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

[webvan]

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...

Ah someone figured it out, do you have a link for that?

 

[Benotti69]

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".

cycle chic has no point. She/he has not posted on the Cobo thread and has a thread going on in the Pro road section that is a tirade against Kirby. Personal agenda is the point.

I am still waiting for TeamSky to release data to appease everyone that Froome is the real deal

 

[craig1985]

For me I consider Froome to be this year's version of Peter Velits who came 3rd last year. Lets's face it, who on earth expected Velits to podium at a GT?

 

[maltiv]

For me I consider Froome to be this year's version of Peter Velits who came 3rd last year. Lets's face it, who on earth expected Velits to podium at a GT?

Indeed, or the Vuelta's version of Rolland.

 

[Mambo95]

cycle chic has no point. She/he has not posted on the Cobo thread and has a thread going on in the Pro road section that is a tirade against Kirby. Personal agenda is the point.

I am still waiting for TeamSky to release data to appease everyone that Froome is the real deal

His data from the Sierra Nevada and Time Trial stages are on their website

 

[hrotha]

For me I consider Froome to be this year's version of Peter Velits who came 3rd last year. Lets's face it, who on earth expected Velits to podium at a GT?

Peter Velits podiumed by limiting his losses in the mountains and putting out one freaky ITT performance. He had also shown way more potential than Froome.

 

[Parrulo]

Peter Velits podiumed by limiting his losses in the mountains and putting out one freaky ITT performance. He had also shown way more potential than Froome.

exactly completely different scenarios

 

[Benotti69]

His data from the Sierra Nevada and Time Trial stages are on their website

Sierra Nevada data.

Chris Froome’s SRM Data

Total Time = 4:52:04
TSS = 272.1
Work = 4701 kJ
Average Power = 243 Watts
Average Normalized Power* = 306 watts
Average HR = 122 bpm
Max HR = 165 bpm
Mean Maximal 1-minute power = 468 w
Mean Maximal 5-minute power = 416 w
Mean Maximal 20-minute power = 386 w
Avg Cadence = 87 rpm
Avg Speed = 20.3 mph

 

[roundabout]

I am kinda waiting for his files from later stages. It's been a week since the TT.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Yes I have a campaign against Mr Kirby ! it is not personal Mr Benotti ! I am sure he is a nice guy but should not be commentating on Cycling on Eurosport.

I should have made a point on the 2 links I pasted but I presumed they were self explanatory...but for you....it was an F.Y.I. post.

The Cobo thread - no idea what you are on about.....I will say though - what is goin on with Cobo's helmet ? he looks like a kid in the local park wearing it all wrong

 

[goggalor]

Indeed, or the Vuelta's version of Rolland.

... times 10.

 

[Benotti69]

I am kinda waiting for his files from later stages. It's been a week since the TT.

give them a chance to delete it..

 

[sniper]

has it been mentioned that froome is from kenya?
Of course it has been mentioned, but has it been considered a factor of possible relevance to his performances?
While I'm sure he's doped to the gills with some of the more sophisticated juice currently circulating in Britain, it may not hurt either that he was born and raised at high altitude.

WHY ARE KENYANS FAST RUNNERS?

There are a few popular theories, which break along nature-versus-nurture lines. The vast majority of Kenya's brightest running stars were born and raised at high altitude. Running at higher elevations builds greater lung capacity, because athletes grow accustomed to the thinner air. Many of the finest runners, for example, hail from the hilly region surrounding Eldoret, about 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. This area also possesses a fairly mild climate that allows for year-round running.

http://www.slate.com/id/2090658/

 

[maltiv]

... times 10.

Really? The competition in TDF is much greater. Froome won a short MTF, Rolland won on the Alpe d'Huez. Both of them were initially domestiques but Rolland was a domestique throughout the race and still did exceptionally. Also if you compare their watt outputs, they're about the same.

Rolland was arguably one of the top 3 climbers in the TDF and that is better than being the 2nd best climber at the vuelta, normally at least.

 

[ferryman]

Wiggins on Froome:

"Nobody expected Chris to do what he's done in the last three weeks. After the time trial perhaps there was a thought that we'd go with Chris but I don’t think anyone knew what he could do," Wiggins said.

"I think he's shocked himself this week. He's gone from what he'd done in his career in the past to doing what he did yesterday. All of that in just two and a half weeks."

Different context but not a lot different from many of the comments posted on here on why Froome's credibility is in question.

I also take it 'Nobody' = 'Team Sky' which also makes a mockery of the 'they always knew he had the numbers' Brit apologists on here.

 

[Winterfold]

Rolland was arguably one of the top 3 climbers in the TDF and that is better than being the 2nd best climber at the vuelta, normally at least.

In prestige terms yes - but the W/kg in this Vuelta make it look like it the final climb is being raced at least as hard, if not harder.

