Wiggins out of Tour de France

Wishbone Ash

Sky News reporting that Wiggo is out of the TDF due to illness and injury.

snottybridge

Just announced on sky that Wiggins is out of the Tour citing illness, pity, i presume its the same illness that forced him out of the Giro.

RidleyRider

It was he's knee.

I'm delighted he's out. Froome finally gets a go at the TdF.

dedocdude

RidleyRider wrote: »

It was he's knee.

I'm delighted he's out. Froome finally gets a go at the TdF.

Finally? hes only ridden it twice

RidleyRider

dedocdude wrote: »

Finally? hes only ridden it twice

He could have won it last year if Wiggins wasn't holding him back.

Grandpa Hassan

I find it sad to say, but I don't think Wiggo will win another major race, let alone a grand tour.

I just don't think he has the desire, and has gone soft (obviously still as tough as nails compared to you and me, but we're talking relative to his peers). The younger, hungrier guys coming through are too good - two of them just in his team

And I don't think he would make the track team for Rio....the young fellas are just too quick

He hasn't exactly a bad record to date, but personally I would be surprised to see him amongst the leaders again. (I would love to be wrong)

Lumen

RidleyRider wrote: »

He could have won it last year if Wiggins wasn't holding him back.

Sure, if Wiggo stopped for a picnic during the ITTs.

C3PO

RidleyRider wrote: »

I'm delighted he's out. Froome finally gets a go at the TdF.

Wow ....

dedocdude

RidleyRider wrote: »

He could have won it last year if Wiggins wasn't holding him back.

possibly, but that was his job I guess, mind him Wiggins the mountains. I wouldn't be a fan of either but its always nice to see the defending champ back. My guess is leadership was giving to Froome for '13 tour and Wiggins wasn't prepared to play 2nd fiddle.

Not sure about the whole 'gone soft' post there - less than a year ago he could do no wrong having enjoyed a stellar season. People had Evans written off too and he just podiumed in a GT - its a bit of a tabloid response to bury a lad so soon. Id wait a bit longer. That said, not sure what Wiggins' program will be now for the rest of '13

check_six

Some find Sky's style of controlling races boring. The possibility of a battle royale inside the Sky camp betweeen Wiggo and Froome had made the Tour de France look like a exciting prospect again this year.

Now they've ruined that.

They even making potential explosive internecine conflicts boring.

Damn you Sky! *shakes fist heavenward*

retalivity

He'd hardly do the vuelta would he? that looks less suited to him than the tour does

AstraMonti

I think the knee is just an excuse, his ego is too big to accept that he is not in form (well i HOPE that that's the issue) and he can't accept to just finish 10th or something. Also he knows his team is not 100% behind him like last year. Unfortunately, the tour just became a little less interesting. It would have been awesome to have Froome and Wiggins fighting for the one spot in their team.

The Big Lebowsky

Yup- Wiggo has been hanging out with too many celebrities over the off season. In an inverview, he swore he wasn't particularly interested in all of that red carpet nonsense...just wanted to lead a normal life and go down tescos with his kids....

I blame Paul Weller's bad influence on his recent lack of form....:D

elduggo

who cares about the race. I'm gutted we're gonna miss out on all the bickering.

MPFG

retalivity wrote: »

He'd hardly do the vuelta would he? that looks less suited to him than the tour does

World Time Trial I'd say

Problem for Wiggins ..its hard when you have been at the top and are not in the same shape and know you'd be lucky to finish in top 10...to be motivated for that....Top champions continue to ride Grand Tours that they know they cannot win but it must take time to re adjust your expections and place in the pack...to be the lowly one when you were once the leader

Can't see Wiggins ever being an also ran.....he is too much of a top commodity ..I'd say he wil chose very carefuly from now on..He is smart and know his limitations.

Cycling is really a very hard sport when it comes to pecking orders !!

Leroy42

Here's an idea. Maybe he is just injured and won't be able to be in form for the tour so has decided early to pull out. Given that the course didn't suit him as much as last year he needed things to go right for him and they just haven't.

