The Climb (Froome's first autobiography)

[thehog]

A familiar story. Who had the conversation with Armstrong after a rest day? Something like "What did you have for breakfast?" "Probably the same thing you did?"

You can imagine Einstein Porte bounding into the breakfast room; "Hey guys Basso has just been asking about our protein shakes! You can buy protein anywhere but he wants the ones we have. Not sure why but he was just asking me?"

.....followed by the everyone looking down into their cereal

 

[No_Balls]

What's a couple of years either way when you are getting the story from a True Champion? It will read well to the target market.

I can't wait to get it from the discount bin.

Question is (not that it matters much) if Froome started watching in 2002 or 2004? 2004! Its ten years ago he started looking what is generally assumed to be the pinnacle of cycling. Again, it does probably not mean that much, but it is a reminder of how he seems to constantly screw up his reality.

How this book left the prints is beyond me.

 

[doperhopper]

Well I'm very disappointed with these incomplete and generic definitions. This is Froome's book, is it not?


Aero Bars: Long, sticky-outy things on either side of your beloved power meter. You lean on these during TTs so you can get a close-up view of it.

Aero Helmet: guys with sand shoes can't afford these. Only rich European dopers had them.

Classics: one-day races that my team sucks at.

Commissaire: This is an old guy with a clipboard who stands in the road at the end of the start ramp. They frequently jump out in front of young riders and cause them to crash. Here's a helpful photograph:

don't forget compact gearing - the crap mistakenly used during his Ventoux 1000rpm attack

 

[pastronef]

pic posted for the umpteenth time

 

[Netserk]

pic posted for the umpteenth time

You can use software such as adblock to block the picture so you won't have to see it again. If it really bothers you....

 

[Digger]

pic posted for the umpteenth time

It's an amazing picture!

When Julich was doing the tactics for dummies course in 2011, did it involve Froomey having to avoid mannequins, who he could see 100m up the road?


One question the skybots never seem to be able to answer, without it drawing laughter, is telling us another rider in cycling history who has improved as dramatically as froomey...

 

[Saint Unix]

One question the skybots never seem to be able to answer, without it drawing laughter, is telling us another rider in cycling history who has improved as dramatically as froomey...

Well, even Merckx started out at square one...


... when he was about four. But Froomey's a late bloomer. Maybe it's because he started learning cycling when he was 21?

 

[Gung Ho Gun]

mollema started late as well, did way better than froome until that fateful vuelta

 

[ciranda]

A familiar story. Who had the conversation with Armstrong after a rest day? Something like "What did you have for breakfast?" "Probably the same thing you did?"

Rasmussen. It was Armstrong who asked.

I love the part in his book about how he regretted not taking a second blood bag in 2005 (because Rabobank's doctors were shook). And if he had done so he should have been there to counter Armstrong blow for blow to the end. He was less than a minute behind after the second rest day and if you pay attention on the first stage in the Pyrenees it's clear that Armstrong was watching him very closely.

 

[thehog]

mollema started late as well, did way better than froome until that fateful vuelta

He beat Contador in the 2011 Vuelta Leon

 

[SeriousSam]

One question the skybots never seem to be able to answer, without it drawing laughter, is telling us another rider in cycling history who has improved as dramatically as froomey...

Bjarne Riis?

Edit: Ah, no had some decent results.

 

[Granville57]

One question the skybots never seem to be able to answer, without it drawing laughter, is telling us another rider in cycling history who has improved as dramatically as froomey...

Which begs the question: How is that Froome had projected himself as possibly going on to win seven (SEVEN!!!) TdFs? Does he, in his inimitable, humble ways, assume that he is such a rare creature that no one else like him could possibly come along in the midst of the seven year reign to upset his destiny? Or was he thinking that his possible seven Tour victories would be spread over the span of 10 to 15 years, thereby allowing for some other, equally talented mutant to share in the glory?

So what was he thinking, and what is his self-assesment? That no one else could possibly work as hard as him over the course of at least seven years? Or that no matter what, his good friend Richie Porte would never be able to overtake him as a rival? Or that, in the time period, no other young and-as-yet-undiscovered talent would possibly emerge to unseat him? Or that he's just such a bada$$ that through sheer will and determination (and a few timely puffs on his inhaler) that he would scorch anyone who dared to tread on his path to cycling immortality?

I mean, just WTF was his rationale behind such a projected vision of himself?

Is he just laughing at the rest of the entire peloton both current and future?!?!?!

 

[Dear Wiggo]

This "7 GTs" focus sounds very similar to the statements sprinkled here and there along the lines of, "Brad was going to win the final TT and overall in 2012 anyway, so why not let me get some time back?".

Now, I understand being confident, but this is taking it to a ridiculous level, surely?

It aligns perfectly with McQuaid's slip of the tongue about attending the end of Tour Sky part- er winner's party.

W.T.F!?

 

[deviant]

One question the skybots never seem to be able to answer, without it drawing laughter, is telling us another rider in cycling history who has improved as dramatically as froomey...

OK I'll play along.

Could his dramatic improvement be due to the fact that he was riding for an underfunded cycling nation (Kenya) during his early career and then had his first pro tour level experiences with Barloworld instead of one of the bigger, better funded and more organised teams?

Going on from this his early erratic form at Sky was due to illness in the form of Bilharzia but once this was dealt with and he wasn't fatigued and could train properly his form dramatically improved and he started winning.

There that was easy.... and no more outlandish than some of the cloak and dagger, conspiracy nonsense that prevails on here.

 

[BYOP88]

OK I'll play along.

