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Can Froome dominate Le Tour?

The way Froome won this years tour was pretty dominant, although I thought the last week he faded slightly, and arguably Quintana was the stronger climber in the last week. Contador is always a threat and isn't old enough to be written off and there is also Nibali, Valverde, Rodriguez etc. who are all obvious genuine threats as well as the numerous other GT contenders and the up and coming youngsters everyone knows of, that you would expect at least one of to reach their potential.

However, Froome this year has been the best GT rider in the world this year, and is at a pretty good age. Also, you could argue Froome won't have a team as weak as this years which left him vulnerable, and although Nibali was superb at Il Giro, personally I don't think he would have lived with Froome at Le Tour. My question is do you think Froome could dominate for 5, 6 years or will he find it hard to repeat this years form, coupled with possibly up and coming riders developing? Can he equal or even beat the five wins record? What do you think?

Please leave the Clinic stuff for the Clinic.
 
Jun 18, 2009
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No he can't. He never won a GT, Vuelta teached us a lot, he peaked to soon for Oman and Alberto will be a monster starting Ventoux. So no....wait, what? Who? When.....what month are we today?


Serious now, I thought Ullrich will win some 5, so, we can't know. Maybe another big GT rider will rise this very Vuelta, so..we'll see.
 
Apr 10, 2011
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McLovin said:
No he can't. He never won a GT, Vuelta teached us a lot, he peaked to soon for Oman and Alberto will be a monster starting Ventoux. So no....wait, what? Who? When.....what month are we today?


Serious now, I thought Ullrich will win some 5, so, we can't know. Maybe another big GT rider will rise this very Vuelta, so..we'll see.

I loved hearing those arguments used every time before Tour. I know Cinteq did use them a lot, as well as few members :eek: :D
 
Jun 18, 2009
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Gloin22 said:
I loved hearing those arguments used every time before Tour. I know Cinteq did use them a lot, as well as few members :eek: :D

Indeed. After all, never a GT was won by a rider who never won a GT before. I bet even Maurice Garin won one before 1903 Tour. Don't know which one, but he must have. 100%.
 

airstream

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I don't know. It's always quite myopic to overrate real difference between top riders even if it seems huge in one race (season) because it can't be huge in long time period.
 
I don't know how many Tour de France's he'll win, but I do think he can be stronger still than he was this year. The criticism many people had against him before the Tour, saying that he might have peaked too early, looks like it was somewhat correct at least, and obviously his team could have been more help also.
 
spalco said:
I don't know how many Tour de France's he'll win, but I do think he can be stronger still than he was this year. The criticism many people had against him before the Tour, saying that he might have peaked too early, looks like it was somewhat correct at least, and obviously his team could have been more help also.

Considering that Sky lost a few of their strong domestiques during the Tour, a long way before the finish. Had a few other problems as well as being Froome's first grand tour as leader plus the margin of his victory, Froome will be very tough to beat next year. It will be more of a surprise if he loses.
 

Gugashwill

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Even though he's convincingly won the Tour this year, he still doesn't give an impression of experienced and mature rider.
He attacks irrationally, doesn't pay attention on details, lacks calmness,and a crafty climber could throw him on the ropes.
An unsuccessful long distance attack (Alpe d' Huez like, or Semnoz, but earlier/longer), could cost him minutes against a patient climber in the top shape.

If he improves, he'll be hard to beat.
But if he just stays on the level he's now, he won't dominate the decade.
 
Aug 16, 2011
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Impossible to tell at this point, and far to early to make any sweeping declarations of whether he definitely will or definitely won't. He might continue in a streak of domination for years to come like Armstrong, he might fall back and become an eternal 2nd like Ullrich, he might become a one-hit wonder like Wiggins. No way of knowing at this point.
 
He has been at the same level for last 3 years. He is not going to improve anymore. It is simply a matter of others stepping upto his level which would be Quintana/Nibali. He would most likely win over them due to time trials but by no means it is a given that he would win.
 

airstream

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I fear to think what's going on if Sky will come to the Tour with well prepared Wiggins, Porte, Thomas and Kennaugh. Seemingly it will be an entire Sky podium.
 

airstream

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Afrank said:
Impossible to tell at this point, and far to early to make any sweeping declarations of whether he definitely will or definitely won't. He might continue in a streak of domination for years to come like Armstrong, he might fall back and become an eternal 2nd like Ullrich, he might become a one-hit wonder like Wiggins. No way of knowing at this point.

Isn't it too disparaging to call a legendary athlete one-day wonder? With this kind of parcours and Froome like a helper, Wiggins could have smashed any opposition.
 
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airstream said:
Isn't it too disparaging to call a legendary athlete one-day wonder? With this kind of parcours and Froome like a helper, Wiggins could have smashed any opposition.

Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, Wiggins will likely never find himself in the same conditions that he had in 2012. With routes custom suited to him and low quality competition. He had one dominating year, won the Tour, and now...it looks like he won't ever even compete in a GT again. So yeah, one hit wonder.
 

airstream

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Afrank said:
Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, Wiggins will likely never find himself in the same conditions that he had in 2012. With routes custom suited to him and low quality competition. He had one dominating year, won the Tour, and now...it looks like he won't ever even compete in a GT again. So yeah, one hit wonder.

Wiggins was a 2 time GT podium finisher before the 2012 Tour. Competition was standart. I million times said that Contador and Schleck would in no way have been able to do anything with him on that parcours and this Tour confirmed this in a way. People hugely underrated both Froome and Wiggins in the 2012 Tour because disliked them.
 

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