Teams & Riders Froome Talk Only

[Franklin]

I'm probably wrong but weren't Bahamontes and Poulidor fairly tall?

Better examples are climbers as Johan vd Velde and Robert Alban. But if we look at winners it's certainly extremely rare to have long guys, but it's also extremely rare that pure climbers won a TdF. The TdF was usually won by the more athletic strong guys.

I think the first really big winner would be Felice gimondi, but I have no length. He sure looks bigger than even Merckx, but that's just a guess. I certainly wouldn't dare to claim an exact length from a picture.

Winners:
Wiggo 1.90
Indurain 1.88
Riis 1.86
Schleck 1.86
Merckx 1.85
Froome 1.85
Lemond 1.78
Armstrong 1.77
Coppi 1.76
Contador 1.76
Hinault 1.74
Fignon 1.74

But something to add which isn't mentioned; They used huge gears, something we don't do anymore. And no, I don't think choosing high gear is due to Epo, it's just much better to keep cadence over 80.

So keep in mind that a Lemond probably would go significantly faster with current gears. Especially since guys as Anuetil, Hinault and Lemond pretty much did the sitting climb as much as possible, which is well suited for higher cadence.

 

[Pack Fodder]

If there was a long early TT I could see why Sky would want to leave out Wiggins - as he may take yellow but I don't see why they couldn't use him as a dom this Tour. I thought Steve Peters was the guy to sort all these types of issues out?

Has he not now decamped to Liverpool FC and British Athletics? Was He replaced?

 

[Pack Fodder]

Better examples are climbers as Johan vd Velde and Robert Alban. But if we look at winners it's certainly extremely rare to have long guys, but it's also extremely rare that pure climbers won a TdF. The TdF was usually won by the more athletic strong guys.

I think the first really big winner would be Felice gimondi, but I have no length. He sure looks bigger than even Merckx, but that's just a guess. I certainly wouldn't dare to claim an exact length from a picture.

Winners:
Wiggo 1.90
Indurain 1.88
Riis 1.86
Schleck 1.86
Merckx 1.85
Froome 1.85
Lemond 1.78
Armstrong 1.77
Coppi 1.76
Contador 1.76
Hinault 1.74
Fignon 1.74

But something to add which isn't mentioned; They used huge gears, something we don't do anymore. And no, I don't think choosing high gear is due to Epo, it's just much better to keep cadence over 80.

So keep in mind that a Lemond probably would go significantly faster with current gears. Especially since guys as Anuetil, Hinault and Lemond pretty much did the sitting climb as much as possible, which is well suited for higher cadence.

A very interesting post.

 

[BYOP88]

Better examples are climbers as Johan vd Velde and Robert Alban. But if we look at winners it's certainly extremely rare to have long guys, but it's also extremely rare that pure climbers won a TdF. The TdF was usually won by the more athletic strong guys.

I think the first really big winner would be Felice gimondi, but I have no length. He sure looks bigger than even Merckx, but that's just a guess. I certainly wouldn't dare to claim an exact length from a picture.

Winners:
Wiggo 1.90
Indurain 1.88
Riis 1.86
Schleck 1.86
Merckx 1.85
Froome 1.85
Lemond 1.78
Armstrong 1.77
Coppi 1.76
Contador 1.76
Hinault 1.74
Fignon 1.74

But something to add which isn't mentioned; They used huge gears, something we don't do anymore. And no, I don't think choosing high gear is due to Epo, it's just much better to keep cadence over 80.

So keep in mind that a Lemond probably would go significantly faster with current gears. Especially since guys as Anuetil, Hinault and Lemond pretty much did the sitting climb as much as possible, which is well suited for higher cadence.

Interesting post regarding the height of GT winners. Seems I'm too tall to win a GT

 

[Franklin]

well, the point is well, the point is extremely clear, the longest TdF winners are after 1990. There are exceptions (mercx/Gimondi), but that's about it. There's no denying that it really changed.

Though I do want to offer a candidate to challenge Wiggo for longest GT winner: Gosta Pettersson

That's sure a big guy, certainly for that day and age!

 

[scholar]

Seems I'm too tall to win a GT

I'm not. I guess I'll have to stick with the 'too fat and not sufficiently talented' excuse.

