Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Bardamu]

Re: Re:

Vuelta has, in the past 12 years anyway, been a prize for either a Tour superdomestique or for someone coming off a disappointing Tour de France. Over the same period, Giro has been a half step more pretigious than Vuelta, with a number of top riders targeting it as their primary annual objective. Recently, nobody at the top of cycling has targeted the Vuelta as their primary season objective. It's like the girl you see at the bar near closing time.

In the last few years the Vuelta's field has been significantly better than in the early 2000s or any other part of its history actually. But I do agree that the Giro is more prestigious and also more beautiful. Still, winning the Vuelta is an impressive feat and I'd rate it higher than winning any of the five Monuments.

1. Tour
2. Giro
3. WC RR
4. Vuelta
5. The five Monuments
6. WC TT
7. T-A / P-N / Vuelta al Pais Vasco
8. G-W, FW, E3 Harelbeke, AGR
9. Dauphiné (too close to the Tour to be ranked higher)
10. Tour de Suisse (too close to the Tour and pathetic field)

Dauphine below Pais Vasco? What?

1. Tour
2. Giro
3. Vuelta
4. World RR
5. PR
6. LBL/RVV/MSR
7. Lombardia
8. WC TT
9. T-A/P-N/Dauphine
10. GW/E3/Fleche/AGR/Pais Vasco
11. Strade Bianche/Romandie/San Sebastian
12. Eneco/Suisse/Paris-Tours (These days at least)
13. Tour Down Under/Quebec/Montreal/Plouay/Vattenfall

I'd rate LBL the same as Roubaix and Lombardia the same as MSR and Flanders. Strade Bianche could get higher because it is such a cool race the riders themselves like so much.
Would put the Canadian races higher than the TDU/Plouay and Vattenfall as well.
But it is mainly nitpicking and up to debate.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Your list is pretty solid apart from Pais Vasco.

That should be moved a lot lower. I doubt anyone can honestly remember the past winners of this race without having to look them up.

I respectfully disagree. País Vasco is more prestigious than people are willing to give it credit for. I think it goes something like with possible few minor tweaks:

1. Tour / WCRR
2. Giro / LBL / PR
3. MSR
4. Vuelta / RVV / GDL
5. Suisse / Paris - Nice / País Vasco
6. Flèche / Gent–Wevelgem / T-A / CdD
7. ...

 

[Matteo.]

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

Conservatively??

We dont know how he is.. but he had a bad crash, he has to fight to win this Tour. it wont be easy.

Maybe Movistar admited that Froome was the stronger of le Tour and it is not polite to win taking advantage of that crash at the end...but for sure other teams not.. if he has problems tomorrow from the start.. 5 minutes is nothing.

 

[therealthing]

He should be OK tomorrow. There are enough flat and descent sections that he should be able to recover and just ride tempo. He needs to limit his losses- just follow others and don'the go crazy on descents.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

At least visually, his injuries are no less grievous than Contador's.

 

[bigcog]

His knee was bandaged a fair bit, if that stiffens up over night he could be in trouble. Hopefully not because you'd think he would have struggled more on the last climb but you never know with the adrenalin flowing .. Plus he never reacts well to falls.

 

[bigcog]

Re: Re:

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

Conservatively??

We dont know how he is.. but he had a bad crash, he has to fight to win this Tour. it wont be easy.

Maybe Movistar admited that Froome was the stronger of le Tour and it is not polite to win taking advantage of that crash at the end...but for sure other teams not.. if he has problems tomorrow from the start.. 5 minutes is nothing.

Correct it won't be easy. If the other teams sense blood they will go for it, I think they will anyway. Should be a classic stage.

 

[Von Mises]

Re: Re:

Nobody has the Dauphiné as a main target, Pais Vasco is often a main goal in the spring season for riders like Contador, Quintana, Rodriguez, etc.

Who (except Mosquera) has Vuelta as a main target?

That's why it's below the Giro and WC RR.

I still doubt that Pais Vasco is their main goal in the spring. For Rodriquez main goals are classics and he has more often raced PN, TA and Catalunya than Pais Vasco. Contador seems to like Pais Vasco, but from his past interviews I remember that PN was the most import race in the spring (of course, maybe he was just polite).
Pais Vasco is a cool and PN has become very boring, but they are not in the same league. And Dauphine is also step above.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

Conservatively??

We dont know how he is.. but he had a bad crash, he has to fight to win this Tour. it wont be easy.

Maybe Movistar admited that Froome was the stronger of le Tour and it is not polite to win taking advantage of that crash at the end...but for sure other teams not.. if he has problems tomorrow from the start.. 5 minutes is nothing.

What did I say wrong ? Tomorrow he has to run to the defense because of the fall . Do not worry , he will not lose the Tour . He has confirmed that it did not hurt too much

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

Conservatively??

We dont know how he is.. but he had a bad crash, he has to fight to win this Tour. it wont be easy.

