Teams & Riders Froome Talk Only

[Steve K]

Re: Re:

It looked really strange, like the battery or motor that power assists him went dead and he was left to his own devices... If he was physically blown you'd think he'd put it in a bigger dear and grind over the last few meters rather than zig zagging

It was a ridiculously steep climb. If it was a motor dying, then Froome apparently worried about it ahead of time, because the US commentators were saying that he predicted big losses if people lost it in the last 300 m. I think he even predicted that you'd have to ziz-zag in order to keep going.

 

[ontheroad]

If he wins a 4th tour commentators will surely have to begin labelling him the great Christopher Froome. Could make a strong case forhim being the greatest clean cyclist of all time.

 

[Ironhead Slim]

Re:

<s>If he wins a 4th tour commentators will surely have to begin labelling him the great Christopher Froome. Could make a strong case forhim being the greatest clean cyclist of all time.</s>

Fixed.

 

[Saint Unix]

I hope Froome loses more than two minutes on that puncture so he has to concoct the most potent elixir of EPO, peptides, blood bags and battery acid ever created for Izoard. A small time loss won't matter because of the TT, but a big time loss means he'll have to go full mutant on both stages.

 

[ScienceIsCool]

Re:

I hope Froome loses more than two minutes on that puncture so he has to concoct the most potent elixir of EPO, peptides, blood bags and battery acid ever created for Izoard. A small time loss won't matter because of the TT, but a big time loss means he'll have to go full mutant on both stages.

I'm not watching, but reading the CyclingNews feed. Sounds bizarre. Ag2R goes full gas and Froome starts getting dropped. He's behind by 48 seconds and out of the yellow jersey. Takes a bike change. He's then able to close the gap on the climb.

In writing it sounds weird and suspicious. Anybody want to chime in on how it looked?

John Swanson

 

[Saint Unix]

Froome burned through all of his team mates and even had Landa drop down from the front group to pull him the last bit. It was Sky going full pelt for their leader while AG2R were using journeyman climbers like Gautier to set the pace. Nothing overly suspicious.

It was sheer amateur hour from the other favorites once Froome made contact again, though. Just one attempt at an attack long after Froome regrouped (from Bardet) and they didn't even make him close it by himself. I guess it was too far from the finish for any of them to want to chance it.

 

[ScienceIsCool]

Re:

Froome burned through all of his team mates and even had Landa drop down from the front group to pull him the last bit. It was Sky going full pelt for their leader while AG2R were using journeyman climbers like Gautier to set the pace. Nothing overly suspicious.

It was sheer amateur hour from the other favorites once Froome made contact again, though. Just one attempt at an attack long after Froome regrouped (from Bardet) and they didn't even make him close it by himself. I guess it was too far from the finish for any of them to want to chance it.

I thought they weren't on the climb proper yet as the gap was opening up. I guess I'm confused by why the gap was opening in the first place. And since it was, why was he able to start closing the gap after a bike change? Guess I'll have to look it up on YouTube later. Like I said, in writing it all sounds a bit weird.

John Swanson

 

[Saint Unix]

They were on their way into the climb and AG2R had started to set a high pace when Froome punctured and had to get a rear wheel from a team mate. Sky spent the first half of the climb to get back, spending Nieve, Henao and Kiriyenka in the process, as well as pulling Landa back for the final haul. Definitely cost them a lot of energy, but none of the other teams were willing to risk anything to try and capitalize.

 

[ScienceIsCool]

Re:

They were on their way into the climb and AG2R had started to set a high pace when Froome punctured and had to get a rear wheel from a team mate. Sky spent the first half of the climb to get back, spending Nieve, Henao and Kiriyenka in the process, as well as pulling Landa back for the final haul. Definitely cost them a lot of energy, but none of the other teams were willing to risk anything to try and capitalize.

That makes a lot more sense. The way it was reported was gap opening up as AG2R gunned it. Then a mechanical and bike change. Then coming back to the group on the climb.

John Swanson

 

[sniper]

Froome with another mechanical before a key climb.
Jalabert not buying it:
https://twitter.com/oufeh/status/886639781609971712

Froome being offered Floyd's "broken spoke" excuse, but prefers "broken wheel":
https://twitter.com/letouzet/status/886621702163136512

 

[The Hitch]

Sky claim keeping riders healthy (by washing hands) is a marginal gain.

Sky riders end up getting Ill more often and Froome gets ill in last week of tdf(though still rides a 40 minute alpe d hues)



Sky claim having too mechanics and better bikes is a marginal gain.