Brian?

This all a distraction to the inevitable Contador cakewalk.

I'm a little disappointed Wiggins is out, not a hope of him winning le Tour but it's always nice to have defending champion in a race.

The Brits still have one of their own to cheer on, well they have a Zimbabwe born, south African raised, Monaco living British passport holder.

Zyzz

Wonder if Wiggo has pulled a Di Luca..now that would be news

ashleey

Brian? wrote: »

This all a distraction to the inevitable Contador cakewalk.

I'm a little disappointed Wiggins is out, not a hope of him winning le Tour but it's always nice to have defending champion in a race.

The Brits still have one of their own to cheer on, well they have a Zimbabwe born, south African raised, Monaco living British passport holder.

Careful, or we'll have Dan Martin back, now that he's brilliant.

dedocdude

Zyzz wrote: »

Wonder if Wiggo has pulled a Di Luca..now that would be news

How do you mean?

Zyzz

dedocdude wrote: »

How do you mean?

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/14638/Danilo-Di-Luca-positive-for-EPO-in-surprise-pre-Giro-control.aspx


..its only a joke for anyone that wants to argue it :cool:

Brad768

ashleey wrote: »

Careful, or we'll have Dan Martin back, now that he's brilliant.

Damn, beaten to it :rolleyes:
Really disappointed Wiggo won't be competing, it will be interesting to see how he performs when(if) he goes back to track though

Brian?

ashleey wrote: »

Careful, or we'll have Dan Martin back, now that he's brilliant.

Ah I was only messing. I couldn't care less what nationality choose. I just think Froomes Britishness is quite funny.

Beasty

Zyzz wrote: »

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/14638/Danilo-Di-Luca-positive-for-EPO-in-surprise-pre-Giro-control.aspx


..its only a joke for anyone that wants to argue it :cool:

It's not worth joking about these things - if the mods had got to your post before you made the follow-up you would have been carded, so please be careful what you say, even in jest

Thanks

Beasty

ashleey

Wiggins wasn't born in London either. However, the rugby and cricket teams have taken it to a different level altogether.

retalivity

i just had a look over the vuelta route again.....jaysus its madness!
Not a chance wiggins would win it if he entered.

Frank Bullitt

Maybe he is avoiding Paul Kimmage :P

kenmc

Maybe he saw a longrange forecast that had some wet descents on the cards. Pity he decided not to fall crawl down them

ThisRegard

Wasn't Froome going to be the main guy on the tour anyway so it's not like he's now being given a "shot", if anything he's losing a valuable domestique.

Also, apparently Wiggins is the first winner not to defend his title since the 80s when LeMond missed out. However it took a shotgun to prevent him turning up. Cyclists were hardier back then.

RobFowl

A few comments
I'm a bit of a fan of wiggins and love the fact that he actually has a personality and donesn't conform to any stereotypes.
I thought his tour win last year while not exciting was a superb display holding the yellow jersey for such a long time and crushing the rest in the tt's and holding his own in the mountains.
For him to ride as a domestique to Froome would have been awful, he's far too good to play a support role to a rider with a very short history of sucess (never won a significant race until 2011 and was a GT also ran until his 2nd in the Vuelta).
I don't like Sky's attitude on a lot of issues and thought the way Wigggo was treated publicly was disrespectful to say the least and to cannot believe their psychiatrist/pyschologist was consulted.
He'll be back and will win more races, of that I have no doubt.
Froome I simply don't like for a variety of reasons and am sure he will wilt under pressure at the tour. He's never been properly under pressure in a race apart from the Vuelta last year and TA this year and crumbled badly in both.
Would be surprised if Porte ended up as the lead man.
All in all cycling the loser here, defending champ not there always take away from the race on some level. His personality (grumpy, sullen or honest and outspoken) will make the press conferances less interesting.
I woulddn't be surprised if he's in a different team next year either...

Rambled abit there but stream of consciousness and all that ...

Wishbone Ash

RobFowl wrote: »

... he actually has a personality and donesn't conform to any stereotypes...

