The glow from the Giro is still visible, everything is still pink but I’m jumping ahead of all the Wilcocksons of the world with a bold Tour de France prognostication. And to do this I’ve borrowed Frank’s carbon ball, oft used for somewhat accurate predictions of future cycling events. This article was written weeks ago, at the start of the Giro but the frenzy of creative writing out of the front office has kept this buried. It’s now or never.
What can you say about Twiggo? I can say he is heading towards a win in the Tour de France this year.
I have raised issues with a rubbish haircut and cycling knee socks but these are superficial stylistic issues. Who am I to do that? I’m shiet. We need as many free thinkers as possible in cycling and if Bradley or Vaughters have different sideburns, excellent. Conformity is over-rated. Forget the socks, have you noticed his profile on the bike. He has the flattest back in the peloton and not by chance. I bet he and Sky are ticking every stinking little box to get this done.
He won Paris-Nice riding like a true professional, taking up Moser’s method of cooling down after each climbing stage by riding a stationary bike. He won Tour of Romandie like a seasoned veteran and won a field sprint for a stage win! He is winning these on his time trailing strength but not losing them by always riding at the front and climbing well enough. Yes, the Tour is different, the climbs are harder but he is a better climber than the Schlecks are time trialists. He did podium in last year’s Vuelta. He is experienced enough to not chase down every acceleration on a stiff climb, he just tempos it out, smoothing out the highs and lows. Bradley is one smart rider.
How does he stack up against Cadel? That is the question better informed people than myself would hope to answer correctly. Cadel’s mojo has been tainted so far this year and the Tour is still far away but mojo is mojo and his is bad. If Basso does not make the top five in the Giro, my mojo indicator is working and I’ll stand by it. Sorry Australia, you had a good (but short) run. English types, enjoy these years, they won’t last. They never do. And you from Luxembourg, we will talk in private.
The internal Sky problem of Cav versus Twiggo is solved -the Olympic road race is not far from the end of the Tour and Cav is the home field contender for Olympic gold. He will bail early, Sky will put their eggs in a basket made of Twiggs. How can I say these things with any authority? I can’t, I have none, look at my VSP points. But come the end of the Giro and Basso is smoking like a hippie’s motorbike, (which is a bad thing, not a good thing) then my mojo meter is obviously working and who has the big brain then?
Postscript: Basso did finish in the top five of the Giro, barely, so my mojo indicator is not completely tuned in. It could have something to do with the solar maximum. Twiggo has reported in from his secret base in the Atlantic that he has climbed to the moon and back, daily, so he is still ticking boxes. I’m still feeling good about all this.
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View Comments
@Dan_R
I'd be surprised if Ryder does the Tour this year. If he does it certainly won't be for himself. I suppose he could sit in and recover till the mountains, then be a super domestique for a teammate. Ryder and his team don't strike me as the types to engage in the type of "preparation" needed to go for the double.
If Basso does the Tour it will be to ride for Nibali, although the latter seems to be burning quite a few bridges with his soon to be former team.
@Nate
Nice one! I don't think they will take the "preparation" needed for the double either. Actually, while Ryder will be a great SD for VDV (until VDV crashes or performs typically...) I think we will get another "sleeper" on the TdF podium. Basso is still lurking, I wouldn't count him out, but yes, Nibbles is a good choice from the Italian camp too.
@ChrisO
Sky did a good job at the Tour de Romandie. And we will see another command performance at Tour de Suisse
enjoyed reading that ; looking forward to a wiggo vanendert cuddels smashout to manny TT km's for the frere's pussy
For sure Wiggins is a serious contender for the Tour, we'll see.
Actually is Vincenzo Nibali the rider I like best.
But I'd like to use this space to declare my total opposition to the use of the fisheye lens in cycling. There are some (very) good photographers that have been lured by this lens.
Resist the temptation of eye candy!
Frank and Andy are taking it this year, for reals this time!
/not really...
Think cadel has been purposely quiet. He has been training the house down and in terms of preparation his diligence is second to none.
I think Twiggo shows all the signs of too good too early. The Dauphine will be revealing. Evans will have improved but Wiggins will win and England will erupt in cyclings ultimate show of premature adulation.
Evans will win out. Remember last year - no one tipped Evo for the Tour. yes Evans' early results were better but this year he was ill at races. Won't affect his form come Tour time.
Stranger things have happened. I mean, Ryder won the Giro...
@Nate
All suggestions indicate that Ryder will be in France, but riding for who? I'm not sure he sees himself as anyone's lieutenant, and won't be able to contend himself, I wouldn't think.
@Gianni
Dude! This was going to be my little VSP coup. I was all over this and was going to drop the boom on the VSP standings by backing Wiggo. You've stolen my thunder, but I'm liking what I'm seeing in the Wiggo camp. The modfather's for real and I think he has the maturity and character to better deal with the leadership responsibilities.
...and can anyone really see a Schleck on the podium? That's quite a transformation in a very short period of time...