Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:10 pm  

MattyB wrote:

I agree.

A few years ago I read Lance Armstrong's 'Its not about the bike" by chance even though I have no interest in cycling. What an inspirational read it turned out to be with the things he went through and then subsequently achieved.

Given the recent accusations that's a pretty unfortunate title for a book!

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:47 pm  

P-J wrote:

Great that he supports Wigan, but I'd be stretched to call him an athlete.

As my boss said, he looks like a 'skag head'. He's impossibly thin.

What exactly do you class as an athlete?

I was involved with a coaching session with the Brisbane team when they played Saints possibly 8 years ago in a world club championship, they were training at the EIS in Manchester.

All of them to a man crowded round a cyclist on a treadmill after there session to applaud him as he was peddling at full pelt at a ridiculous angle as the treadmill rose.

Lockyer stayed behind after to talk to the lad, and it was not to give the cyclist a thrill as he had no idea who there big Australian guys were.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:30 am  

Someone that doesn't look like they're cooking up heroin just out of camera shot.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 5:51 am  

P-J wrote:

Someone that doesn't look like they're cooking up heroin just out of camera shot.

So Hock wasn't an athlete when he was dabbling in his stuff then? Pfft.

I've done quite a few rides similar to a stage of the Tour and do so after training maybe 15 hours a week on the bike. Let me tell you, these boys would kill me, and they do it every day for 3 weeks.

Go out for a ride with a pro and try and keep up for 10 minutes, your opinion of their athletic ability might change.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:15 am  

Just to play devils advocate, its hardly a sport with a "clean" image. Older sports fans here will know that, for all their athletism, which cannot be denied, the sport has been dogged for decades with controvery and suspicion. I point these comments at no one in particular, just the sport in general.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:04 am  

Lets be honest though, do we think other sports don't have the same issues? One thing you have to admit is that they take testing a lot more seriously than other sports, and that's why they catch a lot of dopers.

Are we seriously saying with all the money in sports like football and tennis that athletes aren't doing just the same things to try and get an edge? I'd be staggered.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:15 am  

adi wrote:

Lets be honest though, do we think other sports don't have the same issues? One thing you have to admit is that they take testing a lot more seriously than other sports, and that's why they catch a lot of dopers.

Are we seriously saying with all the money in sports like football and tennis that athletes aren't doing just the same things to try and get an edge? I'd be staggered.

I woud staggered too, but if you have been following sport a while, you will know that suggestions and proof of foul play in cycling is longstanding and well documented.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:18 am  

I'm not disputing that Just saying that I think cyclists are not more dishonest than other athletes, but cycling is considerably better at catching dopers than other sports.

I mean Joey Johns said he was taking stuff at the World Cup and even with Tallis ratting him to the authorities nothing was done.

A lot of sports are happy to play lip service to this and brush it under the carpet.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:40 am  

adi wrote:

I'm not disputing that Just saying that I think cyclists are not more dishonest than other athletes, but cycling is considerably better at catching dopers than other sports.

I mean Joey Johns said he was taking stuff at the World Cup and even with Tallis ratting him to the authorities nothing was done.

A lot of sports are happy to play lip service to this and brush it under the carpet.

Could be that its easier to shoot rats when there are more of them... As i started by saying i'm playing devils advocate, i don't care much for the sport.

Re: Two "Wiggins" to support : Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:48 am  

*shrug* maybe. Don't really want to detract from Wiggins though as he's a fantastic athlete doing a wonderful job out in France. Big stage for him today. If he does well today then it's hard to see him being beaten.