UKC

Wiggo. I'm not normally disposed to being a fan of anyone but I guess Wiggo is an exception. Shame about not getting gold this afternoon but pretty good considering such a recent transition from road to track. I really hope he rides the Vuelta this year as a last grand tour while he still has a chance of podium, but I guess there's a lot of track work to be done between now and the Olympics

In reply to kevin stephens:

I'd love to see him do another grand tour and shut all the doubters up but he's said he is 100% committed to training for the next olympics and not doing any more tours. Mind you he said recently that he intends to win Paris Roubaix next year so fingers crossed for that!

In reply to kevin stephens:

Shame he isn't doing the Glasgow time trial.

Would have been a good joust with Alex Dowsett

In reply to kevin stephens:

Can't understand why he isn't doing the commonwealth TT - surely today's pursuit won't have taken that much out of him, or is it that the training is so completely differant.

Would be great to see him add Paris Roubaix or a classic to his palmares - also if he concentrates on the classics he avoids any clash with Froome.

And I know the English team isn't the same as the British team, and we are only half way through an Olympic cycle, but they were way off the Aussies today

In reply to kevin stephens:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/28476411

This really saddened me. I think he has been badly treated by sky. It maybe he is past it but it is so rare for a team to not take a ex champion to a tour (excepting last year when he was injured). As I understand it he was due to ride the commonwealth tt and the vuelta until froome had his crash and got injured, now he's doing it instead? I'm sure it has a lot to do with his relationship with froome. They are both slightly odd personalities, and clearly dont like being in the same room...the fault im unsure of between the 2 of them, brailsfords style, froomes girlfriend and wiggo's wife.

One thing thats clear is that brailsford whilst a brilliant performance manager, he is not such a good manager of personalities.

Its a shame as I would like to have the opportunity to go and watch him ride, and I fear velodrome events and tickets arent easy to get. Think i'll make a trip to Paris Roubaix if he races it.

I wish him well on the track. A gold in Brazil would top off an amazing career

In reply to balmybaldwin:

It sounds a little bit whingey to me and I hate to say it but it does'nt make him sound like much of a champion GC rider. I suspect his own actions and personality have placed him where he is.

I hope they are all in the vuelta and then he can let his legs and riding do the talking though I suspect he won't be and would drop out early if it happens.

I really hope he ends his career on a high rather than in articles like that.

Cheers

Toby

In reply to balmybaldwin:

I might be reading something from nothing but the body language in the photos says a lot to me.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/28469716

Cheers

Toby

In reply to Toby_W:

Yes ,definitely a bit of emotion coming through there.

Whingey is probably the best description.

A little bitterness and resentment just under the the surface ,which he will have to deal with ,or it will eat away at him.

Wiggo doing the Glasgow TT would have been great; him whizzing past me ,flat out ,is something I would have remembered for the rest of my days

In reply to Toby_W:

The ozzies are massive!!

In reply to Toby_W:


Sounds human and honest to me. He is a champion GC rider, what should a champion GC rider sound like? Armstrong? or a bit dull like Froome?

In reply to andymac:


A not uncommon occurrence up here in Lancashire. My rides generally take me past the end of his road a couple of times a week. He holds the course record for our 10 - though it's some years since he's put in an appearance!

In reply to The New NickB:

Rock and a hard place, I can't bring myself to put Wiggo's name next to some examples of past tour winners as that would do him a dis service. I think you'll either know what I mean by my earlier statement or not and it's only my opinion. I get the distinct feeling that Wiggins loves all things cycling except being a GC winner and team leader.

Cheers

Toby

In reply to Toby_W:


You reckon? I thought he looked as happy as a pig in shit in 2012, being the leader of Team Sky, GC winner in waiting, and the best Time Triallist in the world to boot. The only fly in the ointment was when The Mekon was being an arse. I suspect he is still bitter with all the politics of late and I don't blame him, being ditched by Brailsford/Froome in favour of Porte (who, no disprespect to the man intended, hasn't exactly troubled the podium). He definitely isn't at ease in the media glare (Ned Boulting has said him and Cav are by far the two most frustrating riders to deal with on a tour) but he manages it brilliantly. BSPOTY who actually has a personality!

