Sir Bradley Wiggins breaks world record!

Just caught the last 5 mins on Sky. Bradley had broke the world record for longest distance covers in one hour. Broke it quite easily too.

Napoleon, or so the story goes, was asked what he looked for in a general and he replied - are they lucky!

Well Wiggins most certainly is!

I'm not knocking his achievements but he's one of these people who just seems to be lucky at the right time.

He wasn't the best rider when he won the Tour (Froome was), he wasn't the best Time Trialist when he won Olympic Gold in 2012 (but the two better than him were injured or crashed) and even the hour record had not been raced due to cycling politics for the last decade or so until this year!

Many cyclists who have been better than Wiggins have not won half the stuff he has, simply because luck as not smiled on them in the same way as it as for Wiggo.

Of couse you can only beat those who are there on the day (or in the case of Froome - had to obey team orders) - so fair play to Bradley but the hour record he set - although a decent one will most likely fall to Martin, Cancellera, or Dowsett probably within the next twelve months.

History will however show that he's in the record books and many, many others are not!

So your green eyed monster has reared it's head today sluffs?
Personally I thought that was a pretty awesome performance today and it was down to his own focus and effort, how can you throw a bucket of water on what he did today for whatever reason, luck or not?

He beat the record by nearly a mile and he took the hard route instead of opting to do it in Mexico where the altitude would have been to his advantage. Credit where it's due.

Sluffy wrote:Napoleon, or so the story goes, was asked what he looked for in a general and he replied - are they lucky!  

Well Wiggins most certainly is!

I'm not knocking his achievements but he's one of these people who just seems to be lucky at the right time.

He wasn't the best rider when he won the Tour (Froome was), he wasn't the best Time Trialist when he won Olympic Gold in 2012 (but the two better than him were injured or crashed) and even the hour record had not been raced due to cycling politics for the last decade or so until this year!

Many cyclists who have been better than Wiggins have not won half the stuff he has, simply because luck as not smiled on them in the same way as it as for Wiggo.

Of couse you can only beat those who are there on the day (or in the case of Froome - had to obey team orders) - so fair play to Bradley but the hour record he set - although a decent one will most likely fall to Martin, Cancellera, or Dowsett probably within the next twelve months.

History will however show that he's in the record books and many, many others are not!

You know your cycling Sluffy but Wiggo was racing against the clock and he has now set the benchmark. I always though Ovett was better than Coe but the record books show otherwise.

I'm with your last remark there RT. Coe has always been an attention seeking twat, he was even toadying today.

Can't say I'm that bothered.  More impressed by this.

That's disgusting Bonce!

Many people react in a similar way to Brucie.

Soul Kitchen wrote:So your green eyed monster has reared it's head today sluffs?
Personally I thought that was a pretty awesome performance today and it was down to his own focus and effort, how can you throw a bucket of water on what he did today for whatever reason, luck or not?

Not really sure what you mean?

I'm not jealous about Wiggins, why would you think that?

What I've stated above are facts - not opinions - check them out if you don't believe me.

Wiggins record today may look good to those who don't know much about the sport but Wiggins even fell short of his own target he set for himself and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if one or more of the three cyclists I mentioned break it within the next twelve months or so.

He's both a world and Olympic champion, Tour winner and a knight, so he's obviously done well - all I'm saying is that he was in the right place at the right time and not necessarily the best rider of his generation as some may think.

He's a four time Olympic champion, won the Tour de France, reigning World and British Champion. And now world record holder for distance travelled in one hour.

BoltonTillIDie wrote:He's a four time Olympic champion, won the Tour de France, reigning World and British Champion. And now world record holder for distance travelled in one hour.

Yes but he's crap compared to others. 

His records are indeed the headlines but to understand them fully you need to understand the story's behind them.

For instance Tony Martin won the World Time Trial Championship (the same competition Wiggins won Olympic gold in 2012) in 2011, 2012 and 2013 - however just three weeks before the Olympics he broke his wrist!

In the Tour (Stage 11 of 20) Froome was ordered to stop so that Wiggins could stay with him - the animosity between the two stems from there are the previous years Tour of Spain where the same thing happened and cost Froome the title by just 13 seconds - Wiggins finishing over a minute further behind in third place.

It was clear that Froome was the better rider of the two (he went on to win the Tour de France the very next year in 2013) but was contracted at the time to ride for Wiggins in the 2012 race.




Wiggins career as certainly been blessed more than most.

