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Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

Page 210 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

Is Froome over the hill?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 26 34.7%
  • No, the GC finished 40 minutes ago but Froomie is still climbing it

    Votes: 42 56.0%
  • No he is totally winning the Vuelta

    Votes: 18 24.0%

  • Total voters
    75
Re:

Ataraxus said:
Re watched the last climb. Froome's performance there indeed is scary. When he rose on the pedals Contador was right at his wheel and was able to follow him for 22 seconds whereas Froome continued on the pedals for nearly 20 seconds more (the footage got focused on JRod and I couldn't see when he exactly sat on the saddle). Even more scary is the part in the last 200 meters when he follows JRod sitting up by being able to maintain a constant distance on him. If he will be able to sustain 40 second attacks in longer climbs as well, it'll be really tough for his opponents not to get dropped.
Everything is shaping up perfectly for Froome.
The form is excellent. Lead car in the cobbles. 36 seconds to the (apparently) weakest of the top 4. 1:56 to the (apparently) biggest threat in the mountains. If he doesn't crash, he can afford to lose 2:30 minutes on Nibali and still be within one minute distance from the Sardinian.

He is better in longer climbs with less slope, but at 20 % the wheel is no important so is easy for the stronger people to make the difference.

Today Froome wanted to do the climb less explosive by starting strong from the begining, becouse he is not very explosive... I cant understand why Contador try to follow that wheel of today they have power data and all kind of thing to know that was too much level for him. contador was at the level to lose 10 seconds and he losed 16 for that, he cracked...(18 officialy becouse thay gave for free 2 second to Froome)

it was very good as well for Froome that previous climb is almost as hard as Huy and it was climbed really strong, so the stage wanst so explosive, and for that reason Purito was far from the record of the climb that did Valverde one year.
 

rm7

Mar 14, 2015
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Anyone else noticed that he was wrestling 2-3 times with his albows, and almost crashed everytime? I like the attitude to be honest, I guess people think he's some scared chicken that'll give up his place easy. But it was reallyyyyy the last time......
 
Froome is well positioned for the cobbles stage, with a decent cushion against Contador and a strong one against Nibali and Quintana. If he gains more time on the cobbles, it will be looking very bad for his opponents. I think Quintana is especially vulnerable right now.
 

rm7

Mar 14, 2015
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Yeah, but it could also have a downside effect. Froome have everything to loose tomorrow, he'll be really nervous. Nibali have nothing to loose, he'll have no fear.

Contador also looked extremely nervous last year, because he had everything to loose when Froome crashed out.
 

Dog

Mar 15, 2015
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But Nibali will feel the pressure right now having had a poor start and the expectation from his team to gain time on the cobbles having done so well last year.
 
The upcoming stage will be critical for Froome. Sky will surround him with their strongest rouleurs. Contador looks fatigued already unless he just had an off day. Uran seems to have hurt himself again after being well placed. The pressure is on Nibali and Quintana more than Froome. One more bad stage and they are out of GC. TJVG has looked good so far. I think it would have suited Nibali more if the cobbles came earlier in the stage but they all come towards the finish when most riders will be suffering anyway. This will probably help someone like Froome as the nerves will be gone mostly. Martin's team will want yellow on this stage and I don't think Sky would be too disappointed if that happened as Martin is not a rival for the overall and it means that for five stages Sky don't have to control the race if Martin kept it before the serious climbing starts.
 
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If he gets through tomorrow unscathed I expect his odds to increase further. He already has a gap on Quintana and Nibali that's worth more than 1 MTF of completely crushing everyone else, and Contador looks rather unimpressive. And on current evidence, if there is going to be a climbing crushing later on, it will be Froome swinging the hammer.
 
Re:

SeriousSam said:
If he gets through tomorrow unscathed I expect his odds to increase further. He already has a gap on Quintana and Nibali that's worth more than 1 MTF of completely crushing everyone else, and Contador looks rather unimpressive. And on current evidence, if there is going to be a climbing crushing later on, it will be Froome swinging the hammer.
So agree.
 
