Teams & Riders Chris Froome Discussion Thread.

[Samu Cuenca]

Of course, they have other riders as well. But if it's not part of Froome's job, then why make him the designated "road captain" anyway?

If they had said he was going to be a domestique or a helper, then it would have implied (to those only following cycling during the Tour anyway) that they expected him to do a lot of work in the mountains. This way his role both seem more important, like roundabout says, but people also won't laugh/cry when he loses time every day. Or, a way less likely option, they could simply be messing with the other teams, because they know, he will be the old unbeatable force in July again.

 

[solo80k]

Or, a way less likely option, they could simply be messing with the other teams, because they know, he will be the old unbeatable force in July again.

I have heard that he was waiting for Padun at the finish line and showed his own PB on LaPlagne which was only one minute slower... by foot.

 

[Fantastico]

What do you lot think a 'road captain' is? It's just someone co-ordinating the team, like an in-peloton DS for things that the actual DSs can't see. And that's really all it it is. With all his experience he's more than capable of doing that.

No, we cannot say with certainty that he is. That's exactly what the whole comment by Philippa York is about. Having been a protected rider and team leader for years, no matter how experienced you are, does not make you a good road captain. As a road captain you have to decide how to protect your leaders, where to position the team in windy conditions etc. It's a totally different perspective on a race.

Or, in other words: To be a useful road captain at the TdF, you need experience - not as a leader, though, but as a road captain.

 

[Froome]

Road captain is just a "nickname". The main objetive for froome in the tour, is training and try to get in better shape. It doesn't matter if he will be really the road captain or not, or if he can be the road captain.

 

[Fantastico]

It doesn't matter if he will be really the road captain or not, or if he can be the road captain.

Of course, it does. Because it is ridiculous by his team to call him the road captain if he is only there for training.

 

[Pinot's goat]

Of course, it does. Because it is ridiculous by his team to call him the road captain if he is only there for training.

It really does not matter what they call him, it is just a title.

 

[cellardoor]

Internally within the team, they may just have in mind that Froome will be the one to negotiate with the riders from other teams, e.g. waiting for Woods if he has a mechanical, trying to get other teams to work and so on.

 

[Fantastico]

It really does not matter what they call him, it is just a title.

I don't get it. If it doesn't matter what they call him, why then use this phrase, which is related to a specific role in the race? If he will not be the road captain, there is absolutely no need to call him that.

I guess in the end it is all PR blah blah to give his presence in the race more meaning.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

froome presence = camera time and interviews = sponsors airtime and team interest

better than woods 10th on gc or greipel getting some top 5s in sprints

 

[Rackham]

I don't get it. If it doesn't matter what they call him, why then use this phrase, which is related to a specific role in the race? If he will not be the road captain, there is absolutely no need to call him that.

I guess in the end it is all PR blah blah to give his presence in the race more meaning.

"Road Captain" in reality is a neat little deflection whereby his team can publicly say Froome is doing a good job even when he's spat out the back, i.e. it's about shifting goalposts & creating a new narrative where Froome's performance cannot be judged by anyone on the outside from the moment the team says he's doing well as a road captain (with vague objectives they can define themselves).

So when followers say "oh look, Froome's doing really badly he's dropped again", the team can say "he's doing exactly what we expected from a road captain, you guys just don't see all the work he does".

Road captain is just a "nickname". The main objetive for froome in the tour, is training and try to get in better shape. It doesn't matter if he will be really the road captain or not, or if he can be the road captain.

Froome didn't get into better shape after the Vuelta last year. And not many riders can use the Tour de France as training, i.e. it's usually far too difficult & stressful for that. I still say a smarter & more normal season for Froome would have been to send him to loads of smaller tours & one day races, i.e. leave the big GC's until his form clearly improves to a point in which he can at least ride with the front group for long enough to figure properly.

And if he never reaches that level, his career is done anyway.

 

[Froome]

"Road Captain" in reality is a neat little deflection whereby his team can publicly say Froome is doing a good job even when he's spat out the back, i.e. it's about shifting goalposts & creating a new narrative where Froome's performance cannot be judged by anyone on the outside from the moment the team says he's doing well as a road captain (with vague objectives they can define themselves).

So when followers say "oh look, Froome's doing really badly he's dropped again", the team can say "he's doing exactly what we expected from a road captain, you guys just don't see all the work he does".



