allez Wiggo !!
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allez Wiggo !!
The "Goosinator" is down!
Seem like Wiggo has had an attack of the Liggets/Sherwen's syndrome.
From Letour.fr web site:
When asked about the challenge that the Tourmalet represents, the race leader Bradley Wiggins offered his appraisal. "It goes uphill like all of them, it's very difficult."
Good to see he's got the hang of this cycling malarkey! I can only imagine it lost something in the translation.
It's all very well having a jump but it's pace that counts..
I do, but racing rather than watchingQuote:
Originally Posted by Carlos the Jackal
I think the problem with this particular Tour has been that the opportunities for climbers (such as there are) to reel in BW have been v limited. I don't mind the TTing at all - but it needs to be compensated for by mountain finishes.
The combo of 2 mountain finishes (worth speaking of) and longer TTs has been a godsend for Wiggo.
You wonder even if Contador and A Schleck had been present, would they have had chance to reel BW in?
This is all, of course, not having seen today's stage, which I am about to cycle home and watch with a tray of beer, cheese and cornichons - hurrah!
Mind you, next year will be a right climb-off, you can bet your bottom euro.
That was interesting, I think Wiggins proved he is not just a pretty face and sideburns. IMO (and I know sod all), his main rivals simply aren't good enough. None got away from him on the mountains today and he didn't look too pressured when Niboli attacked. Fingers crossed for something similar tomorrow.
jesus molehill NO SPOILERS, please!Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
just as i asked you to do.Quote:
Originally Posted by nikalas
on the african froome situation i had to have a little laugh. he comes over here for a gb licence and the fra forum goes mad as if he is British. after he retires he going to sod off back home just like zola budd, half the cricket team, half the rugby team and that greg fella in the tennis. no wonder you are all pinning your hopes on brad. come on, be more imaginative and stop living for a useless flag.
What should have been the most exciting stage of the Tour was boring, I'm afraid - with the obvious exception of Tommy V. What a rider - great to see Hinault give a big beaming grin at the podium.
The old Badger certainly seems a lot cheerier in his retirement than he was when he was racing.
Even more boring when you knew what happened.
NO SPOILERS ON THIS THREAD UNTIL 10PM PLEASE. :wink:
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo
Oh I get it now, you don't come home to watch it till late. Sorry I forgot some people can't watch it live and have to work for a living :o.
Perhaps you best not look at this thread first, in case I get overexcited and post something again!
no worries, easily done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Will Wiggo not become the greatest British cyclist of all time if he wins it? :confused:
Yes. I can see why people have been moaning about this tour though. Testers are dull compared to climbers, but nevertheless it's the fastest man over three weeks who wins the race.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danbert Nocurry
Personally I'm in the middle ground between Graham's love of panache and Nikalas' love of testers.
If Brad wins Le Tour he won't just be the greatest cyclist we have produced, he will be one of the finest sportsmen we have produced. Nothing in sport comes close in terms of the fitness, commitment, guile and suffering needed to win Le Tour.
Let's face it runners are total pansies compared to cyclists.......
Depends how you measure "greatness" I suppose. Even if Wiggo does win, some would argue that Mark Cavendish has achieved more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danbert Nocurry
He is 5th in the number of stage wins in the TDF (21), is only the second brit to win the world champioships, has won more professional races than any other brit... the list goes on. Doesn't have sideburns though.
I'm afraid even Mark Cavendish would disagree with you. Winning Le Tour puts every stage and race he's won in the shade. Why do you think he's been filling his Rainbow jersey with bottles for his teammates every day for the last two weeks?Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
Spoken like a true football supporter. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Danbert Nocurry
It's not all about nationality. And it's not all about following a team that happen to have lots of money and then jumping up and down when they win. Not in cycling, thank god.
But I take your point - it is an incredible achievement and I'll be delighted to see him succeed - as long as next year other riders and other teams step up to challenge Wiggo / Froome / Sky.
Totally agree and, if you factor in his Olympic medals and World Championship wins on the track too, it's hard to argue against... I could see him having a crack at the hour too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dynamo Dan
Hmmm, the hour, now THAT would be interesting...
Could Froome have won the stage? It looked scary at one point with people all round Wiggins, they don't have much protection do they ?
Froome could and should have been allowed to have a crack at winning the stage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf
Sky as a team are miles ahead of the rest. Everything they have planned has been spot on.
I did read that 5 other teams have bigger budgets than Sky, so it isn't all about £££££s. A great team of riders needs a great team of managers behind them to win this tdf, maybe Sky have raised the bar in terms of how to approach the tour (bit like GB cycling at the last olympics).
Next year may be different again. Maybe less drugs in the event (we hope) leads to less dominance of a single rider?
olympics this year? i thought the olympics wasn't for a few more weeks yet!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
shame boonen might not be riding he could have beaten the cult of cav and showed wiggo how you actually go about winning races and excite people at the same time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlos the Jackal
Something like this........
http://dynamobetekom.files.wordpress...08/06/cork.jpg
or........
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Hx9XRUKoKM...s400/bonen.jpg
maybe......
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IRHUdYQjWL.../Picture+8.png
Brilliant
I'd like to see them battle it out once and for all on Penny Farthings:w00t:Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlos the Jackal
:wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo
Maybe not for you Zoot but I am actually quite excited by the prospect a first ever Brit TDF victory and I have followed the sport since CH4 were doing their thing 20 years ago
In those days the odd TT prologue or stage finish seeemed the limit of our ambitions
Credit has to go to British Cycling, who built on the BCF Performance Plan and took the risk of extending their ambitions onto the road.
I'm not saying that Wiggo does not reward any plaudits that you care to throw at him. No doubting, it will (hopefully) be a great achievement and a landmark for British cycling. I just think that we should not lose track of what a credit Cav has been to British cycling over the last few years and also remember that grand tours are not won by individuals - this is a team sport after all and the efforts of Froom, Porte, EBH to keep him in yellow should not be underestimated.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dynamo Dan
I just read this on the Daily Telegraph and thought it quite apt in view of some of the previous comments on this thread.
Watched 30 Tours and there is always someone moaning that it is boring. What they generally mean is their guy isn't winning.
I'm not sure we really need to make comparisons. Wiggins has been awesome this year. His support team has been awesome this year. Cav in my opinion has also been awesome, not because of stage wins, but for the ethic and application he has shown for the team.
Problem is, with Team Sky it IS about nationality. Mixed feeling on it personallyQuote:
Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo
I agree, the french cheer their men, as do the dutch so how is it a crime to cheer a British lad?Quote:
Originally Posted by shaunaneto
I think it's about he nationality of the cyclists, not the team. I followed Robert Millar, Sean Yates and even adopted Kelly and Roche, then of course Boardman....
So that they are with a British team is just a fringe bonus.
There's nowt wrong with cheering on a British Lad, the problem for me is the reaction to riders that aren't local lads(regardless of where local lads happen to be)
Spend 5 minutes on the cycling news forums and you'll see what I mean, almost as bad the comments you get on Yahoo news/features.
Anyway, back to telly
well that was just awesome :thumbup:
The boy is certainly quick.
Great to watch and well done Wiggo.
What did you think of that then :thumbup:?
If anyone says "boring racing" they ought to try watching golf :closed:.
Holy Crap, was anybody else sprinting?
might be a spoiler or two posted today
The man isn't happy
http://video.nbcsports.msnbc.com/nbc...56746#48256746
It looked more like a small bear than a dog!Quote:
Originally Posted by shaunaneto
It was a very exciting finish today :cool: