Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Taxus4a]

I see Froome very strong, maybe no so strong as he starte last year when he was encouraging Rcohe in the TTT, ut I see him very string, Thi year the race is not for him, it ha few flat stages and the aproach to the mountains is gradual, so he cant do what he did in La Pierre.

Anyway he showed he is a champion in Peyresourde.

But he need it, Quintana and Movistar has a plan. They know they must just waste one ball, or maybe two, and that they dont have to waste balls in not proper moments. When Quintana attacks will be the moment that for a lot of reasons, situation in the race of rivals weakness, they can do real pain.. and they know that is better after some days in the mountains, at the end of le Tour..

For the moment to try to waste his team.

I am not is maybe boring. But it is the best way for Quintana abilities.

Anyway Froome is the favourite, and I think he will win again, but he will suffrer a lot with Quintana

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

What I've heard quite a lot recently is that Froome may not be as strong as he was in previous years, comparatively at least, because he has taken so little time so far. While that may be true, I also think that the race has just developed differently. There were no splits between the GC contenders in the first week, like Neeltje Jans last year, and we haven't had a mountain stage like the firrst ones in 2013 and 2015. In 2013, Sky could rip it apart on the road to up Ax 3 Domaines, and last year the first mountain test came after the rest day, but Quintana had already lost time, so he wasn't so close anyway. The first day in the mountains finished downhill this year, as did the second. Then on the third day, the breakaway stayed away again and a hailstorm came down, so everyone stayed relatively quiet. I think Mont Ventoux will be the first time we have a stage like the ones Froome won, and so probably the first time he will really go all out. His team will probably chase down the breakaway as well, he never seems to go all out either if there isn't a stage to be won anymore. Do you guys think the ratios between riders are similar to previous years, or that everyone really is much closer to each other?

We will soon know but if the weather conditions are favourable on Ventoux I expect him to attack and the TT the next day will give the top 10 a makeover. It will soon become clear whether Froome and Quintana are a level above everyone else or not. The time gaps will stretch no doubt.

 

[sir fly]

Entertainer.

 

[Gloin22]

To me it seems media is finally getting in his head, probably bit too much. Calling him boring all that time.

If he wins Tour with this style I think he'll finally turn many people's opinions, no doubt though. But big if.

 

[Matteo.]

Once again Froome shows his true colour. Bravissimo Chris

 

[BigMac]

Funny. Quintana was supposed to be cycling's last hope against the ultra boring team Sky. Papers have changed and Quintana was never the paragon people were looking for while Froome has surprised. Though, to be fair, he's always been one of the most attacking riders out of the créme of GC contenders.

 

[Pricey_sky]

He may pay for his effort today, but Ventoux being shortened tomorrow will help. Plus he didn't pay for it the day after his descent finish at the weekend.

Only time will tell, until then, chapeau Chris Froome!

 

[mr. tibbs]

Re:

He may pay for his effort today, but Ventoux being shortened tomorrow will help. Plus he didn't pay for it the day after his descent finish at the weekend.

Only time will tell, until then, chapeau Chris Froome!

Pricey, I'm a Froome fan now. Absolutely amazing.

 

[Red Rick]

Followed the right wheel, on the right time, but that takes legs and courage as well. Kudo's where it's due

 

[markene2]

A typical Vino move by Froome, i like it!

I would have never thought that Froome would be the most entertaining rider in this tour...

 

[Valv.Piti]

What a racer. I've never bought into the boring racer, quite the contrary actually, but his attacks have been more unexpected this year. Nothing but respect for Froome, hoping he can stay in the game for a long time.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Simply insane that he caught Sagan and Bodnar without any help. That's a fairly decent gap that had opened up

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753248228208996352

 

[SeriousSam]

Yeah, his power is insane

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Simply insane that he caught Sagan and Bodnar without any help. That's a fairly decent gap that had opened up

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753248228208996352

I mentioned it in a comment in the stage thread, with the power he's showing he could take a fair amount of time in the TT on Nairo. Will have to double check the profile but the climbs aren't relatively steep (5%-6%) and there are over 20k's of flat straightish roads.