Has he ceased to be a mod?

MPFG

RobFowl wrote: »

A few comments
I'm a bit of a fan of wiggins and love the fact that he actually has a personality and donesn't conform to any stereotypes.
...

I agree wholeheartedly ...Wiggins has personality, wit and intelligence..yes he is moody and grumpy at times but he can be charming as well .... cycling world is so much more duller without Wiggins....and he is responsible for such a rise in interst in the sport in the UK

And yes Froome is an untested leader ....and I think he won't do as well as expected.....For me its Contador, Quintana & J-Rod in the frame

Hermy

ThisRegard wrote: »

Also, apparently Wiggins is the first winner not to defend his title since the 80s when LeMond missed out. However it took a shotgun to prevent him turning up. Cyclists were hardier back then.

No - that was Armstrong...:pac:

Hermy

MPFG wrote: »

cycling world is so much more duller without Wiggins

Whatever about press conferences it's what happens on the road that matters most. And to that end Wiggins Tour victory was in my opinion one of the dullest races in many a year.

Leroy42

Hermy wrote: »

No - that was Armstrong...:pac:

but Armstrong never won tge tour

spoke2cun

Geez, its so obvious what the problem is here. Brad and his team assumed that they had a God given right to win the Giro. Then he would 'help' Froome win the tour de france . simple. And now just because 'their' plan didn't work out in the Giro, he isn't going to help Froome become the star man at Sky. All the toys are out of the pram. Wrap it up Brad. (sir).

Wishbone Ash

ThisRegard wrote: »

Wiggins is the first winner not to defend his title since the 80s

I don't think Contador defended his 2007 win?

TinyExplosions

ThisRegard wrote: »

Also, apparently Wiggins is the first winner not to defend his title since the 80s when LeMond missed out. However it took a shotgun to prevent him turning up. Cyclists were hardier back then.

Contador didn't defend his 07 Yellow in 2008 (cos Astana weren't allowed start!)

Brian?

Hermy wrote: »

Whatever about press conferences it's what happens on the road that matters most. And to that end Wiggins Tour victory was in my opinion one of the dullest races in many a year.

I completely agree.

I think that all this talk about Wiggins personality is a bit much as well. He says what he thinks and dresses like a mod, how rebellious.

The real reason people are so fond of his personality is that we share a common language. Nibali could be a brilliant wit but it's all be lost in translation.

elduggo

Hermy wrote: »

Whatever about press conferences it's what happens on the road that matters most. And to that end Wiggins Tour victory was in my opinion one of the dullest races in many a year.

it was dull for sure but then the tour de france generally is dull. I can remember, maybe 2 in the last however many years that were enjoyable. 3 at a push. Of those 3, the titles have been stripped from the winners of 2 of them.

Junior

Roche was the last tour winner I thought not to defend his title due to injury.

Anyone

I wonder how much Sky's decision to make Froome their lead rider had to play in Wiggins decision?

Brian?

elduggo wrote: »

it was dull for sure but then the tour de france generally is dull. I can remember, maybe 2 in the last however many years that were enjoyable. 3 at a push. Of those 3, the titles have been stripped from the winners of 2 of them.

2007-2011 were all decent. Particularly Sastre and Contadors.

MrCreosote

Why do people get so worked up and blame Wiggins/sky when it's a dull tour? His job is to win cycling races. Go to the circus if you want to see performing monkeys.

It's pretty clear why he dropped out- he wouldn't be at 100% because of illness and injury. Sky have plenty of other and probably better options for the win, so he or they decide to pull the pin. Nothing worse than seeing the previous year's winner struggling sadly around like Cadel last year. If BMC had other credible options then he'd have done something similar to Wiggins.

elduggo

MrCreosote wrote: »

Why do people get so worked up and blame Wiggins/sky when it's a dull tour?

well to be fair it was entirely their fault

MrCreosote

elduggo wrote: »

well to be fair it was entirely their fault

That's what I mean- "fault" implies they did something wrong. Others might have seen a dull procession to Paris with an inevitable outcome. I saw the flawless application of a plan, with the other teams too intimidated and timid to do anything to counter it. Perfection is always to be admired. Better that than 2011, when Cadel never attacked, just followed and followed, got lucky when other riders crashed out, and won only because the better riders left cancelled each other out.

