Team Sky announced its line-up for the 2014 Tour de France on Friday morning, and 2012 winner Sir Bradley Wiggins was not one of the names on the list.
There’s no doubt that Wiggins is Britain’s most recognisable road rider. Arguably, he’s also the nation’s most popular one. On top of all his other results on the track and road, his gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics time trial elevated him to household-name status.
Many were looking forward to witnessing the spectacle of Wiggins and 2013 Tour winner Chris Froome on British roads when the Grand Depart takes place in Leeds, Yorkshire, on Saturday July 5. Two British Tour winners starting the race on home soil – something that would have been a once-in-a-lifetime event.
For others, Wiggins would be ‘dead weight’ among Sky’s Tour team, designed to be a finely-honed winning machine. The past animosity between Froome and Wiggins has been widely documented, and speculation is rife that it would be a management headache and detract from the team’s functioning as a unit.
We asked you via Twitter what you thought of Wiggins’ non-inclusion in this year’s Tour, and here are a selection of your responses:
@cyclingweekly disappointed, sky have no respect. Team Wiggo any day. It's winning, not taking part that counts! (unfortunately)
— Martyn Collar (@styletodesign) June 27, 2014
@cyclingweekly Not a problem as he is a half hearted drama queen! But Team Sky need proper & honest direction to all its riders truthfulness
— james kendrick (@James12Kendrick) June 27, 2014
@cyclingweekly big mistake,Bradley Wiggins has pedigree,been there and done it,still one of the best. Only think it's for team sky harmony?
— Cool Hand Ade (@Wolfenblack) June 27, 2014
@cyclingweekly gutted and think he should leave sky, they haven't shown him the respect he deserves!
— Not sam clarke (@Sam_J_Clarke) June 27, 2014
@cyclingweekly it's a shame, but I am more puzzled by why they selected Zandio. Solid rider, but surely more British riders would be better!
— Samuel Hodges (@SamHodges_93) June 27, 2014
@cyclingweekly Good, the aim is to win, not be a laughing stock when he has a hissy fit
— JWⓋ (@smileyboyblue) June 27, 2014
@cyclingweekly @TeamSky have lost the plot. I thought the point was promoting pro-cycling in UK? 2 GB riders in team. What a missed chance.
— Paul Mitchell (@pmitchell1969) June 27, 2014
https://twitter.com/IlPirataGT/status/482514238251225088
https://twitter.com/Jackobe/status/482513982289633280
@cyclingweekly Gutted he'll not be in the peleton when it rolls past my house, if truth be told.
— Toby Parsons (@TobyP76) June 27, 2014
Team Sky announces squad for Tour de France: No Wiggins
Defending champion Chris Froome leads Team Sky at the 2014 Tour de France
