Can Sky be destroyed be in the Tour?

[jens_attacks]

If Contador is stronger than Froome then all the Sky Train will do is set up Contador's attack nicely

even after ospedale which was an absolutely tremendous performance,i still have no idea where are froomey's limits. that's the big ? for me. he might be stronger than the best version of contador and armstrong. now that will be game over

 

[JRanton]

If Contador is stronger than Froome then all the Sky Train will do is set up Contador's attack nicely

The train can be used in two different ways though. It can be used in an offensive manner, to set up Froome for an attack or in a defensive manner, by helping Froome respond to Contador's attacks. This can be particularly effective at the Tour on the long climbs where the gradients tend to be 6-7%.

 

[SKSemtex]

When was the last time someone managed to solo away from the sky train? I think only Alberto in 2009 shape can do that.

Nibali T-A 2013, just small thing, train must be derailed

 

[JRanton]

even after ospedale which was an absolutely tremendous performance,i still have no idea where are froomey's limits. that's the big ? for me. he might be stronger than the best version of contador and armstrong. now that will be game over

We shouldn't forget that Froome has yet to visit Tenerife in 2013 and in his own words, he has yet to focus on intensive climbing so far this season. He has two blocks in Tenerife before the Tour. One at the start of April to prepare for L-B-L and Romandie and another one in May to prepare for Dauphine and Tour.

 

[Cavendash]

Anyone thinking Sky will be fatigued/not 100% by the time the Tour comes around are in dreamland.

Sky are clearly not stupid, just like last year they will be in tip top shape ready to go come July.

Cant wait for it, think Froome will smash it but would like to see Purito up there and an exciting race.

 

[the sceptic]

even after ospedale which was an absolutely tremendous performance,i still have no idea where are froomey's limits. that's the big ? for me. he might be stronger than the best version of contador and armstrong. now that will be game over

Good point, we still havent seen Froome go full speed in a climb. Last year he didnt show any of this early season form he is showing right now, but he was still by far the best climber in the tour but had to babysit Wiggo. So im expecting some amazing climbing from him in the tour this year. Imagine if Froome goes with 7-8 km out and goes full speed. wow.

 

[sagard]

Last year the climbs at the tour were the easiest in my memory. When things got tough at la Vuelta the last two years, Froome couldn't keep up. I suspect similar things at le Tour this year. Beating Contador just isn't going to happen.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

We shouldn't forget that Froome has yet to visit Tenerife in 2013 and in his own words, he has yet to focus on intensive climbing so far this season. He has two blocks in Tenerife before the Tour. One at the start of April to prepare for L-B-L and Romandie and another one in May to prepare for Dauphine and Tour.

Will the other contenders not be going away to focus on climbing then?

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

Last year the climbs at the tour were the easiest in my memory. When things got tough at la Vuelta the last two years, Froome couldn't keep up. I suspect similar things at le Tour this year. Beating Contador just isn't going to happen.

Froome has the bit between his teeth. He is on a constant upward curve. He will unfortunately destroy the competition at le tour.

 

[jamesmasters]

No, they can't be destroyed. Beaten, possibly, but not destroyed.

At the moment it's looking like the Tour champion, who won everything last season, is only their third strongest rider. And, even if tired from the Giro, Wiggins will put at least five minutes, probably more, on all non-Sky GC contenders in the two ITTs and the TTT (TTT = Wiggins, Porte, Froome = complete annihilation of the field). And if nobody can ride away from the Sky train, where will the field get that time back?

Sky 1-2-3? Froome followed by Porte/Wiggins, not sure in which order...

 

[shades1]

depends what shape contador and schleck are in , if they get to the starting line in full fitness get ready for a bike race !!!

 

[JRanton]

Will the other contenders not be going away to focus on climbing then?

Of course they will. I was merely making the point that Froome will quite clearly be stronger in July than he is now.

 

[ferryman]

Last year the climbs at the tour were the easiest in my memory. When things got tough at la Vuelta the last two years, Froome couldn't keep up. I suspect similar things at le Tour this year. Beating Contador just isn't going to happen.

