Briton targets Roubaix and the Hour Record, tips Nibali to win the Tour
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Bradley Wiggins riding in the rain(Image credit: John Pierce PhotoSport International)
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bradley Wiggins won in 2012, before sideburns(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BS: Before sideburns Bradley Wiggins in 2011(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bradley Wiggins has told Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that he plans to stay with Team Sky in 2015 and target Paris-Roubaix and possibly the Hour Record on the track. Team Sky manager Brailsford however told The Guardian that nothing is signed yet. "He hasn't signed. We've met with his management company and we'll see where we're at. Nothing is signed," said Brailsford.
In recent weeks both Orica GreenEdge and Garmin-Sharp have expressed interest in signing the 2012 Tour de France winner.
Wiggins was speaking at the Pinarello Cycling Marathon event in Italy, organized Team Sky's bike sponsor.
"It's true, I'm thinking about it (the Hour Record). Not this year but I'll try next year. And I'll do it on these bikes because I'm going to stay at Sky," Gazzetta reported Wiggins as saying.
"My time as a Grand Tour rider is over. I'll still ride them but not to win them," he reportedly said. "I'll sign up now for this event next year. If Sky doesn’t take me to the Tour, I'll be back."
Cyclingnews contacted Team Sky, with Dave Brailsford confirming that the team would work with Wiggins into 2016.
“Brad is a great champion and has been integral to the Sky story. We are keen to support him in the best way as he works towards his ultimate goal of achieving more Olympic success in Rio," he said.
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Wiggins tipped Vincenzo Nibali to win the Tour de France and praised the Italian for the way he dominated the cobbles on stage five. Wiggins finished ninth in this year's Paris-Roubaix but rode aggressively and impressed with how he handled the cobbles.
"Nibali was fantastic on the pave, impressive. They're the most beautiful roads, in the most fascinating race in the world: Roubaix. I rode this year but next year I want to win it. It'll be my big goal for 2015."
Wiggins will ride for England at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland at the end of July and revealed he is set to ride the Vuelta a Espana to prepare for the world time trial championships.
He apparently traveled to Italy the day before the Pinarello event and went training in the area with former rider and now Pinarello technician Marco Zen. He rode with Fausto Pinarello and Miguel Indurain and then enjoyed a pizza and Italian ice-cream before catching his fight.
