Question Is Chris Froome cleans?

[Bolder]

Those comments by LeMond were interesting. Not sure if that data is available for Froome (increased cadence on Ventoux and lower watts output -- how does LeMond know this, did Froome publish his numbers?). On that podcast, he and the host basically call out Cancellara (LeMond doesn't say his name, the host does) for his ridiculous dropping of Boonen and otherworldly accelerations while seated. Surely something went on, but I never suspected Froome of using a motor. Doped to the gills, yes. Motor usage, I don't know. What is the general consensus here?

Btw, the podcast is the Roadman Podcast. This episode was only on YouTube I believe. It's a good one, highly recommended.

Omerta Busted: LeMond's Unfiltered EPO Tale

I recommend it highly. I am still a skeptic about motor doping (surely some disgruntled mechanic would have leaked by now) but apart from that, he comes across as a really thoughtful, interesting guy.

 

[Extinction]

Those comments by LeMond were interesting. Not sure if that data is available for Froome (increased cadence on Ventoux and lower watts output -- how does LeMond know this, did Froome publish his numbers?). On that podcast, he and the host basically call out Cancellara (LeMond doesn't say his name, the host does) for his ridiculous dropping of Boonen and otherworldly accelerations while seated. Surely something went on, but I never suspected Froome of using a motor. Doped to the gills, yes. Motor usage, I don't know. What is the general consensus here?

Btw, the podcast is the Roadman Podcast. This episode was only on YouTube I believe. It's a good one, highly recommended.

Omerta Busted: LeMond's Unfiltered EPO Tale

Something I don't quite buy in what Lemond is saying about today's riders, peddle cadence, power output and weight on climbs, is that, as he claims, the lower cadence indicates clean riding. Well how is it possible with the katabolic states these guys reach, and the consequent muscle loss and reduced power it implies, that they nonetheless are generating the same or more power, climbing just as fast or faster than the "dirty years", without taking recourse to illicit methods?

 

[Rob5091]

Did he actually say that? Because every time they put a mic in front of a rider, they say there are no easy days anymore, and they've been saying that for a long while

Apparently so, and looking at the GT's parcours it's very rare for more then 2 hard days in a row. I first read about it from Sky at the 2018 Giro - blocks of days, 2 on, 2 off etc how they would race and how hard. Even the "hard" mountain stages are not more then 150 km and often shorter so even if they are ridden at 100% on the climbs, the stage is only 3 and half hours instead of the old days of 6 hours. Sure, the Tour's first week used to be a "sprint fest" as an example but now the sprint stages are spread out during the 3 weeks so the GC guys get "off days".

 

[samhocking]

I recommend it highly. I am still a skeptic about motor doping (surely some disgruntled mechanic would have leaked by now) but apart from that, he comes across as a really thoughtful, interesting guy.

Technically, if Froome used a motor any measured power on his SRM cranks would actually decrease as the motors force gets added to the rider force. The strain gauge in his cranks measures deformation across the crank, so any additional force from a motor either before the deformation or after it is going to decrease deformation, because the deformation is the riders strain, it's not the net total output power between tyre and road. This was discussed at length when this video came out.

It seems pretty obviously the the data is either hacked or intermittent which happens regularly. I've had races where my HR either wasn't registering or registered at a low rate, faulted for several seconds, froze/averaged. It's more likely to happen when shifting position on the bike too. I've even had races where I am clearly at maximum HR yet the HR didn't change at all for several minutes. In fact anyone lab testing with HR straps will tell you how unreliable that particular data can be.

Theoretically, SRM, Pinarello, Team Sky and a motor manufacturer could have worked together and added the motor watts to the SRM watts and then transmitted/recorded that at the SRM/DD Transponder but if you're going to that length / be that clever about it, you might as well just add a % of HR based on the watts and make it realistic on TV while you're at it and even separate it into two so you still have valid and useful data for Tim Kerrison to upload to Training Peaks assuming the SRM data is the data that got hacked.

 

[Ripper]

Apparently Froomey's chronic, ehem, supplement and salbutamol use, has resulted in his brain completely imploding.

Don't do drugs kids

 

[Unchained]

Froome is 100% clean, it was just a bike fit this whole time everything is going to be fine for this year..