Richie Porte - what do we know about him?

[del1962]

TJ is sick but you know he still rides. Porte sounded fine when interviewed after Fridays stage (http://www.steephill.tv/players/720...hboard=tour-de-france&id=307853891533&yr=2014).

Sky are clearly lying.



http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...tis-holding-ground_337179#ui7AZsV6V7Dy6QJT.99

if only Richie was on BMC he would be riding wheel to wheel wiht TJ as a doc like Testawould sort him out, always helps when you have an Merican like the Och (honest as the day is long) to help you overcome a little illness too

 

[the sceptic]

if only Richie was on BMC he would be riding wheel to wheel wiht TJ as a doc like Testawould sort him out, always helps when you have an Merican like the Och (honest as the day is long) to help you overcome a little illness too

If only little Richie could get an express TUE for horse steroids like the Dawg. Wonder why sky havent applied. Are they scared?

 

[meat puppet]

Fluctuations of form of course occur over the years. Thats to be expected. However, when they are either this drastic or team wide or both, as in this case, well, it becomes fairly obvious that the past two years' sky performances require an explanation.

Maybe they got a heads up about JTL or something.

Saving themselves for the vuelta?

 

[thehog]

Fluctuations of form of course occur over the years. Thats to be expected. However, when they are either this drastic or team wide or both, as in this case, well, it becomes fairly obvious that the past two years' sky performances require an explanation.

Maybe they got a heads up about JTL or something.

Saving themselves for the vuelta?

Team Sky has been decapitated twice in this year's Tour, with team leader Chris Froome crashing out on stage five and then Porte –designated as his replacement and Team Sky's Plan B, seeing his ambitions ended in the Alps.

Team manager Dave Brailsford has again moved quickly to refocus his riders and change the team's strategy, with Geraint Thomas and Mikel Nieve going on the attack on Saturday to try and win the stage. They were pulled back due to the complex race strategies of rival teams and the battle for the overall classification but it was a clear sign of a fight back.

They were pulled back due to 'complex race strategies'?

 

[veganrob]

They were pulled back due to 'complex race strategies'?

Yes, very complex. One would have to be a Sky fan to understand.

 

[thrawn]

They were pulled back due to 'complex race strategies'?

I guess neglecting the fact that the winner of the stage still came from the break...

 

[42x16ss]

Yes, very complex. One would have to be a Sky fan to understand.

I'll say. Having two guys in the break, one doing all the pacemaking and the other sitting in (anyone with a brain would assume for the stage win) then pulling them back will need a VERY complex explanation

 

[del1962]

I'll say. Having two guys in the break, one doing all the pacemaking and the other sitting in (anyone with a brain would assume for the stage win) then pulling them back will need a VERY complex explanation

I think it means pulling the break back, which is what NetApp and AG2R did for some reason.

 

[thehog]

I think it means pulling the break back, which is what NetApp and AG2R did for some reason.

Haven't times changed.

Ag2r & Netapp pulling back the sky big guns

 

[the sceptic]

Haven't times changed.

Ag2r & Netapp pulling back the sky big guns

It seems such a long time ago when Dodger was putting out 450w for an hour.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Didnt see that Porte was 20minutes down end of the Dauphine....so he's been going backwards for a while. His Tour collapse wasnt really unexpected.

So Froome is still full *** but Porte not. And Brailsford is already saying he is Froomes wingman in next years Tour.

Chris Froome is expected to bounce back and lead Team Sky's assault at the Tour de France in 2015 with Richie Porte still his key wingman and possible alternative.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bra...-from-the-problems-of-the-2014-tour-de-france

Why would Brailsford say this after such a disatrous year for Porte ??

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Didnt see that Porte was 20minutes down end of the Dauphine....so he's been going backwards for a while. His Tour collapse wasnt really unexpected.

So Froome is still full *** but Porte not. And Brailsford is already saying he is Froomes wingman in next years Tour.



http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bra...-from-the-problems-of-the-2014-tour-de-france

Why would Brailsford say this after such a disatrous year for Porte ??

Intyeresting article. Sounds like Brailsford is going to try and fix this year's disaster by doing exactly the same thing again next year.

 

[thehog]

Didnt see that Porte was 20minutes down end of the Dauphine....so he's been going backwards for a while. His Tour collapse wasnt really unexpected.

So Froome is still full *** but Porte not. And Brailsford is already saying he is Froomes wingman in next years Tour.



http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bra...-from-the-problems-of-the-2014-tour-de-france

Why would Brailsford say this after such a disatrous year for Porte ??

Because they are entering the "post wiggins era"

Brailsford has been working hard to reshape the team as it enters a post-Bradley Wiggins era.

Was it actually an era?

 

[the sceptic]

Because they are entering the "post wiggins era"



Was it actually an era?

Eras only last one year when you are doping as much as sky.

What era will we get next year I wonder.

 

[thehog]

Eras only last one year when you are doping as much as sky.

What era will we get next year I wonder.

The mistake they made was Wiggins. Not for the win but even if Wiggo was hanging around the Top 5 it would be a lot of publicity for the team.

