Froome rejects Wiggins’ claim to Tour de France leadership at Team Sky
So what’s going on? Media stunt? Wiggins playing mind games – if so who with? Froome? The opposition? The press?
Personally, I would have thought the time to say you’re going to be doing the Giro-Tour double would be after winning the Giro, not before the race has even started.
Should make for an interesting summer though.

It’s sounding very Lemond/Fignon. Could be fun to watch 🙂

Or it’s just hype by Sky but based on last year’s TdF, there was definitely some niggle between Froome and Wiggo so there’s some basis for it…

It ‘s not important what Froome thinks – what does his girlfriend think / say?

Surely Wiggins can remain the leader while supported Froome to win the tour?

Maybe Sky are trying to keep the opposition guessing.

Yeah, I’m sure there’s an element of that aracer though I do think there’s still some genuine stress.

wiggins seemed quite pragmatic on the radio this morning.

“it’s my job to be good enough to be selected (as GC), it’s David’s (Brailsford) job to choose, it’s a tricky decision – i wouldn’t want to have to make it, but it’s a job he’s good at”

Wiggins chuckling to himself “it’s a tricky decision” whilst Froome blubs “but you promised” 🙂
Froome would have the last laugh if Wiggins fluffs the Giro though.

Isn’t this simply a case of Wiggins letting Froome know that he better be up to the job otherwise he’ll be taking over? Interesting though, I wondered last year whether Sky could get away with letting both race for 1st place so maybe this is their plan this year? Is it even do-able given there’ll be conflicting priorities later in the race and in the mountain stages?

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Did the deal between Wiggins and Froome get done over dinner at Granita?

Either way, things are shaping up well. Froome rode well on the tour of Romandie last week and Wiggins was looking comfortable in the Trentino before his bike failed, Looking forward to Saturday. Could be another good year for cycling.

I wonder what advantage they have that means they can assume they will be deciding who wins between them.

Thing is assuming (big assumption) that Wiggins comes out of the giro and is able to maintain his conditioning for the tour is he really going to lose that much to Froome in the mountains? Wiggins is still better against the clock and there is over 60k of individual time trials to do.

So assuming Wiggins is cast in the last man role he can let Froome cross the line ahead of him therefore fulfilling team orders but go all out on the time trials where I expect all riders in contention for either stage or GC would be given free reign. So long as he maintains touching distance in the mountains then he can play the team game and still win the tour.

Of course there are a few other riders they need to worry about aside from each other but for the sake of this thread I’m just talking about Froome and Wiggins.

Maybe Sky are trying to keep the opposition guessing.

^^^^this

I do think there’s still some genuine stress.

there is stress because they are trying to act it up on the telly – give the press/ fans a line that eludes to infighting and get everyone in a tizzy.
I love it.
Really can’t wait for the Giro to start. It is SO open this year, and there doesn’t seem to have been much given away by the big names so far this season.

I’d like to see Wiggins catch up with Froome in the time trials and then meander along just behind him taking pictures and munching on snacks. maybe wave at people.

my guess is Brailsford is hedging his bets, the opening week of the tour is turning into a right blood bath having 2 possible GC contenders is just good sense. Who ever gets their nose in front and shows the best form after the first week is who the team will rally behind.

I wonder what advantage they have that means they can assume they will be deciding who wins between them.

I very much doubt that they are dividing up the spoils between them. We however are talking about them because the back and forth in the press the last couple of day has been between them and we are a predominantly British based forum and no doubt have a little bias towards stories of British based riders on a British based team.

I think the decision will only happen after the Giro.

If Wiggo wins Giro then he might let Froome do the Tour, if not he might want it himself. I dont think he has the legs for both without support from Froomy.

Edukator – they say “attempting to win”. Not one of us WILL win.

couple of points…

Many, many riders, better than Wiggins have tried and failed to do the Giro Tour Double, It’s not easy, and that’s a massive understatement

The Tour field this year is very strong. Contador is still the man to beat IMO

Wiggins has been working a lot on his climbing, loosing a bit of TT speed in the process, so he won’t be gaining big in the TT’s, but he won’t be loosing big in the mountains.

As last year ^^^^ …..

If Wiggins can keep in touch in the bumpy bits and TTs well hes got it sewn up. Mountain stages will be key but he may struggle, like to see him do it though.

Just noticed that in imitation of real life there are two threads on this subject – see http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bradley-wiggins-giro-tour-double
Which thread should be leader? It’s a tricky decision, I’ll leave it to Cougar to decide 🙂

I’d like to see Wiggins catch up with Froome in the time trials and then meander along just behind him taking pictures and munching on snacks. maybe wave at people.

Or Froome getting to a mountain top so far ahead of Wiggins that he stops to buy an ice cream 🙂

I know it’s a sporting contest first and foremost and Brailsford seems pretty good at remembering that but with a profile/sponsor perspective Wiggins would surely make a better leader (assuming whomever gets the job, gets the job done and wins). Try as I might I can’t warm to Froome plus the “story” of a giro/tdf winner and a back to back tdf winner is so much better.

