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The Pro Road Cycling Thread
- Thread starter Shands
- Start date
Nervous Nedum
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 12 Apr 2010
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- 808
Rascal said:What a fabulous finish. Just magnificent.
If you missed it, catch the highlights, its epic.
Awesome from Froome, and Kelderman for trying to animate things. Adam Yates coming home in 8th at '42. Fantastic end to the stage.
Rascal
El Presidente
Shands said:Pure entertainment that. It's hard to read too much into the Dauphine, but definitely some points of interest today.
Further to what we were talking about mate is Porte finished 10 mins down and finished with G and Lopez. Watching the race Sky had numbers and then it seemed very un Sky like that they were quickly down to Nieve. G had been working on the front, but usually Lopez stays longer. My point is when Porte slipped of the pace Froome was on the radio and I wonder if Lopez and G were told to nurse Richie home. Which again if is the case brings the Wiggo question to the fore. Is Froome that desperate for Richie to find some form before the TdF he is almost flrced to attack today.
Thoughts lads or am in cuckoo land lol
Pokes28
Well-Known Member
I've been reading a lot of things lately that Froome is generally not well liked. But he's younger and is the reigning TDF champ. So Brailsford and Sky feel they have to stick with him and make him happy. However in the last few hours Brailsford has come out and said that he is the one that chooses the team and that he has not decided if Wiggins is going to ride in the TDF. Considering the way Froome has been acting (kind of like Lance towards Contadour when they were on the same team), I wonder how this is going to go. Brailsford is so above board and as much as he obviously respects Wiggins, it is going to be interesting in the next couple weeks.
Rascal
El Presidente
Pokes28 said:I've been reading a lot of things lately that Froome is generally not well liked. But he's younger and is the reigning TDF champ. So Brailsford and Sky feel they have to stick with him and make him happy. However in the last few hours Brailsford has come out and said that he is the one that chooses the team and that he has not decided if Wiggins is going to ride in the TDF. Considering the way Froome has been acting (kind of like Lance towards Contadour when they were on the same team), I wonder how this is going to go. Brailsford is so above board and as much as he obviously respects Wiggins, it is going to be interesting in the next couple weeks.
Did you see the race today pal? If not catch it, its superb.
Brailsford will do whats right im sure. I would love to see Wiggo in the TdF this year as I think every Brit cycling fan would but if that meant the Sky team dynamics were upset I think Wiggo wouldnt be picked. But with Portes poor showing this season surely Wiggo would be the best plan B. Fascinating stuff
Pokes28
Well-Known Member
Not yet. For some reason they are time delaying it over here. Didn't show stage 1 until midnight last night and stage 2 is recording now. So I will be two stages back when i get home.
Can't wait. I just hope it isn't Todd Gogulski doing the commentary. He's not horrible, but I just get tired of listening to him talk. I finally got around to watching the Tour of Belgium that I've had DVRd for a while. He did the commentary on that and it was brutal.
Can't wait. I just hope it isn't Todd Gogulski doing the commentary. He's not horrible, but I just get tired of listening to him talk. I finally got around to watching the Tour of Belgium that I've had DVRd for a while. He did the commentary on that and it was brutal.
Rascal
El Presidente
Pokes28 said:Not yet. For some reason they are time delaying it over here. Didn't show stage 1 until midnight last night and stage 2 is recording now. So I will be two stages back when i get home.
Can't wait. I just hope it isn't Todd Gogulski doing the commentary. He's not horrible, but I just get tired of listening to him talk. I finally got around to watching the Tour of Belgium that I've had DVRd for a while. He did the commentary on that and it was brutal.
Bad commentary is a nightmare on any sport. I actually like our Eurosport ones.
You will love todays race mate, it was superb.
chesterbells
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 15 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 22,147
Pokes28 said:I've been reading a lot of things lately that Froome is generally not well liked. But he's younger and is the reigning TDF champ. So Brailsford and Sky feel they have to stick with him and make him happy. However in the last few hours Brailsford has come out and said that he is the one that chooses the team and that he has not decided if Wiggins is going to ride in the TDF. Considering the way Froome has been acting (kind of like Lance towards Contadour when they were on the same team), I wonder how this is going to go. Brailsford is so above board and as much as he obviously respects Wiggins, it is going to be interesting in the next couple weeks.
Mm. Latest brailsford interview I saw tonight - my interpretation of what he was emphasising - ie picking a team wasn't just about the dynamics between 2 men - Froome and Wiggo - but about the relationship between all 9 riders - was that not picking Wiggo would help the overall group dynamic ie it's not just Froome who isn't a big fan of being on the road with Brad (& 'his moods' for 3 or 4 weeks).
But yes, Portes average form, which has been off colour for a while now - more than a blip - is really making things more interesting for selection. Not like the days when they could call on Henao and Uran as support!
And yes, I only saw the last 10km of today on recording, but it was incredible to watch - really dynamic stuff. In fact part of me wishes tussles like that could be saved till and savoured on the Tour. If that was a tour stage finale the media would be going into overdrive over it; I can see Imlach, Boardman and Rendell now! It would've been almost better if Froome vs Contador could been kept apart till Yorshire y'know what I mean?
Rascal said:Shands said:Pure entertainment that. It's hard to read too much into the Dauphine, but definitely some points of interest today.
