Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Savant12]

Froome's Vuelta prep is coming along nicely.

 

[yaco]

Stage ten is a good day to see his level and get in the break - The final climb of 19kms at 4.1% gives him a chance of a top ten.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Contador was still a top 10 climber and could have finished higher in GC if he wasn’t attacking at every point he could.

I would actually say still a top 3 climber. Even in his final Vuelta, he had one horrendous showing that tanked his GC chances and then he was arguably top 2 climber after that.

Both riders had high peaks with Froome being the luckier of the two in regards to crashes before 2019. Porte in Froome’s position could have won the Tours Froome did with how strong the team was.

Porte would never have done the Tour Vuelta double that Froome did, nor win the Giro.

At his peak he was probably a stronger climber than Froome, one of the best climbers I have ever seen. But he did not have the ability to hold his form for 2 grand tours like Froome did.

Porte would have won in 2017 and possible 2015. That's about it

I had no idea there were Richie Porte stans to this degree. No way Richie wins those Tours. I agree maybe 1, but if Richie were capable of winning multiple Tours he’d have more than 1 GT podium to show for it after a long career. Froome was better than Richie for many reasons. His peak climbing was actually very, very good (not sure why he’s getting underrated there now), he was mentally very strong, and he was crafty. He did often weaken as the Tour went on (except the opposite in his Giro and Vuelta victories) but even then it was generally just enough to become the second best climber rather than the best.

 

[Rollthedice]

You are giving Porte too much credit and Froome not enough. With the same opportunities Porte might have won one Tour, not four.

Peak Froome was incredibly consistent.

Porte came to some sort of prominence in 2012 as part of the big Sky train towing Wiggo through the mountains at a steady 400W. Then he evolved as an AX3 Domaines destroyer and feeding Froome on Alpe. He legitimately became Plan B in 2014 but couldn't live up to the task. After that he screwed every opportunity through countless crashes and misfortunes just to somehow redeem himself at the last moment with the podiun in TdF. One Tour is frankly too much for Richie in the "what if?" category. Froome was on a different planet.

 

[tonymikejoe]

I love any news about Chris Froome.
Unfortunately I can only see the first paragraph of the latest Cycling News article on him on this site.
If anybody has access to it could they please copy and paste it into this forum topic rather than link it so I and others can read it.

 

[gillan1969]

He's pretty much at the level he was before he became a GT winner, we have come full circle.

I have said before and I'll say again...most 37 yr old riders would kill to have the same level as when they were 25...

 

[tonymikejoe]

Clear your cookies for the site (Cyclingnews.com ) in your browser and then you can reload the page and read as if new.

Thanks, TourOfSardinia that worked a treat.
Needless to say I will be cheering like crazy if Froome does get into a break.
However, I do not see what he can do (legally) to close the gap on the top riders.
He can't train any more, surely. He's always pedalling, according to his social media, and it's difficult to see how he could lose any more weight.
He is now in the third full year of recovery, so unfortunately this may well be as good as he is ever going to be.
I mean, is there any further healing to be done? (Not according to Froome) so where are the improvements going to come from?
He has no power. What has happened to the egg whisk feet?

 

[Extinction]

He has no power. What has happened to the egg whisk feet?

No more whisk. From a clinical point of view, it doesn't make sense. If he is completely healed, as he says, then he should be near his pre-incident form by now.

 

[gunara]

The final climb of 19kms at 4.1% gives him a chance of a top ten.

Seems there'll be far too few DNSs for it

 

[dutchdescent]

pas mal

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Fished with the GC Group today!

 

[Big Doopie]

Top ISN rider.

such a horrendous team.

one behind Martinez. Who would have thunk it?

 

[roundabout]

Woods and Fuglsand are going for stages. I am 100% sure that they would have finished in the GC group today if they cared enough for spending energy to fight for 20th on the stage.

 

[Big Doopie]

Woods and Fuglsand are going for stages. I am 100% sure that they would have finished in the GC group today if they cared enough for spending energy to fight for 20th on the stage.

Sure tho I believe fuglsang initially (as he does) tried to go for GC after his TDS result. He just failed yet again.

Froome has no second gear. He could not bridge when he tried to enter an early break incarnation. He is simply able to resist at a steady tempo, now for longer than at any time since the crash. However, with no acceleration he will never win or even make a break that lasts.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Fished with the GC Group today!

Did they catch any fish?

 

[Taxus4a]

Froome now first of his team of GC, and with options of a top 30. If he got it I hope those who told first Tour of Contador was better than first Tour of Froome becouse Contador finished quite better on GC. Froome had to work , but he showed at key points a better level that he has no, at least so far on this Tour. It was amazing for a man quite new at cycling and who was not predicted to be at le Tour...Contador didnt work and he started early at cycling. He has not a super level now, but I am not sure if he is giving evetything to get a decent GC or if he is saving a little to go for a break, but anyway he is the best of the team at GC without the best stages for him, and he was questionated to ride here.

 

[tonymikejoe]

Sadly, Chris Froome's chronic lack of power / acceleration was cruelly exposed at today's stage finish.
Remarkably, he was hanging onto the rear of the yellow jersey group with 250m to go to the finishing line.
As the group inevitably sprinted for the line Froome lost a mighty 21 seconds.
In just 250 metres!
Great job finishing with the favourites Chris, but if they had chased earlier in the stage it's inevitable you would have been dropped.
Keep trying though..........

