Must Reads: Froome for Tour; Hamilton hopes for Armstrong confession
Sky principal Dave Brailsford confirms the likely scenario that defending Tour champ Bradley Wiggins will target the Giro
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Froome likely to lead Sky at Tour — BBC
Sky boss Dave Brailsford stoked the fires yet again this week, hinting that Chris Froome would likely lead the British squad at the Tour de France while Bradley Wiggins aims for the Giro d’Italia.
Brailsford reaffirmed Wiggins’ statements at the Tour presentation last month that the defending Tour champ would instead target the Giro as his season’s first goal, but added the plan had not “completely been signed off.”
“The Tour of Italy would be a very good target for Bradley and leave Froomy then to focus on the Tour de France,” Brailsford said.
A mountainous edition of the 100th Tour has prompted Sky to reconsider its options following Wiggins’ victory in a 2012 Tour that included more than 100km of time trials.
Wiggins told VeloNews at the Tour presentation in October that he wanted to ride for victory at the Giro to round out his palmarès, citing the Italian tour as “just as big” as the Tour.
Froome, a runner-up last year to Wiggins and second at the 2011 Vuelta a España, will likely focus completely on preparing for the Tour.
Sky riders are on the Spanish island of Mallorca for its first training camp ahead of the 2013 season.
Hamilton: ‘I hope Lance confesses’ — Sky Sports
Tyler Hamilton, speaking to Sky Sports after receiving a national book prize in the U.K. for “The Secret Race,” said he hoped Lance Armstrong comes forward to admit his doping past.
Hamilton said Armstrong is “in a tough situation right now,” but said a confession from Armstrong would help provide closure to cycling’s EPO era.
“He’s got to be torn up inside. I think eventually we will see some of the truth come out. I hope so for the sake of cycling. We need some closure for that period,” Hamilton said. “The best thing he can do for the sport of cycling, if he truly loves the sport, he needs to tell the truth. Do it for us. Do it for his kids.”
Hamilton was in London this week to receive a national book prize for “The Secret Race,” which he wrote with Daniel Coyle.
Although he admits he is far removed from the inner workings of today’s peloton, he said he believes Bradley Wiggins won the 2012 Tour de France clean.
“I believe in Brad Wiggins and I believe we finally have a clean Tour de France champion and that’s nice to see. I’m a big supporter of him but I still believe there’s still room for improvement,” Hamilton said. “There’s still denial. We have directors and managers today who were racing back then and are still racing now and are still denying. I denied for a long time so I can’t really fault them. It’s part of the process.”