Further to what we were talking about mate is Porte finished 10 mins down and finished with G and Lopez. Watching the race Sky had numbers and then it seemed very un Sky like that they were quickly down to Nieve. G had been working on the front, but usually Lopez stays longer. My point is when Porte slipped of the pace Froome was on the radio and I wonder if Lopez and G were told to nurse Richie home. Which again if is the case brings the Wiggo question to the fore. Is Froome that desperate for Richie to find some form before the TdF he is almost flrced to attack today.
Thoughts lads or am in cuckoo land lol
Certainly not cuckoo land mate, but I dunno to be honest. I saw Froome on the radio and then when Richie swung over to the side I actually thought it was because he'd been told by Chris to go on the attack and mix things up a bit; obviously that wasn't the case. Prior to that point Sky did have a lot of numbers, which vanished pretty quickly, but I'd be surprised if they were sent back to help Porte, I don't really see the point or benefit in that, given that after the TT he wasn't looking to be a factor in the GC battle. I think it's probably simply a case that the fierce tempo they were setting was too much for all but the very best, and when they hit that 9% section the domestiques were all done. One thing is for sure, Porte's continued troubles will be a real worry for Sky. Kiri and Kennaugh need to start showing some form as well, because you can bet that Movistar and Saxo will once again throw all sorts at Sky in the Tour this year, but this time both those teams have leaders who are looking much stronger, so Sky can't afford to be below par or have more days like stage 9 last year. The parcours is ripe for a tactical battle this time round, and with the cobbles, crosswinds, descents to control and interesting multi-mountain stages, the race leaders team need to be switched on and right on it.
I'll put the next bit in here so as not to spoil it for Pokes. Just some other thoughts on today. Froome looked super strong and I'm sure will be happy to have won the two key back to back stages. Today though reminded me so much of the Vuelta 12, when in the first week he was so desperate to show he was the strongest and attacked at every opportunity, only for the Spaniards to stay on his wheel while he burnt himself out and lost about ten minutes in the third week. Physically he's incredible but tactically he's not great at all, with his desire to dominate and almost humiliate his opponents working against him to an extent. Today he did so many efforts he didn't need too, not only burning his team too quickly, but then sitting in the wind and closing every gap rather than letting others do the work. He has more mountains later in the week, he didn't need to be shutting everyone off, Contador was really the only one he should have been focussed on. For today that's fine, he was clearly plenty strong enough, but in a Grand Tour you can't keep riding like that, it'll do you in. Let's not forget he started to suffer in the final mountain stages of the tour last year and his competition then wasn't as fierce as what he'll face this time. The last thing he needs to be doing is pushing too hard at the Dauphine and peaking early or emptying his tank for down the road. His biggest trump card come the Tour should be the TT, but that's right at the end of the race, so he needs to hold his best form for that final week, otherwise he'll negate his advantage.
The other interesting thing that we can't know is how much improvement do the riders have. Froome says he's come to win the Dauphine, which makes sense, it's what he did last year so from that we can assume he's tried to reach fairly near to his peak. It's also just about a month since his last race so he should be in fairly good race shape. In Contador's case he has never gone to the Dauphine to win, he's always used it as a place to train and loosen up for what's to come. He says that's his approach again this time around and, given that he also plans to ride the Vuelta, it would make sense not to go all out here as he is realistically trying to ti,e his peak a bit later than Froome's. In Alberto's case he hasn't raced for eight weeks so is coming in less race sharp or ready than Chris. On that basis you'd expect Contador has more room to improve, which if right will make for a fantastic tour - but only time will tell really. My gut says that come the tour Chris will have the edge physically, but Alberto will have the advantage tactically and team wise (with Kreuizger possibly playing a real key role in how the race is won or lost). Froome's modus-operandi is pretty simple really - out power opponents in the TT and out sprint them up the last mountain of the day. The question is can the others, and Contador in particular, counterbalance that by utilising the cobbles, descents, long range moves, crosswinds, tag-team attacks and all the other tricks. It's going to be really interesting. I think both of them will be going to bed tonight though feeling pretty happy with their days work
The other interesting thing that we can't know is how much improvement do the riders have. Froome says he's come to win the Dauphine, which makes sense, it's what he did last year so from that we can assume he's tried to reach fairly near to his peak. It's also just about a month since his last race so he should be in fairly good race shape. In Contador's case he has never gone to the Dauphine to win, he's always used it as a place to train and loosen up for what's to come. He says that's his approach again this time around and, given that he also plans to ride the Vuelta, it would make sense not to go all out here as he is realistically trying to ti,e his peak a bit later than Froome's. In Alberto's case he hasn't raced for eight weeks so is coming in less race sharp or ready than Chris. On that basis you'd expect Contador has more room to improve, which if right will make for a fantastic tour - but only time will tell really. My gut says that come the tour Chris will have the edge physically, but Alberto will have the advantage tactically and team wise (with Kreuizger possibly playing a real key role in how the race is won or lost). Froome's modus-operandi is pretty simple really - out power opponents in the TT and out sprint them up the last mountain of the day. The question is can the others, and Contador in particular, counterbalance that by utilising the cobbles, descents, long range moves, crosswinds, tag-team attacks and all the other tricks. It's going to be really interesting. I think both of them will be going to bed tonight though feeling pretty happy with their days work