Chris Froome

[D1AX]

Also bear in mind Froome would have won 7 GT's by now but for his loyalty to Wiggins...

 

[Bold Seagull]

Also bear in mind Froome would have won 7 GT's by now but for his loyalty to Wiggins...

We'll never know, yes he could have took time out of Wiggo in the mountains, but that 2012 Tour was so suited to Wiggins, and the time he might have lost he showed he'd have made up anyway in the TTs. Always found it a bit unfair to suggest Froome would have just won that Tour had Sky let him race.

 

[teaboy]

We'll never know, yes he could have took time out of Wiggo in the mountains, but that 2012 Tour was so suited to Wiggins, and the time he might have lost he showed he'd have made up anyway in the TTs. Always found it a bit unfair to suggest Froome would have just won that Tour had Sky let him race.

This would certainly have been his 2nd Vuelta though. 2011 was a tactical mistake from Sky when it was clear Brad didn't have the legs to win. Oh well. Giro next for the Grand Slam!

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[Triggaaar]

There's a huge difference between being able to live with the pace and being able to accelerate from others doing the same.

When I was racing 4th Cat (basically turn up and have a go level) we'd often have an average speed of 25mph - hard, but a comfortable pace to sit on a wheel at. To accelerate from that to "race" others over a short distance takes serious effort (think 30% more effort over 2 minutes) and good positioning.

Pros can all push a higher pace for further, but everyone has limits. Froome seems to have a higher limit than most, even if just for the 30 seconds needed to get the right gap once. When you lose a wheel and are already on the rivet you're screwed.

Sky do have an exceptional team, and have riders who will lead teams riding as domestiques, but that doesn't detract from what Froome has done. I want him though ride the Giro next year. Holding all 3 Grand Tours simultaneously is unprecedented in the modern era.

So you're agreeing with me?

 

[teaboy]

So you're agreeing with me?

No. You suggest other teams sit in and then "race" over the last mile or so. They can't. Sky ride such a high tempo that the level of acceleration required to do so (and to make a gap stick) isn't possible. It certainly wouldn't be possible to do it day after day, and Sky wouldn't just pull the peloton along if it was.

You're wanting someone to be sheltered like Froome is, and then ride Froome off his wheel. There are a couple of riders who could do this on the flat (bearing in mind how good an ITT rider Froome is), but none of them could do that uphill. To win stage races you need to be able to climb.

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[Triggaaar]

No. You suggest other teams sit in and then "race" over the last mile or so. They can't. Sky ride such a high tempo that the level of acceleration required to do so (and to make a gap stick) isn't possible.

You don't need that level of acceleration when it's on a climb finish.

It certainly wouldn't be possible to do it day after day

You don't need to do it day after day. Do it once and you have the yellow jersey.

none of them could do that uphill. To win stage races you need to be able to climb.

Which means Froome is the best, which was my point all along.

 

[teaboy]

You don't need that level of acceleration when it's on a climb finish.

You don't need to do it day after day. Do it once and you have the yellow jersey.

Which means Froome is the best, which was my point all along.

You need a similar level of effort even if the speed is lower.

Only if the gap is a few seconds, not the 2 minutes Froome had.

In stage racing overall, yes he is. He's a great climber and TTer. I'm not convinced he's great in crosswinds, but as I have leanings toward Quickstep I have pretty high standards!

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[1066familyman]

You need a similar level of effort even if the speed is lower.

Only if the gap is a few seconds, not the 2 minutes Froome had.

In stage racing overall, yes he is. He's a great climber and TTer. I'm not convinced he's great in crosswinds, but as I have leanings toward Quickstep I have pretty high standards!

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I can't honestly remember a time when Froome has been caught out in the crosswinds when it's mattered, which is one of the reasons I said he's turned into the complete rider.

When the Steppers sniff even the slightest chance of echelons, you know they're going to give it a go! We all love them for that. Unfortunately, Sky usually have some beasts on their GT teams anyway like Stan, plus Froome never seems to let his guard down and stays attentive near the front. It also helps that he's not a flyweight pure climber like Quintana of course so has a bit more of a fighting chance when there's echelon action afoot as well.

Btw, unless you've got all evening and then some, I'd just nod in polite agreement with Triggaaar and be on your way if I were you. I think he actually wrote that Monty Python argument clinic sketch you know

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Because it's a team sport for individuals./

? well I don't understand that - probably explains why I think bike riding is pretty boring stuff.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Btw, unless you've got all evening and then some, I'd just nod in polite agreement with Triggaaar and be on your way if I were you. I think he actually wrote that Monty Python argument clinic sketch you know

No he didn't

 

[1066familyman]

No he didn't

Yes he did

 

[teaboy]

I can't honestly remember a time when Froome has been caught out in the crosswinds when it's mattered, which is one of the reasons I said he's turned into the complete rider.

