Froome is Sky's best chance to win Le Tour

[Galic Ho]

I am certain that Froome will never have a chance as big as wiggo does this year to win the tour

Maybe, but a definite as long as Sky maintain their biased outlook that says Wiggins is the man. Because we all know who finished in front of whom at last years Vuelta and we all know who the team backed again and again. That kind of team focus means one thing, Wiggins gets more chances. So yeah, you are right, but not for the reason you think.

 

[webvan]

I think I read they did regret not playing the Froome card after the ITT, but I think they explained that they did not think Froome would be able to keep on recovering well in the third week and I'm assuming he had no idea he could do so well either. Wiggo obviously had no problems doing all he could to help Froome after the Angliru so it's not a case of "Wiggo's the leader you work for him even though you're in red". They made an honest mistake and that happens.

Froome's time will come, when he's in form he's probably the best mix of ITTing/climbing in the peloton with Bertie. But with Wiggo being so strong in the ITT right now he'll have to wait a bit...unless there is some crazy attacking (like Bertie or Andy did last year) and they decide to have Froome go along with it to make guys like Evans, Nibali, Gesink, etc...work with Wiggo sitting pretty on their wheel.

Joux Plane should be interesting today, if they go up very fast I doubt Rodgers or even Porte can stay with Wiggo so Froome will be the last man.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Maybe, but a definite as long as Sky maintain their biased outlook that says Wiggins is the man. Because we all know who finished in front of whom at last years Vuelta and we all know who the team backed again and again. That kind of team focus means one thing, Wiggins gets more chances. So yeah, you are right, but not for the reason you think.

Up until the Vuelta Froome had not shown that much GC potential. That race could have been as much about Wiggins underperforming on the TT (He had after all broken his collar not that long ago) and Froome over performing.

Results so far indicate the Wiggins is the correct choice as lead for this tour. Couple that with Froome still getting over a recent infection and the choice seems obvious.

 

[Galic Ho]

Up until the Vuelta Froome had not shown that much GC potential. That race could have been as much about Wiggins underperforming on the TT (He had after all broken his collar not that long ago) and Froome over performing.

Results so far indicate the Wiggins is the correct choice as lead for this tour. Couple that with Froome still getting over a recent infection and the choice seems obvious.

You and Webvan are correct on paper. Problem is Froome did it once, as you said with not much to bank on. Blackcat had a nice thread about Froome. Some people on this forum think he's nuts, but his contacts in cycling know their stuff. He's right more than he is wrong. He wasn't exactly surprised last August.

Broken collarbone. Enough to quit a GT because he couldn't handle the bike on the road. Not enough to drop fitness. Brad was on a trainer at home within 7 days. Left him 6 weeks to maintain fitness and let his shoulder heal. He didn't really drop as much fitness as people assume. Froome is the big mystery. If he gets form like last year and is on song and better than Brad, in theory based on results and expressions by team management in PR releases, then Brad will still be the focus. It's silly. I can see them stuffing up again. Nothing they have said or done has shown they learnt a single thing. All Sky have shown is they are backing Wiggins even more fiercly.

Oh well

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Have you been watching the Dauphine?

 

[webvan]

So is Froome still Sky's best chance to win the TDF? Doesn't look like it at this minute but he's certainly in a much better position than at the Vuelta since there will be EBH, Porte and Rodgers available to work in the climbs before he does...well maybe not Rodgers given his current form but Sky will have to chose at some point and given Rodgers' known limitations over three weeks and when it gets steep Froome will probably get the nod.

 

[McLovin]

Rogers finished in top 10 in Giro and Tour and recently he won Bayern and got second in Dauphine. So how about his curent form. And you still put Porte and Hagen above him?

 

[williamp78]

I would assume that froome would be wiggins last domestique in the mountains though i suppose only time will tell

 

[webvan]

And could be well placed in case Brad has a bad day...hope not though.

Rogers finished in top 10 in Giro and Tour and recently he won Bayern and got second in Dauphine. So how about his curent form. And you still put Porte and Hagen above him?

err...no, names were naturally listed in the order of pulling : 1. EBH, 2. Porte, 3. Rodgers (or Froome) 4. Froome (or Rodgers), not to mention Siutsou.

