Wiggo debacle

[willbick]

Why did you tell him to take it to the clinic then push the clinic discussion in this thread even further

What the hell has saying wiggins is purely a TTer got to do with the clinic?

 

[jaylew]

There are 7 worse riders than Wiggo on that list and 8 worse TTers.

I'd say 8 and 9

Hated Sky, hated Wiggins, but I think what they're doing to Wiggins now is pretty digusting. You start a project to get the first British TdF winner, within 5 years, and end up not only winning the TdF with that British rider, but also dumping him like thrash within 5 years

Interesting. I wonder if it says more about the Sky leadership or Wiggins?

The fact is Froome and wiggins dont get on. At all. 3 weeks in the same bus, same team, same hotel would inevitably be a disaster. Furthermore the press would be over them constantly like a rash looking for any froome/wiggo disharmony stories, constantly, for the whole tour. Nightmare.

Sounds like 2009 and that was ultimately successful....sorta

I've always and always will dislikes Sky, I actually like Wiggo a little more now because of Sky's actions, but are their actions justified because maybe Wiggo is such a big ******? We don't know for sure because were not behind the closed door.

I haven't always disliked them but yeah, I kinda agree with this. I keep thinking what a dumb decision this is but then I remember what a tool Wiggins is and I'm not so sure

Pretty much this. Denying Wiggins the ability to defend his Tour de France title is almost unheard of in all of sport.

I was trying to think of a good equivalent and the closest I could come up with was a defending NFL Super Bowl champion QB being benched before the start of the following season...

Anyway. Wiggins has always been a selfish rider, unable to offer much for the team for very long. But he deserves a glory ride and it's sad he doesn't get it.

And this.

 

[willbick]

I was trying to think of a good equivalent and the closest I could come up with was a defending NFL Super Bowl champion QB being benched before the start of the following season...
.

He made the decision HIMSELF to not ride the 2013 tour

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

He made the decision HIMSELF to not ride the 2013 tour

Posting it 10 times won't make it true.

He wanted to ride the Tour, but Froome wouldn't have it and an injury pretext was found. I doubt your sources are closer to the situation than mine.

 

[elfed68]

He made the decision HIMSELF to not ride the 2013 tour

I still question that, I think he was told he wasn't riding TdF 2013 and could have the Giro instead.

 

[willbick]

Posting it 10 times won't make it true.

He wanted to ride the Tour, but Froome wouldn't have it and an injury pretext was found. I doubt your sources are closer to the situation than mine.

I was at a cycling event during the 2012 tour when Shane Sutton (close enough for you?!) said he didnt think Wiggins would ride the 2013 tour.

 

[movingtarget]

let us put it this way: BMC managed their riders better than Sky. in terms of classics, OPQS managed their riders better.
FS, i dont like the way the team Sky is managed.

If wiggo is going to focus entirely on tracks, then he should have been given a respectable exit.

BMC I suppose deserve some credit there but I think the result for Evans probably would have been about the same in both races, hovering inside the top 10. BMC management obviously knew Evans would not podium the Tour and would struggle to finish ahead of TJVG even though they both had miserable races last time they raced the Tour. It's TJVG's time to step up.

 

[The Hitch]

I was at a cycling event during the 2012 tour when Shane Sutton (close enough for you?!) said he didnt think Wiggins would ride the 2013 tour.

Then why did wiggins spend the first half of 2013 talking about doing the Giro Tour double

Didn't think it through, did you

 

[willbick]

Then why did wiggins spend the first half of 2013 talking about doing the Giro Tour double

Didn't think it through, did you

As if he ever seriously was gonna go for the giro/tour double lol. Froome was clearly the designated tour GC rider for the best part of a year leading up to july 2013. If Wiggins did say that he must've been being mischievous coz he would've been perfectly aware that it was never going to happen

Dont take as gospel everything people say to the press

 

[The Hitch]

As if he ever seriously was gonna go for the giro/tour double lol. Froome was clearly the designated tour GC rider for the best part of a year leading up to july 2013. If Wiggins did say that he must've been being mischievous coz he would've been perfectly aware that it was never going to happen

Poor memory eh?

There was a big controversy about it last year just like this year.

Wiggins said repeatedly that he wanted to do the Tour and Cound got furious about it. Even Froome released a response saying "I am the leader"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22340878

"The Tour de France is my focus, it's just that I'm doing the Giro before."

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Poor memory eh?

There was a big controversy about it last year just like this year.

Wiggins said repeatedly that he wanted to do the Tour and Cound got furious about it. Even Froome released a response saying "I am the leader"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22340878

His cognitive dissonance has blanked that all out because an Aussie offered a throw away opinion to some fan 2 years ago.

 

[willbick]

More importantly, wtf does he look like at Wimbledon?!

 

[darwin553]

More importantly, wtf does he look like at Wimbledon?!

Probably showcasing his typical 1980s look - you know with the pronounced sideburns

 

[LugHugger]

Poor memory eh?

There was a big controversy about it last year just like this year.

