Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[HappyLoser]

Not really. Froome was way below his peak condition.

Come on bro... Contador wasn't?

 

[BlurryVII]

Not really. Froome was way below his peak condition. And with Nairo crashing out, it was more of a "could have been" race.

Froome was in a good form in the final week.
Also, Contador was way below his peak as well, left the Tour later, worse injury than Froome, still crushed him.

 

[ILovecycling]

Come on bro... Contador wasn't?

Not as much as Froome.

 

[Netbalp]

funny like you appreciate any mythologization. iow the Vuelta entailed another myth about Froome being in a better than contador shape in ac fanboys' imagination. that's so officious and hilarious. for many on here, image of contador - the desired things - ousted contador himself a long ago.

 

[Netserk]

funny like you appreciate any mythologization. iow the Vuelta entailed another myth about Froome being in a better than contador shape in ac fanboys' imagination. that's so officious and hilarious. for many on here, image of contador - the desired things - ousted contador himself a long ago.

Can you explain to me how breaking a leg with 40 days to the start of the Vuelta is better than breaking a wrist with 45 days to the start? Are you suggesting that Froome couldn't start training again before Contador could? Perhaps you could actually argue your point instead of just baiting/trolling others?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Can you explain to me how breaking a leg with 40 days to the start of the Vuelta is better than breaking a wrist with 45 days to the start? Are you suggesting that Froome couldn't start training again before Contador could? Perhaps you could actually argue your point instead of just baiting/trolling others?

You could also argue that Froome spent half of the season on the deck, his crash at the Dauphine really knocked him back and the wounds could still be seen weeks later at the Tour. he even crashed a few days before the Vuelta and during the Vuelta itself.

I'd prefer not to make any comparison about who was in better/worse shape and instead look forward to some great battles next year when hopefully both riders are in best form.

 

[Walkman]

Can you explain to me how breaking a leg with 40 days to the start of the Vuelta is better than breaking a wrist with 45 days to the start? Are you suggesting that Froome couldn't start training again before Contador could? Perhaps you could actually argue your point instead of just baiting/trolling others?

Dude didn't break his leg.

A friend om mine broke her leg, it was "the perfect" fracture, clean off and with no complications. Still took her 6 weeks to be back to skiing. You think that Contador broke his leg and was back on his bike like 2 weeks after?

Contador didn't break his leg, he had a smaller fraction. And while that is no easy thing to cope with, let's not exaggerate what happened.

As for Contador being closer to his best, I think that has to do with priorities. I don't think Froome did everything he could to retain his top form. He even said he was trying to come in sub par and build his form during the race.

I mean, do people really believe Contador is a better TT:er than Froome?

 

[nhowson]

You could also argue that Froome spent half of the season on the deck, his crash at the Dauphine really knocked him back and the wounds could still be seen weeks later at the Tour. he even crashed a few days before the Vuelta and during the Vuelta itself.

I'd prefer not to make any comparison about who was in better/worse shape and instead look forward to some great battles next year when hopefully both riders are in best form.

If Froome spent half the season on the deck then who is the better rider? Iagree with you, but your reasoning is iffy.

 

[Pricey_sky]

If Froome spent half the season on the deck then who is the better rider? Iagree with you, but your reasoning is iffy.

I wasn't making any point about who is better. Just that both riders had setbacks and I'd prefer to wait until next season to answer when hopefully we have a great battle between both.

 

[Netserk]

Dude didn't break his leg.

A friend om mine broke her leg, it was "the perfect" fracture, clean off and with no complications. Still took her 6 weeks to be back to skiing. You think that Contador broke his leg and was back on his bike like 2 weeks after?

Contador didn't break his leg, he had a smaller fraction. And while that is no easy thing to cope with, let's not exaggerate what happened.

As for Contador being closer to his best, I think that has to do with priorities. I don't think Froome did everything he could to retain his top form. He even said he was trying to come in sub par and build his form during the race.

I mean, do people really believe Contador is a better TT:er than Froome?

Dude did break his leg.

Look up in a dictionary.

 

[Arredondo]

Dude did break his leg.

Look up in a dictionary.

What do you rate as a 'broken leg'?

 

[Netserk]

What do you rate as a 'broken leg'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_fracture

 

[Angliru]

You could also argue that Froome spent half of the season on the deck, his crash at the Dauphine really knocked him back and the wounds could still be seen weeks later at the Tour. he even crashed a few days before the Vuelta and during the Vuelta itself.

I'd prefer not to make any comparison about who was in better/worse shape and instead look forward to some great battles next year when hopefully both riders are in best form.

No you couldn't and you know that is an exaggeration (the bolded text).

I agree with your second paragraph.

 

[Miburo]

Dude didn't break his leg.

A friend om mine broke her leg, it was "the perfect" fracture, clean off and with no complications. Still took her 6 weeks to be back to skiing. You think that Contador broke his leg and was back on his bike like 2 weeks after?

Contador didn't break his leg, he had a smaller fraction. And while that is no easy thing to cope with, let's not exaggerate what happened.

