kiszol said:
I hope you are right. I`m afraid that SKY will control the race too much for anything significant too happen.
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I hope you are right. I`m afraid that SKY will control the race too much for anything significant too happen.
Given Moscon's expulsion I wonder if that will change what they do, 1 less dom. Froome to become Thomas's super dom in act of ultimate team work LOL
Re:
SDB's excuse now to say to G, "sorry, we're one man short, and Froomey's the teamleader, so you're doing Moscon's job."
bigcog said:
SDB's excuse now to say to G, "sorry, we're one man short, and Froomey's the teamleader, so you're doing Moscon's job."
Froome has always whined about 2012 when he felt he could have won the Tour. I think one of the commentators on ITV4 said as much that it still grates him to this day.
However, Thomas has seized the initiative early on, got the jersey and with a nice time buffer. Also he is an extremely popular rider on the form of his life. I think if Froome tries to piss on his parade to fulfil his personal ambitions it will be deeply unpopular - on the other hand assisting his long standing domestique all the way to Paris would show humility and grace. Would also give him some much needed positive press points in the bag.
However, Thomas has seized the initiative early on, got the jersey and with a nice time buffer. Also he is an extremely popular rider on the form of his life. I think if Froome tries to piss on his parade to fulfil his personal ambitions it will be deeply unpopular - on the other hand assisting his long standing domestique all the way to Paris would show humility and grace. Would also give him some much needed positive press points in the bag.
B_Ugli said:
:lol: Come on...
"humility and grace"? You suggestion is almost as absurd as demanding Thomas carry waterbottles for Froome. Froome is the reigning champ, and he'll fight for the win until the last second, as he should.
If Thomas is still in yellow after the TT, then Froome can (pretend to) be humble and gracious.
froome should actually hope for Gee going into a complete meltdown to win the Tour, which seems unlikely so far. because what thomas pretty much needs is not to crack on stage 17. and yet, froome is capable of putting big chunks of time into opponents only when Sky climbers accomplish great deal of drilling work by bombing the peloton into pieces. Whether they are going to use this strategy one more time, having already thomas in a driving seat is an intriguing question. But I don't think they will.spalco said:
I can’t see them doing it. Imagine if they upped the pace, growing Gee into the ground and then TD follows Froome and beats him in the TT to take the win. I don’t think they should even let Froome attack much, if at all. It’s not needed.dacooley said:
This race within the race in sky is actually quite complex and very fascinating. I think I would prefer Froome to win over G even though Thomas seems to be the nicer guy just because of the panache of Froome attempting the “impossible” giro-tour double and constantly upping the stakes to push himself to the limit. This is what I like to see in cycling. Not a LA character that wins one race a year with no excitement, but always trying to improve and break barriers. Like GvA holding yellow in the mountains, that’s heroic and exciting. Kittel winning a flat sprint is not. I don’t know how this relates anymore, sorry /rant
I think Sky would rather finish first and second than first and third, and to do that, Froome needs to drop Dumoulin, so he needs to attack. All Thomas has to do is follow Dumoulin, so if Froome can't make his attacks stick, Sky still win. And if Froome manages to drop both Dumoulin and Thomas, so what, Sky still win the Tour. I think it's a pretty safe plan for them, Froome is happy because he can attack to win (or at least to consolidate second) if he is strong enough and Thomas is happy, because if he is strong enough, all he needs to do is follow.
Big Doopie
BANNED
Re:
bingo.
i find froome's quotes today rather interesting - he keeps repeating that "they" need more time in front of Dumoulin and even Roglic before the final ITT. However, unless Thomas has a mechanical (and more) in the ITT, he is safe. It is only Froome who needs time and without it, he likely drops behind Dumoulin and maybe even off the podium.
for the sake of the team's best result froome should not attack - only if thomas does have a bad day in the pyrennees.
then again, i want dumoulin to win.
Vasilis said:
bingo.
i find froome's quotes today rather interesting - he keeps repeating that "they" need more time in front of Dumoulin and even Roglic before the final ITT. However, unless Thomas has a mechanical (and more) in the ITT, he is safe. It is only Froome who needs time and without it, he likely drops behind Dumoulin and maybe even off the podium.
for the sake of the team's best result froome should not attack - only if thomas does have a bad day in the pyrennees.
then again, i want dumoulin to win.
Froome must attack right from the start on Stage 17 and pull out a second epic long range attack like the one on Giro's Stage 19. He has no other options if he wants to win the Tour imo.
Re:
On the Peyresourde? That's not a climb where you drop everyone while riding within yourself.ThePirate81 said:
Don't worry about Roglic. I think he will bleed more time the third week. It has been a long year for Roglic and he will pay the toll on the third week.
Re: Re:
Thomas is gonna be the hardest nut to crack.
I know it's a regular climb but he needs to set up the hardest tempo and force selection right from the start to isolate Tom,Roglic and G.Red Rick said:
Thomas is gonna be the hardest nut to crack.
