94th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2014 (2.WT, 24 March - 30 March)

[BYOP88]

Majka is out, he hasn't recovered from his crash in PN yet.

Will he be posting pictures on twitter a few days into the race of himself riding on a snowy mountain?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yep, Contador will have to do it on his own now unfortunately

Didn't look like he needed any help in the Tirreno.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Didn't look like he needed any help in the Tirreno.

True but I think it'll be different this time. And a super domestique is always helpful.

 

[EnacheV]

I would like one of the Sky riders to finish before Contador, doesnt matter what positions, 7th to 8th is just fine. Just to see Riis saying again i bet they watched at TV and **** their pants

 

[Arredondo]

Majka is out, he hasn't recovered from his crash in PN yet.

Too bad. Strange, because he looked quite good the days after his crash.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I would like one of the Sky riders to finish before Contador, doesnt matter what positions, 7th to 8th is just fine. Just to see Riis saying again i bet they watched at TV and **** their pants

As I said in the Contador thread, you are exaggerating. That is not what he said.

The journalist asked him about Team Sky and he replied "I bet they're watching it on TV, no doubt about it"

He also said "Whether they're worried, I don't know."

But don't let the facts get in the way of your argument

 

[LaFlorecita]

Too bad. Strange, because he looked quite good the days after his crash.

Apparently it's the crash in the last few 100m of the last stage.

 

[Jelantik]

Will he be posting pictures on twitter a few days into the race of himself riding on a snowy mountain?

that was froome not majka

Chris Froome ‏@chrisfroome
Ended up having to do a bit of cyclocross to get over the top

 

[Baldwin]

More on Majka's withdrawal in English: http://rowery.org/2014/03/22/elbow-injury-forces-rafal-majka-out-of-volta-a-catalunya/

 

[BYOP88]

that was froome not majka

I know Froome did it, just wondering if Majka will do it.

 

[metaCYCLE]

For Christs sake Froomey can't even take damn a picture without looking at the SRM???

 

[trevim]

For Christs sake Froomey can't even take damn a picture without looking at the SRM???

No, I don't think he can.
http://chrisfroomelookingatstems.tumblr.com

 

[Angliru]

I would like one of the Sky riders to finish before Contador, doesnt matter what positions, 7th to 8th is just fine. Just to see Riis saying again i bet they watched at TV and **** their pants

When did Riis say anything like that? I really must have missed it.

 

[Jspear]

No, I don't think he can.
http://chrisfroomelookingatstems.tumblr.com

Ha ha! That was funny. Just another reason why I like Contador. I love his style of racing. There is, of course, a place for power meters, but I can't stand the whole Skybot mentality. Hopefully other teams at Catalunya put in some real strong showings....break up Sky's rhythm.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Ha ha! That was funny. Just another reason why I like Contador. I love his style of racing. There is, of course, a place for power meters, but I can't stand the whole Skybot mentality. Hopefully other teams at Catalunya put in some real strong showings....break up Sky's rhythm.

Froome has already showed on many occasions he doesn't need the usual Skytrain (not like wiggins anyway) and is quite versatile, he also has a cool demeanour and very rarely panics. I guess that why I like him so much as he is never afraid to dish out some pain to the others!

 

[The Hitch]

It's not the dishing out pain to others that's admirable, but the doing it to yourself. Froome to my memory has never taken risks with his strength. He only ever attacks on mtfs once slipstream becomes far less important and beats everyone one on one simply because he is 10x stronger. The only people he's really dishing the pain out to are his rivals who are dying on their bikes trying to compete with him while he talks on his radio and easily roles into the finish.

That's not a knock on froome because it's similar to what Rodriguez and Valverde (until 2 weeks ago anyway).

But don't compare that - beating opponents in a 1 on1 on 1 shootout once all risks have been passed, to contador's long range solos which involve having to descend and bury oneself riding into the wind solo on the flat, while riders behind cooperate or better yet use domestiques at their disposal.

Oh and ps there is nothing "usual" about the sky train. The only gt podium finisher other than sky since ups to have one was basso at the 2010 giro. So it's really not something that should count to froomes credit that he didn't need it. No gts riders have.