Grandpa Hassan

Problem with Wiggins is that he is not as good a racer as the other main contenders. He is not tough enough.

I was criticized earlier in this thread for suggesting he was soft. Just wanted to clarify. When fit, he is the best athlete on the tour. IMO that is undeniable. He has the best engine. He is an incredibly well honed machine. But he is a time triallist and track rider. In a road race he needs a plan built around him, and for that plan to be executed without any deviation from the script. Then he will win

He wins the time trials as everything is under his control. Last years tour played into his hands given the dominance of the time trials. In a race, when the plan is torn up, he is just not as good a scrapper as Evans or Contador, even Froome

He has dropped out as his fitness is the only card he has to play. And if it's not 100%, he will be way back in the pack

That's why I don't think we will see him come back as team leader and win another tour.

Brian?

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

Problem with Wiggins is that he is not as good a racer as the other main contenders. He is not tough enough.

I was criticized earlier in this thread for suggesting he was soft. Just wanted to clarify. When fit, he is the best athlete on the tour. IMO that is undeniable. He has the best engine. He is an incredibly well honed machine. But he is a time triallist and track rider. In a road race he needs a plan built around him, and for that plan to be executed without any deviation from the script. Then he will win

He wins the time trials as everything is under his control. Last years tour played into his hands given the dominance of the time trials. In a race, when the plan is torn up, he is just not as good a scrapper as Evans or Contador, even Froome

He has dropped out as his fitness is the only card he has to play. And if it's not 100%, he will be way back in the pack

That's why I don't think we will see him come back as team leader and win another tour.

I agree completely. Call it competitiveness, mental strength, having a great racing mind etc. Wiggins just doesn't have it.

He's like a thorough bred horse. His athleticism is beyond a doubt. When things go wrong though he hasn't got the ability to turn it around the way someone like Contador or Nibali does.

Case in point would be Contador attacking on medium stage in the Vuelta and winning even though he wasn't as strong as Rodriguez or Valverde in the mountains most days.

I've nothing against the guy at all, I just don't enjoy watching him racing.

elduggo

MrCreosote wrote: »

That's what I mean- "fault" implies they did something wrong. Others might have seen a dull procession to Paris with an inevitable outcome. I saw the flawless application of a plan, with the other teams too intimidated and timid to do anything to counter it. Perfection is always to be admired. Better that than 2011, when Cadel never attacked, just followed and followed, got lucky when other riders crashed out, and won only because the better riders left cancelled each other out.

the problem is TTs. If a rider is good in a TT then they'll just try to hang in there in the mountains and wait til the TT to get time on their rivals.

It might be a bit blasphemous to say it but I think we'd have a far more exciting race if one of the 2 following things were to occur

1: get rid of TTs
2: have time bonuses for TTs rather than adding the TT time to a riders overall time (eg: 1st place gets 30 seconds, 2nd place, 25 seconds, and scale it down over the first 10 places or so).

Do that and the overall contenders will have little option but to attack at other points in the race. And, it will give other decent riders who are crap in the TT (Dan Martin, Purito, etc) an actual chance to place well on GC and thus make for a far more open race.

Apart from Carlos Sastre all Tour de France winners for years have been very strong in the TT (and Andy Schleck if you want to count him but I don't)

Hermy

Leroy42 wrote: »

but Armstrong never won tge tour

Oh yes he did...:P

MPFG

Brian Smith is questioning the 'knee injury' on Twitter ....suggestings Wiggins wasn't backed by SKY and there was a call to drop him from the Tour....and asks what's next for Wiggo ....also suggested that Ian Stannard is looking for a new team next .....He should know as very close to J T Locke ....

More to the whole thing than meets the eye