- Jun 7, 2011
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Getting pretty tired with the crying arses on here now, it's like a bunch of petulant kids. So Froome beat Contador and Rodriguez in a TT by 9 seconds and the reactions are akin to: "rofl, lmao, armstrong, this is ridiculous, generic spitting of dummy out." Froome rode Ventoux slower than Kreuziger a few years ago, and there was page after page after page of "full ***, this is a joke, alien mode." If you suspect Froome, go to the Clinic ffs.
- Aug 5, 2009
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Kender said:
He looked in bad shape and he was riding well, heading for a top 10 on the stage. What a shame after doing so well up till now.
- Jun 15, 2009
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- May 15, 2011
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- Mar 25, 2013
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LaFlorecita said:
That was encouraging today. More of what we should expect from Contador but I can understand the deflation after being up on the second split. I like to know who's decision it was not to change bikes at that situation. It probably costed him the win.
- Jul 7, 2013
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Today differences in power to weight ratio (on climbs) between Froome and the rest were much smaller than on Ax3Domain and Mt Ventoux. There are two ways of explaining it:
1) Froome's form is slightiy declining while some of his rivals are about to peak in the last week of the Tour. In this scenario there can still be some interesting action in the next 3 days. The likes of Contador, Rodriguez, Valverde and Quintana surely want to win alpine stages (especially Alpe d' Huez) and they will try to attack Froome. If todays performance is a benchmark to their form then remaining alpine stages can be more interesting and not dominated by one man. Maybe someone (like Contador) will try to attack from distance (i.e. on first Alpe d' Huez ascent) and put pressure on Froome? That would be an ideal scenerio. I think Contador will try regardless of Froome actual form.
2) Froome was not going full gas and had in mind gruelling alpine stages. If that is the case then tomorrow can be another demonstration of power by Cris. However I think that Froome will be riding more defensively in next days. He surely does not want to raise more speculations and comparisons to some Texan and other cyclists also want their share of mountain victories.
1) Froome's form is slightiy declining while some of his rivals are about to peak in the last week of the Tour. In this scenario there can still be some interesting action in the next 3 days. The likes of Contador, Rodriguez, Valverde and Quintana surely want to win alpine stages (especially Alpe d' Huez) and they will try to attack Froome. If todays performance is a benchmark to their form then remaining alpine stages can be more interesting and not dominated by one man. Maybe someone (like Contador) will try to attack from distance (i.e. on first Alpe d' Huez ascent) and put pressure on Froome? That would be an ideal scenerio. I think Contador will try regardless of Froome actual form.
2) Froome was not going full gas and had in mind gruelling alpine stages. If that is the case then tomorrow can be another demonstration of power by Cris. However I think that Froome will be riding more defensively in next days. He surely does not want to raise more speculations and comparisons to some Texan and other cyclists also want their share of mountain victories.
- Feb 1, 2011
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Aditya said:
Tranquilo. Very happy.
Froome did exactly as much as he needed to do. Increasing his time advantage wasn't necessary, just winning the stage.
Better to safe energy and write cycling history tomorrow to win on Alpe d'Huez in addition to Ventoux and possibly complete the MTF quadruple. Achievements that are very nearly unpredecented in the history of the sport.
Said in the interview he didn't go 100% he could have done and tried to save as much energy as possible for tomorrow.
I am willing to believe him.
I am willing to believe him.
- Jan 3, 2011
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If he wasn't going full gas why did he bother to change to a bike with bigger gear etc for the descent. Bull****. Also Contador said he didn't go 100% on the descent cos he was scared of crashing again after yesterday. Again I don't believe that to much (might have taken a few corners easy but that's it)
- Jul 6, 2013
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Gloin22 said:
He said this yesterday on ITV4 here in the UK... That the others GC contenders would scrap it out, and he would consolidate... Porte said the same thing. take it easy tough stages coming up.
The Sky riders where having a day out on the mountains, while Contador & Co were ripping chunks out of each other.
I was sure Froome was going to get off his bike to walk around those corners today... He was bricking it when the rain came down!
If he really had to put the effort in he would have won by +30 seconds.
Contador changing bikes... Maybe he could have won today. Froome just had to get a time, and he did... I belive him when he said he was shocked, you all saw him decending there.... Did you think he was going to win? I didn't.
Maybe Froome will crack, but do you honestly think that he will?
Whatever you think of him, he is the best all round rider at this Tour...
The only way he will lose is crashing out.
- Jan 3, 2011
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Holm: the effect of bike change was immense. The riders on OPQS who changed to a TT bike went up to 100 km/h while those on regular bikes went 70 km/h. Cav on a regular bike was overtaken by an Euskatel rider on a TT bike on the decent and couldn't keep up at all.
Holm says Saxo would have won had they changed bike.
Holm says Saxo would have won had they changed bike.
- May 15, 2011
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- Jun 14, 2010
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LaFlorecita said:
Its not that black and white. Contador always prefers to do things his own way. Its not the first time he decides to do things differently.
First of all, its possible with the elbow injury he didnt want to go on a full tt bike. And wanted more comfort on the descent after falling off yesterday. Peraud fell off on that corner at the end and Mollema almost did. Contador said himself he took the descent easy and its possible that was just better for him. Not worth going through those corners faster but more awkwardly for 10 measly seconds.
But more importantly mentally maybe he didnt want it. TDF is a lot of stress if Contador decides he wants to use 1 bike - like he did, just let it do him that way.
Nadal for example cracks mentally when his bottles arent placed symetrically.
I wouldnt want Contador stressing the whole tt about the bike change, about tt position about the corners. Contador was the one that made the decision not RIis. Once he makes that decision back him 100% and let him focus on the race.
If it backfires, **** it. 10 seconds and maybe the stage win. Its a shame but its not the end of the world. Valverde lost 10 minutes on a mechanical afterall and Peraud just lost his chance to finish another top 10. You may say - oh but i wanted the stage win, well maybe he would have crashed again. Already has 3 times this tour. Youd risk that for a stage win?
- Aug 29, 2009
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Cimber said:
propably it was mentioned before, but on his website Kreuziger said that it was his own decision because the roads were wet and he felt safer on the roadbike. In hindsight he could have gone quicker on a timetrial bike but he did not want to take any unnecessary risks for a couple of seconds
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