ingsve said:How was the strength relationship between Riis and Ullrich in 1996? Was Riis clearly stronger than Ullrich at that point or was the situation a bit similar to Froome and Wiggins?
You mean the opposite.
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ingsve said:How was the strength relationship between Riis and Ullrich in 1996? Was Riis clearly stronger than Ullrich at that point or was the situation a bit similar to Froome and Wiggins?
The Tibetan Hat said:Did you ever see a super-dom gesturing to his team leader to maintain pace on a summit finish like that, or even one contender doing it to another? Not even the hottest rivals behave like that. Disrespect hardly covers it.
Riis was clearly stronger than Ullrich. In the mountain tt Riis finished 2nd, 37 seconds in front of Ullrich who finished 6th. In the Sestriere stage which Riis won, Ullrich finished 44 seconds behind Riis and 16-20 seconds behind Luc Leblanc, Virenque, Rominger, Indurain. In Hautacam Ullrich finished 1'33" behind Riis and 44" behind Virenque, Dufaux. So not only was he not able to follow Riis. He wasn't able to follow the main contenders either.ingsve said:How was the strength relationship between Riis and Ullrich in 1996? Was Riis clearly stronger than Ullrich at that point or was the situation a bit similar to Froome and Wiggins?
Yeah, we're ignoring it because it sounds like first-class BS.stampedingviking said:Is it just me but is everyone ignoring that both riders have said that Froome was encoraging Wiggins because Wiggins had emotionally 'lost it' for a while as the enormity of everything had set in?
Just another chance to have a dig at Sky/Wiggins
hrotha said:The Tour is not just about the climbs, and Wigans has been stronger in the ITTs so far, and on certain climbs has actually looked better than Froome. I wouldn't say Froome was definitely stronger without having seen them go on an actual duel. All we saw is that Froome has a better acceleration.
Between this and his comments towards Nibali, Froome is revealing himself to be a cocky ****.
Knutsen said:And about the "easy" stage win. Taking on Valverde in a sprint?
El Pistolero said:The only hierarchy in cycling is that of the strongest.
Knutsen said:Tibetan Hat]
Did you watch la Vuelta in 2002?
The Tibetan Hat said:As if that exaggerated radio response up La Toussuire wasn't bad enough.
Can't believe Froome's chutzpah. Did you ever see a super-dom gesturing to his team leader to maintain pace on a summit finish like that, or even one contender doing it to another? Not even the hottest rivals behave like that. Disrespect hardly covers it. And so obviously done for the television cameras too. Why go for a quick look, a nod, one word 'stay?' or 'go?' with your team leader, when you can wave your hand around for all the world to see?
Sure it's an unusual GC situation but he knew Wiggins couldn't assist in the attack, so that behaviour had to be all about embarrassing his own leader (who was actually still having a great ride for a TT man!).
Froome would have made what, 20 or 30 seconds on Wiggins in that last kilometre? Probably less time than Wiggins will take out of him in the TT, and for that matter less than Froome will take out of Nibbles too.
And you know, Froome's lucky he starts 3 minutes ahead on Saturday, too far for Wiggins to catch him, because it'd would have been nice to see what sort of hand gesture Bradders could have offered Froome had he chance of passing him. I can think of a one-handed one that would suffice.
Say what you will about Wiggins, at least he's an honest racer. There's no honour in how Froome dramatises on the bike, nor in the weasels words he issues to the press. And in this sport honour matters a lot more than it does in any other.
Caruut said:Armstrong's contempt for Contador in 2009? If Froome had ridden off, that would have been far more serious.
gatete said:In all fairness I can agree with some of the people who says domestiques shouldn't embarrased team leaders specially if wearing the MJ, but then the question is why they shouldn't? well simple because they're weaker than the team leader and they're there to support, follow order and do the job they're hired/paid to do. Having said that this may or may not apply to Froome, I can't really say Wiggo was superior hence the argument is not as simple to this domestique, and that's the beauty of it I've only heard few instances where domestiques have become team leaders and they're beatiful to remember becuase in esence we're talking about great riders: Greg in 86, Ulle in 97, Contador in 07.
So the argument applies almost all the time but only when great riders come along and creates this animosity is what I think is great to the sport.
gooner said:It's just the frustration of constantly having the shackles on him. How would you feel if you were being prevented from a stage win and riding with the handbrake on like at La Toussuire. I just don't see why Sky did'nt leave him go today. All of the other rivals like Nibali, VDB and TJVG were behind. Then in the TT leave them go straight out head to head. You would still have a Sky winner of the Tour at the end of the day.
Yeah, I've wondered this myself. They talk about Froome being "British", but I'm sure they don't want to "share" the victory with Kenya. They see BW as the good All-British boy, coming up through the British program from a young age and coming good.Pippo_San said:As I stated before, it's like Sky is playing racist, just like they want the pure British breed to win the Tour for the first time.
What they did during this Tour really vilify the entire sport.
Publicus said:What did he say to or about Nibbles? My first impression of him (from an interview after he won stage 7(?), was that he was fairly humble so I'm curious if my first impression was an incorrect one.
Knutsen said:Watching cycling since late 90'ties, I have never seen anything like it.
stampedingviking said:Is it just me but is everyone ignoring that both riders have said that Froome was encoraging Wiggins because Wiggins had emotionally 'lost it' for a while as the enormity of everything had set in?
Just another chance to have a dig at Sky/Wiggins