Froome didn't get into better shape after the Vuelta last year. And not many riders can use the Tour de France as training, i.e. it's usually far too difficult & stressful for that. I still say a smarter & more normal season for Froome would have been to send him to loads of smaller tours & one day races, i.e. leave the big GC's until his form clearly improves to a point in which he can at least ride with the front group for long enough to figure properly.

And if he never reaches that level, his career is done anyway.

Let's see what kind of shape he will be after the tour. You could be right, let's see if it works or not this strategy of israel team to try to improve froome's shape. As a fan of froome i hope it works.
Froome made a lot of mistakes in 2020, he barely walked and started to soon on the bike, trying to improve is shape, when the rehab wasn't completely done.

 

[Pinot's goat]

Froome didn't get into better shape after the Vuelta last year.

There was a clear improvement from the opening stages to Angliru stage.

 

[IndianCyclist]

He should have done the Giro as training like Lemond in 89. The TDF is no place for recovery.

 

[Froome]

He should have done the Giro as training like Lemond in 89. The TDF is no place for recovery.

The giro is also very tough with worst weather than the tour.

 

[Taxus4a]

Of course, they have other riders as well. But if it's not part of Froome's job, then why make him the designated "road captain" anyway?

Road captain doesnt mean to work more than others protecting your leader..but to have the experience and to order people what to do en every moment, when the comunicaction with car is more difficult.

I dont think he will protect his leader in the main moments, becouse that means a risk to crash....He will be sorrounding his leader, trying he dont get any wind..and trying to posicionate him up the front as much as possible, but as well as other riders, I think that at the end he will avoid risk..but of course, I am not sure.. As I said he was 22th in a stage at Emirates, although it wanst really risky that day.

 

[Taxus4a]

By the way, Strava shows 270 Km in the Alps some days this week. Almost 10 hours training

 

[SHAD0W93]

Chris Froome remains our Grand Tour leader for next year, says Adams

'I'm all in on plan-A. We don’t have a plan-B' says Israel Start-Up Nation owner

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Ripper]

Chris Froome remains our Grand Tour leader for next year, says Adams

'I'm all in on plan-A. We don’t have a plan-B' says Israel Start-Up Nation owner

www.cyclingnews.com

Lol, what a load of PR BS, or, he's really stupid when it comes to sports management. I truly doubt there is no plan b, I'm just not sure if this is more for the media and public, or more to placate his own rider's ego.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Lol, what a load of PR BS, or, he's really stupid when it comes to sports management. I truly doubt there is no plan b, I'm just not sure if this is more for the media and public, or more to placate his own rider's ego.

I doubt Froome’s ego comes into it. More trying to justify the money they offered him.

 

[gregrowlerson]

By the way, Strava shows 270 Km in the Alps some days this week. Almost 10 hours training

In the bag

 

[Ripper]

I doubt Froome’s ego comes into it. More trying to justify the money they offered him.

Indeed! I think that is more likely the case, but you just never know with elite athletes sometimes.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

"I think it’s premature to talk about return on investment.
We're all-in, Chris is working and, honestly,
I’ve never seen anyone with such a work ethic," Adams said.

So Dawg's videos are convincing someone!

 

[Rackham]

Imagine, just imagine, Adams is actually a legitimate idiot who knows nothing about cycling & has far more money than sense.

Because that's the only "charitable" interpretation of his comments regarding Froome. I mean sooner or later Froome himself should probably be honest & admit Tour numero 5 is never happening. What exactly is he even riding for? i.e. we're fed conflicting rhetoric where on one hand they (Froome, his team, fans etc.) repeat ad-infinitum how severe & life threatening his injuries were & how Froome is a literal miracle man to be even riding again... & then on the other hand we're told by his boss he's going for a fifth Tour win next year.

Unless a volcano erupts & lava engulfs the front 50 guys in the peloton, it's just not going to happen.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Lol, what a load of PR BS, or, he's really stupid when it comes to sports management. I truly doubt there is no plan b, I'm just not sure if this is more for the media and public, or more to placate his own rider's ego.

For ordinary people, it would be stupid but the guy is a billionaire. They think and do things differently. IMO For him Froome is a 25 million toy that is now broken. He will try to get him fixed otherwise throw him away. He doesn't need to do any management or have a plan b for chump change.

 

[The pet snake of Froome]

Sadly Chris won’t ever compete at the business end of a grand tour again, it’s a sad way to go out, I would have preferred the new generation to destroy him on the climbs because he got older and slower, not because of the injuries from the crash