Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Netserk]

I think we can safely assume that Froome wouldn't have lost (much, if any) time to Dumoulin on the climbs in the first half of the race if it wasn't for his crashes. Peaking late was the plan from the start.

 

[brownbobby]

Hope you're all right. Going to be one hell of a final week if he is fully in for the win

 

[hazaran]

Still I wonder how Froome will look at this in future perspective. He took 37 seconds on Dumoulin on the toughest climb of Europe. How well does that bode for a future TDF? There is no zonc there.

For the toughest climb of Europe there are never really big gaps here..

If he can repeat this level tomorrow I'm going to be very interested in that third week.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re:

I think we can safely assume that Froome wouldn't have lost (much, if any) time to Dumoulin on the climbs in the first half of the race if it wasn't for his crashes. Peaking late was the plan from the start.

Yes, people underestimate what an influence crashes can have. He had a rest day and four transitional stages to recover, so I don't see it as a huge surprise.

 

[Netserk]

I think it was a huge surprise, I certainly didn't expect it. Three days earlier in Osimo, even if he was caught behind a crash 5km out, he was still dropped in the last 2km.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

It was a huge surprise for me also.
Now, everything depends on his legs. If his shape continues to grow to his best in the end of next week, he will win it - and it doesn't depend on others shape.
If not, and stay at yesterday's level, he may finish at podium and Yates will take overall win.
Today? - I don't expect fireworks. Hope he will not lose any seconds to Yates.

EDIT: Today we have his birthday day.. well..

 

[pastronef]

https://www.twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/998140752294285312

Gazzetta dello Sport: "The bikes of Froome, Yates, Pozzovivo, Lopez and Pinot were scanned after the finish on Zoncolan."

 

[Red Rick]

https://www.twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/998140752294285312

Gazzetta dello Sport: "The bikes of Froome, Yates, Pozzovivo, Lopez and Pinot were scanned after the finish on Zoncolan."

So that's the top 6 apart from Dumoulin?

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

https://www.twitter.com/faustocoppi60/status/998140752294285312

Gazzetta dello Sport: "The bikes of Froome, Yates, Pozzovivo, Lopez and Pinot were scanned after the finish on Zoncolan."

Interesting, any results?

 

[Gigs_98]

What why how, I don't get anything right now. I was sure he didn't have it but then he had it just to not have it again one day later. WTF? I have never seen anything like that

 

[Baldinger]

Perhaps his high cadence was a perfect match for Zoncolan but at the same time way too ineffective on more explosive climbs.

 

[Red Rick]

What why how, I don't get anything right now. I was sure he didn't have it but then he had it just to not have it again one day later. WTF? I have never seen anything like that

Igor Anton, Zoncolan?

Contador, 2nd Tour ITT of 2013

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Nice to see him fall away again after his back handed interview this morning

"Simon's doing amazing...I was surprised to see him follow me in pink yesterday, he may pay for that effort today"

Someone certainly paid for yesterday's effort.

 

[Eclipse]

Not enough there for him to do back to back hard days it seems

 

[Ivan_Basso_77]

Re:

Nice to see him fall away again after his back handed interview this morning

"Simon's doing amazing...I was surprised to see him follow me in pink yesterday, he may pay for that effort today"

Someone certainly paid for yesterday's effort.

Couldn't agree more. Such arrogance deserves big punishment. No offence to his fans, but this is the reality,

 

[LaFlorecita]

What why how, I don't get anything right now. I was sure he didn't have it but then he had it just to not have it again one day later. WTF? I have never seen anything like that

Igor Anton, Zoncolan?

Contador, 2nd Tour ITT of 2013

Aye, but Anton is and has been a strange rider for quite some time. And there's a pretty obvious explanation for Contador's performance, he can ride a strong hilly TT even with one leg.
I'm scratching my head at Froome's performance so far. He's losing time at the weirdest moments yet wins on the toughest climb.

 

[bigcog]

What why how, I don't get anything right now. I was sure he didn't have it but then he had it just to not have it again one day later. WTF? I have never seen anything like that

Igor Anton, Zoncolan?

Contador, 2nd Tour ITT of 2013

Aye, but Anton is and has been a strange rider for quite some time. And there's a pretty obvious explanation for Contador's performance, he can ride a strong hilly TT even with one leg.
I'm scratching my head at Froome's performance so far. He's losing time at the weirdest moments yet wins on the toughest climb.

I think Zoncolan just took a lot out of him and he doesn't seem to have much in the way of reserves for repeating efforts. I am not surprised this happened tbh.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He's 33. He's bound to get worse. Seems to suffer most on lower gradient climbs where the pace is really hard. The slower steeper climbs still suit him.

Very similar to Contador last year

 

[Matteo.]

i think he will look for another stage victory and perhaps the third place on the podium. I think with the ITT and the last mountains ahead ,he can defeat pozzo and pinot

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

He's 33. He's bound to get worse. Seems to suffer most on lower gradient climbs where the pace is really hard. The slower steeper climbs still suit him.

Very similar to Contador last year

Todays climb wasn't exactly flat

 

[movingtarget]

That was a hard stage for anyone. I think Froome simply paid for yesterday.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Nice to see him fall away again after his back handed interview this morning

"Simon's doing amazing...I was surprised to see him follow me in pink yesterday, he may pay for that effort today"

Someone certainly paid for yesterday's effort.

Couldn't agree more. Such arrogance deserves big punishment. No offence to his fans, but this is the reality,

It's not hard to understand that comment. Many people are surprised at how well Yates is doing.

 

[Ivan_Basso_77]

Re:

He's 33. He's bound to get worse. Seems to suffer most on lower gradient climbs where the pace is really hard. The slower steeper climbs still suit him.

Very similar to Contador last year

You don't think Costalissoio was steep? Anyway, I think yesterday's effort took its' toll on him. Let's see what happens in the third week.

 

[fantomas]

Re: Re:

He's 33. He's bound to get worse. Seems to suffer most on lower gradient climbs where the pace is really hard. The slower steeper climbs still suit him.

Very similar to Contador last year

Todays climb wasn't exactly flat

We can add (shortish), explosive climbs to the list.

 

[dacooley]

froome is looking like a car not having 4th and 5th gears. Once an explosive kick is needed, he instantly goes into meltdown. zoncolan stands out, but inspite of all the hardness, it was mostly an output excercise. seemingly, it's the end of his ara, although I'd still give 1-2% chance of him doing the giro following 2009 Armstrong path, but its highly unlikely.