Tirreno - Adriatico Stage 4, Narni -> Prati Di Tivo, 173 kms (09/03/2013)

[ferryman]

So the future of cycling is one where Purito is seen as a guy who 'goes from afar'. Cool.

One mans definition of drafting is anothers wheelsucking.

 

[roundabout]

I am happy for Castroviejo. Still won't be a GT rider, but a good ride on a 40 minute climb in a strong field.

 

[spalco]

One mans definition of drafting is anothers wheelsucking.

It's not wheelsucking when you're drafting off your teammate imo.

 

[Publicus]

I'm coming to accept that Froome will win against Contador but Wiggins too?

Froome is the favorite to win the tour. That's certain...

It's about Sky's fitness level. We already know the Wiggins can push higher watts than Contador and for a much longer period of time. I think the only thing that will keep Contador competitive is his ability to recover. That's, in my opinion, how he won the Vuelta (he was just fresher than everyone that day). You would think the other teams would start developing new training to be able to neutralize what is working for Sky, but so far no luck.

Brailsford (sp) has to be the best manager/trainer in the business. Just amazing what he's been able to build with this team (top to bottom fitness really is great).

 

[El Pistolero]

It's the only efficient tactic. Changing the rules is the response to take if people don't like spectacle anymore, but for the moment, that was much more exciting and uncertain that a 2009 Bertie attack where the stage ends with 4km to go. Anyone claiming they knew Froome would win with 1500m to go is full of ****.

Everyone knew Froome was going to win. Do you have eyes? Last few years every cyclist at Sky is riding at extremely high level.

Try and look for Froome posts on this forum before 2011 Vuelta. You can count them on one hand.

 

[BillytheKid]

let's be honest, unless the gradient is above 10% for a consistent period of time it's impossible to gain a lot of time on the sky train.
Bad feeling in tour prospective.

I agree it might be possible, but it's like a lottery, someone will win, but many will fail and the mindset is taking the better odds. Still, you might see it evolve on a climb like this as there is no other solution.

 

[Miburo]

Brailsford (sp) has to be the best manager/trainer in the business. Just amazing what he's been able to build with this team (top to bottom fitness really is great).

Sarcasm?

 

[will10]

It's the only efficient tactic. Changing the rules is the response to take if people don't like spectacle anymore, but for the moment, that was much more exciting and uncertain that a 2009 Bertie attack where the stage ends with 4km to go. Anyone claiming they knew Froome would win with 1500m to go is full of ****.

I posted some fairly obvious clues

 

[rhubroma]

Froomey: team was amazing, they're the reason I was fresher than the other riders in the end.

Nibbles: I hoped Contador could help me more when I attacked but he probably didn't have the legs.

I don't like this cycling. Sky's dominance is unsettling, especially in moment like this.

I can appreciate the tactical prowess and the racing intelligence, though I don't like the way Froome wins, just as I didn’t enjoy Wiggins at the last Tour...always waiting, sitting on the wheels of teammates, capitalizing on their work and his rivals efforts, never looking at his rivals in the face and attacking from far out. Boring, calculating, unromantic, robotic. No man vs. man slug fight. At least Pharmstrong used to attack from several kilometers out when the moment was right, hence this is even worse than Postal. Long gone are the days of Hinault, though even Pantani. At least Alberto is of their ilk, a real matador.

Now Contador must change his tactics. He's still the most explosive climber, though with power outputs like those generated by Sky, he should now wait till Froome attacks at the end and then go with him. But this just isn't the Spaniard's style and we can thank him for it, though it is no longer gaining the desired results.

Great fight Nibali. Santambrogio was a real warrior today.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

It's the only efficient tactic. Changing the rules is the response to take if people don't like spectacle anymore, but for the moment, that was much more exciting and uncertain that a 2009 Bertie attack where the stage ends with 4km to go. Anyone claiming they knew Froome would win with 1500m to go is full of ****.

Come on. It was obvious that Froome had a very good chance from that point onwards. He's quite explosive.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Everyone knew Froome was going to win. Do you have eyes? Last few years every cyclist at Sky is riding at extremely high level.

Try and look for Froome posts on this forum before 2011 Vuelta. You can count them on one hand.

Q.E.D.

When he was 75 yards behind, still relying on uran, with 1500m to go and the front 3 looking good, only someone fulfilling the criteria I previously mentioned, which you do indeed effortlessly fulfill, could claim you were certain he would win.

 

[El Pistolero]

Q.E.D.

When he was 75 yards behind, still relying on uran, with 1500m to go and the front 3 looking good, only someone fulfilling the criteria I previously mentioned, which you do indeed effortlessly fulfill, could claim you were certain he would win.

He does this all the freaking time, watch a bike race please.

 

[ILovecycling]

Very good performace by Sky and awesome Froomey!In this battles with Froome,Alberto should just sit behind him and save energy to ONE all out attack and not earlier than 2km before the line.Its only strategy to beat Sky IMO

 

[Ferminal]

Given the way he made Nibali and Contador **** in Oman with his acceleration I'm sure many people were expecting it as soon as he bridged.

 

[Miburo]

Given the way he made Nibali and Contador **** in Oman with his acceleration I'm sure many people were expecting it as soon as he bridged.

Yeah obviously

 

[Publicus]

Sarcasm?

Not being sarcastic. I'm using Porte and Rogers as my examples. The common factor is that they've performed the best under Brailsford. Riis is supposed to be phenomenal but so far he was unable to extract the best from either. Maybe Contador should look to move over to Sky in 2014--to learn from the best.

 

[ILovecycling]

He does this all the freaking time, watch a bike race please.

Agree,its pretty clear what Froome will do in MTF stage

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Given the way he made Nibali and Contador **** in Oman with his acceleration I'm sure many people were expecting it as soon as he bridged.

Yes, i'm talking about 500m before when he was behind and not yet closing.

 

[hfer07]

what bothers me the most isn't that Froome won the Stage-is THE HOW- When AC, Nibs & Santambrogio crossed the last K mark, the aerial view unveiled how "ridiculous" the SKY scam works-everyone is at that point was choking while Froome was just led to them within a couple meters, so he could just drop the life out of the competition like nothing....

too much SKY BS to the point that I'm even starting to dislike my own countrymen Uran & Henao for being part of it

 

[ILovecycling]

Not being sarcastic. I'm using Porte and Rogers as my examples. The common factor is that they've performed the best under Brailsford. Riis is supposed to be phenomenal but so far he was unable to extract the best from either. Maybe Contador should look to move over to Sky in 2014--to learn from the best.

I would rather die than see Alberto in sky

 

[Miburo]

Yes, i'm talking about 500m before when he was behind and not yet closing.

He wasn't in the lead then. Still his teammate, he obviously still had a vroome moment left

 

[Ferminal]

Yes, i'm talking about 500m before when he was behind and not yet closing.

Well you're right then, at that point I thought he may have been leaving it too late.

 

[BillytheKid]

Sarcasm?

Froome like Porte yesterday was very good, but I would not say that was total destruction. Racing at it's best.

 

[will10]

Froome like Porte yesterday was very good, but I would not say that was total destruction.

That's ok then.

 

[airstream]

Obviously what Sky is doing must be trainable... Froome rode at a consistent high rate the entire mountain and then had enough to launch the decisive attack with 750 meters to go. What's the proper strategy/tactics to combat that? Ride at a higher average pace than they are comfortable? I'm just at a loss to figure out how the other GT riders can compete...

I'm sure in the Tour we will see a more team equality between Sky and Saxo, because all this brigade will go to the Giro and Froome will go to the Tour with
leftovers of that team. The battle in the mountains will be very tight.