Tour de France - Stage 8, 195km - Castres / Ax 3 Domaines, July 6th

[movingtarget]

Who cares about offended fans of other riders? Many people warned about Froome and said that the beast would be released from the cell for the 1st time and he will fire. What did people reply? They refused to acknowledge Froome's power that prefered hide behind stupid improper 'train' argument while they didn't believe in it themselves. It was entirely logical win.

Naturally, in my view 1 45' doesn't illustrate a precise difference between climber Froome and climber Contador. However, when one's prepared superb and the other one is prepared in a mediocre way, we are doomed to get such a picture. When Contador smashed all at Etna, many of you even didn't think about saying Nibali had a bad day or something, because you handled those 50' sec like a natural state of things. So take yesterday's result like natural outcome too.


I'd rather say it's not a weak competition, it's a new competition. Probably Mollema is ready to fight for top 5 which is a big surprise.




Contador is a product of the same (a bit lesser, though) but HUUUGE sensation of 2007, so you just try to justify your dislike\



Honestl like TANK91 I'm shocked too. To like your rider sooooo much in order not to admit all the others. It's definetely some childish vision. Cycling fans don't do like that. You just like your riders and yourself in love towards your riders. Cycling is secondary for you because you like cycling only when your riders win.

The fact is that Contador has been off his game all year. He did not look great in the Dauphine either. Contador says he is feeling good and hopes to peak in the third week so the fans get their hopes up. Froome has looked good all year as has Porte. I was not surprised by Froome's performance today but surprised by his rivals. It's the Sky team as a unit that surprised me. Everyone looked strong from Sky and like Evans says, when a team is riding like that it does not leave you many options. Porte's rider was as good as Froome almost. The fact that he could still ride away from riders like Contador who must have had an off day. First mountain stage often effects a few GC riders but this was just a massacre. No one expected such a decisive result and for the Sky rivals to lose so much time. Sky obviously decided to test the waters and found that many of their rivals are maybe not as good as they have been telling the media. Plus it was a long hot stage and the weather also plays a part as well. if some riders are struggling, the heat just makes it even worse.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Who cares about offended fans of other riders? Many people warned about Froome and said that the beast would be released from the cell for the 1st time and he will fire. What did people reply? They refused to acknowledge Froome's power that prefered hide behind stupid improper 'train' argument while they didn't believe in it themselves. It was entirely logical win.

Naturally, in my view 1 45' doesn't illustrate a precise difference between climber Froome and climber Contador. However, when one's prepared superb and the other one is prepared in a mediocre way, we are doomed to get such a picture. When Contador smashed all at Etna, many of you even didn't think about saying Nibali had a bad day or something, because you handled those 50' sec like a natural state of things. So take yesterday's result like natural outcome too.


I'd rather say it's not a weak competition, it's a new competition. Probably Mollema is ready to fight for top 5 which is a big surprise.




Contador is a product of the same (a bit lesser, though) but HUUUGE sensation of 2007, so you just try to justify your dislike\



Honestl like TANK91 I'm shocked too. To like your rider sooooo much in order not to admit all the others. It's definetely some childish vision. Cycling fans don't do like that. You just like your riders and yourself in love towards your riders. Cycling is secondary for you because you like cycling only when your riders win.

Respected Sir, please tell me for us those that who are not a fan of contador but still question Froome/Sky is cycling secondary for us.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

You're just making sh*t up.

"we all know"?? How dare you presume to speak for everyone, you ****. You sure as hell don't speak for me.

If Contador had gone head to head with Froome, and they both ended up with the same time as today - 3rd best on the all time list for the climb, 6.5 W/kg, at the level of Armstrong at his peak, or if Contador had achieved those results solo, he would be getting roasted here.

Your straw man is disingenuous BS. With the number of people that now have the ability to analyze times and come up with reasonable approximations of power levels in relation to what is possible doped vs non-doped, there is no way Contador beating Froome by a few seconds on this climb would generate dis-proportionate levels of outrage.

Go to the clinic and address the facts and numbers as they stand.
Mods note that I am not introducing clinic accusations here, just pointing out Tank's BS that a performance from Contador similar to Froome's today would be treated differently.

And of course FoxyBrown calls your tripe a "good summary".

Exactly right.

 

[armchairclimber]

Are the mods on holiday? (no, I don't mean Wiggo). This thread pretty much became a clinic thread from the moment Froome rode away.

 

[movingtarget]

Are the mods on holiday? (no, I don't mean Wiggo). This thread pretty much became a clinic thread from the moment Froome rode away.

True of course. It seems the sanctioned are more popular than the unsanctioned until the unsanctioned are sanctioned. Try saying that three times quickly.

 

[pastronef]

Accuse Sky of being boring setting tempo for a timetrialist but when they attack its still not good enough. One thing for sure no Froome and Porte today then what a great stage it would have been lol It would have been Valverde, Mollema and Ten Dam top 3, you see how funny that looks.

better Froome than Valverde. Where are all the clinic experts throwing mud at Valverde?

 

[movingtarget]

better Froome than Valverde. Where are all the clinic experts throwing mud at Valverde?

