Teams & Riders Froome Talk Only

[Moose McKnuckles]

Funny that it took half a Saxo team, including 2 top 10 riders, and 2 Belkin top 10 riders, to distance Froome just 1:09 in a flat stage.

Mano-a-mano he leaves them in the dust by 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Conclusion: Froome is slightly weaker than the combined forces of a collaborative of 4 TdF top 10 riders working together?

This. Exactly. How is this even REMOTELY possible?

 

[johnlh]

Froome's Weight?

Is it even possible that Froome weighs 72kg? Seeing him in person, he seems much smaller framed than me (65kg & same height) Perhaps his actual weight would have put him well over 6w/kg.

 

[Mont Vonteux]

This. Exactly. How is this even REMOTELY possible?

Why aren't they giving these special drugs to the rest of the team? Why only Froome? This last week the team could have really done with whatever it is Froome is supposed to be taking.

 

[Grayguard]

Kreuziger worked with Ferrari and Schleck worked with Riis. Was Livingstone mentioned by USADA? Really they should all make the list.

However, I don't think Froome is doping, because what would he be taking that Contador and Valverde wouldn't know about?

The big story of the tour is really Contador's lack of performance. In 09 he soft peddled to victory on the Vontoux into a furious headwind.

So, by some miracle, you believe Froome is clean? Why? His performances all assemble those of doped riders - I can't think of anyone not doped WHO did anything comparable.

EDIT: I even think it possible that Contador is still doping - which makes Froome even more incredible.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

LOL @ all the muppets who just happened to join in July 2013 and are now defending Team Sky.

Note: We've seen the likes of you time and time again from Armstrong's paid e-thugs. You're nothing new, and you'll line the garbage bins of cycling history just like them.

 

[Mont Vonteux]

Don't give me this "look at Richie Porte" stuff. Porte has effectively been saving himself for this stage all week, losing massive amounts of time. Today after his great pull he blew bad and dropped down several groups. He is way off Froome's pace this tour.

 

[Mont Vonteux]

So, by some miracle, you believe Froome is clean? Why? His performances all assemble those of doped riders - I can't think of anyone not doped WHO did anything comparable.

EDIT: I even think it possible that Contador is still doping - which makes Froome even more incredible.

Froome collapsed at the finish and had to be giving oxygen. Contador in 09 was doing the pistol and throwing his arms around, jumped off the bike for a chat.

 

[Grayguard]

Don't give me this "look at Richie Porte" stuff. Porte has effectively been saving himself for this stage all week, losing massive amounts of time. Today after his great pull he blew bad and dropped down several groups. He is way off Froome's pace this tour.

Well, he still managed to drop ALL GC contenders when he made his pull, all except for Froome and Contador. And he ended up in 15th place?

 

[maxmartin]

LOL @ all the muppets who just happened to join in July 2013 and are now defending Team Sky.

Note: We've seen the likes of you time and time again from Armstrong's paid e-thugs. You're nothing new, and you'll line the garbage bins of cycling history just like them.

same thing happened when W won the tour last year, history always repeats itself LOL

 

[vecchias]

I'll get a little bit controversal here;

On Ax3, Froome attacked and never looked back. Never bothered with the radio, never reduced his cadence. Right after the stage, questioned are asked. VAM, average power output, total time etc. all these performance-related datas are calculated and compared to those known dopers. Time and wattage of Froome was amongst the best of those known dopers.

Today, he and Porte again dropped the rest of the group. Only this time Froome was constantly talking to Portal on the radio. After his initial enormous attack on Contador, he slowed down a bit and rode with Nieve for some time. Then he past him, talked to radio and caught Quintana. He tried two strong attack but Nairo answered back. Froome was able to drop Nairo earlier but he didn't, instead he tried two attacks and stopped. Only when it was close enough, he did the final attack that ensured him the stage win.

Now. Here is the controversy, theory, speculation, you name it. Considering the time gaps he achieved on Porte and Valverde at Ax3, Sky didn't want to cause that much gap.

I say, Froome was talking to Portal about time. The two were trying to optimize the attack moment in order to provide enough time gap for the stage win but also slow enough to reduce the "suspicious talk".

 

[batchuba]

Kreuziger worked with Ferrari and Schleck worked with Riis. Was Livingstone mentioned by USADA? Really they should all make the list.

However, I don't think Froome is doping, because what would he be taking that Contador and Valverde wouldn't know about?

The big story of the tour is really Contador's lack of performance. In 09 he soft peddled to victory on the Vontoux into a furious headwind.

Contador was ok today. Its just that practically all non Sky contenders are blatantly clean (well, clean by pro cycling standards) for a change.

Which makes the obvious Sky shennanigans all the more tragic. What a 100th tour it would have been...

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

This forum is rapidly becoming RBR. The Sky idiots are drawn to this Foome-laid turd like flies.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Don't give me this "look at Richie Porte" stuff. Porte has effectively been saving himself for this stage all week, losing massive amounts of time. Today after his great pull he blew bad and dropped down several groups. He is way off Froome's pace this tour.

One thing we know for sure BPC, you didn't watch the stage.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Enough with all the tailwind comments from defenders already. Ten Dam in a Dutch tv interview stated he had to battle the full headwind for Mollema because Bauke couldn't keep up.

Even the worlds formost authority on pro cycling and not doping, Mr. (he looked me in the eyes and said he wouldn't dope) Phil Liggett said it was a head to cross wind until the last righthand turn with a couple hundred meters to go.

 

[Willy_Voet]

For the record (and you can look this up on Weather Underground or whatever favorite weather site you frequent)...