Wiggins said repeatedly that he wanted to do the Tour and Cound got furious about it. Even Froome released a response saying "I am the leader"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22340878

Wiggins did admit that he had difficulty with motivation post Tour and Olympics though. To compound that he rode into a car at 30mph in the first couple of weeks back in training and disadvantaged himself during a key phase of preparation.

Unfortunately for Wiggins, what he said he wanted and what his lab figures may have said, combined with his form on the bike in the races he did manage to ride, meant that the decision to go with Froome was easy in the end.

 

[ILovecycling]

More importantly, wtf does he look like at Wimbledon?!

is he sitting on centre court right now (nadal x kukushkin match)?

 

[Jspear]

Wiggins did admit that he had difficulty with motivation post Tour and Olympics though. To compound that he rode into a car at 30mph in the first couple of weeks back in training and disadvantaged himself during a key phase of preparation.

Unfortunately for Wiggins, what he said he wanted and what his lab figures may have said, combined with his form on the bike in the races he did manage to ride, meant that the decision to go with Froome was easy in the end.

And to add to this: Wiggins knows how to use the media to stir things up. It wouldn't surprise me if he had mentioned a giro/tour double simply to rough up the waters. I'm sure he sensed early on that he wasn't going to be doing the Tour. Just like he "sensed" it this year.

 

[del1962]

Probably showcasing his typical 1980s look - you know with the pronounced sideburns

No, fully bearded and suited, hardly the 80s look.

 

[The Hitch]

And to add to this: Wiggins knows how to use the media to stir things up. It wouldn't surprise me if he had mentioned a giro/tour double simply to rough up the waters. I'm sure he sensed early on that he wasn't going to be doing the Tour. Just like he "sensed" it this year.

He then went into a deep depression about not being in the Tour.

Doesn't sound to me like the "masterplan" "trolling internet forums" that the more exciteable posters on here seem to interpret every single sky statement as.

 

[LugHugger]

And to add to this: Wiggins knows how to use the media to stir things up. It wouldn't surprise me if he had mentioned a giro/tour double simply to rough up the waters. I'm sure he sensed early on that he wasn't going to be doing the Tour. Just like he "sensed" it this year.

And that's the irony isn't it? He'd been riding well this year, right up to the point that the team clearly told him - despite Brailsford's protestations otherwise - that he wasn't on the Tour shortlist. I'm a bit gutted that he's now seemingly focussing on the track. I'd love to see him trying to compete at Roubaix again.

 

[willbick]

Its a shame there arent more bike races that suit rouleur types, eg paris roubaix , coz they dont get many opportunities for glory

 

[MBotero]

I'm starting to think that Wiggins downfall started in the moment when he accepted to ride that Giro.If he wouldn't accepted and pressed for a TDF place,with enough media pressure maybe his situation would be totally different today,even if at other team.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

As this is my last day at home before the Tour, I just wanted to share what I have taken out of the poll.

1) 33% of ALL people voting classified themselves as (or were) Sky fans:-

- This is a huge proportion in my opinion given that this is an international forum.


2) Only 30% of Sky fans regarded the decision to leave out Wiggins as the right one.

Fair enough - it is always a tough decision to leave someone out as we have seen in other instances recently.


3) Of those total Sky fans - a massive 40% feel as though they have lost their passion for the team.

I think this is quite stunning and if I was chief at SKY this number would have me shaking in my boots.


However I suppose what is the most important thing for any Pro cycling team?

a) Keeping your best hope happy in order to win races

b) Keeping the fans happy by including popular cyclists

c) Keeping the sponsors happy by a mix of the above


I would think that c) would be the most important but as Team Sky IS the sponsor, maybe they are able to be more Draconian than most.


An interesting poll nonetheless and thanks to everyone who has participated.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

As this is my last day at home before the Tour, I just wanted to share what I have taken out of the poll.

1) 33% of ALL people voting classified themselves as (or were) Sky fans:-

- This is a huge proportion in my opinion given that this is an international forum.


2) Only 30% of Sky fans regarded the decision to leave out Wiggins as the right one.

Fair enough - it is always a tough decision to leave someone out as we have seen in other instances recently.


3) Of those total Sky fans - a massive 40% feel as though they have lost their passion for the team.

I think this is quite stunning and if I was chief at SKY this number would have me shaking in my boots.


However I suppose what is the most important thing for any Pro cycling team?

a) Keeping your best hope happy in order to win races

b) Keeping the fans happy by including popular cyclists

c) Keeping the sponsors happy by a mix of the above


I would think that c) would be the most important but as Team Sky IS the sponsor, maybe they are able to be more Draconian than most.


An interesting poll nonetheless and thanks to everyone who has participated.

Your poll essentially disqualified anyone who is neutral in their attitude to Sky from answering, so very little meaningful can be extrapolated from the results.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Your poll essentially disqualified anyone who is neutral in their attitude to Sky from answering, so very little meaningful can be extrapolated from the results.

Maybe had there been a 'don't give a fcuk' option then this would reduce the % of people who are or were Sky fans. Fair enough.

But the main finding and reason of the poll was how many 'Sky fans' felt they disagreed with Sky or felt they could no longer support the Team.

I don't think 'neutral fans' had any bearing on this element of the poll whatsoever.

Thanks for your feedback.