Hiding behind their so called neutral views on the sport.

 

[airstream]

Respected Sir, please tell me for us those that who are not a fan of contador but still question Froome/Sky is cycling secondary for us.

OK. I was adressing my post to everyone who usually writes here something like 'FROOME??! run away to the clinic...' after his wins.

 

[SKSemtex]

Nice stage. Unfortunately too decisive for stage No. 8.

Froome and Porte - too good - lets call them 1-2 from now on
Skytrain - unbreakable in these type of stages = unbreakable in TdF for few years to come...unless somebody disclose the Sky magical training program.

Quintana - what a talent, very nice climbing - what a pity he did not stay with 1-2 till last possible moment - there are some better stages out there for him.
Contador - it must be hard for him - he knows he can do better and he will do for sure next year - I hope.
Kreuziger - nice surprice for me - I have not seen him as grand tour GC so far - I hope he can stay with best even next two weeks.

This was my first live tour - unfortunately I have to go back - what a vacation - what a tour these 8 days.

 

[The Eggman]

I'm no Skyfan, but I must say I find the current incarnation of Sky a heap more exciting than the 2012 version.

Expecting the mods to be busy here....

I can also see why Quintana has gotten so much hype. That was a cool ride from him

 

[laziali]

excellent display of "massive marginal gains"

 

[spookyload]

I truly am excited for Sky. I can't wait to see what second rate domestique will become the next great Tour rider. Nothing like going from nowhere to a tour runner up in a couple years. Man this whole Tour de France thing has gotten too easy, if you race for Sky.

 

[Ripper]

Are the mods on holiday? (no, I don't mean Wiggo). This thread pretty much became a clinic thread from the moment Froome rode away.

I doubt very much that almost anything related to Froome would not suit a clinic thread.

Just saying ...

 

[Pricey_sky]

I truly am excited for Sky. I can't wait to see what second rate domestique will become the next great Tour rider. Nothing like going from nowhere to a tour runner up in a couple years. Man this whole Tour de France thing has gotten too easy, if you race for Sky.

It's already known that Peter Kennaugh will be the next in line for TDF glory. After what he's shown already I wouldn't call him second rate though. With Thomas still not feeling great after his crash PK is massively valued now.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Hiding behind their so called neutral views on the sport.

Yes, we believe he is clean.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

better Froome than Valverde. Where are all the clinic experts throwing mud at Valverde?

Well, if you find anyone defending velverde saying that he is clean..can you show the post?. If ricco wasn't caught you would be saying he is clean.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I doubt very much that almost anything related to Froome would not suit a clinic thread.

Just saying ...

You could arguably say that about any winner of any bike race then if people are that tarred by what has happened in the past. Where do you draw the line?

Just saying...

 

[Cimber]

Ahem

You are all watching a great new era of cycling folks, Chris Froome has arrived and hes gonna being tearing s**t up for a long time, sit back and enjoy a proper cyclist

I am gonna enjoy Froome just as much as I enjoyed Armstrong

 

[Cimber]

You could arguably say that about any winner of any bike race then if people are that tarred by what has happened in the past. Where do you draw the line?

Just saying...

When you beat the time of almost everyone from a very dirty era thats definately beyond the line

 

[Pricey_sky]

When you beat the time of almost everyone from a very dirty era thats definately beyond the line

Understandable but only 30 seconds faster than Samu in 2010. That's not a great deal really considering how Kennaugh then Porte drilled the first 3k's of the climb.

 

[pastronef]

Well, if you find anyone defending velverde saying that he is clean..can you show the post?. If ricco wasn't caught you would be saying he is clean.

no no, I don't care about Ricco. but at least Valverde has a well known history on dope behind him. I am not looking for the post that defends him, but looking for the post that accuses him like Froome. and I still have to find it on this thread.

 

[Normandy]

Are the mods on holiday? (no, I don't mean Wiggo). This thread pretty much became a clinic thread from the moment Froome rode away.

Totally agree. I read this thread before seeing the race on the highlights and even then I was surprised at how the race went. Difficult to say anything about the stage not clinic related.

Why is it still the Sticky thread for the TDF?

 

[Alphabet]

I quite liked Quintana's attack. Great panache, and poor form on Porte's part to disrespect him like that.

 

[spookyload]

It's already known that Peter Kennaugh will be the next in line for TDF glory. After what he's shown already I wouldn't call him second rate though. With Thomas still not feeling great after his crash PK is massively valued now.

I don't know about Kennaugh, but I did hear there was a continental pro who got 12th in a flat British road race that Sky has their eye on as the 2016 Tour champion.

 

[spalco]

no no, I don't care about Ricco. but at least Valverde has a well known history on dope behind him. I am not looking for the post that defends him, but looking for the post that accuses him like Froome. and I still have to find it on this thread.

Absolutely, the hypocrisy is mystifying - convicted returned dopers good, neverconvicted bad.

I understand the love for Quintana, but the outpouring of sarcasm about Froome on what really was an attack that was to be expected (and many people did predict actually) seems more than a little artificial and arbitrary.