Froome on Wiggins and more

iainf72

Richmond Racer wrote:

What Wiggins didnt give him a share of, was a slice of the $1m bonus he had written into his contract if he won the Tour. He gave Porte $40k, and Porte mentioned it to Froome.

Any truth in the rumour Porte spent some of it on a nice pair of Cuban heels so he might be seen at the bar?

rick_chasey

Nothing wrong with a pair of Cubans.

Richmond Racer

iainf72 wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

What Wiggins didnt give him a share of, was a slice of the $1m bonus he had written into his contract if he won the Tour. He gave Porte $40k, and Porte mentioned it to Froome.

Any truth in the rumour Porte spent some of it on a nice pair of Cuban heels so he might be seen at the bar?

That's just crying out for a photo posting opportunity. Hell, photoshop it.

greeny12

Given what went on in the 2012 Tour Froome's lucky he didn't get a punch in the chops let alone a share of Wiggins' personal pot.

And as for unpopularity, does my memory deceive me or was it not the word on the street at the time that Rogers (a rider I admire greatly) jumped ship sharpish with a few well-chosen words once he knew Froome was to become numero uno at Sky instead of Wiggins?

TheBigBean

I think I must be a contrarian. Last year I said that Wiggins wouldn't start the tour to much derision on this forum, but I'm now starting to think he might...

above_the_cows

Richmond Racer wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

What Wiggins didnt give him a share of, was a slice of the $1m bonus he had written into his contract if he won the Tour. He gave Porte $40k, and Porte mentioned it to Froome.

Any truth in the rumour Porte spent some of it on a nice pair of Cuban heels so he might be seen at the bar?

That's just crying out for a photo posting opportunity. Hell, photoshop it.

Ah I see. Pesky Walsh. As to the photoshopping, I'm a bit busy, if no one else does it by this evening, I'll have a go.

Richmond Racer wrote:

From his own - and the Cound's - account, Froome got equally miffed because Wiggins left him off the invite list to the Ball thingy in the off-season in 2012.

I wish people would leave me off invites to stuff like that. I hate getting dressed up.

above_the_cows

greeny12 wrote:

And as for unpopularity, does my memory deceive me or was it not the word on the street at the time that Rogers (a rider I admire greatly) jumped ship sharpish with a few well-chosen words once he knew Froome was to become numero uno at Sky instead of Wiggins?

Is that really why Rogers left...? I thought it was for something else...

I want to know about BradleyOnTheBusGate.

Coach H

OCDuPalais wrote:

My guess on the Sky Tour squad (barring some unseemliness at either Suisse or Dauphiné)...

Froome
Wiggins
Porte
Kiriyenka
Knees
Thomas
Nieve
Kennaugh
Lopez

Substitute Kennaugh for Henao and this is my team.

Despite the obvious tension Froome would be daft not to have an on form Wiggins in the team, even if the risk was that he wouldn't ride for him.
Imagine Wiggins doing a pull like in Cali in front of TDF camera's. Wiggins will get plenty of publicity out of it with some cleverly worked reporting to satisfy his ego (yes I know SKY have not been good at this in the past but they have to come good some time, right?). Wiggins, Thomas and Knees get to do a shepherding job on the cobbles where multiple options are sensible. Positives far outweigh the negatives.

ocdupalais

Wiggins national hero after winning 2012 Tour; 2014 Tour starts in Wiggins' adopted back yard and travels to the city where he grew up; Wiggins in great form; Sky looking to capitalise on all the Tour hoo-ha; Wiggins' new agent all about "the brand"... Did you see the crowds at the ToB!?? ... C'mon... Brailsford and Froome would end up fielding as many questions about Wiggins' absence as they would about everything else put together...

Were there to be a significant spat between now and Depart, or should someone catch wind that Wiggins doesn't intend making it to Paris... That might change things.

dish_dash

Above The Cows wrote:

I want to know about BradleyOnTheBusGate.

Didn't he keep leaving used capsules in the Nespresso machine on the bus...

salsiccia1

I'd be very surprised if they're not both on the TDF team. Brailsford will get the best team available on the start line, and that will included Wiggins.

Macaloon

OCDuPalais wrote:

Wiggins national hero after winning 2012 Tour; 2014 Tour starts in Wiggins' adopted back yard and travels to the city where he grew up; Wiggins in great form; Sky looking to capitalise on all the Tour hoo-ha; Wiggins' new agent all about "the brand"... Did you see the crowds at the ToB!?? ... C'mon... Brailsford and Froome would end up fielding as many questions about Wiggins' absence as they would about everything else put together...

Were there to be a significant spat between now and Depart, or should someone catch wind that Wiggins doesn't intend making it to Paris... That might change things.

