But he says Chris Froome's historic treble attempt is 'doable'
Wednesday 3 February 2016 12:46, UK
Sir Bradley Wiggins believes Mark Cavendish has taken on “too much” by targeting wins at both the Tour de France and Olympic Games this summer, but he feels Chris Froome's treble attempt is "doable".
Cavendish wants to add to his tally of 26 Tour stage victories in July and then claim a first Olympic medal in the omnium on the track in Rio just three weeks later.
Elia Viviani, who will be one of his main rivals in the omnium, last month said the Tour and omnium are not compatible when ridden so close together and Wiggins, who has been training with Cavendish on the track in Manchester over the winter, fears the Italian is right.
Speaking at the Dubai Tour, where all three are racing this week, Wiggins said: "I have seen Mark a lot this winter. He has hardly been home since October. I have seen him come and rent an apartment in Manchester and come and train on the track with us every day.
"I admire what he is trying to do, but he has probably taken a bit too much on, really. It remains to be seen whether he can do it all, but if anyone can, it's probably him."
Cavendish has won almost every accolade available to him on the road and Wiggins believes he might have been better served focusing 100 per cent on the Olympics.
He added: "With his results [on the road], he could probably just come on the track full-time and ride with Team WIGGINS if he wanted to."
Froome's ambition, meanwhile, is to win the Tour on July 24, the Olympic road race on August 6 and the Olympic time trial on August 10 in what would be an historic treble.
Wiggins proved a double is possible by winning the Tour and Olympic time trial in 2012, and he believes that winning the Olympic road race in between is feasible as long as Froome is not too tired when he travels to Brazil.
He added: "It's possible, because of how close they are together. If he wins the Tour again and has got the condition, then I don't see any reason why not.
"That was the big question in London [in 2012]: whether we could win the Tour and the Olympics or be too tired. But if you finish the Tour well, there is every chance you can do well at the Olympics.
"The winner of the Olympics will come from the Tour de France, so it's doable."
