CNF Clinic Award: Most Suspicious Performance of 2013

[Fortyninefourteen]

David Walsh by a large margin.

Best answer so far.....

 

[DirtyWorks]

Hitch calling it !

Stated the Sky TdF situation perfectly.

 

[thehog]

On the LOL thread I said Walsh and Brailsford. The clean riders can surpass the times of doped riders was the most suspicious statement I've ever heard!

 

[Escarabajo]

I went with Horner. It was very close between him and Froome. I am not sure but it looks like it takes less effort to go un-noticed when you are doped in the Vuelta. Maybe less controls or something related with that. But that is my perception.

 

[Samson777]

They are all more than obvious. So voted Nibali, since for me, it wasn't really less suspicious than the other crazy stuff.. Of course not Nibali was not crazy to watch, or fun or sad, depending on your mood.. But still he was not less suspicious.

 

[Freddythefrog]

So much fun

I want 3.

The long slow burn is great, but I fear it may never be more than smoke. I remember sharing with my cycling friends my incredulity on the day to Morzine in 2006. I was in a minority of one that day. I am in a minority of one right now. With Floyd standing in yellow on the champs I doubted we would see his fall, ever, let alone within a few weeks. After all the drama of Lance this last 18 months, I am thinking that the pendulum will swing and for the next few years we are due to see the bad boys will retire to their hotels and luxury lifestyles in peace; all look like they will slip the net.

New clean era !

 

[karlboss]

Quintana, Sagan, Nibali, Porte are all in a similar boat for me really hard to call suspicious as they have been great as soon as they hit the scene and steadily improved since. Some more so than others.

Where as Froome and Horner stand alone there was a huge step up, but as this is most suspicious performance of 2013 I have to go with Horner. Nibali looked sketchy enough easily winnig the Giro and then peaking again for Spain had all the domestiques he could ask for and Horner still took him down, followed by Pinot stating 2013 Horner was faster than 2012 Wiggins etc.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I looked for 5) All of the above. Did not find it. Something wrong with the poll?

 

[sniper]

On the LOL thread I said Walsh and Brailsford. The clean riders can surpass the times of doped riders was the most suspicious statement I've ever heard!

A couple of bandwagons/allegiances have struck me as suspicious this year.
In addition to walsh-sky, we have cookson-sky(+garmin?), USADA-garmin, CN/Benson-Garmin, RR-garmin/sky.
All under the heading 'conflict of interest'.

 

[Netserk]

Quintana, Sagan, Nibali, Porte are all in a similar boat for me really hard to call suspicious as they have been great as soon as they hit the scene and steadily improved since. Some more so than others.

 

[SundayRider]

I'm no Wiggins fan, in fact I can't stand the way he conducts himself on/off the bike. However say his 'lack of performance' this year is suspicious is inaccurate. Afterall he was good in the first TT in the Giro and decent in the summit finish (can't remember the stage) and as expected in the steep finish sort of stages. Also did a very good Worlds TT. It's not like he went back to the Wiggins of 07/08.

 

[sniper]

I'm no Wiggins fan, in fact I can't stand the way he conducts himself on/off the bike. However say his 'lack of performance' this year is suspicious is inaccurate. Afterall he was good in the first TT in the Giro and decent in the summit finish (can't remember the stage) and as expected in the steep finish sort of stages. Also did a very good Worlds TT. It's not like he went back to the Wiggins of 07/08.

it's funny and indeed ridiculously suspect how Sky have been able to really control the field two years in a row.
2012 they put Wiggo forward as their man, and indeed he goes on to dominate with total sovereignty. Next year they announce the coming of Chris, again well in advance, and indeed Chris goes on to dominate with complete sovereignty, whilst Wiggo completely fades.

 

[SundayRider]

it's funny and indeed ridiculously suspect how Sky have been able to really control the field two years in a row.
2012 they put Wiggo forward as their man, and indeed he goes on to dominate with total sovereignty. Next year they announce the coming of Chris, again well in advance, and indeed Chris goes on to dominate with complete sovereignty, whilst Wiggo completely fades.

Yeah I agree it is ridiculous. However Wiggo is still his improved self rider and not the middle of pack rider he used to be.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

it's funny and indeed ridiculously suspect how Sky have tried to really control the Italian field two years in a row.

Corrected that free of charge. The Italians messed up the Olympic Road Race, the Tirreno and the Giro, Sky arent up for that kinda racing.

