When I voted (with a resounding “yes,” complete with sharp and loud mouse click) 1,266 people had voted with 73% of them (930) agreeing with me - Sky should take Wiggo to the Tour.
I searched a bit to see if this topic has been booted around yet here and didn’t see anything. I’m curious what others think.
I think they are crazy not to take Wiggins to the Tour for three reasons:
The man is clearly in form after putting in a dominating ITT at the Tour of California and doing some very serious climbing up Diablo and Mountain High. Sure, his time trail competition there was not Tony Martin, nor Alberto Contador, nor Chris Froome for that matter, but still it was good. And apart from TT, I think his climbing in California shows he could be a very effective part of the Sky train in the mountains next month. So, commercial reasons aside, I think from a pure race strategy point of view, they should take Wiggins.
It would be a PR nightmare (or least an awkward and moderately unpleasant dream) for Sky not to take Wiggins, Sir Bradley Wiggins, four Olympic and six World Championships gold medals for Great Britain (thank you Wikipedia), the first Briton to win the Tour, and all that … It would be a marketing faux pas and blunder not to take the biggest name in British cycling to the Tour starting in Britain. So, race strategy reasons aside, I think from a pure commercial point of view, they should take Wiggins.
Selfishly, it will be much more exciting if Wiggins were there and particularly so if he were to stir the pot a bit and maybe take some time off Froome early or in the cobbles stage. I just wish there were an early time trial this year, then that would be great with Sky going into the second rest day with Wiggins either a few seconds up on C.F. or better. For me, the Tour will be just the slightest bit boring without Wiggins there.
What do others think?
You could also essentially take my entire argument up there, but exchange the words “Wiggins” with “Nairo Quintana,” “Froome” with “Valverde,” and “Team Sky” with “Movistar” and it would still be a 100% accurate portrayal of my unsolicited opinion. Maybe modify the second point to be how silly it is not to bring the Giro champ and Tour runner-up last year to the Tour, but otherwise it all stands. It may be even more poignant point with Quintana, because I don’t think anyone except Valverde thinks that Valverde can actually win the Tour. Quintana could; I really believe he could.
I’m tired of the whole Wiggo / Froome dust-up. Froome is the #1 rider on the team, Wiggo has acknowledged he is #1 on the team. Wiggo has said he is perfectly willing to go to France in support of Froome.
Froome needs to stop being a whiny little boy. Wiggo isn’t going to supplant him (unless he craters) and can only be a huge help to him during the race.
Agreed, but so is Froome…he is incredibly insecure and paranoid.
The reality is the WIggo was giftwrapped the 2012 TdF. A course that perfectly suited his abilities (heavy on TT’s and low on climbs) with AC sitting on the sidelines. In any kind of “normal” year, he just isn’t a Tour-winning rider. And given this year’s course, the chances of him seriously contending for the top podium slot are pretty slim.
I’d be afraid of Wiggins sabotaging Froome, or vice versa, or one or the other stressing the other out bad and ruining their performance.
Wiggins is kind of a head case.
Wiggins is not the type of guy to try and make a move on Froome, that just isn’t his style. He’s much more of an old school ‘respect is earned’ type of guy. If you want to see what a head case looks like, take a look at Froome’s missus. Michelle Cound is an absolute nutter.
Froome would be silly not to take Wiggo. There is no bigger engine in the pro peloton and he’s going to be the guy that’s going to be able to split the peloton on climbs and chase back the breaks. I honestly don’t think he cares if he wins another TdF, he just want to be there (and win a stage or two on the way). Froome also need to consider that Porte has done nothing this season so have a second rider to keep him out of trouble isn’t a bad idea.
Agreed, but so is Froome…he is incredibly insecure and paranoid.
The reality is the WIggo was giftwrapped the 2012 TdF. A course that perfectly suited his abilities (heavy on TT’s and low on climbs) with AC sitting on the sidelines. In any kind of “normal” year, he just isn’t a Tour-winning rider. And given this year’s course, the chances of him seriously contending for the top podium slot are pretty slim.
x2.
But a little off topic…is Richie Porte going to be at the TdF as well? Haven’t heard much from him since early in the season.
Froome also need to consider that Porte has done nothing this season so have a second rider to keep him out of trouble isn’t a bad idea.
Also Stannard is out. Stannard was another good guy to have in emergencies, e.g. the kind who can single-handedly close a gap in an echelon split, etc.
But a little off topic…is Richie Porte going to be at the TdF as well? Haven’t heard much from him since early in the season.
Yes, he is riding the Tour. He was supposed to go for the Giro, but got sick in the build-up for it and they pulled him out. He is now going to ride in support of Froome in July.
Wiggins can drill a hard and consistent tempo on the climbs, it makes him a very valuable guy to have with them. Last year, that guy for Sky was Richie Porte. If Wiggins fills that role, then Sky is better able to protect Richie Porte so that you have two good options going into the second week. Taking only one protected GC guy really sucks if he goes down with a broken bone in the first week (a la Rodriguez in the Giro). Especially with the stage 5 cobbles. . .what if Froome loses 3 minutes . . . if you have Porte protected, it gives you more flexibility in strategy once the race starts going up hill.
