Now, I'll admit, I don't follow road racing that much but after his recent performances, his tour withdrawal and Froome's emergence as leader at Team Sky I did begin to think whether his career was all but over.
And then I read this:
http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/news/15264/8786493/Tour-de-France-Reigning-champion-Sir-Bradley-Wiggins-doubts-he-can-win-race-again
So, is that it for Wiggins?
I think he's said it all, he wanted to win it and now he has he'd rather not make all the life sacrifices that go with taking part in the TdF. I don't think his career is over, he said he will compete in other tours (Poland and England) and he is still an incredible time trial racer.
Possibly not but winning the tour is something that most people only do once anyway. It really is the cumulation of a very successful racing career. He can still make a lot of money doing smaller rides, racing the cobbles, that sort of thing.
And I still think he's great. he'd better not disappear, I'm halfway through drawing a picture of him and cuddles climbing up a hill. I'll look a bit daft if I finish it and people ask who he is.
Don't think he's quite finished; still got Tour of Poland, Tour of Britain, Pro Challenge, World RR and World TT this year. Could have a chance in the TT, or just take the term 'super-domestique' to a new level.
I don't think he's finished yet, nope no way. Theres still a lot of drive in the Lad and I think he'll win quite a few Week long races and Day long too, some of the Classics may appeal to him and I think he'll have a good old shot at them. As far as GT's are concerned though, after this year I think he'll stop doing them.
Saying all that I predict retirement in 2015.
Go out on a high!
Nothing worse than racing it being expected to win and not even placing, especially if he thought his win was a bit of a fluke anyway.
Given the history of British road racing the idea of winning the Tour de France must have seemed like a near impossible goal for the majority of his career. I imagine achieving something so extraordinary, even more so taken in the context of the other wins from last year and i reckon it must be very hard to motivate yourself to go through it all again for minimal additional reward.
He also suggested in 2010 that his previsou 4th place was a fluke! to be fair though he has always said it took a lot out of him to do the preparation he needed to win in 2013.
Either that or his pharmacist has been busted... 😐