# Sir Brad



## pawl (17 May 2013)

The doubters are on some sites are describing brad as a one hit wonder.Obviously they have forgotten what he has achieved in the past years last year was an outstanding one.All those detractors will be be describing him as the best thing since sliced bread when he wins major races in the future.


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## Beebo (17 May 2013)

Everyone should give the guy a break, he's clearly ill, no way would even an 85% fit wiggo have got dropped on that stage yesterday.

Most doubters were writing of Evans as being past it, but look at him now.


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## roadrash (17 May 2013)

thats the problem , most of them are sat at computers slagging the guy off ,,, i wonder if any of them actually do any cycling


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## BSRU (17 May 2013)

Does that include Wiggo, as he criticised himself for his poor descending, compared to his peers.


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## Lee_M (17 May 2013)

BSRU said:


> Does that include Wiggo, as he criticised himself for his poor descending, compared to his peers.


 
he's ill so we can work out why his climbing has suffered.

His descending was crap, so I'll be interested in seeing what he does to fix that - I suspect it hasnt been worked on in the same way as the rest of his game


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## screenman (17 May 2013)

Lee_M said:


> he's ill so we can work out why his climbing has suffered.
> 
> His descending was crap, so I'll be interested in seeing what he does to fix that - I suspect it hasnt been worked on in the same way as the rest of his game


 
Was his descending crap compared with yours? or somebody else.


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## Rob3rt (17 May 2013)

screenman said:


> Was his descending crap compared with yours? or somebody else.


 
He would be considered a demon descender if compared with me, lol!


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## screenman (17 May 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> He would be considered a demon descender if compared with me, lol!


 
And me.


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## cyberknight (17 May 2013)

GWS Brad !
Lets be honest even full of sniffle hes liable to beat 99 % of the population up or down dale.


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## VamP (17 May 2013)

screenman said:


> And me.


 
And me.

Funny how everyone focuses on how cautious he was after his crash. I wonder how many of the critics jump straight back on when they crash?


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## Lee_M (17 May 2013)

screenman said:


> Was his descending crap compared with yours? or somebody else.


 
compared to his previous performances and his competitors.
after his fall he was creeping round some of the turns.

I've no idea how well or otherwise I descend as I don't race, and m comment wasn't a dig at Brad, so stop trolling


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## rich p (17 May 2013)

VamP said:


> And me.
> 
> Funny how everyone focuses on how cautious he was after his crash. I wonder how many of the critics jump straight back on when they crash?


Nibali did, amongst others, which is the point when you're a pro. Comparing weekend warriors and mamils is missing the point a little.


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## VamP (17 May 2013)

rich p said:


> Nibali did, amongst others, which is the point when you're a pro. Comparing weekend warriors and mamils is missing the point a little.


 
I don't think so.

I crash a lot. Sometimes I hop back on and sometimes I can't even stand up. How do you know how Wiggins landed?


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## rich p (17 May 2013)

Cycling is full of stories of riders who leap back on with injuries a lot worse than Brad's. Hamilton and the collar bone, Johnny Hoogerland, Boardman and the broken ankle etc. Wiggins lost his bottle - he admitted himself that it wasn't injury that caused his diffidence.


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## VamP (17 May 2013)

If you say so.


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## jowwy (17 May 2013)

its nice to see how weekend warriors and computers hackers sit at their keyboards and just slag people off.

brad was climbing well, he proved that in the 2nd part of the tt. even my mrs said that brad looked aweful yesterday and he looked dreadful.

but what would a qualified nurse know hey. i hope sky now allow to ride for glory in the tdf as he deserves the chance to defend his crown.


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## Rob3rt (17 May 2013)

LOL!


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## Boris Bajic (17 May 2013)

I am deeply impressed by B Baggins. he has produced at the highest levels for many years.

I admit his track results wewre a sort of 'known unknown' to me. I knew the name, but I don't follow track and never really have. But he is a great nonetheless - and has been producing for many years and is quite a geezer.

What troubles me slightly is the way British media (up to a point) and British cycling fans can sometimes get all "England '66" about him and somehow assume his victories before he's had them.

