Should Bradley Wiggins be concerned?

tailwindhome
tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
edited April 2012 in Pro race
Should Bradley Wiggins be concerned about the climbing of Tony Martin over the last 2 days of Vuelta Pais Vasco?
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    No.
    _
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    No.

    Elaborate for the new guy wanting to learn more.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    No.

    Elaborate for the new guy wanting to learn more.

    The hills in Pais Vasco are tiddlers compared to the 15+ km beasts of the Tour.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    afx237vi wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    No.

    Elaborate for the new guy wanting to learn more.

    The hills in Pais Vasco are tiddlers compared to the 15+ km beasts of the Tour.

    Oui. Let alone multiples of those after a good 2 weeks of racing.
    _
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    He should possibly even be pleased, if Martin is genuinely considering going for the tour, then having more teams interested in having a very even high pace on the climbs is a good thing as it means there's another team willing to work hard to ensure that happens.

    However it's pretty unlikely that Martin will even be considering the tour, and Wiggins is lighter and should still be able to beat Martin in the hills enough to make the small loss in the TTs okay.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Tony Martin's climbed like this in the past on these smaller 5k long mountains in one week tours or early in a GT. His trouble comes with the longer climbs and trying to keep it all going for three weeks.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    In answer to the OP's question ...

    Not really, he'll have more to worry about than a TT'er come July ... There will be one (or two) bad days for Brad where the Schlecks, Evans etc. put the hurt on ... Those who can climb will ... The podium is the bet he'll manage ...
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Crankbrother wrote:
    The podium is the bet he'll manage ...

    The podium will do me fine - which step will be left, middle or right of it will be interesting though...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • arnuf
    arnuf Posts: 98
    RichN95 wrote:
    Tony Martin's climbed like this in the past on these smaller 5k long mountains in one week tours or early in a GT. His trouble comes with the longer climbs and trying to keep it all going for three weeks.
    He never really tried, did he?
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    I reckon Tony will be more interested in the Olympic TT, where he has a pretty good chance, than Le Tour this year.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    arnuf wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Tony Martin's climbed like this in the past on these smaller 5k long mountains in one week tours or early in a GT. His trouble comes with the longer climbs and trying to keep it all going for three weeks.
    He never really tried, did he?

    It's hard to tell. He and his team have certainly talked up the prospect in the past:

    2010: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/martin- ... -de-france
    2011: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tony-ma ... -de-france
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Didn't Tony come 2nd on the stage to Mount Ventoux in the 2009 Tour? I think he's a decent climber isn't he?
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    Didn't Tony come 2nd on the stage to Mount Ventoux in the 2009 Tour? I think he's a decent climber isn't he?

    Only because he hung on from the early break and Andy fannied about and didn't attack Contador because he didn't want to drop Frank, and Contador didn't want to drop Armstrong, not because he's a great climber. (by your logic Eros Poli, Cipollini's lead out man, was a great climber too because he actually won over Ventoux.)
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    ShinyHelmut wrote:

    Only because he hung on from the early break and Andy fannied about and didn't attack Contador because he didn't want to drop Frank, and Contador didn't want to drop Armstrong, not because he's a great climber. (by your logic Eros Poli, Cipollini's lead out man, was a great climber too because he actually won over Ventoux.)

    Nothing to do with the block headwind up the climb then?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    iainf72 wrote:
    ShinyHelmut wrote:

    Only because he hung on from the early break and Andy fannied about and didn't attack Contador because he didn't want to drop Frank, and Contador didn't want to drop Armstrong, not because he's a great climber. (by your logic Eros Poli, Cipollini's lead out man, was a great climber too because he actually won over Ventoux.)

    Nothing to do with the block headwind up the climb then?

    S'not the windy mountain for nothing.

    With hindsight that one was always going to happen.
    _
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    Why? His head will be turning in all directions come July!
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    ShinyHelmut wrote:
    Only because he hung on from the early break and Andy fannied about and didn't attack Contador because he didn't want to drop Frank, and Contador didn't want to drop Armstrong, not because he's a great climber. (by your logic Eros Poli, Cipollini's lead out man, was a great climber too because he actually won over Ventoux.)

    Who stole the jam out of your doughnut? :(

    Regardless of 'tactics', if a rider finished 2nd on Ventoux, competing against the finest athletes in the World, then they are a good climber in my book. It's fine for you to think otherwise.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    Regardless of 'tactics', if a rider finished 2nd on Ventoux, competing against the finest athletes in the World, then they are a good climber in my book. It's fine for you to think otherwise.

    He's won Paris-Nice, 2nd in the Tour de Suisse and won the mountain comp in both.

    He can climb a bit. But it would have to be the right kind of mountains.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    He had a 5 minute headstart on Ventoux. Just don't give him that and you'll be fine.
  • rebs
    rebs Posts: 891
    Martin will never make the top 10 of a GT... quote me! :P
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    rebs wrote:
    Martin will never make the top 10 of a GT... quote me! :P

    Done! ;)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Put it in the predictions thread rebs :)
    _

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