Criterium du Dauphine 2014: Stage 2, Tarare - Col du Beal

[Fzotrlool]

Not as big time gaps as expected on a long climb like this.

12 men within a minute behind Froome and Contador! I could see Valverde (who also is way better than last year) winning the stage if he was there.

 

[hfer07]

There is no way Nibali will be smiling tonight. At this rate he will struggle to podium at TDF.

We had a series of savage attacks from Froome, Talansky & Keldeman- all of them burning their matches---Nibbs? just cruising, always getting back to them until the last acceleration... and he was just cruising...

think about it

 

[The Hitch]

You fanboys are so funny. loool the god of cycling looool you mean the freak of cycling right?

Go read some history, you might learn something.

If you really were so happy with the performance, you wouldn't be acting like such a spoilt 3 year old in response to everybodies posts.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Froome couldn't even definitively shake Kelderman and VDB, he's clearly not at 2013 TdF level yet.

Froome didn't continue his effort when he realized he coudn't drop Alberto. These two are clearly one class above the rest. Kelderman and VDB are the best of the rest.

 

[Jelantik]

What a stage. As predicted, Froome wanted to show he is dominating. But he seemed to be so desperate to decimate the entire field, which he didn't succeed because contador glued to his wheel. I don't know if it's just me. He looked like he was out to proof something. Dunno to who? to contador or to wiggins? If this is the TDF squad for SKY, well, not sure if this is a good indication of a strong team. Today's stage isn't as difficult stage compare to the stage on saturday. TS didn't even bring their big gun to the scene yet. This will be an interesting TDF for sure. IF contador can lock horn with Froome, on paper, he is definitely got a strong team to back it up, things will looking good for TS.

What's up with Porte? Bluffing or was he really in trouble? For some one who is supposed to be the plan B, he doesn't fit the bill. Maybe sky will have to rethink to bring wiggins back to the table.

As far as Nibali, he is still struggling. IF his coach says that he wasn't there yet. Okay, i'll take the reasoning. But if he bleeds more on the weekend, hmm, not sure how he can compete with those two. Chasing form is already hard to do, now with the pressure from his team, it's not going to be a long TDF days for Nibali. Hope he can bounce back.

great ride by wilco. Tejay? Lol.. He should start winning the Giro first like Quintana before trying to be a TDF contender. Bring Aru

 

[indianfanboy]

Not as big time gaps as expected on a long climb like this.

12 men within a minute behind Froome and Contador! I could see Valverde (who also is way better than last year) winning the stage if he was there.

No big time gaps because contador did not cooperate with froome if contador wouldnt have matched froome acceleration there would have been big time gaps

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Remember Dauphine 2012?.

It's still more than a month till the first tdf mountain stage...

Ok point taken. But judging by the last two days he has an awful long way to catch up.

 

[Arredondo]

Well, he didn't win the stages, but in the only serious clash they had this year Contador was climbing better and took a few secs out of Froome in the MTF's (Catalunya).

Again, it just seemed like he barely tried to sprint in my perception; maybe he was just empty and I'm being biased. But he seemed to respond to all Froome's attacks relatively easily as well.

If he wasn't bothering the sprint. Then it's still a big step to create a form that instead of following Froome can drop him in the mountains. He has to drop him, because he would lose between 1 and 2 minutes in that time trial.

I see more positive signs for Froome then for Contador at the moment. The positive thing for Alberto is that Sky's key rider, Porte, is really weak since Ruta del Sol. However, i saw a strong Thomas and a superb Nieve.

 

[PirazziAttacksVino]

Well, he didn't win the stages, but in the only serious clash they had this year Contador was climbing better and took a few secs out of Froome in the MTF's (Catalunya).

Again, it just seemed like he barely tried to sprint in my perception; maybe he was just empty and I'm being biased. But he seemed to respond to all Froome's attacks relatively easily as well.

He answered the attacks with no real problems indeed. But in the finale he went shoulder to shoulder with Froome at one point, so he gave it a shot. But as he said, it will be better for him if he doesn't win this race.

VDB looks very good. He may fight with Kreuziger, Valverde and Nibali for a place on the podium. A bit off topic, but any news on Betancur? Is he going for GC, stage wins? If he's on top form he could challennge for a podium place too.

Tejay was disappointing. Talansky was good, but that was the case last year too. I think he will get something around 7th-9th this year in the Tour.

Kelderman was superb.

 

[gooner]

I don't get how this was mind games won on Contador's part. That sounds like he was playing with Froome for the entire climb. Froome was dictating for the most part and Contador couldn't impose himself in any way shape or form as a result.

I want to see a great race next month and Contador in his own right is in very good shape but I think today with much of the gradient around the 6% mark, it helped in marking Froome's attack. I think Froome on this form on Saturday with the gradient steeper, we will see a different kettle of fish altogether in the time gaps.

Froome used up a lot more energy in the front and he still had more than enough to beat him in the sprint. Remember Froome was clawing back Talansky and Kelderman as well.

