The man behind Wiggins' Giro transformation

Bradley Wiggins Giro d Italia 2009 stage 4

Bradley Wiggins was perhaps a little disappointed with his ride in the Giro d?Italia time trial but his coach Matt Parker was very proud of him and happy to be in Italy to see him ride so well.

Parker knows Wiggins more than anyone else as an athlete after working together for years chasing Olympic and world championship gold on the track. He knows the pain Wiggins went through in the gruelling 60.6km time trial but also knows all the hard work done in the last six months as Wiggins worked on his metamorphosis from track pursuiter to stage race rider.

Parker congratulated Wiggins on his ride near the finish in Riomaggiore and then analysed his performance for Cycling Weekly.

?Brad?s shown that when you prepare for the specifics in these events, he?s as good an athlete as anyone and he?s still improving,? Parker said.

?He?s worked hard over the winter and he?s proved that he?s far more than just a time trialist. It?s the first winter for a long time where he?s just concentrated on doing the job for the road.?

?I think it?s one of the best time trials I?ve seen him do. But there?s still lots of improvement in there and there?s still lots to come because it?s still quite early in the season. Saying that, this is no means a training event for the Tour de France. He?s come here to go well and put himself up there to show that he can ride. And he?s doing that.?

Dropping Lance

Parker watched Wiggins drop Lance Armstrong on the first big Dolomite stage to Alpe di Suisi last week.

It was a breakthrough moment for Wiggins but Parker was expecting it after seeing how Wiggins had improved his power and dropped his weight in recent months. He even expects more in the future, perhaps in the Tour de France in July.

?I wasn?t surprised because that what he was aiming to do. He?s a big powerful guy and at race weight for the major Tours, he can climb as well as anybody,? Parker told Cycling Weekly.

?He?s missing that last little bit at the moment, just those last few kilometres, but he?s never been there before. Everything he?s done and is doing at the Giro will stand him in good stead and then he?ll move on from there.?

?When we get to the end of the Giro we?ll review everything and look at the targets he?s set himself. He?s putting it all together so well. It?s not only about training. It?s about putting into the race and he?s doing that fantastically well. Hopefully he can improve in a few areas and move on again.?

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Giro d'Italia 2009 links

Stage reports

Stage 12: Menchov storms to Giro TT win and race lead

Stage 11: Cavendish romps to second Giro stage win

Stage 10: Di Luca lays down the gauntlet

Giro rest day review (May 18)

Stage nine: Cavendish blitzes rivals to win in Milan

Stage eight: Siutsou makes it two in a row for Columbia-Highroad

Stage seven: Boasson Hagen takes treacherous stage

Stage six: Scarponi wins longest stage with big break

Stage five: Menchov wins mountain battle as Di Luca grabs the pink jersey

Stage four: Di Luca denies Soler on the line; Lovkvist takes pink jersey

Stage three: Cavendish loses pink jersey after being caught behind late crash

Stage two: Petacchi denies Cavendish the stage win

Stage one: Cavendish in pink as Columbia prove their point to Garmin

Photo galleries

Stage 12 photo gallery

Stage 11 photo gallery

Stage 10 photo gallery

Stage nine photo gallery

Stage eight photo gallery

Stage seven photo gallery

Stage six photo gallery

Stage five photo gallery

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one photo gallery

Desktop wallpaper photos

News

Menchov's first pink jersey (Stage 12)

Wiggins: 'I went too hard at the start' (Stage 12 TT)

Lance and Levi: Ready for Giro time trial

Cavendish: 'Today brought back memories of San Remo' (stage 11)

Is Di Luca trying too hard, too soon?

Wiggins loses time in the Giro (stage 10)

Armstrong and Basso say sorry for Giro protest

How are the Giro favourites doing?

Cavendish says 'I'm addicted to winning'

Riders stage go-slow protest during Giro stage in Milan

Cavendish cool before Milan sprint

No sympathy for Armstrong from Giro boss

Boasson Hagen celebrates his birthday early

Cavendish overjoyed for Boasson Hagen

Armstrong 'livid' at dangerous Giro stage

Astana riders wear faded kit in protest over unpaid wages

Armstrong sees Leipheimer in pink

Giro news round-up: 14 May

Wiggins: 'I can't keep smashing away on the climbs'

Wiggins eyes top 20 finish overall

Armstrong after Giro stage 5: 'That was hard'

Cavendish looking for Giro revenge

Armstrong happy with stage four performance

Lovkvist will fight to keep Giro lead

Giro could be last race for Armstrong's team

Vande Velde crashes out of Giro

Petacchi claims he didn't know of Cavendish crash

Cavendish struggles to find consolation in pink jersey

Petacchi: I've been working out how to beat Cav

I'm wearing pink on behalf of the team, says Cavendish

Wiggins ready to win Giro team time trial

Friday, May 8: Giro news round-up

Cavendish out to topple Garmin in Giro team time trial

Team time trial start times

Cycling Weekly's Giro d'Italia top ten prediction

Brits in Venice for Giro presentation

Armstrong overshadows overall favourites at Giro presentation

Armstrong confident of finding new sponsor for Astana

Armstrong working to save Astana team

Wiggins in top form for Giro

Garmin Slipstream kitted out for Giro opener

Dan Lloyd gets late Giro call-up

Armstrong's special Giro bikes unveiled

Daniel Lloyd overlooked for Giro ride

Cummings and Thomas not selected for Giro d'Italia

Cavendish tests Giro form at Tour of Romandie

David Millar confirms he's riding in 2009 Giro

Bennati to take on Cavendish in Giro 2009 sprints

2009 Giro d'Italia to start in Venice

Evans and Silence-Lotto disagree on Giro 2009 ride

Armstrong to ride 2009 Giro

Tuttosport reveals 2009 Giro d'Italia route

Dolce & Gabbana design new Giro jersey

2009 Giro d'Italia guide and features

Find the pink jersey competition

Giro d'Italia 2009: The Big Preview

British riders to have led the grand tours

CW's Giro top ten prediction

Brits in the Giro 2009

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish

CW Classic: the 1987 Giro d'Italia

2008 Giro d'Italia archive

Giro d'Italia 2008 coverage index - race reports, photos, results

From rule Britannia to cruel Britannia

Giro 2008: The final word on this year's race

Brits at the 2008 Giro: photo special

Five days to go, what's in store?

Giro d'Italia 2008: Rest day review (May 27)

Giro d'Italia 2008: Rest day review (May 19)

Giro d'Italia 2008 preview

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Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.