That said, Sky has quite a few guys capable of filling that tempo roll. . . so I think in the end, its going to be Froome’s call. It’s his team, if he feels uncomfortable having Wiggins there, he won’t be there.
Wiggo has said he is perfectly willing to go to France in support of Froome.
Yes, he did. And I didn’t believe him.
My friend said having a Tour winner serving as a domestique is unheard of and will never happen (I didn’t fact check that) and* *that he’ll get signed to another team before TdF.
Wiggo has said he is perfectly willing to go to France in support of Froome.
Yes, he did. And I didn’t believe him.
My friend said having a Tour winner serving as a domestique is unheard of and will never happen (I didn’t fact check that) and* *that he’ll get signed to another team before TdF.
You’re friend is wrong. It is rare, but not unheard of…Delgado did it for Indurain, Fignon did it for Bugno, Riis did it for Ullrich, Hinault did it for Lemond…
I think Wiggo knew all along that he had caught lightning in a bottle in 2012…hence the reason why he did not go to defend his title and opted for the Giro last year. You wanna talk about something unheard of, you can start there.
That’s what I told him. He’s got to be under contract for the season.
Then I saw a headline that said *Orica-GreenEdge Interested in Wiggins *and I thought, “heck maybe he’s not under contract”.
Then you posted this and I went back and actually read the article and found, yes he is indeed under contract. So I guess the moral of the story is I need to start reading more of the articles.
Wiggins can drill a hard and consistent tempo on the climbs, it makes him a very valuable guy to have with them. Last year, that guy for Sky was Richie Porte. If Wiggins fills that role, then Sky is better able to protect Richie Porte so that you have two good options going into the second week. Taking only one protected GC guy really sucks if he goes down with a broken bone in the first week (a la Rodriguez in the Giro). Especially with the stage 5 cobbles. . .what if Froome loses 3 minutes . . . if you have Porte protected, it gives you more flexibility in strategy once the race starts going up hill.
That said, Sky has quite a few guys capable of filling that tempo roll. . . so I think in the end, its going to be Froome’s call. It’s his team, if he feels uncomfortable having Wiggins there, he won’t be there.
If I were Froome, I would feel far more uncomfortable if Wiggins were not there. For all the reasons you’ve mentioned, you want to bring as much horsepower to the TdF as possible. If for some reason Froome loses time to Wiggins in the mountains…then shit…you don’t deserve to be the team leader. I’d rather have that scenario than being the undisputed team leader and you don’t have enough horses with you to chase down gaps or prevent others from attacking.
Given that the only TT is late in the tour, there should really be no reason that the team rides for Wiggins unless Froome fucks it up himself.
I think Wiggo knew all along that he had caught lightning in a bottle in 2012…hence the reason why he did not go to defend his title and opted for the Giro last year. You wanna talk about something unheard of, you can start there.
He had an off season (particularly at the Giro) last year if I remember correctly.
He’s a very decorated rider though, why the lightning in a bottle comment? Is he not suited for that race?
I’d be afraid of Wiggins sabotaging Froome, or vice versa, or one or the other stressing the other out bad and ruining their performance.
Wiggins is kind of a head case.
^This. But I’m not a Froomie fan, either. They left Wiggins home last year. If they do it again this year and Froome loses (depending on Porte’s condition) there will be minor bickering and sniping. If they take Wiggins and Froome loses (if Wiggins doesn’t win), there will be lots of yelling and screaming.
Taking Wiggins has little upside and a great amount of downside imo.
He is nearly suited. Obviously he can beat all the contenders in the time trials, if they are flat. In the mountains, if it gets too steep he is vulnerable, and isn’t good at responding to attacks.
Hence their metronome tactics of just TTing up the mountains to nullify attacks (saw it again in the tour of california this year), compared to Froome who would actually attack people.
Anyway a tour with lots of miles of flat TT and less super steep climbs gives Wiggo a good chance, and that is when he won it.
He’s a very decorated rider though, why the lightning in a bottle comment? Is he not suited for that race?
I think Wiggo knew all along that he had caught lightning in a bottle in 2012…hence the reason why he did not go to defend his title and opted for the Giro last year. You wanna talk about something unheard of, you can start there.
He had an off season (particularly at the Giro) last year if I remember correctly.
He’s a very decorated rider though, why the lightning in a bottle comment? Is he not suited for that race?
See above…2012 was the “perfect storm” for Wiggo. A course that was tailor-made for him (not much climbing and heavy on TT’s) and Contador out on suspension. The rest of the GC “contenders” really weren’t. Wiggo realized that was his shot, took it and executed on it flawlessly. But in any year where there would be more summit finishes, or a stronger field, he just won’t be the guy who wins. Plus we are 2 years on from 2012 and he is getting a bit long in the tooth @ 34.