Wiggo... shrewd performance or opportunism ?

[Paul Walters]

A podium place in the ToB after winning the TT. Didn't see him at all until that point in the race. Alex Dowsett buried himself and got nowhere, Wiggo breezes up in the penultimate stage and secures a podium place.
Any thoughts anyone?

 

[jarlrmai]

Given a longer TT he probably would have won the whole thing, that was always Wiggins' thing, stay up there with the leaders and get time on the time trials.

The 2012 TDF had 2 40-50KM TTs and Wiggins won them both, the yellow jersey was held by 2 people in that tour, Fab and Wiggo. which tells you a bit about whom that tour suited. Wiggo also had Froome etc setting the tempo up hills to prevent attacks, Froome could probably have won but that wasn't Team Sky's plan.

I bet Froome was told not to try on the TT's in 2012. Wiggins took 1'16" over Froome who was second in the last TT.

 

[zizou]

Playing to his strengths - so a mixture of shrewd performance and opportunism!

Dowsett buried himself and had a great ride on stage 6, but he had to do that to get himself back in the race (after bad luck with a double puncture at a crucial time rather than a bad performance) its not like he chucked his chance of overall victory away recklessly using up energy that would have been better saved for the stages to come.

 

[Paul Walters]

I think Dowsett rode a very ballsy race. I hope he did enough to secure a contract for next year... heard somewhere on the commentary that it was up for renewal. Think I heard something similar for Valverde too..... Movistar moving on ?

 

[Paul Walters]

I dunno, he seemed to give every impression of not giving a flying fig and then lucked himself onto the podium through his natural talent on TT's.

That's another thought that crossed my mind......

 

[rich p]

Christ all-bleedin'-mighty. Not another thread turning into Wiggins bashing!!!

He isn't particularly interested in stage racing - he's made that pretty clear. He was up near the front on most of the stages where time splits occurred and he did a decent TT.
His main goal is to win the World Champs ITT and then concentrate on the Rio track by doing road races that will further that ambition. P-R etc.
He's in the process of changing his body shape which makes it even less likely than it was that he'd keep up with explosive climbers. As others have said, he is and always has, played to his strengths.

 

[Paul Walters]

Not Wiggo-Bashing at all. I like the guy a lot. I think he played a pretty shrewd game on the ToB and picked his moment well. I had the impression he knew exactly what he was doing :-)

 

[Crackle]

Why can't this go in the tob thread? Can we not keep discussions in context, .

 

[rich p]

Are you his mum?

I answered the OP thoughtfully and sensibly, but I, like Crackle, don't see the need for a separate thread.
Thanks for your intelligent response anyway.

 

[tug benson]

Lopez had to wait for him on one of the climbs, lopez is shoot..In a interview last week i think he said he is pretty much done with stage racing, he was also saying he fancies a good crack at the spring classics

 

[Hont]

In a interview last week i think he said...

Better wait for this week's interview before we know what he's doing tomorrow then ;-) I think he likes to play with the press sometimes.

If he is done with stage racing it's a little odd, as his strength is time trialling and that's pretty much the only place you find them, outside of the World's.

 

[Dave 123]

Christ all-bleedin'-mighty. Not another thread turning into Wiggins bashing!!!

He isn't particularly interested in stage racing - he's made that pretty clear. He was up near the front on most of the stages where time splits occurred and he did a decent TT.
His main goal is to win the World Champs ITT and then concentrate on the Rio track by doing road races that will further that ambition. P-R etc.
He's in the process of changing his body shape which makes it even less likely than it was that he'd keep up with explosive climbers. As others have said, he is and always has, played to his strengths.

I'm in the process of changing my body shape too. It appears to gave gone badly wrong.

 

[ayceejay]

Wiggo ain't gonna get out of this alive.
Not too far down the line there are complaints about riders without tactics and here we have a rider WITH tactics and we don't like that either.
I remember watching football back along and there seemed to be some sad Sassanian (no idea) satisfaction in losing but trying real hard, that seems to be the preferred British way.
Sky management does seem a tad cynical and Wiggins has served them well but now what does he want what with his knighthood and all?