Sir Bradley Wiggins’ wife launches attack on Chris Froome

The wife of Sir Bradley Wiggins has apologised after branding Chris Froome a ‘slithering reptile’ and accusing Team Sky of sacrificing her husband to protect their star rider.

Wiggins and Froome fell out when they were Sky team-mates at the 2012 Tour de France and in the past their wives, Cath Wiggins and Michelle Froome, have clashed on social media.

The acrimony resurfaced in spectacular fashion this week when Mrs Wiggins responded to the news that Froome had failed a drugs test in September and was facing a potentially ruinous doping ban.

Sir Bradley Wiggins’ wife, Cath, has been forced to apologise for her outburst at Chris Froome

On Wednesday, Wiggins wife blasted Froome (left) as a reptile in light of his recent drugs test

On Wednesday, Wiggins wife blasted Froome (left) as a reptile in light of his recent drugs test

However, on Thursday she apologised citing it as a 'heat of the moment thing'

However, on Thursday she apologised citing it as a ‘heat of the moment thing’

Apparently bitter about Froome’s less-than-sympathetic response to the controversy that has surrounded her husband in the last 15 months, Cath Wiggins posted an explosive message on Facebook on Wednesday, complaining about the coverage.

‘I am going to be sick,’ she wrote. ‘Nothing in the news. If I was given to conspiracy theory I’d allege they’d thrown my boy under the bus on purpose to cover for this slithering reptile.’

The post was accompanied by a photograph of Froome riding in this year’s Vuelta a Espana – a race he won, but during which Froome provided a urine sample with an excessive amount of an asthma drug – and implied she was unhappy with Sky’s role in the damage her husband’s reputation has suffered.

The post was deleted later on Wednesday and she then posted an apology on Thursday but scans of the original surfaced on social media.

‘Sorry everyone for my emotional comments and insults,’ she said. ‘Too much stress has got the better of me. Heat of the moment thing and certainly not my intent to fan any flames.’

Wiggins and Froome fell out when they were Sky team-mates at the 2012 Tour de France

Wiggins and Froome fell out when they were Sky team-mates at the 2012 Tour de France

Wiggins embraces his wife after winning gold in the men's Team Pursuit at the Rio Olympics

Wiggins embraces his wife after winning gold in the men’s Team Pursuit at the Rio Olympics

The couple then shared a kiss after Wiggins' triumph at last year's Olympics

The couple then shared a kiss after Wiggins’ triumph at last year’s Olympics

Froome with his wife Michelle Cound in July at the Red Cross Ball Gala in Monaco

Froome with his wife Michelle Cound in July at the Red Cross Ball Gala in Monaco

This is not the first time Mrs Wiggins has had a heated outburst on social media. 

She had a fiery exchange with Froome’s now wife Michelle on Twitter during the 2012 Tour when Wiggins felt his team-mate was disloyal.

During Stage 11 of that tour Froome’s job was to act as super-domestique to Wiggins; to protect his team leader’s position in the yellow jersey, often by guiding him up the Tour’s most brutal climbs.

But four kilometres from the top Froome attacked, springing out of his saddle and not only racing away from his rivals for a place on the podium – he would finish second in Paris – but from Wiggins. 

Mrs Wiggins praised other members of the Sky Team that year, including Michael Rogers and Richie Porte, commending them for ‘genuine, selfless effort and true professionalism’.

Michelle Froome responded by saying: ‘If you want loyalty, get a Froome-dog, a quality I value although being taken advantage of by others!’ 

She reignited the feud in 2013, when Froome won the Tour for the first time.

She attacked Wiggins for not congratulating Chris, adding that he and Cath should have ‘been a bit more classy and sent a message of congratulations.’ 

Then following the furore surrounding Wiggins’ use of Therapeutic Use Exemptions last year Froome took a swipe at his former team mate, saying: ‘I take my position in the sport very seriously and I know that I have to not only abide by the rules, but also go above and beyond that to set a good example both morally and ethically.’

