Teams & Riders Froome Talk Only

[thehog]

5.9 would not be viewed too suspicious, am I right?

Well on a day with constant rain and wind whereby the entire field was dropped by Froome going at 75% then you're worried.

5.9 in the rain and wind with only Porte following is a major concern.

There comes a point where you trust you"re own eyes. If it doesn't look real - it's not.

 

[Tinman]

Yes fits nicely into the rise and having a backstory to explain his mediocrity prior.

The only thing in favor of the Bilharzia story being a red herring is the fact that we have not yet seen or heard of other successful riders coming up with a weasel disease (invalidating the BP) as a reason for their past lack of performance.

Can't wait for the diabetic hero to reveal himself shortly. Much more high profile and high empathy than bilharzia. Only second to cancer really.

 

[ToreBear]

He did the last ten minutes at 6.3 w/kg. By my limited understanding, such a short effort is feasible, no?

Yes, shouldn't be a problem. Vetooo says Talansky did the last 9 minutes at 6.4 w/kg.

Froome could probably have gone even higher for the last ten. We will never know, but he should have no problem outpaceing Talansky based on what I have seen of them both this year.

Which would have been close to todays winner on Crans Montana in TDS

Yep only Froomes total climb is about 9 minutes longer. 21 vs 30 minutes. So whether Mollema could have kept up the same power for 9 minutes longer is something the tour might tell us.

Edit: Mind you those are Dr Ferraris formula. And it looks like two parts of the climb are divided. It's confusing, thats why I leave it to the experts.

5.9 would not be viewed too suspicious, am I right?

I think the theory is that when you go past 6.0 w/kg for over the magic time of 30 minutes one should watch closely, and start sniffing.

But that is just a theory. However when you get up to 6.5 w/kg, alarm bells should be ringing.

But to complicate matters, there are also different ways to calculate these things, so be careful when reading these numbers. Vetooo did a comparison of the different methods and they give quite a lot of variation. But Vaughters seems to trust Vetooo's calculations, and thats good enough for me.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Thomas Frei ‏@thomasfrei 13m

I'll say to the people who don't believe, the cynics and the sceptics: I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. *then link to the article in question*

I refuse to interpret that tweet as anything but a complete and utter slap in the face to Froome from Frei.

 

[ToreBear]

He wasn't even trying for the last 2km.

He was chatting to Porte.

The Dawg could won by 90s plus today. Yesterday he could have put two minutes into the field.

Have you ever seen te Dauphine won so easily? Ever seen a guy turning around to his teammate, talking to him whilst dropping the entire field?

If that's clean I'd hate to see team Sky doped!

Keep the faith Hoggy

Oh and I think Froome did the same on that stage Valverde won last year. Trying to coach Wiggins up to the finnish.

 

[trevim]

Everybody doped until August 28th 2011. Then they all stopped, to a man. That's why Froome was a nobody until then but destroyed the péloton from that date onwards.

The differences in his times set on various climbs, time trial speeds and so on are irrelevant to this discussion.

Edit:

Thomas Frei ‏@thomasfrei 13m

I'll say to the people who don't believe, the cynics and the sceptics: I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. *then link to the article in question*

Ahah precisely my thoughts! Something strange happened that day probably, universe wise.

 

[trevim]

It's not suspicious if we are talking about capacity. But he was hardly at his limit. Kinda looked like sub-FTP riding to me ... stay in control and help Porte out. Keep in mind Richie had been sick prior to the Dauphine, so we was off his best.

Sorry, quick question: what's the meaning of FTP?

 

[Ripper]

Sorry, quick question: what's the meaning of FTP?

Functional Threshold Power - the power you can approximately hold for a 1 hour period/40 km TT. In other words, he was not hammering up the mountain, he was well within his capacities (sub FTP )

 

[observer]

If it is indeed true that 5.9w/kg is okay to tempo up a climb, then a burst at the end of something higher, Sky seem to have found a way to make any of their riders hit the highest human peak whenever they want. So much so that no other team can look at their power meters and do the same.

I think the numbers are the red herring here, not every human should be able to produce this, all you need is eyes and logic to see something is up. Froome is right though, cycling has changed, instead of just doping to within haemocrit limits you dope to within w/kg limits and allow 10 of ballistic efforts at the end of stages.

 

[trevim]

Functional Threshold Power - the power you can approximately hold for a 1 hour period/40 km TT. In other words, he was not hammering up the mountain, he was well within his capacities (sub FTP )

OK thanks. Sub FTP on a 7%climb, what the hell I'm always FTP as soon as the road goes up

 

[Ripper]

OK thanks. Sub FTP on a 7%climb, what the hell I'm always FTP as soon as the road goes up

That's the thing. Look at the videos and pics. Porte is suffering to hold Froome's wheel, but Froome is clearly not even close to suffering and they are getting away from the peloton. Given his ability to launch at the end (also without it looking too difficult), he very well might have been riding friggin' tempo

 

[the sceptic]

If it is indeed true that 5.9w/kg is okay to tempo up a climb, then a burst at the end of something higher, Sky seem to have found a way to make any of their riders hit the highest human peak whenever they want. So much so that no other team can look at their power meters and do the same.

I think the numbers are the red herring here, not every human should be able to produce this, all you need is eyes and logic to see something is up. Froome is right though, cycling has changed, instead of just doping to within haemocrit limits you dope to within w/kg limits and allow 10 of ballistic efforts at the end of stages.

