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Wiggins and Froome clash over Tour de France leadership

Sir Brad reckons Sky yet to decide who will spearhead challenge in July... but Froome says he's got management's backing...

Days before he begins his campaign to become the first British rider to win the Giro d’Italia, Sir Bradley Wiggins has said he is aiming to defend his Tour de France title, rather than riding in support of team mate Chris Froome in July. Froome, however, insists he has the full backing of Team Sky’s management and will lead its challenge in the race. His fiancée, Michelle Cound, has appealed to the team to step in and sort out the row.

That wasn’t the impression Wiggins gave when he spoke to the BBC yesterday, however. The defending Tour de France champion, asked whether the team had decided who would spearhead its challenge, replied: "Not yet, no. I think that decision will be made probably in the last three days before we get to the Tour.

"I think whoever is in the best shape should be really. It is too early to decide but we are both, as we have now for the last six months, been going towards that same goal. Someone will get the nod."

Froome, who finished second to Wiggins last year, issued a statement yesterday evening in which he said: "There has been much speculation regarding the leadership for Team Sky at the Tour de France this year. I have made it clear that winning the Tour would be my main objective for 2013.

"Attempting to win the Tour de France, is a massive undertaking and will take total commitment from each and every team member.

"The Tour team has yet to be selected but with the depth of talent that we have at Team Sky, I have no doubt that the strongest and most willing riders will be there to support me," added Froome, who on Sunday sealed the biggest win in his career to date at the Tour de Romandie.

This afternoon, Froome's fiancée Michelle Cound, who clashed on Twitter with Wiggins' wife Cath during last year's Tour, took to the social network to appeal to Team Sky's management to sort out the row - and presumably have a quiet word with Wiggins.

"Chris & Brad on the same start line, in the same kit? Mmmmmm… doubt it!" she said, rather cryptically, in an initial tweet.

She went on: "To those claiming that this Wiggins/Froome thing is some sort of publicity stunt, you are wrong," and concluded: "I look forward to @TeamSky clearing up this mess (ASAP) #fedup"

Wiggins, however, insists that the matter of leadership during the Tour is one "for the team management to decide.

"We are both on different paths and we're both professionals," he went on.

"We have been there before. We're on the same team and know what needs to be done.

"I would be comfortable in a supporting role but it's not like I'm going to ride 200km on the front and swing off and lose 30 minutes. I want to be there at the death, I want to be on the podium."

Wiggins added: "Somebody will need to make that decision. It will be quite hard, and I'm glad it's not me, but Dave [Brailsford] is good at it."

Turning to the Giro, Wiggins reflected: "It's a huge challenge, probably bigger than the Tour de France.

"The Tour de France is my focus, it's just that I'm doing the Giro before," he added.

"It's like last year and the Olympics," added Wiggins, who won time trial gold in London just ten days after winning the Tour de France.

"I was focused on that and the Tour. This year the Giro comes first"

No rider has completed the Tour-Giro double in the same season since Marco Pantani in 1998. but Wiggins is confident he can compete in both races.

"My saving grace is that I haven't gone out and tried to cash in on the Olympics and got my face everywhere - got on game shows and all this stuff - like most of them have done," he continued.

"I went back to work on 1 January. I've been out there grafting with my team. I've gone back to trying to do what we do best - and that's trying to win bike races."

Wiggins’ comments about the Tour appear to contradict previous statements from team principal Sir Dave Brailsford that Froome would be the prime focus during the race, and underline what many see as a rivalry between the two riders dating back to the 2011 Vuelta.

There, Froome had taken the race lead following a time trial in Salamanca but the following day rode in support of Wiggins, who took over the red jersey from him. In the final week of the race, Froome proved stronger, but would finish 13 seconds behind winner Juan Jose Cobo, with Wiggins more than a minute back in third.

Had Sky got behind Froome when he took the race lead, there’s every chance he would have won the Vuelta, and those looking for signs of a feud between the riders got plenty of ammunition during last year’s Tour de France, particularly when Froome appeared to attack Wiggins towards the end of a mountain stage.

Froome, who had lost a minute and a half earlier in the race to a puncture, insists he was trying to make up time on riders including Vincenzo Nibali and Cadel Evans, and points out that Wiggins’ dominance in the time trials would have seen him win the race anyway.

While Froome, aged 27, could challenge at the top for the best part of a decade, Wiggins may also be aware that he is running out of time - he turned 33 on Sunday. Only one man – Cadel Evans in 2011 – has won the Tour de France beyond that age within the past six decades.

Uncertainty over exactly what Sky’s plans for the Tour could also have a psychological effect on their rivals, and Brailsford of course is a master at mind games – remember the talk about Team GB’s ‘magic wheels’ prior to the Olympics last year?

So unless the issue is clarified one way or another, a seed of doubt is sown in opponents’ minds over which rider may present the greater threat.

