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Claims Sir Bradley Wiggins' Hour bike illegal & he got favourable treatment rejected

UCI says bike and equipment complied with rules, GB coach says Alex Dowsett would have got help if he'd asked

The support team behind Sir Bradley Wiggins’ successful UCI Hour record attempt on Sunday have rejected allegations the bike he used did not comply with the rules and that British Cycling gave him favourable treatment through the support they gave him.

Wiggins rode 54.426km to break the previous record of 52.937km, which the Movistar rider had set in Manchester at the start of last month.

But as we reported yesterday, Steve Collins, a member of Dowsett’s support team, claimed Wiggins’ Pinarello Bolide HR bike did not satisfy UCI regulations because it “wasn’t in production.”

He alleged that, contrary to UCI rules which require frames and components to be available for anyone to buy, “You can’t get 3D-printed handlebars moulded to your own arms to make it easier for your own attempt.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Essex, Collins also said that Wiggins had received preferential treatment from British Cycling.

But the UCI has confirmed that the bike and other kit used by Wiggins on Sunday were in line with its rules, a point also made by his own support team.

The UCI said in a statement: “Bradley Wiggins’ bike and equipment were thoroughly assessed by UCI officials before and after the UCI Hour Record attempt and were judged to be fully compliant with UCI regulations.”

The Bolide HR was added to the UCI’s list of approved frames and forks on 21 May 2015, with the full list published on the governing body’s website.

As for those 3D printed handlebars, Pinarello’s white paper for the Bolide HR, which we reported on here, makes clear that “this method will now be used to provide a similar service to Pinarello customers via the MOST parts brand.”

British Cycling endurance coach Heiko Salzwedel, quoted in the Guardian, denied that the national governing body had given Wiggins favourable treatment, adding that it would have given similar support to Dowsett had he asked for it.

“I’m a GB coach responsible for anyone with a British passport and anyone who asks me will get my support,” he said.

“Brad isn’t involved with Team Sky any more, he doesn’t have the resources of a team like Dowsett’s Movistar and in his eyes this was a performance that helped him build to the Olympic Games [in Rio next year] so it was natural to help him.

“I didn’t reduce the time I spent with the team pursuit squad because they were training together; sometimes I spent more time with Brad but that would have been the same if it was Ed Clancy doing a record.

“If Alex had asked me I’d have helped him, but he didn’t. He asked for his training times at Manchester and got them free of charge,” he added.

Dowsett himself has said that he "never asked for any help" from tBritish Cycling since his Movistar team gave him "more than enough" support for his record attempt.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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13 comments

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Ginsterdrz | 8 years ago
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"Speaking on BBC Radio Essex, Collins also said that Wiggins had received preferential treatment from British Cycling."

Yeah-I saw all the BC lot blowing in unison every time Brad went past giving him a massive wind assist down the back straight.

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flobble | 8 years ago
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“You can’t get 3D-printed handlebars moulded to your own arms to make it easier for your own attempt.” - Steve Collins

Well, clearly you can, because Wiggins' team did it. Sounds more to me (a) a "can't do" attitude which inevitably will hold Alex Dowsett back, and (b) "we didn't think of that but it's not my fault"

Perhaps the talented Mr Dowsett would benefit from a more open-minded approach on his support team.

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yupiteru | 8 years ago
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Theres an old saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity and thats all this is, free publicity to get the sponsors jersey in public again.

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PandAttack | 8 years ago
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I think the HR should be attempted with a universally standardised bike. I think it'd be great if all the major manufacturers came together to build a bike, incorporating all their second-tier tech - cos to me, the HR should be about how great a rider REALLY is, not by how 'aero' and more high tech your bike is, leave that to the pro road peloton.

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vonhelmet replied to PandAttack | 8 years ago
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PandAttack wrote:

I think the HR should be attempted with a universally standardised bike. I think it'd be great if all the major manufacturers came together to build a bike, incorporating all their second-tier tech - cos to me, the HR should be about how great a rider REALLY is, not by how 'aero' and more high tech your bike is, leave that to the pro road peloton.

Isn't that pretty much what killed the hour record in the first place? The fact that the UCI wanted everyone doing it on Eddy Merckx' bike from 1972?

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bartsie | 8 years ago
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I suppose Wiggo's earlier comments that he could beat Dowsett's record whilst cycling backwards blindfolded (and that instead he was aiming for a Record For The Ages) did not come across as typical British understatement did they?

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Joeinpoole replied to bartsie | 8 years ago
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bartsie wrote:

I suppose Wiggo's earlier comments that he could beat Dowsett's record whilst cycling backwards blindfolded (and that instead he was aiming for a Record For The Ages) did not come across as typical British understatement did they?

That was part of 'the build-up'. It's quite common in the few days before a televised sporting event. It puts bums on seats.

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SteppenHerring replied to Joeinpoole | 8 years ago
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Joeinpoole wrote:
bartsie wrote:

I suppose Wiggo's earlier comments that he could beat Dowsett's record whilst cycling backwards blindfolded (and that instead he was aiming for a Record For The Ages) did not come across as typical British understatement did they?

That was part of 'the build-up'. It's quite common in the few days before a televised sporting event. It puts bums on seats.

It's like the banter before boxing matches.

Incidentally, do you know why boxers don't have sex before a fight? It's because they don't fancy each other.

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hylozoist replied to SteppenHerring | 8 years ago
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SteppenHerring wrote:

Incidentally, do you know why boxers don't have sex before a fight? It's because they don't fancy each other.

Dunno. Some of them seem to spend a lot of time hugging each other during the bout.

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WDG | 8 years ago
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I'm afraid all this has achieved is to make Steve Collins look like an arse.

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therevokid | 8 years ago
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more brad bashing .... Some people !

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atlaz | 8 years ago
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So anyone with a British passport can get Team GB coaching? Excellent. I'm in

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sponican | 8 years ago
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I feel sad that a rancorous outburst from a member his team seems to be reflecting badly on Dowsett himself. As far as I can make out he has been nothing if not magnanimous and sportsmanlike in his own comments. I hope we stop hearing about this soon so Dowsett's own great ride and sportsmanship can be remembered.

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