Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/07/2013 09:11 AM |
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Ok, to perhaps give a better example of what Keith was alluding to, what about Sagan? Talk about some quacking....guy is capable of going head-to-head with arguably the fastest sprinter ever, but can also clear Cat 2 climbs and win on multiple terrains. But everyone talks about how "talented" he is, but Froome gets ripped for one day in the mountains, which is his specialty.
Froome looked like he was suffering, which was something you never saw w/ Lance, AC and other rides in the 00's. I even thought at one point that he may have gone too early.
D I think Froome is clean? Hell, I dunno. But if we are judging doping on the basis of performances alone, I'm gonna look at Sagan long before Froome. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Keith Richards
Posts:781
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| 07/07/2013 09:33 AM |
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| He avg 6.5 for only 22 min. If he did that for the Le alpe d'huez, again...then I'd call bull$4it. |
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It is his word versus ours. We like our word. We like where we stand and we like our credibility."--Lance Armstrong. |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 07/07/2013 10:18 AM |
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Sorry for cast aspersions on the mynah bird... you sure did a great duck imitation yesterday
Break out the hourglass, the gaps are going to be huge |
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jmdirt
Posts:775
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| 07/07/2013 10:31 AM |
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| KR,
You must have missed my post about EM. I'm not shocked by any rider winning a climb by two minutes, its his time up the final climb that makes me wonder. I know a lot of factors come into play but...
EDIT: I agree with the ?? about PS. I brought that up in one of his butt pinching threads and most didn't like it. |
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Keith Richards
Posts:781
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| 07/07/2013 10:36 AM |
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| It was only a 22 min effort. After a flat run in. After a week where he did no work. Totally believable on the first day in the mountains for a climbing specialist. |
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It is his word versus ours. We like our word. We like where we stand and we like our credibility."--Lance Armstrong. |
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jmdirt
Posts:775
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| 07/07/2013 10:40 AM |
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| Noting in any pro sport is "totally believable". ;} |
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bobswire
Posts:304
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| 07/07/2013 11:03 AM |
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| That's entertainment,it is what it is, nothing more. |
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BikeCzar
Posts:53
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| 07/07/2013 11:30 AM |
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| Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Large gaps are exactly what I would expect from a cleaner peloton. I find the blatant accusations offensive. Cycling fans will be the death of their own sport. Get a grip. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/07/2013 11:33 AM |
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When did Froome become a climbing specialist - when he joined Sky?
Sagan's been killing it since he was a kid.
No evidence, it just all seems too programmable with Sky looking not just at yesterday's stage but the big picture of last couple years. |
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CERV
Posts:151
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| 07/07/2013 11:38 AM |
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| It also wasn't a flat run in. It was preceded by an HC climb. |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 07/07/2013 12:07 PM |
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After today, things look a bit different, Porte is out of contention, Froome was isolated most of the day, Valverde is bringing it (but, I think the boy is up to something, again)
Contador has Krueziger there, but he lost Noval today, still some good stuff to come, I hope the Spaniards all get together, bust up the Sky Train |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/07/2013 12:10 PM |
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I did not like what I saw yesterday, but I have to give Froome some credit. He is in the form of his life. Not a surprise at all after last year. (If I hadn't seen the head injury after my year of racing very hard, I could have dominated some races the next year and ridden at a level where anyone watching me grow up would have said "What! Where did that come from?") Sky did their homework. Yesterday's course was a good one to set a record time up that final climb. Short, flat till the first climb. Sky controlled the pace, but it really wasn't that hard. They gave away a minute to Quintana who rode a good climb, but Quintana is still a young rider. In a year or two, if Quintana keeps building his form, Sky might have to work a lot harder to keep him within a minute. And if Qintana could descend a little faster and remember to eat (He will learn both of those) that minute could be very dangerous.
But as it was, that first climb was not that hard for a very disciplined Sky team. On the last climb, Porte gave it his all. He was toast today. Froome, who did little lead work yesterday, then put in a very hard 20 minute effort. It worked rather well. Put nearly two minutes on Contador who said he was only 90% (and that was observed by all coming into the Tour).
If Porte flew today, my first thought would be "that Sky training". Porte flew like a lead balloon. Liike you would expect any human to do after what he did yesterday. I don't think anyone would argue that Froome is not naturally a step above Porte. So Froome being comfortable today when he was not pushed and did far less work than Porte is not such a huge surprise.
Now, if Froome is still on this platoo (sp) 10 days from now after he has been pushed hard, I'll have my doubts. At this point it looks like he prepared better than anyone else for the Tour. Now, if Contador (and perhaps Valverde and Rodriguez) come around and Froome does start seeing all the hard riding he has done this year catch up, we may see a very different final week.
I want this Tour to be clean. I also want to see Contador win. I like his attitude, his racing style and his racing smarts. But he may not have done enough work to pull this Tour off. (I read today that Contador has backed off on motorpacing since he got married because of it's perceived danger and that his training has taken a hit because of that. Sounds believable to me. Matches both what I am seeing and my thought that Contador is not stupid and might even have a life beyond the bike.)
Ben |
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Keith Richards
Posts:781
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| 07/07/2013 01:10 PM |
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Contador has not had a good year period. Froome was a beast in almost every race he entered this year.
What I was yesterday was consistent with what I have seen from GC favorites considering their results so far this season.
If Sky had 4 or 5 guys leading up all the climbs today ala postal/discovery in their prime, then I would be raising an eyebrow. But today we had Froome totally isolated and his right hand man spent.
I don't like Froome much at all. No style on the bike. But I am seeing nothing to make me think he is doped to the gills. He is young and in the form of his life.
Posted By Bike Czar on 07/07/2013 11:30 AM
Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Large gaps are exactly what I would expect from a cleaner peloton. I find the blatant accusations offensive. Cycling fans will be the death of their own sport. Get a grip.
Preach brother! |
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It is his word versus ours. We like our word. We like where we stand and we like our credibility."--Lance Armstrong. |
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Keith Richards
Posts:781
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| 07/07/2013 01:37 PM |
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Posted By CERV __ on 07/07/2013 11:38 AM
It also wasn't a flat run in. It was preceded by an HC climb.
Compare yesterdays profile:
With todays:
The difference is HUGE. It made a massive difference in how fresh legs were when the serious climbing occurred. |
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It is his word versus ours. We like our word. We like where we stand and we like our credibility."--Lance Armstrong. |
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jmdirt
Posts:775
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| 07/07/2013 03:16 PM |
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| WAAAAIT a minute Keith Romney! Are you doing a little shifting on us here? Were's that "Come on man" sign when we need it? The comparison was to other trips up that climb. What did the stage profile, distance, average speed, etc look like when the turbo blood guys flew up it? Not what did yesterdays profile look like compared to todays.
"I don't like Froome much at all. No style on the bike. But I am seeing nothing to make me think he is doped to the gills. He is young and in the form of his life." At the speed of turbo blood guys though? |
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