The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Wiggins hints he may ride 2013 Tour in support of Froome Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:55 AM PDT PARIS, Oct 24 – Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins hinted he may not be the Team Sky leader at next year's race as the route appears to be better suited to team mate Chris Froome. Asked if he would defend his title, Wiggins told reporters today at a packed Palais des Congres he would start the race, adding: "It was always about winning one Tour and then deal with what comes next. "It's more than likely I'll ride in a supporting role for Chris. I just want to be in a successful team and if that's Chris (who is going to be the leader) then so be it. "He'll have to grow some sideburns though," Wiggins added with a grin referring to his trademark look. The 2013 route, with four mountain top finishes and 65 km of individual time trialing – instead of 101.4 in 2012 – is expected to suit Froome, a natural climber, better than Wiggins. "It's going be decided within the team how we're going to best tackle the race," Froome told reporters. Sky, however, are unlikely to find it easy, especially with the returns of Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador, who missed the 2012 race through injury and suspension respectively. "Last year (the 2012 race) was controlled by Sky, they had the best climber in the race with Froome working for Wiggins so he was able to keep things calm," said American Tejay van Garderen who this year won the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider. "I don't think they can keep it that calm with Andy and Contador attacking." The first yellow jersey, however, may well be worn by Mark Cavendish as the opening stage in Corsica will be a flat one designed for sprinters. "It is quite exciting, I've never had the chance before to go for the yellow jersey," the Briton said. – Reuters |
| Contador says Armstrong being ‘humiliated and lynched’ Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:47 AM PDT
"It seems to me that at certain times and in certain places Lance is not being treated with any respect," Contador (picture), a double Tour champion who returned from a two-year doping ban in August, told reporters in Paris at the presentation of the 2013 edition of the race. "He is being humiliated and lynched, in my opinion. He is being destroyed," the Saxo Bank-Tinkoff rider, who had a difficult relationship with Armstrong when they were team mates at Astana, was quoted as saying by Spanish media. "Right now people are talking about Lance but there has not been any new test or anything," Contador added. "It's based exclusively on witness statements that could have existed in 2005. "I respect each rider's decision but I would have liked it to happen a bit earlier." Armstrong was stripped of his 1999-2005 Tour victories on Monday when the International Cycling Union (UCI) ratified the US Anti-Doping Agency's decision to erase his results from August, 1998. Armstrong, who fought back from cancer to dominate the sport, has always denied doping and says he has never failed a drugs test. "What there is (in terms of evidence) I don't know, what I do know is that if cycling is popular in the United States it's thanks to him," Contador said. "If they know over there what the Tour is it's thanks to him, if there are top-level teams and races in his country it's thanks to him." Contador said the current testing regime was adequate as a means of preventing illegal doping, Contador said. "There is little that needs to be changed at the moment. The tests we have are as rigorous as possible, we have to be able to be located at all times," he said. "There will be people who will have doubts, given everything that has come out, and I understand it. "I say to them that they should believe completely that riders win races without help, also on the Tour." – Reuters |
PARIS, Oct 24 – Spaniard Alberto Contador expressed support today for disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong saying the American was being "humiliated and lynched" by doping accusations which have led to the stripping of his seven Tour de France titles.| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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