2016 TdF, Stage 8: Pau → Bagnères-de-Luchon (184km)

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

The other rides should be ashamed of themselves. Letting Froome ride away like that. He's not Bardet or Nibali or something. Simply no one wanted to put the effort into reeling him in

It wasn't laziness. It was foolishness. They all let Valverde pace the downhill, which would ordinarily be a sensible thing to do. But Valverde was limiting himself to a pace that Quintana was comfortable with.

They all have their DS screaming the time gaps in their ears - it was clear very quickly that Valverde wasn't pulling it back so they should have gunned it themselves.

By the time that Froome was 12 or 15 seconds ahead, yes. In particular BMC should have hit the front as hard as possible as should Yates.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

If Quintana had "taken responsibility" and led the chase himself, Froome would have taken another twenty seconds on him.

Exactly. People need to check out this descent; it's not some technical downhill where you gradually gain time on each corner. It's more or less a straight line from top to bottom - Froome has a 10+kg weight advantage, Quintana had no chance of getting anywhere near him solo.

 

[Squirbos_19]

Let's not forget that Froome didn't get a gap on the actual climb, he never went all out but he did attack. The Tour is not over yet and to me it seems like he's a bit worried about his ability to drop them all on the climbs. Not discrediting his descent, that was phenomenal, but it was a new tactic.

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

The other rides should be ashamed of themselves. Letting Froome ride away like that. He's not Bardet or Nibali or something. Simply no one wanted to put the effort into reeling him in

It wasn't laziness. It was foolishness. They all let Valverde pace the downhill, which would ordinarily be a sensible thing to do. But Valverde was limiting himself to a pace that Quintana was comfortable with.

They all have their DS screaming the time gaps in their ears - it was clear very quickly that Valverde wasn't pulling it back so they should have gunned it themselves.

By the time that Froome was 12 or 15 seconds ahead, yes. In particular BMC should have hit the front as hard as possible as should Yates.

Why would Porte chase his team mate

 

[aarononymous]

It looked like Quintana may have panicked and dropped his bottle when Froome attacked, perhaps he was looking for a teammate as he didn't want to go solo without water? Definitely saw a bottle fall but maybe that was his empty. Of course he would want Bala for support as well.

 

[hrotha]

Quintana's real mistake was not trying to take advantage of the part of the stage that really suited him and choosing to go into the descent with everybody together. It was a surprise that Froome himself went, but really, that some GC contender or another would get a gap was almost inevitable.

As always, his attitude is his undoing. "There's still many mountain stages to come". "I'm still young, there'll be other Tours". "Oh my, I'm retiring at the end of the season and never won the Tour, how did this happen?".

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I didn't even know that you could do what Froome is doing now.

He invented something new.

Sagan, worlds 2015

Mohoric did it first

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

All four jerseys are apparently held by British riders.

Are you sure? Has Cav even finished yet? He must be very close to the time limit.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Froome coughing repeatedly again.

You keep mentioning that but it isn't surprising at all after a hard effort.

Sorry. I want all the favourites battling, and the cough immediately worries me.

 

[cineteq]

Re: Re:

By the time that Froome was 12 or 15 seconds ahead, yes. In particular BMC should have hit the front as hard as possible as should Yates.

Bardet and BMC leaving their fate to Valverde an Movistar

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

Disagree, if he had reacted quickly then he'd have stopped the flow of a few seconds and eventually Valverde would have caught up and been able to lead from the front.

Froome is more explosive, heavier and a better descender. The more Quintana "takes responsibility" the more time he loses. Letting Valverde lead was exactly the right thing to do. Your "taking responsibility" point is complete nonsense.

 

[Velolover2]

Henao did very well as Froome's last man. Proves that he is not only an attacker.

 

[Hayabusa]

Re: Re:

Disagree, if he had reacted quickly then he'd have stopped the flow of a few seconds and eventually Valverde would have caught up and been able to lead from the front.

Froome is more explosive, heavier and a better descender. The more Quintana "takes responsibility" the more time he loses. Letting Valverde lead was exactly the right thing to do. Your "taking responsibility" point is complete nonsense.

We can disagree, no need to get heated.

If Quintana loses this tour then he only has himself to blame (just like last year).

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

I didn't even know that you could do what Froome is doing now.

He invented something new.

Sagan, worlds 2015

Mohoric did it first

Yup, and I've seen Kwiatkowski do it as well.

 

[cineteq]

Re: Re:

Why would Porte chase his team mate

Sure it looked that way...

 

[MatParker117]

That's what I get for trusting Kirby.

 

[WildspokeJoe]

Really like the move by Froome. Who attacks the descent?
Puts him yellow. Psychological blow to rivals. He's basically saying this is my race and I'll take the jersey when I want it and how I take is up to me.

Unnoted, is that now the Team Sky car sits #1 in the caravan.
Tomorrow is the day the tour will be decided.
Sky train will be in full effect.

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

Froome coughing repeatedly again.

You keep mentioning that but it isn't surprising at all after a hard effort.

Sorry. I want all the favourites battling, and the cough immediately worries me.

Not to mention he's be caughing for some time now, and not just after the stages. A Portuguese ES interviewer noticed it when she was talking to him before the stage start two days ago.

 

[roundabout]

Re: Re:

All four jerseys are apparently held by British riders.

Are you sure? Has Cav even finished yet? He must be very close to the time limit.

The time limit should be almost 45 minutes by my very quick count

 

[cineteq]

Re:

Henao did very well as Froome's last man. Proves that he is not only an attacker.

He proved long time ago he's GC caliber, but Sky thinks any British rider is better than him

 

[Mayo from Mayo]

Re: Re:

All four jerseys are apparently held by British riders.

Are you sure? Has Cav even finished yet? He must be very close to the time limit.

Majka not British last time I heard, and after the triumph of the hard of thinking won't be any time soon.

 

[hfer07]

for the first time ever:

Hats off to Froome



Gotta give him credit for taking such risk in the descent- even his rather strange "aero crunched peddling" but he got the stage win.

OTOH It looks to me the SKY tactics may suggest he's not fully confident in dropping Quintanita in the uphills, so he has to grasp every second he can......

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re:

All four jerseys are apparently held by British riders.

Rafal is polka-dot leader and Mark hasn't made the limit yet.

 

[SeriousSam]

Any word from Tinkov? One has to hope Contador does the honourable thing and fully commits to working for Roman going forward.

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

The time limit should be almost 45 minutes by my very quick count

Jesus, time limits have become such a joke. You really do have to try your hardest to miss them.