Frédéric Grappe analysis of Froome data
Requires its own thread.
Team Sky releases Froome's power data - http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-releases-froomes-power-data
Frédéric Grappe on anti-doping and Armstrong - http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/feb01/feb09news.shtml
Requires its own thread.
Team Sky releases Froome's power data - http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-releases-froomes-power-data
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."
Frédéric Grappe on anti-doping and Armstrong - http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/feb01/feb09news.shtml
La Francaise des Jeux trainer, Frédéric Grappe, has come out in support of Lance Armstrong, after doping accusations have been leveled at him and the U.S. Postal team. In an in depth interview with L'Equipe, Grappe said that Armstrong's results have come through hard work and not hard drugs, despite the climate of suspicion that still surrounds cycling (especially in France) at the moment.
Grappe started by saying that to fight doping in general, the role of a good trainer is paramount. They must be able to set a program that will not over-tax their riders but keep them in top shape for a certain competition period. Some top riders already do this, although they are subsequently criticised by fans for not riding the whole season at their best. Not everyone can be an Eddy Merckx.
"A great many riders spend their time during the week at home unsupervised," said Grappe. "The trade is so difficult that sometimes they are mentally quite low, in a state of weakness. In these moments of great loneliness one could suppose that a very influential person could propose things to a rider. I know this for a fact...I do not blame the riders, but the system because it would only take a few things to change it."
Grappe believes that doctors are given too much status by the FFC and the UCI, compared with trainers such as himself who know the riders. "It is necessary to work from the base and to develop riders with quality supervision from teams...to offer the riders a true 'alternative' to doping."