2012 Tour de France: Stage 17, Bagnères-de-Luchon - Peyragudes 143.5KM

[straydog]

How do you know? All you saw is a fleeting attack. For all we know, Froome might have fizzled out later and gained only 20 seconds.

Hear Hear! Some sense at last. And from someone with a pedigree. Congratulations for even bothering. But please expect to be absolutely contradicted by people who's only direct experience of cycling is a ten minute commute on a pavement and the occasional sportive.

 

[JimPanzen]

Froome and especially his G/f should stop these silly antics and twitter campaigns and remember the loyalty Sky has shown him over the last couple of years during his illnesses when he wasn't able to ride but they have still kept faith. Now is the time to repay that trust and do his job as agreed well before the tour started. We all know he's the best at this moment in time but that's life.

Totally agree. Especially his gf should bite her tongue, because talk like that can certainly poisen the atmosphere in the team.

Besides I don't understand why many people blame Wiggens for not letting Froome go, I don't think it was his decision but a clear order from the car. As Wiggens said in an interview this year. He's totally confident with the sports directors and would never interfer with orders they give, may it be training plans or tactical orders. He's just there for riding his bike.

 

[goggalor]

Now that was funny. Wiggins went to the front for like 10 seconds, then Froome remembered to turn the pedals and dropped him, then waited, then dropped him... and he kept gesturing for Wiggins to take the wheel!

It's just too bad Froome lost 1:25 on the first stage. Imagine how much fun it would be if he was under a minute back instead of 2? He could easily take a minute on Bradley if he was allowed to ride in the mountains. The question now is will he wait for Wiggins in the TT?

 

[stazzy]

Alberto Contador, Samuel Sanchez, Andy Schleck, etc were supposed to drop him(and they would've dropped Wiggins easily, don't kid your self), but they weren't here. What we saw was the weakest Tour field since '99.

Wiggins was just lucky that Froome was out of shape for those early stage races. Next year will be very different.

ok mate keep telling urself that

 

[Armanius]

Totally agree. Especially his gf should bite her tongue, because talk like that can certainly poisen the atmosphere in the team.

Besides I don't understand why many people blame Wiggens for not letting Froome go, I don't think it was his decision but a clear order from the car. As Wiggens said in an interview this year. He's totally confident with the sports directors and would never interfer with orders they give, may it be training plans or tactical orders. He's just there for riding his bike.

In spite of team orders, Wiggins COULD'VE told Froome to go for the stage win. IMO, he probably should have. You've got to reward the domestiques. Wiggins clearly knows that from his failed lead out of Boasson-Hagen.

 

[BillytheKid]

Now that was funny. Wiggins went to the front for like 10 seconds, then Froome remembered to turn the pedals and dropped him, then waited, then dropped him... and he kept gesturing for Wiggins to take the wheel!

It's just too bad Froome lost 1:25 on the first stage. Imagine how much fun it would be if he was under a minute back instead of 2? He could easily take a minute on Bradley if he was allowed to ride in the mountains. The question now is will he wait for Wiggins in the TT?

If Froome did have radio stuck in his ear, he end up in a bad spot. Is he showing off in front of his team leader? I think he's got talent but he might get 300 meters up the road and blow.

 

[LeafCrAzY]

I'm not Di Luca. This said, I won't be answering any further posts that attempt to discover my specific identity. I will reveal it if and when I feel like it.

I find that hard to believe....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danilo_Di_Luca

Has the exact same amount of GT's you listed....

And Di Luca's first name is "Danilo" and your username is "Danilot"

 

[JimPanzen]

In spite of team orders, Wiggins COULD'VE told Froome to go for the stage win.

I wouldn't bet on that. I think the reason for Sky running like a machine is that they don't alow riders to make personal decisions at 190bpm But who knows...

 

[alberto.legstrong]

Froome has to throw away not only Tour victory, but also one or two stage wins in this three weeks.

I would be leaving the team this night. Is it possible to split from a team during a race and continue racing independently?

I think lemond and contador did. there may be others.