In reply to Removed User:

He's actually been completely bald since the age of 8. Hence the nickname.

True story.

In reply to Clauso:

Surely his beard and sideboards are real! You've ruined it for me.

In reply to balmybaldwin:


Wasn't the previous (2011) winner Evans in a similar sort of TdF team leader tussle with TJV in subsequent years ?

In reply to Toby_W:

Maybe he was being interviewed at the time?

In reply to Jim Hamilton:
Evans was team leader in 2012 and TJvG worked for him until it was obvious Evans was toast. I think they were supposed to be joint leaders in 2013, but neither had a good race.

Maybe someone has retied immediately after winning the Tour (as Armstrong initially did) but I've got a feeling that the only one other winner never returned and that was because they were killed in war.

Edit - It's been bugging me so I had to do some research - Sylvere Maes won the tour in 1939 and never raced it again, although he did survive the war and raced the Giro after it

In reply to Chris the Tall:


Some people just lack commitment.

In reply to Toby_W:

I thought he was pretty measured and honest in the interview with the BBC, and I respect him for it.

In reply to kevin stephens:

Wiggo is an utter and absolute legend and anyone who can't see that needs their eyes testing......or their perspective re-aligning.

In reply to Removed User:


The equivalent of what's he ever done on grit would be, what's he ever done in Flanders?

Seventh in a bone dry PR.

That'll be nothing then.

In reply to Mike Highbury:




You're showing some ignorance there. Top 10 in your first serious attempt is a very credible result.

Have a look here http://bikeraceinfo.com/classics/paris-roubaix/paris-roubaix-index.html

You have to go back to Hinault in 81 for the last time a TDF winner was on the podium - and apparently he still hasn't recovered !

In reply to kevin stephens:

Wiggo's got nothing left to prove in Grand Tours -- he's ridden 12 since 2005, (crashed out of 3) and had 3 podium places including overall win in the TDF. He knows in his own mind that he's little chance of winning another one unless they have more ITT km, and some less brutal and punchy climbs. He also knows the effort that is required to get his body down the sort of weight he was when he won in 2012 - and it doesn't get easier the older you get. Whilst he's certainly got the 'engine' to ride many more grand tours, he's a 'winner' and I do not see him accepting a super domestique role, or that of a solo brekaway specialist like Jensie - particularly when he's other unfulfilled ambitions like the Worlds ITT, and another Olympic Gold. I am a little surprised that he's not going for the Commonwealth ITT, for if he won it, he would only be one step away from completing the equivalent of the Time Trial 'Grand Slam' of National, Olympic, Commonwealth and World titles. With the Worlds course in Spain this year being a fairly lumpy one, it might suit Wiggo better than Tony Martin.

On another level, he's a family man with kids - and I know from personal experience how hard it can be to spend large chunks of the year away from them over many years - particularly when the kids are in their teens. Being more track focussed he has the opportunity of spending a lot more time based at home - and within riding distance of the Manchester Velodrome.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

Totally agree which is why I feel uncomfortable watching some of his interviews. Froome will probably go on riding grand tours and no doubt win a few more and that will be his career. Wiggo has won across the board and must be our greatest ever cyclist. If they were both my kids I'd never worry about Froome but I'd always be a little worried about wiggins, the higher achieving elder brother who's a little fragile. It seems a not uncommon trait amongst pro cyclists, it makes me nervous for him and I just hope his future follows a happy path.

Cheers

Toby

In reply to Chris the Tall:

I suspect Mike was being a tad sarcastic.

In reply to Toby_W:

......... I just hope his future follows a happy path.

He seems to enjoy riding his bike round the Lancashire lanes, - and there are some good ones literally on his doorstep, he's also good for the crack amongst the local club scene ! He'll be reet!

In reply to Mike Highbury:




9th. Thomas was 7th but got overlooked in all the kerfuffle over Wiggins' joust at the title.