What stage will Chris Froome Pop?

[RiccoDinko]

Stage 15 : The Ventoux

Stage 18: Alpe d'Huez

Stage 19: Le Grand Bornard

Stage 20: Anarchy at Annecy

 

[Zam_Olyas]

At the worlds.

 

[User Guide]

I voted for
pop or be popped?
clean everyones clocks,chance has passed

 

[Dutchsmurf]

At the worlds.

This is probably the closest option.

 

[Ferminal]

I voted for the typo.

 

[BigMac]

If he doesn't bur everyone in the ITT'S Alpe D'Huez might be a key factor. If the Alien comes alone in first climb, there might be a chance of other teams to make him Porte v2, dropping him in that same first climb, gaining the needed advantage to discuss the win in Alpe D'Huez. This might work in an early stage tho. This might be my dream tho. This might not happen.

 

[Afrank]

He won't pop, but if he does it will be either Annecy or Alpe du Huez. I vote Alpe, since it's more of a revered climb and may be ridden harder.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

No way Froome will pop.

 

[Pentacycle]

What is 'popping a stage'?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Froome will pop.... The champagne in Paris

If he is likely to pop it will be the final mountain stage after the previous days were races hard.

 

[Pippo_San]

What is 'popping a stage'?

Really the OP should explain himself. Maybe he should go to the toilet to pop?

 

[burning]

He will do a wheelie at Paris, maybe that will be a "pop"

 

[Alpechraxler]

He will pop when his ego will not allow Nieve to go for a stage.

 

[cineteq]

As soon as Ventoux. He'll follow similar pattern as 2012 Vuelta.

 

[ILovecycling]

Bornard,early fireworks on Madeleine then carnage.Tho i dont think it will be enough to beat him.

 

[Gugashwill]

I voted for the typo.

If "pop" means losing some time to other podium contenders, than it might just be the stage.
But I doubt it will be that much to turn the pop into "losing the Tour".

The descent down the Sarenne is another place where he could lose some time, but I wouldn't call that the pop. By any means.

 

[Gloin22]

As soon as Ventoux. He'll follow similar pattern as 2012 Vuelta.

Oh god, your comments are liquid gold.

If you just save 10% of your qoutes, you'd have some laughing material for some hours at least

 

[cineteq]

Oh god, your comments are liquid gold.

If you just save 10% of your qoutes, you'd have some laughing material for some hours at least

Thanks, keep them handy.

 

[airstream]

After TT Froome will have to mark only Contador and Valverde so it would be difficult to exploit a team resource against him given he will very likely have a comfortable 3 30'' - 4 min gap. Though, Sky got a strong lesson on Sunday. I tend to think Froome will lead a defensive race from Mont Ventoux, but taking an Alpe-d'Huez stage is in his plans for sure.

 

[sprenten]

Bornard,early fireworks on Madeleine then carnage.Tho i dont think it will be enough to beat him.

If Froome is clean this is the best answer so far I have seen, it is either of the HC climbs on Stage 19 or the 2nd time up Alpe the previous day. I think he loses time the 2nd time up Alpe, but not anything significant as the previous days time trial will be hurting everyone. Losing time on Ventoux is possible, but only if a doper wants to let the cat out of the bag with something close to an ascent record, Froome should be about 60-90s off the Armstrong ascent records of both Ventoux and Le Alpe. We have to assume Froome gained some fitness between Dauphine and Tour and others did not. Still wherever Froome pops assuming it is not Ventoux or 1st time up Alpe it will be hard to beat him if he takes more than 90+ seconds out of his climbing rivals in the Mont St. Michael ITT. It's possible he takes another 30-60s in the Chorges ITT. I just don't think Froome can be beat unless he crashes or goes 10 minutes off the back going up the Madeleline or the first time up the Alpe. You are looking at maximum possible time losses of 30s on Ventoux, 60-90s on Alpe, and 45-90s up Annecy given current fitness and VAM profiles of the riders in the top 14 of the GC and when you factor in the 2 time trials that only leaves 6 riders with any real chance of beating Froome in Valverde, Mollema, Ten Dam, Quintana, Kreuziger, and Contador. Kreuziger is Froome's biggest threat to turning this race on its head before Ventoux.

 

[Ruby United]

He will do a wheelie at Paris, maybe that will be a "pop"

. Maybe he wheel will pop then

 

[sprenten]

After TT Froome will have to mark only Contador and Valverde so it would be difficult to exploit a team resource against him given he will very likely have a comfortable 3 30'' - 4 min gap. Though, Sky got a strong lesson on Sunday. I tend to think Froome will lead a defensive race from Mont Ventoux, but taking an Alpe-d'Huez stage is in his plans for sure.

4s per Kilometer give away on a flat course is tough to do. I can see a 2-3s give away to most of the pure climbers, but Froome probably ends up 4th through 10th in the ITT possibly giving away time some in top 20 like Krueziger.

 

[fantomas]

As soon as Ventoux. He'll follow similar pattern as 2012 Vuelta.

That's just wishful thinking. He had done the TdF in 2012, not as preparation for La Vuelta, he probably peaked at TdF. In the 2011 Vuelta he was at his top game throughout. No reason why that would be any different now.
I am no fan of him, but judging from his past GTs at top level we won't see any remarkable decline in his form in week 3. I hope we will, as well as I hope to see Contador at the same level he was in TdF 2009, but I don't se why either hope is likely to come true.

 

[wwabbit]

Oh god, your comments are liquid gold.

If you just save 10% of your qoutes, you'd have some laughing material for some hours at least

Pssst... http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1217825&postcount=196

 

[Spicco]

Not happening.