 

[straydog]

Now that was funny. Wiggins went to the front for like 10 seconds, then Froome remembered to turn the pedals and dropped him, then waited, then dropped him... and he kept gesturing for Wiggins to take the wheel!

It's just too bad Froome lost 1:25 on the first stage. Imagine how much fun it would be if he was under a minute back instead of 2? He could easily take a minute on Bradley if he was allowed to ride in the mountains. The question now is will he wait for Wiggins in the TT?

pathetic showboating....when the mountains are less steep and more suited to Wiggins he drops behind and struggles....when it ramps up of course he will have an advantage. I think he has just showboated his way out of ever winning a tour with Sky to be honest. Fact is he took a contract, a handsome one, to help wiggins, not himself. Best case scenario he would have put maybe 30 seconds into Wiggins today and possibly last week too. Both TT's he's going to lose more than that and if he didn't have the rest of Sky around him he'd be further back.

Boy is an idiot, a back stabber, ungrateful and frankly effing dodgy and DB is going to be casting a mighty fine toothcomb over him before deciding if he continues in the set up.

 

[Pricey_sky]

That's the only non British rider you could remember from the top of your head? Everybody loves Jens and rightfully so...

Ok I will bite, if I wanted to find a non-Brit then I'd just look at most of the riders from 3rd place down in the GC.

I do like Jens though and the other three of my favourite riders are Tony 'panzer' Martin, Hincapie and Basso

 

[richwagmn]

pathetic showboating....when the mountains are less steep and more suited to Wiggins he drops behind and struggles....when it ramps up of course he will have an advantage. I think he has just showboated his way out of ever winning a tour with Sky to be honest. Fact is he took a contract, a handsome one, to help wiggins, not himself. Best case scenario he would have put maybe 30 seconds into Wiggins today and possibly last week too. Both TT's he's going to lose more than that and if he didn't have the rest of Sky around him he'd be further back.

Boy is an idiot, a back stabber, ungrateful and frankly effing dodgy and DB is going to be casting a mighty fine toothcomb over him before deciding if he continues in the set up.

Maybe he just doesn't want to help such an undeserving winner.

No one, but Brits, will ever talk about Wiggins win in the future because no one will remember it. Totally forgettable

 

[rainman]

Maybe he just doesn't want to help such an undeserving winner.

No one, but Brits, will ever talk about Wiggins win in the future because no one will remember it. Totally forgettable but I'm glad it helps the Brits with their self esteem issues.

This is outrageous trolling and I've flagged it as such

 

[stampedingviking]

the real tw@ts have been the idiotic anti-Sky people on this forum. All the clinic allegations without any evidence, all the really dumb predictions about how Wiggins weakens in the third week etc, the Froome implosion. There's a lot of so-called, self-styled experts here who have serious quantities of egg on their collective faces with their 'predictions' as to what was going to happen in this tour with respect to Sky and Wiggins. They've all pretty much got just about everything wrong.

It's this dumbness that is also making people pretty fed-up.

Well said, I find it really sad that you can call Wiggins "evil" and "scum" which is totally ignored by the so-called moderators, but as soon as someone celebrates a Sky win they come down like a ton of bricks.

 

[El Pistolero]

Well said, I find it really sad that you can call Wiggins "evil" and "scum" which is totally ignored by the so-called moderators, but as soon as someone celebrates a Sky win they come down like a ton of bricks.

The "Sky people" didn"t mind those doping comments in the spring.

 

[mscaviy2601]

Well said, I find it really sad that you can call Wiggins "evil" and "scum" which is totally ignored by the so-called moderators, but as soon as someone celebrates a Sky win they come down like a ton of bricks.

Yes. I'm taken to task for not respecting other nations riders (which isn't true at all) by the very same people who don't respect British riders. British cycling is in an ascendancy right now. It's curious that so many are intimidated by that. For the sake of their sport, they should be celebrating the fact that the sport they love has maybe found another big and potentially wealthy fanbase.

 

[Poursuivant]

As a football fan I used to think football forums were the worst for bias but I actually think this is worse. Someone calling WIggins "evil", oh dear, get some perspective.