 

[Pricey_sky]

It's not the dishing out pain to others that's admirable, but the doing it to yourself. Froome to my memory has never taken risks with his strength. He only ever attacks on mtfs once slipstream becomes far less important and beats everyone one on one simply because he is 10x stronger. The only people he's really dishing the pain out to are his rivals who are dying on their bikes trying to compete with him while he talks on his radio and easily roles into the finish.

That's not a knock on froome because it's similar to what Rodriguez and Valverde (until 2 weeks ago anyway).

But don't compare that - beating opponents in a 1 on1 on 1 shootout once all risks have been passed, to contador's long range solos which involve having to descend and bury oneself riding into the wind solo on the flat, while riders behind cooperate or better yet use domestiques at their disposal.

Oh and ps there is nothing "usual" about the sky train. The only gt podium finisher other than sky since ups to have one was basso at the 2010 giro. So it's really not something that should count to froomes credit that he didn't need it. No gts riders have.

Each rider to their own though, Froome never needs to go long as he has the strength and belief to gain time on a MTF. To be honest on several stages he has won he has really dug deep and not exactly rolled into the finish.


While many frown upon the Skytrain its funny that other teams (especially Movistar) try and control mountain stages too now. My point was that people label sky as boring yet Froome doesn't need the train and support to attack and get results, hell he even managed 100km's completely isolated from his team in the Tour stage last year! Ok many will say it was a massive Movistar/Saxo fail but it still shows his strength and the fear many others have of him.

 

[Arredondo]

Apparently it's the crash in the last few 100m of the last stage.

Ah, thx. That explains a lot.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

It's not the dishing out pain to others that's admirable, but the doing it to yourself. Froome to my memory has never taken risks with his strength. He only ever attacks on mtfs once slipstream becomes far less important and beats everyone one on one simply because he is 10x stronger. The only people he's really dishing the pain out to are his rivals who are dying on their bikes trying to compete with him while he talks on his radio and easily roles into the finish.

That's not a knock on froome because it's similar to what Rodriguez and Valverde (until 2 weeks ago anyway).

But don't compare that - beating opponents in a 1 on1 on 1 shootout once all risks have been passed, to contador's long range solos which involve having to descend and bury oneself riding into the wind solo on the flat, while riders behind cooperate or better yet use domestiques at their disposal.

Oh and ps there is nothing "usual" about the sky train. The only gt podium finisher other than sky since ups to have one was basso at the 2010 giro. So it's really not something that should count to froomes credit that he didn't need it. No gts riders have.

lol if you think froome suffers less than his opponents. you clealry don't know what it is to sit on a bike wether you are the best or not. the best suffer the most. cycling is all about suffering. another great example is itt. itt is sheer suffering mentally and froome is very good at it.

 

[VeloHuman]

Moreno was climbing very well in T-A, and Purito has been out of competition a while. I wonder if Katusha lets Moreno go a bit more than usual.

 

[Arredondo]

Moreno was climbing very well in T-A, and Purito has been out of competition a while. I wonder if Katusha lets Moreno go a bit more than usual.

Was he? I think he did it quite disappointed there. TA was his chance to act as a leader in a stage race, and he didn't won a stage, and 'only' finished 7th.

 

[gospina]

FWIW: Nairo Quintana posted yesterday that he is taking antibiotics and that he has a respiratory infection. He said it came from recon rides for the Giro, where he was posting pictures of him in the snow. He is not sure if he'll be ready for Catalunya.

 

[EnacheV]

FWIW: Nairo Quintana posted yesterday that he is taking antibiotics and that he has a respiratory infection. He said it came from recon rides for the Giro, where he was posting pictures of him in the snow. He is not sure if he'll be ready for Catalunya.

If he is on antibiotics probably DNS, theres no point racing with a cold if its not the Giro

 

[VeloHuman]

Was he? I think he did it quite disappointed there. TA was his chance to act as a leader in a stage race, and he didn't won a stage, and 'only' finished 7th.

He was 3rd behind only Contador and Quintana on stage 4, and finished with the group of non-Contador GC men (just ahead of Quintana) on stage 5.

It's not his fault his team does a terrible TTT, and this race doesn't have an ITT to down him either. The quote was that he was "climbing" very well, and that's all that matters in a chrono-less Catalunya.

 

[Michele]

If he is on antibiotics probably DNS, theres no point racing with a cold if its not the Giro

Agree, even after stopping the antibiotics the body needs some days before putting the hammer down at training/racing again.