Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

I just don't like the scenario in which he will be so and so and a background figure for most of the race but still be able to stay in contention. Then suddenly in the final week find form and drop everybody to win the Giro. Because that seems to be the narrative right now going around. Both on here and what I see is being in said the interviews from him and the team. Like it is some sort of scheme. That he is on his way or on the way up etc. He will come good in the last week.

I don't like that and that would really give me a sour taste. That just how I feel. Sorry. Just my thoughts on it. I am not a Froome fan though, so no need quoting this and start a debate from this post. Just wanted to express my thoughts somewhere and this is the discussion thread about him so.

But that worked fine for Nibali in 2016, was the same said then? This is of course presuming Froome wins the Giro, which he's a long way off doing at this stage.

 

[claude cat]

Re: Re:

Froome's biggest issue will be the strength of his team - It's tough to have a super strong team for both the Giro and the TDF.

Froome's biggest issue is that he's one minute down and he can't gain significant time in the mountains since 2015.

And his rivals bar Dumoulin and Dennis have to contend with a 34.2 km TT. Dumoulin still not in pink, could not have worked out better for him. Froome rode well in the final week of the Tour and I expect the same here. I think the race is looking very interesting as of now. I'm sure that Matt White and Michelton have more tricks up their sleeve. But now the pressure goes off BMC which Dennis won't mind. Let's see how Michelton copes with it.

Mitchelton should be fine, at least short term, as QS will be working for Viviani to win stages. White might not be the DS Stephens is, but he’s still pretty good and has picked a well balanced, experienced team. Nieve and Kreuziger will make sure Yates and Chaves keep a level head.

I don't have doubts about White or the team which on paper is very strong but there is a lot more pressure with the pink jersey. Dumoulin will be glad to be sitting on GC where he is. I can't believe that some people have already written off Dumoulin and Froome. The advantage for Michelton is having two riders high on GC and both can climb well. Sometimes it's the transitional stages that cause the problems. Froome knows about those ones.......

No one in their right minds is writing off Dumoulin and Froome.
IMO Dumoulin is the outright favourite right now.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

What I seemed to notice yesterday was all the other GC contenders was watching where Froome was. Even when slightly dropped none of them thought about working together to try and drop him big style. The only exception was Yates, who didn't need to try anything too early as Chaves was up the road. It was little digs from Froomes rivals gaining nothing and each afraid of dragging all the others to the finish. They missed a good opportunity yesterday to work together in the last 5k to possibly dislodge Froome as one of the favourites to podium, never mind the win. This could come back to haunt them later in the race. At this moment in time, I also believe Tom is doing just enough to stay within touching distance of the others, then to smash them in the TT and hang on during the 3rd week. Great win by MS, they have a really good chance to do something special in this race.

 

[dacooley]

froome is looking heavy, bulky, helpless, not able to contend for the podium. although, if he sticks to chaves' and yates wheels and manages to put into dimoulin about 30'' which doesn't seem completely unlikely, it will drastically change the dynamics of the race.

 

[pastronef]

Re:

I just don't like the scenario in which he will be so and so and a background figure for most of the race but still be able to stay in contention. Then suddenly in the final week find form and drop everybody to win the Giro. Because that seems to be the narrative right now going around. Both on here and what I see is being in said the interviews from him and the team. Like it is some sort of scheme. That he is on his way or on the way up etc. He will come good in the last week.

that´s what Nibali did in 2016 and the public loved that

 

[dacooley]

Re: Re:

I just don't like the scenario in which he will be so and so and a background figure for most of the race but still be able to stay in contention. Then suddenly in the final week find form and drop everybody to win the Giro. Because that seems to be the narrative right now going around. Both on here and what I see is being in said the interviews from him and the team. Like it is some sort of scheme. That he is on his way or on the way up etc. He will come good in the last week.

that´s what Nibali did in 2016 and the public loved that

that would've been a great piece of froome's career in little. from dirt to kings in 2-3 days.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

froome is looking heavy, bulky, helpless, not able to contend for the podium. although, if he sticks to chaves' and yates wheels and manages to put into dimoulin about 30'' which doesn't seem completely unlikely, it will drastically change the dynamics of the race.

