up. Will he able to get gold again?

There is no IP title at the 2012 Olympics.

He is targetting a place on the TP squad.

 

[avanti]

You are correct.

I just looked upthe Olympic track events* again and it reminded me why I'm not attending the games although I have a relative who lives a few miles south of the track. I say add more enduance events.

* http://www.uci.ch/Modules/BUILTIN/g...bjTypeCode=FILE&type=FILE&id=NjA1Nzc&LangId=1

 

[The Hitch]

Wiggo said he plans to do the Tour,then cross the channel to London in time for the team pursuit final 6 days later.

Is he nuts?

I dont see how you can do the tour, hell go for good placing in the Tour, then do the Team puruit olympic final a week later.

Are team gb just that good?

 

[palmerq]

Is that what he said? I wasn't listening too closely I thought he was rambling about the team having to think about what will happen next year because the olympics are his main objective, I got the impression he was saying he might not be at the tour... Although I was playing pokemon so I am probably wrong :S

 

[The Hitch]

Is that what he said? I wasn't listening too closely I thought he was rambling about the team having to think about what will happen next year because the olympics are his main objective, I got the impression he was saying he might not be at the tour... Although I was playing pokemon so I am probably wrong :S

Just listened to it again.

He said

"We'll start looking at the final details next year and this winter, and how thats gonna work, that juggling act with the TOur and the Olympic program, but as the dates stand it could be ill be finishing the Tour in Paris on Sunday and be in the Team pursuit final i think on Friday or Saturday, so its not too long in between so i think ill have to look at that quite carefully"

 

[palmerq]

Sounds to me like he is thinking about not doing the tour next year, infact I got the impression from the interview that he has pretty much given up on it, just by the way he was talking, not anything he said in particular.

 

[Ferminal]

The idea of going straight to the track after a GT or heavy road block isn't alone that mind-boggling. San Sebastian is a week after the Tour, and most of the Tour big guns do well there (using this example to show it's possible to hold form for a week after the Tour). Bobridge came off a road block to set the best time ever. Apparently Boardman's time in Manchester was after a heavy road session (maybe the TdF?).

What I do have difficulties being able to comprehend is if he plans on going from a top10 climber, to maximum power on the track. Surely someone who has been training TP for 6 months prior to the games will have the better (physical) attributes compared to someone who has been training to win the Tour.

 

[The Hitch]

What I do have difficulties being able to comprehend is if he plans on going from a top10 climber, to maximum power on the track. Surely someone who has been training TP for 6 months prior to the games will have the better (physical) attributes compared to someone who has been training to win the Tour.

Thats the point. Wiggins has finished Tours before so that achievement alone wouldnt be worth screwing around with olympic form for.

He said he "could be in Paris on the Sunday". So that would mean going for a gc because if he was going for stages, it wouldnt be worth going over the Pyranees/ Alpes for i dont think.

 

[euanli]

The whole Qatar followed by World Cup was done to test how he reacts to the road racing followed by the track. Obviously though that isn't the Tour. I would wager there will be some experimentation after the Tour this year.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

The Olympic Mens Road Race is Saturday 28th July, so I imagine the TDF should end on the 22nd.

The Team Pursuit is then on the 2nd and 3rd of August - so Wiggins would have a week and a half

 

[The Hitch]

The Olympic Mens Road Race is Saturday 28th July, so I imagine the TDF should end on the 22nd.

The Team Pursuit is then on the 2nd and 3rd of August - so Wiggins would have a week and a half

mmm youve got it correct. In 2012 the Tour will actually start in June.

It seems that its wiggo who commented without researching.

 

[oldcrank]

In 2002 McGee b*tch-slapped Wiggo in the Commonwealth Games
pursuit final just a few days after he (McGee) finished the Tour. I
believe McGee rode a 4.16 on that occasion. However, a team
pursuit at 3.50 or 3.52 might be a little more difficult to pull
off days after a Grand Tour. But I believe Team GB covet
the Team Pursuit gold more than any other 2012 Olympic
cycling medal and their preparations will reflect that.

 

[simoni]

It also comes down to who else they have in the frame. Is Wiggins after the tour better than anyone else they have available? I'd speculate that the experience and natural track ability of Wiggins together with the lift his sheer presense would bring might be enough to get him the nod. Although the aussies are a serious outfit now and it'll need a perfect ride.

What has Thomas said he'll be doing. I think I remember something about having a year off the tour next year and preparing specifically for the OG. Classics + Giro + a summer of track prep for him?