I have to say I fancied him for the Giro this month and am sad that he's abandoned, but I am not comfortable with the notion put about in some quarters that somehow he was going to win the Giro and Brailsford would let Froome win the TdF. Not on these pages, but elsewhere.

I find that as lumpen and dull-witted as the gurning protestations that we're going to win the World Cup every four years...


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## screenman (17 May 2013)

Lee_M said:


> compared to his previous performances and his competitors.
> after his fall he was creeping round some of the turns.
> 
> I've no idea how well or otherwise I descend as I don't race, and m comment wasn't a dig at Brad, so stop trolling


 
Me! troll never, it was a legitimate honest question.


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## beastie (17 May 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> I am deeply impressed by B Baggins. he has produced at the highest levels for many years.
> 
> I admit his track results wewre a sort of 'known unknown' to me. I knew the name, but I don't follow track and never really have. But he is a great nonetheless - and has been producing for many years and is quite a geezer.
> 
> ...


You are NEVER gonna win another world cup (please God no, I would have to leave England, it would be unbearable)


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## Lee_M (18 May 2013)

screenman said:


> Me! troll never, it was a legitimate honest question.




in which case- brad himself said he descended "like a girl"


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## gavintc (18 May 2013)

screenman said:


> Me! troll never, it was a legitimate honest question.


 
And a comment with no relevance to the discussion. A commentator on a forum, being compared to any professional cyclist - get real! Simply troll material to bring a rise.


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## Slaav (18 May 2013)

I think someone said that Brad still descends better than 99% of teh population?

Well I think it is probably nearer 99.999999999% of the population 

And he has had a crisis of confidence before. If you read his 'My Time' book from last year, he is a genuinely complicated man. He seems aware of that fact and most of teh time deals with it.

If he doesnt come back from this illness and setback with a passion, I think he is not the man that has won so much over a fabulous career TO DATE! I am sure that there is more to come


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## Flying_Monkey (18 May 2013)

VamP said:


> If you say so.


 
I don't think there's any doubt that something wasn't right in Wiggins's head. Eddy Merckx was scathing about his descending. And you can hardly tell us he's a weekend warrior who doesn't know professional bike racing...


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## screenman (18 May 2013)

gavintc said:


> And a comment with no relevance to the discussion. A commentator on a forum, being compared to any professional cyclist - get real! Simply troll material to bring a rise.


 
Tosh!


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## screenman (18 May 2013)

Lee_M said:


> in which case- brad himself said he descended "like a girl"


 
That is up to him, the rest of us mere mortals should not be so quick to knock a superb champion.


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## Pedrosanchezo (18 May 2013)

rich p said:


> Cycling is full of stories of riders who leap back on with injuries a lot worse than Brad's. Hamilton and the collar bone, Johnny Hoogerland, Boardman and the broken ankle etc. Wiggins lost his bottle - he admitted himself that it wasn't injury that caused his diffidence.


Hinault!! Fell went wide on a tight corner and over a cliff top!! He says the tree saved his life. He gets back on a spare bike but reportedly stops on the next climb as the seriousness of what happened to him sinks in and he cracks. Some one gets out the team car to push him on and he wins the stage still. His bike was later found 50ft down the cliff.

The fall is at the beginning of the clip. 




​


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## Pedrosanchezo (18 May 2013)

I thought Nibali would take the Giro regardless of Wiggins condition. I did though think Wiggins would come a strong 2nd with 3rd place being some distance behind. I don't suppose many could have seen this coming though.
@Boris Bajic is quite correct when he says the public seem to think Wiggins will win whatever he enters. I was guilty of this mindset with the TT in the Giro. I thought he would have put a minute plus into Nibbles.

Brad predicted a possible double of the Tour and the Giro - if anyone looks close to such an achievement it is Nibali. In current form, IMO, he has the beating of Froome and Contador. Will the Giro take too much out of him though?

