Weight Weenies

xnavalav8r wrote:I'm surprised you are not suspicious of Wiggins' near complete retreat from road racing after his "unbelievable" Tour de France win. The guy goes from GC-slayer to can't-finish-a-race almost as quick as Andy Schleck but that doesn't pique your interest at all?

News: Wiggins finishes race

I'm pretty sure Schleck finished a grand tour this year...

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Updated news: Wiggins finishes race, slays GC

Personally I find this a stretch to attribute Wiggins fall from "hero to zero" to do with doping- frankly, (not least if Yates book extract stating that "Wiggins was going to quite the tour the day Froome rode off the front") Wiggins sounds like his ego is a mile wide and an inch thick and he was just unable to cope with any kind of incremental pressure this year - look as his descending in the Giro, fe.

Doesn't mean he didn't dope in 2102, but not sure I understand why "he failed this year therefore he doped last" is in any way substantiated. "Post hoc ergo propter hoc"

I'm not saying he doped to win the Tour. I'm just saying he is not the cycling great some on this forum make him out to be. Though I do think it is suspicious when any athlete has a spectacular season and then struggles to even be competitive the following year. I agree that his fragile ego and prima-dona mentality are his biggest defects and are the most likely contributors to his otherwise unspectacular season in 2013. I believe 2012 was a flash in the pan year for Wiggins and that is why he is so eager to return to the track. He doesn't have the mentality or discipline to repeat that year so why bother trying?

xnavalav8r wrote:Though I do think it is suspicious when any athlete has a spectacular season and then struggles to even be competitive the following year.

Actually I think we're gonna wittness such feats more and more in the future, especially regarding Grand Tours. Without some serious boost (probably illegal), gone are the days with a single rider winning 2 GTs per year (especially consecutive, some might still aim at Giro / Vuelta double as Nibali tried this year). Instead, we're going to get "one off" performances by riders who have either had the course absolutely suited to their strengths or have had the form of their life or have had a notably reduced competition by some reason (or rather a significant combination of all these factors). Therefore, without such positive situation ever repeating, we will most likely not see Horner winning a GT next year, just as probably no more GT for Wiggins, Hesjedal - as much as they are talented riders and really deserve that accomplishment, they've had a significant share of those mentioned factors contributing to their wins, and there is a very little probability of that particular combination ever repeating for any of them.

xnavalav8r wrote:I'm not saying he doped to win the Tour. I'm just saying he is not the cycling great some on this forum make him out to be. Though I do think it is suspicious when any athlete has a spectacular season and then struggles to even be competitive the following year. I agree that his fragile ego and prima-dona mentality are his biggest defects and are the most likely contributors to his otherwise unspectacular season in 2013. I believe 2012 was a flash in the pan year for Wiggins and that is why he is so eager to return to the track. He doesn't have the mentality or discipline to repeat that year so why bother trying?

I don't think this is necessarily ego. He knows what it takes to win the Tour- a course designed for him, very specific training, and everything to align just right. He's crashed out of GT's, had off-years, etc. and AFAIK Sky's training is pretty damn rigorous/specific. For all we know this means monotonous and boring to chase a goal that maybe he doesn't want to chase.

6 Olympic medals- 4 of which are Gold
5 world track championships
1st and 4th in the Tour
3rd in the Vuelta
Won almost every 1 week tour minus Tour of the Basque Country
Won stages in the Giro and Tour

I'd say compared to 98% of pros that yes, he is a legend. I can't think of many pros that have transcended disciplines and had this much success in both. Sure, Cav has won a lot on the road but he pales in comparison to Wiggins on the track.

I firmly agree. Wiggins has zero to prove to anybody at this point.

xnavalav8r wrote:Though I do think it is suspicious when any athlete has a spectacular season and then struggles to even be competitive the following year.

He hasn't struggled to be competitive this year - he's been injured and has barely raced. The ToB is his second race back and he's won it, and let's see what happens in the World's TT.

Based on the consensus of several posters above and Wiggins statements following the win today about not really knowing where he's headed after Wednesday, would it be conceivable for him to attempt the hour record, or is that really not his style. He's got nothing to prove, but then he'd have no one but himself to blame it on if he was crap. Just a thought, what do you guys reckon.

silentassasin wrote:I believe here in the UK it is being shown by the BBC, with commentary by Chris Boardman. Can't remember where I saw it, but reasonably confident.

As you said, the BBC is televising the World Championships live, but it looks like it's just the Elite events, no Juniors or U23's

Bugger..


Eurosport : Euskaltel to fold after Alonso negotiations collapse - http://m.eurosport.co.uk/cycling/euskal ... tory.shtml

I just read about that - It's a major bummer.

I wonder why they failed?

lippythelion wrote:

silentassasin wrote:I believe here in the UK it is being shown by the BBC, with commentary by Chris Boardman. Can't remember where I saw it, but reasonably confident.

As you said, the BBC is televising the World Championships live, but it looks like it's just the Elite events, no Juniors or U23's

Thats because those races aren't televised at all, if I am not mistaken.

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