Many, many riders, better than Wiggins have tried and failed to do the Giro Tour Double, It’s not easy, and that’s a massive understatement

There is only about 7 riders who have done the double in the same year and its a who’s who of cycling.

What it does show is the media are following up on last years results and keeping cycling in the news. When was the last time the Giro was talked about on the 6 o’clock news?

T’is all bluff and fluster. This is media creation at its very best, distracting other teams and fills the lungs with bull and bravado.
Let em fight it out on the hills I say.

Mind games by Sky.

They have probably already worked out whose doing what & its a ploy to keep the other teams guessing.

What mrlebowski said…. Notably Mr Nibali now wondering whether Wiggo is on form for the Giro or not and now hedging his bets.

Mind games by Sky.

They have probably already worked out whose doing what & its a ploy to keep the other teams guessing.

But how much difference does it really make to the other teams, prior to the races? They already know Sky has two GC contenders, and will have to mark them both until it becomes clear which is the real threat.

Personally I’d like to see Wiggins or Froome lead up to the last week, then Contador blow him away. Really don’t like Sky.

Sadly I think it’s academic as Bertie will have it sewn up 🙁

A.B.C.

Anyone But Contador.

But how much difference does it really make to the other teams, prior to the races? They already know Sky has two GC contenders, and will have to mark them both until it becomes clear which is the real threat

You know what? I don’t honestly know how hard teams think about other teams & the tactics they might employ to outwit them. I really don’t.

I think teams probably concentrate more on their own strengths & weaknesses rather than others, but knowing Sky go for “incremental gains” they may have just decided that mind games is another way of achieving that…

ps You want to see Bertie win? A proven doper? Really? I have to say if AC did win I wouldn’t trust the result one little bit….but hey each to their own as they say. For certain its going to be an interesting race!

Mr lebowski is that aimed at me?
I most definitely don’t want AC to win one little bit. I just think he’ll ‘hit form’ during the tour. Sad face.

You know what? I don’t honestly know how hard teams think about other teams & the tactics they might employ to outwit them. I really don’t.

I think teams probably concentrate more on their own strengths & weaknesses rather than others, but knowing Sky go for “incremental gains” they may have just decided that mind games is another way of achieving that…

Yes and no, I would expect Sky to be closely monitoring Nibali, Contador etc during the race, likewise the other teams.

ps You want to see Bertie win? A proven doper? Really? I have to say if AC did win I wouldn’t trust the result one little bit….but hey each to their own as they say. For certain its going to be an interesting race!

Yeah, seems a nice enough guy, and he’s great to watch. CGAF about his doping, I watch cycling to be entertained, not as some kind of moral education. As long as the playing field’s level and the results are close, that’ll do for me.

No mogrim, sorry for any confusion king.

Yes and no, I would expect Sky to be closely monitoring Nibali, Contador etc during the race, likewise the other teams.

Agreed.

Yeah, seems a nice enough guy, and he’s great to watch. CGAF about his doping, I watch cycling to be entertained, not as some kind of moral education. As long as the playing field’s level and the results are close, that’ll do for me.

Exciting rider for sure & yes one doesnt watch pro-cycling for its moral stance…although you can only hope that its cleaner than it was, but while McQuaid & his cronies are running the UCI I have my doubts…

it does make me chuckle when people go on about doping, and how bad Contador is, while blowing smoke up Froomes arse. If he was spanish or Italian you’d all be jumping at the chance to call him a doper.

mediocre rider at 25. two years off ill. returns as one of the best climbers in the world. Yeah right 🙄

Exciting rider for sure & yes one doesnt watch pro-cycling for its moral stance…although you can only hope that its cleaner than it was, but while McQuaid & his cronies are running the UCI I have my doubts…

Certainly I’d prefer it to be clean, these drugs do have nasty side-effects, and any culture that forces younger riders to take drugs in order to be competitive is not a nice one. But I’d be lying if I said that it affects my enjoyment of a decent mountain stage – this video is still great even if they were both up to their eyeballs:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q38Gyjv4EE[/video]

it does make me chuckle when people go on about doping, and how bad Contador is, while blowing smoke up Froomes arse. If he was spanish or Italian you’d all be jumping at the chance to call him a doper.

mediocre rider at 25. two years off ill. returns as one of the best climbers in the world. Yeah right

I see this argument trotted out time and time again – why do we so admire a kenyan born south african raised rider that we are not “racist” to them but are to the Spanish ones? – Let us see your evidence please?
What is your evidence for drug cheating ?
your “evidence” wont even be wafer thin

Its not a well thought out or reasoned argunent but it is is apretty good one to get a reaction

PS he did not have two years off ill either but I doubt we should let the facts get in the way of this 😉

Interesting to see some riders are head and shoulders above others- you’d think with all the field now clean no one would be that much faster than others consistently.

Nothing like the old days at all is it.