Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[samhocking]

Yes, but Froome's salary was already way overvalued after a career threatening injury when he was already showing signs of not being the dominant rider he was even before the crash.

2020 results should be enough to not warrant a multimillion multiyear contract like the one he got.

But for that, it takes two to tango, and Froome shoule be praised for achieving that contract. If anyone is to blame is the Israeli team negotiators.

But that is business, the contract was negotiated and agreed based on all that happened and already known, it's all a risk. Had ISN not signed him, sure they would have no risk, but then no potential of winning a GT. I think the bigger issue is probably ISN do no operate at the level of Ineos & Jumbo, it's all about budget and resources.

 

[SHAD0W93]

But that is business, the contract was negotiated and agreed based on all that happened and already known, it's all a risk. Had ISN not signed him, sure they would have no risk, but then no potential of winning a GT. I think the bigger issue is probably ISN do no operate at the level of Ineos & Jumbo, it's all about budget and resources.

Actually, Israel had a far better potential to win a GT without wasting the money on Froome to be able to sign other riders.

Yes, it’s all Israel’s fault Froome hasn’t returned to his Sky level.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Different eras I suppose but I believe it's been well documented that Miguel Indurain refused a large contract offered by Manolo Saiz before calling it quits, i.e. because he knew he was past it, basically. He chose reputation > money.

I mean fair play to Christopher Froome for taking the big contract... but he should live with all the ensuing consequences to his sporting reputation. I don't make the rules, i.e. a former champ getting mauled out there is always bad look, especially when it goes on & on & on & on to the point of parody.

And this comes after the 'clinic' incident (which belongs in the other part of the forum) which didn't do his image any good whatsoever either. I suppose I might have answered my own question there (i.e. he took the money because his name was worth less than before) but he still looks like a royal chump spinning those little gears, elbows sticking out, getting dropped by the bunch... all whilst spouting stuff which is a weird mishmash of trolling & delusion (people can decide for themselves whether he's been genuine with his outlandish comments or not).

It is entertaining though, in a curious sort of way. But he's pretty much done now because there isn't a single other team with a ticket to the TdF 2024 which will offer him a position in the team. So now he can either bow out gracefully... or not!

Also, AC was very good still when he retired. Not the same as at his peak, but still capable of winning a Giro or a Vuelta in the right circumstances. After his initial GI- caused flop on the early mountain stage in the 2017 Vuelta, he was arguably the strongest climber. But he chose to go out the champion’s way with a victory on Angliru when he likely realized he was no longer capable of winning the Tour.

 

[tonymikejoe]

Have we all really come to terms with the consequences of Chris Froome's TdF omission?
No daily updates on this thread about his failings now.
I am gutted.

 

[samhocking]

Actually, Israel had a far better potential to win a GT without wasting the money on Froome to be able to sign other riders.

Yes, it’s all Israel’s fault Froome hasn’t returned to his Sky level.

I didn't say it's anyone fault, I said they don't have the budget to compete ie at the team level. Do you see Israel with the +100 staff Ineos & Jumbo employ? No, it makes a difference. It's not a surprise Jumbo said they were chasing Sky copying everything they did, increasing budget, marginal gains etc and did that in a similar time it took Sky. I'm not saying putting Froome in Jumbo makes him a GT winner again, simply that even a prime Froome would struggle in Israels setup. GC position isn't necessarily indicative of a riders level, more the level of the team and everything coming together and snowballing like we witnessed in Sky and Jumbo.

 

[Taxus4a]

Quite sad he is not at le Tour. He didnt show a superlevel so far this year, but he focused everything at le Tour, and it is the race more suits him.
To go with Neilants and Boivin trying to help Corbin to win a stage is much less interesting for a lot of people, and similar or less likely that to try to win a stage with Froome in the mountains. All of them deserved it, but you can add Froome give more publicity. How many people are going to ask for a sign for the rest of the team?? maybe some to Woods, no more.
For lot of people this Tour in now less interesnting.
Disapointing with the team decissision.
Hope to know soon his next races and he can show a goof level, but his best level is in 3 weeks races.

 

[lenric]

Quite sad he is not at le Tour. He didnt show a superlevel so far this year, but he focused everything at le Tour, and it is the race more suits him.
To go with Neilants and Boivin trying to help Corbin to win a stage is much less interesting for a lot of people, and similar or less likely that to try to win a stage with Froome in the mountains. All of them deserved it, but you can add Froome give more publicity. How many people are going to ask for a sign for the rest of the team?? maybe some to Woods, no more.
For lot of people this Tour in now less interesnting.
Disapointing with the team decissision.
Hope to know soon his next races and he can show a goof level, but his best level is in 3 weeks races.

only this year?
he has been *** ever since his crash

 

[Black Betsy]

Froom as a breathing/descending consultant on Pog's team

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

he can show a goof level,

A fitting typo.

 

[gunara]

A fitting typo.

You're so mean (I had hard time restraining myself from pointing it out yesterday🤣, but I managed)

 

[RedheadDane]

For lot of people this Tour in now less interesnting.

