Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Dazed and Confused]

Hard work today....

First time he was really tested.

Defended well, the right winner of the race. After the line:

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

The only thing Blurry meant is that this Tour win doesn't prove he is currently the best GC rider.

Well, not necessarily, but who else would you suggest?

Contador and Nibali have a better palmares, but I think it's fairly clear they don't compete at Froome's level right now. And Quintana, who arguably is stronger has lost to him in direct competition twice in the Tour.

I don't think anything's clear. After all, Contador beat Froome in a GT less than a year ago and has raced the last 3. While it's certainly possible Froome is the better GT rider right now, it's by no means clear. Now, if they go head-to head next year in either the Giro or Tour (with nether racing the Giro beforehand) and Froome wins, it would certainly be clear.

 

[DBotero]

 

[Rollthedice]

He won this tour in flat stage, in the rain, thanks to his team taking advantage of the crosswinds. That says a lot. From getting kicked out of a GT for holding onto motorbikes to a complete rider who can TT, climb, descend, sprint, tackle cobbles and classics type of stages and generally manage a race in his favor. The transformation is complete. Too bad there was only one guy who put up a fight with Froome this year and even he was torn between going for the win or helping his older brother get the third spot.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

Re:

He won this tour in flat stage, in the rain, thanks to his team taking advantage of the crosswinds. That says a lot. From getting kicked out of a GT for holding onto motorbikes to a complete rider who can TT, climb, descend, sprint, tackle cobbles and classics type of stages and generally manage a race in his favor. The transformation is complete. Too bad there was only one guy who put up a fight with Froome this year and even he was torn between going for the win or helping his older brother get the third spot.

The second coming of Andy Schleck?

 

[Walkman]

Re:

He won this tour in flat stage, in the rain, thanks to his team taking advantage of the crosswinds. That says a lot. From getting kicked out of a GT for holding onto motorbikes to a complete rider who can TT, climb, descend, sprint, tackle cobbles and classics type of stages and generally manage a race in his favor. The transformation is complete. Too bad there was only one guy who put up a fight with Froome this year and even he was torn between going for the win or helping his older brother get the third spot.

Geez, sour grapes much?

 

[ILovecycling]

Already congratulated via twi but maybe Michelle reads this so ... Congrats Froome, really deserved victory, solid 3 weeks!

 

[SeriousSam]

Re:

Too bad there was only one guy who put up a fight with Froome this year and even he was torn between going for the win or helping his older brother get the third spot.

lol'd

 

[Arnout]

With his fat percentage it's probably a calculated risk that Froome loses a bit of time due to less than perfect recovery in the final week (it certainly seems to be a trend). Hence, comments saying he would've been faster if it weren't for illness should be considered with caution. A wet and cold Tour could really hamper Froome but till now his approach pays off.

 

[warmfuzzies]

TdF winner and KoM. That's special company, with the likes of Coppi, Bartali, and Merckyx. For posters saying 'He won it on the flat' or 'Competitor X wasn't @ his best,' this fact is difficult to deal with.

 

[Christian]

I gotta say I am not a Froome or Team Sky fan, but what we saw today during some stretches of Alpe d'Huez from some people was unsportsmanlike to say the least... no one deserves to get booed like that, and this was the first time that I have actually witnessed someone spitting on a rider. All my respects to Froome, who seems to me like a genuinely nice bloke off the bike, for enduring this, and emerging triumphantly. A hard fought and well earned victory - that is nothing to spit at!

 

[sir fly]

I gotta say I am not a Froome or Team Sky fan, but what we saw today during some stretches of Alpe d'Huez from some people was unsportsmanlike to say the least... no one deserves to get booed like that, and this was the first time that I have actually witnessed someone spitting on a rider. All my respects to Froome, who seems to me like a genuinely nice bloke off the bike, for enduring this, and emerging triumphantly. A hard fought and well earned victory - that is nothing to spit at!

Yes, no one deserves spitting, especially not someone decent and measured.
And it didn't take much to provoke the maltreatment. Burden of the years behind.

 

[ILovecycling]

I gotta say I am not a Froome or Team Sky fan, but what we saw today during some stretches of Alpe d'Huez from some people was unsportsmanlike to say the least... no one deserves to get booed like that, and this was the first time that I have actually witnessed someone spitting on a rider. All my respects to Froome, who seems to me like a genuinely nice bloke off the bike, for enduring this, and emerging triumphantly. A hard fought and well earned victory - that is nothing to spit at!

Yes, no one deserves spitting, especially not someone decent and measured.
And it didn't take much to provoke the maltreatment. Burden of the years behind.

Double agree with both of you guys, disgusting, and the reasons are what you said.

 

[The Principal Sheep]

I gotta say I am not a Froome or Team Sky fan, but what we saw today during some stretches of Alpe d'Huez from some people was unsportsmanlike to say the least... no one deserves to get booed like that, and this was the first time that I have actually witnessed someone spitting on a rider. All my respects to Froome, who seems to me like a genuinely nice bloke off the bike, for enduring this, and emerging triumphantly. A hard fought and well earned victory - that is nothing to spit at!

