Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[boasson]

Re: Re:

Was he ever this skinny like today at Ventoux???

:surprised:

he doesn't look especially thin compared to prior years.

Sure about that?

Look at the arms and legs... And we are 2 weeks before the start of the tour. :razz:

 

[Publicus]

Re: Re:

Was he ever this skinny like today at Ventoux???

:surprised:

he doesn't look especially thin compared to prior years.

Sure about that?

Look at the arms and legs... And we are 2 weeks before the start of the tour. :razz:

Yes I am sure about that. And depending on how you count, we're basically a little over a week away (8-9 days).

 

[Robert5091]

Dawg? More like Matchstick Man ...

 

[ILovecycling]

His team is the strongest in the past 20 years.This will be a brutal fight between him and other favourites!

 

[Pricey_sky]

He's going to be in superb form, no doubt about that. Plus the low-key build up this year compared to other years means he should be much stronger in the final week.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

He's going to be in superb form, no doubt about that. Plus the low-key build up this year compared to other years means he should be much stronger in the final week.

Everyone keeps mentioning that. How many race days did he have last year? IIRC, last year he did

Ruta del Sol
Pais Vasco
Romandie
Dauphine.

Which is basically the same amount of race days

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

He's going to be in superb form, no doubt about that. Plus the low-key build up this year compared to other years means he should be much stronger in the final week.

Everyone keeps mentioning that. How many race days did he have last year? IIRC, last year he did

Ruta del Sol
Pais Vasco
Romandie
Dauphine.

Which is basically the same amount of race days

Pretty much the same yes, however up until the Dauphine he hasn't been near the form he was in last year. Even this years Dauphine he rode a smart defensive race in the final stages, not wasting energy, whereas last year he had to attack in both the final stages to beat Tejay.

I suppose its just my take on Froome, but I agree with what he said at the end of the Dauphine, there is more improvement to come. Of course the same can be said of his rivals too.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't really think dropping Contador and following him on a very steep climb are easier then dropping Van Garderen. Build up seems rather identical, except for switching out RdS for the Sun Tour and getting a mechanical in Romandie.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

I don't really think dropping Contador and following him on a very steep climb are easier then dropping Van Garderen. Build up seems rather identical, except for switching out RdS for the Sun Tour and getting a mechanical in Romandie.

Perhaps not, I think the other thing to consider was Froome becoming a father in December, he spent a few weeks at home instead of on a winter training camp, it probably means he was a little behind compared to previous years too.

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

He's going to be in superb form, no doubt about that. Plus the low-key build up this year compared to other years means he should be much stronger in the final week.

Everyone keeps mentioning that. How many race days did he have last year? IIRC, last year he did

Ruta del Sol
Pais Vasco
Fleche Wallonne
Romandie
Dauphine.

Which is basically the same amount of race days

Catalunya, not Pais Vasco

yes, 27 race days last year and this year

 

[sir fly]

I'm not sure the Australian excursion should be counted in. Yes, it was a competitive race, but it's somehow outside of racing season and the field wasn't something.
Anyway, the intensity of this year's racing days was lower than last season, despite the same amount.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Didn't he ride in the gruppetto in Catalunya last year? Not very intense either.

 

[cellardoor]

To me his build ups were quite similar last year and this year but I think he was slightly better at the Dauphine this year based on the fact that he faced better opposition and his win never really looked in doubt once they hit the mountains, unlike last year.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Didn't he ride in the gruppetto in Catalunya last year? Not very intense either.

You're right. But it was a very intensive effort.

 

[ILovecycling]

I have a feeling that he will be a bit stronger,but question is if his opponents will be too
I think this Tour will have more important race days in its middle.The difference after the first week will not be that big as last year and the last week decline will not be as bad as last year either.

 

[Oliwright]

Re: Re:

He's going to be in superb form, no doubt about that. Plus the low-key build up this year compared to other years means he should be much stronger in the final week.

Everyone keeps mentioning that. How many race days did he have last year? IIRC, last year he did

Ruta del Sol
Pais Vasco
Romandie
Dauphine.

Which is basically the same amount of race days

Pretty much the same yes, however up until the Dauphine he hasn't been near the form he was in last year. Even this years Dauphine he rode a smart defensive race in the final stages, not wasting energy, whereas last year he had to attack in both the final stages to beat Tejay.

I suppose its just my take on Froome, but I agree with what he said at the end of the Dauphine, there is more improvement to come. Of course the same can be said of his rivals too.

