TDF ITT & Rainbow stripes - Wiggo? (edited)

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Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    It's a test of Brailsford's management skills but if he's as good as he's supposed to be he should be saying something along the lines of 'Chris, Brad's in great form and you need him and therefore he's riding. Brad, you're there to support Chris - do what you want in the TTs but the rest of the time you ride for him and if you mess around you'll be looking for a new team'.

    I think it's a win / win for them. No pressure on Wiggins with a chance of a decent GC placing just riding in support (possible stage win) and at the same time he can provide support on both flat and hilly stages. In addition Wiggins is still a bigger name in the UK so can take some of the hysteria away from Froome during the early stages in the UK (and possibly a share of the media attention over the rest of the race). Sky get the huge publicity of having the last two Tour winners in the race again, especially when they are in the UK and they also have a back up. I think he'll be in otherwise I would have thought they'd have shifted him to the Giro instead of California.
  • fleshtuxedo
    fleshtuxedo Posts: 1,857
    Didn't Sky have some set of penalty clauses drawn up for last year's tour if Wiggins had ridden? Along the lines of "don't do what you're told and we take a month's salary off you", and the cash is for Froome. Surely they've dusted that off by now. I don't think it would be necessary mind, I think he'd play nicely.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    I think this was only issue last year because Froome had yet to win the big one. Having proved his dominance, I doubt he's troubled by any internal competition.
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  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Brad has seemed in a good place all year. I really think his only motivation would be to help the team.
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    I think the late TT makes it easier for Sky to pick Wiggo. If it had been an earlier TT he'd probably have ended up wearing yellow which could have caused problems around the lead rider position - in the press at least.

    A late TT poses no problems - Wiggo is extremely unlikely to end up wearing yellow - well he'd end up winning the whole thing if he did! :?
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  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    I think him riding the TdF depends on him, if he wants to go he will get in the team, he is too good a rider not to put in. But if he says he doesn't want to go he is probably the kind of rider you leave out as he could be more hassle than its worth
  • Elfed
    Elfed Posts: 459
    Remarkable wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Wiggins would be very capable at the Tour. But would he work for Froome? Would Frome trust him? Does he need the stress of him being in the squad.

    It's not like Sky are talent-lite and couldn't get another good guy in the squad

    If I was Froome and I saw what Wiggins did in P-R over the cobbles, I'd be nervous about allowing him on "my" squad, as he could nick a few minutes on the cobble stage

    That's very true, but it would be good for Sky to have a Plan B. I doubt they would want a repeat of 2011..and does Froome really have the last say as to who is in the squad? I doubt Brailsford et al would be told what to do by a rider.

    Does Brailsford have the very last say when it comes to Wiggins? If the guys at Fox and Sky want him in as a marketing and PR tool, then who's to know, why wasn't Froome sent to the Tour of California, because no one outside of cycling has heard of him, so crap PR for Fox.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Pross wrote:
    It's a test of Brailsford's management skills but if he's as good as he's supposed to be he should be saying something along the lines of 'Chris, Brad's in great form and you need him and therefore he's riding. Brad, you're there to support Chris - do what you want in the TTs but the rest of the time you ride for him and if you mess around you'll be looking for a new team'.

    Management is pretty dead easy then, if to pass this 'test of his management skills' all he has to say is this obvious sentence (albeit with the daft 'threat' bit welded on the end).
  • Mattlufcbell
    Mattlufcbell Posts: 15
    What happens when wiggo is 20 seconds down on froome going into the TT on the penultimate stage?!

    Would love to watch that. I'd take winning the tour over a months salary and having to find a new team if I were in wiggo's position there!
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Mattlufcbell wrote:
    What happens when wiggo is 20 seconds down on froome going into the TT on the penultimate stage?!

    Would love to watch that. I'd take winning the tour over a months salary and having to find a new team if I were in wiggo's position there!

    At that point it's mission accomplished by Sky and I'm guessing they'd let it go down to every man for himself! Not likely though.

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