Thetownend.com

Don't really 'do' Tour de France, but Bradley Wiggins has all but won - being the first Brit to ever do so. Congrats...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/tour-de-france/9417545/Bradley-Wiggins-wins-penultimate-stage-time-trial-and-will-now-become-first-ever-British-winner-of-Tour-de-France.html

I fucking love Wiggo...

So he can't fall off and blow it then?

He just has to finish, I think

It is of course possible, yesterday 2 or 3 riders were brought down on a closed motorway, by someone who'd let their dog get out of control. It's just that it never does happen...the ride into Paris is ceremonial.

I think if something like that happened, after Le Gent let Evans catch him up the other day the riders would do something to help him out, Wiggins has done enough to show he's the best this year.

Huge achievement, nothing in the Olympics will even come close to matching this. I don't think even Team Sky would have envisaged having a British 1-2 on the podium.

Wiggins has had an incredible season, nobody had ever won Paris-Nice, Tour of Romandie and the Dauphine in the same year, he's not only done that, he's won the tour as well.

Chapeau...

Awesome pair of sideys ...

Massive credit is also due to Chris Froome who has had an amazing tour and even more remarkably will make it a GB 1 an 2. He's going to win it sooner rather than later.

The cycling events in the Olympics will certainly be interesting.

Not sure about that OST. Team Sky are the reason Froome's done so well and Wiggins today has showed what a class above he is, by destroying the field.

Froome's whining (and his Mrs' whining) won't have done his chances much good I think.

I like the way the mail describe Froome as a kenyan rider, due to his place of birth, brought up in South Africa too, so I'm more interested in Cavendish and Wiggins than Froome to be honest.

Do me a favour Jan. So you don't think it has anything to do with him being rather good at riding a bicycle?

The way he tore up the Pyrenees a couple of days ago was an incredible ride regardless of what team he is on. I was knackered just watching it. The reason Team Sky are so good is because of riders like Froome, not the other way round.

Obviously the lad is talented, what I'm saying is he'll need a hell of a team to win a future Tour de France, just like Wiggins has had this year.

Don't think it's as easy as saying 'He's going to win it sooner rather than later' though, there's a lot of variables that could go for or against the lad.

There have been 2 occasions in the mountains when Froome could have riden away from Wiggins but hung bag to support Wiggins.  Froome is the better climber with Wiggo the better time trialist, it would have been a close race if they were on different teams.

Wiggins has made history in terms if British sport, top bloke as well.

Now for Cav to hopefully take the sprint tomorrow and gold next Saturday.

But as you quite rightly say, he has a hell of a team - Team Sky. And yes, of course there are all sorts of variables - he may get hit by a bus or eaten by a lion or abducted by aliens - who knows?? All things being equal though, barring injury or spontaneous internal combustion, he will win the Tour 'sooner rather than later'.

On another note, one other thing that should not be forgotten is that we've had no less then four British stage winners this season - David Milllar going along with Wiggins, Froome and Cavendish.

Any way, on to tomorrow and if we see a repeat of this tomorrow it will make it the perfect Tour...

un-be-lieveable...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx-PcVbeGdI

Almost a shame he's done this in an Olympic year - if he doesn't pick up Sports Personality it'll be a travesty.

They should just make up an award for him.

stuck in the brit pop era look of the year?

10/11 on at the moment, nearest challenger is Jessica Whatsername at 4's, Mo Farah could be worth a punt, he won £250k on The Cube after all

Am I missing something about Tour De France time classifications? So wiggins is a couple of mins ahead. If he falls off his bike tomorrow, or at any stage, the others will close that gap. But there never seems to be more than a very marginal difference in times....

For those like me who don't understand cycling too well, from what I gather Wiggins is leading the tour because overall his accumulative time is better then anyone else's. What I'd like to know is what difference is there between say time trialists, sprinters etc?

If wiggins wins does that make him overall a better rider then say someone like cavendish who is a sprinter?