 

[Granville57]

Winners:
Wiggo 1.90
Indurain 1.88
Riis 1.86
Schleck 1.86
Merckx 1.85
Froome 1.85
Lemond 1.78
Armstrong 1.77
Coppi 1.76
Contador 1.76
Hinault 1.74
Fignon 1.74

Even in that list, Schleck still doesn't make the podium.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Even in that list, Schleck still doesn't make the podium.

And:
LeMond is again above dopestrong.
And, I am actually just as small as my nickname.

Important stuff peeps...



[it is pretty hot in Holland, sorry]

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Even in that list, Schleck still doesn't make the podium.

Riis will lose his place for using height enhancing shoes that add 0.06% to his height. Apparently they were all doing it at the time.

Indurain said no comment. When the interviewer said that if he did not answer the question about shoes he would assume Indurain wore them... Indurain again said Next Question...

When Wiggins was asked he called the questioner a ****er.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

heheheheh tsk tsk.

Froome: we weren't tested at Teide!!

Three major TDF contenders staying on Mt Teide and no out of competition tests for the past 2 weeks. Very disappointing.
https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/471701898731749376

Nibali: no, we weren't tested at Teide, but I have had a lot of tests recently.

After Froome's initial tweet, Nibali replied, stating that he had undergone five tests in the last month. However the Italian later added that those tests had taken place off the island.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-calls-for-more-anti-doping-tests-in-tenerife

Contador: no, we weren't tested at Teide, but I have had a lot of tests recently.

In an interview with France Television, Contador echoed Froome's assessment about the lack of control at the Teide volcano for Tour de France favourites recently. "It's true that I was there at the same time as Froome and Nibali and I wasn't tested in Tenerife," he said, "but we are controlled all year, and I've been tested quite a lot recently."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-afraid-of-winning-the-dauphine

One of these three is not like the others...

 

[red_flanders]

But something to add which isn't mentioned; They used huge gears, something we don't do anymore. And no, I don't think choosing high gear is due to Epo, it's just much better to keep cadence over 80.

High gears work better when the goal is to load muscles. The legs and the build of riders in the 80s were generally of guys with huge legs. Remarkably so.

I think it's no secret that those pioneering faster cadence were doing so to take advantage of loading the cardio-vascular system instead of the muscular system.

There's probably some general better technique there as well, and riders have discovered it's generally better to run slightly higher cadences then they did back in the day.

 

[The Hitch]

Interesting post regarding the height of GT winners. Seems I'm too tall to win a GT

Maybe you secretly possess the talent and will to win that wiggo has, that no other professional cyclist thus far has had. The one which transcends all science.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

heheheheh tsk tsk.

Froome: we weren't tested at Teide!!



Nibali: no, we weren't tested at Teide, but I have had a lot of tests recently.


Contador: no, we weren't tested at Teide, but I have had a lot of tests recently.

One of these three is not like the others...

How do you know Froome was not tested frequently prior to the two weeks he mentions? From the quoted tweet he says no one has been tested there for that period time out of the main GC guys and he is correct. It might have been exactly two weeks since his last test hence him using that as the benchmark.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Maybe you secretly possess the talent and will to win that wiggo has, that no other professional cyclist thus far has had. The one which transcends all science.

yes BYOP
that drive that makes him ignore rest days and think of Alberto drinking coffee while he grinds up another hill!
He is "truly a man of marginal gains"...

and he said so in the book!

 

[Race Radio]

heheheheh tsk tsk.

Froome: we weren't tested at Teide!!



Nibali: no, we weren't tested at Teide, but I have had a lot of tests recently.


Contador: no, we weren't tested at Teide, but I have had a lot of tests recently.

One of these three is not like the others...

Gotta laugh that he posts that tweet as he is leaving the island.

 

[Gregory]

High gears work better when the goal is to load muscles. The legs and the build of riders in the 80s were generally of guys with huge legs. Remarkably so.

I think it's no secret that those pioneering faster cadence were doing so to take advantage of loading the cardio-vascular system instead of the muscular system.

There's probably some general better technique there as well, and riders have discovered it's generally better to run slightly higher cadences then they did back in the day.