I was wrong. the time is with the second wheel of Purito, so it is not one second for a little.
So is ok Froome is the leader.

I agree with the graphic of probabilities.

I agree with movintarget analysys, but ettixx has a problem this days... they want tomorrow the leder with Tony.they want to win the stage with Cav, who want I think Gent wevelgem, and tomorrow without rain this is not Roubaix, although Kristoff, degelkolb or sagan are more favourites,a nd they must take care of injuried uran that is well placed in GC and is his man to GC.

So difficult paper.
 
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Re: Re:

cantpedal said:
BigMac said:
Carols said:
Froome looks Very Strong!

Still can't ride a bike though. I was worried he would knock everyone off their bikes up the mur at one point.
Actually one of the few not throwing his bike all over the road. A little less trolling and a little more objectivity would do us well.
Objectively speaking, Froome is a menace on the bike, in terms of handling skills, even when he's not looking down half the time. Do you think otherwise?
 
Re: Re:

Jspear said:
Velolover2 said:
Who do you guys think will be able to hold on to Froome in MTF the longest? Who has the best chance right now?

Head pick: Quintana then Nibali
Many would say that Quintana will climb better than Froome. I think he'll at least climb as well. Nibali will be right there or there about imo.
Heart pick: AC (though I honestly think he'll be better in the 3rd week.)

I'd say:
Quintana
then Tejay/Purito
and then Nibali (still not impressed by his climbing)

I'm really starting to fear for Contador. I want him to win or at least be able to hang on, but it's like he is missing something this year.
 
Re:

Velolover2 said:
Who do you guys think will be able to hold on to Froome in MTF the longest? Who has the best chance right now?

Um... It would appear that it would bet tjvg.

He was the last to hold his wheel at dauphine and says he has bumped up since then. Today huy is not his type of climb AT ALL and yet there he was dropping CoNtador and leading in the other favorites. RAI showed his group arriving in slow-mo several times. Fwiw, tj looked fresh at the top. Nibali looked dead.

And I am NOT a tj fan, but... He may have a lot of forumites who constantly said he was overrated eating their words. And this in a TDF that is definitely NOT made for him.

He gets through tomorrow okay, the TTT may even seem him in yellow.
 
Re: Re:

Velolover2 said:
Jspear said:
Velolover2 said:
Who do you guys think will be able to hold on to Froome in MTF the longest? Who has the best chance right now?

Head pick: Quintana then Nibali
Many would say that Quintana will climb better than Froome. I think he'll at least climb as well. Nibali will be right there or there about imo.
Heart pick: AC (though I honestly think he'll be better in the 3rd week.)

I'd say:
Quintana
then Tejay/Purito
and then Nibali (still not impressed by his climbing)

I'm really starting to fear for Contador. I want him to win or at least be able to hang on, but it's like he is missing something this year.

I agree with you on Tejay and Purito to a degree. I think they'll be up there but behind Nibali. There hasn't been much climbing yet for you to say your not impressed by Nibbes climbing imo. We all saw last year that he climbed very well after a poor Dauphine. This year, we have no reason to doubt, will be the same.
 
Re: Re:

Big Doopie said:
Velolover2 said:
Who do you guys think will be able to hold on to Froome in MTF the longest? Who has the best chance right now?

Um... It would appear that it would bet tjvg.

He was the last to hold his wheel at dauphine and says he has bumped up since then. Today huy is not his type of climb AT ALL and yet there he was dropping CoNtador and leading in the other favorites. RAI showed his group arriving in slow-mo several times. Fwiw, tj looked fresh at the top. Nibali looked dead.

And I am NOT a tj fan, but... He may have a lot of forumites who constantly said he was overrated eating their words. And this in a TDF that is definitely NOT made for him.

He gets through tomorrow okay, the TTT may even seem him in yellow.

Yes, I agree with that. Also, Tejay hasn't lost a lot of time. Maybe that could be a key motivator for him to be able to hang on. I think podium is within reach at least.

Huy is only one k of climbing, but I think it gives you some clear indications of who is going to be there in the mountains. Yates could surprise and ride in top 10 or even top 5.
 

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