Wiggins rips into cycling critics with expletive-laced tirade
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Tour de France leader Brad Wiggins has hit back at anonymous internet critics with a profanity-laden attack.
At the end of his post-stage eight media conference, the yellow jersey wearer was asked what he thought of people who use forums such as Twitter to accuse him of doping.
Wiggins’ Sky team is the dominant squad at the Tour this year and some are now comparing them to the powerful teams that supported Lance Armstrong through his record seven titles.
Armstrong and several support staff on those Tour victories are now subjects of US Anti-Doping Agency charges.
“I say they’re just f–king wankers, I cannot be doing (sic) with people like that,” said Wiggins, who holds a 10-second lead over defending champion Cadel Evans.
“It justifies their own bone-idleness because they can’t ever imagine applying themselves to do anything in their lives.
“It’s easy for them to sit under a pseudonym on Twitter and write that sort of s-t, rather than get off their arses in their own lives and apply themselves and work hard at something and achieve something.
“And that’s ultimately it – c—s.”
Evans was soon on Twitter noting Wiggins’ comments.
“Bradley Wiggins has a few choice words for those who doubt racing can be clean,” Evans said as he also posted a link to the comments.
Retired Australian star Robbie McEwen and fellow sprinter Mark Cavendish also backed Wiggins.
American Christian Vande Velde, who is not commenting on speculation he has testified against Armstrong, was another to offer support.
Wiggins’ compatriot David Millar, who has resurrected his career after being busted for doping, saw the funny side of the comments.
“Wiggo’s now better at me in everything to do with cycling, profanity-filled interviews were all I had left. Now he’s taken that crown. Darn,” Millar tweeted.
While cycling continues to pay for a shocking past attitude towards doping, riders are increasingly frustrated that their sport receives little credit for trying to clean itself up.
They note they are probably the most-tested and scrutinised athletes in professional sport..
© AAP 2013
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July 9th 2012 @ 12:27pm
Bondy said | July 9th 2012 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Perhaps this should have been about how journalists live on tour who use Twitter as an excuse to ask the deep and meaningfulls,the journalsits in this article have asked the big questions and blamed annonymous sources (internet chatrooms and twitter).
If a journalist asks directly “are you doping ” they’ll never get another interview,let the social “annonymous” media take responsibiltiy for those types of questions.
July 9th 2012 @ 1:04pm
sittingbison said | July 9th 2012 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
Yup, completely agree Bondy. The question was how he felt about tweeters, not how he felt about doping. Its about time journos actually did some reporting and investigation of their own instead of fawning.
His reaction is extraordinary when compared to his previous statements on doping. Google Wiggins doping 2007. He sure has changes his tune.
July 9th 2012 @ 7:11pm
Al-Bo said | July 9th 2012 @ 7:11pm | Report comment
I’m just glad we can still get such robust comments in this sport. My entire writing career is largely based on mocking the bland soundbites that fall out of cricketers’ mouths – all ‘momentum’ and ‘hitting the ground running’ and ‘taking the positives’.
A bit of effing and jeffing from Wiggins is refreshing, no matter what he’s talking about.
July 10th 2012 @ 11:25am
Bondy said | July 10th 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
I can understand your point Al-Bo with the P’s and Q’s.
July 10th 2012 @ 12:35pm
BeijingBrit said | July 10th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Sorry to be a pedant, but what’s with the “(sic)” that you’ve inserted into Wiggins’ quote? “I cannot be doing with people like that”
Nothing wrong with that from where I’m sitting, but maybe it’s just a Brit-icism?
July 11th 2012 @ 8:28pm
Maria Szczerba said | July 11th 2012 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Well, here we go again! No matter what the sport there is always someone or something that starts everyone off again with the badgering against great cyclists or good people in sport! No matter what the sport I wish people see the positives in every sport instead of putting great sportsmen and women down in their chosen sport! And anyway, I think it is about time that people kept their comments to themselves about doping unless they take it themselves or know anything about the doping side and the UCI, they should just not say anything at all about anyone, least of all Wiggins who I will and totally support as well as Lance Armstrong!
If you all have no evidence or substantial evidence against these people! then why do you say such unjust things! Like Wiggins said and has said, those who chose a sport and have been successful at it have made their ultimate sacrifices to be good at their chosen sport and go to the olympics even sacrifice their own families to their Tour De France! so I say get off all the riders in the Tour De France and any other sport and get on with your own lives and leave these sportsmen and women alone to get on with their own lives!
Good onya Wiggo! Good luck with the rest of the Tour!
Good onya all the riders in the Tour de France! I would like to see all of you climb the Col De Colombier!!!!!
July 11th 2012 @ 8:30pm
Maria Szczerba said | July 11th 2012 @ 8:30pm | Report comment
Thats right – why don’t you all climb and do what these riders are doing for three weeks! the aches, the pains, the accidents and see what the pain is really like for of all of them!