SPOTY is supposedly sports personality (though I agree lack of personality sometimes wins out) and not British sports achievement of the year. Or in other words its what the generality of voting TV viewers like, not who did rather well this year.
How many people who participate and follow sport vote as opposed to “I’m into football, by which I mean I like watch it on telly” types? I don’t.

I think that the media are asking these drug questions because:

1. It is the first TDF after Armstrong was caught.

They were asking them last year as well.

Well until Wiggins called them all **** and gave them something else to wrtie about instead.

TBH, I don’t think either Andy Murray or Chris Froome will regard winning SPOTY as the pinnacle achievement of their sporting year.

Surely they would all just start off at the bottom at whatever pace they could manage and the fastest rider would then just outstrip all the rest?

It worked quite well last year iirc. Maybe there’s more than one way to do it. Maybe your tactics should match the physiology and maybe psychology of your lead mam….

aracer – Member

Wiggins (with last year’s form) could have set the pace on the front of the group whilst still cruising.

I don’t see how you can get anywhere near that conclusion, it’s complete supposition! The combined ascent this year is almost twice last year, double the number of Hors Categorie climbs…and when have we seen Wiggins lead a climb or finish a climb alone? (not saying that’s never happened just can’t remember it!)

Also second best climber after who? What about Polka dot jersey?

What about Polka dot jersey?

In recent years the polka dot jersey hasn’t really been the climbers jersey, more of the chancers prize. Its been won by people going out on early breakaways to hover up the points and then relying on GC guys sharing out the points at any mountain top finishes.

This year is different so far due to the two mountain top finishes out of 3 mountain stages and Froome winning both stages, leaving Froome leading and Quintana second. Wiggins would be fairly high up in the competition this year as well as he would have finished highly on both Ax 3 Domains and Ventoux. Infact I’d say he would be 3rd so far.

jfletch – Member
In recent years the polka dot jersey hasn’t really been the climbers jersey

Despite climbers winning if for the last 5 years(Voeckler, Sanchez, Charteau, Pellizotti*, Kohl*)?

Yes, but this years Polka Dot jersey wearer just happens to be a GC contestor, thats what makes him so complete, the next ITT could well be another stage win too as its a bit lumpy.

You have to hand it to him whatever your personal opinion.

He is the best climber, the best or almost best TT on this tour, & fit enough to maintain it day after day, still a long way to go, but its a fantastic Tour ride.

Froome wore Polka dot last year too, and finished 6th in the Jersey competition. Wiggins was 15th…

Despite climbers winning if for the last 5 years(Voeckler, Sanchez, Charteau, Pellizotti*, Kohl*)?

Srsly? Voeckler (or any of the others for that matter) a better climber than Wiggins?

Nobody is saying that you don’t have to be able to climb to win the polka dots, simply that the best climbers set their sights on other things.

aracer – Member
Srsly? Voeckler (or any of the others for that matter) a better climber than Wiggins?

Yep.

Yep.

😆

How come Wiggins was faster up the important climbs then?

Here is your answer aracer…

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What was the question, sputnik?

Despite climbers winning if for the last 5 years(Voeckler, Sanchez, Charteau, Pellizotti*, Kohl*)?

I suppose you could class them all as climbers but they are far from the best climbers. I can’t be arsed to look it up but I bet they all finished over 30mins down on the winner and they lost most of that time in the mountains. Even when Wiggins had a shit tour in 2010 he didn’t lose as much time as your average KOM contender.

Met his Chris Froome’s Aunt today at work

Her assertion that her nephew was “doing really quite well so far this year” was hugely understated in only the way well heeled British people can be!

The boy might have grown up in Kenya, but his family roots are very Gloucestershire…