Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Mongolian Torque]

Re: Re:

He was probably a bit overrated going into Rio considering he was a tied favourite for the ITT and 2nd/3rd favourite in the RR, but all things considered, not too bad.

I really hope he will be good in La Vuelta, otherwise, it might prove to be a walk in the park for Contador. Quintana probably won't be and then you have Chaves.

I think he would have done a lot better if the Olympics road cycling was at the end of July like it was 4 years ago

Btw, Yates and MAL should provide some decent competition for Contador

I do wonder if Froome's priority was the Olympics or the Vuelta

You just come out of the Tour and try and hold shape for as long as possible. Olympics were always gonna be somewhat decent, unless he totally broke down at the end of the Tour. Vuelta is gonna be a whole other story

I don't think Froome going to the Vuelta is a good idea. At all.

 

[tretiak]

Poor performance. He didn't have to dig to deep in TDF.

 

[JRanton]

Re: Re:

He was probably a bit overrated going into Rio considering he was a tied favourite for the ITT and 2nd/3rd favourite in the RR, but all things considered, not too bad.

I really hope he will be good in La Vuelta, otherwise, it might prove to be a walk in the park for Contador. Quintana probably won't be and then you have Chaves.

I think he would have done a lot better if the Olympics road cycling was at the end of July like it was 4 years ago

Btw, Yates and MAL should provide some decent competition for Contador

I do wonder if Froome's priority was the Olympics or the Vuelta

You just come out of the Tour and try and hold shape for as long as possible. Olympics were always gonna be somewhat decent, unless he totally broke down at the end of the Tour. Vuelta is gonna be a whole other story

I don't think Froome going to the Vuelta is a good idea. At all.

Why not? Even if he doesn't win or podium it's still a good way to finish the season rather than just do nothing after the Tour has ended. The winners of the last 5 TdF have all done the Vuelta at the end of the previous season.

 

[JRanton]

Re:

Poor performance. He didn't have to dig to deep in TDF.

Really? Where is the evidence to suggest Froome is capable of beating all of the specialists in a long time trial? Especially one that doesn't take place during a grand tour?

He's a very good time trialist for a GC rider but he's never been at the level of the likes of Cancellara, Wiggins and Martin over the years.

 

[HelloDolly]

There is always the Tour of Britain and his adoring public !!!!#
Thomas sayig he were eating McDonalds on Sunday with the road race boys ...wonder if that included Froome

 

[tretiak]

Re: Re:

Poor performance. He didn't have to dig to deep in TDF.

Really? Where is the evidence to suggest Froome is capable of beating all of the specialists in a long time trial? Especially one that doesn't take place during a grand tour?

He's a very good time trialist for a GC rider but he's never been at the level of the likes of Cancellara, Wiggins and Martin over the years.

So many journalists and alot of people here trash talking before todays TT?

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Poor performance. He didn't have to dig to deep in TDF.

Really? Where is the evidence to suggest Froome is capable of beating all of the specialists in a long time trial? Especially one that doesn't take place during a grand tour?

He's a very good time trialist for a GC rider but he's never been at the level of the likes of Cancellara, Wiggins and Martin over the years.

So many journalists and alot of people here trash talking before todays TT?

Carlton Kirby said Froome would win double gold at Rio...(but then again he did say Simon Clarke would win MSR)

 

[JRanton]

Re: Re:

Poor performance. He didn't have to dig to deep in TDF.

Really? Where is the evidence to suggest Froome is capable of beating all of the specialists in a long time trial? Especially one that doesn't take place during a grand tour?

He's a very good time trialist for a GC rider but he's never been at the level of the likes of Cancellara, Wiggins and Martin over the years.

So many journalists and alot of people here trash talking before todays TT?

Yes. Like Valv.Piti said a few posts back, Froome was overrated by a lot of people for both the road race and the time trial.

Personally I think he's performed quite well in both the road race and the time trial but people have ridiculous expectations of him.

I expect him to struggle a lot in the third week of the Vuelta. Last year he was able to rest a bit between the Tour and the Vuelta and who knows how he'd have done without the crash (I think he'd have gone very close to winning it). This year is very similar to 2012, when he looked strong at the end of the Tour but then had to hold the form for the Olympics, before suffering badly in the final week at the Vuelta.

 

[damian13ster]

By far the best GT rider in the world winning olympic medal in a time trial and people still talk smack? Unbelievable

 

[Põhja Konn]

I do think Froome's strenght in the Tour was somewhat overrated due to the problems plagueing his main rivals and the strenght possessed by his own team. In that light, him getting a medal today was actually a great performance.

Impossible to see him having a secondary peak for the Vuelta, so he must hold his existing form as long as possible. How far will it take him mostly depends on at what level will be his competition. There will be many very good riders in the Vuelta, but how many of them have good, let alone great form? As of now, Froome completing a GT double in Vuelta would be a major surprise.