And literally, in all the time i have read these boards, at least one person has described whatever race that is on as "boring", be it Paris Roubaix, Le Tour, Giro etc. These fellers are riding at their absolute maximum up horrible mountains, but it isn't enough because an anonymous username on a forum is "bored" and wants them "to do something."

I was tired just watching them today, bit of respect is due ladies and gents.

 

[la.margna]

Alberto Contador, Samuel Sanchez, Andy Schleck, etc were supposed to drop him(and they would've dropped Wiggins easily, don't kid your self), but they weren't here. What we saw was the weakest Tour field since '99.

Wiggins was just lucky that Froome was out of shape for those early stage races. Next year will be very different.

Alberto yes, definitely, Andy maybe, Samu no way.

Looking at 6W/kg instead of 6.4/6.5W/kg, seeing former top riders (and dopers) such as Basso, Valverde, Levi, etc. riding "normal" again, I'd rather call it one of the cleanest fields than weakest.
https://twitter.com/Scienceofsport/status/225697706218246144/photo/1

Can't wait to see Froome in this form in a team riding for him. There are gonna be fireworks, maaan! Maybe à la Chicken/AC style back in 2007... just a bit slower...

 

[mscaviy2601]

As a football fan I used to think football forums were the worst for bias but I actually think this is worse. Someone calling WIggins "evil", oh dear, get some perspective.

And literally, in all the time i have read these boards, at least one person has described whatever race that is on as "boring", be it Paris Roubaix, Le Tour, Giro etc. These fellers are riding at their absolute maximum up horrible mountains, but it isn't enough because an anonymous username on a forum is "bored" and wants them "to do something."

I was tired just watching them today, bit of respect is due ladies and gents.

Well said.

 

[Richeypen]

As a football fan I used to think football forums were the worst for bias but I actually think this is worse. Someone calling WIggins "evil", oh dear, get some perspective.

And literally, in all the time i have read these boards, at least one person has described whatever race that is on as "boring", be it Paris Roubaix, Le Tour, Giro etc. These fellers are riding at their absolute maximum up horrible mountains, but it isn't enough because an anonymous username on a forum is "bored" and wants them "to do something."

I was tired just watching them today, bit of respect is due ladies and gents.

I pay £2 a month to watch them, they should do exactly what I want them to

 

[Machu Picchu]

England is dominating the tour but posters here should be careful about playing us english at another sport that we're rather good at: 'playing the victim'

 

[Antianti]

It isn't exactly Wiggins fault that the only rider who could challenge him in the mountains is riding for him as a domestique. But it's also true that you are only as good as the people you beat. It should be an exciting race next year with the best riders of different styles present and a lot of young talent.

 

[straydog]

Maybe he just doesn't want to help such an undeserving winner.

No one, but Brits, will ever talk about Wiggins win in the future because no one will remember it. Totally forgettable but I'm glad it helps the Brits with their self esteem issues.

Actually I am not a brit and I will certainly be celebrating it.

And interested to know why he is so undeserving? Is that actually based on his performance, where he has bettered his rivals?

Or is it just hate?

Man you are going to be really p*ssed come the end of the second TT. And God, the Olympics....

 

[Machu Picchu]

And literally, in all the time i have read these boards, at least one person has described whatever race that is on as "boring", be it Paris Roubaix, Le Tour, Giro etc. These fellers are riding at their absolute maximum up horrible mountains, but it isn't enough because an anonymous username on a forum is "bored" and wants them "to do something."

I was tired just watching them today, bit of respect is due ladies and gents.

This. Well done kids, you played your little hearts out bless you.

 

[Ruudz0r]

I find that hard to believe....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danilo_Di_Luca

Has the exact same amount of GT's you listed....

And Di Luca's first name is "Danilo" and your username is "Danilot"

If I look at his last posts (only looked at one page) then I think the biggest chance he is Dutch, which means he could be Addy Engels he has 9 giro's 2 tours and 4 Vuelta (if wiki is correct) (instead of 5) so thats pretty close .