Sir Bradley Wiggins feels his fellow Brit Mark Cavendish might have taken on too much this season, in terms of targeting big goals on both the track and the road, but believes if anyone can do it, it would be the Manx Missile.
Wiggins also said reigning world champion Peter Sagan is the best rider at the moment and that he is a “character” who is “good for the sport”.
Cavendish, currently riding for Team Dimension Data in Dubai, where he is defending his Dubai Tour title, will be switching back and forth between track and road commitments as he targets more stage wins at the Tour de France, Olympic glory on the track, as well as a second World Championship title on the road.
The Manxman, who kicked off 2016 by missing out on the podium at the Track World Cup in Hong Kong, made his Team Dimension Data debut at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Australia last Sunday, which saw him withdraw with just one lap to go.
After wrapping up the Dubai Tour on Saturday, Cavendish will continue on the road, racing in the Tour of Qatar.
Mark Cavendish: Chasing road and track glory in 2016.
“I’ve seen Mark, he’s hardly been home since October. I’ve seen him come and rent an apartment in Manchester and train on the track with us every day,” Wiggins told reporters ahead of Stage 1 in Dubai on Wednesday.
“I admire what he’s trying to do, I think he’s probably took a lot – too much on really. I mean with his results he probably could just come on the track full-time with us and ride with Team Wiggins if he wanted to.
“So it remains to be seen whether he can do it all. But if anyone can, it’s probably him. So we’ll see.”
Another Brit with huge targets in 2016 is reigning Tour de France champion Chris Froome who is bidding for a treble this season – a defence of his yellow jersey in France, and gold in the road race and the time trial at the Olympics in Rio.
Wiggins, who said he has no aspirations in Dubai except to support his young team-mates riding for the British legend’s outfit, believes what Froome is trying to achieve is doable.
Chris Froome will attempt to defend his Tour de France title.
“I think it’s possible because of how close it is really (in the calendar). If he wins the Tour again and he’s got the condition, I don’t see there’s any reason why not,” said Wiggins, who won the Tour de France in 2012 before winning time trial gold at the London Olympics shortly after.
“That was the big question point in London was whether we could do that, we’ll have Tour de France tiredness or whatever. But if you finish well then there’s every chance you could do well at the Olympics after. The winner of the Olympics will come from the Tour de France so I think it’s doable.”
Wiggins was also asked on which cyclists he considers to be the best at the moment.
“Peter Sagan probably. I like the fact that he’s a bit different. He brings something else to the sport which not a lot of riders to these days. I think just his demeanour, and the way he carries himself. It’s what the sport needs,” said Wiggins.
“You need characters in the sport, there’s not many left now. Everyone’s so kind of regimented and fearful of their jobs, I think that’s a lot of it. Fearful to be different. You’ve got the likes of (Filippo) Pozzato and that’s a little different. Just little things, the way he threw his bike when he won the Worlds. It’s the sort of thing I would have done.”
