In line will all expectations, Sir Bradly Wiggins confirmed creating a new cycling team called WIGGINS, as well as his will to attempt breaking the Hour Record in his new outfit in June.
Wiggins' contract with Team Sky will expire by the end of April 2015, and the 34-year old Briton certainly aims to finish his spell in the squad run by Sir Dave Brailsford with a successful appearance at Paris-Roubaix. After it happens, he will join his own track-oriented outfit, created to support him and his fellow compatriots in their common goal: winning gold in team pursuit at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
In the official announcement on Thursday, Wiggins revealed more details about his recently confirmed squad as well as a philosophy which has lead him to creating it. Racing with a Continental license, team WIGGINS will race primarily on the road, but will consist of acomplished track riders and support their preparations towards the Olympic Games in Rio.
Steven Burke, Mark Christian, Jon Dibben, Owain Doull, Iain Paton, Daniel Patten, Andy Tennant and Michael Thompson will all race in the new third division outfit, and will be joined by Wiggins after his contract with Team Sky expires on April 30.
A decision about creating the team was made following long negotiations between Wiggins and Team Sky principal, Dave Brailsford, as they were trying to work out the best solution to support both road and track ambitions of the 34-year old Brition. Thus, WIGGINS squad will be sponsored by Sky and strongly supported by British Cycling, as most of their members are also a part of the national track programme – along with road races, the likes of Burke, Tennant, Doull, Dubben and the former Tour de France winner himself will also compete at the velodrome.
Robert Tansey, brand director, Content & Cycling at Sky, said: “Sky is delighted to support WIGGINS and shares in Sir Bradley’s goal to bring even more cycling success at the Rio Olympic Games.
“The partnership between Sky and WIGGINS strengthens our support of cycling and will build on the great success we have already had in encouraging grassroots participation and elite performance.”
The philosophy behind creating the new outfit was not only to support needs of current members of the British national team, but to inspire future generations of riders.
“The whole idea of the team was to facilitate our ambitions for Rio and winning gold there.” Wiggins told Sky Sports News HQ.
“It’s track-based and we have got a lot of the guys from the track programme in there so that we can stay and race and train together all year round and get exactly what we need in terms of achieving the end goal, which is winning the team pursuit in Rio.”
In a statement announcing the new team, Wiggins added: “Cycling has given me everything. Now I want to build something to inspire kids and to reach all those people who might be on the fringes of the sport. My message is simple: if I can do it, then so can you.”
In the same announcement, the 34-year old Briton confirmed his will to attempt breaking the Hour Record in June, as one of his first appearances in WIGGINS team outfit. The current record belongs to Matthias Brandle, but a bar should be set higher before June as other strong track and TT riders in likes of Jack Bobridge or Rohan Dennis are due to challenge it in February.
Wiggins, however, is the one at least by some expected to set a virtually unbreakable record thanks to his impressive track and time trialing skills, and to crack a barrier of 56 kilometers.
Even though Hour Record attempts are usually held at velodromes located at high altitude or in warmer regions, Olympic velodrome in London was the only one considered by the 34-year old Briton. Again, to serve as an inspirations for young enthusiasts of cycling.
“It’s great for cycling and to be able to do something like that, in London, on the Olympic velodrome, which is where I want to do it. It would have to be really,” Wiggins confirmed.
“Again, the next 12-year-old might come along that may be inspired by watching the hour record like I was inspired watching Chris Boardman win the gold in Barcelona. It’s a great opportunity.
“The plan is to do it in June. It has had a bit of a resurrection in the last couple of months with a few guys going for it, and the whole world is talking about it again now, and rightly so because it is such an historic record,” the 34-year old Briton confirmed for Sky Sports News HQ.
Jay DUTTON 31 years | today |
Evgeniy KRIVOSHEEV 36 years | today |
Shao Yung CHIANG 40 years | today |
André VITAL 42 years | today |
Elisa LUGLI 22 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com