Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Poursuivant]

Long way to go, but he has started well, yo yo Froome in full flow today.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Even by Froome's yo-yo standards today was crazy, he was distanced from the Movi/Chavez/Contador group by around 20s going into the mega steep section, then a few hundred metres up the road the helicopter pans back and there is Froome getting back to Movistar and Chavez, before dropping Nairo in the sprint for the line. Froome not on in peak form is much more fun to watch!

 

[Amnes2015]

People are in for a big surprise. They compare this Froome to 2012 Froome, that's a big mistake.

2016 Froome is 10x smarter, experienced and slightly more powerful.

He rode 2016 TdF extremely boring, no attacks, nada, super well protected, didn't chase a single attack. He has a ton of extra energy compared to 2012 Froome.

2012 opposition was super peak Purito, 4 years younger Contador and Valverde. Here ? Quintana and Chaves.

If he doesn't crash he will win this Vuelta, without even fading in the 3rd week.

 

[SeriousSam]

You could be right, he's certainly the bookies favourite now, with Chaves and Quintana the next most likely to win.

 

[Red Rick]

When you're literally the only rider in the peloton that doesn't pace himself stupidly, it's hard to gauge strength.

 

[deValtos]

Re:

When you're literally the only rider in the peloton that doesn't pace himself stupidly, it's hard to gauge strength.

Ironically he's not the yo yo at all, everyone else is.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

He has a ton of extra energy compared to 2012 Froome.

That is very true

But Contador should still not be underestimated

 

[SeriousSam]

Not sure the pacing is having that much of an effect. He wasn't better than Valverde or Chaves and only a little bit better than Quintana which would be expected on a climb like this (or frankly, any climb, he is the top climber in the world after all).

 

[Thepirateisgood]

pretty sure 2012,13,14,15,16-Froome is the same guy. Don't you people get tired of totally useless comparisons?

Good ride today, some people think he's not so nice to look at, but certainly one of the smartest riders out there.

As for yoyo, I think today he walked the dog. Expect this wonderful sport to be in the olympics soon.

Edit: Valverde did a good yoyo today, wasn't he in front close to 500, disappear and then went in with Froome?

 

[silvergrenade]

What a ride by Chris Froome!!
I think it takes extreme confidence in your own ability to let go of the front group and then get back to them later. He knows that on the good days he is the best climber in the world with no exceptions. His way of pacing himself on climbs is just extraordinary.

Also, this is not really yo-yo Froome IMO. We'll have to wait for the high mountains to see if he yo yos.

As far as pacing and other riders following his wheel is concerned, I don't think it'll matter much on Muritos. His threshold seems to be higher than anybody else's and the rest would eventually crack, maybe losing even more time. Its best if riders prefer to pace the efforts the way they like it.

 

[silvergrenade]

Re:

People are in for a big surprise. They compare this Froome to 2012 Froome, that's a big mistake.

2016 Froome is 10x smarter, experienced and slightly more powerful.

He rode 2016 TdF extremely boring, no attacks, nada, super well protected, didn't chase a single attack. He has a ton of extra energy compared to 2012 Froome.

2012 opposition was super peak Purito, 4 years younger Contador and Valverde. Here ? Quintana and Chaves.

If he doesn't crash he will win this Vuelta, without even fading in the 3rd week.

What is the big surprise? Many websites had marked Froome as the favorite. Also, his performance on Stage 3 isnt a surprise either. Many, even on CN forum said the best guys would be Bala, Froomey and Chav.

 

[wwabbit]

When Froome yo-yos, I think what he's really doing is he's looking at his powermeter and wondering WTF are the idiots in front of him doing

 

[IndianCyclist]

Re:

When you're literally the only rider in the peloton that doesn't pace himself stupidly, it's hard to gauge strength.

but it is possible to gauge stupidity. Quintana and Contador went full gas and lost time

 

[dacooley]

time passes very quickly and it's already 6th season in a row when Froome either wins either podiums in a gt so for sure a very big experience was accumulated since 2011. as far as im concerned he just realizes very well that the group is physically unable to ride at the speed of initial acceleration for long so steady tempo is beneficial in suchlike situations. either way, that's great working tactics that requires brilliant skills and unordinary composure.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

When you're literally the only rider in the peloton that doesn't pace himself stupidly, it's hard to gauge strength.

Ironically he's not the yo yo at all, everyone else is.

