Could FC Ever be a Legitimate TDF Contender?

[theyoungest]

If you can put out 500 watts you can afford to be a little bit bigger.

Really? Is that his VO2 max? I'd have thought it was a little bit more.

 

[Cerberus]

Yes, I think it IS possible for him to win the TdF.

BUT he would need to focus on nothing but the TdF.
He would need SUPER focus, lazer-like focus. TOUR TOUR TOUR.
Peak for the TOUR. Nothing matters but the TOUR.

But he would also need to watch carefully what he eats, train harder than ever before, sleep in a tent, altitude train, and recon the course.

He would also need to be a TEAM Leader with mates willing to sacrifice themselves for his success.

Get himself into a Wind Tunnel, maybe expirement with higher cadence.

If Fabian did ALL these things, I think he COULD win a TdF.
Seriously. But it is a LOT of work. Thats the catch.

OK, wow, ehm. Wind Tunnel? You want the tripple TT WC to start using a Wind Tunnel? No, you're right I wonder why no one thought of it before. That's what Cancellara need to win the Tour, more work in a wind tunnel, brilliant. I wonder why no one else thought of such an innovative approach.

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

I accept all you say as being very vaild reasons he wouldn't but FC needs challenges to keep him motivated, he has said so himself. Once he has all the monuments he wants, winning a GT (not necessarily the tdf) would seem to be a bit of a stretch goal for him. Having said that I agree that it would be a risk in terms of wasting several years training for no guarantee of success.

Didn't he say he wanted the full set? That will be more than enough to keep him motivedl

 

[santacruz]

If FC changes his entire focus, and doesn't train for anything except the TdF, lots of climbing, none of the stuff he does for the classics, I bet he could be a contender. But I don't think anyone can come close to beating the super human space alien AC. AC took out FC in last years long TdF time trial which didn't really have much climbing involved, which was beyond belief when it happened... skinny dude like AC beating a heavy time trial master like FC on such a course?? it was shocking.. I think FC was upset at the end because he saw AC getting too much help from the moto.. when will those moto drivers learn??

 

[Notso Swift]

I also remember him saying he wanted a set of 5 Monuments
His next two will see him losing a bit of weight

 

[Ripper]

Really? Is that his VO2 max? I'd have thought it was a little bit more.

More like his LT.

 

[SpartacusRox]

If FC changes his entire focus, and doesn't train for anything except the TdF, lots of climbing, none of the stuff he does for the classics, I bet he could be a contender. But I don't think anyone can come close to beating the super human space alien AC. AC took out FC in last years long TdF time trial which didn't really have much climbing involved, which was beyond belief when it happened... skinny dude like AC beating a heavy time trial master like FC on such a course?? it was shocking.. I think FC was upset at the end because he saw AC getting too much help from the moto.. when will those moto drivers learn??

Dont forget theFC was riding as a super domestique not as a protected rider so had done a hell of a lot more work than AC over the course of the tour. The first TT was hill and suited to AC.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Depends on the course -- and providing he slims up a whole lot. He would never win a GT like this year's giro.

But I highly doubt it to be honest.