Wiggins crook?

frenchfighter

Wiggins forever. Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

inkyfingers

If Wiggins doesn't ride the Tour then the journalists are going to have to rely on an Evans/TJvG bust up over at BMC as they won't get one at Sky. Porte is an uber team player, he'll do whatever he's told, and do it happily.

VerwoodAsh

duplicated

ddraver

inkyfingers wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

I don`t think he would be able to do much at the Vuelta. There are more mountain stages then I have ever seen in a GT before.

Absolutely, if he doesn't do the Tour then the Worlds TT has to become his focus.

Likely naff all competition at the Vuelta though, the Spanish legion are all riding the tour this year

Crozza

frenchfighter wrote:

Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

LeicesterLad

Crozza wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

Still think both Contador and Froome would do him over.

inkyfingers

ddraver wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

I don`t think he would be able to do much at the Vuelta. There are more mountain stages then I have ever seen in a GT before.

Absolutely, if he doesn't do the Tour then the Worlds TT has to become his focus.

Likely naff all competition at the Vuelta though, the Spanish legion are all riding the tour this year

At least one of them will fail spectacularly and end up riding the Vuelta, then you've also go guys like Anton and Moreno, who will be nursing a semi looking at that course.

frenchfighter

Crozza wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

Mind blowing and memorable action. Mano a mano. Romance and courage personified. Race face meets race face.

Crozza

frenchfighter wrote:

Crozza wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

Mind blowing and memorable action. Mano a mano. Romance and courage personified. Race face meets race face.

sorry, should have added "in a bike race"

Richmond Racer

inkyfingers wrote:

ddraver wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

I don`t think he would be able to do much at the Vuelta. There are more mountain stages then I have ever seen in a GT before.

Absolutely, if he doesn't do the Tour then the Worlds TT has to become his focus.

Likely naff all competition at the Vuelta though, the Spanish legion are all riding the tour this year

At least one of them will fail spectacularly and end up riding the Vuelta, then you've also go guys like Anton and Moreno, who will be nursing a semi looking at that course.

Nibz also riding the Vuelta

inkyfingers

LeicesterLad wrote:

Crozza wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

Still think both Contador and Froome would do him over.

Agreed. On a properly mountainous course I think Nibali would get found out by those two, certainly by Contador, if he's at his best.

Hopefully we'll see that battle next year.

Macaloon

Crozza wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Crozza wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Froome to get blasted along with his factory workers by the Best Stage Racer of this Generation.

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

Mind blowing and memorable action. Mano a mano. Romance and courage personified. Race face meets race face.

sorry, should have added "in a bike race"

Touché

lochindaal

Just for fun - Nibali on Giro form vs Contador on this year's (essentially unknown, but assume not quite 2009/10) form?

So you mean Nibali clean v Contador clean (as opposed to doped when he was good)

Le Commentateur

Here we go..... end of thread.

lochindaal

It was too tempting :twisted:

Macaloon

I'm sure a few pics of "Mind blowing and memorable action. Mano a mano. Romance and courage personified" will get us back on track.

squired

From memory, Wiggins joined Sky on a 4 year contract, which would mean it ends this year. If that is the case could there also be an element of Sky not being so accommodating to him either because contract negotiations aren't going well, or that they aren't planning on keeping him? I could see Brad wanting a pay rise and certain guarantees. If I was Sky though I'd be more interested in re-signing Froome (having already shown intent by agreeing terms with his "best-friend" Porte), which will no doubt cost more than his current contract. A big pay increase for Froome would mean less in the pot for the big increase that Wiggins would also desire.

Le Commentateur

Mission accomplished with Wiggins. Managing a team is partly about how you control transition from one peak to the next.

Richmond Racer

It's certainly starting to take on that air of Brailsford having got what he wanted out of Wiggins, and now on with the new and younger ones. Cadel should be counting his blessings he rides for Och and BMC rather than Brailsford and Sky.

Macaloon

Richmond Racer wrote:

It's certainly starting to take on that air of Brailsford having got what he wanted out of Wiggins, and now on with the new and younger ones. Cadel should be counting his blessings he rides for Och and BMC rather than Brailsford and Sky.

Was it as recently as 3 weeks ago we were hearing of "best ever numbers"? It may well even have been true. But when you look at how the Giro was raced, and the dismal classics campaign, it would not be unreasonable to conclude that TTing uphill won't win many more GTs. (Thanks to whoever mentioned this in a Giro thread). Once the guys with the explosive attacks can stay with the TT pace, it's over.

Give the hero the keys to the pie shop and set some one-day/one hour targets.

inkyfingers

Richmond Racer wrote:

It's certainly starting to take on that air of Brailsford having got what he wanted out of Wiggins, and now on with the new and younger ones. Cadel should be counting his blessings he rides for Och and BMC rather than Brailsford and Sky.