The field is watered down this year. Wiggo would be up there. I mean Wiggo can at least hold TVGs wheel. And beat him in the TT.

But yes Brailsford is inept. There's no chance the Dawg will win next year.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

The mistake they made was Wiggins. Not for the win but even if Wiggo was hanging around the Top 5 it would be a lot of publicity for the team.

The field is watered down this year. Wiggo would be up there. I mean Wiggo can at least hold TVGs wheel. And beat him in the TT.

But yes Brailsford is inept. There's no chance the Dawg will win next year.

Plenty of mistakes made. After last year's Tour they could have addressed the problems they had there. Why is Porte so inconsistent and prone to bad days? Why does Thomas keep crashing? Why were Kiryenka and Lopez so woeful? Instead, Brailsford chose to ignore these problems, Froome had won the race so everything in the garden was rosy. Froome couldn't save them last year and exactly the same problems came up again. Brailsford should be sacked.

 

[thehog]

Plenty of mistakes made. After last year's Tour they could have addressed the problems they had there. Why is Porte so inconsistent and prone to bad days? Why does Thomas keep crashing? Why were Kiryenka and Lopez so woeful? Instead, Brailsford chose to ignore these problems, Froome had won the race so everything in the garden was rosy. Froome couldn't save them last year and exactly the same problems came up again. Brailsford should be sacked.

No doubt training harder is the key But yes they appear to have a non ability to read a race or build a team.

Astana have got it just about right this year. Right guys for the right terrain. They've ridden extremely well without having to be a "super-drilling it on he front" type of team.

 

[Loop Stepwalker]

They have been uber weak this year. Even if Froome hadn't crashed, who'd be up there with him? Like you said, they need to build a team for the terrain, not a team of BFF's.

 

[Nicko.]

Noted. I did wonder why they moved away from SRM for Stages. Appeared an odd move and now it shows why.

It shows why he's going slow or why it's odd or why Kerrisons plan fails or what?

I don't understand what you're getting at

 

[thehog]

It shows why he's going slow or why it's odd or why Kerrisons plan fails or what?

I don't understand what you're getting at

Apologies. What I meant it shows that Kerrison is a nerd for numbers and geekery.

There's good reason to use Stages. The lack of left/right measurement is countered by Bluetooth connectivity. What I understand is that the power readings along with the Di2 ( new version) can be seen 'real time' from the car/motorbike. I'm not talking racing here but training as the Bluetooth reading needs to be sent back to the car via 4G/LTE or similar.

There also is a lot of compatibility with the home trainers and uploading data via the internet. SRM is industrial standard but lacks configuration and versatility.

Stages/Wahoo etc. is all part of the bigger picture of data analytics, big data, cloud etc. at Sky.

I raised the point as whilst these types of deals a good they've lost sight of the racing and tactical element and it shows. The Dauphiné showed that.

They need a tactics guy at Sky. Someone to compete with Kerrsion mundane approach to training thus racing.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Noted. I did wonder why they moved away from SRM for Stages. Appeared an odd move and now it shows why.

Not sure they actually "moved away" from SRM. They apparently never returned any of the SRMs. My guess is that they wanted the sponsorship benefits of Stages but the accuracy of SRM, and this way they get both, though not exactly in ethical fashion.

 

[thehog]

Not sure they actually "moved away" from SRM. They apparently never returned any of the SRMs. My guess is that they wanted the sponsorship benefits of Stages but the accuracy of SRM, and this way they get both, though not exactly in ethical fashion.

I guess they can do whatever they want! they are a Sky after all.

Also probably what you see is the business arm conflicting with the sporting of a team. Cycling teams are bigger enough now that there is a delineation. Look at Riis without Tinkov. That move made sense. Riis needed to concentrate on the cycling part not the sponsorship component.

Brailsford probably needs to step away from the tactical day to day running and become more of a overall manager. He really is making a meal of it all.

 

[Nicko.]

Thanks.
I agree with your take, the power data has some limited use in a race.
The PM is good for quantifying what you DO in training, if it (the training) does you any GOOD and HOW good you are/can be.

"Power calibrates RPE, RPE modulates power" (Charles Howe)

 

[thehog]

Thanks.
I agree with your take, the power data has some limited use in a race.
The PM is good for quantifying what you DO in training, if it (the training) does you any GOOD and HOW good you are/can be.

"Power calibrates RPE, RPE modulates power" (Charles Howe)

What's it called again?

"Analysis paralysis"

I agree that it's a good indication of a level of fitness of where you want to be.

Stage 5 showed that 2m30s can be gained on a pan flat 140km stage with tactics alone. Most just wanted to get through that stage. Nibali wanted to win it. No number on a power meter will tell you how to do that.

 

[Rollthedice]

What's it called again?

"Analysis paralysis"

I agree that it's a good indication of a level of fitness of where you want to be.

Stage 5 showed that 2m30s can be gained on a pan flat 140km stage with tactics alone. Most just wanted to get through that stage. Nibali wanted to win it. No number on a power meter will tell you how to do that.

One can only imagine what could have happened with Froome in that particular stage.