Could his dramatic improvement be due to the fact that he was riding for an underfunded cycling nation (Kenya) during his early career and then had his first pro tour level experiences with Barloworld instead of one of the bigger, better funded and more organised teams?

Going on from this his early erratic form at Sky was due to illness in the form of Bilharzia but once this was dealt with and he wasn't fatigued and could train properly his form dramatically improved and he started winning.

There that was easy.... and no more outlandish than some of the cloak and dagger, conspiracy nonsense that prevails on here.

That's all well and good but according to Froome's book and stuff he said before 'he' wrote it, he was putting up killer numbers during training whilst he had Bilharzia.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

OK I'll play along.

Could his dramatic improvement be due to the fact that he was riding for an underfunded cycling nation (Kenya) during his early career and then had his first pro tour level experiences with Barloworld instead of one of the bigger, better funded and more organised teams?

Going on from this his early erratic form at Sky was due to illness in the form of Bilharzia but once this was dealt with and he wasn't fatigued and could train properly his form dramatically improved and he started winning.

There that was easy.... and no more outlandish than some of the cloak and dagger, conspiracy nonsense that prevails on here.

Nope.

Given Sky didn't stick Froome in a wind tunnel, nor do VO2max testing, nor do health checks that detect bilharzia - you know, the riddled bit where you bleed when you pee, I fail to see what additional funding would impact on someone whose world beating VO2max, efficiency and % of VO2max sustainable for 30+ minutes at a time would gain from being on a team with more moneys or organisational ability.

Sleep and fresh food are available to everyone at that level.

Even pineapple juice and pillows.

No, I don't think, other than buying out multi-million dollar contracts, that being well funded allows you anything.

Unless you believe the PR that somehow Sky turned an also ran into a world beater?

 

[Granville57]

Could his dramatic improvement be due to the fact that he was riding for an underfunded cycling nation (Kenya) during his early career and then had his first pro tour level experiences with Barloworld instead of one of the bigger, better funded and more organised teams?

Could you elaborate just a bit on the bolded? How would being "better funded and more organized" have an effect on Chris's awesome natural talents?

And please, please, please, please don't cite the diminished turbulence advantage due to the placement of the rear derailleur cable on the new Pinarello Dogma. Please.


[Edit]
Oh, yeah, and what Dear Wiggo just said above.

 

[ralphbert]

You guys are conveniently forgetting the nuttela ban and aero seat post bolts.

 

[42x16ss]

Could you elaborate just a bit on the bolded? How would being "better funded and more organized" have an effect on Chris's awesome natural talents?

And please, please, please, please don't cite the diminished turbulence advantage due to the placement of the rear derailleur cable on the new Pinarello Dogma. Please.


[Edit]
Oh, yeah, and what Dear Wiggo just said above.

Hey, come on! We all know that Barloworld held back the likes of Augustyn, Soler, Gasparotto, Hunter, Thomas etc. If they went somewhere else first who knows where they'd have ended up

And don't knock the Pinarello's! They are so good that Movistar switched to Canyon just to keep things fair

 

[Saint Unix]

OK I'll play along.

Could his dramatic improvement be due to the fact that he was riding for an underfunded cycling nation (Kenya) during his early career and then had his first pro tour level experiences with Barloworld instead of one of the bigger, better funded and more organised teams?

Going on from this his early erratic form at Sky was due to illness in the form of Bilharzia but once this was dealt with and he wasn't fatigued and could train properly his form dramatically improved and he started winning.

There that was easy.... and no more outlandish than some of the cloak and dagger, conspiracy nonsense that prevails on here.

So the secret to riding as fast as proven dopers is to have funding for training and equipment and to be healthy?

Why hasn't the entire pro peloton thought of this yet? Ground-breaking stuff.

 

[sittingbison]

hehe

ermmmm....arent the hardest climbs hors category? Outside??

 

[Digger]

OK I'll play along.

Could his dramatic improvement be due to the fact that he was riding for an underfunded cycling nation (Kenya) during his early career and then had his first pro tour level experiences with Barloworld instead of one of the bigger, better funded and more organised teams?

Going on from this his early erratic form at Sky was due to illness in the form of Bilharzia but once this was dealt with and he wasn't fatigued and could train properly his form dramatically improved and he started winning.

There that was easy.... and no more outlandish than some of the cloak and dagger, conspiracy nonsense that prevails on here.

Yeah, sounds plausible. My bad.

 

[sniper]

hehe

ermmmm....arent the hardest climbs hors category? Outside??

correctemundo
plus, that definition (like some of the other dedinitions) was copy pasted from another website. (put it between ".." and you'll find it)
this book breathes expertise.

 

[Pies&Booze]

You can imagine Einstein Porte bounding into the breakfast room; "Hey guys Basso has just been asking about our protein shakes! You can buy protein anywhere but he wants the ones we have. Not sure why but he was just asking me?"

.....followed by the everyone looking down into their cereal

Just fell off my chair laughing.

Einstein Porte bounding !!! What you having for breakfast ?

I would love to see some of the quotes in this thread make it on to some roadside banners at the Tour.

 

[thehog]

Just fell off my chair laughing.

Einstein Porte bounding !!! What you having for breakfast ?

I would love to see some of the quotes in this thread make it on to some roadside banners at the Tour.

If Irish Corner can get make up two huge banners I'll be well pleased.

The first, "How's the coffee, Alberto ?"

and

"My futures so bright I need my Oakley shades".

Or maybe I'll go myself to the Tour and create "The Greg Henderson Appreciation corner"?