 

[JRanton]

Re:

There's only a few explanations that make sense to me, and the no radio etc don't make a lot of sense to me. He got dropped like a stone in the final. That's not lack of tactics, its a lack of legs. Considering he hasn't done too well in one day races in the past I'm starting to think that - either he doesn't recover very well from efforts over threshold during a race, or he just needs the few extra days of a GT to have a great day and can't just be sublime out of nowhere.

It's the number of explosive efforts, often just for positioning in the bunch, that need to be made during a one day race that catch up with riders with the physiology of Froome and weaken them for the finale.

In 2013, when he won nearly every race he entered, he rode a very average LBL (36th at over a minute down), and then just two days later smashed the time trial at Romandie. So we know he had great legs for that LBL, it's just the style of racing that doesn't suit his physiology.

 

[JRanton]

By far the best GT rider in the world winning olympic medal in a time trial and people still talk smack? Unbelievable

Yup, it's actually a really good achievement for Froome.

 

[JRanton]

I was trying to think of Froome's best time trial performance in his career. Most people would probably say Mont-Saint-Michel when he was against a super Tony Martin and came within 12 seconds of beating him. I think that rather sums up Froome's time trialing ability. Very good for a GC rider but even in his best ever performance he was beaten by a specialist.

 

[burning]

I was trying to think of Froome's best time trial performance in his career. Most people would probably say Mont-Saint-Michel when he was against a super Tony Martin and came within 12 seconds of beating him. I think that rather sums up Froome's time trialing ability. Very good for a GC rider but even in his best ever performance he was beaten by a specialist.

You seem to forget that he rode the tt with inferior conditions but his peak was definitely in 2013.

 

[SeriousSam]

Bronze in 2012, Bronze in 2016. He isn't Indurain or Wiggins but his Olympic TTs and Tour TTs confirm that when required, he's close to the best time triallists in the world and he's been at that level for 4-5 years now. Along with being the best climber in the world par none, this is why he's almost unbeatable at the Tour just like Armstrong was.

Wining the Tour and obtaining an Olympic medal easily makes his the best season of any cyclist this year.

 

[burning]

Re:

Bronze in 2012, Bronze in 2016. He isn't Indurain or Wiggins but his Olympic TTs and Tour TTs confirm that when required, he's close to the best time triallists in the world and he's been at that level for 4-5 years now. Along with being the best climber in the world par none, this is why he's almost unbeatable at the Tour just like Armstrong was.

Wining the Tour and obtaining an Olympic medal easily makes his the best season of any cyclist this year.

Nope, not at all. Sagan's season is better if Froome does not win Vuelta.

 

[Taxus4a]

Oval rings are quite an advantage in Tours, but not really in one day races. Not a big difference, but it is something to take into account.

He is not a super especiallist anyway, as well he is not a pure climber, but in a Tour recovery and to be good in all terrains is what finally count in all the stages, so you cann climb as the best climber annd trial as the best especialist.

He did very well anyway.

I couldnt see the race, but I guess they didnt race the cobbles.. didnt they?

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Bronze in 2012, Bronze in 2016. He isn't Indurain or Wiggins but his Olympic TTs and Tour TTs confirm that when required, he's close to the best time triallists in the world and he's been at that level for 4-5 years now. Along with being the best climber in the world par none, this is why he's almost unbeatable at the Tour just like Armstrong was.

Wining the Tour and obtaining an Olympic medal easily makes his the best season of any cyclist this year.

And winning Dauphiné. (and another race, an stage in Romandie...)

But so far is Sagan the best: http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/cqRankingRider.asp?year=2016

 

[peloton]

Re:

he is not a pure climber

What?

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

he is not a pure climber

What?

What's confusing about that comment? He's not a pure climber, he's a stage racer

 

[wwabbit]

Well, if the Olympic Road Race + Time Trial was a 2 stage Stage Race, Froome would have won Gold.

And Geraint Thomas would be in Silver....

 

[burning]

Re:

Oval rings are quite an advantage in Tours, but not really in one day races. Not a big difference, but it is something to take into account.

He is not a super especiallist anyway, as well he is not a pure climber,but in a Tour recovery and to be good in all terrains is what finally count in all the stages, so you cann climb as the best climber annd trial as the best especialist.

He did very well anyway.

I couldnt see the race, but I guess they didnt race the cobbles.. didnt they?

Can you elaborate on that part?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

he is not a pure climber

What?

I think Taxus means in terms of his other abilities, he doesn't just climb well he can also TT very well and is strong on the flat/crosswind stages too. Pure climbers tend to struggle in those other areas.

 

[rick james]

Re:

Well, if the Olympic Road Race + Time Trial was a 2 stage Stage Race, Froome would have won Gold.

And Geraint Thomas would be in Silver....

I like your thinking here, we should make that an unofficial Award

 

[dacooley]

Oh, boy, virtual contador followed by virtual froome.