Thats a very good point, I've often thought the same.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

People are in for a big surprise. They compare this Froome to 2012 Froome, that's a big mistake.

2016 Froome is 10x smarter, experienced and slightly more powerful.

He rode 2016 TdF extremely boring, no attacks, nada, super well protected, didn't chase a single attack. He has a ton of extra energy compared to 2012 Froome.

2012 opposition was super peak Purito, 4 years younger Contador and Valverde. Here ? Quintana and Chaves.

If he doesn't crash he will win this Vuelta, without even fading in the 3rd week.

He might look good now but I still don't think he wins this race, even with him being well protected during the Tour he still had to race it and I think no Tour guy wins this Vuelta. Froome looked pretty tired by the end of the Olympic RR and with this route I think even if he is in red by the start of the 3rd week somebody will come over the top of him and win.

 

[Pricey_sky]

It will be interesting to see how he fares by the 3rd week, his form doesn't seem to be too bad at the moment but obviously he is not near his strongest, like many others.

By all accounts he had a few rest days at home with his family when he returned from Rio so probably hasn't spent much time on the bike. I think that's smart to give himself the best chance of being competitive by week 3.

 

[PatrickLeeds]

Re: Re:

Ironically he's not the yo yo at all, everyone else is.

That, a hundred times that. In fact, I am going to make that my sig, with your permission?*

They could let his team ride the stage by themselves on a different day like a Team Time Trial and the results would be the same, it would upset other rider's fans a bit less as well not having to watch it.

 

[boasson]

Re:

It will be interesting to see how he fares by the 3rd week, his form doesn't seem to be too bad at the moment but obviously he is not near his strongest, like many others.

By all accounts he had a few rest days at home with his family when he returned from Rio so probably hasn't spent much time on the bike. I think that's smart to give himself the best chance of being competitive by week 3.

He had 3 race days more compared to Contador since 9. stage of TDF. 2 race days more than Quintana and the same like Valverde. Therefore he had much less race days in the spring compared to the others and the Olympics-Vuelta Double in mind for the whole season. So he might be pretty fresh mentally and legswise.

Chaves as the most fresh rider always faded at the last two days of a GT. So i don't think that the 3rd week is a big advantage for him. In my opinion Froome, Quintana, Chaves and Contador will be pretty equal in the 2nd and 3rd week. Maybe Valverde too. So it's likely that the 5 riders are within 2 Minutes in GC at the last two Mountain stages and the TT. Impossible to pick one of them as the winner today. But as the best allrounder (Team, Mountains, Hills, Downhills, TT, Cross Winds, heat, better sprinter for bonus seconds compared to Quintana or Contador), he has a pretty good chance to win it.

 

[rick james]

Seen him saying that the TT his his big aim, he just wants to get there and stay out of trouble the best way he can

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

Seen him saying that the TT his his big aim, he just wants to get there and stay out of trouble the best way he can

If he's on form that's where he should bury Chaves and Quintana, hell he's probably favourite to win that stage.

 

[Winnats]

Re:

Seen him saying that the TT his his big aim, he just wants to get there and stay out of trouble the best way he can

Saw that also. But it's Froome, that statement is probably disinformation.

 

[silvergrenade]

Re: Re:

Seen him saying that the TT his his big aim, he just wants to get there and stay out of trouble the best way he can

If he's on form that's where he should bury Chaves and Quintana, hell he's probably favourite to win that stage.

Absolutely flat TT 37 Kms. He can get upto 2 minutes on these guys.
Contador, Valverde will definitely fare better.

 

[pastronef]

Re:

It will be interesting to see how he fares by the 3rd week, his form doesn't seem to be too bad at the moment but obviously he is not near his strongest, like many others.

By all accounts he had a few rest days at home with his family when he returned from Rio so probably hasn't spent much time on the bike. I think that's smart to give himself the best chance of being competitive by week 3.

maybe not much time on the road bike. I guess if he rode during those few days he went out on the TT bike.
the flat 37 km TT is important

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Seen him saying that the TT his his big aim, he just wants to get there and stay out of trouble the best way he can

If he's on form that's where he should bury Chaves and Quintana, hell he's probably favourite to win that stage.

Absolutely flat TT 37 Kms. He can get upto 2 minutes on these guys.
Contador, Valverde will definitely fare better.

3rd week TT at the end of a double. I doubt Quintana will lose that much.