Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[DBotero]

Re: Re:

So Froome confirmed on Twitter that he will ride the Vuelta

I don't think he can beat Valverde, in back to back GT's, especially since Vuelta is Piti's playground

**** Valverde. We've got Quintana, Aru (Landa) and now Froome who are going to finish higher then Piti.

Are you serious? The podium would probably consist of Valverde + 2 out of the 3 Astanas.

How is your opinion in any way more valid than Arredondo's when the Vuelta hasn't even started?

It's not. I just believe, based on previous seasons, that Valverde handles better the succession Tour-Vuelta therefore he should in theory be among the top favorites for the podium.

Valverde is still the favorite based on his previous years and if he's fading Quintana will be there to carry on,but Froome might surprise this time too.I don't say he'll win,but he should be a little better than in 2012.

 

[kirbygasm]

I'm putting my money on Nibali.
He was riding into form in the last week of the tour and with a train including Aru and Landa.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

I'm putting my money on Nibali.
He was riding into form in the last week of the tour and with a train including Aru and Landa.

Good shout on Nibali, Astana will be super strong and not just that silly hype talk like Taaramae was suddenly going to outclimb everyone in the build up to the Tour, Sky quickly settled that one

I think Froome could podium with so many tough stages on weeks 1 and 2 if he turns out in good form post Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Once again, Vuelta shaping up to be the best GT of the year

Tour is always the best GT of the year.

For the love of all man-powered things on two wheels, please stop posting

 

[ILovecycling]

Huge Respect to Chris Froome.

 

[SeriousSam]

Doing the double would be a brilliant and historical achievement and cement his position as the top stage racer even further, but with all those post Tour responsibilities, it's not going to be easy to arrive in shape.

Valverde has a proven ability to ride well in both the Tour and the Vuelta and is stronger than ever.
Quintana is young and should recover better than anyone.

I expect Aru and Nibali to fail and Landa to be leashed.

Though the Vuelta isn't anywhere near as important as the Tour, the battle for GC promises to be more exciting with almost all of the big stage racers present.

 

[ray j willings]

Re: Re:

I'm putting my money on Nibali.
He was riding into form in the last week of the tour and with a train including Aru and Landa.

Good shout on Nibali, Astana will be super strong and not just that silly hype talk like Taaramae was suddenly going to outclimb everyone in the build up to the Tour, Sky quickly settled that one

I think Froome could podium with so many tough stages on weeks 1 and 2 if he turns out in good form post Tour.

I think Nibs has a good chance as well if can hold off his team mates. He has rode pretty easy most of the year saving his form for the tour and that didn't happen for whatever reason. I think he may be less tired than the other tour riders due to his time losses, he could pick and choose when to make the efforts at the tour in the last week.

Froome and Quintana though are both in the same boat

If Astana go mental like they did in the giro I doubt any of the tour riders except Nibs [ reasons given] will be in podium contention come the end of week 3 if the tour is anything to go by, they will leak time like a professor of time leaking time in a time leaking machine.

I did not mention Valverdi because I suspect him to be a alien visitor from Orion.

 

[SeriousSam]

Froome has always done the Vuelta preceding a Tour de France Triumph. Ominous signal for all rivals aiming to stop his domination of the Tour in 2016.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

Froome has always done the Vuelta preceding a Tour de France Triumph. Ominous signal for all rivals aiming to stop his domination of the Tour in 2016.

If he wins this year's Vuelta (big if), he'd be stupid not to do the Giro next year to hold all 3 at the same time, and if he does that competitively, he'll have no chance if a big rider turns up in top form at the Tour (which we know AC is doing for sure)

 

[TMP402]

Re:

Froome has always done the Vuelta preceding a Tour de France Triumph. Ominous signal for all rivals aiming to stop his domination of the Tour in 2016.

The same can be said of Nibali though.















And Wiggins.

 

[rick james]

Glad the dawg is trying it but it's going to be a tough race for him, think all tour riders will struggle

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Froome has always done the Vuelta preceding a Tour de France Triumph. Ominous signal for all rivals aiming to stop his domination of the Tour in 2016.

If he wins this year's Vuelta (big if), he'd be stupid not to do the Giro next year to hold all 3 at the same time, and if he does that competitively, he'll have no chance if a big rider turns up in top form at the Tour (which we know AC is doing for sure)

I agree, on the very small chance that Froome wins the Vuelta he just has to go to the Giro next year, he would be crazy not to go and I'm sure Sky would massively big it up to have their rider hold the GT grand slam. However like I said I expect it's a very small chance he wins the Vuelta anyway.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

Froome has always done the Vuelta preceding a Tour de France Triumph. Ominous signal for all rivals aiming to stop his domination of the Tour in 2016.

