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Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

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Is Froome over the hill?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 39 34.5%
  • No, the GC finished 40 minutes ago but Froomie is still climbing it

    Votes: 62 54.9%
  • No he is totally winning the Vuelta

    Votes: 25 22.1%

  • Total voters
    113
Actually the steeper the slope is the closer to linear is the relation of speed and power (or in other words VAM and power/mass). It's because on climbs the major component of resistive force is gravity (which is constant) and this force is a multiplier that changes velocity to power. On flat it's not the case as resistive force grows considerably with speed.
How does p change with the gradient?
 
Momentum.

I can't tell exact formula without knowing drag and rolling resistance forces for a given cyclist and bike (but it's almost c*P/sin(angle) for steep slopes). But in general a power needed to achieve velocity v (and momentum mv) is equal to:
P = v*(gravityForce + dragForce + rollingResistance)
where
gravity = m* g *sin(angle) - independent of velocity, main component on steep climbs
drag = from linear of velocity (at very low speeds) to quadratic (at higher speeds) - main component at very high speeds on flat
rolling resistance = linear of velocity and mass, main component at low and moderate speeds on flat
 
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I can't tell exact formula without knowing drag and rolling resistance forces for a given cyclist and bike. But in general a power needed to achieve velocity v (and momentum mv) is equal to:
P = v*(gravityForce + dragForce + rollingResistance)
where
gravity = m g sin(angle) - independent of velocity, main component on steep climbs
drag = from linear of velocity (at very low speeds) to quadratic (at higher speeds) - main component at very high speeds
rolling resistance = important component at moderate and high speeds
There's more than one momentum in bicycle locomotion. And their contributions to overall velocity aren't uniform.
But never mind. It's not trivial and the agreement on nonlinear translation between power and speed on the gradient's already been reached in the first reply.
Momentum is the spurring background noise that goes beyond watts.
 
Of course I could be wrong, but I think are strongs arguments. the same that Cavendish became to win stages of le Tour again after some problems..the quality is there.
Yes but it wasn’t like he was dominating the sprints or sprinting from far away. Quickstep protected him all throughout the race and when not able to deliver him he was still rested enough to attach to AF and come off their wheel the first two wins. Then the third win was picture perfect. Fourth was a cluster. All those sprints he hit the wind at like 150m to go. So he won using his brains vs overwhelming strength. Unlike this year when he has mostly won by sprinting faraway.

For Froome it is harder if he wants to keep high in GC. He has to be good all throughout and then be by himself in the mountains when support isn’t as helpful. That’s where his struggles have been. He’s able to ride in the group as long as the route isn’t difficult.

I’m sure he had a lot of atrophy but it doesn’t take that long to grow back with the exercises he is doing. Unless his diet was in complete shambles. Like are we seriously going to say he rode and finished two GTs on one leg?
 
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I have no skin in this game, so I do not win or lose anything. However, objectively he is a bit of a catch 22 situation (or close to one) - suddenly improving drastically to go from back of the pack to front of the pack reincarnates the same crazy transformation of the Vuelta from many years ago, and thus builds loads of cynicism, or no improvement and no Tour.

Of course it's just my opinion! That's the whole point of a forum. It equally says a lot about people who buy into all of the BS Froome and his PR team spout.
I didn't see any drastical improvement. he has improving gradually since he has no problem remaining of his crash. From his last ITT to his last result is a short step...in term of media, to be 11th looks much more important, but it is just and step more...normal anyway, after to be in a camp in altitude.
 
I didn't see any drastical improvement. he has improving gradually since he has no problem remaining of his crash. From his last ITT to his last result is a short step...in term of media, to be 11th looks much more important, but it is just and step more...normal anyway, after to be in a camp in altitude.
I mean, 11th is a huge and drastic improvement compared to what he was finishing previously. His best placement by a long shot.
 
I mean, 11th is a huge and drastic improvement compared to what he was finishing previously. His best placement by a long shot.

I want Froome to make it to the TDF. I’ve never been a big fan, but I respect him and his accomplishments.

At the same time, it feels like they are hyping up a paper tiger with that 11th place. I mean, he finished 10 seconds back of Reichenbach... That won’t strike fear into any other than Carlton Kirby
 
I want Froome to make it to the TDF. I’ve never been a big fan, but I respect him and his accomplishments.

At the same time, it feels like they are hyping up a paper tiger with that 11th place. I mean, he finished 10 seconds back of Reichenbach... That won’t strike fear into any other than Carlton Kirby
Hey in their defense, I paper tiger can still cut you. Death by a thousand paper cuts as the saying goes.
 
