The dream season continues for Bradley Wiggins (Sky) as the Briton wins the 2012 Tour de France.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bradley Wiggins crosses the line after a last kilometer mishap(Image credit: Rob Lampard)
The winner Bradley Wiggins of GB - UK Sport Innovation bike with custom bar setup (as used on his Pinarello Graal at the Tour de France), taped over SRM power meter, adidas shoe covers and skinsuit, surprisingly conventional exposed Dura Ace brakes, Wiggo roundel on his UK Sport helmet and head badge, two energy gels up his shorts and a HED front wheel - all in all, very tidy(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Wiggins was due to start his winter training two weeks ago but was knocked off his bike by a car, suffering a fractured rib and other minor injuries. The British rider has raced very little since the Olympic Games in August and needs to peak earlier in 2013 if he is to target the Giro d'Italia in May.
Team Sky head coach Shane Sutton revealed that Wiggins will train for an average of four hours a day, mixing blocks of three days of training with a rest day.
"My plan was always for Brad to start training at the end of October. We missed a little bit, but we are ready to train. He will be riding 12 hours in every three-day block in Majorca," Sutton told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"He's lost a few days but it's not like we're behind the eight ball. Eight weeks is going to get you pretty close to where you need to be and if you've got three months to work with an athlete who is in pretty good shape you can do a lot."
Wiggins has announced he wants to target the Giro d'Italia in 2013 and looks set to clash with Italy's Vincenzo Nibali and 2012 Giro winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp). Sutton is convinced Wiggins can win the Giro d'Italia and also perform well in the Tour de France in 2013 after his impressive performances this season.
"Brad is probably more hungry now because the challenge is even greater than the Tour," Sutton said. "He is more hungry but the expectation isn't so big, that's a very good place to be. Taking away the expectation is fantastic and off the back of that and the Giro he will have a great Tour anyway."
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"The palate has really been whet in the sense that he wants to do a great Giro and I keep alluding to the fact that he wants legendary status and to do that and to win the Giro would be part an parcel of winning that treble of grand tours over the next couple of years."
