A few articles came out this morning on Bradley Wiggins, 2012 Tour de France winner, won’t be racing the Tour this year with Team Sky. I haven’t been shy with my opinion of Bradley. I’ve written a couple posts on the guy in the past. I’ve never much liked his public persona. And I’ve found if a person is unlikeable in public, then they tend to be complete utterly terrible, privately.
I guess Chris Froome, plus the powers at Team Sky, realize this and have decided that even though Bradley is one of the top 5 stage racers in the World, and maybe even has the form and ability to win this year’s race, they don’t want him around. Man, that is making a pretty definite statement.
He has said some pretty weird statements over the years. Talking about Paul Kimmage being a hypocrite because he was a bad doper. Saying that he never intended to win the Tour more than once. Feeling ashamed of winning the Tour because of the previous winners. Saying that he would like to focus on winning a gold medal at the Olympics in 2016, on the track. Etc, etc.
I’ve never heard any one of Bradley’s team mates say much nice about him. And the guy has a complete potty mouth. But that isn’t enough to leave him out of the Tour, that starts in him home country, England. He obviously has made some very serious enemies on his team. His quote of “The team wants to win the Tour, that’s how it is, and they cannot have even a small issue, because that would be disastrous.” says a lot.
But, Bradley, as usual, is wrong again. He is a big issue. I think he needs to start looking for a new jersey to wear next year because his current team already knows him.
PS. If you want to read a good write-up from a “real” biker and not just this post about a multi-millionaire robot, then click here to read Dan Hugh’s personal observations of his Dirty Kanza 200 race last weekend. Dan is a 4 time winner of the DK200, so he has the most race miles on those beautiful gravel roads, through the Kansas Flints hills, than about anyone else.
Bradley’s bike change form. Remove the bottles, then toss the 10K $$ bike into the ditch so his mechanics have more work to do later.
Celebrating after doubling up winning the Tour and the Olympic Games in 2012. Great role model.
The TdF has been Sky’s race to lose in 2014. Unless something terrible happens to Froome and Porte, that’s your 1-2 with Pharmador in third. The other GT riders knew it in 2013 and chose the Giro/Vuelta for 2014.
What a shame not to have Wiggo riding. The Froome/Wiggo drama would have been the only interesting thing on the GC. The TdF is a couple of power tests and 15+ days of riding around France. RCS has done a much better job with the Giro until this year. Hopefully they’ll ask Zomnegan for help in 2015.
Thanks for the article link, what a great ride report. Steve, are you penciling in the 2015 Dirty Kanza on your race schedule for next year, hope so!
I understand the internal strife, but a manager’s job is to control that, and remind all the rider’s to behave like adults with a job. Leaving you 2nd or 3rd best stage racer AND one of your better cobble rider’s at home in this year’s TdF seems like a rather large blunder. It will seem even bigger if Froome falls or loses major time in the cobbles.
I really wish there was free agency for world tour teams. All but a couple of teams would swoop him up tomorrow for a crack at a grand tour win.
Actually, I was hoping for another version of the Hinault-Lemond Tour of 1986 in which each, teammates then, had to mark the other. Hinault promised to support Lemond then came after him full-on. Not the worst thing for either of them (although Steve may have a perspective and I always appreciate his voice of experience). I think it would have been fun.
I thought Porte was supposed to win the Giro this year? Things don’t always play out as expected.
I like Wiggins mostly because of his character. It’s refreshing to see an elite athlete that is so reflective. Who wants bike riders out of a factory? He’s a sweet bike rider. World champ, TdF winner…he can throw his toys if he wants.
Bradley is a “real biker” (or as we prefer to say on this side of the Atlantic, a real “bikie”). When I was growing up in London his club the Archer RC was the one we all looked up to. Bradley has been world class since he was a kid, but has also always been one of us, a proper club cyclist. Yes he may sometimes appear crude, if you’re not a working class Londoner (an endangered species, now that poor people are been “cleansed” from the capital). Once you get him he’s charming, witty and cares passionately about the sport (he has invested a lot in women’s cycling). On the other hand, to some of us Froome seems like a posh (private school) arrogant ex-pat, though he tries to tell a different story in his autobiography. Most English people know who Bradley is (Olympic medals mean a lot here), but couldn’t care less about Froome.
Moody Guy at the best of times ! Last time i tried to striker up a convo was after the TTT at the Giro del Trentino . Deignon & the rest of the Guys were chatty , yet briggo stood close enough to overhear , yet did not add to the subjects being discussed . Since he was the recipient of a Neighbour’s careless driving which sent him to Hospital , you would think he would be the first to contribute to Cyclist Safety ?
Where briggo would not shake hands as i was wishing him luck , at the Hampton Court hotel , just before the Olympic ITT , Froomy was appreciative . One moody ( focussed/zoned 9 , the other effusive , not as if there was much difference to the results ?
Even riding alongside briggo on the bike , you can get very little chat from him , master of the lone syllable .
Keep up the good blogs on your recovery , some insightful comments on human nature revealed .
If anybody’s up for a conspiracy theory, my guy says that Wiggo isn’t wanted back by the race organizer. They didn’t want another Floyd Landis debacle in 2012 but they told Sir Bradley that they didn’t want him back under any circumstances.
For what it’s worth my contact started saying this a year ago, not last week. If Wiggins never races the tour again he might be onto something?
Wiggins should have figured this out after the Giro last year….Fromme is the new star on Sky. If Wiggo wanted to ride another TDF, should have found a new team last winter.
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Which makes you wonder what was in those bottles that made them more valuable than the bike.