Have we done Wiggo's answer to doping allegations at the press conference?

The question, the final of around five, came via an Associated Press journalist from the press tent near the finish line. It was delivered via a video link to Wiggins, who sat in a cabin on the back of a truck in the technical zone.

Since his fourth place in the Tour de France in 2009 and throughout this last year, critics placed doubt on his performances. In light of several doping cases in cycling, Alberto Contador to Riccardo Riccò, the critics wondered if Wiggins doped as well.

Sky has dominated stage races this year. The team has helped Wiggins to wins in a never before seen triple: Paris-Nice, the Tour of Romandy and the Critérium du Dauphiné. In the Dauphiné, it had four men in a key nine-man move over a mountain pass.

As Sky conquered, cynics wrote remarks on Twitter, comparing the team to Lance Armstrong’s US Postal/Discovery Channel team. The American team dominated the Tour for seven years, but since has had several of its members linked with doping. The US Anti-Doping Agency in the last month charged Armstrong.

“There was some chatter in the Twitter-sphere about the comparison between Sky and US Postal,” said the AP journalist. “I’m wondering your reaction. And, what do you say to the cynics who say you have to be doped up to win the Tour de France?”

Wiggins, sitting behind a desk in the cabin, picked up the microphone and delivered his message nearly 100 metres away to the press tent.

“Honestly, they’re just f**king w**kers,” Wiggins said. “I cannot be dealing with people like that. [Laughs, from the press tent – ed.] It justifies their own bone-idleness because they can’t ever imagine applying themselves to anything in their lives. And it’s easy for them to sit under a pseudo-name on Twitter and write that sort of s**t rather than get off their arses in their own life and apply themselves, and work hard at something and achieve something. And that’s ultimately it.”

The translator readied to deliver the message in French, but before she could, Wiggins picked up the microphone and sent the final message to the cynics: “C**ts!”

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/533790/wiggins-lashes-out-after-doping-accusations.html

And they say he gives boring answers…

Chapeau to him I say, made me chuckle when I read that!

Nice, if only all sporting press conferences were so honest

Utterly believeable..

On the other hand, if he had mentioned his lawyers, the doubts might have crept in 😉

That’s brilliant, good on Brad.

Good on him and his Fisher Price hair!!!

I’ve just read Hero’s, Villains and Velodromes. Dave Brailsford was asked why Team GB had concentrated on the track and not the road. He replied that they wanted to run a clean team right from the off. But they were aware that all the top Tour teams were systemically doping, so what would be the point in competing against them, when you were only going to be looking at 4th or 5th if you stayed clean

I think any rumours are from people who’s noses have been put well and truly out of joint by the cheeky young upstarts coming in and winning clean!

I think Wiggins dealt with it well.

If he is clean (which I believe is the case), both Wiggo and the team will have worked hard to get him in this strong position and to have ignorant people put the knife in must smart somewhat.

Was the question sent in by the forum?

Quality

Quick search for video of this has brought up nothing. Reuters report says he exclaimed “Cut!” at the end of the interview, I want to see it for myself. (The f’ing w@nkers bit is not in doubt).

Anyone got a link?

I believe he’s clean, he comes from the British track programme, which has a culture of clean racing. But, after 100 years of doping in cycling the fans have every right to be cynical. there have too many false dawns with regards to clean racing and I don’t think it’s his place to call diehard fans of the sport **** **** and ****.

I believe we are a lot cleaner now, you just have to look at racers who once were contenders being dropped on cat1 climbs this year, Scarponi and Gesink to name 2. 3 years ago they would have been up there, no doubt.

Just because its our very own Worzel look-a-like, he shouldn’t get away with that. If you are in yellow at the Tour you will have to answer questions about doping. He needs to sit down, grow up and talk sensibly to journalists about the subject, not swear like a 14 year old.

Pro cycling only has itself to blame, and the riders need to be part of the solution, swearing doesn’t help.

+1 crikey, well put.

Pro cycling only has itself to blame, and the riders need to be part of the solution, swearing doesn’t help.

Don’t be so bloody stupid! WTF has that got to do with Brad? That question wasn’t about some generic ‘pro cycling’ mass. It was directed at him personally, and his team-mates who are working their arses off for him. You take responsibility for your own actions, not other peoples. They can take care of their own! And live with the consequences!

Brad comes from a clean track background where, lest you forget, he was phenomenally successful. He then moves over to the road in a team that has always been proudly clean, and is in no way tainted with what’s gone on before with their supposed ‘competition’.

He’s therefore got EVERY right in the world to tell people to **** off for questioning his integrity

That mad me laugh, and I pretty much agree with him. But, he’s always going to upset a few people if he uses the C bomb.

Binners, +1.

Some people just look for the negative in every situation though, eh crikey?

Very succinct I think!

Pro cycling only has itself to blame, and the riders need to be part of the solution, swearing doesn’t help.

Sky are the solution. They’re proving you can win by having a good team, training hard and being clean.

Good for him for sticking up for himself but can`t help most proffesional sportsmen would have delivered the message more eloquently!