Just watched the final 15 k. He definitely didn’t look great. Every later surge in the stage popped him off the back just a little, but....in the end he did what he had to do. He’ll get better. Problem is Dumoulin will for sure get better as well. His team is weaker than usual. Besides the 2014 Tour, this could be his first time failing on a primary objective in a while.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

Poels usually comes good in the final week too.

I thought that Poels was meant to be riding for the gc also in addition to helping Froome?

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Froome's biggest issue will be the strength of his team - It's tough to have a super strong team for both the Giro and the TDF.

Froome's biggest issue is that he's one minute down and he can't gain significant time in the mountains since 2015.

And his rivals bar Dumoulin and Dennis have to contend with a 34.2 km TT. Dumoulin still not in pink, could not have worked out better for him. Froome rode well in the final week of the Tour and I expect the same here. I think the race is looking very interesting as of now. I'm sure that Matt White and Michelton have more tricks up their sleeve. But now the pressure goes off BMC which Dennis won't mind. Let's see how Michelton copes with it.

Mitchelton should be fine, at least short term, as QS will be working for Viviani to win stages. White might not be the DS Stephens is, but he’s still pretty good and has picked a well balanced, experienced team. Nieve and Kreuziger will make sure Yates and Chaves keep a level head.

I don't have doubts about White or the team which on paper is very strong but there is a lot more pressure with the pink jersey. Dumoulin will be glad to be sitting on GC where he is. I can't believe that some people have already written off Dumoulin and Froome. The advantage for Michelton is having two riders high on GC and both can climb well. Sometimes it's the transitional stages that cause the problems. Froome knows about those ones.......

Makes no sense in writing the two of them off when a itt looms ahead, especially as they lost no time on the first mtf except to the two Mitchellton-Scott contenders.

 

[Angliru]

What I seemed to notice yesterday was all the other GC contenders was watching where Froome was. Even when slightly dropped none of them thought about working together to try and drop him big style. The only exception was Yates, who didn't need to try anything too early as Chaves was up the road. It was little digs from Froomes rivals gaining nothing and each afraid of dragging all the others to the finish. They missed a good opportunity yesterday to work together in the last 5k to possibly dislodge Froome as one of the favourites to podium, never mind the win. This could come back to haunt them later in the race. At this moment in time, I also believe Tom is doing just enough to stay within touching distance of the others, then to smash them in the TT and hang on during the 3rd week. Great win by MS, they have a really good chance to do something special in this race.

It's possible that they've caught on to Froome's tendency to hang off the back of the elite contenders group in the mountains, especially early in a grand tour on a final mtf, only to come charging back after everyone has shot their load. This has occurred multiple times even with his own team setting the tempo on the front. In the past his rivals have seen him seemingly falter, got excited, attacked and then regretted that they'd been suckered again.

 

[deValtos]

2 crashes per GT is starting to seem normal for Froome.

Just have to fill the mechanicals quota at some point. Presumably one will occur at the bottom of the Zoncolan.

 

[hazaran]

He should fire his bike mechanic, maybe it's the cameras constantly on him but he seems to have problems every fricking day.

 

[skippo12]

I get the feeling that he won`t finish the Giro. If he crashes again or loses a lot of time in the next days I expect him to quit and prepare for the Tour.

 

[movingtarget]

The fact that they didn't bother to try and straighten his handlebars after he crashed sounded like amateur time. No wonder he was having trouble on the corners.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

He should fire his bike mechanic, maybe it's the cameras constantly on him but he seems to have problems every fricking day.

I don't think the mechanic could have prevented the crash today. Unless you're suggesting said mechanic should have made it stop raining.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

He should fire his bike mechanic, maybe it's the cameras constantly on him but he seems to have problems every fricking day.

I don't think the mechanic could have prevented the crash today. Unless you're suggesting said mechanic should have made it stop raining.

Marginal gains. If anything you'd expect them to be able keep the rain from coming out of the Sky.

 

[Scarponi]

What I seemed to notice yesterday was all the other GC contenders was watching where Froome was. Even when slightly dropped none of them thought about working together to try and drop him big style. The only exception was Yates, who didn't need to try anything too early as Chaves was up the road. It was little digs from Froomes rivals gaining nothing and each afraid of dragging all the others to the finish. They missed a good opportunity yesterday to work together in the last 5k to possibly dislodge Froome as one of the favourites to podium, never mind the win. This could come back to haunt them later in the race. At this moment in time, I also believe Tom is doing just enough to stay within touching distance of the others, then to smash them in the TT and hang on during the 3rd week. Great win by MS, they have a really good chance to do something special in this race.