Froome ends up having mechanical all the time.

 

[simoni]

Re:

Froome with another mechanical before a key climb.
Jalabert not buying it:
https://twitter.com/oufeh/status/886639781609971712

Froome being offered Floyd's "broken spoke" excuse, but prefers "broken wheel":
https://twitter.com/letouzet/status/886621702163136512

So these magic wheels must be worth more than 50 seconds over an approx 8km climb then?

Feels like an awful lot to lose just to pointlessly gain back again.

 

[Norks74]

Re: Re:

Froome with another mechanical before a key climb.
Jalabert not buying it:
https://twitter.com/oufeh/status/886639781609971712

Froome being offered Floyd's "broken spoke" excuse, but prefers "broken wheel":
https://twitter.com/letouzet/status/886621702163136512

So these magic wheels must be worth more than 50 seconds over an approx 8km climb then?

Feels like an awful lot to lose just to pointlessly gain back again.

Suppose the other way to look at it is how much time would you lose without a new bike/wheel/whateveritis at that stage? A lot more than 50 seconds I'd assume.

Has anyone looked at the stats for the number of mechanicals Froome has had? It seems a recurring theme for him. Weird that. More than most?

 

[Tienus]

I have never been able to find any kind of stats of riders or races.

I have not followed this tour but have noticed 3 mechanicals from Froome in mountain stages.

 

[JosephK]

LOL at Froome getting booed by the spectators up the hill on Stage 15 after the wheel change. Even better: Phil Liggett's bewilderment at why fans could possibly be booing the Great One -- no clue at all as to why that might be happening, total astonishment. :lol:

 

[TMJ]

LOL at Froome getting booed by the spectators up the hill on Stage 15 after the wheel change. Even better: Phil Liggett's bewilderment at why fans could possibly be booing the Great One -- no clue at all as to why that might be happening, total astonishment. :lol:

Surely they weren't booing.

They were shouting: "Froooooome."

 

[Rollthedice]

Well one thing is sure, he put up his best performance to date in this TdF, climbing 40 seconds faster than his rivals. When he has no choice he hits those magic numbers. I have the feeling we'll see some good ol' full *** on Izoard.

 

[DanielSong39]

If there was ever a time to use a motor that was it.

 

[sniper]

Re:

Well one thing is sure, he put up his best performance to date in this TdF, climbing 40 seconds faster than his rivals. When he has no choice he hits those magic numbers. I have the feeling we'll see some good ol' full *** on Izoard.

I just saw Froome is being estimated at 6.4w/kg on that climb today.
Swart et al had him on 6.25w/kg for 20-40 min. effort.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froomes-physiological-test-data-released/

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Well one thing is sure, he put up his best performance to date in this TdF, climbing 40 seconds faster than his rivals. When he has no choice he hits those magic numbers. I have the feeling we'll see some good ol' full *** on Izoard.

I just saw Froome is being estimated at 6.4w/kg on that climb today.
Swart et al had him on 6.25w/kg for 20-40 min. effort.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froomes-physiological-test-data-released/

"The engine was there all along," said Swart. "He just lost the fat."

I just saw Dan Martin saying they were all going in the red up the mountain, very high pace and there was only one rider who could've bridged to them, the one and only Chris Froome.

 

[miguelindurain111]

#TDF2017, St.15. Col de Peyra Taillade (8.39km, 7.44%, 624m)

Froome 22:00, 6.20 W/kg
GC favorites 22:40, 6.02 W/kg
Barguil 23:15, 5.87 W/kg

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/886707099870408704

 

[ScienceIsCool]

LOL at Froome getting booed by the spectators up the hill on Stage 15 after the wheel change. Even better: Phil Liggett's bewilderment at why fans could possibly be booing the Great One -- no clue at all as to why that might be happening, total astonishment. :lol:

Surely they weren't booing.

They were shouting: "Froooooome."

They're yelling Froo-urns, sir.

John Swanson

 

[bigcog]

At least be a bit consistent. First he had a bike change apparently, then he had a suspicious wheel change (From Kwiato), in order to get dropped and for what, to show off his dodgy numbers ? Yes ok.

 

[ontheroad]

Remarkable performance by Froome today, always capable of pulling it out of the bag when he needs to.

 

[Electress]

LOL at Froome getting booed by the spectators up the hill on Stage 15 after the wheel change. Even better: Phil Liggett's bewilderment at why fans could possibly be booing the Great One -- no clue at all as to why that might be happening, total astonishment. :lol:

They weren't booing The Great One.

They were booing Chris Froome.