When the Steppers sniff even the slightest chance of echelons, you know they're going to give it a go! We all love them for that. Unfortunately, Sky usually have some beasts on their GT teams anyway like Stan, plus Froome never seems to let his guard down and stays attentive near the front. It also helps that he's not a flyweight pure climber like Quintana of course so has a bit more of a fighting chance when there's echelon action afoot as well.

Btw, unless you've got all evening and then some, I'd just nod in polite agreement with Triggaaar and be on your way if I were you. I think he actually wrote that Monty Python argument clinic sketch you know [emoji38]ol:

I don't mean Froome is bad in the wind, but he won't look at crosswinds with wide eyes and try to put time into others. It's more survival, which is fair enough but certainly one if the few areas he could improve. That's probably a team tactic though.

And I'm on a rail replacement bus - I'll have the 30 minute argument!

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[teaboy]

Because it's a team sport for individuals./

? well I don't understand that - probably explains why I think bike riding is pretty boring stuff.

It's sort of like Test cricket. Individuals can perform well, or you can have the best player in the world in the team but if the team doesn't play well you're less likely to win. It also goes on for ages, sometimes looks like nothing is happening but it's actually really exciting, or it looks like something's happening but really it isn't. Mostly it's about the beer and sunshine though.

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[Triggaaar]

Only if the gap is a few seconds, not the 2 minutes Froome had.

I'm not talking about when you're already 2 minutes down. Follow him through the stages, and time trial well. Except the other GC riders can't time trial as well, which again, is because Chris is the best.

 

[Triggaaar]

...

 

[Stat Brother]

Another little new dynamic of Sky's SuperTeam has been noticeable over the last couple of GT's is how they've used their domestiques.

What looks like a train of Sky riders, leaders jersey, and then 1 last Sky rider doesn't quite tell the story.
They now seem to be rotating the climbs dom's throughout the race, so as not to burn them out either.

No other team has the luxury of 'resting' a domestique throughout a stage, guaranteeing them to be that much fresher at the moment in the race that they have been to to ride.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yes he did

This isn't an argument. You're just contradicting me.

 

[Hamilton]

As for Froome. I'm no Team Sky fan but I do like Froome and a number of their riders. Froome has evolved into a complete rider. He can be exciting to watch when the chips are down or even when on top. He has the heart of a lion and is not afraid to take risks to take time wherever he can find it. Comes across as a humble and all round nice bloke as well. His achievements are all hard earned and thoroughly deserved.

My word, how your point here was proved to be correct yesterday. The red jersey in the bag, he could have just sat up and coasted over the line, but no, he's sprinting for the green jersey and winning it. How immense is that? Some might say foolhardy, but he is a winner and fighter and if that doesn't show 'sports personality' then nothing does.


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[1066familyman]

My word, how your point here was proved to be correct yesterday. The red jersey in the bag, he could have just sat up and coasted over the line, but no, he's sprinting for the green jersey and winning it. How immense is that? Some might say foolhardy, but he is a winner and fighter and if that doesn't show 'sports personality' then nothing does.


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He's often to be found inside the top 20 on sprint stages and usually closer to 10th than 20th. It's all part of the 'being attentive' thing I suppose and not getting caught out in any time splits. Seems to be quite common now among GC riders and I know a lot of sprinters aren't happy about GC riders and teams getting in the way of sprints.

Not sure why he bothered to be so far up yesterday though as once inside the 3km to go he could have just sat up and no amount of gaps would have seen him lose the red jersey. Perhaps it was habit, perhaps he's just such a winner he just couldn't help but want the green jersey as well

I'd rather have seen Trentin take it personally, but it's a bike race, not a charity event, so have no problem with Froome taking it anyway.

 

[Hamilton]

He's often to be found inside the top 20 on sprint stages and usually closer to 10th than 20th. It's all part of the 'being attentive' thing I suppose and not getting caught out in any time splits. Seems to be quite common now among GC riders and I know a lot of sprinters aren't happy about GC riders and teams getting in the way of sprints.

Not sure why he bothered to be so far up yesterday though as once inside the 3km to go he could have just sat up and no amount of gaps would have seen him lose the red jersey. Perhaps it was habit, perhaps he's just such a winner he just couldn't help but want the green jersey as well

I'd rather have seen Trentin take it personally, but it's a bike race, not a charity event, so have no problem with Froome taking it anyway.

I agree. It's a bike race.

And to be honest, I enjoyed seeing Trentin really pissed off at the end of the race. No gifts in racing as Sean Kelly said.


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