One of the obvious advantages is that you can reduce your weight nicely, by resigning from bigger muscle mass in legs

 

[SundayRider]

Interesting post regarding the height of GT winners. Seems I'm too tall to win a GT

I'm taller than my dad who is in turn taller than his dad, most of my friends are taller than their fathers too. People are taller generally, the field that competes in GTs has dramatically diversified so you are going to get taller winners.

 

[Franklin]

I'm taller than my dad who is in turn taller than his dad, most of my friends are taller than their fathers too. People are taller generally, the field that competes in GTs has dramatically diversified so you are going to get taller winners.

I'd say the jump is too big for that.

But towards Hitch; you seem to infer that due to his length Wiggo is suspicious. That's disingenious.

1. Someone got to be the longest guy
2. He clearly isn't the best climber (look at how he won that GT!)
3. He's not significantly longer than Merckx

There's no physiogical length barrier I know off to win a GT.

I have plenty of reason to be suspicious about Sky, but spinning the heigth of Wiggo into an indicator of shehanigans is just nonsense that goes nowhere.

Or are we going to do the other way as well? It's extremely seldom someone under 1.72 wins a GT

 

[SundayRider]

I'd say the jump is too big for that.

But towards Hitch; you seem to infer that due to his length Wiggo is suspicious. That's disingenious.

1. Someone got to be the longest guy
2. He clearly isn't the best climber (look at how he won that GT!)
3. He's not significantly longer than Merckx

There's no physiogical length barrier I know off to win a GT.

I have plenty of reason to be suspicious about Sky, but spinning the heigth of Wiggo into an indicator of shehanigans is just nonsense that goes nowhere.

Or are we going to do the other way as well? It's extremely seldom someone under 1.72 wins a GT

Doesn't longer thigh length produce more torque?

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Doesn't longer thigh length produce more torque?

It provides more leverage. Torque will be a function of the athlete.

 

[The Hitch]

I'd say the jump is too big for that.

But towards Hitch; you seem to infer that due to his length Wiggo is suspicious. That's disingenious.

1. Someone got to be the longest guy
2. He clearly isn't the best climber (look at how he won that GT!)
3. He's not significantly longer than Merckx seldom someone under 1.72 wins a GT

Err he is the best climber. He climbed faster than all those who won pre epo and all the epo ones only climbed faster than him because there were on epo.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Wiggo 1.90
Indurain 1.88
Riis 1.86
Schleck 1.86
Merckx 1.85
Froome 1.85
Lemond 1.78
Armstrong 1.77
Coppi 1.76
Contador 1.76
Hinault 1.74
Fignon 1.74

Sorry, but several of those are wrong

For example, I have an old mag here with a pic of Hinault, LeMond and Fignon side by side at the 84 Tour. Lemond is an inch taller than Hinault at most and Fignon towers over them.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Sorry, but several of those are wrong

For example, I have an old mag here with a pic of Hinault, LeMond and Fignon side by side at the 84 Tour. Lemond is an inch taller than Hinault at most and Fignon towers over them.

Wide angle lens? There was a pic of Armstrong and he looked a bit shorter than Hincapie, but he's actually 3-4 inches shorter.

 

[Franklin]

Sorry, but several of those are wrong

For example, I have an old mag here with a pic of Hinault, LeMond and Fignon side by side at the 84 Tour. Lemond is an inch taller than Hinault at most and Fignon towers over them.

It was what I could find due to our overlords (Google).

But yeah, pictures show he's a tad bigger, though certainly not towering over him.

Now this is always hard, but eyeballing I'd bet Fignon and Lemond are within a cm of each other:

I'd say Hinault probaby is 1.74, so putting Fignon and Lemond at 1.78 seems a fair guess

 

[Franklin]

Err he is the best climber. He climbed faster than all those who won pre epo and all the epo ones only climbed faster than him because there were on epo.

So now you state he isn't on Epo?

Besides, the sample of 2012 is pretty small considering the cols they climbed. If you feel confident to call him the greatest climber ever go ahead. This is where you and I will disagree.

Also, I await your explanation why Wiggo's length is an indicator of false play. Perhaps we should also measure his chin?