His new shoes

FUgaiUwWQAIt6n6
 
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Quote from Hitchhicker's guide to the galaxy:

COMPUTEACH: You are living in a stagnant declining civilization.
Where are you looking?
PUPIL: Down.
COMPUTEACH: What do you see?
PUPIL: My shoes.
COMPUTEACH: Correct. What do you do to cheer yourself up?
PUPIL: Er, press the button?
COMPUTEACH: Incorrect. Think again.
Your world is a depressing place, you are looking at your shoes,
how do you cheer yourself up?
PUPIL: I buy a new pair!
COMPUTEACH Correct.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Sandisfan
I mean, 11th is a huge and drastic improvement compared to what he was finishing previously. His best placement by a long shot.
Performance is not just a question of results...when you are working is important your results? He was 22th at Slovakia anyway. It is a huge improvement from Coppi Bartali, at Romandie he was quite well as Oscar Guerrero admit in recent interview before that 11th position, and later he was concentrated...and Oscar talked about to expect a good Froome at Dauphine.Sonce he said he was free of phisical problems he has improving his performance quite lineal, and likely he will improve much more.
 
The one time I saw Chris Froome in today's opening stage of the Dauphine he was at the pointy end of the peloton, face in the wind, fighting for position.
He was not happy to just roll along in the middle of the pack.
When? In wich km of the race?. I watched again last 65 Km and he was always well positioned in the main peloton, even when Ineos splited everything after the descent. The new is he didn't work positioning teamates as usual, maybe even other riders did for him, but it wasn't clear as far as I watched.
 
  • Wow
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When? In wich km of the race?. I watched again last 65 Km and he was always well positioned in the main peloton, even when Ineos splited everything after the descent. The new is he didn't work positioning teamates as usual, maybe even other riders did for him, but it wasn't clear as far as I watched.

That was my point Taxus4a.
When I wrote "pointy end" I meant the very front of the peloton.
Plus "fighting for position" referred to him competing hard, not desperately hanging on the back.
His aggressive racing meant when the split occurred Froome was in the front group.
Basic stuff, I know, but better, much better from Froome and I am very interested to see how he performs today.
 
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That was my point Taxus4a.
When I wrote "pointy end" I meant the very front of the peloton.
Plus "fighting for position" referred to him competing hard, not desperately hanging on the back.
His aggressive racing meant when the split occurred Froome was in the front group.
Basic stuff, I know, but better, much better from Froome and I am very interested to see how he performs today.
Sorry... I dint understad becouse my english is so bad... and pointy end is new expresion for me...Yes, I saw him once at the end, but he wanst really figting for position, he was with a teamate at the front, but maybe about 10th position, and it was just one moment....an important moment for people fighteen for GC as him. becouse Ineos did an strong job. He was in the middle of the bunch usually, one time it was Guy Niv in front of him and Goldstein behind
 
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Today has to be the most impressive day of racing we have seen from Chris Froome in the last three years.
It is a high-quality field at the Dauphine and Froome appeared very comfortable climbing near the front of the peloton up the Cat.2 Col de Mezilhac, a 11.6km effort averaging 4.1%.
The peloton then put the hammer down to chase the breakaway, descending rapidly and then powering up a Cat. 4 bump that I thought would see Froome go out the back.
However, there he was near the front of the peloton as it stormed towards the finishing line and he ended the day comfortably amongst the best riders.
Well done, Chris.
 
Today has to be the most impressive day of racing we have seen from Chris Froome in the last three years.
It is a high-quality field at the Dauphine and Froome appeared very comfortable climbing near the front of the peloton up the Cat.2 Col de Mezilhac, a 11.6km effort averaging 4.1%.
The peloton then put the hammer down to chase the breakaway, descending rapidly and then powering up a Cat. 4 bump that I thought would see Froome go out the back.
However, there he was near the front of the peloton as it stormed towards the finishing line and he ended the day comfortably amongst the best riders.
Well done, Chris.
Your cant compare with Romandie becouse he was positioning his leaders... Today I didnt see anybody at the end positioning him, but he didnt work, so is not the same situation. But yes, as is normal with his objetives closer than a month ago, he is stronger and getting the momentum.

He is similar than in Slovakia, but here the field is stronger, so of course he is stronger than ever after his crash, and maybe he is one of the strongers of the race. We wiill see.