Brian Smith and Bradley Wiggins on concussions, Bardet and how health always has to come first
Updated 12/09/2020 at 19:41 GMT
In today's episode of the Breakaway Brian Smith and Bradley Wiggins discuss concussions and rider safety. They also chat about Sam Bennett and the race for the green jersey.
Former team manager Brian Smith joined Daniel Lloyd and Sir Bradley Wiggins on The Breakaway and the topic of concussions was the order of the day.
French rider Romain Bardet is out of the Tour following a concussion and new information from his team AG2R La Mondiale revealed that there was slight bleeding around his brain.
Smith said: “I think it was back in 2017 with Toms Skujins and he was all over the place trying to get back on his bike.
“I know that Romain Bardet would want to get back on the bike but you have to stop.
“If he was tested and he was OK to ride on, and we get these delayed feelings afterwards..."
At this stage Wiggins interjected: “A 20-minute assessment is not in a clinical setting, is it?
“It's a 20-minute assessment on a bike with a helmet and sunglasses on.
I don't see how that is a normal 20-minute assessment.
"As a team manager Brian, if there's any question about your riders, you're not concerned about them starting the next day, you're saying, ‘get him off,’”
Smith, who managed three teams between 2011-2016 said: “Health comes first. Not only their health. I've seen someone put back on their bike when they're a wee bit wobbly.
“What are they doing? Not only they might crash again later, they might crash in a bunch and take others out.”
The pair also touched on the race for the green jersey. Peter Sagan managed to claw back time on Sam Bennett after a devastating attack but neither Wiggins nor Smith were worried about the Irish rider.
“He actually looked really good on that first climb today," Wiggins said "It was just towards the top that he started losing his legs. He’s climbing well, he just lacked that little bit… maybe one more teammate. But he’s doing alright!
“Even on the long climb it was only about 1km from the summit that he got dislodged. Peter Sagan, as good as he is, Sam Bennett would have had the easier stage fourteen of the two and these days all add up. Where Sam has got the strength over Sagan is in that straight line sprint and that’s why Sagan is having to adopt these tactics because he’s lacking confidence in doing that."
“He'll know that tomorrow's stage, the intermediate sprint comes,” Smith added. “I can't see Sagan taking any points off him in tomorrow's stage.”
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