The headlines do indeed paint a story of success for him but the storys behind them show how things could very easily have been completely different.

Would Wiggins have become have become the nations hero and become a 'Sir' if he had not won the Tour and Olympics in 2012?

I some how doubt it and if Martin hadn't broken his wrist or Sky had given Froome the green light to go (and become new team leader) then he almost certainly would have not won either.

boltonbonce wrote:Can't say I'm that bothered.  More impressed by this.

Impressive as this is, surely the record for worms eaten should be based on weight rather than number as the worms are different sizes?

I suppose so. But I'm not gonna argue about worms.

Sluffy, I know what you mean about right place right time, The Beatles bear that out, but I fail to see how you can admonish his efforts so simply by saying you need to know the sport! Sorry , but that is my opinion.

Are you a big cycling fan too SK?

Soul Kitchen wrote:Sluffy, I know what you mean about right place right time, The Beatles bear that out, but I fail to see how you can admonish his efforts so simply by saying you need to know the sport! Sorry , but that is my opinion.

You are obviously entitled to your opinion and no matter what I say it will ever change the fact that Wiggins is in the history books as the winner of all those titles he has but if you blatently disregard the context of the events leading up to those victorys then you might as well tell me that in your opinion the moon is made out of cheese - as you are entitled to hold that opinion even in the face of all the facts showing that it isn't!

A few facts - check them out if you like.

In 2012 Wiggins won the Olympic Mens Time Trial - well done Bradley.

However in 2011 Tony Martin won the World Championship Mens Time Trial (beating Wiggins by 1 minute 16 seconds).

That may not sound like a great deal but the man who finished in third was just 5 seconds behind Wiggins and the one who finished fourth 15 seconds behind Wiggins.

In 2012 Martin won it again (the race was held in September).  Wiggins did not race.

In 2013 Martin again won it.  Again he beat Wiggins who finished second to him - this time by 46 seconds (the man who finished third was just 2 seconds slower than Wiggins).


So Martin had the clear beating of Wiggins in the year before the Olympics and the clear beating of him in the year after the Olympics - so why did Wiggins win in London?

Five weeks before the event Martin broke his wrist.

He did race and did finish second to Wiggins by 40 seconds.

Would he had won if he hadn't broke his wrist?

All I can say is that he beat Wiggins when he was fully fit in the year before London and the year after London.

Martin did go on to win the World Championship seven weeks after the Olympics and almost three months after he boke his wrist.

I believe (and I'm far from being the only person to think this) that a fully fit Martin would have won the Olympic gold in front of Wiggins.

But it was Martin's misfortune - and Wiggins good luck - that Martin was not fully fit on the day.


I could equally go into background detail as to the 'luck' Wiggins had that Froome was not permitted to race him in the 2012 Tour de France - (think formula 1 drivers on the same team under team orders not to overtake each other) - otherwise he would not have won that either.

If Wiggins had not won the Tour nor the Olympic gold it would be unlikely to have been knighted!

Now if that isn't being lucky, or in the right place at the right time, or whatever it is you would like to call it, then I don't know what is.

Alex Dowsett (the previous holder of the world Hour record) as already said today that he will challenge for it again.

He will beat Wiggins time.

Not by much - but just enough so that another attempt is made after that and another one thereafter.

Wiggins attempted to put the record out of sight.

He failed.

Yes he got the record and once again those that don't know the sport are cheering for him but in reality he got lucky one last time in that he performed worse than what he hoped for yet still came out smelling of roses to those who don't know the sport.

Like I've said many times - fair play to him - he beat whatever was in front of him.

All I'm trying to say was that those in front of him were not necessarily the best people (or targets) around at the time.  And it was Wiggins good luck that they weren't!

Jesus wept Sluffy, what a load of bollocks.

It was Martin's bad luck not the other way around. Wiggins hasn't just been given these 'wins' or the medals, he's had to do a bit against the others (not Martin).

You've got a real obvious problem with Wiggins. Did he kick the flower tops off in your garden?

Yes your right.

It was Martins bad luck.

It was Froome's bad luck too.

I must have imagined Wiggins giving his intended schedule for the Hour record - which he failed to achieve.

Dowsett or anyone else for that matter won't bother even attempting beating such a wonderful record that Wiggins has set for the Hour.

Yes your right - I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about after following cycling for over thirty years.

Probably best if I just spout off on things I know fuck all about.

Just like you have.







Is that more to your liking?