Bradley wiggins failed...

iain_j

Didn't see that, but at least the website does better:

Brave Wiggins holds on to fourth

Bradley Wiggins delivered a heroic ride on Mont Ventoux to keep fourth place in the Tour de France as Alberto Contador all but sealed overall victory.

In the closing kilometres of stage 20, Wiggins was dropped by Contador, Lance Armstrong and Andy and Frank Schleck.

But he did just enough to hold on to fourth overall and is set to equal the best finish by a Briton in the race.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 168884.stm

Fastlad

Yeah but you need to remember that the BBC are not used to reporting on a minority sport such as cycling is regarded in the UK. At least the public are becoming more aware of the sport. Top marks to wiggo for his efforts and raising the profile of cycling in the UK.

Frank the tank

Failure is relative.

I would think Wiggo will be over the moon to finish fourth. Whether he sets his stall out for a crack at it next year, who knows? I would think he will.

It could be argued Murray failed at Wimbledon as there was a realistic expectation he could win the competition. I'm sure the beeb said he failed in his attempt also.

There can only ever be one winner, all the others have failed.

The difference with the TdF is there are actually competitions within the context of the main race itself.

giner1961

Wiggins, or "wiggo" as they are now calling him has done an exellent tour against riders whom's integrity is questionable.
He must have turned himself inside out, and suffered like anything to get the result he has. Respect to him and his team mates whom have done what they can, when they can to help him as he has been another level.

smegurmum

if found the bbc website's coverage has improved after i gave them a helpful pointer about mislabeling a few riders

NWLondoner

To finish 4th is an incredible achievement.

Chapeau to Wiggins.

Evil_Cod

The bbc doesn't understand sports with more than one competitor.

Its not black and white. The general public can't understand.

Frank the tank

giner1961 wrote:

Wiggins, or "wiggo" as they are now calling him has done an exellent tour against riders whom's integrity is questionable.
He must have turned himself inside out, and suffered like anything to get the result he has. Respect to him and his team mates whom have done what they can, when they can to help him as he has been another level.

Talking of riders who's integrity is questionable. David "drug cheat" Miller.

Being "clean" now cuts no cane with me personally.

Fastlad

just to go off topic, speaking of wiggo......if tour riders lose weight during the race and wiggo has already lost weight before starting (he's very thin) i'd be interested to know if he's lost even more weight?

verylonglegs

I'm amazed people still use the BBC as a credible source, their standards really have declined in the last couple of years and not just in sports reporting, I mean overall.

redddraggon

I was watching News 24 on Friday morning, and they did a short bulletin on Thursday's TT.

Apparantly Alberto Contador as well as being as a top class climber is now a top class sprinter.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

dilemna

I don't bother with the Beeb's news anymore. The researchers are of really poor quality these days. Their ignorance of cycling is such that they could be accused of having a pathalogical hatred of cyclists and cycling. Some of their recent Radio 4 programmes featuring cycling have been woeful. And their weather forecasting is a joke - they don't know their elbow from their 4rse.

nicensleazy

Brad has certainly not failed. I like Brad, I like his approach to the sport and he is a true professional! Well done Brad!

Casbar

Again and again he fell behind yesterday on Mont Ventoux....Again and again he suffered and clawed himself back to the main bunch.

To come from the track...loose over 6 kg, which must be very hard for a sportsman ( as he must reshift muscle rather than loose fat ) and then finish the TDF 4th amongst the strongest climbers in cycling , In my opinion is the success story of this years TDF....up there or even bigger than Lance's comeback

Well done

The Prodigy

redddraggon wrote:

I was watching News 24 on Friday morning, and they did a short bulletin on Thursday's TT.

Apparantly Alberto Contador as well as being as a top class climber is now a top class sprinter.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

At the start of the tour me an my wife had a competition to see who could hear the most mis-pronounciations of Cancellara, the BBC provided to be my greatest source.

pottssteve

Sky have been at it as well as Wiggins, "failed to get onto the podium". Technically it's true, but for a channel presumably wanting to push cycling as a sport it's a funny angle. Also, no mention of Cav's (excellent) chances of a 6th stage win today. Mind you, the next report was about how the diver (Tom Daly?) FAILED to win a second gold!

geoff_ss

If you think cycling gets poor coverage (which it does) you should try the sport I've competed in more than any other - dinghy racing. It was the sailors and cyclists who were the major contributors to last year's Olympic success but sports coverage is still really just football/cricket.

Ben Ainslie has 3 gold medals which counts for a lot since there's only one chance every 4 years and takes a week of competition to win.

The achievements of Wiggins and Cavendish in this year's Tour are outstanding and deserve the highest praise. They can be justly proud of themselves.

Geoff

topcat33

***Spoiler would have been nice.....ffs

Shezzer

I'm a keen cyclist and enjoy the coverage on tv ... of which there's more than there used to be. When Sky get their cycling team off the ground I'm sure the amount and quality of coverage will improve further.

Regarding the amount of coverage currently being low, we just need to accept ours is a minority sport and as such won't get loads of tv coverage. I bet there are similar threads on archery, pistol shooting and horse riding forums up and down the land.

Many more people play football, cricket, rugby and athletics than competitive cycling. Whilst our medal haul in those other sports may not be as high as cycling, I think they are more 'viewable' for the average punter. Hopefully over time (and with ongoing British cycling successes) the average punter will become more attuned to cycling and demand for coverage will rise.

Just my opinion ... now awaiting a flaming.

daviesee

Hi,

That is still not as bad as the BBC sport news this morning.

Apparently Cav was able to "hold off" his teammate to clinch the win! :shock:

WTF!

Does anyone at the BBC have a clue about bike racing?

dilemna

Sky sport news just before 0830am wasn't that good either the fat bloke anchor man (Eamon Holmes look alike) said he hadn't a clue about the timing system in cycling as it was so complicated - how could some one win the over all Tour who has not won a single stage???? :roll:

CHRISNOIR

daviesee wrote:

Hi,
That is still not as bad as the BBC sport news this morning.
Apparently Cav was able to "hold off" his teammate to clinch the win! :shock:
WTF!
Does anyone at the BBC have a clue about bike racing?

I'm glad someone else spotted that - I thought I was hearing things! I note they'd changed it by the 7.35 bulletin.

ednwireland

this really gets me how can people not understand the concept of teh shortest overall time its the same as rallying ffs, or any other multi day sport based on times. i think commentators see people whizzing round france for 3 weeks and go "o thats too complicated", i am always amazed to think of the sport in the 50's and today in britain (not that i remember the 50's just what i've read and talked to people) mind you i live in ireland and its like riding pave every day ! learnt how to true my own wheels !

petejuk

Regarding the amount of coverage currently being low, we just need to accept ours is a minority sport and as such won't get loads of tv coverage. I bet there are similar threads on archery, pistol shooting and horse riding forums up and down the land.

I agree that it is still a minority sport and there are similar threads in other minority sport forums but how many kids learn archery, pistol shooting and horse riding at an early age?

The vast majority of people learn to ride a bike, so should have some basic understanding of what's involved. What's more as a nation, we're getting incredibly good at cycling. Therefore I believe it should be the job of our sports presenters and reporters to support our success and research enough so they know what they're taking about.

I agree though, BBC needs an extremely hard and swift kick up the backside.

Frank the tank

The coverage in what press I've seen today is also lamentable, tucked away well inside the back four pages or so.