Bradley Wiggins wants to move to a whole new level in 2008, with the Briton hoping his move from French ProTour team Cofidis to German outfit T-Mobile will be the catalyst for a successful season. The Olympic champion was announced on the magenta squad's roster last Friday, where he will join American George Hincapie under the guidance of doping crusader Bob Stapleton. "It will be a big change, the first time I've gone to a multicultural, English-speaking team," Wiggins said in his Sunday's Observer column. "I'll be joining two other British guys, Mark Cavendish and Roger Hammond, which is something to look forward to."
While Wiggins described 2007 as one of his best seasons on the road, he's hoping that success at the Beijing Olympics Games as well as the Tour de France. "I'll be back at the Tour in 2009 for sure," said Wiggins. "Next year, however, I have to think about the Olympic Games."
"Next year could be my biggest ever," he added. "It could make the difference between having been a good cyclist and being a great one. If I retire today I would remain a good cyclist who has won an Olympic gold medal but if I do what I'm capable of next year it could put me into another level as an athlete and a sportsman."
Wiggins said that T-Mobile's attitude towards his Olympic preparation and its stance on doping attracted him to the squad. The 27 year-old has been vocal in his position against doping, speaking out angrily about former team-mate Christian Moreni's non-negative test which saw the ProTour squad ejected from the Grand Tour. "What attracted me to T-Mobile is that they are fully behind my Olympic planning," he explained. "For example, I won't have to do the Tour de France, which is on the backburner for now. I also appreciate the thinking of their manager, Bob Stapleton, who is trying to develop a strong team structure and to work in a new way."