Rodgers hasn't done anything in the TDF since when...2006? That's a lifetime, sure he seems to be in a good shape right now but questions remain as to his third week, he said himself in 2010 that he now considered himself a one-week stage racer. Anyway, like I said Sky might have to choose between Froome and Rodgers at some point, but my point was really that either way, unlike at the Vuelta there will be a lot of pulling power at Sky in the climbs before Froome has to step in.

 

[will10]

Froome never put his nose in the wind, or look like he was in trouble, at the Dauphine. If he turned up in Vuelta form it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[roundabout]

Wiggins better distance Froome in the first TT. Preferably by over a miunute.

 

[jens_attacks]

Froome never put his nose in the wind, or look like he was in trouble, at the Dauphine. If he turned up in Vuelta form it wouldn't surprise me.

oh he will.maybe even better

from froomy's diary:

It will be interesting to see what tactics the team will decide to use. We will undoubtedly be riding to give Brad the best shot at winning the tour, but we potentially have another three guys in the squad who could be up there on the GC. That itself could be used as a way to put our opposition on the back foot in the mountains.

1-2-3-4 for sky in the overall standings?

i think froomy can't wait for the likes of rolland and cobo to attack.he will go with everyone.of course it will all end if wiggo will put it in the big ring on planche de belles filles.he has to make a stand,show them who the new boss is.

can't wait for this

 

[webvan]

Cobo seems to be in a terrible shape...but Rolland on the other hand could well be flying and he's an attacker too, so yes Froome might have to jump with him if he goes, he's the only one on Sky to have the rythm changing abilities to do it, Porte too possibly but he'll stay with Wiggo.

 

[roundabout]

Wiggins will spin across at 120 rpm.

 

[jens_attacks]

Cobo seems to be in a terrible shape...but Rolland on the other hand could well be flying and he's an attacker too, so yes Froome might have to jump with him if he goes, he's the only one on Sky to have the rythm changing abilities to do it, Porte too possibly but he'll stay with Wiggo.

let's not forget that wiggo worked a lot on his acceleration uphill.i guess you've all read about the scenario put in place by kerrison, a contador -andy schleck attack after attack 30 minutes on teide simulation
i will stay with my prediction and i think bradley will attack on one of those mountains.

about cobo,you never know.or he will suck tremendously or he will be in 2008 tour mode

 

[Catwhoorg]

Whilst no where near the HC climbs of the tour he did put Cadel (and his own domestiques) under a bit of pressure at the Dauphine, bridging across to a potential break.

Suggesting he rode those climbs with plenty of gas left in the tank.

 

[Havetts]

Wiggins will spin across at 120 rpm.

Please, no.. I already suffer watching Gesink do this. Screw Armstrongs legacy, ill root for Grabsch & Weening if this becomes the trend (even more).

 

[webvan]

From : http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/porte-working-for-wiggins-makes-up-for-olympic-snub

"It's not really set in stone but we do have a little bit of a pecking order," Porte told Cyclingnews. "Usually on a climb like that it's going to come down to Mick [Rogers] or [Chris] Froome or myself to sacrifice [ourselves]. On the Joux Plane we were lucky; no one really had to sacrifice their GC position."

Looks like the order is Porte, Rodgers and Froome then...

 

[burning]

Please, no.. I already suffer watching Gesink do this. Screw Armstrongs legacy, ill root for Grabsch & Weening if this becomes the trend (even more).

Grabsch's 10rpm looks really awesome to me

 

[webvan]

Ouch, Froomey 1'25" down today, had a mechanical?

 

[Frosty]

Ouch, Froomey 1'25" down today, had a mechanical?

Yes, punctured before 3km (5, 6km?). Knees and Porte stopped to help him but he couldnt get back on before the climb and then had to try and make his way through the decaying peloton.

 

[webvan]

Thanks for the info, tough luck, goes to show anything can happen at any time, especially the worst, let's hope that's all the bad luck he'll have.

 

[Froome19]

Indeed harsh luck doesnt change the fact he may be stronger than Wiggins but now we may never know whether he would have had it in him to win the Tour.
Still his TT perfomance on stage 9 should reveal more.

 

[SantiBotero]

Is there any doubt ?

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Indeed harsh luck doesnt change the fact he may be stronger than Wiggins but now we may never know whether he would have had it in him to win the Tour.
Still his TT perfomance on stage 9 should reveal more.

I think in this Tour that it makes sense for Wiggins to be leader due to the large amount of TTing. But it is hard to dispute that Froome looks the stronger climber. As you mention it will be interesting to see how is TT time compares to those around him (Esp. Wiggins).