I think last year's is the best example. Out climbed and out TT'd by an unfit Contador.

 

[JRanton]

Last year the climbs at the tour were the easiest in my memory. When things got tough at la Vuelta the last two years, Froome couldn't keep up. I suspect similar things at le Tour this year. Beating Contador just isn't going to happen.

Well in 2011 he was still working for Wiggins until about 2km to go on Angliru. A few days later on Pena Cabarga he momentarily cracked an incredibly strong Cobo with one of the most impressive attacks seen in recent years.

In 2012, he'd ridden the Tour, finishing 2nd, and then had to get ready for the Olympic Road Race and Time Trial just 7-10 days later. In the circumstances it's hardly surprising that he tired pretty badly in the second half of the Vuelta. It's pretty widely accepted that when you're attempting two grand tours back-to-back, it's crucial to recover well in the first week or two after you've completed the first one. Instead Froome was having to prepare for a home(ish ) Olympics just a week after the biggest achievement in his life, finishing on the Tour podium, and enduring all the hassle and pressure that went with it.

I mean, as excuses go, I'd say Froome has a pretty good one for struggling in the second half of the Vuelta! Let's not forget that after the first week of the Vuelta most Contador fans had thrown in the towel and were handing Froome the red jersey.

There are six mountain stages in this year's Tour and just three in the first 17 stages. Harder than 2012, sure, but let's not pretend that it's a monstrous parcours this year because it isn't. There's just no evidence either from the Vuelta 2011 or the 2012 Tour to suggest that Froome will struggle badly at the end of this year's Tour. I mean it's the complete opposite really. His recovery is very good. Froome was being beaten by the likes of Thomas Peterson and Bart de Clercq at the end of last year's Vuelta. That isn't going to happen in this year's Tour! If you're expecting Froome to crack horribly as Contador saunters to victory then you're going to be very disappointed. It defies all common sense, logic and everything that we've all seen with our own eyes, including Alberto's not so special form so far this season.

 

[Carols]

Let's not forget that after the first week of the Vuelta most Contador fans had thrown in the towel and were handing Froome the red jersey.

Surely you mean Purito?

 

[JRanton]

I think last year's is the best example. Out climbed and out TT'd by an unfit Contador.

Also by Thomas Peterson and Bart de Clercq. Indeed, clearly the best example.

 

[JRanton]

Surely you mean Purito?

No, I mean Chris Froome. Go back and look at the Jaca 6th stage thread.

As for Purito, nobody at that point thought he would only lose a minute in the time trial and be so consistent on the longer climbs throughout the Vuelta.

 

[ferryman]

Well in 2011 he was still working for Wiggins until about 2km to go on Angliru. A few days later on Pena Cabarga he momentarily cracked an incredibly strong Cobo with one of the most impressive attacks seen in recent years.

In 2012, he'd ridden the Tour, finishing 2nd, and then had to get ready for the Olympic Road Race and Time Trial just 7-10 days later. In the circumstances it's hardly surprising that he tired pretty badly in the second half of the Vuelta. It's pretty widely accepted that when you're attempting two grand tours back-to-back, it's crucial to recover well in the first week or two after you've completed the first one. Instead Froome was having to prepare for a home(ish ) Olympics just a week after the biggest achievement in his life, finishing on the Tour podium, and enduring all the hassle and pressure that went with it.

I mean, as excuses go, I'd say Froome has a pretty good one for struggling in the second half of the Vuelta! Let's not forget that after the first week of the Vuelta most Contador fans had thrown in the towel and were handing Froome the red jersey.

There are six mountain stages in this year's Tour and just three in the first 17 stages. Harder than 2012, sure, but let's not pretend that it's a monstrous parcours this year because it isn't. There's just no evidence either from the Vuelta 2011 or the 2012 Tour to suggest that Froome will struggle badly at the end of this year's Tour. I mean it's the complete opposite really. His recovery is very good. Froome was being beaten by the likes of Thomas Peterson and Bart de Clercq at the end of last year's Vuelta. That isn't going to happen in this year's Tour! If you're expecting Froome to crack horribly as Contador saunters to victory then you're going to be very disappointed. It defies all common sense, logic and everything that we've all seen with our own eyes, including Alberto's not so special form so far this season.

