Bradley Wiggins and EBH

redddraggon

Am I the only one who thinks that Bradley Wiggins was rather "overpriced" for EBH's train?

nickwill

No, I think I read somewhere that he was going to ride for others in the team this week. He's there to get the miles in, and ride for the people who will ride for him in the Tour like EBH.

redddraggon

Being a pragmatist I reckon that supporting EBH at the Tour would reap more benefits. EBH has a real shot at stages/green jersey, what will BW do?

Team Banana Spokesman

EBH is more a future gc contender, not a future sprinter, but he was good with columbia because of the train.

how much is twiggo on? people say millions but where is the hard evidence for this? anyone?

iainf72

Team Banana Spokesman wrote:

how much is twiggo on? people say millions but where is the hard evidence for this? anyone?

I think the generally quoted number is around 800K per year.

redddraggon

Green Jersey is a points jersey, not a sprinters jersey. EBH could pick points up on nearly every stage.

Sean Kelly won the points jersey at the TDF, and Vuelta, and won the Vuelta overall.

Eddy Merckx won the points jersey in all three GTs, and won 11 GTs Overall.

Just because that it's often the best sprinter that wins the jersey it doesn't mean that it's necessarily a sprinters jersey.

Moomaloid

Right, you potentially have a podium place in the team, but he should support EBH? How does that figure. The team can do both. They may not have enough strength in dept this year but its early days. Yellow over Green.. hmmm no choice really...

Monty Dog

Can't see their roles being contradictory and besides, Sky are a bit more than a one-trick-pony and aren't there to tow along an old guy on a vanity gig.

TheHelpfulDevil

Monty Dog wrote:

Can't see their roles being contradictory and besides, Sky are a bit more than a one-trick-pony and aren't there to tow along an old guy on a vanity gig.

+1 I like.

Well BW will not win the TOQ and needs these early races to get some solid race miles in so it makes perfect sense to ride hard for the team.

pedro118118

EBH is one for the future - we all have to wait and see how he develops as a rider.
I can't see Sky having their marquee rider on super-domestique duties during the biggest race on the calender. I suppose it is down to what Sky consider more prestigious - a top 10 place on GC with a British rider or contending for the Green Jersey with a young Norwegian? I think we all know the answer to that question?

Personally, I can't see Wiggo getting close to the podium this year - the race is harder and the competion will be even more fierce. When you consider the likes of Evans, Sastre, Leipheimer, Menchov, Basso, Valverde all didn't feature and there are some very tasty youngsters knocking on the door, it is a BIG ask for Wiggo to replicate what he achieved in 2009.

Top 10 is a realistic targer, with perhaps a ITT win...........assuming the likes of Cancellara, Martin, Larsson etc have a bad day.

frenchfighter

The amount of wins EBH got last year is amazing - yes he is young and has lots of development, but he is still putting the big guns under the table and not just last year. He was 6th in the UCI world ranking 2009 and 5th in 2008.

And for what Wiggins himself thinks of the man:

frenchfighter wrote:

Wiggins' view:

“Everyone knows that Edvald is the most talented rider in cycling right now,” said an impressed Wiggins to the website VG.no. “He is able to do exactly as he wants. He’s the team’s future and if he stays here, he can win all the races he can. He will be the big name in cycling over the next ten years. It’s almost scary to think about what he can achieve in ten years, by which time he’ll be 32 years old.”

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2761/ ... cling.aspx

pontarlier_pete

EBH is the new Sean Kelly. A decent haul of classics, a few green jerseys, maybe a Vuelta depending on how his climbing develops, hopefully a Worlds or two in addition (maybe even this year...).

Monty Dog

Sky needed Wiggo to encourage media coverage in the UK - having a Norwegian rider as your number 1 won't do as much for your media coverage. EBH has been touted at the Next Big Thing for a number of years and no reason to suggest that with the support of Sky has an exciting future. Like others, I see him as a great all-rounder like Kelly rather than a GT contender. If he achieves half of what Kelly did, he'll still be a great rider - I look forward to the likes of Flanders and Roubaix. Let's not forget Wiggo's top-20 at P-Rx last year - for a TT / GT riders that's pretty exceptional these days.

EKIMIKE

I think Sky will focus on Wiggins' challenge for the GC in Le Tour. EBH is strong enough to look after himself, look at how HTC used him in the Giro last year. He was there to mop up the points/time bonuses when they were open to rivals. Therefore he'll probably do quite well in the points if he goes to Le Tour even if he doesn't have a train. Anyway HTC will be all out for Cav this year so yes, it really is a sprinters jersey at the moment with the likes of Hushovd, Farrar, Ciolek, Bennati, Friere, Boonen about.

I'm sure EBH will be Sky's man for the cobbled classics, not just the train's final man. And Wiggins won't just be a train monkey.