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Bradley wiggens tour de france



Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
Olympics: 3 gold 1 silver 2 bronze
World Champs. 6 gold 4 silver 1 bronze
This year 3 prestigious stage races (before the tour) and he's still got the Olympics to come.
Also his transition from track to road racing is almost miraculous, nobody could have predicted that he would be able to climb like he has.

Sir Bradley Wiggins.
 




Brixtaan

New member
Jul 7, 2003
5,030
Border country.East Preston.
To love professional cycling and then to understand it comes about by first accepting that it is the toughest sport on earth.
 


Brixtaan

New member
Jul 7, 2003
5,030
Border country.East Preston.
It is indeed. Sir Chris Hoy ffs.. But even he had to excel consistently. I am a cycling novice, so maybe I am missing the bigger picture. Is there further justification for Wiggins being Knighted than just the Tour De France?


I honestly don't know where to start. Does it annoy you that there are so many bankers carrying the 'Sir' title firstly?
 


newhaven seagull 85

SELDOM IN NEWHAVEN
Dec 3, 2006
966
it would not surprise me if the team manager and team GB's director of cycling is knighted after the olympics if we are successful
 


essbee

New member
Jan 5, 2005
3,656
Brixtaan,

I would say that Boxing is a very, *very* close second to cycling on being the toughest
sport in the world.
 




essbee

New member
Jan 5, 2005
3,656
newhaven seagull

I agree.

Dave Brailsford has to get a Knighthood. The bloke is a genius.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
Brixtaan,

I would say that Boxing is a very, *very* close second to cycling on being the toughest
sport in the world.

If someone said I had a choice of peddling up and down the mountains of France for 21 solid days or an evening of being repeatedly punched in the face I'd choose the latter.
 
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Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
I honestly don't know where to start. Does it annoy you that there are so many bankers carrying the 'Sir' title firstly?

Yes, it does. I don't like the whole system, which I'm aware is my problem and nobody else's. I think it should take a career of achievements to earn such a title. I'm all for people like Alan Sugar being recognised, because he wasn't just handed it after doing something of note. There was a lot of talk about Gary Barlow being Knighted and that, to me, is outrageous.

Bruce Forsyth deserves a Knighthood for his hundreds of years entertaining the peoples, and not to mention his charity work along the way too. It's just my opinion, and I know other people will disagree with me which is fine, but the clamour to Knight people immediately is all wrong to me.
 




Ninja Elephant

Doctor Elephant
Feb 16, 2009
18,855
Olympics: 3 gold 1 silver 2 bronze
World Champs. 6 gold 4 silver 1 bronze
This year 3 prestigious stage races (before the tour) and he's still got the Olympics to come.
Also his transition from track to road racing is almost miraculous, nobody could have predicted that he would be able to climb like he has.

That's the exact reason why I emphasised that I was a cycling novice. :lolol: That's a pretty impressive list, and I am deffinitely of the opinion he is outstanding in his chosen sport. But I think there really should be more to being Knighted than being at the very top of a sport.
 


South Stand Bonfire

Who lit that match then?
NSC Patron
Jan 24, 2009
2,528
Shoreham-a-la-mer
I agree with your point, but if BW wins tomorrow he will have eclipsed every sporting achievement that UK has achieved since 1966. The tour is the most gruelling sporting event in the world and as such he would (if selected) deserve recognition for winning it thru' the honours system.

That's the exact reason why I emphasised that I was a cycling novice. :lolol: That's a pretty impressive list, and I am deffinitely of the opinion he is outstanding in his chosen sport. But I think there really should be more to being Knighted than being at the very top of a sport.
 


teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
i just cant see the point of watching a Race in which the fastest man is not the winner

The overall winner of any stage race (like the Tour de France) is the rider who takes the least time overall to complete all the stages. This is Bradley Wiggins this year.

Every stage effectively works as a separate race with a 'winnner', and vary in length, terrain and type of race. Some are flat, normally won by sprinters; others in the mountains, often won by the better climbers; some are time-trials, won by riders who are best against the clock. After every stage the time a rider takes is added up for the overall General Classification.
 




highway61

New member
Jun 30, 2009
2,628
This is the first year I have watched any of the Tour. I saw the press conference and he was talking as though he now was the winner, but forgive my ignorance but surely an accident or injury could still stop him? It all sounded very premature the way he spoke. I wondered if im missing something, is it almost impossible for anything to go wrong, like the masses of fans encroaching the route etc. Oh and yes a knighthood, i would go with
 


teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
The ONLY thing that would stop him now would be a very serious injury - if he crashes and can get back on a bike he will. It would be very bad form (and very stupid) for anyone to attack the Yellow Jersey if this happens, especially as he has a lead of about 4 minutes over his nearest non-teammate. The course tomorrow is short and flat so the chances of anyone gaining time are minimal, even if they tried.

Traditionally the last stage is a bit of a parade. The Yellow Jersey will lead his team onto the Champs Elysees before the last 8-laps of central Paris start. There will be attacks allowed from here, but it all comes back together for a sprint finish. Tradition also means that Cavendish wins this.
 


highway61

New member
Jun 30, 2009
2,628
The ONLY thing that would stop him now would be a very serious injury - if he crashes and can get back on a bike he will. It would be very bad form (and very stupid) for anyone to attack the Yellow Jersey if this happens, especially as he has a lead of about 4 minutes over his nearest non-teammate. The course tomorrow is short and flat so the chances of anyone gaining time are minimal, even if they tried.

Traditionally the last stage is a bit of a parade. The Yellow Jersey will lead his team onto the Champs Elysees before the last 8-laps of central Paris start. There will be attacks allowed from here, but it all comes back together for a sprint finish. Tradition also means that Cavendish wins this.

ok mate, thanks for that, clearer to me now
 






Jul 20, 2003
20,678
8/13 Cavendish win ....? ludicrous as it may seem I might put my one functioning kidney on this one
 


Wardy

NSC's Benefits Guru
Oct 9, 2003
11,219
In front of the PC
Like others have said no one attacks on the last day. It is a more a day when the supporters applaud the hard work that the riders have done over the last 3 weeks and riders thank the supporters for their support. Once they reach Paris then the battle for the stage win starts but it is more a game of cat and mouse and the field normally end the race together. For anyone to make a gain of 4 minutes on the last day would basically mean they and their team would need to attack from the start of the stage and ride harder then they have for the last 3 weeks. If any team were to try it, all the other teams would work with Sky to pull them back since it would be considered bad form for the yellow jersey not to lead the tour in to Paris.
 








Brixtaan

New member
Jul 7, 2003
5,030
Border country.East Preston.
Brixtaan,

I would say that Boxing is a very, *very* close second to cycling on being the toughest
sport in the world.



Boxing is tough and so is swimming, marathon running, triathlon,iron man, tennis etc but none of those sports compete at the top level for a whole month, every day they exert themselves until they puke or collapse.
 


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