The defending champion, Froome, might not see is at his job to fill Fuller's voids. Assuming he's selfish and ungrateful, will the team overrule him?

And I'm not a buyer of the Brailsford mythology. I think he got lucky that Froome came along in the nick of time. Wiggins would have won 2012, but with more mountain dramas pulling back Nibali on his own (still an amazing achievement). Other than that, they're nowhere without Froome.

iainf72

Salsiccia1 wrote:

I'd be very surprised if they're not both on the TDF team. Brailsford will get the best team available on the start line, and that will included Wiggins.

The best collection of individual athletes would include Wiggins without a doubt.

Whether the best team would include him is a different discussion.

above_the_cows

dish_dash wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

I want to know about BradleyOnTheBusGate.

Didn't he keep leaving used capsules in the Nespresso machine on the bus...

I thought that was Froome and Porte? Maybe he didn't flush and freshen the loo after a number 2?

RichN95.

Above The Cows wrote:

dish_dash wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

I want to know about BradleyOnTheBusGate.

Didn't he keep leaving used capsules in the Nespresso machine on the bus...

I thought that was Froome and Porte? Maybe he didn't flush and freshen the loo after a number 2?

I thought it was an arguement about what to watch on the video screen. Wiggins wanted Quadraphenia and Froome wanted The Lion King.

mfin

I'd like to see Wiggins being the only Sky man to pull Froome back from a gap at some point and then for him just to sit up and say 'off you go mate' and cost Froome time or the Tour itself. Of course it won't happen but it would be great for entertainment value. The only reason I would like to see Froome win is so that Contador doesn't, and to be honest I'm only just sure about that as I don't like either of them at all (Froome edges though just on the principle that he has no record of doping).

Richmond Racer

Macaloon wrote:

OCDuPalais wrote:

Wiggins national hero after winning 2012 Tour; 2014 Tour starts in Wiggins' adopted back yard and travels to the city where he grew up; Wiggins in great form; Sky looking to capitalise on all the Tour hoo-ha; Wiggins' new agent all about "the brand"... Did you see the crowds at the ToB!?? ... C'mon... Brailsford and Froome would end up fielding as many questions about Wiggins' absence as they would about everything else put together...

Were there to be a significant spat between now and Depart, or should someone catch wind that Wiggins doesn't intend making it to Paris... That might change things.

The defending champion, Froome, might not see is at his job to fill Fuller's voids. Assuming he's selfish and ungrateful, will the team overrule him?

And I'm not a buyer of the Brailsford mythology. I think he got lucky that Froome came along in the nick of time. Wiggins would have won 2012, but with more mountain dramas pulling back Nibali on his own (still an amazing achievement). Other than that, they're nowhere without Froome.

If you dont reckon Wiggins wants to be on the start line in his own country with his agent's influence being irrelevant to that desire, then perhaps you dont get really get him. God knows, he was proud enough when the race started here in 07.

On the Brailsford point, I've become less and less enamoured with the way he goes about the running of a road team, and the associated handling of interpersonal rivalries. And whats gone on here bears no comparison to the Hoy-Kenny situation - those 2 guys were and still are good mates throughout, whereas there is a lot of bad blood between Wiggins and Froome. Also procycling team is a hugely different environment from a track team. Brailsford failed to recognise the difference, believing that it was no different to Hoy v Kenny selection, and others like it from the track team history, and the ill-feeling has been allowed to simmer and then escalate for the last 2 years.

salsiccia1

iainf72 wrote:

Salsiccia1 wrote:

I'd be very surprised if they're not both on the TDF team. Brailsford will get the best team available on the start line, and that will included Wiggins.

The best collection of individual athletes would include Wiggins without a doubt.

Whether the best team would include him is a different discussion.

Agreed, but I genuinely think it would. It might create some tension but as has previously been mentioned Brailsford likes that sort of thing.

Anyway, it's about team there was another Hinault v. LeMond or Roche v. Visentini.

Macaloon

Richmond Racer wrote:

If you dont reckon Wiggins wants to be on the start line in his own country with his agent's influence being irrelevant, then perhaps you dont get really get him. God knows, he was proud enough when the race started here in 07.

Of course he wants to be there regardless of Fuller. (Would have been cool if he felt as strongly in 2013).

I was merely wondering who wears the trousers? Wiggins, Brailsford or Froome?

Richmond Racer

Macaloon wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

If you dont reckon Wiggins wants to be on the start line in his own country with his agent's influence being irrelevant, then perhaps you dont get really get him. God knows, he was proud enough when the race started here in 07.

Of course he wants to be there regardless of Fuller. (Would have been cool if he felt as strongly in 2013).

I was merely wondering who wears the trousers? Wiggins, Brailsford or Froome?

It aint Wiggins, however much influence he had in the past. Thats for sure.