If he wins this year's Vuelta (big if), he'd be stupid not to do the Giro next year to hold all 3 at the same time, and if he does that competitively, he'll have no chance if a big rider turns up in top form at the Tour (which we know AC is doing for sure)

The best rider must focus in le Tour, except his mains rivals do all of them il Giro. He will have time to come back to the Giro, but I dont know why people consider so important to have the three, the most important race by difference is le Tour, not the only race in the world, but the race everybody want to win.

 

[SeriousSam]

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

To win the Tour de France, someone needs to best Froome. Perhaps they get lucky and Froome crashes out as Nibali did in 2014, but his rivals should have to beat him if they want to win the biggest race in cycling.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

IMO no matter how good a rider is they aren't a true great until they win the Giro as well as the Tour. That's why I have never really considered Armstrong a great, and I won't with if he Froome justs spends his time doing Tour, Vuelta, Tour, Tour, Vuelta and winning a couple, probably not all finishing 1st as it's hard to regain the same level of form year on year. He will probably finish with 4 or 5 GT's but if the Giro is not among them then

If he is not in his prime then I don't think it's a definite that he will win the Giro

 

[Põhja Konn]

Re: Re:

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

IMO no matter how good a rider is they aren't a true great until they win the Giro as well as the Tour. That's why I have never really considered Armstrong a great, and I won't with if he Froome justs spends his time doing Tour, Vuelta, Tour, Tour, Vuelta and winning a couple, probably not all finishing 1st as it's hard to regain the same level of form year on year. He will probably finish with 4 or 5 GT's but if the Giro is not among them then

If he is not in his prime then I don't think it's a definite that he will win the Giro

Agree, althought it is understandable, if he is concentrating on the Tour next year. Winning back-to-back Tours is a special achievement in itself. But should he do that, he has no excuse for avoiding the Giro anymore. If he ends up with Tour the only GT in his palmares, he wont make it to the pantheon of all-time greats.

Personally I believe Froome is ambitious enough to try to have all 3 GT-s under his belt, before he is finished.

 

[richwagmn]

Re: Re:

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

IMO no matter how good a rider is they aren't a true great until they win the Giro as well as the Tour. That's why I have never really considered Armstrong a great, and I won't with if he Froome justs spends his time doing Tour, Vuelta, Tour, Tour, Vuelta and winning a couple, probably not all finishing 1st as it's hard to regain the same level of form year on year. He will probably finish with 4 or 5 GT's but if the Giro is not among them then

If he is not in his prime then I don't think it's a definite that he will win the Giro

Agree, althought it is understandable, if he is concentrating on the Tour next year. Winning back-to-back Tours is a special achievement in itself. But should he do that, he has no excuse for avoiding the Giro anymore. If he ends up with Tour the only GT in his palmares, he wont make it to the pantheon of all-time greats.

Personally I believe Froome is ambitious enough to try to have all 3 GT-s under his belt, before he is finished.

I agree. Froome is the complete package. He not only has the talent, but has the drive to be a great champion. Contrast that to Wiggins who only wanted one TDF (and prevented Froome from winning 1 TDF and 2 Vueltas).

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

IMO no matter how good a rider is they aren't a true great until they win the Giro as well as the Tour. That's why I have never really considered Armstrong a great, and I won't with if he Froome justs spends his time doing Tour, Vuelta, Tour, Tour, Vuelta and winning a couple, probably not all finishing 1st as it's hard to regain the same level of form year on year. He will probably finish with 4 or 5 GT's but if the Giro is not among them then

If he is not in his prime then I don't think it's a definite that he will win the Giro

Agree, althought it is understandable, if he is concentrating on the Tour next year. Winning back-to-back Tours is a special achievement in itself. But should he do that, he has no excuse for avoiding the Giro anymore. If he ends up with Tour the only GT in his palmares, he wont make it to the pantheon of all-time greats.

Personally I believe Froome is ambitious enough to try to have all 3 GT-s under his belt, before he is finished.

I agree. Froome is the complete package. He not only has the talent, but has the drive to be a great champion. Contrast that to Wiggins who only wanted one TDF (and prevented Froome from winning 1 TDF and 2 Vueltas).

I understand him "preventing" Froome from winning 2011 Vuelta, but you surely can't say the 2012 as well!