Made me laugh though………

and his team-mates who are working their arses off for him

now I believe Brad is clean, and always has been, but his team mates? they may be clean now, but people like Richie Porte and Michael Rogers? racing with SaxoBank and T mobile in the 2000s?

Good on him.

I’d love to see the interview but it doesn’t seem to be available anywhere 🙁

Good for him for sticking up for himself but can`t help most proffesional sportsmen would have delivered the message more eloquently!

Extremely eloquent I thought – and you’re hardly one to talk!

The negative in this situation is Bradleys inability to deal with the media in an adult way. What’s he going to do next time the subject comes up, give out Chinese burns?

Remember a certain tour winner talking about people believing in miracles; that’s why people are cynical, that’s why people are negative. 20 years of history won’t go away by swearing, but by sensible open and honest debate, we might begin to take pro cycling at face value.

I don’t believe for a minute that Dave Brailsford would sign anyone up for Sky who had even the slightest real suspicion of doping hanging over them. And rumours and genuine suspicion are 2 completely different things!

“I don’t think it’s his place to call diehard fans of the sport **** **** and ****. “

Really? So you think it’s okay for so-called ‘die-hard cycling fans’ to direct suspicion at someone without even the slightest suggestion of wrongdoing?

I bet those podium girls just love kissing his sweat filled sideburns every evening for (hopefully) the next couple of weeks.

FFS crikey!!! Who’s being cynical? Sky have put themselves up as the Antidote to this cynicism by openly challenging it from day one!!!! The cynicism lies with the teams that went before and who are tainted by it! If Brad wants to swear at people to get home a point he believes passionately in, then good luck to him!!! Or perhaps you’d prefer a more ‘Alan Shearer post-match analysis style? 🙄

I really REALLY hope he is clean AND I hope he wins.

Trouble is, the legacy is very obviously not a clean one

I bet those podium girls just love kissing his sweat filled sideburns every evening for (hopefully) the next couple of weeks

My missus pointed that out yesterday. The winners of each jersey each day must utterly hum after five hours in the saddle, and the podium girls have to kiss them, and then stand and smile whilst they have massively stinky armpits waved in their faces…

Sky are the solution. They’re proving you can win by having a good team, training hard and being clean these days.

Just because its our very own Worzel look-a-like, he shouldn’t get away with that. If you are in yellow at the Tour you will have to answer questions about doping. He needs to sit down, grow up and talk sensibly to journalists about the subject, not swear like a 14 year old.

It was a good answer and showed his feelings if yo want anodine answers from media trained sports people batting away questions with pre prepared answers given to them by their media trainers then listen to footballers…its delightful to heasr their insights no really it is

The negative in this situation is Bradleys inability to deal with the media in an adult way. What’s he going to do next time the subject comes up, give out Chinese burns?

The press found it funny and tbh WTF is the point asking him what folk on twitter said – is that great journalism and a great question?

I like it but he could have done it without the swearing

I don’t think it’s his place to call diehard fans of the sport **** **** and ****.

Pretty sure a diehard fan would know the team and the Brailsfords view.

Is there any video of this at all? Would love to see it.

Meanwhile, here’s a video of Wiggo calling a cameraman a c***…

I’ll type this slowly for the slower readers…

I’m not saying Wiggins or Sky have anything to hide.
I’m not suggesting that he shouldn’t say what he thinks.

I am suggesting that procycling has a long, deep, dirty association with doping and that therefore, the rider leading the Tour will asked about it.
I am suggesting that the way to deal with it is by talking openly about it.
I am suggesting that although understandable, Wiggins didn’t deal with the situation in a good way.

Really? So you think it’s okay for so-called ‘die-hard cycling fans’ to direct suspicion at someone without even the slightest suggestion of wrongdoing?

It’s understandable that they do, after 100 + years of doping in cycling, He needs to deal with it in a better way.

Dont patronise us for disagreeing with you as it makes you look like those naughty words brad used

Is it any wonder we end up with such terrible sports interviews and such media savvy politicians if [some]people get upset when someone actually says what they think when asked a question.

Why ask him a question if you dont want to know what he thinks?
His team has a press team just ask them

Did you drop your cross-stitching, splutter on your Lady Grey then faint when you heard that combination of letters you hear god knows how many times a day? 😉

Ok I give up.

He’s our hero and can do no wrong. 🙄

Not on the subject of doping, but maybe on topic re swearing…

Binners – you ever do the thurs night rides from the Hare & Hounds?

I went last week and am attempting to continue this trend. Couple of hours ride with pub afterwards.

He then moves over to the road in a team that has always been proudly clean

Well:

FdJ – Some concerns about systematic doping (centrifuges in trucks, vague as hell comments from the DS)
Cofidis – Systematic doping
Team High Road – Obviously we all know where they came from

I don’t think Bradley is doping at all but if you can find a single team that has a full roster of riders beyond (reasonable) suspicion I would be shocked. It’s a problem with cycling in general and we’re getting further from that but it’s inevitable it will come up.

Bradley needs to find a better way to say “I don’t want to talk about doping” than calling people ****.