WIGGINS DROPPED FROM SKY FOR TDF 2014

[Jakkals.]

My understanding...

 

If Wiggo was riding le Tour, he would've been in a support role, ie big engine, domestique riding tempo at the front. almost like what Micheal Rogers did in 2012.

 

Team Sky wont have the horse power for the flat days, since Ian Stannard is out, wiggo would've been a good guy to replace him with.

 

Sky doesnt need another guy helping Froome in the mountains, ritchey froome already there and Nive,

 

I just dont think wiggo will ride the whole tour at the front on the windy days....for Froome.

[nochain]

Wiggins needs a Froome/Porte/Contador/Rogers-type dedicated helper(s) to shepherd him through the mountains.He is not capable of winning the high mountain stages on his own against multiple attacks by determined adversaries.He may have a big motor, and his Paris Roubaix was impressive, but a Grand Tour winner(going forward) he will not be - perhaps if Contador rides for him and he returns the favour, maybe then. BUT...oh, wait, he doesn't return favours.Imagine, for just a second, Wiggo trying to follow Quintana up the Galibier or similar Alpine stage, after three cat 1 or hors categorie climbs, after having exhausted his helpers. Time trial prowess will not suffice this time, I'm afraid.Froome can do it, so can an in-form Contador. Wiggo's engine isn't designed for this type of effort.2012 may as well be 1912 for all the relevance it has with regard to winning the TdF this year or ever again for Wiggins.

I agree 100%I would have liked to see Wiggens at the tour in a supporting role because I think he is an amazing athlete.But be a contender? No never...not on those mountains and up against a Contador that is looking like he's old self.

The biggest cat climb Wiggens faced in 2012 was a cat1 and still he had to be pulled back to Nibali time and again. Same goes for he's win at TOC this year...brilliant but the biggest climb there does not come close to the stuff in the tour. Horses for courses....

As good a rider as he is...and he is one of the best ever as a all-round cyclist he simply just do not have the guns to ride with the likes of Conto and Quintana as you mentioned.

Froome like it or not is the only rider right now in the world that will match those 2 on any day and maybe even beat them

I think Froome needs Wiggens this year but we all know that it was never going to work that way…pity because Froome is the reason Wiggens got he’s win and in the perfect world they would settle their differences and go and take on Contador.

Edited June 6, 2014 by nochain

[kosmonooit]

"“So maybe I won’t need to do a season on the track this winter, I could concentrate on the road again. That would allow me to have a go at Roubaix again and then try to do the [2015] Tour in the role of a super domestique, like I wanted to do this year – ride on the Champs-Élysées with the yellow jersey behind me."

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-left-out-of-team-skys-tour-de-france-team?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=6140415&utm_content=11386&utm_campaign=8710

 

Sad its come to this for Brad, Team Sky and The Brits.

[arendoog]

Apart from the fact was that Froome was there to support Wiggins, the team leader. Froome wasn't the leader so it wasn't his tour to win.

 

You take a pay cheque and you do the job that you signed on for. That is the point of super domestiques they mostly can win the races themselves on other teams. Sanchez to Cadel, Rodgers to Contador even Porte / Uran to Froome. He was supposed to protect Wiggins in the mountains, that was his job. Do you hear Renshaw b*tching about leading out Cav' if he thinks he's feeling good that day and can take the sprint himself?

 

Froome is obviously clinical about his ambitions, getting there and getting rid of threats. He was never going to let wiggins back in to his team. All the races this year have been without him, the public recon' of the stages without him, training camps without him and the various responses through the media to Twiggys comments slapped each one down in the nicest way. Then a book release where he 'had' to cover the issues from 2012 and release it in the run up to the tour....

Unfortunately road cycling is corporate and sky pays the salaries and froome, wiggens are the employee's .It sucks but we have to live with it otherwise there will be no tour .It still leaves a bad after taste

[TALUS]

Obviously I dont know either of these guys. All my perceptions are formed by the press but surely they have an input themselves.

