Romain Bardet Discussion Thread

[Valv.Piti]

So Aru and Bardet, supposedly two of the biggest attackers in the peloton, has suddenly totally frozen when they have realised that they actually have a chance to beat Froome. Its not the first time that have happened in history; its a sickness.

Very, very, VERY disappointed today. I just dont know what else to say.

 

[Tonton]

@RolltheDice
Not only today, but before the Tour, there was always the "he's programmed to peak in July" excuse. No Mas...

For the rest, I agree with you.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

So Aru and Bardet, supposedly two of the biggest attackers in the peloton, has suddenly totally frozen when they have realised that they actually have a chance to beat Froome. Its not the first time that have happened in history; its a sickness.

Very, very, VERY disappointed today. I just dont know what else to say.

I find you a little too harsh Valv.Piti...it was a medium mountain stage, there were no real expectations of GC action TBH.

 

[hrotha]

There were no real expectations, but their failure to adapt to an unexpected race situation is very telling.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I refuse to believe Froome was +30 secs better than everyone in that group. They didn't go fast as they could. 2nd chance completely wasted now (Peyragudes).

 

[Tonton]

Re:

There were no real expectations, but their failure to adapt to an unexpected race situation is very telling.

Fair enough.

AFAIC, I choose to see the glass as being half full. Yes, It's a new scenario (Sky beatable), and the end result for today is a failure. The other favorites and their DS couldn't capitalize. On the other hand, this is the first time that Sky has been manhandled like this since '12. And that's encouraging heading to the Alps.

 

[deValtos]

What is up with Ag2R this tour?

At one point today I'm sure they had like 7 guys in a 15 man group on that climb. That's putting Sky to shame.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

What is up with Ag2R this tour?

At one point today I'm sure they had like 7 guys in a 15 man group on that climb. That's putting Sky to shame.

Marginal gains ...

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

I refuse to believe Froome was +30 secs better than everyone in that group. They didn't go fast as they could. 2nd chance completely wasted now (Peyragudes).

I'd say the first chance and last chance!

Peyragudes??? everyone was on the limit. Not sure what you mean.

 

[Rollthedice]

Just read that Ag2R are very proud of what they did, that it was planned and executed to perfection.

"Romain had reconned the stage so we knew it was narrow and technical, and that the peloton could split," said Jurdie of the approach to the climb. "We knew exactly who would do what in those kilometres."

Fantastic and on top of that Froome has a mechanical. The result? Nothing. In the Alps though there's still a chance:

"It's clear we have to move on those two days in the Alps – we have high hopes for those two stages," said Jurdie. "We know it's a very very, very difficult task faced with such a tough opponent as Froome, but I think we have the keys to turn some things around."

Is there a chance?

 

[deValtos]

Very unfair criticisms in the french media and also the french fans are really upset with today. I didn't think it was too bad at all, credit to Ag2R for giving it a go ... even if you can argue they could have done more at least they did something which doesn't always happen ...

Even a heavily upvoted comment saying he is a Quintana and not a Contador. :lol:

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

If their tactic was staying away from Froome on the climb and hammering on the flattish part with doms they messed up. As soon as Froome was closing the gap Bardet should've attacked and cooperated with whoever comes with him.

Which he did and Uran refused to work.

He attacked when Froome allready returned and Uran took pretty much directly.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

There were no real expectations, but their failure to adapt to an unexpected race situation is very telling.

Fair enough.

AFAIC, I choose to see the glass as being half full. Yes, It's a new scenario (Sky beatable), and the end result for today is a failure. The other favorites and their DS couldn't capitalize. On the other hand, this is the first time that Sky has been manhandled like this since '12. And that's encouraging heading to the Alps.

Have you considered Bardet, Uran, Aru and Martin going all out when the climb got steep?
If (big if) they coorperated no way Froome would return and then Froome only has Landa to work with him.... and Meintjes ofcourse.... defending position 10.
It could've been possible to crack Froome at that point. They all chose to do nothing, afraid, holding their GC positions. They lack the mentality to win the TdF obviously.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Very unfair criticisms in the french media and also the french fans are really upset with today. I didn't think it was too bad at all, credit to Ag2R for giving it a go ... even if you can argue they could have done more at least they did something which doesn't always happen ...

Even a heavily upvoted comment saying he is a Quintana and not a Contador. :lol:

Yeah it was really good that they gave it a go and went full throttle to the front, but then you have to finish what you create. They create the opportunity to take time on the yellow jersey, they finish with nothing. Absolutely nothing.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Very unfair criticisms in the french media and also the french fans are really upset with today. I didn't think it was too bad at all, credit to Ag2R for giving it a go ... even if you can argue they could have done more at least they did something which doesn't always happen ...

Even a heavily upvoted comment saying he is a Quintana and not a Contador. :lol:

Something that DOESN'T happen. We can count on one hand the times that teams attacked USPS or Sky at the TdF, and it was (in the case of Quintana/Movistar) way to late: Froome had won. How many times did Ulle and his team try to crack Wonderboy? Usually, teams chicken out, wait for the hammer to drop and save what they can.

Idiotic criticism from the French fans is nothing new: months after his legendary LBL win, Hinault was vilified for his abandon while in yellow at the Tour...then he won the RRWC, and instead of rejoicing, some were using his win as evidence that he should have ridden through injury and won the Tour.