Think I'm right in thinking that all riders in the peloton are given the same time?  So if that's right, all a leader has to do is stay a part of the peloton and he knows that his lead in any given stage can be eroded by no more than the time difference between the stage leader and the leader of the peloton?

If that's wrong, someone pls help me out.  Thanks.

Well I'm no expert but to give you an idea, Wiggins is 1hr 38minutes ahead of Peter Sagan, who is going to win the green jersey by a country mile. He is no less than 3hrs 28 minutes ahead of Mark Cavendish, who won the green jersey last year. The main difference is that those guys can't ride in the mountains (well they can ride but they're just not very good relatively speaking). In the mountain stages they will be finishing way down the field whereas the Wiggins and Froomes of this world will be right up the front.

You ask what the difference is between him and time triallists, well Wiggins and Froome are the best time triallists around. They were first and second yesterday (edit: yesterday was a time trial stage). Wiggins was 1 minute 16 seconds ahead of Froome who in turn was 34 seconds ahead of the third places rider. In other words, they absolutely smashed it.

In answer to the question about what if Wiggins fell off today, I guess the whole peloton would just stop and if absolutely necessary would carry him over the line. The last stage traditionally is just a procession which may sound strange but that's just how it is. The one aspect in which it definitely is not a procession though is for the stage win, which is where Cavendish comes in. While Mark Cavendish is going at it hell for leather and the other sprinters are trying and failing to keep up, Wiggins will be safely tucked back in the main field. And as you can see from the times above, none of the sprinters are even remotely a threat to the yellow jersey.

And yes, what you are saying is correct Ardiles.

Yep, today's stage is a weird one. They'll all stick together (no breaks) until they hit the Champs Élysées and the they go balls out for the stage win. Just to give the punters something to get excited about.

Think the only way he won't win SPOTY is if Mo Farah does the 5,000 and 10,000 double.

I think we'll see Wiggins as part of Cav's lead out today, dress rehearsal for next week, rather than taking it easy.

I think you're right... but as much as I love Mo, Wiggo would still deserve it more. The public would probably go for Farah though.

I've enjoyed it watching it again this year although I'd be lying if i said I really understood it. It always makes me want to buy a road bike,then I remember i'm 41 and clinically obese.

Absolutely, just like he did on Friday.

Wiggins and Frome will be busting a gut in the last 10K to get Cav in position.  Once it gets to the last 3km anyone in a crash gets the time as the winner of the stage so no need for Wiggins/Frome to play it safe.

you wont be 6 months after buying the bike

Wrong. They are all individually timed.

No, Ardiles is correct, when the peloton finishes together every rider in it gets the time of the rider at the front of the peloton, even though the peloton takes tens of seconds, and possibly even a couple of minutes, to cross the finish line - there is a rule that if one rider finishes less than one second behind another then he is credited with the same finishing time as the first.

And today they're even more relaxed on what makes up the peloton (so I've heard/read), meaning most if not all the riders will get the same time in todays stage - barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Wiggins should definitely get SPOTY, first Englishman and British bloke to win it in history, should also lead to arise 'Sir Fucking Wanker... Cunts' at some stage.

racist

Could you explain that last bit? I lost you there ???

He must be fit as fuck, but can someone explain what skills are involved? Without the team he wouldn't have won would he? Fantastic achievement, but not something I'd spend time watching.

To be fair it must be pure endurance. The stages aren't exactly small. Its a great achievement in my opinion more so given the fact that Wiggins is already an Olympic gold medalist. He has pretty much done it all now. Fair play to him.

Wiggins is team leader on the tour. He was selected because he was most likely to win overall given this years course.

Turns out froome was strong in the mountains but his and every other team sky rider job was to support Wiggins. That's what they signed up on big money for.

I guess the attributes are incredible fitness and endurance. When you have a 150km ride including a couple of  mountains then do it all again the next day you have to be superhuman!

