Wiggins 2010 season isn't over...

Tom BB

I'd agree with most of that Jerry-to be fair to EBH though, he did miss alot of the season with an achilles injury.....

Bronzie

jerry3571 wrote:

I'm not sure whether Wiggo wasn't on the same plan as with Garmin this year and whether he lost too much weight, got his form wrong or went AWOL (a la JF Bernard style (-didn't like the pressure) is a tricky one.

Not sure whether Wiggo is at fault or whether it is a new system that has cocked things up. Sky in the end hit the buffers.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/fea ... isening-up

Sounds like a mixture of Wiggo not really liking the pressure, chopping and changing his programme from what essentially worked well last year and Sky over thinking everything. Marginal gains and all that.

pedro118118

I suppose somebody has to be the GC focus for Sky and given their mission statement (British Tour winner within 5 years), he's the horse the team has to back. Irrespective of whether he has a realistic chance of winning the thing. Which, clearly, he doesn't - he's top 10 material, when in good shape. It's a massive step up to the podium and an even bigger step up to the yellow jersey, but until someone else is able to step up and replace him.............

gattocattivo

Bronzie wrote:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/feature-wiggins-year-of-wisening-up

Sounds like a mixture of Wiggo not really liking the pressure, chopping and changing his programme from what essentially worked well last year and Sky over thinking everything. Marginal gains and all that.

That's a good interview that.

inkyfingers

I really hope he does race hard in the earlier part of the season next year as he has the potential to get some good results in races like Tirreno Adriatico, De Panne, Roubaix & The Crit Intl. If he could pick up a few solid wins it would not only boost his palmares but also take a little of the pressure off him for the tour (at least among cycling fans and some of the press). I also think he's the kind of guy who struggles for self belief (despite his cocky exterior), particularly on the road where he doesn't have a gold plated palmares to think about when he's not feeling so good.

Kléber

It's good, he's always been a blunt talker except for this season where he put everything, including his personality, towards July.

The plans for next year sound good, he's got it in him to win something in the early season, for him to say he was feeling good in the Tour of Murcia and so it was time to back off sounds an odd idea, you'd think you'd take any wins you can get before May?

jerry3571

Kléber wrote:

It's good, he's always been a blunt talker except for this season where he put everything, including his personality, towards July.

The plans for next year sound good, he's got it in him to win something in the early season, for him to say he was feeling good in the Tour of Murcia and so it was time to back off sounds an odd idea, you'd think you'd take any wins you can get before May?

Much in agreement here. This year Wiggo didn't show much form before the Tour and getting a good performance in a smaller Tour or one day classic was a good bet for Contador, Armstrong, Valverde, the Shreks et al. Even if the win is not on the cards, a good performance shows that the form is there.

-Jerry

Wheelspinner

Can't agree with Wiggins comment that Evans had a "shocker" at the TdF. In yellow jersey, with a broken elbow? And still managed to finish a whole 2 places behind Brad...

Maybe not the result Evans deserved, but under the circumstances I'd call that an astonishing performance TBH...

dave_1

Wheelspinner wrote:

Can't agree with Wiggins comment that Evans had a "shocker" at the TdF. In yellow jersey, with a broken elbow? And still managed to finish a whole 2 places behind Brad...

Maybe not the result Evans deserved, but under the circumstances I'd call that an astonishing performance TBH...

yes, the Evans comment is sure to have raised an eyebrow or two. I believe Evans

iainf72

Wheelspinner wrote:

Can't agree with Wiggins comment that Evans had a "shocker" at the TdF. In yellow jersey, with a broken elbow? And still managed to finish a whole 2 places behind Brad...

Maybe not the result Evans deserved, but under the circumstances I'd call that an astonishing performance TBH...

Same is true of Basso. 32nd, but he was very ill for the latter part of the race. Before that he was certainly on target for a top 10.

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

Wheelspinner wrote:

Can't agree with Wiggins comment that Evans had a "shocker" at the TdF. In yellow jersey, with a broken elbow? And still managed to finish a whole 2 places behind Brad...

