Giro d'Italia / Tour de France Cycling thread 2013

[Dave Cooper please]

To keep proper cycling talk out of the drug cheat's thread.

So. will Wiggo be allowed by Sky to go for the TDF or will they insist on Froome being the leader?

[TopDeck113]

I think that it will depend on how he does in the Giro. 

[PeterWithesShin]

I think that it will depend on how he does in the Giro. 

He still signs on?

[Dave Cooper please]

Well Tebbit told us to get on our bikes.

[ACVilla]

Why is there so much speculation regarding the team leader, as far as I am aware Froome has been announced as the team leader end of story, the rest is just Sky ramping up a bit more interest in the sport.

[Dave Cooper please]

Why is there so much speculation regarding the team leader, as far as I am aware Froome has been announced as the team leader end of story, the rest is just Sky ramping up a bit more interest in the sport.

Brailsford hasn't announced anything yet which makes me think he might see how it goes over the first few stages to see which of the two of them is most on form.
 All of the speculation about Froome being the leader stemmed from the couple of stages last year where it was obvious that he was climbing much better than Wiggins and could have blown him away but had to wait, could be fascinating to watch the first couple of mountain stages to see who attacks first.

[lazy villain]

I think Team sky will do exactly what they did last year as a team, control the races but this just leave those two to slog it out between each other in the later stages rather than protecting just Wiggo.

[ACVilla]

Why is there so much speculation regarding the team leader, as far as I am aware Froome has been announced as the team leader end of story, the rest is just Sky ramping up a bit more interest in the sport.

Brailsford hasn't announced anything yet which makes me think he might see how it goes over the first few stages to see which of the two of them is most on form.
 All of the speculation about Froome being the leader stemmed from the couple of stages last year where it was obvious that he was climbing much better than Wiggins and could have blown him away but had to wait, could be fascinating to watch the first couple of mountain stages to see who attacks first.

It was mighty impressive seeing Froome pull away from Wiggins last year. People moan about tactics in F1 eh.

Froome has gone on record saying he has been told he will be team leader hasn't he? Or did I imagine that.?

[Dave Cooper please]

I think Froome was under the impression that Wiggins would target the Giro this year leaving him as leader for the TDF, but I don't think it was ever set in stone by Sky and the way Wiggins is talking he seems to think it will all be decided just before the start or even during the race.

[Jon Crofts]

Why is there so much speculation regarding the team leader, as far as I am aware Froome has been announced as the team leader end of story, the rest is just Sky ramping up a bit more interest in the sport.

Brailsford hasn't announced anything yet which makes me think he might see how it goes over the first few stages to see which of the two of them is most on form.
 All of the speculation about Froome being the leader stemmed from the couple of stages last year where it was obvious that he was climbing much better than Wiggins and could have blown him away but had to wait, could be fascinating to watch the first couple of mountain stages to see who attacks first.

It was mighty impressive seeing Froome pull away from Wiggins last year. People moan about tactics in F1 eh.

Froome has gone on record saying he has been told he will be team leader hasn't he? Or did I imagine that.?

Or is it all just helping Sky's cause, keep the other teams guessing, Brailsford can keep schtum whilst all the other teams think about who to target.  Next there will be a story about special wheels or an extra link in a chain that adds 1 mph to average speed.

[ACVilla]

My personal opinion is that it should be Wiggins, unless he is mightily out of form/fitness.

Surely he deserves the chance to be able to defend his title?

[lovejoy]

If Wiggins wins the Giro this year, it will be a greater achievement than him winning the TdF in my opinion. the course isn't set for him and contenders like Nibali will be mad for it.

[SteveN]

Looking forward to the Giro, if Wiggins goes well then I think it will be very difficult to keep him from defending his Tour win.

Interesting to see how Cav gets on.  If OmegaPharm are so keen to get Pettachi in then they must be a bit concerned about the lead out.

[Jon Crofts]

I posted on the lying Lance thread about the threat from Colombia, they've put a team of climbers together which will be a test for Wiggins' aspirations for the Giro.

[Dave Cooper please]

I posted on the lying Lance thread about the threat from Colombia, they've put a team of climbers together which will be a test for Wiggins' aspirations for the Giro.

Can't see it myself, Duarte and Atapuma might win a mountain stage or two between them  but they won't win the overall GC.