Wiggins has had other issues, duh, watched him in Catalonia and Trentino: nothing wrong with him up till then.

Guess he lost his inner monkey formerly addressed by Steve Peters?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Wiggins has had other issues, duh, watched him in Catalonia and Trentino: nothing wrong with him up till then.

Guess he lost his inner monkey formerly addressed by Steve Peters?

I'm restating what others have posted, but Wiggins wins some kind of prize for the epic fall out of stage racing dominance. He goes from all-in at the Giro to reminiscing about his career in maybe eight weeks.

 

[Escarabajo]

No Quintana?

No Gogulski. Sorry. You need to watch more cycling.

 

[Escarabajo]

I almost forgot about him. I feel bad for him, such a fine mutant performance in week 3 of a GT and it gets overshadowed by the likes of Froome and Horner.

Any other year and this would be what people would talk about but alas.

Please tell me what is wrong with those numbers?
Even if you used the least accurate method.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

I'm restating what others have posted, but Wiggins wins some kind of prize for the epic fall out of stage racing dominance. He goes from all-in at the Giro to reminiscing about his career in maybe eight weeks.

As I stated before: his inner monkey got spanked cause Steve Peters wasnt around

But, we already gave him this award in the xcellent 'doing a Wiggins' thread...

My vote is for Porrrrte. Killing everyone on Paris Nice. Then making a complete mockery with Froome on l'Ospedale at Criterium International. Kickkkkkking but at Vasco. And onwards. Guess Tassie unleashed his Devil this year.

Please tell me what is wrong with those numbers?
Even if you used the least accurate method.

To be fair, Lucho would dreamed of those numbers. Not judging, just mentioning.

He could have been peaking for the third week, like Rodriguez.

 

[Roche87]

Froome had previous, Horner was beyond ridiculous. Even for this sport.

 

[burning]

You guys should consider that Horner would have dropped Froome according to the numbers

 

[BroDeal]

Froome had previous, Horner was beyond ridiculous. Even for this sport.

Froome was nothing until he could not find a contract in 2011. Horner was a top rider for a very long time. He spent several years as the highest paid domestic rider in the U.S.

 

[Benotti69]

You guys should consider that Horner would have dropped Froome according to the numbers

Froome had more in the tank, that was obvious.

 

[thehog]

Froome had more in the tank, that was obvious.

These comments for me were extremely suspicious;

Grappe gave his opinion in four key points:

First observation: His power drops off normally

"The relationship between power and time is similar to what is known and is observed in all the riders that have been established in the record power profile (RPP)," Grappe told Equipe.

"It shows, for example, a significant and normal power reduction of 60 watts (0.88 w/kg) between twenty and sixty minutes efforts. On average an athlete loses fifty watts in this time interval. The RPP that Froome has over two years does not seem to show any abnormality in its fundamental structure. In other words, the power data of the last two years is consistent with the profile that it represents. The performances he made on Ax 3 Domaines and Ventoux were to be expected in view of his PPR. During the last two years, his profile has not changed. It appears that the potential that he has today is similar to the one he had in 2011."

Second observation: an exceptional aerobic potential

"The extremely high maximal aerobic power (efforts of five minutes) confirms that he has an extraordinary high aerobic potential, which means he has a V02 max (this has never been measured in the laboratory by his team) close to the limits of known physiological science."

"The exceptional power that he is able to develop during maximum efforts of five minutes gives him a certain reserve (of strength) compared to other athletes. This gives an indication of why he is capable of performing on the final climbs. It is estimated that, compared to his main rivals, he has a margin of 20 watts extra power. It is this difference that can be seen for example between him and his main rivals on the climbs and Ax 3 Domaines du Ventoux."

Third observation: a very stable weight

"His average weight over the two years is 68 kg (in the morning) with less than 900g variations. This shows that the power he develops over two years is relatively stable when expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg), a very important indication of the performances he has shown."

Fourth observation: excellent recovery

"It is evident that to be able to operate with a power profile near 100% of his maximum, Chris Froome must have excellent ability to recovery between stages. Because if the level of fatigue accumulates too much, it is no longer possible to be close to his records."

 

[mewmewmew13]

I actually tried to vote for Horner AND Froomie…but failed

 

[thehog]

I actually tried to vote for Horner AND Froomie…but failed

Merry Christmas Mew!