And as we have seen in the last two editions of the Tour, luck can also play a part – Wiggins’ broken collarbone in the 2011 race, or the minute and a half Froome lost to that puncture towards the end of the first road stage last year. Having a Plan B – or even two Plan As – is no bad thing.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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44 comments

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notfastenough | 10 years ago
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The other aspect here is that Wiggo's winter training has been focused on dealing with those explosive uphill attacks. How much of a difference we'll see is a different matter.

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robert_obrien | 10 years ago
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Is it me or is Mrs Froome a bit of a pain?

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cyclist67 | 10 years ago
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It was obvious to all, in last year's TdF, that Froome was the better, stronger cyclist.

However, team tactics had been decided long before that was discovered and Team Sky stuck to their plan.

It must be quite galling for Froome, if he doesn't get a stab at it this year, after being held back by Wiggins last year.

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pwake replied to cyclist67 | 10 years ago
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cyclist67 wrote:

It was obvious to all, in last year's TdF, that Froome was the better, stronger cyclist.

Strange, I could've sworn the race I watched featured two ITT's where Wiggo gave Froome a pasting and took more time than Froome could ever have hoped to gain in the mountain stages.

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hairyairey | 10 years ago
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Surely the aim is to repeat last year's success, two British riders on the podium? Any talk of rivalry between Froome and Wiggins is just more publicity for the team.

One day we might have three British riders on the podium!

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ColT | 10 years ago
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Professional sport, innit? Why should they give away/clarify their tactics?

Move along, please. Nothing to see here.  37

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Bob's Bikes | 10 years ago
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I don't care which one of them wins as long as the other comes second! Just imagine a British one two on the podium and with Cav in green  38

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notfastenough replied to Bob's Bikes | 10 years ago
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FATBEGGARONABIKE wrote:

I don't care which one of them wins as long as the other comes second! Just imagine a British one two on the podium and with Cav in green  38

Very true. Nowt like stamping a bit of national domination of the empire on the world!

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theincrediblebike | 10 years ago
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Think Sir Brad has every right to want to defend the tdf, if he wins the Giro which I don't think he will unless he can attack and not just crunch the watts. It's like going back to Hinault and Lemond, Just cause Brad said last year he would help Froome win the tdf saying and doing are two different things. Anyway to be honest I couldn't give a toss just want to see Cav blow everyone else away in the sprints. OPQS the powerhouse of the peloton.

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beato | 10 years ago
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it doesn't really matter nibalis going to win it, and yes we dont want it turning into a wag/ media hype led sport but it is unfortunately happening - just listen to yourselves tribalising(?) about riders / teams just enjoy the race and pray that there's no scandal. And stop swearing! its not big or clever

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mick intherain | 10 years ago
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One of the countries most successful olympians and one of the best ever cyclists from this country and still people have a go at Brad!!! WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON. If you don't like him then fine but shut the f*** up and let the rest of us enjoy watching him race because in a few years time Britains FIRST Tour winner won't be competing at this level. I'd love to see him try to win the tour again or Chris win it (which he's pretty much gonna!). This is just a fantastic period! Michelle please go away.

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Ghedebrav | 10 years ago
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Saying what I said above, I'm not that invested in either winning; of course it would be great, but I'd also like to see Nibali do well because I like him as a rider; also Quintana or Betancur. Also don't really support a team, as such (though for obscure reasons I do favour Euskatel, OPQS and Garmin) but have nothing at all against Sky and their perfectly valid approach.

Not Bertie for me, though...

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mogrim | 10 years ago
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Please please please don't let Sky win it.

Wiggins, Froome - in another team ok. But not in Sky. No. Cav for the green, and Bertie for the yellow. Please.

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Leviathan replied to mogrim | 10 years ago
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mogrim wrote:

Please please please don't let Sky win it.

Wiggins, Froome - in another team ok. But not in Sky. No. Cav for the green, and Bertie for the yellow. Please.

Seeing as the only way that Friggins can win is IN team Sky as it is their team NOW when they are on form, then why object? Wiggins has already won. I know where the money is coming from, but Murdoch's political opinions are a very small percentage of the attention gained from another win. The riders, british cycling, Dave Brailsford, and Sky's own sports network itself all get more attention than any bias on Sky News you are worried about.

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Metjas | 10 years ago
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let me assure you that to the general British public Wiggo last year was a wonderful, but unexpected revelation  3

I'm mostly interested what happens on the bike during bike races, and from what I've seen so far this season, Froome is the more exciting and complete rider.