Nice move today, they didn't finish the job, but it's encouraging and should inspire other teams to do the same, create mayhem...

 

[deValtos]

Re: Re:

How many times did Ulle and his team try to crack Wonderboy?

Woah I have to defend Ulle, his team and him did something every year honestly.

Off the top of my head these were all long long range attacks (40-80km out):

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nhkgb 2001
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV8nvQzTjfE 2003
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l39ahBFGnuk 2004
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBFFLT1mG4 2005

I don't know about 2000 ... I'm sure he did something though.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

How many times did Ulle and his team try to crack Wonderboy?

Woah I have to defend Ulle, his team and him did something every year honestly.

Off the top of my head these were all long long range attacks (40-80km out):

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nhkgb 2001
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV8nvQzTjfE 2003
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l39ahBFGnuk 2004
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBFFLT1mG4 2005

I don't know about 2000 ... I'm sure he did something though.

That was nothing like today . Nothing like today. Not a team against team face off like today. And the destruction of Sky's train like it happened today. Maybe I assume too much, so maybe I should make longer posts and close all the doors so no one can split hair...attacks happen all the time, of course, but not like today. That was a trap, nasty, and Froome lost a ton of ground. Not 50 meters...and to guys less than 30 seconds behind on the GC.

 

[deValtos]

Well sure every attack and situation is different but my counter point was that those were times were Ulle/team did indeed try to crack the wonderboy at a distance out from the finish we rarely ever see these days, and that was every year!

Also I don't think a lot of people mentioned it, at all even, but I think there's a good argument to be made Froome lost the initial gap because of his mechanical. At one point (before he stopped) he was chasing on his own 10m off the back of the Bardet group and gaining no ground at all, which we know wasn't down to his strength ... as the rest of the stage highlighted.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Well sure every attack and situation is different but my counter point was that those were times were Ulle/team did indeed try to crack the wonderboy at a distance out from the finish we rarely ever see these days, and that was every year!

Also I don't think a lot of people mentioned it, at all even, but I think there's a good argument to be made Froome lost the initial gap because of his mechanical. At one point (before he stopped) he was chasing on his own 10m off the back of the Bardet group and gaining no ground at all, which we know wasn't down to his strength ... as the rest of the stage highlighted.

We don't disagree much. Long range attacks and attacks on so-called dominant teams have become so rare that DS and riders don't know how to exploit advantages or plan it from A to Z. Lesson learned, I hope. They have become robotized, with ear-pieces and conservative racing. I read that AG2R had scouted the road, set up the attack and "everyone knew their role", and then what? There were still 30 km to go. Was there a plan for that? It's unclear. Regardless, it's opening a lot of doors with a tough week to go.

 

[Escarabajo]

Maybe AG2R had a plan that they didn't believe was going to work and then they found themselves with the opportunity and didn't know what to do.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Maybe AG2R had a plan that they didn't believe was going to work and then they found themselves with the opportunity and didn't know what to do.

This. Absolutely. But the precedent is set.

 

[Tonton]

BTW, where's Alexandre the fanboy . Sleeping? I have been doing his job for a while now .

 

[Tonton]

Alexandre, when the bottom drops, I won't post a "typical Romain Bardet" here...

I like when the French guys do well...all of them.

 

[Galic Ho]

Re:

So Aru and Bardet, supposedly two of the biggest attackers in the peloton, has suddenly totally frozen when they have realised that they actually have a chance to beat Froome. Its not the first time that have happened in history; its a sickness.

Very, very, VERY disappointed today. I just dont know what else to say.

I haven't watched a lot of this Tour...Arsenal came to Sydney, so I was there.

But last night's stage and the short one on Friday night, I watched all of it.

Disappointed last night by Bardet and AG2R.

For the first time in a very long time, Froome was on the limit and dropped at the Tour. AG2R and Bardet chose to do their tempo up the mountain.

Yes the finish line was arguably too far from the summit, but Bardet and Aru with Dan Martin and Uran SHOULD have pushed a pace so ferocious that it blew Froome up.

He'd have been left to catch them all, on his own. Every one of these guys needs probably a minute for the final ITT on Froome. They almost had that and then...letting AG2R pace without dropping their 3-4 domestiques was silly. I know a few of them did get dropped, but the GC guys had to step up today.

Bardet and Aru could have done it. Anyone who got dropped, could sit back and either work with Froome and help him OR sit back and let him do the work.

They should have pushed the advantage.

Biggest opportunity I have seen in a very long time against Sky and Froome and they wasted it. Played it too safe.

The riders can't pin this on the ASO and Prudhomme with the parcours. They knew what was happening and should have gunned it. 4 of them riding with perhaps Landa sitting on would have gaped Froome.

Hopefully they get another chance and take it by the balls.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Alexandre, when the bottom drops, I won't post a "typical Romain Bardet" here...

I like when the French guys do well...all of them.

Aww, it's too tempting to belittle the famous PSG supporter

I made my point earlier. AG2R, on both sundays, put Sky on the limit. They set a very good pace on Peyra Teillade (faster than 6.0w/g), Romain had a dig, it didn't work. C'est la vie.