I can imagine only one situation in which Froome directly attacks Thomas at this point. And that would be if Dumoulin is fading near the summit and Froome can take 30 seconds or so. But then I'd imagine that Thomas would go with Froome anyway if he could
It's a different story if, say, there's a group of the top climbers and Thomas is struggling. Then, sure, go for it, and Froome probably wouldn't have to initiate an attack but merely follow wheels.
Would Froome initiate a long-term attack? I seriously doubt it. For one, he'd likely be towing Valverde
Losing Moscon definitely hurts. He's a beast riding tempo and if Kwiat or Castroviejo have an off day it's basically just Poels (who can be up or down sometimes) or Bernal (who admittedly was a boss last week)
It's a different story if, say, there's a group of the top climbers and Thomas is struggling. Then, sure, go for it, and Froome probably wouldn't have to initiate an attack but merely follow wheels.
Would Froome initiate a long-term attack? I seriously doubt it. For one, he'd likely be towing Valverde
Losing Moscon definitely hurts. He's a beast riding tempo and if Kwiat or Castroviejo have an off day it's basically just Poels (who can be up or down sometimes) or Bernal (who admittedly was a boss last week)
Re:
I'm not so sure. There seem to be some riders who simply don't get worse no matter how long they are in shape these daysEscarabajo said:
Geraint could collapse like Yates at the Giro
But if that doesn't happen (and it's not likely), what would a Froome victory even look like?
A Giro-esque long range attack presupposes that he has the Sky train at his disposal to tire out everyone prior to his attack but he won't. The Sky team won't ride to make G lose at this point. SDB will be favouring 1. G and 2. F at this point.
Seems like Froome needs an extra-terrestrial time trial and a dangerous Dumoulin attack that G can't follow.
It's not looking good for the historic quadruple
But if that doesn't happen (and it's not likely), what would a Froome victory even look like?
A Giro-esque long range attack presupposes that he has the Sky train at his disposal to tire out everyone prior to his attack but he won't. The Sky team won't ride to make G lose at this point. SDB will be favouring 1. G and 2. F at this point.
Seems like Froome needs an extra-terrestrial time trial and a dangerous Dumoulin attack that G can't follow.
It's not looking good for the historic quadruple
Thats quite ironic that what always massively helped to secure overall win (by far strongest team) this time most likely wont enable to take one more title.
I don't think long range attack is possible. Do not forget that the attack was made on Finestre and Finestre is brutal, I consider it one of the hardest in Europe.
Also the circumstances helped Froome that stage. Yates' big blow and the unexpected (for me) crack of Pozzo. Had Pozzovivo been in his usual (that Giro) shape to stay with TomD, Pinot, Carapaz (and of course with a good cooperation), I think Froome would've been caught (after all he made just 40 seconds (even less)) on Finestre.
That said Froome will have attacks the possibility of making double is something really big. But this could make bad favor of Sky if G cracks and Dumoulin can follow.
Also the circumstances helped Froome that stage. Yates' big blow and the unexpected (for me) crack of Pozzo. Had Pozzovivo been in his usual (that Giro) shape to stay with TomD, Pinot, Carapaz (and of course with a good cooperation), I think Froome would've been caught (after all he made just 40 seconds (even less)) on Finestre.
That said Froome will have attacks the possibility of making double is something really big. But this could make bad favor of Sky if G cracks and Dumoulin can follow.
rick james
BANNED
Re:
He’ll follow Tom, or Roglic, or anyone, but he won’t work with anyone who’s a GC risk, to distance G. So if G is on TD’s wheel, and Froome is ahead with Roglic, then it’s a Dumoulin vs Roglic TT, each with a Skybot on their wheel.
Similarly, I think if G is ahead, Froome will sit on TD’s wheel rather than tow him up to G.
He won’t do it to risk 1st, be that with himself or with G.rick james said:
He’ll follow Tom, or Roglic, or anyone, but he won’t work with anyone who’s a GC risk, to distance G. So if G is on TD’s wheel, and Froome is ahead with Roglic, then it’s a Dumoulin vs Roglic TT, each with a Skybot on their wheel.
Similarly, I think if G is ahead, Froome will sit on TD’s wheel rather than tow him up to G.
Re:
Certainly, but it's the only thing he can say, really.
But I'm glad Thomas doesn't seem willing to be sacrificed - and why should he? Sky probably aren't throwing him out of the race for insubordination and this is his big chance.
Robert5091 said:
Certainly, but it's the only thing he can say, really.
But I'm glad Thomas doesn't seem willing to be sacrificed - and why should he? Sky probably aren't throwing him out of the race for insubordination and this is his big chance.
Dream scenario for Sky if G and Froome are still 1-2. And they will duke it out among themselves w/o team showing who they want to win. But that means, Froome needs to chip away his deficit to Thomas to give him a chance, but without letting, TD comes into play. Froome will most likely need to attack to both chips away his time to Thomas and distance TD.
Re:
Pretty much. He has no choice. Bardet and Martin will surely try something.
rick james said:
Pretty much. He has no choice. Bardet and Martin will surely try something.
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