I have no issue with the booing, personally not something I like to see in any sport but people should be free to do so, yellow or not. Spitting is another issue though and if Froome wished to prosecute those responsible then fair play.

 

[mr. tibbs]

I'm not a fan of his style or his team, but I respect him and his measured performance in the Alps. Chapeau, Froome, and congrats on the KOM, too.

 

[richwagmn]

Agree with other posters. Froome rode a very good race. It was a shame to see some of the treatment he got too. I hope he does the Vuelta too. He certainly has some unfinished business there.

 

[elfed68]

Re:

Agree with other posters. Froome rode a very good race. It was a shame to see some of the treatment he got too. I hope he does the Vuelta too. He certainly has some unfinished business there.

Thomas is the true star of this TdF, Mr Super Dependable, and without him Froome would have been in deep ***!!

 

[cocteau_ireland]

The most awful bike rider(style) in the world;ever. Polite though.

 

[movingtarget]

Quintana lost it in the first week where Froome was supposed to fail and Quintana had no answer to Froome's first attack in the mountains. The route suited Quintana better than anyone else and next year as per usual the TT kms will be increased after not having many this year so Quintana will find it hard to win next year as well. The set up for next year looks to be good as well. With Contador probably at his last Tour and not doing the Giro and the other three also backing up, I can't see why it won't be more of the same. I think Froome was lucky to have his team with him when it counted but of course Quintana's team also performed well on the Alpe. It was always going to be difficult for Quintana to close a three minute plus gap and Froome rode smart on the final mountain stages.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

I gotta say I am not a Froome or Team Sky fan, but what we saw today during some stretches of Alpe d'Huez from some people was unsportsmanlike to say the least... no one deserves to get booed like that, and this was the first time that I have actually witnessed someone spitting on a rider. All my respects to Froome, who seems to me like a genuinely nice bloke off the bike, for enduring this, and emerging triumphantly. A hard fought and well earned victory - that is nothing to spit at!

+1

congrats c.froome

 

[dacooley]

Re: Re:

Congratulations to Froome! Clearly the strongest rider and currently the best GC rider. Can't see anyone beating him when in top form.

lol the usual Tour meaningless conclusions

froome hasn't formalized his win officialy whereas you are just there ready to belittle it to a certain extent. froome is not blame for contador being not in top form. one can million times contemplate about what shoulda coulda woulda happened, but the truth is froome is good enough to win the biggest bike race for the 2nd time in 3 years.

It's fine, what you said is true. Congrats to him, he won his 2nd Tour .

But there's a difference between what you said and start claiming ' best GC rider, strongest climber bla bla bla', because that is completely wrong.
Being in yellow in Paris doesn't mean you are the best GC rider nor best climber. You have to look at the bigger picture. Like last year, Nibali won by 7 min, he is neither the best climber nor the best GC rider.

Some people need time to realise some things

the fact is the concept of 'the best gc rider' doesn't have an adequate definition. every fan sees it differently and all in all that's all about subjective intuitions. no one knows for sure if bertie's giro form would be enough to win in france in july 2015. anyway, froome wins the gt many people advised him not to do with good reason after unveiling the parcours. this tour has the hardest possible field which is an important factor too. i personally don't remember a gt when the race leader was being attacked so many times on penultimate climbs and at the beginning of the mountain stages and froome often had to close these gaps himself. ultimately froome did not interfere with the opponents' form to be that good as they want. all these circumstances matter and make froome win fully deserved.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

The most awful bike rider(style) in the world;ever. Polite though.

That's a fact.
A very good bike rider as well though.

Grats Froome on your TdF win. Good racing.

 

[Savant12]

I am happy that Froome won and he answered a lot of his critics' harsh comments about his riding ability other than he can climb well.

Can't ride in crosswinds? Passed
Can't ride in the wet? Passed
Can't descend? Passed
Can't descent in the wet? Passed
Can't ride on cobbles? Passed
His TT now sucks? Was superb in the TTT.

 

[Kwibus]

I am happy that Froome won and he answered a lot of his critics' harsh comments about his riding ability other than he can climb well.

Can't ride in crosswinds? Passed
Can't ride in the wet? Passed
Can't descend? Passed
Can't descent in the wet? Passed
Can't ride on cobbles? Passed
His TT now sucks? Was superb in the TTT.

Descend in the wet? Did I forget about that?

Not saying he can't, but I don't recall having wet descends which were raced hard?

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

The most awful bike rider(style) in the world;ever. Polite though.

Polite, in front of the camera.
Behind the camera, it seems to be a different story.

Seems a bit of a creep. Feeding live mice to snakes when he was a kid, married to a person who ***-fights on twitter for the whole world to see, verbally abusing his rivals behind the scenes, some weird stuff he says in his book, etc.