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By now he has recived so many blessings of the plague god that he should be able to ascent into a demon prince...
Next comment by Chris: "I felt that something had been holding me back since the crash but I didn't know what. Now everything is clear. I just have to get rid of Godzilla again and we are back in the business. I still need more races under my belt but the Tour is the goal for sure. Tadej is strong but I will start my supersonic RPM training sessions as soon as possible! In the meantime I will discuss the contract extension with my team."
Even though we’ve been hearing him chirp about how things will be after after this, that, or the other, it’s still astounding to me that he could start this. Even if he really did have another case of badzilla, it’s just outlandish to suggest he’ll be competitive with Pog and seeking a contract extension. Seems almost delusional.
I guess I just have to accept that it’s becoming a post-truth world.
Chris Froome abandons Critérium du Dauphiné citing illness - VeloNews.com
Meanwhile over at IPT's social media headquarters this morning:
Meanwhile over at IPT's social media headquarters this morning:
Why? It's been so good to watch since he returned from the crash. A Barloworld throwback.
I'm more and more convinced that he's riding clean now, and at about what his normal level should be. His constant spouting of the "getting stronger", "taking it day by day", just the latest salvo's in his string of lies. This time he's just lying about why he's not actually getting back to anywhere near his previous level. He knows he's not going to win anything even on a full program, so he's just collecting the cash and bullsh*tting anyone who'll listen as to why he can't get back. But the fact is that he's seen what happened to Lance and isn't willing to risk his already ill-gotten gains. He's coasting into the sunset, collecting his millions and riding "paniagua", while trying to gaslight anyone who'll listen that he's back on the road to recovery.
This is what Froome is.
Yes, I have been tempted to think the accident was not as serious as it was made to be and that it provided Ineos with a perfect excuse to offload a rider who it spent millions on to save face in a clear violation of doping rules. Then Chris found the right suckers at ISN to get out of prison with millions in cash, to escape to the paradise tropical island of retirement. You could make a film about this and nobody would believe it. But what tools at ISN.
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But kind of crazy thought experiment. If the difference doping makes for Froome is roughly top 100 to winner (or podium if you account for Pogacar and age), then in theory 100 riders are able to win the TdF with the right program.
It is indeed hard to explain why he's become so useless, even Beloki wasn't that bad after he came back with from similar injuries.
But if doping is still as systemic as thought, how many are top 100 because they’re already doping and without it they’d be even worse. Froome was extraordinary for a week, then his team controlled everything allowing him to not be as tired as the other riders. That helps tremendously.
The other option is how widespread people believe motor usage is.
Motor Usage was a huge factor for Froome, his breakout Vuelta was without one, his climbing style changes dramatically from his breakout vuelta to his Tour exploits, also just watch spectator cams how he just motors away like a scooter. same with Poels and Froome distancing Zakarin at the Angliru. Also Ventoux 2013 is the most ridiculous motor doping. Now the playing field is leveled in terms of motor usage, but SKY where really one of the first to use motors for gc riders, csc with breschel and cance did it in 2010. Rasmussen has said for a fact that he knows some top riders are using motors 3-4 years ago in an interview, Hamilton also shares this opinion. But it will never come out due to the fact it would destroy cycling forever.
Here is a clip from Froome Ventoux 2013 and no its not edited. (Click the Froome Ventoux link under here)
Froome Ventoux
Here is Poels literally motoring away at the Vuelta. (Watch from 5 seconds in to see Poels wrooom away on his little scooter.)
If it was that prevalent back then its way more now. Good old doping i dont mind at all, but motor doping is to much for me, as you cannot know what climbing exploits are feats of human strength anymore. One of the reasons i never liked froome
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I think that's a given since the 90's when donkeys like Bjarne Riis turned into world beaters in their 30's.
But then again the argument is that "its not the 90s anymore" in terms of doping (which at least for EPO is true).
Amazing the narratives people can think up in their heads.
The guy had a devastating accident at an age at which many would not return to the top tier pro level. Are you blind? He has had years out and is now holding a place in the top race...age 37.
He hasn’t had years out, he’s been riding every year, nor has he held a place in the top race. (I assume you mean finishing high or meaningful vs riding around). He was also 34 when the accident Happened with years to work on his level. This didn’t happen out of the blue.
By holding a place I mean even getting on a TdF roster
He's 37 now. Hardly one's peak. There would be a natural decline, but if you throw in a crash with devastating injuries that mean your riding is rehabilitation rather than training to win/place then it is no wonder he is where he is.
Sure, you want to fit it all into some doping narrative, but that falls apart when you consider that if he was doping then, why would he not now?
He's 37 now. Hardly one's peak. There would be a natural decline, but if you throw in a crash with devastating injuries that mean your riding is rehabilitation rather than training to win/place then it is no wonder he is where he is.
Sure, you want to fit it all into some doping narrative, but that falls apart when you consider that if he was doping then, why would he not now?
For reasons explained above. He knows he couldn't compete anymore anyway so why take the risk and end up like Armstrong especially since he struck gold with his last contract. Must say I hadn't thought of that but it's a definite possibility.
Yeah his injuries were bad but where has his competition crushing VO2Max gone? And where was it before 2011? He will remain a mystery forever...
Yeah his injuries were bad but where has his competition crushing VO2Max gone? And where was it before 2011? He will remain a mystery forever...
My Vo2 has gone down 6 points since having covid 10 months ago.
Hope this helps you understand the nature of illness and injury in athletic performance
Hope this helps you understand the nature of illness and injury in athletic performance
Haha, you really can't help yourself can you, I'm a competitive athlete so I know all that needs to be known about VO2Max, unlike you apparently. Genetics are (normally) where it starts and that never changes and then you need to train it, so yeah if you can't train its going to go down, OK so far ? No such problem for Froome, he said it himself. There's a reason Lemond was always asking dodgy champs what their VO2Max was...
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