RE Wiggins being one of the greats in road racing - possibly, but not yet. He needs to back up 2012 with another major tour win. I think people say this because he is British.
​Worth noting that i am a fan of Wiggins. I admire his charisma and think he is a huge reason cycling is booming just now.​ 
​


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## pawl (18 May 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> I thought Nibali would take the Giro regardless of Wiggins condition. I did though think Wiggins would come a strong 2nd with 3rd place being some distance behind. I don't suppose many could have seen this coming though.
> @Boris Bajic is quite correct when he says the public seem to think Wiggins will win whatever he enters. I was guilty of this mindset with the TT in the Giro. I thought he would have put a minute plus into Nibbles.
> 
> Brad predicted a possible double of the Tour and the Giro - if anyone looks close to such an achievement it is Nibali. In current form, IMO, he has the beating of Froome and Contador. Will the Giro take too much out of him though?
> ...


Here here


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## Supersuperleeds (18 May 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Hinault!! Fell went wide on a tight corner and over a cliff top!! He says the tree saved his life. He gets back on a spare bike but reportedly stops on the next climb as the seriousness of what happened to him sinks in and he cracks. Some one gets out the team car to push him on and he wins the stage still. His bike was later found 50ft down the cliff.
> 
> The fall is at the beginning of the clip.
> 
> ...




Cheers, read about that crash in Slaying the Badger the other day, nice to see the clip


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## Pedrosanchezo (18 May 2013)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Cheers, read about that crash in Slaying the Badger the other day, nice to see the clip


A great read and, for me, an eye opener as to what cycling was like in this era. Some of those guys were proper hard as nails.


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## Crackle (18 May 2013)

Wiggins popularity has definitely increased cycling coverage but sometimes it's a bit painful to watch it being covered. The BBC reporting on the Giro on Friday showed a picture of Cav winning his 3rd stage in the rain whilst talking about his fourth stage win and then said Wiggins retired after losing five minutes in the previous stage, which was his total deficit, not the loss in the previous stage. Five Live however and Simon Brotherton are doing a proper job.


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## kedab (18 May 2013)

that's quite incredible, isn't it - gets back on full of adrenaline, has a bit of time to wear off and for him to think about it and he's like, 'you know what fellas, i think that's enough for me'...his team are like, 'shut it badger, stop moaning, get back on that bike you big tart and win this stage'


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## Lee_M (18 May 2013)

screenman said:


> That is up to him, the rest of us mere mortals should not be so quick to knock a superb champion.



i think youll find I said Id be interested to see how he deals with it, and its a free world so I can have my view regardless of what you might think


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## kedab (18 May 2013)

Crackle said:


> Wiggins popularity has definitely increased cycling coverage but sometimes it's a bit painful to watch it being covered. The BBC reporting on the Giro on Friday showed a picture of Cav winning his 3rd stage in the rain whilst talking about his fourth stage win and then said Wiggins retired after losing five minutes in the previous stage, which was his total deficit, not the loss in the previous stage. Five Live however and Simon Brotherton are doing a proper job.


exactly, cover it properly on your telly channel or don't bother. just leave it on the radio - don't shoe horn it in to other broadcasts without a care for the quality of the reporting...@$$holes.


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## VamP (18 May 2013)

Flying_Monkey said:


> I don't think there's any doubt that something wasn't right in Wiggins's head. Eddy Merckx was scathing about his descending. And you can hardly tell us he's a weekend warrior who doesn't know professional bike racing...


 
You're probably not responding to me, as I don't disagree with you.

All I said was that we have no real idea what it was that wasn't right with his head. He was riding just fine until he crashed, thereafter not so much. Anecdotal stories about others who crashed but were mentally unaffected seem irrelevant to me.


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## User169 (18 May 2013)

Flying_Monkey said:


> I don't think there's any doubt that something wasn't right in Wiggins's head. Eddy Merckx was scathing about his descending. And you can hardly tell us he's a weekend warrior who doesn't know professional bike racing...



I think you're right, FM, but the way I read it, Eddy suggested that Brad was so bad that he didn't trust his kit. I saw it as it little bit of class from Eddy, giving a fellow GT winner the benefit of the doubt.


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## Flying_Monkey (18 May 2013)

Delftse Post said:


> I think you're right, FM, but the way I read it, Eddy suggested that Brad was so bad that he didn't trust his kit. I saw it as it little bit of class from Eddy, giving a fellow GT winner the benefit of the doubt.


 
Well, Merckx was notoriously paranoid about his bike set-up.


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## yello (18 May 2013)

A renowned fiddler, I believe. Would adjust his saddle as he road.


