Wiggo for the Tour?
Comments
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He can defend it if he chooses to and takes on the build up he did last year. I think Sky's plan will become apparent in the early season programmes. It wouldn't have mattered who was riding the Tour last year- Wiggins in that form on that course would have destroyed them.
Still can't quite believe people think he will get found out in the mountains by Contador. They don't play the same game.0 -
Cal_Stewart wrote:FFS why is everyone still going on about wiggo being wa@k in the mountains, none of his rivals took any time from him.
Neither Contador nor Schelck were there.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
Aren't the public voting on SPOTY this weekend...nicely timed Bradley.0
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Abdoujaparov wrote:Aren't the public voting on SPOTY this weekend...nicely timed Bradley.
That's why he was giving the interview in the first place. They've been interviewing all the nominees.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Cal_Stewart wrote:FFS why is everyone still going on about wiggo being wa@k in the mountains, none of his rivals took any time from him.
How DARE you come in here and start talking about facts! Christ, don't you know it's the internet?
Gaaarrl!!
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
It was a great performance by Wiggo in the Tour and you can make a case for saying he' d have beaten anyone on that form - but saying he'd have destroyed them is OTT - if Froome hadn't lost time early on and hadn't had to ride for Wiggins then it's not nailed on Froome wouldn't have won it.
In the end Wiggo did it - but even he admitted that this year it all fell into place for him - the route, the opposition, the team support - he wouldn't be a favourite against Contador at least and I'd have Froome and Schleck as right up there with Wiggo as far as their chances went right now - plus possibly the likes of Rodriguez should they choose to focus on it.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
I suspect that this is tactical from Sky to ensure that the other teams are left wondering as to who the number one is in the TdF. They are in the fortunate position to have two genuine GT contenders which would seem rare. However It would only take a drop of 2-3 % in one or other of the riders level to make a GT win seriously challenged. Look at Froomes early season form in 2012 - he was ill for weeks whereas Wiggins had a lot of racing miles in his legs by July.
Wiggins will want to cement his position in cycling history and his ego will be tempted by the prospect of 100th Tour winner. Just as he knows that wins in the the other two GTs would also elevate his status among the cycling elite. I reckon we will see him mount a real challenge for the Giro to begin with and then see what sort of form he can carry into TdF.0 -
^ What Calpol said.
The posturing/manoeuvring in the media aside, for top GC riders - and especially for Wiggins (crash TdF '11) and Fenton (bil-bleedin'-hazia, I ask you! Couldn't be a "twingy-knee", or something mundane for Froome, could it, oh no) - a season's goal can so easily be compromised, thus making all the conjecture in the preceding months meaningless (but fun!):
So what do you do?
All you can do: you ride and train and rest and focus; have a break, re-focus, ride and train and rest... You "live like a pro", etc, all that, and all the other stuff gets coached, managed and directed by the support crew - some call them "coaches", "managers" and "dicteur sportifs"- et voilá!, hopefully, all being well you arrive ready, perform to your optimum level and win.
Or, if you're Nicolas Roche you do most of those...0 -
derbygrimpeur wrote:maddog 2 wrote:He should forget about the Giro and go for the Tour again. If he wants to be a 'great' then he needs to win it more than once. Why go for a lesser title? Why let Froome have it? If he beliebes he can do it then he should have a bloody good crack at it. Anything less doesn't make any sense.
With limited time left in his career, perhaps the idea of a diverse Palmares is appealing, i.e. Tour, Giro + possibly Vuelta one year? Plus his track stuff, Olympics TT + other stage races. That would be one hell of a Palmares.
I know the Tour is the best GT, but it will be touhger next year as his opponents are better suited to the terrain than he is.
Yup, win all three, that would be the best for him.0 -
And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer0 -
maddog 2 wrote:And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.
Looks pretty hilly to me, twice up the Alpe as well. I spose it also depends how knackered he is after the Giro.0 -
maddog 2 wrote:And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.
Ignoring the TTT where anything can happen, next year's Tour has just 1 x ITT of 32k - vs this year's prologue + 2 x longish TTs. All in all around 70k less of TT kms. That's a hell of a lot less time for Wiggo to take out of Bertie etc - not fogetting that Bertie might not be in Wiggo's TT'ing league but is still pretty good.0 -
Team GB/Sky rode for Cav in last years worlds and it clearly worked.
So they repeated the ploy in the Mens road race in the Olympics and everyone realised they had to do everything to stop that. We all know what happened.
So far they have let it ne known that Froome is captain in the Tour and Wiggo is going for the Giro. Another tactical blunder. So this is clearly just smoke and mirrors to try and keep the other teams guessing. Bit late if you ask me.
Cat already out of the bag.
