'Time running out' for Geraint Thomas, 'last opportunity' for Chris Froome at Tour de France - Bradley Wiggins

Updated 01/03/2022 at 11:19 GMT

Bradley Wiggins has said he believes British compatriots Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome face a huge 2022 after frustrating seasons last year. Speaking on the first episode in the new season of the Bradley Wiggins Show podcast for Eurosport, the British cycling legend spoke of "time running out" for Thomas to win a second Tour de France title, while Froome is facing his "last opportunity".

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"Time is running out" for Geraint Thomas to win his second Tour de France crown in 2022, while it is Chris Froome's "last opportunity" to go out at the very top, according to Bradley Wiggins.

The Bradley Wiggins Show has returned for the first time this year with a bumper episode previewing all the top action coming your way across the season, and the British cycling legend was joined by Matt Stephens and Orla Chennaoui.

Wiggins, who was a close team-mate of both Thomas and Froome at Team Sky during his illustrious career, made the point that the Welshman has to seize any opportunity he is presented with this season with time not on his side.

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"I read that this will be his 17th year as a pro - he rode his first Tour de France in 2007," Wiggins said on the podcast.

"He has had quite a career. I always touted him, after he won his first Tour de France, that he could win two or three Tours.

"Of course, it has never been quite right for him – he finished second to [Egan] Bernal the other year. He has had some horrific crashes the last couple of years.

"I did read the other day he is not in the condition he wants to be for the Spring classics, which is not great because Geraint always wintered well.

"Time is running out for him to win a second Tour with that new generation coming through."

Listen to The Bradley Wiggins Show podcast

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On Froome, Wiggins added that this year could be the veteran's final chance for a fifth Tour de France title after all his injury setbacks in recent years.

"Chris Froome, you would have to say this is probably his last opportunity to win a fifth Tour and that new generation is coming through," he said.

Turning his attention to rising British star Tom Pidcock, Wiggins believes the mature 22-year-old is capable of making a huge statement this season following his gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the cross-country mountain biking event and joining Ineos from 2021.

"He is amazing, isn't he," Wiggins said. "Obviously he has moved on now from his Olympic title and the Vuelta a Espana he rode.

"He is going to be a force to be reckoned with this year. He has got a very old head on his shoulders, hasn't he."

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Regarding his friend and former team-mate Mark Cavendish, Wiggins was full of praise once more for another legendary British rider looking to make more history this season.

"Another superstar, Mark Cavendish, he is already winning this year," Wiggins said.

"He has picked up where he left off last year, which is fantastic for us, and he has hit the deck again.

"If Cav does do the Giro - which starts in Budapest - or the Tour - which starts in Copenhagen, which will be great for Mark because he loves Copenhagen - you would not put it past him to go one better than Eddy Merckx and beat that record."