Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[willbick]

i think froome's performance in this Vuelta has shown all that rubbish about him 'shotboating' in the tour to be the tosh it was. He's come across (as he always has to me) to be a really decent honest guy who's bravely busting his gut despite clearly running on fumes. I'm kinda hoping that he accepts gives up his GC ambitions a bit and takes it easier for a bit coz im worried he's gonna totally bottom himself with his own bravery, but maybe im just being pathetic.

 

[Jelantik]

Froome comments after stage 14:

“I wouldn’t say the rivals are stronger at the Vuelta, but they’re a different kind of rider than the Tour,” he said. “They are a lot more explosive and punchy than our opponents at the Tour and that’s what the Vuelta is about.”‬‬

WHAAA??!.. not stronger? LOL... You've been holding hand with wiggin sitting in lazy susan arm chair dragged by sky team around the mountain. That doesn't mean your team is stronger. Who was your opponent that can attack at 10% gradient and stick it? Nibali? JVB? Evan?

 

[willbick]

erm did u ever consider that he said that so as not to degrade Wiggins's tour win? its called telling a white lie. Why dont u ever consider what is behind a statement rather than taking EVERYTHING at face value?

 

[willbick]

maybe if some of you guys ever left yr computers and went out into the real world you might realise that people dont always say exactly what they believe

 

[Jelantik]

i think froome's performance in this Vuelta has shown all that rubbish about him 'shotboating' in the tour to be the tosh it was. He's come across (as he always has to me) to be a really decent honest guy who's bravely busting his gut despite clearly running on fumes. I'm kinda hoping that he accepts gives up his GC ambitions a bit and takes it easier for a bit coz im worried he's gonna totally bottom himself with his own bravery, but maybe im just being pathetic.

+1
he seems a nice guy, but his comment sometimes came accros as arrogant or maybe over confident. First week, the day before the mountain, he had to drive in the front of peloton in a high speed sprint finish. Don't know if that's a sign of cockiness or just plain stupid. The last time I saw that demonstration of showing off was wiggin at TDF. Looks like a pattern. Sky GC guy must drive in front of the peloton to show off or something.

 

[Jelantik]

Yep. He won't even podium.

well at least wiggin can smile all the way to the next TDF…

 

[willbick]

dont be ridiculous. its not 'showing off', he's doing it to try and help his team-mate get a win in the sprint. its called selflessness

 

[Cyivel]

He can't win with that question, if he says they are stronger it will be taken as a dig at Wiggins, Froome seems to be a pretty decent guy whenever I've seen him interviewed.

 

[willbick]

he's a very decent guy. i just hope he isnt too brave for his own good.

 

[webvan]

Decent guy for sure but what he did today made no sense, exactly like on Toussuire or Peyragudes, he can't expect to win a GT riding like that. He still had Uran why not let him pace him a bit longer instead of killing him on the spot!

As for the competition on the TDF vs the Vuelta...well look at the VAM on PDBF or Toussuire and compare it to what's been going on at the Vuelta. It's (fairly) spectacular but they're not climbing that fast, a lot of stop and go, with the TDF train drilling it at 450 watts no one would go very far for very long.

 

[maxmartin]

he's a very decent guy. i just hope he isnt too brave for his own good.

bravery or stupidity that is in the eyes of the beholder

 

[willbick]

its bravery. he's not stupid

 

[willbick]

i think purito in the tour on this form wudda been winning the (few) mountain top finishes by maybe 10 secs or something with his killer finishing kick, but obviously that wouldnt be enough to make up the massive time he'd have lost to Wiggo in the TTs

 

[SafeBet]

WHAAA??!.. not stronger? LOL... You've been holding hand with wiggin sitting in lazy susan arm chair dragged by sky team around the mountain. That doesn't mean your team is stronger. Who was your opponent that can attack at 10% gradient and stick it? Nibali? JVB? Evan?

And who can do it here?
Contador?
Purito?
Valverde?

I've seen nothing suggesting these riders are good in sustaining attacks on long climbs at their current form.

They're just more explosive, hence capable of gaining time on him in the last few kms of the climbs. Something Nibali will clearly never be able to do.

 

[Angliru]

In Andorra he rode badly from a tactical pov and two days ago it was a stage lost before the Vuelta started because it's brutal course didn't suit him.

I concede the ITT was a little defeat but he just lost 22 seconds with Contador.

In theory Contador is the favourite but it shouldn't be a surprise if Froome reveals as the strongest. His deficit is 38 secs to Contador and 51 secs to Purito.

That would be a major surprise. Today he struggled to maintain contact with Valverde, Contador, Purito and Moreno when the aggressions started and he eventually was dropped. I can't see him suddenly finding his Tour legs or any form in that vicinity and turning the tables on the 3 that have been making him suffer. It's likely that Valverde will continue to put time into him, snatching the final podium spot. It's been a slow progression of Valverde reeling Froome in in the gc till they're now tied. Still I can't understand the logic of having Froome working for Swift in the sprint when fatigue was a potential factor. Makes no sense no matter how short a period of exertion it may have been.

 

[Angliru]

Froome said he had planned to go on peak by the 3rd week. Did you hear about that?

He must have mistimed it by 2 weeks.