Exactly. If the Tour De France had never happened before and was only just being invented and you told me this is what it involved, over a period of three weeks with two rest days I would have to have responded, "Fuck off, that is not humanly possible"...or words to that effect. To me, it is the ultimate sporting challenge.

Next year Wiggins could be helping Froome to the Yellow Jersey. I can't quite figure where Cav fits in though. He's been the model team mate this year and that's great and his main focus is probably the Olympics but at some point he's going to be wanting to compete for the Green Jersey again. Will he get that opportunity with Sky I wonder?

I went to school with a kid whose surname was Wiggins.

He was a cunt.

Commentator on BBC Radio 5 yesterday was hinting strongly that it would make a lot of sense for Cavendish to leave the team next year.  He was saying that it made a lot of sense for him to be there in the build up to the Olympics, because a lot of the Team GB staff are also on Team Sky...but that argument is a lot less strong in 2013.

Look at Wiggins average speed yesterday, was close to 60 kmh at one stage, although assume it tailed off a little. Imagine maintaining that for well over an hour after god knows how many gruelling days of cycling up and down mountains. Super human.

A week or so ago, a journalist asked Bradley what he thought of the people who were suggesting that he must be on drugs.

Wiggins said: 'I say they're just fucking wankers. I cannot be doing with people like that.

'It justifies their own bone-idleness because they can't ever imagine applying themselves to do anything in their lives.

'It's easy for them to sit under a pseudonym on Twitter and write that sort of shit, rather than get off their arses in their own lives and apply themselves and work hard at something and achieve something.

'And that's ultimately it. Cunts.'

And that, people, is how you give a press conference.

No 'skills' as such I guess, just a small matter of devoting your whole life to it at the expense of friends, family and anything else you can think of.

No, he wouldn't won it without the team, that's because it is a team sport. Whoever wins it needs to have a good team around them. You have to be an unbelievable rider and unique individual to win it.

Oh, right. Yes, I remember the press conference with all the bleeping going on now.

Ha!ha! Class. Makes me like him even more. 8)

I think there are more skills than you think, the bike handling is incredible - having ridden in groups this size at about 1/3 of the speed its bloody scaring stuff! An example is on the video below when Cavendish was taken out at the Giro this year the the rider behind him (in the green) bunny hopped over him on the floor - at 75kph!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnGi2KTVFRM

Team Sky have been class (all of them) and it is true that Wiggins couldn't have done it without them, buts its allwayas that way in cycling, its a team sport essentially but with a single winner. I don't really understand Froome's whining in the press, he did great at the Vuelta last year and proved that he was a better climber that Wiggins (on his day), but he then signed a long contract at Sky where he knew damn well at best he would be supporting Wiggins in the tour this year!

Oh an for cycling skills see Sagan, bet you can't do this (especially on a first category climb!!)....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onamrs8jx2I

What time is expected to finish...

Probably in next 30-45 minutes if that. There are around 38k's left

I didn't really think that through to be fair. I'm always amazed that there are so few crashes when you have so many bikes so close together riding at high speed.

Oh and Jens Voight is on the front at the moment, a true cycling hero - in his 40's, and a complete nutter - known for shouting 'shut up legs' when he is suffering!

Nah come on, be a MAMIL like the rest of us!

Haha! That's insane  8)

Sky again showing their strength, perfect lead out for Cav and nobody was gonna get close to him.

Same again next Saturday hopefully when Wiggins, Froome, etc will be racing on behalf of Cav.

Job done, and a Cavendish win!

Well that was brilliant...

Wiggins, when given a microphone in the final ceremony : 'I'm about to draw the raffle prize...'

Heh! heh!


I'm now going to draw the raffle numbers....



Legend 8)

 For those perhaps who've not picked up on cycling before, there is a season of races, which operate throughout the year, and have their own history and fascination. The major teams in order to get a licence, have to have a squad of about 25 riders, so that they can rotate and put teams into all the events.