RichN95.

Macaloon wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

If you dont reckon Wiggins wants to be on the start line in his own country with his agent's influence being irrelevant, then perhaps you dont get really get him. God knows, he was proud enough when the race started here in 07.

Of course he wants to be there regardless of Fuller. (Would have been cool if he felt as strongly in 2013).

I was merely wondering who wears the trousers? Wiggins, Brailsford or Froome?

Ultimately Jeremy Darroch and James Murdoch do.

warreng

Richmond Racer wrote:

Macaloon wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

If you dont reckon Wiggins wants to be on the start line in his own country with his agent's influence being irrelevant, then perhaps you dont get really get him. God knows, he was proud enough when the race started here in 07.

Of course he wants to be there regardless of Fuller. (Would have been cool if he felt as strongly in 2013).

I was merely wondering who wears the trousers? Wiggins, Brailsford or Froome?

It aint Wiggins, however much influence he had in the past. Thats for sure.

That reminds me of that line in "A Year in Yellow" when Wiggins says "I've been out on the piss countless times with Dave" and Brailsford's lukewarm response was along the lines "We've had a couple of drinks" which made me thing that no, Bradley, you think you've been out on the piss with Dave.

I think Brailsford will take the opportunity to drop Wiggins with encouragement from Froome.

Macaloon

RichN95 wrote:

Ultimately Jeremy Darroch and James Murdoch do.

"In office, but not in power" perhaps.

r0bh

Rumour had it that Froome had a big say in last year's Tour team? And let's face it at times they were very lucky to get away with it e.g. Stage 9 and the crosswinds stage that Cav won. Against stronger opposition, and Contador is looking like that, they may not be able to afford dropping a minute somewhere through having a weak team. They'd do well to remember that IMHO and pick what will be the strongest team on the road.

eh

I'd love to see a straight up fight on the road between Wiggins and Froome, it would be great.

However, I do think from Sky point of view if Wiggins is left out then it is ridiculous he is even on their books for all the money he must cost them. The last few months haven't exactly been too kind to Sky either (California being the only stand out) and they could do with the positive publicity Wiggins starting would give them IMO.

iainf72

Surely no one thinks Wiggins has got Tour winning form this year?

He's in good shape, but then again Froome beat Tony Martin in a TT

Coach H

Also to consider that, at least in the build up and British stages, if Wiggins is left at home due to Froome's will every press conference will be full of, Fuller whipped up, questions asking about Wiggins. Then can you imagine the furore if Froome loses time on the cobbles or on a mountain drag strip where Wiggins may have been a factor. Could end up being more destructive than team disharmony.

Not sure how much influence could be brought to bear in France, but in Britain at least the real battle could be Fuller v Fran......and there is only going to be one winner there.

salsiccia1

iainf72 wrote:

Surely no one thinks Wiggins has got Tour winning form this year?

He's in good shape, but then again Froome beat Tony Martin in a TT

No, I don't think he has, but he could give a team Tour winning effort. If he can be arsed. And that for me is the only question, and why I might hesitate.

dish_dash

Coach H wrote:

Also to consider that, at least in the build up and British stages, if Wiggins is left at home due to Froome's will every press conference will be full of, Fuller whipped up, questions asking about Wiggins. Then can you imagine the furore if Froome loses time on the cobbles or on a mountain drag strip where Wiggins may have been a factor. Could end up being more destructive than team disharmony.

Not sure how much influence could be brought to bear in France, but in Britain at least the real battle could be Fuller v Fran......and there is only going to be one winner there.

If he isn't on the team, you can imagine Wiggo rocking up in Yorkshire anyway and dominating headlines...

above_the_cows

Richmond Racer wrote:

On the Brailsford point, I've become less and less enamoured with the way he goes about the running of a road team, and the associated handling of interpersonal rivalries. And whats gone on here bears no comparison to the Hoy-Kenny situation - those 2 guys were and still are good mates throughout, whereas there is a lot of bad blood between Wiggins and Froome. Also procycling team is a hugely different environment from a track team. Brailsford failed to recognise the difference, believing that it was no different to Hoy v Kenny selection, and others like it from the track team history, and the ill-feeling has been allowed to simmer and then escalate for the last 2 years.

For all Brailsford's supposed 'management guruness' he seems to lack some basic emotional intelligence. It is perfectly possible to see that both Wiggins and Froome have a point vis-a-vis the other and that both Wiggins and Froome are being a bit silly vis-a-vis the other. You can't reconcile these competing feelings but nor can you pretend they're not there, hope they'll go away or 'manage' your way out of it through focusing only on the numbers. What is really needed here is a stern word and a sit on the naughty step/slap on the bottom (depending on your approach to corporal parenting) for both of them.