When he spoke of fatigue at the Tour de France and indicated that he had no plans to ride the world championships or the Commonwealth Games, it seemed likely that Bradley Wiggins’ season would soon be over. In fact, the Team Sky rider said in August that he would stop racing after the Tour of Britain. However he’s continued on and will compete in the Giro del Piemonte tomorrow and then the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday.
Wiggins rode in Sunday’s Paris-Tours and finished in the main group, reporting afterwards that he was happy with how things went.
“I was riding with a lot of the more experienced guys in France - the likes of Juan Antonio Flecha, Kurt-Asle Arvesen and Kjell Carlström - and it was really good to be back with everyone. It was the first time I'd ever ridden Paris-Tours and I didn't really know the course, but we had Juan in the front all day which took the pressure off the rest of us.
“Those final climbs actually looked a lot harder on the television so it was a bit of a learning experience from that sense, but it was good to be part of the race.”
When he’s on form, Wiggins is a solid climber and he’s looking forward to making his debut in Lombardy. He’s perhaps not explosive enough to challenge for a top three finish, but will nevertheless push hard and see how he and his team-mates can do.
After the disappointment of the Tour de France, he appears to have got a sense of fun and purpose back about his racing, and would like to finish the year off well.
“These races were always on the cards for me and it's a nice way to see the season out with the team. They are all great races and you can pick some really good results up if you are able to maintain your condition and motivation.
"I'd like to think I've done that and, although this is the first time I've raced Lombardia, it is a race that should suit me.”
The course has changed this year and the finale of the race is regarded as being tougher than before. With more climbing, those who are going well will have a chance to get clear of the others behind. Wiggins knows that if he can end the year off on a high note, it is going to make it much easier for him to motivate himself during the dark winter months ahead.
The same applies to the rest of Team Sky. The British ProTour squad has had a quieter first year than it expected, and will seize any opportunity that arises to grab a result in Saturday’s Race of the Falling Leaves.