The balance of pressure/more competition/better field/more mountains on a MTF stage vs more difficult (steep and not even gradient)climbs/freeer racing/other stuff is hard to call.

The way Froome is racing now I could see him winning the 2011 Tour with the same form. Of course if he would have had the same form in France is a different matter

If Wiggo had not crashed and been in this form and collaborating with Evans and letting the ITT decide if if if

 

[Winterfold]

Wiggins on Froome:

"Nobody expected Chris to do what he's done in the last three weeks. After the time trial perhaps there was a thought that we'd go with Chris but I don’t think anyone knew what he could do," Wiggins said.

"I think he's shocked himself this week. He's gone from what he'd done in his career in the past to doing what he did yesterday. All of that in just two and a half weeks."

Different context but not a lot different from many of the comments posted on here on why Froome's credibility is in question.

I also take it 'Nobody' = 'Team Sky' which also makes a mockery of the 'they always knew he had the numbers' Brit apologists on here.

Yer, I am a Brit apologist usually but the idea that Sky knew this was coming I find hard to believe. They are as surprised as the rest of us.

It could be a genuine surprise.

I wonder if they will renew his contract...

I guess we could not be hearing about it because with this performance his agent is negotiating much harder, OR

 

[Anonymous]

I think they knew what he was capable of doing, but didnt think he was able to maintain it for a couple of days in a row, let alone 3 weeks.

Froomes big issue has been his inconsistency.

 

[Winterfold]

I hate that I am thinking like this - but inconsistency = human. If Sky are genuinely surprised by one of their riders suddenly pulling off an ITT like that, well...

I will happily eat an old chammy if I am wrong and we do have a British Contador. And of course if he's on the sauce then he's Kenyan.

But the last 1.5 km on that stage averaged 13% and they were racing it like er Ricco in 2008.

(Froome's physique does look amazing as a combination of long, lean, strong - I'll give him that)

I admit that finish was utterly amazing to watch - reminds me of why I am not so bothered on doping as some peeps, as long as kept in sensible parameters.

 

[Winterfold]

I hate that I am thinking like this - but inconsistency = human. If Sky are genuinely surprised by one of their riders suddenly pulling off an ITT like that, well...

I will happily eat an old chammy if I am wrong and we do have a British Contador. And of course if he's on the sauce then he's Kenyan.

But the last 1.5 km on that stage averaged 13% and they were racing it like er Ricco in 2008.

(Froome's physique does look amazing as a combination of long, lean, strong - I'll give him that)

I admit that finish was utterly amazing to watch - reminds me of why I am not so bothered on doping as some peeps, as long as kept in sensible parameters.

EDIT this is quite strange - the notion I would be pondering the credibility of British performances in a tough Vuelta when the likes of Rodrigues, Anton, Menchov, Scarponi, Nibali are all out of it, it just never occurred it might happen.

 

[maltiv]

But the last 1.5 km on that stage averaged 13% and they were racing it like er Ricco in 2008.

Rodriguez did the climb faster last year.

 

[Winterfold]

Rodriguez did the climb faster last year.

The whole climb yes - but averages hide a lot of nasties, that last 1-2km were 13% and the way it is raced is just mad. Like the last few km of Super-Besse.

hope I'm wrong

 

[Fergoose]

Rodriguez did the climb faster last year.

It was a cagey and fairly gentle ascent this year until about 1.5 to 2kms to go - so it isn't too amazing to have had a quicker time in the past. I sincerely doubt Rodriguez did the last km faster last year (although I would like to be wrong in that - suspecting folk of serious levels of doping gives me no pleasure).

Under the 1km banner Froome & Cobo were about 2 seconds ahead of their pursuers. They ended up gaining between 19 & 37 seconds on various competitors in that last km alone; including Mollema, Wiggins & Menchov* who are all in form and will have been desperately fighting to try and claim or defend key GC positions (i.e. podium or top 5).

Compare that to Froome's finishes in the short sharp finishes of stages 5 & 8 (that Rodriguez won). There both Froome (and Cobo) showed little or no sign of such explosive ability over a broadly comparable 500 to 700 metres burst on crazy gradients (although admittedly preceded by flat rather than 5kms of ascent). Infact, on those stages, both trailed in behind the likes of Van den Broeck, Mollema & Menchov, languishing down in positions between 18th and 25th. Yet about 10 days later those two riders have utterly decimated the rest of the field on similar terrain. An incredible change of form for all riders concerned, particularly when you consider that the form of Wiggins, Mollema & Menchov has arguably been fairly consistent throughout the event.

*I will concede that by doing some pace setting up the climb Menchov may not have been at his freshest to make an attack, but his pacing didn't seem too taxing.

 

[webvan]

Just watched my recording, last km : 3'25" -> 17.7km/h with an average slope of 11%, not bad...

 

[Winterfold]

Just watched my recording, last km : 2'30" -> 24km/h with an average slope of 11%, not bad...