Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Escarabajo]

The other ones are a lot younger and have upside as opposed to Valverde.

 

[Blanco]

Your point stands, but the issue here is has he got the place in that list, and I claim he has, 100%

 

[Merckx index]

Re:

Congrats to Froome.

I have a question: Which rider has the most GT victories from age 33 onwards?

As I pointed out in the Clinic a couple of months ago, Froome is the only rider to win the TDF (not GTs in general) three times at age 30 or older. Indurain is the only other rider to do it even twice, though LA did it four times before the titles were taken away.

 

[Lequack]

Re:

He went for a pizza afterwards:

Source: https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/906951961588662272

 

[Brullnux]

That's such a mediocre looking pizza.

 

[CyclingDaddy55]

Re:

That's such a mediocre looking pizza.

Looks like a vegetarian to me. If so, needs way more veggies on there with a boatload more of cheese. lol

 

[deValtos]

Froome says he'll have to target the Giro sometime!

Has to be 2019 surely? Have to really focus for a 5th Tour next year.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re: Re:

Congrats to Froome.

I have a question: Which rider has the most GT victories from age 33 onwards?

Joop Zoetemelk and Tony Rominger both had two, off the top of my head.

So, based off history we can say Froome's window is closing rapidly

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Congrats to Froome.

I have a question: Which rider has the most GT victories from age 33 onwards?

Joop Zoetemelk and Tony Rominger both had two, off the top of my head.

So, based off history we can say Froome's window is closing rapidly

I guess so. And furthermore Rominger was a late starter, but only competitive until ten years after his GT debut - which for Froome means next year.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Congrats to Froome.

I have a question: Which rider has the most GT victories from age 33 onwards?

Joop Zoetemelk and Tony Rominger both had two, off the top of my head.

So, based off history we can say Froome's window is closing rapidly

I'd say looking at this years performances maybe 2 more years, so go all out for Tour number 5 next year and then I'd be surprised if he doesn't give the Giro a shot in 2019.

 

[hazaran]

Now second in the WT rankings:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/rankings.php?code=uci-worldtour-ranking

It would be first except the UCI thinks coming second in one of the silly canadian races is 400 points or half a GT win worth. Why on earth do they even give points for places after first in a *one day race*...

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Congrats to Froome.

I have a question: Which rider has the most GT victories from age 33 onwards?

Joop Zoetemelk and Tony Rominger both had two, off the top of my head.

So, based off history we can say Froome's window is closing rapidly

I'd say looking at this years performances maybe 2 more years, so go all out for Tour number 5 next year and then I'd be surprised if he doesn't give the Giro a shot in 2019.

Well, would you rather win all three GTs or win an (officially) record-breaking number of Tours? If it were me I'd go for Tour-Vuelta in 2018 (but Vuelta as an afterthought, not like this season was seemingly planned), Tour 2019, and THEN Giro. Even if quite past his best he could win the Giro if the field and route are favourable to him

 

[AQETUYIOI]

Re: Re:

I'd say looking at this years performances maybe 2 more years, so go all out for Tour number 5 next year and then I'd be surprised if he doesn't give the Giro a shot in 2019.

Why the Giro and not a 6th TdF?

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

I'd say looking at this years performances maybe 2 more years, so go all out for Tour number 5 next year and then I'd be surprised if he doesn't give the Giro a shot in 2019.

Why the Giro and not a 6th TdF?

Imo a Giro would add more to his palmares than a 6th Tour.

I think he's got two more years: get a 5th Tour, a Giro, a second Vuelta, and maybe even rainbow are probably the most he can hope for in that timeframe.

Looks like he's not going to ride the ITT in Bergen after all in a week and a half. Doubt he would have beaten Dumo considering he's fully targeting it, but a silver medal would have been nice

(and you never know what could happen on the day)

 

[movingtarget]

[quote="

Froome may not ever reach 2013/2015 shape ever again, but he doesn't need to be to consistently win Grand Tours. He lacks a serious Grand Tour competitor. Someone who, like him, can:
(a) Race consistently on all terrain over three weeks
(b) Time trial seriously well
(c) Climb seriously well.

Nibali has (a) but lacks too much of (b) and, recently, (c) to be considered a serious threat to Froome.
Pinot has (c) but lacks too much of (a) and occasionally (b) to be considered a serious threat to Froome.
Aru lacks a bit of all of the above - he is one level below Froome in each and thus is not considered a serious threat to Froome.
Bardet has (a) and (c) but seriously lacks (b)
Quintana certainly has (c) but occasionally lacks (a) and lacks (b)

The only two riders I see with a chance of beating Froome are:
Dumoulin - who has (b) and is rapidly improving in (a) and (c)
Landa - who has (c) and can hold his own in (b) but is still relatively unknown in (c)

Other than that, only if other up-and-coming riders, such as Lopez, develop in rounded GC riders, Froome merely needs to maintain his climbing level and continue to race conservatively as he has been since 2015.