 

[Forunculo]

That would be a major surprise. Today he struggled to maintain contact with Valverde, Contador, Purito and Moreno when the aggressions started and he eventually was dropped. I can't see him suddenly finding his Tour legs or any form in that vicinity and turning the tables on the 3 that have been making him suffer. It's likely that Valverde will continue to put time into him, snatching the final podium spot. It's been a slow progression of Valverde reeling Froome in in the gc till they're now tied. Still I can't understand the logic of having Froome working for Swift in the sprint when fatigue was a potential factor. Makes no sense no matter how short a period of exertion it may have been.

My post was from 24 hours ago But I was right about Contador is not much better

 

[Angliru]

My post was from 24 hours ago But I was right about Contador is not much better

Of course but you have to admit that Valverde, Purito and Contador have been putting Froome in the pain cave the past 2 mountain/hilly finishes. He hasn't been able to match them and it's been a steady decline in his ability to keep up. Froome is attributing it to the 3 of them being more explosive than the riders he faced in the Tour but I think it's his way of not wanting to state what is obvious which is that either he's getting fatigued or that he's overmatched in the mountains by these 3. It's understandable with a Tour in his legs and there's no shame in rolling in 4th on a mtf versus this level of talent. He's showing alot of heart.

And no, Contador isn't at his best which is evident in his inability to expand upon his gaps after he achieves the initial seperation, at least when it concerns Purito. This stage he looked to pushing bigger gear compared to the stage where Purito and Valverde caught him and topped him at the line. I think this shows Contador's getting stronger but Purito seems to be riding this wave of superior form that Contador just may not be able to match and overcome.

 

[willbick]

you have to realise that when riders like Froome (who is a gentleman) answer questions from the press they are being tactful and not always 100% truthful, just like anyone. Stupid people on this forum (and elsewhere on the internet - there are a lot of idiots on the internet) take everything people say at face value without considering their motives for saying what they did.

When Froome is asked 'why are you getting beat?' he cant say 'because i am tired from the tour', even though that is partly the reason, because it would be disrespectful to the guys who are beating him. and he cant say 'because my rivals are better climbers than in the tour' because that would be disrespectful to Wiggins. So he says the tactful thing (which is still true) that his rivals are more explosive climbers.

Try to understand that things arent as simple as simple people would like them to be.

 

[_nm___]

(...) Still I can't understand the logic of having Froome working for Swift in the sprint when fatigue was a potential factor. Makes no sense no matter how short a period of exertion it may have been.

made very little sense for the Swift, too, because Froome dropped him 300 meters from the line, which is too far for out
on top of that, Froome actually gapped Swift for a while when he went out of the saddle, forcing Swift to work hard to close that gap and lose precious strengths needed for the (300 meter long) sprint

Wiggins had done the same mistake at the tour: dropping his sprinter with 300 meters to go. that's too far

i think Wigggins did that twice at the tour, actually, with twice that exact same mistake

funny how they don't learn

in the end this only helps them make sure they won't be involved in a crash

 

[movingtarget]

Of course but you have to admit that Valverde, Purito and Contador have been putting Froome in the pain cave the past 2 mountain/hilly finishes. He hasn't been able to match them and it's been a steady decline in his ability to keep up. Froome is attributing it to the 3 of them being more explosive than the riders he faced in the Tour but I think it's his way of not wanting to state what is obvious which is that either he's getting fatigued or that he's overmatched in the mountains by these 3. It's understandable with a Tour in his legs and there's no shame in rolling in 4th on a mtf versus this level of talent. He's showing alot of heart.

And no, Contador isn't at his best which is evident in his inability to expand upon his gaps after he achieves the initial seperation, at least when it concerns Purito. This stage he looked to pushing bigger gear compared to the stage where Purito and Valverde caught him and topped him at the line. I think this shows Contador's getting stronger but Purito seems to be riding this wave of superior form that Contador just may not be able to match and overcome.

I can't see Froome turning it around now. He's riding with guts but probably reacted too soon in the last stage and lost more time than he needed to. Contador is improving but their is no substitute for racing and so far Contador's layoff and Rodriguez's great form are costing him. I thought Gesink may have finished closer and Moreno has been riding a great race so far.

 

[wwabbit]

I think it was more inexperience than stupidity. This is the first time he's been the designated team leader. Hopefully he'll learn from this and get his rewards in future GTs.

 

[webvan]

A lot of new members here, good to see that Froome is bringing in new fans!

It's hard to believe it's inexperience, he can't possibly have forgotten what he was "told" on Toussuire and Peyragudes and even last year he couldn't drop Cobo the diesel. He really needs to calm down and race with better judgement.

I'd be interested in hearing what Uran and Henao have to say about his little antics, he already p*i*s*s*e*d off Wiggins and his management on the TDF, now his helpers ? Not good in the long run.

 

[willbick]

'he already p*i*s*s*e*d off Wiggins and his management on the TDF'

did he? how do you know that? have you spoken to them?

 

[cineteq]

Hmmm...I might change my tune against Froome after this nice comment:

Christopher Froome se muestra contento con estar en la Vuelta. "Me gusta el ambiente de la Vuelta a España más que el del Tour de Francia. Me gusta la cultura española y la actitud de la gente. Los espectadores tienen muchos corredores suyos para animar y aún me animan también a mí. Eso me ayuda a mantener mi motivación alta a pesar de que estoy un poco cansado"

Christopher Froome is happy to be at La Vuelta. "I like the atmosphere of the Tour of Spain better than the Tour de France. I like the Spanish culture and the attitude of the people. Spectators have many Spanish riders to encourage and they even encourage me. That helps me keep my motivation high even though I'm a bit tired "