REIGNING TOUR DE France champion Bradley Wiggins has pulled out of the Giro d’Italia with a chest infection ahead of Stage 13.
Team Sky’s Wiggins and Ryder Hesjedal of Garmin-Sharp have both announced they would not start today’s 254-kilometre stage from Busseto to Cherasco.
Wiggins, who finished three minutes and 17 seconds off the pace in Thursday’s stage after being dropped with 40km remaining, was observed by Team Sky’s medical team overnight before coach David Brailsford ruled the 33-year-old Brit out of Stage 13.
“We monitored Bradley overnight and this morning we’ve withdrawn him from the Giro after consulting the team doctor,” Brailsford said. “His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders.
“Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible. As a passionate racer he wanted to continue but he is simply unable to do so on medical grounds.”
With Wiggins dropping out, Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran will become Team Sky’s captain for the rest of the Giro. Uran sits third in the general classification, 2:04 behind overall leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).
Hesjedal, who became the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour when he triumphed in last year’s Giro d’Italia, has yet to reveal the reason he is unable to complete the 2013 race but had looked out of sorts throughout the opening 12 stages.
The 32-year-old Canadian pulled out in 38th position in the general classification standings, 32:55 behind Nibali, and made it clear he is not in the right shape to complete the Italian race.
“Whatever it is, I’m only getting worse,” Hesjedal said. “Yesterday’s stage was just too much for me.”
Don’t follow American football that much bar watching the Super Bowl every year but this was a very well-written article. Cheers Steve.
@EK: pre season
Star wars Patriots parody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tawltTWLmK8
Lost his number one receiver against best pass defence in the league with a throwing hand with 12 stitches in it and still won, greatness!!!
Jags took a knee in the first with nearly a minute left and 3 timeouts….would the Pats ever do that, hell no….knew they were beat when they done that.
@Dick Durkin: yeah and they were child like with the clock near the end, not running it down when blatantly obvious to do so before the 2 min warning
@Baz: put it down to inexperience, they were easily the better team for 3 quarters…they’ll learn from it and they’ll be there or there abouts next season.
@Dick Durkin: No guarantee in football that they will be back.
Watching the game, Jags went hell for leather in first half
I was thinking, they will be gassed by 4th quarter
So they will need a big lead
Patriots don’t even beat teams anymore. There myth like status beats most team either before the game or when the pressure is on in the 4th quarter….Patriots just take advantage.
Peyton Manning is the GOAT.
@Leon: Regular season GOAT
Great article Steve (again as usual)