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## Toshiba Boy (21 May 2013)

yello said:


> A renowned fiddler, I believe. Would adjust his saddle as he road.


 He was a constant fiddler, after the horrifc crash on the track, he could never get his position just right thereafter.


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## oldgreyandslow (21 May 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Hinault!! Fell went wide on a tight corner and over a cliff top!! He says the tree saved his life. He gets back on a spare bike but reportedly stops on the next climb as the seriousness of what happened to him sinks in and he cracks. Some one gets out the team car to push him on and he wins the stage still. His bike was later found 50ft down the cliff.
> 
> The fall is at the beginning of the clip.
> 
> ...


 
Amazing, clearly he's as mad as a fish


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## Pedrosanchezo (21 May 2013)

oldgreyandslow said:


> Amazing, clearly he's as mad as a fish


Some say he didn't know any better but i'm with you. Mad as a fish!


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## Boris Bajic (21 May 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Some say he didn't know any better but i'm with you. Mad as a fish!


 
Some clarification required here. Not all fish are mad.

The Scottish ones who jump up waterfalls are clearly away with the fairies. We need not doubt that for a moment.

But what about the big, scary ones (whales?) in the scary films with fins that stick out of the water?

They're not mad, just hungry. Very hungry.

Also, cod are probably not mad either. They are famous for taking a balanced view on strategic decisions and being generally prudent.

Please be more specific before you start accusing all fish (by implication) of being as mad as a pro-cyclist.


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## Pedrosanchezo (21 May 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> Some clarification required here. Not all fish are mad.
> 
> The Scottish ones who jump up waterfalls are clearly away with the fairies. We need not doubt that for a moment.
> 
> ...


Typical blame the Scottish fish for being maddest. Don't you know they are merely swimming away from the English? 

I do enjoy your posts Boris. Some on here don't share your sense of humour. I subscribe to the cuckoo club though so consider me your next door neighbour in the nut house. 
​


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## Lancj1 (21 May 2013)

I'm a bog standard cyclist but as soon as Brad went a bit behind, at the same time it was announced Froome would lead TDF, I had a gut feeling he wouldn't finish. I wasn't impressed at the TOB last year when he became ill and quit too. As a highly tuned athlete he sure is quite sickly.


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## gavroche (21 May 2013)

Without taking anything away from what Wiggings has achieved so far , in my view, he is not in the same class as the true greats of cycling: Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Indurrain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Mercks. He has yet to prove that he has the hunger and determination that characterised true champions. Time will tell.


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## lukesdad (21 May 2013)




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## oldgreyandslow (22 May 2013)

Boris Bajic said:


> Some clarification required here. Not all fish are mad.
> 
> The Scottish ones who jump up waterfalls are clearly away with the fairies. We need not doubt that for a moment.
> 
> ...


 
I think you'll find whales are mammals. Note these are not to be confused with MAMILs who are indeed very scary, I know this to be true because my wife and kids (adults) tell me this on a regular basis. Well actually scary isn't the word they tend to use the most but I'd rather not divulge the worst ones on the 'net


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## themosquitoking (22 May 2013)

oldgreyandslow said:


> I think you'll find whales are mammals. Note these are not to be confused with MAMILs who are indeed very scary, I know this to be true because my wife and kids (adults) tell me this on a regular basis. Well actually scary isn't the word they tend to use the most but I'd rather not divulge the worst ones on the 'net


Do it, i bet the net has already heard it.


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## Monsieur Remings (30 May 2013)

Pedrosanchezo said:


> Hinault!! Fell went wide on a tight corner and over a cliff top!! He says the tree saved his life. He gets back on a spare bike but reportedly stops on the next climb as the seriousness of what happened to him sinks in and he cracks. Some one gets out the team car to push him on and he wins the stage still. His bike was later found 50ft down the cliff.
> 
> The fall is at the beginning of the clip.





Ee'zaa nuttttaaaaaa!

Slaying the Badger is worth a read for a brief account of this incident.


