What Is Sir Bradley up to?

[thom]

Interesting. An attempt at the Hour seems increasingly likely.

Wonder if he'll still be able to cut it on the track though. He'll be up against some young and very hungry whippersnappers.

I think you're right. Certainly it's the sort of thing a World Champion TTer would be in a position to attempt but a guy adapted to track 4km pursuits might not have the optimal stamina. So if he does it, I would imagine him doing it before he moves fully to the track.
It seems an odd arrangement with the SKY road team though - presumably he has the salary of a GT winning GC candidate but he's not going to be competing for them any more...

 

[Rob3rt]

Is he not on the road?

Yes, but younger people tend to have a natural advantage when it comes to explosive, balls out stuff.

 

[MisterStan]

Yes, but younger people tend to have a natural advantage when it comes to explosive, balls out stuff.

Fair point, but he is 4 years younger than Chris Hoy....

 

[Milzy]

He's just mixing his pineapple juice with some water.

 

[Rob3rt]

Fair point, but he is 4 years younger than Chris Hoy....

But Chris Hoy has spent his entire career with that discipline as his only focus and he has since retired.

Wiggo needs to transition back into it after his focus has been elsewhere for some time. So by the time the next road season is over and he is back on the track, he will pretty much (give or take 2-3 years) be Hoy's age at retirement, which was prompted by him acknowledging that he was unlikely to keep winning! It is entirely possible that even if he successfully transitions back to the track and can compete, his career might not have long left in it.

Not saying he can't do it, but the point made re the youngsters is a very fair point.

 

[smutchin]

Is he not on the road?

As Rob3rt says, track is different. Track tends to suit younger riders.

But yes, there are always exceptions - Reg Harris was sprinting with the best of them into his 50s.

 

[Kevin Airey]

I would have thought for a GT winner and GC contender another TDF would have been the main target, but hey what do I know. Maybe he has lost a little belief in himself, certainly looks like the fire and hunger has gone the little I have seen of him this year...

Maybe he has achieved what he set out to do and that's it, fair play if that's the case, but a little disappointing for the fans...

 

[themosquitoking]

I would have thought for a GT winner and GC contender another TDF would have been the main target, but hey what do I know. Maybe he has lost a little belief in himself, certainly looks like the fire and hunger has gone the little I have seen of him this year...

Maybe he has achieved what he set out to do and that's it, fair play if that's the case, but a little disappointing for the fans...

A change of priorities i reckon, bought about by 1. a realisation that he's not as capable as he was and 2. there's more than a couple of people a hell of a lot more capable. Sky kind of needed him to win the TdF last year but didn't need him to win it, i don't think he knew that until that stage Froome dropped him.

 

[davester65]

Interesting. An attempt at the Hour seems increasingly likely.

That thought has been in the back of my head since last xmas......why not? he has all the experience and track skills needed, his TT riding is top 5 in the world @ 33 yrs old, and when all's said and done the hour record is a TT. Be a fantastic way to end his career.

 

[cbs]

So when does everyone think we will see the range of "Wiggo" bikes launched

 

[oldroadman]

The adaption may not be so radical as some posters seem to think. As a roadman, the stamina is there and alos the ability to ride in the red for short periods. Which is what a pursuiter has to do. Look at how team pursuit squads prepare, there are a lot of small stage races in their programmes until the final few months run up to a championship. Given Brads turn of speed, his TT ability to ride at threshold for long periods and go deep late in a race, he would adapt quickly. The next trick is to get into the squad, because the competition is strong. For him I think the upside is training close to home and only having short periods away when the team rides week long or five day stage races. Given a settled mind and happy life, he will be a very big contender and I can't see him not making the final six riders, then the four.
The comparison with Chris Hoy does not work, Chris is/was a brilliant pure sprinter/keirin rider with the physique to match, uphill with the road/pursuit pros would be plain silly!
As for Brad having a ride at the hour, that might come later but what has he got to prove anyway?
Olympic and TdF wins, what else does anyone expect?

 

[oldroadman]

As Rob3rt says, track is different. Track tends to suit younger riders.

But yes, there are always exceptions - Reg Harris was sprinting with the best of them into his 50s.

1. Younger riders? Look at the track scene and there are plenty of 30+ riders doing very well, endurance events where experience counts like points and scratch races suit them very well, as oddly so does sprinting. Strength comes with age, as Chris Hoy proves.

2. The Reg Harris example is a bit spurious, he managed to win the British sprint title in his 50's, under sponsor pressure, and beat the two best British sprinters of the time. Sadly one has died (Trevor Bull) so we shall never know how that win was achieved, but it was as big a surprise as LA's comeback, though I hope not fuelled by the same methods.