2014 Tour of Oman, Feb. 18-22 (2.HC)

[Dazed and Confused]

Nice front group today. All solid riders in good form. Now stage 5:

The "hill" at end:

Normally I would back J-Rod here, but my money is on the other rockstar: Uran.

 

[straightjacker]

Froomey has been spry so far.
I suppose he's looking forward to this one.

 

[Arredondo]

Purito is just playing hide and seek this Oman. He and Froome are goint to fight for the stage honours.

 

[SKSemtex]

****. I would easily change the whole OG for the live stream from tommorow stage. All those big "Machos" with blood in they balls on the bottom of that hill.

Evan radio stream ala "San Luis" could be helpful although I understand only each 20th spanish word

 

[jens_attacks]

i think froome won't drop kreuziger tomorrow.

 

[EnacheV]

i think froome won't drop kreuziger tomorrow.

“Each time we would get a small gap and it would come back together again,” Froome said at the finish. “Anyone attacking was pretty much attacking straight into a headwind and making it easy for people to get on the wheel and to follow.”

Froome’s aggression took some of his opposition by surprise; not because of his strength but because of Sky’s usual defensive tactics.

“I was kind of predicting that Sky were going to set their traditional hard tempo but then they started launching attacks which is a bit of a different tactic to what I’m used to them doing,” Tejay van Garderen told CW.

“Quickstep were aggressive the last time up the ascent and Froome put in a monster attack into the headwind and dropped us from his wheel,” he added.

“He’s definitely not playing any poker; he’s letting everyone know how strong he is, and he’s certainly strong.”

Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...e-attack-tour-oman-115691#DOul6LU75U8kcZ4T.99

tomorrow will be a very interesting day

 

[manafana]

uran is on my lips too, stuck with both moves today, this is a guy who rode 2 top weeks in the giro last year hes true class and didnt always get to show that at sky.


Froome is favourite and rightly so but he is beatable here were the climb is bit different to the usual.

 

[greenedge]

This picture is so confusing, I won't be able to sleep tonight pondering all of the big questions of life. Standing Gavazzi, Nibali or Huffman? Moreno or Purito or even a Lotto rider?

He was the 2nd person dropped from the break- so I'm sure its not him.

 

[hayzer114]

For anyone who has been following the race. How has Nico Roche being going? coming back from a knee injury he stated that he wouldn't be in top form. I know he attacked near the end on stage 3 and he finished around 40 seconds back today. Can anyone add anything more on his form so far. Green mountain will be the big test.

 

[manafana]

For anyone who has been following the race. How has Nico Roche being going? coming back from a knee injury he stated that he wouldn't be in top form. I know he attacked near the end on stage 3 and he finished around 40 seconds back today. Can anyone add anything more on his form so far. Green mountain will be the big test.

Has said on twitter he is still getting right and no ambitions for now

 

[Jancouver]

Stage 4 highlights in English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md-srshSXYU

 

[JRanton]

uran is on my lips too, stuck with both moves today, this is a guy who rode 2 top weeks in the giro last year hes true class and didnt always get to show that at sky.


Froome is favourite and rightly so but he is beatable here were the climb is bit different to the usual.

Definitely. It's far from his ideal climb. If it was constant 7.5-8% average then I'd struggle to see anyone beating him but on Green Mountain Purito especially will be very difficult to beat.

 

[Ferminal]

Since when does Froome struggle on extreme gradients? The length of Green Mountain means Purito has no real advantage.

 

[straightjacker]

Definitely. It's far from his ideal climb. If it was constant 7.5-8% average then I'd struggle to see anyone beating him but on Green Mountain Purito especially will be very difficult to beat.

How about La Planche des Belles Filles?

 

[JRanton]

Since when does Froome struggle on extreme gradients? The length of Green Mountain means Purito has no real advantage.

I never said he struggles on extreme gradients.* I said it's far from his ideal climb. There's a difference.

Green Mountain isn't that long. 5.7km.

* Although the Tirreno stage last year would be an example.

 

[JRanton]

How about La Planche des Belles Filles?

What about it?

The most impressive performances I've seen from Froome have been on constant(ish) 7.5%-8% gradients.

 

[straightjacker]

What about it?

The most impressive performances I've seen from Froome have been on constant(ish) 7.5%-8% gradients.

Length, gradient, irregularity...
Nothing, if you say so.

 

[Ferminal]

I never said he struggles on extreme gradients.* I said it's far from his ideal climb. There's a difference.

Green Mountain isn't that long. 5.7km.

* Although the Tirreno stage last year would be an example.

~20 minutes, more than enough to drain Purito's tank given appropriate tactics. Under those circumstances a Rodriguez win on Green Mountain would translate to a win anywhere.

 

[JRanton]

Length, gradient, irregularity...
Nothing, if you say so.

I think Froome had such a superiority in fitness over anyone on PDBF that the gradient of the climb didn't matter.

 

[JRanton]

~20 minutes, more than enough to drain Purito's tank given appropriate tactics. Under those circumstances a Rodriguez win on Green Mountain would translate to a win anywhere.

I think it's much easier to blow the Purito tank on 7.5%-8% as opposed to 10%+.

 

[straightjacker]

I think Froome had such a superiority in fitness over anyone on PDBF that the gradient of the climb didn't matter.

Fair enough, but it looks like that ascertainment that Green Mountain type of climb isn't his cup of tea doesn't stand.

 

[JRanton]

Fair enough, but it looks like that ascertainment that Green Mountain type of climb isn't his cup of tea doesn't stand.

I stand by what I said. It's far from his ideal climb. Whereas for Purito, although he'd prefer a 1km wall, this is as about as good as it gets for him with the length of effort required.

 

[Ferminal]

I think it's much easier to blow the Purito tank on 7.5%-8% as opposed to 10%+.

Like he's more efficient on higher gradients or something? To an extent that it even outweighs the lack of drafting benefit?

 

[straightjacker]

I stand by what I said. It's far from his ideal climb. Whereas for Purito, although he'd prefer a 1km wall, this is as about as good as it gets for him with the length of effort required.

I agree about Purito's chances... Much better than up the long drag (whatever the gradient is).
But is there, currently, a type of climb on which we can say Froome is disadvantaged?
Based on what we've seen in last couple of seasons, only an effort prolonged through couple of weeks racing can trouble him.
Not a climb by itself.

 

[JRanton]

Like he's more efficient on higher gradients or something? To an extent that it even outweighs the lack of drafting benefit?

Yes (relative to the opposition).