The wind was almost directly out of the north at 15-20 km/h:

Weather Underground 14 July Orange, France

I am not sure how that plays out on the road as the route took them WNW up to the summit.

edit: My guess is that they were mostly shielded from the wind as the ridgeline was to their north. It may have been a slight cross/head wind in areas where they were exposed.

Again, my guess is there is no way they would have a tail wind over the last ~10K unless there was some crazy swirling effect around Mt. Ventoux.

 

[BigMac]

Something that as always bothered me, and that i'd like to get an answer.

Is it humanly possible for a climber like Froome, laking body musculature, prolly having just the one needed to climb, out perform a pure timetrialist like Tony Martin, one of the strongest dudes in the peloton, with huge amounts of muscle? It just doesn't make sence for me. I mean, either you lack the fat to be as light as possible in order to climb, or you have the musculature and weight to drop in a power time trial.

Am i wrong?

 

[Grayguard]

Froome collapsed at the finish and had to be giving oxygen. Contador in 09 was doing the pistol and throwing his arms around, jumped off the bike for a chat.

True? We didn't see this. Actually Froome looked pretty comfortble all the time I saw him.

 

[Mont Vonteux]

same thing happened when W won the tour last year, history always repeats itself LOL

Wiggo collapsed too at the finish in 09 as I remember.

In 09 basically Armstrong was riding for third, covering Frank Schleck, and Contador was obviously riding for first, covering Andy. So there was no real attacks. Contador was very comfortable, and there was a known head wind., But still by my timing did about the same time as Froome today. I make Froome slower at 49.02.

 

[Parker]

Enough with all the tailwind comments from defenders already. Ten Dam in a Dutch tv interview stated he had to battle the full headwind for Mollema because Bauke couldn't keep up.

Think for yourself. Just look at the flags. There was a tailwind.

 

[xrayvision]

Kreuziger worked with Ferrari and Schleck worked with Riis. Was Livingstone mentioned by USADA? Really they should all make the list.

However, I don't think Froome is doping, because what would he be taking that Contador and Valverde wouldn't know about?

The big story of the tour is really Contador's lack of performance. In 09 he soft peddled to victory on the Vontoux into a furious headwind.

Its unbelievable how stupid some people are. Some never learn anything, not even after 20 years of doping.

 

[Almeisan]

Something that as always bothered me, and that i'd like to get an answer.

Is it humanly possible for a climber like Froome, laking body musculature, prolly having just the one needed to climb, out perform a pure timetrialist like Tony Martin, one of the strongest dudes in the peloton, with huge amounts of muscle? It just doesn't make sence for me. I mean, either you lack the fat to be as light as possible in order to climb, or you have the musculature and weight to drop in a power time trial.

Am i wrong?

That's the biggest thing so odd about him. He was a mediocre climber. He lost tons of weight and became alien-looking. But now he TTs faster. He would have beating Martin if not for the headwind he got but Martin did not get in that TT.

 

[Grayguard]

Wiggo collapsed too at the finish in 09 as I remember.

In 09 basically Armstrong was riding for third, covering Frank Schleck, and Contador was obviously riding for first, covering Andy. So there was no real attacks. Contador was very comfortable, and there was a known head wind., But still by my timing did about the same time as Froome today. I make Froome slower at 49.02.

Funny, others say Froome performed like Armstrong in 2002...

 

[BYOP88]

I'll get a little bit controversal here;

On Ax3, Froome attacked and never looked back. Never bothered with the radio, never reduced his cadence. Right after the stage, questioned are asked. VAM, average power output, total time etc. all these performance-related datas are calculated and compared to those known dopers. Time and wattage of Froome was amongst the best of those known dopers.

Today, he and Porte again dropped the rest of the group. Only this time Froome was constantly talking to Portal on the radio. After his initial enormous attack on Contador, he slowed down a bit and rode with Nieve for some time. Then he past him, talked to radio and caught Quintana. He tried two strong attack but Nairo answered back. Froome was able to drop Nairo earlier but he didn't, instead he tried two attacks and stopped. Only when it was close enough, he did the final attack that ensured him the stage win.

Now. Here is the controversy, theory, speculation, you name it. Considering the time gaps he achieved on Porte and Valverde at Ax3, Sky didn't want to cause that much gap.

I say, Froome was talking to Portal about time. The two were trying to optimize the attack moment in order to provide enough time gap for the stage win but also slow enough to reduce the "suspicious talk".

Yeah I agree, I mean even if Portal doesn't have the data to hand, I'm sure someone working for Sky can get the info to Portal quickly. Didn't Johan phone the good doctor during a stage to see if Il Pirata could sustain his effort after he attacked during a stage of the 2000 TdF and USPS reacted to the info from the good Doctor. So Froome could've been told to slow it down, if he was going to cross any line.

 

[Mont Vonteux]

Think for yourself. Just look at the flags. There was a tailwind.

Big tailwind. Compared to strong headwind, that's a 1 or 2 minute difference. Maybe 3.

Btw, Porte finished 2:50 down 15th place.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

For the record (and you can look this up on Weather Underground or whatever favorite weather site you frequent)...

The wind was almost directly out of the north at 15-20 km/h:

Weather Underground 14 July Orange, France

I am not sure how that plays out on the road as the route took them WNW up to the summit.

edit: My guess is that they were mostly shielded from the wind as the ridgeline was to their north. It may have been a slight cross/head wind in areas where they were exposed.

Again, my guess is there is no way they would have a tail wind over the last ~10K unless there was some crazy swirling effect around Mt. Ventoux.

As they were heading NW, there is no way they had a tailwind on the upper slopes. head to cross at best.