The season essentially starts in early spring, with such races as Liege...Basogne... Liege, and the Amstel Gold Race, and the classic Paris Roubaix....then Giro and longer races like the Criterium du Dauphine, and Paris Nice, both of which Wiggins won this year...the Vuelta, is usually the back end of August, but seems earlier this year.

Like a lot of sports, there are other countries which are trying to force their way onto the calendar, like Australia, America nd the inevitable Middle Eastern interest.

Eurosport do a great job of showing these less well known rides....coming up is the San Sebastian classic, which is lagely in the Basque country, quite mountainous and hot, and will probably be won by a rider from Euskaltel, with a lot of xx's and zz's in his name.

I may be the only one on here, who can remember when the Milk Race stage finished by the CG after a sprint down Queen's Drive, to be won by Les West.

I love cycling.

I used to have well nice bikes when back in blighty. Spent 1,500 quid on one once (specialized rockhopper).  I'd go everywhere on it. I went to work, went to the pub, to the shops and I'd often disappear for a day or so on the ridge-way and on the downs and what not. It's amazing how far you can get and what you can see with a bike.

But for the life of me..... I just can't find enjoyment in just watching other people cycling.

I don't specifically remember Les West or it finishing at the CG but I certainly do remember being taken to see the Milk Race a couple of times in the 70's. I think it was somewhere near Hungerford...or would they actually have come through Aldbourne? I'm really a bit foggy on this one :hmmm:

I don't watch the stages live (apart from today), just the condensed highlights on ITV4 which I have found to be very entertaining. Paul Sherwin and Phil Leggett possibly need to be pensioned off but Gary Imlach and Chris Boardman are very good.

On a very geeky level, I absolutely love all the aerial photography - it is really spectacular, whether it be the Alps, Pyranees or just regular towns or countryside. Some of the shots of Paris today were fantastic.

I'm firmly in the bloody love the Tour de France category. The one hour highlight show is the way to watch it definitely. Always amazed at the ball breaking effort the riders put in and the sheer guts they have to hurtle at 70k down a mountain! Wiggins is a class act and so is Cav, his sprint win on Friday was sensational.

I feel fucked just watching them. They're amazing and I am in awe of them. I mean - for fuck sake - Bradley Wiggins was interviewed right after the race and not only was he not out of breath, but he didn't have so much as a bead of sweat on him ???  I've been watching it for a few years now but have really got into it this year. Obviously all the British success has had a major influence on that, but that said, I think I'm well and truly hooked now. I want to go and see a couple of stages live now, just to sample a bit of the atmosphere.

I'm the same, obviously enjoy the race stages but at times tend to forget about the bikes and end up looking at the scenery, the commentators even give a bit of a history/Geography lesson along the way. Well done to Wiggins, a brilliant tour. :clap:

Yep, been watching since the Stephen Roche days and say every year that I want to go see a stage but ain't managed it yet, maybe when the kids no longer want holidays with the old man! 

Do it. You won't regret it.

I have been a handful of times. We went to the Prologue in Monaco and the stage route in nice in 2009 and this year in Liege. We went to the finish in Paris last year. I also rode out to the Prologue in Hyde Park and the stage route just outside Maidstone in 2007.

The prologue or Time Trials give you more for your money as you get to see the riders individually over a longer period whereas the road stages have the peleton blasting past in a matter of seconds.

The publicity caravan that preceeds the race is a spectacle in itself, a huge convoy of vehicles in all sorts of shapes and sizes with folk throwing out general bits of useless tat that you just have to fight over for the shits and giggles.

The finish in Paris is a good stage to watch, particularly on the Champs Elysees as the race does 8 laps so you get to see thenm a lot. Be there early though cos the course gets rammed with spectators. SWMBO and I were at our spot at 10:00 a.m. and the race came through 6 hours later.

Yesterday was chuffing awesome! The yellow jersey wearer at the head of the lead out train for Cav? EBH taking over just before they take the last bend into the Champs and the Manx Missile then launching his attack. I was sure he had gone too early but no, he timed it to perfection. Sagan was closing quickly though.

