Following his short yet surprisingly successful spring campaign, Bradley Wiggins left for the United States to face his second important goal of the 2014 season, the Amgen Tour of California. The former Tour de France champion once again emphasized that he aims to use the American stage race to gain a spot in the Team Sky roster for this year’s edition of the French grand tour, and that once he succeeds, he’s going to turn his attention to 2016 Olympic Games.
After arriving to California, Wiggins visited the movie studios of 21st Century Fox, one of Team Sky’s sponsors, and shared his plans for upcoming months in the video interview for the BBC.
As the 34-year old Briton admitted, he made his return to the Tour the France after last year’s absence his main target for the remaining months of the 2014 season. He is aware, however, that being a former winner of the French grand tour event won’t instantly secure him a spot in the Team Sky roster for their season’s major campaign, and thus Wiggins hopes for a good performance at the Tour of California.
"He's the current champion of the Tour and he's looking to win his second consecutive race, so we're going to have to put a strong team around him to do the job and there's plenty of guys to choose from and so it's going to be a tough call for the management," Wiggins suggested.
"We’re all working towards that goal, of being in the best possible shape at the Tour, to do that job.”
The 2012 Tour de France champion also confirmed, that once the summer campaign is over he will turn all his attention to his Olympic preparations, aiming to win his fifth gold medal in Rio in 2016. On this occasion Wiggins also suggested that this year’s tour may be his last, due to different specifics of the track programme.
“I want to go to the next Olympics and go for gold medal number five, that’s a big goal for me in two years time, and after that, stay in sport, because it’s been a big part of my life since I was kid,” Wiggins said.
"After the Tour de France, we're 18 months out from the Olympics and that's really when you've got to get back on the (track) programme. It could be that this is my last Tour. If it is, I'd better make it a good one," he told Cyclingnews earlier this year.
Katherine MAINE 27 years | today |
Thomas JOLY 29 years | today |
Jay DUTTON 31 years | today |
Denas MASIULIS 25 years | today |
Andrew ROCHE 53 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com