Wiggins article on Guardian site today

iainf72

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/ ... ho_th.html

So, Bradley didn't take part in the protest at the start of the stage and then got patted on the back etc.

Let me see if I understand what he's saying though - Moreni gave "signs" of being on the gear by defending Rasmussen. Yet Wiggins didn't take part in the protest, won't name the riders who said the French should take drugs and he's got room to judge?

Or am I being overly harsh?

Noodley

There appears to be a "it's the old riders" movement at present. Much akin to "the big boys done it" IMO.

Dopng is a problem for the entire sport and trying to imply it's only a problem for older riders is yet another smoke screen.

I'm sure Bradley is failry confused and annoyed at the minute.

top_bhoy

Not overly harsh at all. He knows a lot more than he is saying - which is a fair point as his job depends on contacts - but he should shut up complaining. Here he is in a better position than many to help eradicate the problem and yet says and does nothing. By saying nothing, it falls just short of condoning it IMO - especially when he always seems to be so disenchanted with road racing ever since he moved from the track.

skut

iainf72 wrote:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/07/29/tour_ruined_by_old_guys_who_th.html

So, Bradley didn't take part in the protest at the start of the stage and then got patted on the back etc.

Let me see if I understand what he's saying though - Moreni gave "signs" of being on the gear by defending Rasmussen. Yet Wiggins didn't take part in the protest, won't name the riders who said the French should take drugs and he's got room to judge?

Or am I being overly harsh?

Brad said elsewhere that the protest was a half assed affair that was 'organized' on the fly with about 30 secs notice - and as he says, what was it trying to achieve? Also, how do you know that he even knows the identity of the rider who said the french should try drugs?

Melpro

I think to be honest Brad is a bit naive with his comments - he knew that doping happened before he joined 'Cofidis'. Did he honestly think the 'Festina' affair had cleared out all the dopers?

At the end of the day there is more money in Pro Tour racing than winning medals on the track. I assume this is why he joined a pro team. Things haven't gone his way and perhaps he isn't as good as he thought he would be.

You can't argue that he isn't a great track rider but to be disillusioned with the sport which seems to be turning the corner sounds like sour grapes to me.

SteveR_100Milers

My wife was telling me in his interview back in the UK he mentioned that cofidis were not sure whether to sign hiim for next year or not, his argument being that look what he did clean, to which his team manager shrugged his shoulders. He then said he wasnt going to ride the tour again. So whilst his toys out of pram approach is understandable but inappropriate (as David Millar reminded him its his livelihood), the alleged response of the team (to doping) is very depressing. IMO until all of the cheats are out of cycling, which includes former riders as team manager, TV pundits, all of them who we know to have tasted the sauce, but wont admit it should be banned from making a living out of it. If you cheated, repent and make anti doping a crusade then thats a completely different situation, but I dont see many former riders stepping up the plate.

fast as fupp

sadly wiggo comes across as something of a moaner

if he carries on in this vein he wont be wanted at cofidis or anywhere else

Bronzie

fast as fupp wrote:

sadly wiggo comes across as something of a moaner

if he carries on in this vein he wont be wanted at cofidis or anywhere else

Can't help but think this is why he was hung out to dry by the peloton when he went on his long lone break in the first week..................he said when he made the break, other riders went with him, and then there were none.