As for Contador being closer to his best, I think that has to do with priorities. I don't think Froome did everything he could to retain his top form. He even said he was trying to come in sub par and build his form during the race.

I mean, do people really believe Contador is a better TT:er than Froome?

Nope but was it a normal flat ITT parcours? Look up the exact ITT before coming up with this stupid talk.

Contador is an absolute beast on that kinda parcours and definitely has the potential to beat a 100% Froome at it.

 

[Netserk]

Speaking of which, does anyone have the time splits of that stage? I bookmarked them, but had to deleted all of my cookies when I removed a malware. Now I can't find them again

edit: Finally found it, of course with the one last try. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgdESEQ9OZAydDB5dDBzeFVObDlmX2RUWGFBSUxrUEE#gid=0

Notice how Froome and Contador are equally fast in the flat part. Contador gains 28 seconds in the first uphill part and another 25 seconds in the downhill part (where it was obvious that Froome would lose time given how he descended that day).

 

[BlurryVII]

Nope but was it a normal flat ITT parcours? Look up the exact ITT before coming up with this stupid talk.

Contador is an absolute beast on that kinda parcours and definitely has the potential to beat a 100% Froome at it.

Contador is just better on those hilly parcours. 2013 chorges TT, Froome at his best, Contador at his worst, only 9 secs between them.

 

[Jspear]

Contador is just better on those hilly parcours. 2013 chorges TT, Froome at his best, Contador at his worst, only 9 secs between them.

Very good point. I forgot that AC even did well in 2013 on that TT.

 

[spinking]

Can't believe that Froome can't ride the cobbles like Miller suggests. He has ridden Paris Roubaix before and he grew up in Kenya where the roads are worse than cobbles!

 

[LaFlorecita]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_fracture

people who think a crack is not a fracture

 

[Jspear]

Dude did break his leg.

Look up in a dictionary.

According to the dictionary "break" isn't a formal orthopedic term.
Yes, he did fracture his leg, but there are different levels of severity when it comes to fractures. He was lucky...it could have been worse.

"Alberto has a broken tibia. It’s not a bad fracture but he needs surgery,” team boss Bjarne Riis told journalists. “He’s in a lot of pain and is getting stitches.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/07/news/alberto-contador-crashes-heavily-abandons-2014-tour-de-france_336241

That said of course his Vuelta win over Froome was still impressive because with a bike you use your legs more than your wrist.

 

[trevim]

Can't believe that Froome can't ride the cobbles like Miller suggests. He has ridden Paris Roubaix before and he grew up in Kenya where the roads are worse than cobbles!

That's doesn't mean anything, specially the Kenya bit
But I do agree Millar is way to catastrophic, Froome may not be a great bike handler but with decent support he can get through just fine. Just ask Andy Schleck.

 

[Walkman]

Nope but was it a normal flat ITT parcours? Look up the exact ITT before coming up with this stupid talk.

Did I say it was a flat TT?

Contador is an absolute beast on that kinda parcours and definitely has the potential to beat a 100% Froome at it.

Why do you think so?

Given the last couple of seasons I'd say they are pretty even with regards to climbing. Although Froome is clearly the better time trialist and against those two "facts" I'd say that there is nothing to suggest that Contador would beat an fully peaked Froome on a hilly/mountainous TT course.

But please, state your case. I am interested to hear. (not baiting, just curious)

 

[trevim]

Did I say it was a flat TT?



Why do you think so?

Given the last couple of seasons I'd say they are pretty even with regards to climbing. Although Froome is clearly the better time trialist and against those two "facts" I'd say that there is nothing to suggest that Contador would beat an fully peaked Froome on a hilly/mountainous TT course.

But please, state your case. I am interested to hear. (not baiting, just curious)

The hilly TT at the Tour 2013 with Contador missing out by like 10 seconds suggests that he can beat a top form Froome on that kind of course; see also TT in Vuelta 2012/2014. A flat TT in the other hand, Froome looks to be clearly ahead as shown in Mont Saint Michel.

 

[burning]

The hilly TT at the Tour 2013 with Contador missing out by like 10 seconds suggests that he can beat a top form Froome on that kind of course; see also TT in Vuelta 2012/2014. A flat TT in the other hand, Froome looks to be clearly ahead as shown in Mont Saint Michel.

That TT was a "full ***" at its finest though, I really doubt that he can do such a performance again.

 

[BlurryVII]

I'd say that there is nothing to suggest that Contador would beat an fully peaked Froome on a hilly/mountainous TT course.

I like how, in all of your posts, you always take into account Froome's form but it looks like for you Contador is always top shape by default
Just shows how objective you are. And then when AC would crush the whole field, that's because he is a cheater That's haters' mindset you have right there.

In his worst GT form ever, he did end up only 9 secs behind "fully peaked" Froome as you stated in the 2013 chorges hilly TT, and hell he was faster than him at the intermediate points over the top of the 2 climbs IIRC.

Now what if.. Contador was fully peaked as well? God knows the carnage it would have been.

And He did beat Froome in the Vuelta 12' AND in the Vuelta 14' in the hilly TTs with a fine margin, even though Froome was not peaking, Contador wasn't either.