[Closed] No Wiggo for the TdF ?

PR disaster? How so?

It was always going to be Froome leading the team and it would be worse to have the eternal speculation about their relationship while he's fighting for another win.

Well all that says is that they are both riding different warm-up events in advance of the tdf.

Which probably makes sense being as Wiggins has just finished the tour of California?

Why would it be a PR disaster if Wiggins didn't ride tdf? Froome has already said he'd prefer Porte as no2 I think and it seems a much better fit.

I think Wiggins will struggle to make it into the tdf squad for all sorts of reasons tbh

Not necessarily a bad thing for him to be racing a different warm up event. Will let the team see what each rider can to when pushing for the win rather than one rider riding in support.

I reckon a fair chunk of it will come down to whether Wiggo can accept the Froome is number 1 and that he'll need to ride in support. If he's lucky he might get a podium from it, he might not. If he can't convince Froome and DB that he can do that, he won't be in the team.

I'm sure Sir Dave cares more about winning the event than the PR of not picking Sir Moodypants.

If you can be sure of one thing, they'll pick the team with the strongest chance of winning. If that includes Wiggo, smashing, if not, tough. I'm sure Wiggo is well aware of that.

TBH, I'm not sure any other team would have Wiggo, he's a bit of an emotional handful.

Where does it say he won't ride the TdF?
Its not a major PR blunder, I don't understand - are you reading some entirely different article to me?

It's Sir Bradley for a reason. Froome is a worthy champion and TdF team leader but the general public, me included, want to see Wiggins riding in Yorkshire.

aP - seems pretty clear to me from the make up of the Dauphine / Tour of Switzerland teams which is the A and which is the B. Dauphine has always been Sky's TdF warmup / training event.

From people who are better connected in this world yes no Wiggins at Tour as he's more likely to hinder Froome winning which is the point of he race.
http://thecyclingpodcast.com/

I'm hoping that Murdoch pulls rank as he likes controversy as it sells papers etc. I recall him enjoying the atmosphere on Alpe Dhuez in the team car even though there was massive amounts of anit doping ranting supporters hurling abuse at them. Brailsford etc where thinking he was going to pull the plug on the team because of it.

It would be a shame but Froome is clearly the better tour prospect.
No room for passengers...

I think we can pretty much take it for granted that he won't be going back to Garmin....

Another yellow jersey is more important to SKY than 3 days of Wiggins worship.

Starting to look like he won't be riding. Agree it is a shame, but not sure pr should come into it. Sky putting out the best team is all that matters.

It's Sir Bradley for a reason. Froome is a worthy champion and TdF team leader but the general public, me included, want to see Wiggins riding in Yorkshire.

Really? I don't care much if he rides or not. You can't honestly expect a pro cycling team to make a decision based on what Sun readers probably think?

@tom, yup Murdoch is pretty thick skinned and bad publicity is better than none in his book. Thanks for the link.

@suburb, I admit I haven't looked at the course but last year clearly favoured Froome vs Wiggins, not sure about this year and in the event of an injury/accident Wiggins would have the experience to push for the GC.

It's Sir Bradley for a reason. Froome is a worthy champion and TdF team leader but the general public, me included, want to see Wiggins riding in Yorkshire.

But it's about winning, not about having Wiggins ride around then mooch off in a mood when the race gets to France and thereby damage the team's chances.

Wiggo might find himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Froome will be the Sky team leader. If Wiggo wants to be then he will have to find another team that will pay him whatever he expects / will accept and has a stong enough squad of domestics to make it happen. There arent that many teams in that position and they could well be happy with thier current leaders.

@Duggan, Sky is a TV company, its Sun readers the sponsor cares about.

It's just the way they've presented the headline. They could have gone with "Froome prepares by riding Dauphine, Wiggins heads Tour of Switzerland challenge"

But instead they've chosen, as usual, to focus on what in this case is a very speculative leap of logic to say "they had a falling out and won't ride the same event".

The media making a story out of nothing again.

I'd rather someone win it attacking in the mountains than on a time trial.

Maybe Alonso's new team would have him as a domestique de luxe/TT expert and let him focus on the classics etc until he retires. That said, given his stated goal for 2016 is the Olympics, who'd put so much money into a Wiggins project for basically a year of riding.

@atlaz - I cannot see Wiggo mooching off ? I think the fact is Froome knows Wiggo will be ahead of him in the GC before the mountain stages and that spooks him. Much was made of Froome being called back in 2012 on the climb but Froome nearly blew up in 2013 and had to be rescued by Porte.

EDIT: re your 2016 comment, yes that's a very powerful argument

I seriously doubt that the media side of the corporation has any influence on the pro bike team though?

Sounds like the stuff of conspiracy theorists or something.

Last I'd seen was he was unlikely to ride the Tdf this year, has not been offered a new contract for next year and is being courted by Matt White to join OGE.

Yeap, Team Sky are here/there to compete. Not to provide Wiggistas with an honourary few stages of the UK depart.

If Wiggins is there, it should be on merit and I think even he would want it that way.