Froomy is top dog and Wiggo would only take over if his captain fell off. Would not mind betting Wiggo starts the race with early pushes for GC to try and fool everyone.Can I upgrade???0 -
meggiedude wrote:...Would not mind betting Wiggo starts the race with early pushes for GC to try and fool everyone.
You've gone and told everyone now :roll:
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Aha, but maybe I work for Team Sky and this is a double bluff, eh?? :twisted:Nick Fitt wrote:meggiedude wrote:...Would not mind betting Wiggo starts the race with early pushes for GC to try and fool everyone.
You've gone and told everyone now :roll:
Its kind of irrelevant anyway as le chat est sorti du sacCan I upgrade???0 -
Nick Fitt wrote:Looks pretty hilly to me, twice up the Alpe as well.
yeah but no but ...that day is only basically two and a half proper Alpine climbs (which aint no Marmotte)
I'm just interested as everyone seems to be saying that the route is too hilly for Wiggins but is it? Cos if it isn't then he can win it... so why wouldn't he...
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-18.htmlFacts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer0 -
maddog 2 wrote:Nick Fitt wrote:Looks pretty hilly to me, twice up the Alpe as well.
yeah but no but ...that day is only basically two and a half proper Alpine climbs (which aint no Marmotte)
I'm just interested as everyone seems to be saying that the route is too hilly for Wiggins but is it? Cos if it isn't then he can win it... so why wouldn't he...
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-18.html
I think he wants to win the Giro, I think Sky has been a bit too transparent but none the less, I think he can win next years Giro. After that, will he have the legs to win the Tour? Also, I think the 'Alpe' stage will be a flyer, its a huge chance to put time into any GC effort. Its just one stage but is Wiggo a climber?0 -
huh? Next year's tdf has two ITTs 32 and 33 km. Granted, the second one very hilly, but still favouring the all-rounders over the pure climbers. I agree the issue is that Wiggins might not take much time on BertieRichmond Racer wrote:maddog 2 wrote:And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.
Ignoring the TTT where anything can happen, next year's Tour has just 1 x ITT of 32k - vs this year's prologue + 2 x longish TTs. All in all around 70k less of TT kms. That's a hell of a lot less time for Wiggo to take out of Bertie etc - not fogetting that Bertie might not be in Wiggo's TT'ing league but is still pretty good.0 -
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ddraver wrote:Can I just remind everyone that the Alpe isnt that big....
Yes. Go on then...0 -
FJS wrote:
huh? Next year's tdf has two ITTs 32 and 33 km. Granted, the second one very hilly, but still favouring the all-rounders over the pure climbers. I agree the issue is that Wiggins might not take much time on BertieRichmond Racer wrote:maddog 2 wrote:And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.
Ignoring the TTT where anything can happen, next year's Tour has just 1 x ITT of 32k - vs this year's prologue + 2 x longish TTs. All in all around 70k less of TT kms. That's a hell of a lot less time for Wiggo to take out of Bertie etc - not fogetting that Bertie might not be in Wiggo's TT'ing league but is still pretty good.
You're right. I cant read. :oops:0 -
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Richmond Racer wrote:maddog 2 wrote:And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.
Ignoring the TTT where anything can happen, next year's Tour has just 1 x ITT of 32k - vs this year's prologue + 2 x longish TTs. All in all around 70k less of TT kms. That's a hell of a lot less time for Wiggo to take out of Bertie etc - not fogetting that Bertie might not be in Wiggo's TT'ing league but is still pretty good.
We all remember the Annecy TT....0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:maddog 2 wrote:And anyway, is the '13 Tour really that hilly?
There's one big day in the Pyrenees, one day up Ventoux and, what three? days in the Alps....?
Is that significantly more than usual?
Bertie & Co might squeak a bit out of Wiggo but he'll take it to them in the TTs surely.
Ignoring the TTT where anything can happen, next year's Tour has just 1 x ITT of 32k - vs this year's prologue + 2 x longish TTs. All in all around 70k less of TT kms. That's a hell of a lot less time for Wiggo to take out of Bertie etc - not fogetting that Bertie might not be in Wiggo's TT'ing league but is still pretty good.
We all remember the Annecy TT....
Hmmmm0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:
Fine, but we re all getting obsessed with the Alpe
Early prediction, it will be a GC club ride up it both times (Maybe with J-Rod nipping off in the last 200m), and we will all have a HUGE b1tch about how the course is the worst ever and the Giro/Vuelta/Tour of Poland is soooooo much better yah!We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
ddraver wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:
Fine, but we re all getting obsessed with the Alpe
Early prediction, it will be a GC club ride up it both times (Maybe with J-Rod nipping off in the last 200m), and we will all have a HUGE b1tch about how the course is the worst ever and the Giro/Vuelta/Tour of Poland is soooooo much better yah!
"Why didn't they put Galibier in this year?"
I think the biggest question will be "how many drunk Dutch fans will fall off the mountain by the end of the 2nd climb?"Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
