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Team Jumbo-Visma

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You've gotta be impressed with Roglic and co's ability to hold form. it's been what 12 weeks now that they've been in peak form, dominating the pre tour warm ups, the tour itself (apart from the last day :D), pointy end of the world champs and the odd classic thrown in for good measure. Now they turn up on day one of another Grand Tour, barely 4 weeks from the end of the last one, looking as fresh as can be.
Could all come crashing down yet i suppose, but i somehow don't think it will. I'm not sure i've seen anything quite like this...
 
You've gotta be impressed with Roglic and co's ability to hold form. it's been what 12 weeks now that they've been in peak form, dominating the pre tour warm ups, the tour itself (apart from the last day :D), pointy end of the world champs and the odd classic thrown in for good measure. Now they turn up on day one of another Grand Tour, barely 4 weeks from the end of the last one, looking as fresh as can be.
Could all come crashing down yet i suppose, but i somehow don't think it will. I'm not sure i've seen anything quite like this...

It's a strange year with a condensed calendar.

Also is terms of doping & its history, I personally have a higher suspicion towards the entire concept of "peak form" for riders who have a great 3 weeks (sometimes only one week) per year & then basta kaboom, they're no where either before or after the race (usually the GT of their choice).

That IMO originates from the 1990's/2000 era where riders would inject themselves with everything for one race & then tone it down for the rest of the year. I don't think it's strange to have a natural talent with a high base level competing in multiple races where he doesn't exactly crush everyone either (I'm talking Roglic here).
 
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Totally disagree...maintaining peak form for so long goes against all known/perceived laws of physiology and training.

At this rate, the Giro/Tour double should be easy for him next year, hell the full hat trick could even be on.
He's already failed at the Giro and the Tour. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins this Vuelta and never wins the Giro or tour. Of course Jumbo and Ineos are doped up their eye balls.
 
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Remind which of the Sky/Ineos riders ever sustained this kind of peak form for over 12 weeks?

Bradley Wiggins 2012 Feb 11th thru August 1st

Chris Foome 2013 Feb 11th through July 21st

I'm sure you can look up more for yourself :)
 
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It's a strange year with a condensed calendar.

Also is terms of doping & its history, I personally have a higher suspicion towards the entire concept of "peak form" for riders who have a great 3 weeks (sometimes only one week) per year & then basta kaboom, they're no where either before or after the race (usually the GT of their choice).

That IMO originates from the 1990's/2000 era where riders would inject themselves with everything for one race & then tone it down for the rest of the year. I don't think it's strange to have a natural talent with a high base level competing in multiple races where he doesn't exactly crush everyone either (I'm talking Roglic here).

Not that it is any proof, but to me the most plausible distribution is when an athlete can be watched throughout the season (does not vanish completely for months without racing), but has 1-2 peaks of about 10-14 days, towards which he builds and then falls off (not dropping like a stone, if he did not get all out).

I would not get as far as say it has to look like that, otherwise someone's doped, or if it looks like that it's not doping. My strong doping suspicions, apart from someone doing something totally otherworldly, are usually formed when several / many factors come into play, the peak / form holding thing is just one.
 
Bradley Wiggins 2012 Feb 11th thru August 1st

Chris Foome 2013 Feb 11th through July 21st

I'm sure you can look up more for yourself :)
Which big Important races were these 2 winning in February?
On one hand, you have these 2 showing good form relative to others in early season races when everyone is at a similarly low level, building to a peak in the traditional pre tour warm up races then going on to hit and hold that peak for a month to hit your seasons goals.
Then you have the case of being at peak form across multiple GT’s and classics without a break for approaching 4 months now.
Not to say that both don’t involve doping... but not really the same at all.
 
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Then you have the case of being at peak form across multiple GT’s and classics without a break for approaching 4 months now.

Was he in peak form for the Slovenian NC? Given that, except for Pogarcar, who was also aiming for the TDF, there was no serious competition, how would we know?

I'd say his season began with l'ain in early August. After that, he dropped out of the next race, so he did get a little break before the TDF.

The Vuelta started about a month after the TDF ended, just as has been the case in previous years, when Froome would win the TDF, and contend strongly in the Vuelta, finally winning it. So Roglic hasn't done anything this year that Froome didn't do multiple times, except the LBL win. Froome never did anything like that, but you wouldn't expect him to, given that he's not a one day specialist, and that no race of that importance occurs between the Tour and the Vuelta in ordinary years.
 
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Was he in peak form for the Slovenian NC? Given that, except for Pogarcar, who was also aiming for the TDF, there was no serious competition, how would we know?

I'd say his season began with l'ain in early August. After that, he dropped out of the next race, so he did get a little break before the TDF.

The Vuelta started about a month after the TDF ended, just as has been the case in previous years, when Froome would win the TDF, and contend strongly in the Vuelta, finally winning it. So Roglic hasn't done anything this year that Froome didn't do multiple times, except the LBL win. Froome never did anything like that, but you wouldn't expect him to, given that he's not a one day specialist, and that no race of that importance occurs between the Tour and the Vuelta in ordinary years.
Froome tried and failed at the 2016 Olympic road race.
 

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