thehog said:
Walkman said:
Saint Unix said:
Here's Poels being "so on the limit".
...
I get your point, SKY are freakish strong and it is boring as f*ck but that picture is clearly not a representation of Poels today. I did catch that precise footage during todays stage. He swept it and threw it away quickly. Lame attempt at stirring up Poels hate.
Nah, he took the can, placed on his bars, then opened it with one hand, then drank.... all whilst banging out 450w.
It's absurd. It was an illegal feed as well, as within the last 20km.
No. You cannot take food from the car/roadside within the last 20km.
He carried it in his pocket so nothing illegal.
Also, if you race amateurs, you should know that if you're pulling at the front you have to appear like you're not hurting so you try to erase any plans for attacks.
So: this whole picture is fine, fits within a regular group.
What doesn't fit is that this guy is a domestique who pulls 6w/kg up the final hill where only the top 15 can follow. He humiliates Valverde and Ary (GT winners) by letting them take a mere 50metres only to be pulled back, doing the same with Bardet a little later only to accelerate to the top and pass it just ahead of the poor Frenchman.
Froome is exactly right with his comment: That kind of performance uphill neutralises every attack and prevents even more because it sucks to attack if you know you won't get away. What he doesn't add is how it's possible that Sky pulls that off not just yesterday but every day mountain stage this tour (and the previous ones).