‘Consistently mediocre’ Wiggins accepts this is not his year

Well I like Wiggins, but at the moment last year does look like a fluke. He struck a good deal while his stock was high - good luck to him. As to the fighting talk? Well sport is a business like any other and sportsmen know it's part of their job to talk up the show, he was just doing what he's supposed to. Top marks for putting his hands up now that it's blindingly obvious he's got no form, (and I'm not being sarcy - he could have just come out with the usual platitudes) although surely his ride in the Giro was a clue too.

You could argue that to be out of form and hovering around the top 20 at the Tour is the mark of a top rider, and it's not as if he's too old yet either.

That's what I'm counting on

i fancy they'll let lovkvist off the leash tomorrow, whatcha reckon? he's already well ahead of wiggo and the stage will suit him, up from the very off

Schardenfreude from the armchair sportsmen... If he'd won the tour this year the same people would only be calling it a fluke. He wasn't good enough this year and honest enough to admit it. Chapeau Brad. As for Sky in the future? All our sport is owned by dodgy people. Best concentrate on the positive. Team Sky have done well and will do better. If you don't like Murdoch don't subscribe - I don't.

Blimey!

Never mind the dogs he should be checking for the ejector seat on the team bus.

Come to think of it Dave Brailsford does bear more than a passing resemblance to Blofeld… and Uncle Fester

Simon says that 'to be fair to Sky, they've only been racing for six months' - but Sky were the ones who were talking all big and bad about their chances - Wiggo included and I don't think it was just to gee himself up - so it's not like they're little wallflowers who kept quiet and to themselves. They have been consistently arrogant in their six months so I'm betting there's the sweet taste of schadenfreude for some in the peloton...

He is even more explicit in his evaluation of his own performance here:

Honest, but I can't help imagining Murdoch pressing the "Release the Hounds" button under his desk if he sees that video.

To be fair to Sky, they've only been racing six months, and this is only year one of the five-year plan.

Eurosport said the other day that Sky had been in touch to say that contrary to popular opinion, they only had the sixth-biggest budget in the ProTour and provided figures from the UCI to back that up.

Well I'm not happy, Lovkvist has been the only constant in my fantasy TdF team and now I find that wiggo has been costing me points by making Lovkvist wait for him

No surprise really is it, Sky splashed out on the back of one good Tour. I think it was said on here at the time that this would turn out to be more of a cheque trousering move on Wiggins' part (and who can blame him) than a career enhancing one.

So splashing the Murdoch cash around and big buses with satellite dishes don't guarantee a dominating team or a podium finish!?! Whodda thunk it! Vaughters must be laughing all the way to the bank ...

Good for Wiggo. He's given it his best shot, yet has been found left wanting. He hasn't blamed anyone else, hasn't come up with excuses, and isn't about to quit. I've great respect for the man.