 

[TI-Raleigh]

Re: Re:

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

IMO no matter how good a rider is they aren't a true great until they win the Giro as well as the Tour. That's why I have never really considered Armstrong a great, and I won't with if he Froome justs spends his time doing Tour, Vuelta, Tour, Tour, Vuelta and winning a couple, probably not all finishing 1st as it's hard to regain the same level of form year on year. He will probably finish with 4 or 5 GT's but if the Giro is not among them then

If he is not in his prime then I don't think it's a definite that he will win the Giro

Do you have a conversion rate from TdF's won to Giro's?

 

[SeriousSam]

The very best GC riders always targets the Tour when he can.

Take the case of Contador who was the dominant rider before Froome. This year, 2015, marks the first time he willingly chose to jeopardize his Tour preparation without it being influenced by external factors.
2007: Tour
2008: Not invited to Tour.
2009: Tour
2010: Tour
2011: The Giro only because a ban was looming on the horizon. Tour as well.
2012: Vuelta because he couldn't do the Tour
2013: Tour
2014: Vuelta, only because he crashed out of the Tour.
2015: First time he chose to do the Giro with no external factors at play. Tour still major target.

There will be circumstances that force Froome to do something else, like crashes did last year, but if he can he should always do the Tour. Another Tour victory is always worth more than any other GT.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

Exactly. He should make the Tour his major target as long as he is in his prime. Leave the lesser GTs for when that is no longer the case.

IMO no matter how good a rider is they aren't a true great until they win the Giro as well as the Tour. That's why I have never really considered Armstrong a great, and I won't with if he Froome justs spends his time doing Tour, Vuelta, Tour, Tour, Vuelta and winning a couple, probably not all finishing 1st as it's hard to regain the same level of form year on year. He will probably finish with 4 or 5 GT's but if the Giro is not among them then

If he is not in his prime then I don't think it's a definite that he will win the Giro

It depend wich Giro and it depends wich Vuelta.

Nobody has won never Tour.-Vuelta. Vuelta Giro yes, 2 great riders, but agter to win the Tour has more merit...

Why is more meritory to win Aru if you are the same tired, that now froome that is more tired than Aru??

Tell me why, I consider more dificult to win this Vuelta than this year Giro.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

The very best GC riders always targets the Tour when he can.

Take the case of Contador who was the dominant rider before Froome. This year, 2015, marks the first time he willingly chose to jeopardize his Tour preparation without it being influenced by external factors.
2007: Tour
2008: Not invited to Tour.
2009: Tour
2010: Tour
2011: The Giro only because a ban was looming on the horizon. Tour as well.
2012: Vuelta because he couldn't do the Tour
2013: Tour
2014: Vuelta, only because he crashed out of the Tour.
2015: First time he chose to do the Giro with no external factors at play. Tour still major target.

There will be circumstances that force Froome to do something else, like crashes did last year, but if he can he should always do the Tour. Another Tour victory is always worth more than any other GT.

This is a fact that I thought wanst necessary to explain in this forum..even the people that almost dont follow cycling knows that.

That doenst mean that becouse you have won le Tour clearly you are going to win the Giro easier, as Lance said, ask Wiggins, but of couese Tour is the race with more level...there are some exception like last year by crashes.

But Tour, is so demanding in his first flat week, that just the really good riders can be strong when mountains came up. Vuelta and Giro can be won by other riders, dont use to be so demansing and stressfull.

I have been acredited in la Vuelta, I know how many media are there, but if you go to le Tour is much more bigger, impossible compare.

The impact of publicity is mucho more big, and with Giro as well. Giro has the romanticism, the amazing climbs, the epic,.. is a race to love, but that is not always level.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

The very best GC riders always targets the Tour when he can.

Take the case of Contador who was the dominant rider before Froome. This year, 2015, marks the first time he willingly chose to jeopardize his Tour preparation without it being influenced by external factors.
2007: Tour
2008: Not invited to Tour.
2009: Tour
2010: Tour
2011: The Giro only because a ban was looming on the horizon. Tour as well.
2012: Vuelta because he couldn't do the Tour
2013: Tour
2014: Vuelta, only because he crashed out of the Tour.
2015: First time he chose to do the Giro with no external factors at play. Tour still major target.

There will be circumstances that force Froome to do something else, like crashes did last year, but if he can he should always do the Tour. Another Tour victory is always worth more than any other GT.

lol get your facts straight, ban had nothing to do with it. Contador promised zomegnan before tour 2010.

 

[Singer01]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/33902784

Froome hopes to have 7 tours by the time he is finished. that doesn't sound like someone who will be targeting the giro anytime soon.

 

[staubsauger]

In Paris he said the exact opposite, tough.