Think you might be jumping the gun there.

bigmat

Macaloon wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

It's certainly starting to take on that air of Brailsford having got what he wanted out of Wiggins, and now on with the new and younger ones. Cadel should be counting his blessings he rides for Och and BMC rather than Brailsford and Sky.

Was it as recently as 3 weeks ago we were hearing of "best ever numbers"? It may well even have been true. But when you look at how the Giro was raced, and the dismal classics campaign, it would not be unreasonable to conclude that TTing uphill won't win many more GTs. (Thanks to whoever mentioned this in a Giro thread). Once the guys with the explosive attacks can stay with the TT pace, it's over.

Give the hero the keys to the pie shop and set some one-day/one hour targets.

Hmm. I'm not sure how that works. The "TT uphill" approach is based on a rider applying the maximum realistic wattage at a relatively constant rate to prevent surging attacks happening, or at least meaning they won't be sustainable. If the "explosive" riders are now able to "stay with the TT pace" as you suggest, then something is amiss and we must be slipping back to the dark days. I can't say I saw that trend in the Giro though - the weather and the parcours were what prevented the Sky train replicating what it achieved last season. The classics are always a different story.

r0bh

Richmond Racer wrote:

It's certainly starting to take on that air of Brailsford having got what he wanted out of Wiggins, and now on with the new and younger ones. Cadel should be counting his blessings he rides for Och and BMC rather than Brailsford and Sky.

I'd like to see you explain your logic on this? It's a pretty big jump from "Brailsford says Wiggo has a knee injury" to "Brailsford shows Wiggo the door"... :?

frenchfighter

Seriously. The lad hurt his knee. I dont think that is going to stop him racing.

frenchfighter

I like this quote. It`s from Porte. His words. Sky boy forever`s words. Note how he affectionately refers to Christopher Froome as `Froomie`. Or this could be an Aussie thing.

There was a bit of interest in Alberto's comments regarding Bradley and Froomie, saying he won't be afraid of either if his legs feel good. But I guess he's just answering a direct question which has been asked of him. Alberto in his top form doesn't fear anybody. He's a bit of a boy racer, he loves to make the race hard and it's exciting for cycling fans if Alberto's back to his best but for me personally, then if he's tough talking then it's going to make my job a hell of a lot harder.

El Pistelero just gives you the tingles.

What would happen to a Sky boy if this happened to him? DNF.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVzNFnOx-RA

ddraver

I'm gonna have to find a new forum for the Tour, the homoeroticism in here is just too much for my innocent brain...

As I said int he Dolphin Thread, it was clearly a non answer to a stupid question.

http://coffee-queen.dreamwidth.org/444318.html#cutid1 ??

Richmond Racer

r0bh wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

It's certainly starting to take on that air of Brailsford having got what he wanted out of Wiggins, and now on with the new and younger ones. Cadel should be counting his blessings he rides for Och and BMC rather than Brailsford and Sky.

I'd like to see you explain your logic on this? It's a pretty big jump from "Brailsford says Wiggo has a knee injury" to "Brailsford shows Wiggo the door"... :?

Richard Moore's article in Daily Fail:

'The British team, having said Chris Froome would be leader at the Tour, are no longer confident that Wiggins is prepared to play a supporting role not only to Froome but perhaps also Richie Porte, the Tasmanian who is being groomed as a future overall contender.'

If this was certain other journos I'd shrug it off but Moore has the best links with the team of any cycling journo built up over the years it launched. He's presumably got a source inside in team telling him that Wiggins is now 3rd in the pecking order behind not just Froome but now also Porte. Now that's a new and very unwelcome bit of news to Wiggins.

Sounds to me like Brailsford's moving on.

danlikesbikes

Richmond Racer wrote:

Richard Moore's article in Daily Fail:

'The British team, having said Chris Froome would be leader at the Tour, are no longer confident that Wiggins is prepared to play a supporting role not only to Froome but perhaps also Richie Porte, the Tasmanian who is being groomed as a future overall contender.'

If this was certain other journos I'd shrug it off but Moore has the best links with the team of any cycling journo built up over the years it launched. He's presumably got a source inside in team telling him that Wiggins is now 3rd in the pecking order behind not just Froome but now also Porte. Now that's a new and very unwelcome bit of news to Wiggins.

Sounds to me like Brailsford's moving on.

Could look at it another way though - Froome on top form & port also showing well. Wiggins still ill after his last race & with a knee injury unlikely to be able to get over illness/injury & put in enough quality training time, plus possibly a race before the TDF to justify him being in the squad over the other 2.

Sounds to me like they are simply considering ruling him out of the TDF (for the right reasons IMHO if he is not as well as could be presently & unable to train fully). Perhaps planning races after the TDF for him to target?

ddraver

Yeh, Third in the pecking order at the moment

r0bh

ddraver wrote:

Yeh, Third in the pecking order at the moment

Exactly, right now with Wiggo recovering from illness and a knee injury. They're not saying he's permanently down to 3rd in the pecking order!