Sky/Froome Talk Only (No Way Sky Are Cleans?)

[Benotti69]

Well, as Brailsford says that Froome has always been able to produce numbers like this in training, I just wish Sky could somehow publish those numbers. Wouldn't have been nearly as suspicious if they could prove that he already measured a VO2 max of 90 or whatever and climbed @ 6,0 w/kg in january.

yeah Brailsford isn't he the guy with Halo over his head along with JV? As these 2 teams are suppose to have internal testing regimes i am sure it would be easy to release figures that correspond to these performances as long as they can be verified by someone legit.

 

[luckyboy]

Do we know when he contracted Bilharzia or when the doctors think he contracted it?

All I've read is that he had it last November and had some follow-up treatment after this year's Tour de Suisse. Because of that he didn't make the Tour squad.

 

[skippy]

Froome is now out of the " Shadow " of a guy whose Olympic and track racing record makes him No 1 at Sky !
When at Barlow world Froome showed potential and had the feet cut from under him when the team collased .
Today will have inspired him to dig even deeper and certainly the South Africans will be waiting with bated breathe on the next days results .
Could be " Sky " will have a GC winner after all ! I hope that he makes the top step of the podium again on Sunday .

 

[El Pistolero]

can you cite any sporting miracles in cycling?

Oscar Pereiro surviving his nasty crash?

 

[BrentonOfTheNorth]

Never, ever in 25 years of following cycling have I ever seen such a literally overnight transformation.

Isidro Nozal?
To a lesser extent... Aitor Gonzalez?

 

[Winterfold]

I have no shame in being probably the forums biggest and most consistent Wiggo fan but the idea that Froome had 'numbers' which meant he could spank Wiggo for 3 weeks but this was a secret or a surprise is laughable. There is just no way that kind of power could escape DB and BC. My belief is that Wiggins is at the top end of what you can do physically without assistance, but was fragile psychologically - this year he has got himself together, worked out how he rides climbs best and basically MTFU'd.

With the assistance of super domestiques G and EBH he wins the Dauphine.

So he can take on Rodrigues, Anton, Nibbles, Menchov on his terms.

Then a regular domestique outperforms him in every aspect of GT riding. I cannot believe Sky would play a complicated bluff where Froome was subordinate to Wiggo if they knew this was coming.

Given their attention to detail, if this performance is genuine, how could they not know it was coming?

I guess it could genuinely be an honest surprise, but 20 years experience of following pro cycling suggests otherwise.

If he is genuine I feel very bad for doubting, but its pretty obvious IMO Cobo is misbehaving and therefore one must be doubtful about a rider with less creds almost cracking him while all the genuine thoroughbreds are kms down the road and minutes back on GC.

 

[bobbins]

Froome has always had numbers close to Wiggins but these never translated to performances. Froome has been the guinea pig for wiggins training prior to Wiggins changing his training so BC / Sky have known his potential. It looks like he has managed to get over his 'bad days' during races, possibly due to that blood virus being identified.

I just hope he didn't renew his contract before the vuelta started.

 

[Benotti69]

Oscar Pereiro surviving his nasty crash?

nah that was Karma for the 2006 TdF

 

[Winterfold]

Froome has always had numbers close to Wiggins but these never translated to performances. Froome has been the guinea pig for wiggins training prior to Wiggins changing his training so BC / Sky have known his potential. It looks like he has managed to get over his 'bad days' during races, possibly due to that blood virus being identified.

I just hope he didn't renew his contract before the vuelta started.

close to is one thing, some way ahead of, is another. Especially when you are talking about an elite pursuit rider, who has power and style.

I would like to think that there is an honest explanation behind this parasitic infection and subsequent therapy.

Today's finish was all about balls though. Brilliant - and Cobo too.

 

[roundabout]

Wiggins didn't have on optimum preparation (at least I would imagine that a collarbone break in July is bad) for the Vuelta so I have doubts that he is at his best even if he has been riding really well.

 

[Duartista]

It's very difficult to judge the true worth of Wiggins' and Froome's performances, given the underperformance of all the favourites.

It will be fascinating to watch the GTs next year - will normal status be resumed, or will the likes of Froome, Cobo, and Rolland be able to back up their performances?

 

[Escarabajo]

I just finished watching the stage today and I am amazed at Froome's performance.

This is a rider that have been hiding or sick all his life until now.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

I think the upcoming marriage of the Hog to the Schlecks tells us all we need to know about what next season will look like.

 

[Duartista]

I think the upcoming marriage of the Hog to the Schlecks tells us all we need to know about what next season will look like.

Oh God, don't remind me.

 

[Cycle Chic]

I,m laughing - the Clinic is funnier than An Idiot Abroad - and thats not David Harmon

 

[Anonymous]

mike tomalaris wading in.

Christopher Froome's previous best result in a stage race was 15th at Romandie. Now he's poised to podium at Vuelta. #justsayin

That from a bloke that wrote this tripe

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/mike-tomalaris/blog/122442/reading-the-rule-book

Armstrong never tested positive despite undergoing countless dope tests in a career spanning some 20 years.

I was brought up to believe a person is innocent until proven guilty

nobody is qualified to be overly judgemental except for those close to the action

 

[roundabout]

He is a wrong person to bring it up but it's a fair point. *shrug*

 

[sartoris]

Froome's performance today, sprinting over 12% + gradients at the end of the stage, was just ludicrous. No way that guy is clean !!!!

 

[Ferminal]

Froome has always been a good climber and the potential to be a great one. If you look back at the 2008 tour he was in the final group climbing Alp du Huez when Sastra took off.

So was Johan Vansummeren.

 

[hfer07]

apart from the dope issue-Is Fromme going to stay with SKY at all? I imagine his price has gone up a lot after stage 17 though.....

 

[zlev11]

i can see Bruyneel taking a flier on him

he seems to have access to some good, undetectable PED's, and could you imagine him pacing the Schlecks up a climb? dirty, in more ways than one.

 

[Cycle Chic]

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ro...Team-Sky-s-Unpolished-Diamond--Chris-Froome-0

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/8...-the-front-group-quite-often-this-season.aspx

 

[Fergoose]

If he is such a latent talent (plus young and racing under the British flag), why would Sky let his contract run out? Froome stated two days ago he hasn't signed anything (with anyone).

I suppose health concerns could be a factor, but it sounds like his infection/disease was a one off rather than something likely to recurr?

 

[spalco]

Also, I don't know what Cycle Chic's point is, but while these articles do make it sound like Froome was a promising cyclist, it doesn't sound like he was considered a potention Vuelta winner by people around him. There's a big difference between being a "GC rider" and a "GC winner".

 

[Euskaltel!]

Hmm... Lots to consider here and the truth is we just don't know.

While Froome sprinting up did look rather too good, one has to admit that most of the other climbers have been disappointing and his time was much slower than purito last year... Also, he cracked and Cobo caught him, so it wasn't as if he went and went again and again (like Contador lets say).

A few more points too. To say he has come out of nowhere isn't true, he's clearly both a talented TT'er and climber, but has never put it together before (and he always has said this is his problem). Also, outclimbing Wiggins who was coming back from disappointment and injury at the Tour is hardly a surprise, given Froome is more of a climber than him. Also, Froome being left out of the Tour must have hurt, so this was a bit like a last chance.

Also, and I know this is the worst bit of evidence ever.... but they did look shattered at the top! Poor Bauke... Looking at those images is painful.