Froome took part in a training session at Mallorca on Thursday despite questions being asked

Froome took part in a training session at Mallorca on Thursday despite questions being asked

Mrs Wiggins’ latest attack on Froome simply added to Sky’s problems on Thursday when they had already been rocked rocked by an attack on Chris Froome by another leading cyclist and the news that their owners have agreed a deal to sell to Disney.

As Froome continued to protest his innocence after failing a drugs test in September, one of his main rivals branded it ‘a scandal’ that the Tour de France champion has not already been suspended. Tony Martin, the German four-times world time trial champion, claimed ‘a double standard’ was being applied.

But the crisis deepened for the under-fire British cycling team when it was confirmed that Rupert Murdoch is preparing to sell his stakes in 21st Century Fox and Sky to the Disney empire in a £49billion deal.

It is too early to say if it will mark the end of the fairytale for Team Sky after their dominance on the professional road cycling circuit for the last six years.

But when the team has been dogged by doping controversies for more than a year it has been the seemingly unwavering support of James Murdoch and Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch that has eased the considerable pressure on team principal Sir Dave Brailsford.

Tony Martin says the failure to ban  Froome over his adverse drugs test is a 'scandal'

Tony Martin says the failure to ban Froome over his adverse drugs test is a ‘scandal’

Froome pictured on September 7 - the day he provided the sample containing salbutamol

Froome pictured on September 7 – the day he provided the sample containing salbutamol

But Froome's urine test from the Vuelta a Espana contained double the allowed dose of salbutamol, it has emerged. He is pictured after winning the race in Madrid on September 10

But Froome’s urine test from the Vuelta a Espana contained double the allowed dose of salbutamol, it has emerged. He is pictured after winning the race in Madrid on September 10

CHRIS FROOME’S MAJOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS 

Winner of Tour de France – (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)

Olympic Games time trial – (2012 bronze, 2016 bronze)

Vuelta a Espana – (2017)

Criterium du Dauphine – (2013, 2015, 2016) 

Tour de Romandie – (2013, 2014) 

Sky own 85 per cent of Team Sky with 21st Century Fox owning the remaining 15 per cent but on Thursday the futures of both James Murdoch and Darroch were unclear.

It could be some time before the takeover is complete and by then the situation concerning Froome’s adverse analytical finding at the Vuelta a Espana is sure to be resolved.

As Froome conceded on Thursday while on his training camp in Mallorca, the controversy surrounding the sample he provided on September 7 has already been ‘damaging’.

Martin displayed a lack of understanding when it comes to the rules concerning an adverse analytical finding and an asthma drug like salbutamol. A failed test for a ‘specified substance’ does not result in a mandatory provisional suspension, with the athlete given the opportunity to first provide evidence to explain how they might have exceeded the permitted level. Froome was double the ceiling amount of 1000ng/ml.

Even so, Martin argued on Thursday that Froome should have been suspended the World Championships that followed the Vuelta in September. Froome went on to win two bronze medals in the individual and team time trials – medals he will be stripped of should the International Cycling Union suspend him – and Martin said: ‘I am totally angry.

Martin says the incident is a blow to to the anti-doping fight he's leading with Marcel Kittel

Martin says the incident is a blow to to the anti-doping fight he’s leading with Marcel Kittel

Froome became the first British man in history to win the Vuelta a Espana

The Team Sky star won the Tour de France before going on to triumph in Spain

Froome became the first British man in history to win the Vuelta a Espana in September

‘There is definitely a double standard being applied.

That is a scandal, and he should at least not have been allowed to appear in the World Championships.’

Martin also claimed that he had the ‘impression that there is wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes’ and questioned whether Team Sky and Froome were enjoying a ‘special status’.

‘We need a consequent and transparent approach by the UCI,’ Martin added. ‘What is going on here is inconsequent, not transparent, unprofessional and unfair.’

Froome is still planning to give a live interview to the BBC on Sunday for their Sports Personality of the Year programme.

Froome is concerned about the potential impact of his positive test on other asthmatics

Froome is concerned about the potential impact of his positive test on other asthmatics

The Kenya-born Brit has had a glorious career, winning the Tour de France four times

The Kenya-born Brit has had a glorious career, winning the Tour de France four times

 



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