Exactly zero race awareness, Contador and Valverde would have smashed him at that point.

 

[Robert5091]

Little Kenny E already getting tired off dragging Dawg along -

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-its-never-much-fun-crashing-in-the-finale-of-a-race/

"We were all in a line, I heard 'tat-tat-tat' behind me and I thought 'not Froomey, not Froomey,'" Elissonde said as he stood wearily against his bike by the finish, blinking against the rain. "I looked around and saw that it was Froomey. We had to drop back and make a big effort to help get him back up."

 

[movingtarget]

What I seemed to notice yesterday was all the other GC contenders was watching where Froome was. Even when slightly dropped none of them thought about working together to try and drop him big style. The only exception was Yates, who didn't need to try anything too early as Chaves was up the road. It was little digs from Froomes rivals gaining nothing and each afraid of dragging all the others to the finish. They missed a good opportunity yesterday to work together in the last 5k to possibly dislodge Froome as one of the favourites to podium, never mind the win. This could come back to haunt them later in the race. At this moment in time, I also believe Tom is doing just enough to stay within touching distance of the others, then to smash them in the TT and hang on during the 3rd week. Great win by MS, they have a really good chance to do something special in this race.

Exactly zero race awareness, Contador and Valverde would have smashed him at that point.

You'd think at least Aru would have attacked ............

 

[Salvarani]

What I seemed to notice yesterday was all the other GC contenders was watching where Froome was. Even when slightly dropped none of them thought about working together to try and drop him big style. The only exception was Yates, who didn't need to try anything too early as Chaves was up the road. It was little digs from Froomes rivals gaining nothing and each afraid of dragging all the others to the finish. They missed a good opportunity yesterday to work together in the last 5k to possibly dislodge Froome as one of the favourites to podium, never mind the win. This could come back to haunt them later in the race. At this moment in time, I also believe Tom is doing just enough to stay within touching distance of the others, then to smash them in the TT and hang on during the 3rd week. Great win by MS, they have a really good chance to do something special in this race.

Exactly zero race awareness, Contador and Valverde would have smashed him at that point.

You'd think at least Aru would have attacked ............

Maybe they were all struggling with the massive rain and just content with staying with the group instead of putting in a big effort for only gaining 20s at best... saving a big launch for today or maybe even looking at the two stages weekend to give it a go.

Credit to Sky because they also got Froome back in just a few seconds it almost felt like.

I think both yesterday and today trying to attack will cost more than what you will gain. Unless the weather will play a factor throughout the whole stage. Long stage + bad weather might be interesting... with semi-hard climbs, if someone has a bad day.

 

[dacooley]

What I seemed to notice yesterday was all the other GC contenders was watching where Froome was. Even when slightly dropped none of them thought about working together to try and drop him big style. The only exception was Yates, who didn't need to try anything too early as Chaves was up the road. It was little digs from Froomes rivals gaining nothing and each afraid of dragging all the others to the finish. They missed a good opportunity yesterday to work together in the last 5k to possibly dislodge Froome as one of the favourites to podium, never mind the win. This could come back to haunt them later in the race. At this moment in time, I also believe Tom is doing just enough to stay within touching distance of the others, then to smash them in the TT and hang on during the 3rd week. Great win by MS, they have a really good chance to do something special in this race.

Exactly zero race awareness, Contador and Valverde would have smashed him at that point.

Yes, especially Valverde who has always been well known for hyper agressive climbing with repeated attacks.

 

[therealthing]

He's going the same way as Quintana- not anywhere close to form at the Giro and will be cooked by the time Tour starts.

 

[hrotha]

Quintana was way, way better than this.

Anyway, it's striking that no one's moving a finger to eliminate Froome once and for all. Part of me wants that to be everyone's undoing later on.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Froomey should drop the GC and go for a stage win.

 

[bigcog]

Re:

Quintana was way, way better than this.

Anyway, it's striking that no one's moving a finger to eliminate Froome once and for all. Part of me wants that to be everyone's undoing later on.

Yep Quintana was a lot better than this. No way he is going to find form to come anywhere close to the podium, he will DNF.