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## Strathlubnaig (30 May 2013)

He is down as a 'reserve' for both the Dauphiné and the Suisse tours, so not sure where he is going to get in some decent racing days before the TdF


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## Pedrosanchezo (30 May 2013)

Strathlubnaig said:


> He is down as a 'reserve' for both the Dauphiné and the Suisse tours, so not sure where he is going to get in some decent racing days before the TdF


His season seems a bit screwed to be honest. In the 100th edition of the Tour magazine he says he is racing for 2nd place. This quote though was taken before the Giro. 
Interestingly Froome says Wiggins will race for him IF his condition is up to scratch. This also just before the Giro - i think.


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## Pedrosanchezo (30 May 2013)

Monsieur Remings said:


> Ee'zaa nuttttaaaaaa!
> 
> Slaying the Badger is worth a read for a brief account of this incident.


Have read the book. I quite enjoyed it actually. Fully knowing what was going to happen - i still found it hard to put down. I find both Lemond and Hinault to be massive characters. Hinault especially! Could read about him all day.


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## jarlrmai (30 May 2013)

Rode past the infamous garage where Wiggo got hit yesterday, everyone in cars was really respectful...


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## thom (30 May 2013)

jarlrmai said:


> Rode past the infamous garage where Wiggo got hit yesterday, everyone in cars was really respectful...


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## SWSteve (30 May 2013)

Strathlubnaig said:


> He is down as a 'reserve' for both the Dauphiné and the Suisse tours, so not sure where he is going to get in some decent racing days before the TdF


 
Isn't one of the Team Sky mantras 'train, don't race'?


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## Noodley (31 May 2013)

gavroche said:


> Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Indurrain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Mercks


 
doper, doper, doper, doper and doper


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## Pedrosanchezo (31 May 2013)

Noodley said:


> doper, doper, doper, doper and doper


My guess is you would be hard pushed to find any "greats" or "champions" that didn't dope. A few claim to be clean of course, if you believe them.


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## gavroche (31 May 2013)

Noodley said:


> doper, doper, doper, doper and doper


 May be they were up to a point, but in those days, there were no controls so it was accepted. All the other riders also were so they were all on the same footing, hence the best still stood out.


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## VamP (31 May 2013)

Noodley said:


> doper, doper, doper, doper and doper


 
Although there is a difference between popping a bit of speed now and then, and a wholesale EPO blood tranfusion program spanning several years. Isn't there?


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## tigger (31 May 2013)

Noodley said:


> doper, doper, doper, doper and doper



Stimulant abuser, stimulant abuser, doper, maybe a bit of both and stimulant abuser you mean?!


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## The Couch (31 May 2013)

Wiggins won't ride the Dauphine and might not ride Tour de Suisse nor Tour either due to knee injury
According to the Guardian

Well, Froome must be feeling like his year is improving week by week


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## Pedrosanchezo (31 May 2013)

The Couch said:


> Wiggins won't ride the Dauphine and might not ride Tour de Suisse nor Tour either due to knee injury
> According to the Guardian
> 
> Well, Froome must be feeling like his year is improving week by week


Chris Froome's voodoo is strong!


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## Crackle (31 May 2013)

The Couch said:


> Wiggins won't ride the Dauphine and might not ride Tour de Suisse nor Tour either due to knee injury
> According to the Guardian
> 
> Well, Froome must be feeling like his year is improving week by week


 
Consistent with a Tweet from Walsh during the Giro which we heard no more about until now.

So, who's targetting the Vuelta? Wiggins vs Valverde or will Porte spit his dummy out..


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## Pedrosanchezo (31 May 2013)

Crackle said:


> Consistent with a Tweet from Walsh during the Giro which we heard no more about until now.
> 
> So, who's targetting the Vuelta? Wiggins vs Valverde or will Porte spit his dummy out..


It's all about form now but Wiggins will hold more weight than Porte. If Wiggins is fit and willing then it surely must be his only chance at a victory this year. IMO 2013 doesn't look good for Wiggo.


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## Rob3rt (31 May 2013)

This pic cracks me up every time I see it!


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## Pedrosanchezo (31 May 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> This pic cracks me up every time I see it!


Looks happy. Also looks like he has cotton wool stuck in his cheeks like Brando did in the Godfather.


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## dragon72 (31 May 2013)

Big disappointment the way his season's panned out, for us the cycling fans, and not least for him, I imagine.
I bet he regrets bigging himself up for the double now.


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