Brad to support Froome for the 2013 tour

[tigger]

My take on it is that Wiggins wants to try and win the Giro next year. In his interview on Sky Sports News he used words to the effect of "if I am allowed to go for the Giro". This is no great surprise to me when you think about Wiggins. Firstly he is a genuine fan and has a real passion for the history of the sport. Now he has a TDF under his belt I suspect if he could choose between a second TDF title or a Giro he would take the latter as it broadens his Palmeres and makes a bigger impression on the history books. Wiggins is also very realistic and calculated in his approach to racing. He knows next years TDF will be more difficult for him to win as it is more mountainous and there is less ITT kilometres, but he feels, as does Shane Sutton and other commentators, that the Giro route may suit him better. He also knows thats its next to impossible for a clean rider to win the Giro, recover, and then win the Tour 4 weeks later. Then factor in that he is a team player and he may feel he does owe something to Froome, who is on paper better suited to next years TDF course. So on balance, its better for him and the team for him to target the Giro next year

I think he will still ride the tour and try to support Froome in the mountains plus of course he would be plan B if something goes wrong with/for Froome. In a sense he will want to defend it in person, but he knows winning it again will be more difficult. Like Cav at the Worlds this year.

I think next year won't fit the plan, but I also think Wiggins has aspirations for Paris-Roubaix some time

 

[400bhp]

Can you imagine the former winner of several TdFs saying he would support a team mates attempt instead of his own. Can't remember the guy's name, but you get the picture.

Is that the former former winner? Nope, can't remember him too.

 

[thom]

Pardon my even greater ignorance but how exactly does Brad 'support' Froome? or vice versa of course. All this LA stuff has ironically got me INTO pro cycling whereas before I could take it of leave it. So i'm not really aware of how a team mate can support another. Do they mean Brad will be a pace maker so Froome can slipstream him? If it came to the end and Brad had more energy than Froome left - would he not just take it or would he deliberately stay behind?

As well as setting pace and slipstreaming, include also going back to the team car for bottles/food and covering breaks of other riders.
Brad probably has a better race brain than Froome so Chris can benefit from his judgement on the road.

 

[Hont]

Pardon my even greater ignorance but how exactly does Brad 'support' Froome? or vice versa of course. All this LA stuff has ironically got me INTO pro cycling whereas before I could take it of leave it. So i'm not really aware of how a team mate can support another. Do they mean Brad will be a pace maker so Froome can slipstream him? If it came to the end and Brad had more energy than Froome left - would he not just take it or would he deliberately stay behind?

What thom said.

Your last point - if Brad goes for win at the Giro he won't be capable of winning the Tour, so there is very little chance he would be in a position to leave Froome behind (barring accidents of course). Brad would be very useful to Froome in the mountains, covering attacks, leading him on the descents and making sure he takes enough food and water etc. He also has a good reputation in the peloton (AFAIK) and speaks good French, which could come in handy if alliances need to be formed on the road.

 

[jdtate101]

I also think that SKY will split Froome and Wiggins as team leaders over the two tours, as it plays to their individual strengths. As I mentioned in the OP, I also think there is an aspect of letting Chris have a shot in order to keep him at SKY. He must of had some tasty offers on the table after his performances this yr, so a certain amount of trading would have had to be done, but actually as others have mentioned, there really is very little downside to this strategy.

It may be too much to hope for, but can you imagine the frenzy if British riders won BOTH grand tours .

 

[raindog]

....... but can you imagine the frenzy if British riders won BOTH grand tours .

"BOTH"? There are three.
So let's let JTL loose on the Vuelta....

 

[gavroche]

It may be too much to hope for, but can you imagine the frenzy if British riders won BOTH grand tours .

I don't think that is likely to happen! Brad won't win the TDF next year if he does the Giro first.

 

[Beebo]

It may be too much to hope for, but can you imagine the frenzy if British riders won BOTH grand tours .

there are 3 grand tours.

but as Meatloaf says 2 out of 3 aint bad

 

[Rob3rt]

I don't think that is likely to happen! Brad won't win the TDF next year if he does the Giro first.

I think he meant Brad Winning the Giro and Froome taking the TdF! Anyway, carry on!

 

[Strathlubnaig]

As per post #11, how many more will they lose
http://road.cc/content/news/69535-bobby-julich-leaves-team-sky-after-owning-doping-past

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Out of curiosity why doesn't Froome ride under the county of his birth?

 

[Andy84]

Out of curiosity why doesn't Froome ride under the county of his birth?

You could ask the same of Wiggins

 

[Hont]

Out of curiosity why doesn't Froome ride under the county of his birth?

I assume you mean country. He did ride as a Kenyan for a while but I understand that he was approached by British Cycling and I believe he has been quoted as "feeling" British.

 

[Hont]

You could ask the same of Wiggins

Wiggins is slightly different as he, at least, grew up in the UK.

Found that Froome quote now...

"Although I was riding under the Kenyan flag I made it clear that I had always carried a British passport and felt British"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...hits-high-notes-in-cruel-mountain-stages.html

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Found that Froome quote now...
"Although I was riding under the Kenyan flag I made it clear that I had always carried a British passport and felt British"

lol I did mean country
Call me a skeptic but I can't help but wonder if he felt British prior to coming into contact with Great Britain coach Rod Ellingworth