Dont forget that Froome according to himself did the Madone in 32 minutes in training which is considerably more than 6.0w/kg

Lances record when fully juiced was 30:45 or somthing like that

Imo i think it was extremely stupid of Froome to say that, but i guess he has just been trolling the clinic lately and its not like Walsh is going to pick up on it anyway so its probably safe but what it means is that

either Froome is lying about his time or

he went faster than the max human limit

 

[thehog]

If it is indeed true that 5.9w/kg is okay to tempo up a climb, then a burst at the end of something higher, Sky seem to have found a way to make any of their riders hit the highest human peak whenever they want. So much so that no other team can look at their power meters and do the same.

I think the numbers are the red herring here, not every human should be able to produce this, all you need is eyes and logic to see something is up. Froome is right though, cycling has changed, instead of just doping to within haemocrit limits you dope to within w/kg limits and allow 10 of ballistic efforts at the end of stages.

This I agree with.

It's almost scripted the way they ride.

And yes. The eyes don't lie.

 

[The Hitch]

Which would have been close to todays winner on Crans Montana in TDS

Wow are you desperate to find any argument for Froome being clean, you will jump at absolutely anything.

Froome attacked with 2k to go and had his head turned towards porte the whole time to make sure not to drop him. Are you seriously offering his performance here as evidence that he cant push more than 5.7? Considering he did 6.3 a few days ago.

 

[trevim]

That's the thing. Look at the videos and pics. Porte is suffering to hold Froome's wheel, but Froome is clearly not even close to suffering and they are getting away from the peloton. Given his ability to launch at the end (also without it looking too difficult), he very well might have been riding friggin' tempo

Doped or not doped these guys are just amazing!

 

[mikehammer67]

looked a bit too easy

 

[Altitude]

I especially enjoyed him sticking his tongue out several times today (to show the camera how much he was suffering) on the final climb. Bizarre because he looked so incredibly comfortable while doing so.

The guy is an utter machine. I have never seen prolonged domination like this before.

Lol I was thinking the same thing. Sticking out his tongue to give the impression that he's actually trying. Funny, that.

 

[thehog]

Keep the faith Hoggy

Oh and I think Froome did the same on that stage Valverde won last year. Trying to coach Wiggins up to the finnish.

More importantly what's going on with the heads at Team Sky?

I know Porte and Dawg are friends but they've got to stop sharing HGH.


I think they've both become 'mutant'.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

I had a flat today on my ride...I really could have used Chris Froome today...

 

[Ripper]

I had a flat today on my ride...I really could have used Chris Froome today...

You could have channeled him by saying "by the power of grayskull, I channel Skeletor".

 

[movingtarget]

More importantly what's going on with the heads at Team Sky?

I know Porte and Dawg are friends but they've got to stop sharing HGH.


I think they've both become 'mutant'.

Not to mention Moreno's microwaved legs.

 

[gatete]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/my-results-are-proof-that-cycling-has-changed-says-froome

Now I sincerely hope he gets caught.

I feel your frustration, but forgive me for some reason all I got is a huge chuckle, it is beyond funny and I shouldn't be laughing but now I get when they say: this is funny when in fact it isn't

 

[mewmewmew13]

Not to mention Moreno's microwaved legs.

LOL!!

um...I don't suppose we can start a new thread "Froome's Head" ?

 

[Ferminal]

More importantly what's going on with the heads at Team Sky?

I know Porte and Dawg are friends but they've got to stop sharing HGH.


I think they've both become 'mutant'.

Froome needs the Piti hair plugs otherwise he will look like Bjarne in a couple of years.

 

[vrusimov]

Dont forget that Froome according to himself did the Madone in 32 minutes in training which is considerably more than 6.0w/kg

Lances record when fully juiced was 30:45 or somthing like that

Imo i think it was extremely stupid of Froome to say that, but i guess he has just been trolling the clinic lately and its not like Walsh is going to pick up on it anyway so its probably safe but what it means is that

either Froome is lying about his time or

he went faster than the max human limit

At 32 min and 68kg...6.62 w/kg [450 W]...VAM = 1725m/hr

We now know that Armstrong [30] and Danielson, who eclipsed Armstrong's time by 23 seconds both used "internal enhancements".

While 1725 does not compare to Armstrong's substantially enhanced 1795, or 495-505W, it does nevertheless represent a massive improvement in climbing ability from his 2010 ride behind the motorbike at the Giro. Heck he was already riding at a mutant pace at the Vuelta 2011 [470W over 17 minutes against Cobo] and he surely could have beaten Wiggins at the Tour last year. In any event, he would have been off Contador and even Schleck's pace in 2009 on Verbier. He would have been behind Wiggins at 1744 as well...even though that was around a 460-470 W performance over 22 minutes for Bradley, himself a year or so removed from the zig-zagging photo taken while at HighRoad in 2008. Again, a massive improvement in climbing ability even if he did "reportedly" lose 5kg over the winter pre 2009. I guess he ate only rice? That's a long time to fast, nevermind the weight he supposedly puts on in the offseason. How much weight has he lost since then I wonder? Lots of questions...Oh dear!

In any event, it seems in both cases that both Wiggins and Froome needed only one year of focused road riding to achieve mutant level performances...

edit *... I assume 68kilos for Froome but if someone knows a more accurate weight for him then speak now or forever hold your peace!