Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[bill1109]

I couldn't believe it when I saw a gangly figure, elbows sticking out, hanging onto the back of the yellow jersey group on the final big climb of the day.
Froome seems to want to push himself to remain with the best riders for as long as possible to see where he is form-wise/recovery rather than take it easy and save energy for a stage breakaway in the next two days.
Even though he was with those top climbers he was not amongst it and simply hanging onto the back.
He knows his body and what these performances indicate.
Does he he have another level or two within him?
Will we ever see those egg whisk feet and insane watts leaving the best climbers in his wake ever again?
I am fascinated to see if there is more to come or if Froome has reached his plateau and would love to see him in another breakaway.

Eggbeater for 5mil? Seems legit ...lol. ..donkey ..racehorse..donkey. Full circle. Is it due to injury if . Lol.."if numbers are the same as glory days"? Lol

 

[Taxus4a]

Today he showed his level of 2008...he was with Enric Más and better than Bardet..not too far from Pogacar. Amazing. Hope to see him next days..or in the break or close to the best riders.

 

[Taxus4a]

Yeah, and I suppose, should Vingegaard win this TdF, some might say, „Ah, if Vingegaard can win the TdF, then Froome can win it still, too!“…

For Chris, all that counts is a fifth TdF GC victory. Next year 2023, I think he could achieve Top-10. Then, 2024 could be his year, to win a fifth Tour. Excited to watch his development…!

(I dont mind u are trolling)If everything is ok, as this year, no problems, no important Crash...there is Hot weather on le Tour...the year to fight for his best..top ten, or Who knows if more, is Next year...Luis León Sanchez is showing a level similar as he showed 10 years ago with 38. He just miss his explosivity...but he is top 15 and fighting for stages. Of course If everything is ok Froome Will be at le Tour stronger Next year...the Vuelta Will be very difficult to be top 10, but he could fight for it..wich is amazing.
If he is fighting for another stage and he finish top 25 at GC he will shut Up lot of mouths.

 

[Taxus4a]

Wouldn't say he's top 25. We have to take into consideration both the riders who aren't racing the tour, and those who are but are sacrificing their own chances in support of their team leader.

It is always that way...when he finished 80 nobody took that into consideration. You can say that, or to say he had brest problems after cobble stage and he lost time next stage...or that Caruso was here to fight for GC and he is 20...Of course he is not top 25 stronger..but maybe top 30 from all the people who started the race...and the best for him is to come Next days.

 

[SHAD0W93]

It is always that way...when he finished 80 nobody took that into consideration. You can say that, or to say he had brest problems after cobble stage and he lost time next stage...or that Caruso was here to fight for GC and he is 20...Of course he is not top 25 stronger..but maybe top 30 from all the people who started the race...and the best for him is to come Next days.

Because you want us to believe he sacrificed so much for a C sprinter when he was allowed to do what he wanted on other stages. Just before the race started you were talking of Froome working for Fugslang and Woods and we should take that into consideration. Then keep saying he was better in 2008 when he had more rest then the other riders before his decent performances. 2022 TdF Froome > 2008 TdF Froome.

 

[movingtarget]

He'd be 39. Pog will be 25, and Vinegar will be 27.

I'm not sure what the future holds for Froome, but I don't think it includes an 8th GT win.

Only Horner's win GTs around that age. Top 10 would be his absolute best these days or top 15 if the improvement continues. 39 year olds are on a natural decline as GC riders. If Valverde can top 10 see no reason why Froome couldn't if the body keeps responding. Before this race I thought top 30 maybe but after the Dauphine I wasn't convinced. Still good to see him in breaks and trying something. His team has two stage wins and seeing some improvement in Froome so they must be pretty happy so far.And Clarke got his win before Covid bit him ! Compared to where he was I think Froome would take a top 25 or 30 finish in the Tour simply as a positive step but how much longer he expects to race or wants to race, who knows. If the improvement stals next season then retirement wouldn't surprise and I don't think the latest contract was meant to be a long one.Riders over 40 are rare for good reasons.

 

[ppanther92]

Looks like today is not going well.

 

[tonymikejoe]

For anybody who did not see the early part of today's stage Chris Froome was very active, as were the Israel team.
He was one of many riders who tried to force a break before the climbing started, but was swept up.
When the road went up Froome was hanging in there pretty well with the yellow jersey group, but as the pace continued he slipped off the back and crested the first major climb at the wrong end of a small gap.
I don't know if he caught up on the descent. That was the last I saw of Froome.

 

[Eclipse]

Definitely found out today that he pays for repeat efforts. It was 3 or 4 times he was on the front trying to drive breakaways clear so he was clearly feeling good but the legs deserted him earlier than I think he'd have expected.

Came in 40th which sees him stay at 25th on GC

 

[Finn84]

No rider has retired with exactly four Tour wins so Froome would be first.

 

[SHAD0W93]

With passing WVA on GC, @Red Rick has found his 31st better climber then WVA.

 

[red_flanders]

Definitely found out today that he pays for repeat efforts. It was 3 or 4 times he was on the front trying to drive breakaways clear so he was clearly feeling good but the legs deserted him earlier than I think he'd have expected.

Came in 40th which sees him stay at 25th on GC

I'm not sure what these kind of placings mean to anyone. Last year the 25th placed rider finished 1:09:16 back. This year 25th (Froome is 26th) is already 1:24:11 back, with a huge mountain stage and a TT left to go. I wouldn't be surprised if riders in this range ended up 1:40 - 1:45 back on the winner. It's been a hard Tour. I guess my point is...what's the point of calling out these placings? They're well and truly non competitive places, even for a rider who seemed for the first 2/3 to be riding for as high a placing as he could. Seems to have sat up today, whether to save it for tomorrow or because that's all he had, who knows.