Way to go Team Sky :beers:

Super human glad the drugs appear to be out of the scene now. Especially liked the mountain stages where you seem to be able to get so close that you can touch them.....

I have to say that I have new found respect for Cav.

At HTC he was in a team built to get him to the line and I always felt that being up there with stage wins close to Armstrong and Merx was a bit false.

Yet to see him work for the team, use other peoples lead outs to win and come off the last persons wheel so far from the line shows just how good he is. Fair play to him - can't wait until Saturday now.

Does he do a lap of honour?

Massive respect not just to "Wiggo", but to all of the tour riders. To spend over 87 hours in the saddle covering nearly 3500km really does beggar belief.
To give you some idea of how good these guys are, a mate of mine who is a serious cyclist went for a ride last week and covered 55 miles around cricklade, south Cerney, Brinkworth and back to Swindon at an average of speed of about 18kph. On the mountain stages, the top tour boys were averaging over 22kph, uphill all the way. Fucking mental.

I don't get why Cavendish and Wiggins can't be in the same team. It seemed to work well with the Sky team leading the peloton and protecting Wiggins, then it turning in to the lead out train for Cavendish. Can't they do that all the time?

What am I missing? Can a cycling expert enlighten me?

It's a pity Dave Brailsford isn't getting more of the media attention. The job he has done with British Cycling and Team Sky is beyond belief and I doubt we'd have won anywhere near as much on the track and road without him. Reckon we need someone like him at the FA to sort the England team out.

Cav is a class sprinter, he wants to compete for the green jersey. Team Sky build their team looking to win the yellow jersey - this comes above all else including getting Cav into a position to take sprint points.  It makes sense for Cav to go to  another team to get the support he needs to win green.

Brailsford has already said Cav can go if he can get himself sorted with a new team.  Think in many ways Sky would like to be able to bring in another domestique for the mountains, and use Boassen Hagen as a man who might pick up something at the end of a stage.

Cav needs to be careful though as the emergence of Peter Sagan, might make the green jersey beyond him. Sagan is a beast, and at 22 is still got his best to come.

All the more reason to get a team behind him then, before the changing of the guard as it were.

Does anyone reckon he might join forces again with Mark Renshaw? Or does Renshaw want to be known for more than just being Cav's lead out man?

If I were Renshaw, I would be most aggrieved if my team owner recruited Cav (unless he was to be my lead out man tah is  :D )

So it's just a case of the entire team supporting Cavendish rather than what happened, supporting Wiggins then Cavendish when they could? Think I'm confused as on some of the stages they pretty much did fully support Cavendish, or at least the tactics worked for him. Don't think he can complain too much as Wiggins et al will be supporting him in the Olympics.

I was surprised by how much some of them earn - they said Wiggins gets £1.5m a season from Team Sky and I imagine Cavendish is in the same ball park.

Fair enough. just wondering :hmmm:

Although to be honest Renshaw has done bugger all after he went to Rabobank, in fact they seem to be using his as a lead out man now - suppose depends on how long his contract is?

It makes a surprisingly big difference riding in a group, if I ride alone locally on a lumpy Lancashire route I can normally average about 13mph, but same in a group it can be up to 16/17mph.

Nothing like their speed like though, there are certain climbs round here that I toil up - there was a magazine article which took some Pro-Conti riders (so not even World Tour level) round and they were big ringing (fnar) that climb - insane!

What does that mean then?

Sorry - on the bigger ring on the crankset (i.e. at the pedal end of the drivetrain.

Ah, got you.

The Daily Mash take on things (http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/bradley-wiggins-tells-the-french-to-eat-it-2012072335255?utm_campaign=25072012&utm_source=emailCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=)  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Piscine in the wind.

That is pure Spacey.
 :clap:

How many wannabe Wiggins's are there blocking our roads at the moment? Fuck me they're everywhere this week. I even saw one twat today wobbling all over the road with a sky top on. Cunt

I know, that's your job ;)

Just like trying to drive about in Oxford on a normal day then...