Maybe Movistar admited that Froome was the stronger of le Tour and it is not polite to win taking advantage of that crash at the end...but for sure other teams not.. if he has problems tomorrow from the start.. 5 minutes is nothing.

What did I say wrong ? Tomorrow he has to run to the defense because of the fall . Do not worry , he will not lose the Tour . He has confirmed that it did not hurt too much

I also don't think he will loose too much time tomorrow but what he said means absolutely nothing. Imagine he would feel horrible and say that in an interview. That would be suicide.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Does anyone know how much time Froome and Nibali had on the rest of the GC guys before Froome crashed? Those two were certainly on the attack behind Bardet

Looked like about 10 seconds from a Eurosport replay

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

Conservatively??

We dont know how he is.. but he had a bad crash, he has to fight to win this Tour. it wont be easy.

Maybe Movistar admited that Froome was the stronger of le Tour and it is not polite to win taking advantage of that crash at the end...but for sure other teams not.. if he has problems tomorrow from the start.. 5 minutes is nothing.

Correct it won't be easy. If the other teams sense blood they will go for it, I think they will anyway. Should be a classic stage.

I just see Bardet with that possibility, and he must be tired after his victory.. Quintana is suffering a lot just to go on into the race, Purito is far in GC, Porte is a friend...Aru.. yes, and he has the team...but he has not the level.. this is not Vuelta or Giro...

Of course if froome has imporrtant problems today lot of people can win le Tour, but the problem is not that 4-5 minutes, but that nobody is a real alternative, or, as in the case of Porte, a friend and far in GC,a nd not pure climber to put big time in a stage like that.. but we will see.

I think Froome will have problems today, but not so bigs to lose the leader. even in the case of an strong pace from Astana in Ramaz, and that mean Nibali or Rosa, and froome droped there.. I cant see anybody taking advantage..and in the lat climb, to lose more than 4 minutes is very difficult, he should be really damaged for that.

 

[Red Rick]

My list is identical to Pisti's. Looks solid

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

Too bad , I would have hoped for a show like Pantani on Joux Plane.. Although he had to race conservatively due to crash and olympics

Conservatively??

We dont know how he is.. but he had a bad crash, he has to fight to win this Tour. it wont be easy.

Maybe Movistar admited that Froome was the stronger of le Tour and it is not polite to win taking advantage of that crash at the end...but for sure other teams not.. if he has problems tomorrow from the start.. 5 minutes is nothing.

What did I say wrong ? Tomorrow he has to run to the defense because of the fall . Do not worry , he will not lose the Tour . He has confirmed that it did not hurt too much

as if he's going to say it did

 

[Slaav]

PURELY HYPOTHETICALLY.....

let's say Froome struggles today and loses most of his lead. Entering the final Paris stage with (e.g.) 12-15 secs lead.

Does the stage remain processional for the GC or do the other teams attack? And has this scenario ever played out?

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

PURELY HYPOTHETICALLY.....

let's say Froome struggles today and loses most of his lead. Entering the final Paris stage with (e.g.) 12-15 secs lead.

Does the stage remain processional for the GC or do the other teams attack? And has this scenario ever played out?

Of course with that minimal margin everything is possible the last day.. but it is not usual, and it depends the teams or riders in contention...

Froome was alone in a break in 2008 in the champs elysses. That Tour was amazing from him, much more merit than this one.

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

PURELY HYPOTHETICALLY.....

let's say Froome struggles today and loses most of his lead. Entering the final Paris stage with (e.g.) 12-15 secs lead.

Does the stage remain processional for the GC or do the other teams attack? And has this scenario ever played out?

Processional, pan flat and the Lottos, EQS, DE, Katusha & Giant along with Froome's team would shut down any attacks.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

PURELY HYPOTHETICALLY.....

let's say Froome struggles today and loses most of his lead. Entering the final Paris stage with (e.g.) 12-15 secs lead.

Does the stage remain processional for the GC or do the other teams attack? And has this scenario ever played out?

Processional. If it goes within 10 however, Bardet/Quintana/whoever are more than welcome to try to beat Kittel Griepel and co at the finish for the stage (which would lead to the GC win as a result)

 

[SeriousSam]

Vino did it, so it is possible

 

[laurensde+]

Re:

PURELY HYPOTHETICALLY.....

let's say Froome struggles today and loses most of his lead. Entering the final Paris stage with (e.g.) 12-15 secs lead.

Does the stage remain processional for the GC or do the other teams attack? And has this scenario ever played out?

Zoetemelk was over three minutes down on Hinault when he attacked on the final stage in 1979. Hinault chased, and the two of them finished a couple of minutes clear, with the Badger winning the sprint. Joop was handed a ten minute penalty for his efforts... but that's another story.

 

[MatParker117]

Unbelievable rider and a wonderful and deserving champion, welcome to the pantheon of all time greats Chris Froome.

 

[Matteo.]

You were ridicolous guys. He's not a lovely liar as Contador

 

[SeriousSam]

 

[deValtos]

Gratz to one of the very few animators of this race. He deserved it.