Edit:
I met him on the Champs Elysees, at the end of the 2012 TdF. He was at least generous enough to coast over to the crowds and say "hi".

I think we can pretty much take it for granted that he won't be going back to Garmin....

There is a story he'd like to go back to Garmin. Can't remember where but could have been the podcast again.

Having Wiggins there and potentially being minutes up on Froome after the cobbles would be hilarious for the rest of the Tour. Well at least until Froome destroys him on the first BIG mountain.

Given how pissed off Vaughters (and even David Millar) were when he waltzed off to Sky, I doubt they'd be too happy to have him back, particularly with the surprising form of Ryder Hesjedal at the Giro giving them their GC guy back again. Then again, show-business not show-friends so maybe they think he's the right guy.

jambalaya - Member

@atlaz - I cannot see Wiggo mooching off ?

Did you not see him flounce his way round the Giro last year when things were going wrong?

I think the fact is Froome knows Wiggo will be ahead of him in the GC before the mountain stages and that spooks him.

How ridiculous. Solo attacks or something?

Much was made of Froome being called back in 2012 on the climb but Froome nearly blew up in 2013 and had to be rescued by [s]Porte.[/s] a gel

FTFY.

Seems to me that Wiggins has shown good form this year. Good performances in the classics and won the Tour of California. Regardless of the name he should be there on merit.

I think Froome is just as bad as Wiggins when it comes to tantrums to be fair and he certainly has a bigger ego than Wiggins!

I suspect given Wiggo's form and Froome's injuries whoever comes out best from the Dauphine / Switzerland will be booking their place at the TDF e.g.

If Froome goes well/wins the Dauphine then chances are Wiggo won't ride as Froome's not keen on Wiggo.

If Froome under-performs and Wiggo does well and proves to be a threat in the Swiss mountains then Wiggo most likely goes whether Froome likes it or not.

If Froome performs ok at the Dauphine and Wiggo performs well in the TT's and looks good for the flat stages then Wiggo should go as a helper but that depends upon how much Brailsford/Sky want to be regarded as a British team.

geordiepaul - Member

Seems to me that Wiggins has shown good form this year. Good performances in the classics and won the Tour of California. Regardless of the name he should be there on merit.

Not if it's a less harmonious team.

I think Froome is just as bad as Wiggins when it comes to tantrums to be fair and he certainly has a bigger ego than Wiggins!

Froome tantrums? Such as? As for your last point 😆

If Sky didn't have anyone decent to support Froome then Wiggo would be a necessity regardless of the emnity between them (and that does exist even if the media like to hype it up further). Sky do have other decent riders - eg Porte - so they don't need Wiggo and the discord that's likely with him. Besides, Wiggo isn't really a domestique, super or not. Froome was perfect for Wiggo because he was strong in the mountains where Wiggo was (very slightly) less strong. For Froome, he needs more pure climbers as Wiggo isn't going to be helping him in the TT.

I do think it would be good tactically to have Wiggins there as the rest will have to contend with who to watch between Froome, Wiggins and Porte.

Yeah, that's a fair point but then you end up with the Lance/Contador scenario where they're scoring points off eachother. Works ok if it turns out that Froome is comfortably stronger than Wiggo (which I think overall he is, so long as it's not a massively TT-focussed course) but less so otherwise.

I think it's a good call to send the top two (chosen) riders off to different events..
Both will come back not really knowing the reletive performance of either other than recent wins.

Seems like a good stratagy

Wiggo won't be on the Tour... trust me... 😆

How ridiculous. Solo attacks or something?

Peter Kennaugh is riding the Tour de Suisse, and I would expect him to be a consideration for the TdF (he was excellent last year).

Did you not see him flounce his way round the Giro last year when things were going wrong?

How ridiculous. Solo attacks or something?

Timetrials (EDIT: Just seen post above, I didn't realise there where no TT before the mountains)

I started the thread as I'm genuinely interested and am not particularly knowledgeable about the road riding, interesting points made here.

I'd be excited to watch Wiggo in the tour.
Couldn't really give a monkey's about Frome - I'll probably be routing for an underdog instead.

as we're all talking about this, then I guess the SKY team's plan is working.
they're just stoking the fire.

@Alex - that's my view too (Froome). I have always been torn as I cannot bear Murdoch and what he represents, without Wiggo (and Cavendish) I am would rather see another team win.

jambalaya - Member

Timetrials

There's only one time trial and it's the stage before Paris.

I think tantrums aside, the team would be much, much stronger WITH Wiggins than without him. If he's up for it, would there be a better high-speed diesel for Froome and Porte to sit behind as cover?

Froome is much the same as Wiggo in terms of basically being a nob, he just hides behind his missus on twitter!! And Frome has a loooong way to go before he's as successful a cyclist as Wiggo. And that's why the British public love him.

I'd like to see Wiggo ride the TDF but understand the teams perspective, it's about winning at all cost's.

Where's this strange assumption that Froome will somehow loose hours on the cobbles coming from? His only comments were about that cobbles throw up random punctures/crashes at times which will make it tough. If you can find a single rider who would disagree then I'll be shocked.