Because a lot of people take a dark interesting in noting when Froome gets dropped.

 

[rallybanana]

For lot of people this Tour in now less interesnting.

Rest of the season is now less interesting. No Pologne, Benelux Tour, or Vuelta for team Israel. The only hope to see Froome at a world tour stage race is the Tour of Guangxi

 

[SafeBet]

All of them deserved it, but you can add Froome give more publicity. How many people are going to ask for a sign for the rest of the team?? maybe some to Woods, no more.

Publicity won't save you from relegation.
IPT has clearly a different approach now (and it worked beautifully at the Giro).

 

[Savant12]

On second thoughts, Froome should keep riding just so we can keep the page count ahead of the Remco thread.

 

[jmdirt]

Ok then - who pays them? The teams? Why? Because fans buy the products their sponsors promote… I thought that much was clear…

Unless the teams are making loss with their assets (and in Froome’s case, that’s very much a possibility) it’s always fans who pay them.

In many/most cases companies sponsor teams for brand awareness/advertisement. Sometimes that brand awareness isn't an item like bikes, shoes, flooring, online education, or vehicles, but its for tourism, or public relations. In some cases though, its just ultra rich people having fun.

 

[jmdirt]

I wonder how much longer he can be the face of the sponsored goods he's promoting to benefit nutrition and training without achieving any meaningful results.

At least until this contract runs out...

 

[jmdirt]

Different eras I suppose but I believe it's been well documented that Miguel Indurain refused a large contract offered by Manolo Saiz before calling it quits, i.e. because he knew he was past it, basically. He chose reputation > money.

I mean fair play to Christopher Froome for taking the big contract... but he should live with all the ensuing consequences to his sporting reputation. I don't make the rules, i.e. a former champ getting mauled out there is always bad look, especially when it goes on & on & on & on to the point of parody.

And this comes after the 'clinic' incident (which belongs in the other part of the forum) which didn't do his image any good whatsoever either. I suppose I might have answered my own question there (i.e. he took the money because his name was worth less than before) but he still looks like a royal chump spinning those little gears, elbows sticking out, getting dropped by the bunch... all whilst spouting stuff which is a weird mishmash of trolling & delusion (people can decide for themselves whether he's been genuine with his outlandish comments or not).

It is entertaining though, in a curious sort of way. But he's pretty much done now because there isn't a single other team with a ticket to the TdF 2024 which will offer him a position in the team. So now he can either bow out gracefully... or not!

I wonder if he could save some face by being a domestique for the final years of his contract?

 

[Izzyeviel]

you have to have some ability to be a a domestique. He couldn't do what Ben Swift did for G at the Giro

 

[fmk_RoI]

I wonder if he could save some face by being a domestique for the final years of his contract?

Isn't that what's been doing the last few years already?

 

[fmk_RoI]

Would Clive have been better off with a team like TotalEnergies? Sagan got selected there and I can't see many betting on him winning anything, not even a combativity consolation prize. (Days since last win: 365.)

 

[red_flanders]

Isn't that what's been doing the last few years already?

Honestly, he's mostly been pack fill who rides for his own best time, presumably trying to see where he is fitness wise. Most other riders and teams figure that out in training camps and via data, so it's weird. Definitely has done domestique duty on occasion, but it's been the exception.

 

[samhocking]

In many/most cases companies sponsor teams for brand awareness/advertisement. Sometimes that brand awareness isn't an item like bikes, shoes, flooring, online education, or vehicles, but its for tourism, or public relations. In some cases though, its just ultra rich people having fun.

This is true. I remember the marketing reasons T-Mobile remained in the sport long after their planned investment period in the sport, was they noticed disparate offices, departments and their managers had a common interest, a team to support, essentially a team building and communication improvement and compeitive advantage which led to increased productivity that more than paid for the cost of sponsoring the team. I'm sure exactly the same is true for teams like Ineos.

 

[JimPanzen]

Isn't that what's been doing the last few years already?

No, he rode his own race trying to cling on as long as possible without doing any significant work (yes I know he occasionally was seen doing a pull here and there for approximately 2-5ms each, but I won't count that as domestique work, let alone meaningful decisive one).

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Saddest news of the week: Froome won‘t race this TdF…

With all respect to Kjell Carlström and others who might have decided - but sorry, I cannot understand this decision.

This team is about Froome, who has won the TdF GC for four times. They selected eight good riders, but this team is about Froome; they do not really get noticed for stage wins or breakaway kilometers, they just get noticed for Chris Froome. Every spectator just wants to know, how is Froome, how has he been doing, how did he look, is there hope for #5, and so on.

Froome is CN forum first page material, and no other rider from ISN is… Two days to the Grand Depart, Froome not selected, but still everyone talks about Froome.

Maybe something Kjell Carlström et al should think about next time, in 2024…

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Two days to the Grand Depart, Froome not selected, but still everyone talks about Froome.

Since Tuesday morning the only one in here talking about Froome is you with this post