 

[Ripper]

No rider has retired with exactly four Tour wins so Froome would be first.

Something he will win!

 

[Eclipse]

I'm not sure what these kind of placings mean to anyone. Last year the 25th placed rider finished 1:09:16 back. This year 25th (Froome is 26th) is already 1:24:11 back, with a huge mountain stage and a TT left to go. I wouldn't be surprised if riders in this range ended up 1:40 - 1:45 back on the winner. It's been a hard Tour. I guess my point is...what's the point of calling out these placings? They're well and truly non competitive places, even for a rider who seemed for the first 2/3 to be riding for as high a placing as he could. Seems to have sat up today, whether to save it for tomorrow or because that's all he had, who knows.

I was just following up on tonymikejoe saying they didn't know what happened to Froome after the climb as the results had updated.

But as it's froome I guess it has to be under the microscope as to what meaning there is or isn't lol

 

[red_flanders]

I was just following up on tonymikejoe saying they didn't know what happened to Froome after the climb as the results had updated.

But as it's froome I guess it has to be under the microscope as to what meaning there is or isn't lol

There’s been sort of a running count in the thread WRT placing from 40th now to 26th, not just your post, sorry.
He had one great stage above all expectations and I think that’s about all we’re going to see. Maybe he breaks loose again tomorrow as it certainly looks like he sat up today, but going to be no shortage of folks looking to get into the break on the final mountain day.

 

[Taxus4a]

Because you want us to believe he sacrificed so much for a C sprinter when he was allowed to do what he wanted on other stages. Just before the race started you were talking of Froome working for Fugslang and Woods and we should take that into consideration. Then keep saying he was better in 2008 when he had more rest then the other riders before his decent performances. 2022 TdF Froome > 2008 TdF Froome.

In this Tour he didnt work as far as I know..as well as far as I know nobody worked really for him , as It is normal. In other races this year he was working.

 

[Cookster15]

There’s been sort of a running count in the thread WRT placing from 40th now to 26th, not just your post, sorry.
He had one great stage above all expectations and I think that’s about all we’re going to see. Maybe he breaks loose again tomorrow as it certainly looks like he sat up today, but going to be no shortage of folks looking to get into the break on the final mountain day.

Whether he gets into a break tomorrow or not finishing a grand tour will be above all expectations after what he has come back from.

I think Froome is doing great. If he is riding the Tour as a personal test it would be interesting to see how he performs in the TT. ISN is paying him a fortune but its not our money so good luck to them.

 

[red_flanders]

Whether he gets into a break tomorrow or not finishing a grand tour will be above all expectations after what he has come back from.

I think Froome is doing great. If he is riding the Tour as a personal test it would be interesting to see how he performs in the TT. ISN is paying him a fortune but its not our money so good luck to them.

He's finished 2 GT's (Vuelta 2020 and Tour 2021) and 16 smaller stage races previous to this Tour since his accident. This will make it 3 GT's when he finishes. I don't see how "finishing a ground tour will be above all expectations". It seems not only in line with expectations but of course...something he's already done. It's so interesting to watch how the narrative shifts around this rider. Anyone else wonder why that is?

Certainly he's doing better in this Tour than at any point since his accident, and I would argue beating many expectations including my own. But finishing was not "above" any moderately informed expectation.

 

[Cookster15]

It's so interesting to watch how the narrative shifts around this rider. Anyone else wonder why that is?

Firstly, let me make clear - I have never been a fan of Froome. But to answer the question I think it is the sheer weight of fans wanting him to fail. He has my respect and I am happy to see him achieving his own, albeit lower expectations.

 

[Extinction]

Firstly, let me make clear - I have never been a fan of Froome. But to answer the question I think it is the sheer weight of fans wanting him to fail. He has my respect and I am happy to see him achieving his own, albeit lower expectations.

Yea, but you don't go from run-off-the-mill to FoomeDog to run-of-the-mill again with an accident. Something doesn't add up. The narrative is simply unbelievable.

 

[Cookster15]

Yea, but you don't go from run-off-the-mill to FoomeDog to run-of-the-mill again with an accident. Something doesn't add up. The narrative is simply unbelievable.

Yeh but I can handle this Froome. I have more trouble believing the cocky yellow jersey. No doubt another “easy” stage tomorrow

 

[veganrob]

Firstly, let me make clear - I have never been a fan of Froome. But to answer the question I think it is the sheer weight of fans wanting him to fail. He has my respect and I am happy to see him achieving his own, albeit lower expectations.

But what weight from the fans. I seriously doubt he is reading this thread or getting hate mail or anything. These guys don't hear any of that . They have their own close group of friends and family. That is their circle.

 

[gunara]

26th on GC maybe nothing, but I expected him to be closer to other sprinters than to WvA in GC, and I was wrong, so kudos to Froome, I think he's having a good Tour regardless of what will happen in the next few days.

More importantly: He's on track to win the much-coveted ISN's GC competition!
Not as anonymously spectacular as civilization-old Luisle Sânchez being the best Bahrain rider on GC, though.

 

[mrgmyers]

Yea, but you don't go from run-off-the-mill to FoomeDog to run-of-the-mill again with an accident. Something doesn't add up. The narrative is simply unbelievable.

I wonder if the UCI's latest brainwave to change the way teams are dropped from the World Tour meant he felt he needed to REALLY push himself beyond the norm to gain a win?

 

[Extinction]

I wonder if the UCI's latest brainwave to change the way teams are dropped from the World Tour meant he felt he needed to REALLY push himself beyond the norm to gain a win?

Quite possibly.