Bradley Wiggins Transformed

Before 2009, only two names stood out in British professional cycling, Tom Simpson and Robert Millar. Simpson was the most successful Brit to ever race professionally, unfortunately, his popularity was on his demise. In the 1967 Tour de France, he collapsed and died along the slopes of the Ventoux from exhaustion, his body juiced with amphetamines.Robert Millar was Scottish, a pure climber and placed 4th in the 1984 Tour and second in the 1987 Girod'Italia. He also won the KoM twice.

Then in 2009, Bradley Wiggins unexpectedly duplicated Millars feat in the Tour. What is compelling in Wiggins story is that he started out in the Olympic cycling event called "pursuit" because the British value the Olympic medal more than the Tour. A pursuit is track event where two cyclists would square off at the opposite sides of the velodrome and race for the shortest time after 4km. It is an explosive event needing a particular body type. The current record for the pursuit is 4min, 10sec, and a far cry from the 3-week Tour. Wiggins won gold in the Olympic pursuit in 2004 and 2008.

In cycling, it's not easy to transform yourself from a pursuiter into a roadie, much less a climber and Grand Tour rider. But that's what Wiggins did, metamorphose from a pursuiter to a climber. He cut down his caloric intake and lost weight, a recipe for a Tour contender. His style of climbing is tempo, unlike Alberto Contador who likes changes in the pace.

In 2010, he had high hopes for bettering his 09 results but could only manage 29th place. This year, he was on form, winning the mountainous, pre-Tour event Dauphine Libere. But during the Tour, he crashed and broke his collarbone. To salvage his season, he decided to ride the VueltaaEspana.

Now, with a week to go in the Vuelta, Wiggins is nursing a 7sec lead over his teammate and domestique, Chris Froome, with 3 more mountain stages to go. Four other riders are also within a minute. Wiggins will need to keep or pad his lead since there are no more time trial stages, his forte as an ex-pursuiter, until Madrid.

For me, Wiggin's position is still precarious and his teammate, Froome, who is helping Wiggins and whose loyalty at this point is unquestionable, is as strong as the Brit. He will need all his reserves to become the first Brit to win a Grand Tour. But to label him as the first track rider to win a Grand Tour has a special ring to it!

Finally, can the police do something about the petty criminals operating at N. Bacalsao Avenue near the CitiLink terminal? Last week, I witnessed two "snatchings" with the lowlifes walking casually after the deed like they were taking a Sunday stroll……to the Azkals and all its supporters, I hope that the team can be competitive in the future. A piece of unsolicited advice though: good looks and impeccable English can only take the team so far. As of now, you are the Anna Kournikova of football. I want you to be the Pacman of football. Interestingly, the Pacman started with endearingly bad English and looks that nobody noticed. Now, he uses "gonna" and "wanna" when he speaks and Paris Hilton is a good friend.

RACE RESULTS (2011.9.3 MANDAUE RECLAMATION AREA CRIT) CAT C: 1-JV ARANETA, 2- RICKY ERMITANION, 30- SANKX ONTANILLAS CAT D: 1- MARIO BACALLA, 2- JOE ARRANGUEZ, 3- JUAN TIONGCO