Oh dear. One guy finished fresh in the Tour. One day ride in the Olympics , One day TT Olympics. And then he came up against an unfit Contador in the Vuelta and he was destroyed. 10 minutes don't lie.

 

[movingtarget]

Oh dear. One guy finished fresh in the Tour. One day ride in the Olympics , One day TT Olympics. And then he came up against an unfit Contador in the Vuelta and he was destroyed. 10 minutes don't lie.

There was no way Contador was unfit and he looked much better in the final week with the lack of racing. Was not an easy Vuelta and Froome had to have some fatigue after the Tour. He faced three guys who were psyched up for big performances : Rodriguez who narrowly lost the Giro and Contador and Valverde who were coming back from suspension. Valverde had to be fresher than Froome because he just targeted a stage win after he lost his chance for GC in the Tour. No disgrace to be beaten by those guys. Froome and Contador have to the favourites but I don't think one will dominate the other, I'm not convinced it will be one sided.

 

[JRanton]

Oh dear. One guy finished fresh in the Tour. One day ride in the Olympics , One day TT Olympics. And then he came up against an unfit Contador in the Vuelta and he was destroyed. 10 minutes don't lie.

Are you seriously suggesting that riding the Tour and the Olympics had no impact on Froome's performance in the Vuelta? And Contador was unfit? What? Has he been unfit so far this season when Froome beat him 2 times out of 2 before ducking him at the Criterium International?

 

[BYOP88]

Lets not forget that Froome has had another course of treatment for bilharzia at the start of the year(http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/25/chris-froome-team-sky-tour-de-france). That must have affected his performances in Oman and T-A. So another 3 months to build 'form' and stay clear of bilharzia and he'll thrash Contador and co by several minutes.

 

[sartoris]

Not gonna watch it I reckon.

 

[wwabbit]

Oh dear. One guy finished fresh in the Tour. One day ride in the Olympics , One day TT Olympics. And then he came up against an unfit Contador in the Vuelta and he was destroyed. 10 minutes don't lie.

Froome was still stronger than Contador in the first week of the Vuelta, it was Stage 8 when it starting falling apart for Froome. So yeah, 3 weeks at the tour, 2 days at the Olympics going all out, and 1 more week at the Vuelta, that was apparently enough to burn Froome out.

I don't buy the claim that Contador was "unfit" either. I mean, it's not like the ban means that he has to sit on his *** for the several weeks before the Vuelta.

 

[Parrulo]

Froome was still stronger than Contador in the first week of the Vuelta, it was Stage 8 when it starting falling apart for Froome. So yeah, 3 weeks at the tour, 2 days at the Olympics going all out, and 1 more week at the Vuelta, that was apparently enough to burn Froome out.

I don't buy the claim that Contador was "unfit" either. I mean, it's not like the ban means that he has to sit on his *** for the several weeks before the Vuelta.

you are underestimating the importance of racing fitness that can't be achieved with training. And except for 6 days in san luis contador was without racing for over 12 months.

And inb4 people come with claims that i am talking nonsense, i am just saying what people like perico delgado, sean kelly and a few others pros have said.

 

[movingtarget]

you are underestimating the importance of racing fitness that can't be achieved with training. And except for 6 days in san luis contador was without racing for over 12 months.

And inb4 people come with claims that i am talking nonsense, i am just saying what people like perico delgado, sean kelly and a few others pros have said.

Didn't Contador also race the ENECO and something else ? So what is the explanation for Froome's performance drop off from the Tour to the Vuelta if is is not fatigue ? He wasn't ill. Kelly rightly praised Contador for a great performance with limited racing but Froome ? I think it had to be fatigue like Contador in the 2011 Tour. It had to have some impact.