Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Vino attacks everyone]

Well, Nibali couldn't keep up with some random old man in the Vuelta. What makes you think he can battle Froome?
If it had a Giro like course maybe.. but the Tour is softy.. and in the high mountains and ITT Froome is better..so.. unless Nibali makes some miracle on the cobbles it aint going to happen

they were quite clear about Nibalis form at the Vuelta though (atleast 0.3 w/kg under what he could produce in the giro in the mountains). + Horners form in the Vuelta would have given him a fair shot against Froome in the Vuelta parcours

But yea. I do put my faith in some improvements also this year in the mountains + time gained at some random stage.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I think Contador will be Froome's main opponent but Nibali will finish closer on GC.... does that make sense

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I think Contador will be Froome's main opponent but Nibali will finish closer on GC.... does that make sense

yea. AC follows Froome in the mountains, but cracks completely at the last mtf stage for example.
Not likely though

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

they were quite clear about Nibalis form at the Vuelta though (atleast 0.3 w/kg under what he could produce in the giro in the mountains). + Horners form in the Vuelta would have given him a fair shot against Froome in the Vuelta parcours

But yea. I do put my faith in some improvements also this year in the mountains + time gained at some random stage.

Seriously Nibali is great but apart from Quintana I cannot see anyone keeping up with him in the mountains and in the ITT Nibali's just going to get crushed. He'll be a good 2nd.. that's all

 

[The Hitch]

i would say froomey is stronger than in 2012 but not by much
nibali on the other hand, is much stronger
it will be quite the battle this july.vino and vincenzo never give up

You know I love you jens, but what is this based on? If you look at results Nibali 2012 was just as good as 2013. People just kept looking at him with 2011 glasses and trying to justify weak fields bla bla bla.

Tirrno for example the 2 people he beat - Horner and Roman, it was understandable that we all thought back then that he was beating 2 average gc riders on the decline who overperformed to even podium.

But if we revisit that now neither of those riders was anywhere close to actually declining, and they are both currently gt podium contenders who he destroyed easily.

Similarly the TDF, a lot of people were expressing their anger at Sky by trying to claim Froome and Wiggins lucked out and it was no competition bla bla bla. But looking at Froome this year and at the times - on your own website, they were going as fast as anyone has at the TDF in a decade.Being clearly the 3rd best rider in that race was mighty impressive. Nibali 2013 certainly could not have challenged Froome either. Its exactly where he would have finished.

Other than that he also performed in the classics that year. 3rd MSR. Strongest rider and 2nd in Liege.

Nibali clearly improved massively. People were just looking at him with 2011 glasses - the guy who had not won a single race all year and faded in the mountains in both the Giro and the Vuelta. The jump was 2011- 2012, or rather it was a lapse from 2010-11 and then a jump back + more in 2012. 2013 was pretty much the same.

 

[arvc40]

Contador V Froome V2 !. Nibali will get hammered. Contador will be much improved. Now or never for Contador .

 

[The Hitch]

I think Contador will be Froome's main opponent but Nibali will finish closer on GC.... does that make sense

I think the idea that Contador doesn't care about a high gc place took a massive hit this year. He threw everything he had and everything the team had at protecting his high gc place.

 

[the sceptic]

Froome has only one rival and that is the french police.

No one will drop him in the mountains and he will take 3 minutes in the ITT.

If Contador gets back to his absolute peak he might be able to hang in the mountains but will still get destroyed in the ITT.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Froome has only one rival and that is the french police.

No one will drop him in the mountains and he will take 3 minutes in the ITT.

If Contador gets back to his absolute peak he might be able to hang in the mountains but will still get destroyed in the ITT.

Contador at his absolute peak (tour 09) was the worlds best tter, so I doubt he would get destroyed

 

[Afrank]

I think Contador will be Froome's main opponent but Nibali will finish closer on GC.... does that make sense

Contador manages to get back to his attacking like crazy ways and becomes just a general pain in the a$$ for Froome. Nibali plays a smarter more conservative race though and manages to hold on longer in the mountains, plus maybe lose less time in the TT's. Yeah, makes sense.

I'll be hoping to see both Contador and Nibali at their best attacking Froome like crazy until he finally cracks and they both end up higher on GC. Unrealistic? Maybe, but one can dream.

 

[Netserk]

Seriously Nibali is great but apart from Quintana I cannot see anyone keeping up with him in the mountains and in the ITT Nibali's just going to get crushed. He'll be a good 2nd.. that's all

I see you toned down your anti-Nibalism... A little.

Still remember how you in 2011 were certain he wouldn't top-5 the Tour the following year

 

[The Hitch]

Contador at his absolute peak (tour 09) was the worlds best tter.

Nah, 2nd best. One 3 second win possibly down to drafting when on peak and fighting for gc, does not a worlds best tter make.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nah, 2nd best. One 3 second win possibly down to drafting when on peak and fighting for gc, does not a worlds best tter make.

fine, point was that he wouldn't be crushed by Froome if he was at his peak form

 

[LaFlorecita]

fine, point was that he wouldn't be crushed by Froome if he was at his peak form

But he would be. The TT is completely flat, longer and Contador won't be able to draft this time because Froome will be in yellow. Cancellara in 2009 would've comfortably beaten him if the above had been the case. I can't see why Froome wouldn't.

My point is that unless Froome crashes nobody will be able to beat him except maybe Quintana who won't be there and most likely would've gotten crushed in the TT anyway.

 

[Carols]

Let's wait and see the contenders form this season. Granted Froome looked Formidable last year. That is no guarantee he will this year! We need to wait and see before assuming he will just cruise for a win Oman is next week, it will tell us so much more than speculating.

 

[JRanton]

Froome has confirmed his 2014 schedule:

Oman
Tirreno-Adriático
Catalunya
Romandie
Dauphine
Tour

http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=69299

No MSR or Leige.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Froome has confirmed his 2014 schedule:

Oman
Tirreno-Adriático
Catalunya
Romandie
Dauphine
Tour

http://biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=69299

No MSR or Leige.

Surprised he's doing Catalunya as its so soon after T-A.

Leaves Richie with Paris-Nice, Basque Country, Giro.

Henao to target Ardennes.

 

[EnacheV]

few bikes back on the bunch sprint, the day when he wins over greipel is not far away

anyway, seems he is not lazy or self-suficient this first race of the season, which means that a Wiggo 2013 style season is not likely.

 

[jens_attacks]

who are you talking about EnacheV?

wiggo messed up your mind if you thought that's him

 

[EnacheV]

who are you talking about EnacheV?

wiggo messed up your mind if you thought that's him

Froome is on the 3rd or 4th row on the right side

Wiggo style is the **** year after the big year, which i hope Froome doesn't have.

 

[roundabout]

Actually Froome is the 3rd Sky rider in the photo

 

[EnacheV]

Actually Froome is the 3rd Sky rider in the photo

yes you are right, its swift, cataldo and froome 3rd

 

[Jelantik]

yes you are right, its swift, cataldo and froome 3rd

so does kreuziger Not far from him on the left...

 

[jens_attacks]

seems like chris already shed more than 2 kgs here in oman:

 

[the sceptic]

just wait until he gets down to 1% bodyfat in le tour to take on Hautacam