Maybe not the result Evans deserved, but under the circumstances I'd call that an astonishing performance TBH...

Same is true of Basso. 32nd, but he was very ill for the latter part of the race. Before that he was certainly on target for a top 10.

You have to take anything Ian says about Basso with a pinch of salt.

pedro118118

The problem for Wiggo is that it ain't that easy to pick up early season wins, as there are plenty of riders in the same mindset, including those who are in super condition, as they don't ride the Tour. And let's face it, Brad is hardly prolific in any event. There are prestigious events, which he should do well in (Criterium Intl, Paris Nice, Eneco, Tirreno etc), but he's only interested in riding for training. To my mind, he's not team leader material for GC on stage-races, he's more super-domestique.

Ron Stuart

Wiggo had been doing his best up to the Tour where he realized the previous years Tour just went ideal for him and his abilities, probably a one off. Unfortunately like many Wiggo was put up on a pedestal by the Muppet press and felt the pressure of relative failure a very hard blow and this affected the rest of his season.
Brailsford has also realized that there is a lot more to learn about road racing at the top level than there ever was about the track, you can't just science your way to the top on the protour circuit.
Wiggo's talent is his power/endurance on the flat, he can power climb quite well for a tall lad and that's it. He unfortunately has a strength that is the easiest to mark and he hates being marked by others, puts him right off his stroke (check out Tour of Britain when he actually made it into a break) something that wouldn't be allowed to happen in a Grand Tour unless he was so far down the GC it didn't matter.
To win a major races you need to put time into rivals by climbing faster than the opponents team members and leaders and or have a sprint finish.
The small breakaways that succeed are usually allowed to go because no one in the break is a threat overall and have no chance on the GC.
Wiggins’s strength is his prologue because no one messes with his head before or during his ride, which he has a natural talent for.
Wiggo’s a great rider but unfortunately not really a Grand Tour contender. Can Brailsford sign Cav and engineer a lead out train instead? This I feel would see the departure of Wiggo from Sky!

autobahn

I think Ron's above comment is pretty spot on!!!

pedro118118

Wiggo is going nowhere - he has a very juicy 3 years to run on his current contract and alas, unless something serious happens with G or Pete Kennaugh in terms of potential, he's still the main man. Unless they back Lovqvist?!

That said, I agree that it is difficult to see how Brad will gain time on the major GC guys. I suppose Bertie is a special case (have to wait and see what happens there), but even the likes of Shleck, Evans, Sanchez, Menchov, Basso, Nibali etc are all good against the clock and better in the mountains.

I just think a podium at the Tour (or any GT) is beyond him - the competition is too stiff. Top 10 is his level.

That all said, there's no reason he couldn't do well in the week long stage races, with TTs, but it seems they are not a prioroty for him.

lucybears

Can Brailsford sign Cav

Easily. After all, Cav's got another year left on his contract with HTC

Cumulonimbus

Looks like Brad decided that not twittering didnt do him any good so is back typing away.

http://twitter.com/bradwiggins

Seems excited about today's stickers

iainf72

Cumulonimbus wrote:

Looks like Brad decided that not twittering didnt do him any good so is back typing away.

http://twitter.com/bradwiggins

Seems excited about today's stickers

You mean his handlers decided it was ok for him to tweet again?

Cumulonimbus

iainf72 wrote:

Cumulonimbus wrote:

Looks like Brad decided that not twittering didnt do him any good so is back typing away.

http://twitter.com/bradwiggins

Seems excited about today's stickers

You mean his handlers decided it was ok for him to tweet again?

Something like that

LangerDan

@bradleywiggins wrote:

"So we are excerising there demons..."

Looks like the rumours are true - Brailsford has really gone over to the Dark Side to get resutls for 2011

(I wonder if they'll travel to races in the Team Sky succubus?)

Cumulonimbus

Quite liked this one

Good to hear a sane voice in all this mess, thanks Michael Rasmussen I'll sleep better tonight