 

[willbick]

Has Nibali ever shown climbing form which suggests he can match Froome?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Differences were small but maybe if Contador had wanted to cooperate with Froome they could've gained about 30-40 seconds on the rest. Their advantage over other riders was evident but Froome was stronger - he wasted more energy on this fast and not steep climb while Contador was only holding his wheel. On some steeper ascent today Froome would probably drop Contador and gain some time (but not much). Still I have an impression that Froome's ride style is so energy-wasting.

 

[Flamin]

Froomey toying with the opposition on 6-7% gradients imagine if this was a tough climb.

Anyway, he looked possessed in trying to show who's the boss. I was expecting a more defensive approach, responding to the attacks from others and finishing things off in the final k.

 

[MBotero]

Epic racing,i guess all those old records will be crashed this year at TDF and if Nibali improves we'll have the best Tour ever.Just think about it 3 guys going full *** for 3 weeks,bring on july.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't get how this was mind games won on Contador's part. That sounds like he was playing with Froome for the entire climb. Froome was dictating for the most part and Contador couldn't impose himself in any way shape or form as a result.

I want to see a great race next month and Contador in his own right is in very good shape but I think today with much of the gradient around the 6% mark, it helped in marking Froome's attack. I think Froome on this form on Saturday with the gradient steeper, we will see a different kettle of fish altogether in the time gaps.

Froome used up a lot more energy in the front and he still had more than enough to beat him in the sprint. Remember Froome was clawing back Talansky and Kelderman as well.

Froome went all out and could not drop Contador.

It's not going to be easy for him, not at all.

Besides, I think a steeper climb will favor Contador.

 

[MBotero]

Looks like you forget Froome Pena Cabarga show.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

I think in summary you have to give the day to Froome. He was mighty strong attacking over the last 5km !!! and all AC could do was to stay in his wheel - which was the right thing to do IMO.

HOWEVER

Using those tactics over a three week race will eventually break Froome.

I think today was simply Froome attempting to stamp his authority over the other riders and say 'look at me'. A bit arrogant maybe.

I think a wiser move would have been to hide his form a little at this juncture.

Also as many have already pointed out, his TDF team looks very vulnerable and if he thinks he can win the TDF on his own then good luck to him.

 

[Flamin]

Remember Dauphine 2012?

This is completely different from 2012, since he's been struggling all year to find good shape, so today is definitely a bad sign.

 

[kingjr]

I think today was simply Froome attempting to stamp his authority over the other riders and say 'look at me'. A bit arrogant maybe.

Might be just me, but I think today was Froome attempting to win a stage and to increase his advantage in the GC.

 

[Arredondo]

Froome went all out and could not drop Contador.

It's not going to be easy for him, not at all.

Besides, I think a steeper climb will favor Contador.

Froome will get 2 minutes in the TT

Contador needs to get that time in the mountains.

Froome only needs to follow him.

Contador did not beat Froome in a mountain stage yet.

How optimistic are you?

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Might be just me, but I think today was Froome attempting to win a stage and to increase his advantage in the GC.

Nah, there is no way he needed to ride as hard as he did today.

 

[willbick]

I think in summary you have to give the day to Froome. He was mighty strong attacking over the last 5km !!! and all AC could do was to stay in his wheel - which was the right think to do IMO.

HOWEVER

Using those tactics over a three week race will eventually break Froome.

I think today was simply Froome attempting to stamp his authority over the other riders and say 'look at me'. A bit arrogant maybe.

I think a wiser move would have been to hide his form a little at this juncture.

Also as many have already pointed out, his TDF team looks very vulnerable and if he thinks he can win the TDF on his own then good luck to him.

I think he can win it on his own (in the mountains) so long as he doesnt have a problem like mechanical or bonk

 

[kingjr]

Nah, there is no way he needed to ride as hard as he did today.

Why not?

10c

 

[jens_attacks]

Epic racing,i guess all those old records will be crashed this year at TDF and if Nibali improves we'll have the best Tour ever.Just think about it 3 guys going full *** for 3 weeks,bring on july.

pretty much this

also i won't worry at all about tejay and nibali. they are in good hands

if i have to guess, around 6.3 w/kg for froome today. but if someone is really curious about, can time those 500 meters when froome put one of the most brutal attack i ever seen in a cycling race. it's a miracle that contador followed. imo it was sicker than rasmussen's attacks on peyresourde

 

[rhubroma]

I think in summary you have to give the day to Froome. He was mighty strong attacking over the last 5km !!! and all AC could do was to stay in his wheel - which was the right think to do IMO.

HOWEVER

Using those tactics over a three week race will eventually break Froome.

I think today was simply Froome attempting to stamp his authority over the other riders and say 'look at me'. A bit arrogant maybe.

I think a wiser move would have been to hide his form a little at this juncture.

Also as many have already pointed out, his TDF team looks very vulnerable and if he thinks he can win the TDF on his own then good luck to him.

Agreed and I'll add if he can hold this form into the third week of July than we are just beyond ridiculous.

If I were him, I'd be wondering if I've peaked too early.

Contador was at his limit, because of he could have won the stage he would have. It was strange, though, not to see him attack with the others. He knows he still will gain form though.

I just can't see how Froome expects to hold this form through the Tour and if he can then it's just crazy.