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jova54 | 10 years ago
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Would you expect anything less from Wiggins?
He's made a career of winding people up and watching them spin to destruction and Michelle Cound is the latest one to fall for it.
I reckon Sir Wiggo sees this year as the last chance he'll have to win the tour a second time and so will probably be looking to go out in a blaze of glory.
What can they do? Sack him? Having spent so much time and effort to get him onto the Sky team they couldn't afford to piss off the UK supporter base.
Wiggins is British, he may be Belgium born and have an Aussie Dad but he thinks and talks like the people who support him and he has real character, like it or not. He has been around for years and we've watched in wonder as he transformed from a track racer to a GT competitor.
Froome is also British, but born in Kenya and he is boring. He has no individual character and to the general British public he appeared from nowhere last summer and they're probably not bothered if he disappears back there again.
Allez Wiggo!

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Metjas | 10 years ago
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I'm certain this is no Sky PR stunt, but just Brad changing his mind, maybe unsure about his Giro prospects? Maybe unlikely as he's looking incredibly stong and to me the outright favourite to win the Giro.
Now that Sky have brought us the first british TdF winner, they do not have to stick to a single plan A. Froome will need to just prove it on the road, and I hope he does so. Sky will need to be careful that other contenders do not exploit this while Froome and Wiggo are watching each other rather than the race.
I also think that Wiggo wants to show this year that he does not have to rely on absolute and total dominance in TTs to win a stage race.

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1961BikiE | 10 years ago
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Er which channel is showing the Giro this year in the UK? The rot starts here.

I just hope it is mind games. My only concern is that there is internal conflict during TdF which leads to neither winning. I feel the opposition is much closer in ability than at 85/86 and the Hinault/leMond circus.

As for WAGS - I can understand them getting riled up by the hype but I really don't want cycling to become anymore like football where hangers on get as much or more attention than the athletes. I'd rather go back to cycling being anonymous than becoming a media hype fest.

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andyp | 10 years ago
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'As much as i like Bradley i really would like to see Froome destroy him in the TdF.
'

the same, but the other way round. Just to prove that Froome had no chance last year, orders or no.

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hozza666 | 10 years ago
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Lots of medals,tour de France winner,he look good in a suit, now sir Wiggo , but from Italy,,,,,nothing,,,,,,yet.

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pwake | 10 years ago
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You wait a hundred years for a potential British TDF winner and then two come along at once... it's fucking great!  4

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Colin Peyresourde | 10 years ago
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I like it. As notfastenough puts it, it is 1986 all over again and that was an epic Tour De France.

There maybe a bit of added spice to juice up the event. The promoters will not mind it one bit. I think also that Brad and Chris have a score to settle: Did Froome gift the TdF to Brad, or did Brad always have it in the bag? Tough to catagorically say while Froome sat up on a number of stages.

As reigning TdF winner Brad should defend his title. He did also say Froomy will have his day too.

I do think that Sky have this sorted. It certainly makes the game plan harder for other teams if they are unsure who to attack. But equally, if they don't have their team together then they may lose it before the race has even begun.

If this is not PR spin Brailesford has his work cut out. First though, Brad has to come good on the Giro. Anyway, things are looking tasty for July!

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Paulo | 10 years ago
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 37

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Ghedebrav | 10 years ago
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Wouldn't expect the reigning champ to say anything other than he wants to win, and I'm certainly not about to slag him off for it.

Ditto the mighty Froomedog stating his GC case. Nothing wrong with a bit of intra-team rivalry either - stokes up the contest and makes things more interesting for us spectators as well.

Quite en vogue to hate on the Wigs at the mo, as if his cycling prowess had nothing to do with winning the TdF, it was all number-crunching and sacrificing (not literally) of team-mates. Fact is, he's a superb grand tourist and even though he's on the 'knock him down' phase of the celebrity arc, still deserves respect as one of the finest road cyclists the country has produced (yes, born in Belgium to Aussie dad, but whatever).

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WolfieSmith | 10 years ago
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Looking at the photo I'd have to add that Sir Brad needs to observe Rule #5. He lives just up the road from me where Balaclavas are for sissys.

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WolfieSmith | 10 years ago
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Have to agree with Farrell. Wiggins has to be seen to defend his title. It's a PR's dream. Win or lose the Giro it's going to be a cracking TDF either way.

Can't see Mrs Froome getting a snapping job with Sky until Wiggins retires and that must piss her off. Maybe cranking up the fight will actually help her cause.

Meanwhile over on Twitter Kimmage is still hurt that he wasn't invited on the TDF by Sky last year. '...And I'd bought a camper van.' was my favourite quote from 2012.

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Some Fella | 10 years ago
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As much as i like Bradley i really would like to see Froome destroy him in the TdF.

(in the nicest possible way you understand?)

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robert_obrien | 10 years ago
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This reminds me of the Blair / Brown fiasco. If you help someone become master of the universe don't be surprised if they get to like it and delay / renege on their promise to let you have a go.

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andyp | 10 years ago
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'This is a team having its bowels pumped to bursting by Sky's cash cock'

Farrell...genius. Love it.

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andyp | 10 years ago
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'It's all mind games so the opposition are clueless as to who they have to watch. '

this. And Ms Cound can stfu. What a whinger.

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