 

Based on that very limited basis I found myself slightly warming to Brad and at the same time thinking Chris is whinging a tad much. The net result is I just see them as an UK team with no real emotional bond.

 

For this tour: OGE as a team and Alberto as a rider for my vote.

 

And that is what PR does for you....

[G e r h a r d Odendaal]

typo

 

or

 

trick

 

Thought youd like this

 

['Dale]

 

 

Thought youd like this

 

 

Thanx!

Insane skillz

 

***

 

Wiggo still has a few seasons in him.

I reckon he'll toe up at the TdF 2015 wearing a team jersey that is not Rapha.

All to unfold.

[NotSoBigBen]

[DMC007]

http://www.bbc.com/s...ycling/27729737

 

The interview with the Beatle.

Edited June 6, 2014 by DMC007

[Capcha]

In a perfect dream World, its rider signings happening in a month and a half and a team pays up Wiggins contract, signs him up now and includes him in a new team to ride this years Tour and we have a race on our hands...In a perfect dream World

[Dawdle]

Two alpha dogs in the pit, the one with the biggest ball wins?? Given this, I think I'll look out for the oppostion,

Like Contador, and the outsiders.

Question: Given Sky's record, why no talk of Richie Porte??? Strong Contender.... or is that "politically incorrect???"

[Dawdle]

BTW..Would be nice if Froome came and made a big thing about cycling safety in SA, him sort of a semi permanent resident here. Good marketing angle for the future of cycling here. He rides the roads here, and sadly our greatest hope, Burry died on those same roads. Give a little back ?????

[Dawdle]

Final comment, the anti freeze is talking, would Froome support Wiggins this year if circumstances were otherwise? Enjoy the riding this weekend.

[TALUS]

BTW..Would be nice if Froome came and made a big thing about cycling safety in SA, him sort of a semi permanent resident here. Good marketing angle for the future of cycling here. He rides the roads here, and sadly our greatest hope, Burry died on those same roads. Give a little back ?????

Froome has been very carefull NOT to be aligned with SAF too much. His team's support base is UK. It worked well - I feel less and less as if he represents me. Having your girlfriend fight your fights in public is certainly not my or my mates' style. Edited June 7, 2014 by TALUS

[Christie]

It is a big call not to take Wiggins. It may come back to haunt Sky, one incident with Froome on he cobbles and their GC plans could go up in a cloud of dust. Crazy imo to pay such a strong rider, but not being able to use him.

 

I am not a fan of Wiggins, the threats of withdrawing from the tdf, walking away from Garmin etc does make him look like a prima donna. Imo Sky had some trick up their sleeve (Argon gas or something) that the other teams did not know about, without which Wiggins would not have won. Porte, Froome will also be on more even footing now that Conto, Nibali etc are on level terms again.

 

Conto: Doping cheat stripped of multiple Grand tours. Without his Bruneel blood bags, he looked more like an ordinary climber. If he is super strong all of a sudden, I would not hesitate to question his integrity.

 

Froome: He could have handled the Wiggens situation better, imo. With LeMond vs Hinault, Conto vs Lance, the stronger man sucked it up, and won in the end. Froome is being a bit of a brat.

 

Wigins: He is simply not that strong, in ToC he won agains mostly American local. He even got dropped on one mountain.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Christie

[GoLefty!!]

Maybe, although I dont believe Wiggins is "difficult" as the media like to portray him, perhaps he is just not happy at SKY and it shows in his manner? SKY has let a number of good riders wonder off to other teams, Uran and Rodgers in particular, if Wiggins goes I dont see the team been any kind of force any where except the TDF.

 

 

HE's not very happy at SKY since the 2012 TdF where Froome got too close to him and he brought Froom'es loyalty into question.

Wiggins being the first Brit to win the TdF was by design as I believe Froome had the measure of him in 2012; its just that he spent 99% of his time pacing Wiggins around France. A bit like Lemond and Hinault in 1985...