The Sky-Con-O-Meter. Predictions on how much more ridiculous they can get

[Cobblestones]

Okay, help me out here, I'm trying to think about what teams are or not more ridiculous than the current Sky train from the past 15 years or so:

1. Gewiss LBL 1 2 3 on Ferarri's "orange juice"
2. US Postal Blue Train
3. T-Mobile Freiburg clinic advertisement
4. Phonak full team bust and fold (15 to 1 T/E yo!)
5. ONCE? Manolo all by himself more ridiculous?
6. Domo Farm Frites PR 1 2 3 (Knaven representin')
7. Festina (Tears of a Richard)

I dunno, it's all so silly at this point.

This tour reminds me most of the 1996 edition with Riis and Ulle on the podium. At one point, Jan had joined a breakaway and was in virtual yellow. It was clear then that Jan was the better rider (or let's say responder), and of course he won the following year. I get the same kind of feeling from Wigans and Froome.

And of course, Zabel won Green those years.

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

This tour reminds me most of the 1996 edition with Riis and Ulle on the podium. At one point, Jan had joined a breakaway and was in virtual yellow. It was clear then that Jan was the better rider (or let's say responder), and of course he won the following year. I get the same kind of feeling from Wigans and Froome.

And of course, Zabel won Green those years.

No, he was far less doped up than the ultimate donkey that is Barney Reese. At least if you believe what D'Hont had to say about the two of them. Makes sense when you compare their results in -97 after the introduction of the 50% limit.

 

[Cobblestones]

No, he was far less doped up than the ultimate donkey that is Barney Reese. At least if you believe what D'Hont had to say about the two of them. Makes sense when you compare their results in -97 after the introduction of the 50% limit.

A better responder is someone who shows more effect or needs less dope. So, yeah, that´s what I said.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Okay, help me out here, I'm trying to think about what teams are or not more ridiculous than the current Sky train from the past 15 years or so:

1. Gewiss LBL 1 2 3 on Ferarri's "orange juice"
2. US Postal Blue Train
3. T-Mobile Freiburg clinic advertisement
4. Phonak full team bust and fold (15 to 1 T/E yo!)
5. ONCE? Manolo all by himself more ridiculous?
6. Domo Farm Frites PR 1 2 3 (Knaven representin')
7. Festina (Tears of a Richard)

I dunno, it's all so silly at this point.

LA-MSS, Vuelta a Asturias & GP PAD, 2008 - two straight races they locked out the podium.

CSF-Navigare, 2008 Giro - winning the teams Classification by nearly an hour, winning four stages and a jersey, placing 3 guys in the top 12 of GC and owning every mountain stage including a 1-2 on the queen stage... all this after starting the race a man down because Richeze failed a drugs test.

 

[icefire]

That'll only happen if Wiggins doesn't fancy the sprint.

Wiggins sprint? He'll attack before entering the Champs Elysees and will do all laps in pursuit mode

 

[Christian]

I can be pretty damned confident about it. I was confident with Stephen Schumacher. Same with Ricco and Armstrong and Indurain. We have seen this farce too many times.

Forget Wiggins. Rogers is the tell.

Don't get me wrong Bro - I hate Sky as much as the next guy, probably even more - but listing the ones you've been confident about and who got caught doesn't really say much when you leave out all those that you've been confident about and who haven't been exposed (yet)

 

[ellenbrook2001]

Sky

well do i miss something here FROOM did much of the work in front ,then had a rest on the back then WIGGINS took over then again FROOM did the tempo then drop everyone just too test hes legs hmmm i really do not understand at all the SKY team make a mockery too others riders ,what a joke has the others riders of SKY some did nothing or never win a race for 2 years then you see them make a fast tempo on the moutain and dropping CADEL do not be surprised at the last time trial the first 3 will be the SKY team ,then they will say we train more we are smart ,all make me laugh then i am sure none of them will have a bad day .even FROOM do a very fast time trial they will tell him too slown down he cannot win the tour the france hes not a pure british,i remenber years ago on the time trial too SAINT EMILLION they has too tell ULRICH too slown down too let hes leader too win??
the most upsetting and hadr too understant since the beginning of the year SKY win all the grand tour ,he has been a very long year but they still performingcannot wait next year tour de france with CONTATOR will see what the SKY team can do?

 

[usedtobefast]

Don't get me wrong Bro - I hate Sky as much as the next guy, probably even more - but listing the ones you've been confident about and who got caught doesn't really say much when you leave out all those that you've been confident about and who haven't been exposed (yet)

as some have said, i think Cav and Bernie may be the odd men out on that team.
i just get that feeling from them.
as for the others, the are well "prepared"
the very best, for sure.

 

[spetsa]

as some have said, i think Cav and Bernie may be the odd men out on that team.
i just get that feeling from them.
as for the others, the are well "prepared"
the very best, for sure.

Cav will get his chance to shine at the Olympics. He'll will be the only sprinter to be at the front at the end and his train will ride in 4th and 5th. Brailsford isn't going to let this stop at the end of the TdF. What's another week?

 

[BroDeal]

Cav will get his chance to shine at the Olympics. He'll will be the only sprinter to be at the front at the end and his train will ride in 4th and 5th. Brailsford isn't going to let this stop at the end of the TdF. What's another week?

It makes you wonder whether riders like Boonen are watching what is happening at the Tour then deciding they need to break out the big time gear. It's 2005 again.

 

[spetsa]

It makes you wonder whether riders like Boonen are watching what is happening at the Tour then deciding they need to break out the big time gear. It's 2005 again.

It won't just be the contenders, look for Millar to have a super fast TT next week. That will be a tell.

 

[Koba80]

Although I only bothered to register this week, I've been following this forum for maybe 5 or 6 years, and I'd like to say this is the funniest thread I have ever read on here. Please keep it going...