 

[witeken]

Sadly, Chris Froome's chronic lack of power / acceleration was cruelly exposed at today's stage finish.
Remarkably, he was hanging onto the rear of the yellow jersey group with 250m to go to the finishing line.
As the group inevitably sprinted for the line Froome lost a mighty 21 seconds.
In just 250 metres!
Great job finishing with the favourites Chris, but if they had chased earlier in the stage it's inevitable you would have been dropped.
Keep trying though..........

Froome isn't going for GC so why would he demolish his legs for a few seconds? He was clearly soft pedaling. You don't need a sprint anyway if you can outclimb everyone (which he may do tomorrow).

 

[SHAD0W93]

I had no idea there were Richie Porte stans to this degree. No way Richie wins those Tours. I agree maybe 1, but if Richie were capable of winning multiple Tours he’d have more than 1 GT podium to show for it after a long career. Froome was better than Richie for many reasons. His peak climbing was actually very, very good (not sure why he’s getting underrated there now), he was mentally very strong, and he was crafty. He did often weaken as the Tour went on (except the opposite in his Giro and Vuelta victories) but even then it was generally just enough to become the second best climber rather than the best.

I’m not a Porte Stan just like I’m not a Froome one. Porte was been very unlucky as has been pointed out many times while Froome wasn’t. Froome had the best team and annihilated everyone the first stage then the team controlled. There was plenty of talk (probably half in jest) that Porte could win GTs if he finally had luck.

 

[tonymikejoe]

Ex-US Postal rider George Hincapie was very excited to see Chris Froome still attached to the yellow jersey group 250m short of the finish line today.
Talking on Lance Armstrong's podcast he said: "I can't believe nobody has mentioned it....I'm so excited about this.
"I know 'Cranky' (Armstrong) is not going to love it, but who finished in the group of the main contenders today, which we haven't seen in over five years? (error four years) Chris Froome y'all.
"What did I say? Progression not perfection. He finished in the group of twenty-five riders, hanging at the back."
As Armstrong noisily mock-snored in boredom Hincapie continued: "This is a huge step in his confidence and what he's doing. I'm personally happy to see it."
Armstrong replied: "Actually it was not that tough of a stage. Chris Froome deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I fully support that and I'm going to leave it at that."
"After today it's a huge confidence-booster for him," concluded Hincapie. "I'm fairly certain we are going to see him in these breakaways. He's going to have the confidence now."

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Froome now first of his team of GC, and with options of a top 30. If he got it I hope those who told first Tour of Contador was better than first Tour of Froome becouse Contador finished quite better on GC. Froome had to work , but he showed at key points a better level that he has no, at least so far on this Tour. It was amazing for a man quite new at cycling and who was not predicted to be at le Tour...Contador didnt work and he started early at cycling. He has not a super level now, but I am not sure if he is giving evetything to get a decent GC or if he is saving a little to go for a break, but anyway he is the best of the team at GC without the best stages for him, and he was questionated to ride here.

Has the genesis of your irrational anti-Contador bias ever been revealed?

 

[Extinction]

Ex-US Postal rider George Hincapie was very excited to see Chris Froome still attached to the yellow jersey group 250m short of the finish line today.
Talking on Lance Armstrong's podcast he said: "I can't believe nobody has mentioned it....I'm so excited about this.
"I know 'Cranky' (Armstrong) is not going to love it, but who finished in the group of the main contenders today, which we haven't seen in over five years? (error four years) Chris Froome y'all.
"What did I say? Progression not perfection. He finished in the group of twenty-five riders, hanging at the back."
As Armstrong noisily mock-snored in boredom Hincapie continued: "This is a huge step in his confidence and what he's doing. I'm personally happy to see it."
Armstrong replied: "Actually it was not that tough of a stage. Chris Froome deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I fully support that and I'm going to leave it at that."
"After today it's a huge confidence-booster for him," concluded Hincapie. "I'm fairly certain we are going to see him in these breakaways. He's going to have the confidence now."

Hincapie has always been a tool.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Today was too explosive but Chris is showing good signs. Oh man, If Pog doesnt have a mutant day he will be squashed at the Alpe.

 

[Extinction]

Today was too explosive but Chris is showing good signs. Oh man, If Pog doesnt have a mutant day he will be squashed at the Alpe.

Chris has no chance of ever amounting to anything again and never should have. Tomorrow he looses 10 minutes.

 

[Cookster15]

Porte came to some sort of prominence in 2012 as part of the big Sky train towing Wiggo through the mountains at a steady 400W. Then he evolved as an AX3 Domaines destroyer and feeding Froome on Alpe. He legitimately became Plan B in 2014 but couldn't live up to the task. After that he screwed every opportunity through countless crashes and misfortunes just to somehow redeem himself at the last moment with the podiun in TdF. One Tour is frankly too much for Richie in the "what if?" category. Froome was on a different planet.

Porte's big miss was 2017 when he was in superb form but his descending limitations ended in self inflicted disaster. Obviously Froome was way more consistent and usually on a higher level. But there was also worth mentioning 2015 when Porte possibly saved Froome's TdF on the Alpe. In 2016 Porte emerged by riding to 5th leading BMC.