 

[Eclipse]

Stud.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Simply insane that he caught Sagan and Bodnar without any help. That's a fairly decent gap that had opened up

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753248228208996352

I mentioned it in a comment in the stage thread, with the power he's showing he could take a fair amount of time in the TT on Nairo. Will have to double check the profile but the climbs aren't relatively steep (5%-6%) and there are over 20k's of flat straightish roads.

How much - over/under 1 minute?

 

[Põhja Konn]

Nice move by him again today. He really is lighting up the Tour thus far.

He is riding almost like a man who has nothing to lose, looking for unorthodox ways to gain few seconds here and there and isn't showing slightest attenion to saving energy. Strangely enough it looks like he doesn't quite believe he has the legs to go all the way, but does everything to give himself as much of a headstart as possible.

Even Brailsford's interview for Eurosport after todays stage was curiously low key, a far cry from supreme confidence (and borderline arrogance) shown in 2013 and 2015. Something is definetely different this year. Whether it is Sky's PR-approach or Froome's peak form, we'll see soon.

Having said all that, Froome may just feel he is so much superior to everybody else, that he might just as well have fun before sealing the overall for good. Whichever version is correct, the approach we're seeing from him is markedly different to the one we have become accustomed to.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

Simply insane that he caught Sagan and Bodnar without any help. That's a fairly decent gap that had opened up

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753248228208996352

I mentioned it in a comment in the stage thread, with the power he's showing he could take a fair amount of time in the TT on Nairo. Will have to double check the profile but the climbs aren't relatively steep (5%-6%) and there are over 20k's of flat straightish roads.

How much - over/under 1 minute?

Vuelta TT last year is pretty much identical in both length and parcours.

You can expect Froome to put in a similar time to Dumoulin, so you're looking at about 1'30

 

[Valv.Piti]

1'30 and the Tour is over. I very doubt he will take more than 1 minute.

Buy the way, this TT is a fair amount tougher. 30 seconds for me, obviously biased, as are you.

 

[LarsAU]

he is often toe curling cringe worthy to listen to and he rides in the hated "SS uniform"-esq colours of team SKY.
But DAMMIT despite EVERYTHING Froome is slowly but surely winning me over with the way he is winning this Tour.

Nothing makes sense. The world has gone mad!

Froome is a genius-level racing god!

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

1'30 and the Tour is over. I very doubt he will take more than 1 minute.

Buy the way, this TT is a fair amount tougher. 30 seconds for me, obviously biased, as are you.

There was a total of about 450m of climbing in the Vuelta TT compared to about 650m on Friday. Whether that'll be enough for him to save another 30 seconds, we'll see. You also have to bare in mind that Froome seems to be a much better descender than Quintana and will also gain time on the descents in the TT without even pedalling much (Quintana isn't confident enough to use the aero tuck)

But of course, it all depends on how hard they fight tomorrow

 

[sir fly]

Neat.

 

[Miburo]

Froome is slowly winning the hearts of cycling fans, this was really legendary stuff. I'm out of words, wow...

What a brilliant rider he has become, he's complete.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Neat.

Very much so, 2 legends

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Simply insane that he caught Sagan and Bodnar without any help. That's a fairly decent gap that had opened up

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/753248228208996352

I mentioned it in a comment in the stage thread, with the power he's showing he could take a fair amount of time in the TT on Nairo. Will have to double check the profile but the climbs aren't relatively steep (5%-6%) and there are over 20k's of flat straightish roads.

How much - over/under 1 minute?

My gut instinct says about 45s.

If it's over 1 minute i think Quintana could be in trouble unless he takes back some time tomorrow.

Next weeks stages are tough, but 1 stage is a descent finish where Froome can limit losses (maybe gain time?) and another stage has a cobbled hill climb near the end where Froome may be able to gain seconds too.