He also did catalunya

 

[Poursuivant]

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

Froome lost 2 minutes on 100 km ITT, Im sure he would've found a way to distance him with +2 minutes in the mountains even tho they were truly anaemic

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

Who's dragging Wiggins' arse over the mountains? It could be done on the Toussuire stage alone

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

Froome lost 2 minutes on 100 km ITT, Im sure he would've found a way to distance him with +2 minutes in the mountains even tho they were truly anaemic

Agree.

This was then and now is now. It's 2016 and he's the man to beat. Millar is right in his blog. And so was Bertie in his interview published in today's l'Equipe: it's more than Froome that you need to beat. It's Sky.

Until proven otherwise, he's the favorite. But destroy Sky, and you have a shot. And maybe not you, but someone will. That's the kicker: are the other favorites ready to lose the Tour while (and/or by) ensuring that Froome doesn't win it?

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

Froome lost 2 minutes on 100 km ITT, Im sure he would've found a way to distance him with +2 minutes in the mountains even tho they were truly anaemic

Agree.

This was then and now is now. It's 2016 and he's the man to beat. Millar is right in his blog. And so was Bertie in his interview published in today's l'Equipe: it's more than Froome that you need to beat. It's Sky.

Until proven otherwise, he's the favorite. But destroy Sky, and you have a shot. And maybe not you, but someone will. That's the kicker: are the other favorites ready to lose the Tour while (and/or by) ensuring that Froome doesn't win it?

I highly doubt that. AC and Quintana (the 2 with the biggest chance of beating Froome) really want to win the Tour. They're not here for 2nd. It wouldn't make any sense for them to help each other out. I doubt their team managers would let them.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

Froome lost 2 minutes on 100 km ITT, Im sure he would've found a way to distance him with +2 minutes in the mountains even tho they were truly anaemic

Agree.

This was then and now is now. It's 2016 and he's the man to beat. Millar is right in his blog. And so was Bertie in his interview published in today's l'Equipe: it's more than Froome that you need to beat. It's Sky.

Until proven otherwise, he's the favorite. But destroy Sky, and you have a shot. And maybe not you, but someone will. That's the kicker: are the other favorites ready to lose the Tour while (and/or by) ensuring that Froome doesn't win it?

I highly doubt that. AC and Quintana (the 2 with the biggest chance of beating Froome) really want to win the Tour. They're not here for 2nd. It wouldn't make any sense for them to help each other out. I doubt their team managers would let them.

But Aru and AC could

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

But Aru and AC could

Astana working with Tinkoff? I highly doubt it, you don't remember last years Giro? Plus they'd also have Movistar and Sky chasing them. Even with last years poor Contador Movistar chased every attack he made.

Back to the question on Froome, yes if he was another team it would have been a good race. Wiggins would probably have had to do a lot of work on his own and Froome would have mentally cracked him I feel. Wiggo almost threw his toys out when Froome attacked him in the mountain as it was.

On social media there's a much more light hearted and happy Froome with some of his recent posts. He seems in a very good place right now.

 

[ferryman]

I think Robert Millar has called it again. If Sky can be broken, Froome will be very vulnerable. With the quality up against them this year, not to mention the 2 kickers in Valverde and Nibali, it really is shaping up to be a most intriguing TDF. No idea how it is going to pan out. Just going to sit back and enjoy and hope for some good weather here so I can drink red wine for 3 weeks whilst out watching it in the garden

 

[Oliwright]

Re:

Hypothetically: if Froome wasn't on the same team in 2012, do you think he would have beat Wiggins at TDF? He was clearly a better climber, but an inferior TT'er in a race that had over 100km of TT. I was just wondering what people thought after reading Cyclingquotes preview of this years tour, they mentioned that "Wiggins would probably have beaten Froome anyway." What do you think?

Let's look at time he lost to Wiggins:
Prologue: Lost 9 secconds
Stage 1: Lost 1:25 he wouldn't have if a full team had waited for him, rather than 1 teammate.
Stage 7: 1st MTF Froome gained 2 seconds after working for Wiggins, if he hadn't he would have gained more and Wiggins lost more
Stage 9: Wiggins beat Froome by 35 seconds in TT
Stage: 19 Froome lost 1:19 to Wiggins.

The amount he would have lost from TTs would have been: 2:03.
IMO if Froome didn't work for Wiggins he would be less tired to attack in the TTs and MTFs, also if a team actually took it to Wiggins like no team did then I think over the mountain top finishes Wiggins would have lost a lot of time from not having Froome and Froome would have gained enough to trouble Wiggins.

It would have been close impossible to tell.


I think he would, we saw on La Toussuire how much time Froome could put into Wiggins.