The "pulling a wheelie on both wheels" and, in particular, the 'PuertoBus' are the funniest things I've seen online since someone once said Nadal/AC/Spanish football's dominance was proof Spain is the cleanest country in world sport.

Sirs, Chapeau!

 

[Koba80]

Ok. I'll try...

2007 MR and AC are released up the final MTF with a 5-minute headstart only for Rogers and Porte to pass them within 300m of uphill while riding store-bought mountain bikes, with stabilizers, and only pausing for breath once those erstwhile upstanding clean racers ahead of them - AND their fans - admit they actually did something wrong.

I'm new, ok...

 

[BroDeal]

Teams will reupholster their saddles with giant testosterone patches so the riders have a fighting chance of hanging on to the back of the Sky train. Virgins within forty kilometers of the race route will be warned to stay indoors.

 

[hiero2]

I can be pretty damned confident about it. I was confident with Stephen Schumacher. Same with Ricco and Armstrong and Indurain. We have seen this farce too many times.

Forget Wiggins. Rogers is the tell.

+1. Count me in. "We have seen this farce . . ."

Another tell, for me - has been noticed and mentioned in other threads - but not really highlighted. Fat content - % body fat. Back when I was a young man, we discussed % body fat. It was pretty well known that to get ripped, body builders had to get down to less than 9% body fat - but that level could not be maintained in good health. Yet, in the last two decades, I have seen several sports where the athletes regularly dip this low in body fat% - pro wrestling, MMA come to mind first. Sports where steroid use is well known, somewhat documented, and not really cared about.

Seeing photos of Froome 2 years ago, and this year, tho - bring the same images to mind. I don't know what his program is, but he must be on a program to maintain such low levels of body fat %, and stay healthy. The definition wasn't there 2 years ago. For those who are less familiar with this - don't look at the legs - you will get def in the legs. Look at the arms and the face. It isn't just the race stress causing this - it is too early in the race for that kind of response, I think.

 

[mewmewmew13]

ellenbrook2001 I think you make a valid point there.
It will be interesting when contador comes back. He is fun to watch.

 

[blackcat]

+1. Count me in. "We have seen this farce . . ."

Another tell, for me - has been noticed and mentioned in other threads - but not really highlighted. Fat content - % body fat. Back when I was a young man, we discussed % body fat. It was pretty well known that to get ripped, body builders had to get down to less than 9% body fat - but that level could not be maintained in good health. Yet, in the last two decades, I have seen several sports where the athletes regularly dip this low in body fat% - pro wrestling, MMA come to mind first. Sports where steroid use is well known, somewhat documented, and not really cared about.

Seeing photos of Froome 2 years ago, and this year, tho - bring the same images to mind. I don't know what his program is, but he must be on a program to maintain such low levels of body fat %, and stay healthy. The definition wasn't there 2 years ago. For those who are less familiar with this - don't look at the legs - you will get def in the legs. Look at the arms and the face. It isn't just the race stress causing this - it is too early in the race for that kind of response, I think.

should be an inverse r/ship.

bodyfat to power.

"losing bf, losing weight" versus "training program demanded" for event like Tour. You need lots of calories to ride 200kms a day in the alps or pyrenees, to come to Tour with a tilt for yellow. Cant lose 8kg, without losing top end condition eh

If Canc lost 8kgs, he would struggle to make the time cut in the chrono.

Wiggins has improved his chrono... hehehehe <channel bigboats laff>


But it is NOT just Sky, and just Brailsford. They may'a lucked out, a la 99, when Armstrong profited on the Festina phenomenon, the doping downturn in 99, cos of Festina in 98. Everyone did less, took less risks, but no doubt, Zulle et al, were STILL on gear. Thats what they do, its their raison d'etr, its existential.

So, this year, Sky have (ironically) hit it, when there is a doping downturn in the peloton, see the Yanks. But even the Shlecks, Rolf Sorenson obviously aint in charge of their progam any more.

So, like 99, when Armstrong hit the race full tilt, the Sky team, are coming in at full tilt, when everyone is backing off. Why is everyone backing off. Armstrong

 

[zlev11]

nah there's nothing abnormal about this dudes weight at all

 

[blackcat]

aicar, clen, or the equivalent, something to have the metabolism at F! rocket fuel levels 24seven

lose some weight you fat 8astard

 

[zlev11]

it must be my own bone-idleness that prevents me from getting down to 4% body fat like Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins

 

[hiero2]

.. Wiggins is on a new fancy drug, it will take around 3-6 years before there will be a test for it and then your opinion nor mine will matter anyway.

Yeah. Agreed. Aicar? **** quai? A different hundred variants of EPO?

/vomit/

 

[BroDeal]

 

[blackcat]

Yeah. Agreed. Aicar? **** quai? A different hundred variants of EPO?

/vomit/

hey, how many Aussies, or Brits here, Brits that watch Neighbours.

Aussies in Melbourne and surrounds, the actor Ryan Maloney is selling a diet food delivery company, advertisements.

Light and Easy.

He is on something. Something to aid metabolism, and perhaps a little hgh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M34TVVMv260

He was a corpulent dude, now he is just "heavy boned". A bit like the Seth Rogen. The Canuck comedian/actor. But I reckon Seth just stopped eating and drinking, to take advantage of his fame and groupie status Gees I luv Seth. Especially good in Sarah Pollleys serious film.

 

[blackcat]

toadfish @ Light And Easy.


http://success.liteneasy.com.au/index.php/success-stories/ryan-alison/

 

[blackcat]

The Ant and the Grasshopper, also known as The Grasshopper and the Ant (or Ants), is one of Aesop's Fables, providing an ambivalent moral lesson about the virtues of hard work and planning for the future.