I still think Quintana can challenge him but not on 2017 form. I have some doubts about Landa especially with the TTs. Nibali is probably past his best now. Porte can look really good over a week but has never converted that form to three weeks and has enough trouble finishing a GT. The younger guys are not quite good enough yet to challenge Froome but they are improving. Lopez for the future obviously. Aru and Bardet and Uran are at a similar level. Aru on a full preparation next year will be much better.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

Now second in the WT rankings:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/rankings.php?code=uci-worldtour-ranking

It would be first except the UCI thinks coming second in one of the silly canadian races is 400 points or half a GT win worth. Why on earth do they even give points for places after first in a *one day race*...

You seem to forget you also get points for wearing the leader's jersey in a GT, secondary jerseys and for placings. Froome has basically raced 1 week in June, 3 in July and 3 now. So I'd say being second in the WT is quite generous.

 

[Bardamu]

Nah it is crazy Froome isn't nr. 1, but give credit to van Avermaet for showing up the whole year, although some of the small Belgian races are giving way too many points.

Is Froomes season over apart from the TT in Bergen?

 

[jarvo]

Re: Re:

I'd say looking at this years performances maybe 2 more years, so go all out for Tour number 5 next year and then I'd be surprised if he doesn't give the Giro a shot in 2019.

Why the Giro and not a 6th TdF?

Imo a Giro would add more to his palmares than a 6th Tour.

I think he's got two more years: get a 5th Tour, a Giro, a second Vuelta, and maybe even rainbow are probably the most he can hope for in that timeframe.

Looks like he's not going to ride the ITT in Bergen after all in a week and a half. Doubt he would have beaten Dumo considering he's fully targeting it, but a silver medal would have been nice

(and you never know what could happen on the day)

Do you think next years Worlds in Innsbruck might be something he would look at? 5th Tour and rainbow jersey in the same year would be nice

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

Nah it is crazy Froome isn't nr. 1, but give credit to van Avermaet for showing up the whole year, although some of the small Belgian races are giving way too many points.

Is Froomes season over apart from the TT in Bergen?

Do you not think the leader of the World Tour should participate in more than 3 WT races?

 

[Bardamu]

Re: Re:

Nah it is crazy Froome isn't nr. 1, but give credit to van Avermaet for showing up the whole year, although some of the small Belgian races are giving way too many points.

Is Froomes season over apart from the TT in Bergen?

Do you not think the leader of the World Tour should participate in more than 3 WT races?

Yep, I meant at first glance it is crazy he is not nr 1. , but due to his lack of participance in other WT races also logical.

But the nr 1. should also win more big races than just PR.

 

[del1962]

Re: Re:

Nah it is crazy Froome isn't nr. 1, but give credit to van Avermaet for showing up the whole year, although some of the small Belgian races are giving way too many points.

Is Froomes season over apart from the TT in Bergen?

Do you not think the leader of the World Tour should participate in more than 3 WT races?

Well Froome has participated in 5

EDIT: MAke that 6th as he was in Cadel's race

 

[Jagartrott]

OK Del, let's rephrase it as 'participate and be competitive in more than 3.5 WT races' (I'll give Cadel's race 0.5, and that's just because I'm generous). Point is, winning the World Tour should award riders that are competitive throughout the year - like Sagan, Valverde, etc. If Froome would like to win it, he'd have to focus on more than very few races - and that's how it should be IMO.

 

[hazaran]

Re:

OK Del, let's rephrase it as 'participate and be competitive in more than 3.5 WT races' (I'll give Cadel's race 0.5, and that's just because I'm generous). Point is, winning the World Tour should award riders that are competitive throughout the year - like Sagan, Valverde, etc. If Froome would like to win it, he'd have to focus on more than very few races - and that's how it should be IMO.

You're kidding right? You can't seriously count a GT as 1 and the silly pair of mediocre Canadian races of the same weekend and profile as 2.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

OK Del, let's rephrase it as 'participate and be competitive in more than 3.5 WT races' (I'll give Cadel's race 0.5, and that's just because I'm generous). Point is, winning the World Tour should award riders that are competitive throughout the year - like Sagan, Valverde, etc. If Froome would like to win it, he'd have to focus on more than very few races - and that's how it should be IMO.

No, winning the World Tour should award the riders with the biggest achievements that year.

I like that WT points are finally fair for stage winners, but the ranking remains a joke. Plouay worth more than Strade. Tour Down Under worth more than Catalunya and Pais Vasco. Canada worth the same as the monuments and more than E3, Fleche etc. People shouldn't even bother looking at it

 

[PremierAndrew]

And fwiw, Froome has more race days this year than Sagan and 7 less than GVA