Cycling - inside info

[MikeMusic]

Tour of Spain, the Vuelta is on ITV4 every night if you didn't know.

Chris Froome is Sky team leader and one of the favourites to win

So why did Froome hold back for Wiggins on the TdF then ?
Not obvious until you hear an interview with Bobby Julich one of the trainers, a good ex cyclist himself too.

When he joined he looked at Froome's performances and could not quite work out what was going on.
Brilliant day followed by a bad day, time after time.
Seems he can put in a stellar performance, but his recovery rate isn't so good.
Answer: Don't go quite so stellar today and you will have plenty tomorrow.
Yesterday's stage was a lesson with 2 cyclists and 2 drug cheats going hard up a mountain. Froome didn't chase immediately, just brought them back at his own pace when they attacked.
The interview after was useful as Froome said he didn't regard yesterday as serious and he was saving himself for the really hard days
A nice guy, well spoken with a good brain
Probably on ITV4 player as we type to hear and see all the above IIRC

[wiicrackpot]

Good post Mike,didn't know the inside story and thanks for the heads up.:)

The others was trying to show they're back and put one over the rest psychologically, i'd say Froome is dangerous as he is trying to prove a point to Sky,
but.....will he have recovered enough after doing the TDF and Olympics plus will he have enough support as Wiggins had in the TDF,
not gonna predict the top prize on this one, if Chris wins it will rival Wiggo's achievement at the grand tour going by what he's put in so far for Sky and TeamGB,
this years Vuelta favours climbers, roll on i'd say. :cool:

[keiths]

Yes, Froome was very controlled yesterday as he chased down Alberto Contacheat's many (ineffectual) attacks on the final climb. From that performance, I don't see that a clean Contador has the ability to sustain his attacks for long enough to break Froome in his current form.

Froome's favourite for the red jersey in Madrid for me.

[MikeMusic]

Good post Mike,didn't know the inside story and thanks for the heads up.:)


Happy to oblige !
Has he recovered ?
Good question.
I'd say he's done too much work - but ! - he has hunger, the legs, the engine, the brain and Team Sky behind him, including the Steve the psychiatrist, who could be more useful for what the others are doing/trying to do
Very well worth watching the last mountain - I won't say why as that will spoil it;)

[sq225917]

It's been good so far. He does have the form to win it, I don't think a clean Contador does. Though he'll, never be clean for me, once a cheat, always a cheat just like Millar.

[wiicrackpot]

Froome's favourite for the red jersey in Madrid for me.
Hope you're right although i urge on the side of caution, those Spaniards will conspire to do anything to get the result they want.


I don't think a clean Contador does. Though he'll, never be clean for me, once a cheat, always a cheat just like Millar.
Agreed Simon, no matter what they say or do afterwards, the stigma stays.

[morris_minor]

Who's that Scottish guy doing the commentary? He sounds just like Frankie Boyle! I kept expecting some outrageous statements, but unfortunately none came . . .


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[MikeMusic]

Hope you're right although i urge on the side of caution, those Spaniards will conspire to do anything to get the result they want.

After today perhaps even more

[keiths]

After today perhaps even more

You can say that again :eek:

[wiicrackpot]

Hope you're right although i urge on the side of caution, those Spaniards will conspire to do anything to get the result they want.
My reservations about Froome's chances for GC looks like coming true, something is not right, he's never been a explosive climber but he looked a spent force today, :( tomorrow is crucial, a repeat of todays stage will definitely spell the end of his challenge.

Rodriguez looked good and surprised a lot of people today, Contacheat no less, good bet for over all winner.

[keiths]

I think you're right - Froome is really up against it now. Purito looking good - as long as Dirty Bertie doesn't win it I'll be happy.

[wiicrackpot]

I think you're right - Froome is really up against it now. Purito looking good - as long as Dirty Bertie doesn't win it I'll be happy.
:lol: Nice one Keith, it's rhymes as well. :D

[MikeMusic]

My reservations about Froome's chances for GC looks like coming true, something is not right, he's never been a explosive climber but he looked a spent force today, :( tomorrow is crucial, a repeat of todays stage will definitely spell the end of his challenge.

Rodriguez looked good and surprised a lot of people today, Contacheat no less, good bet for over all winner.
Chris doesn't seem up to it for whatever reason.
I'm cheering Rodriguez on as he's the only clean Spaniard at the top

[sq225917]

it's increasingly looking like Froome just doesn't have it day after day. Brailsford did say the difference between him and Mod God was their recovery ability.

[bobbasrah]

Wonder what they would make of all this 200 years on.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-19423947

[MikeMusic]

Wonder what they would make of all this 200 years on.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-19423947

Science fiction
Will never happen
:)

[wiicrackpot]

OMG !!!:wowzer:

What a turn up for the books, didn't think that was gonna happen today, Rodriguez was immense through the hardest of stages and came unstuck today,
after a rest day as well, guess he (purito) got caught napping, and when he needed it most he didn't have any support from his teammates,
Dirty Bertie's tour now, he never have been in this years race at all. :steam:

[keiths]

Gutted. A Contador/Valverde one-two is really not what cycling needs IMHO

[MikeMusic]

OMG !!!:wowzer:

What a turn up for the books, didn't think that was gonna happen today, Rodriguez was immense through the hardest of stages and came unstuck today,
after a rest day as well, guess he (purito) got caught napping, and when he needed it most he didn't have any support from his teammates,
Dirty Bertie's tour now, he never have been in this years race at all. :steam:
:(
Just hoping he gets done for doping, Valverde too

[MikeMusic]

Gutted. A Contador/Valverde one-two is really not what cycling needs IMHO

Quite
The message :
What you need to do is cheat and everything will be fine

[wiicrackpot]

Quite
The message :
What you need to do is cheat and everything will be fine
Definitely Mike.

Is it my imagination or is this years Vuelta waaayy...harder than the TDF?, the brutality of each stage seems to get worse. :stalks:

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

I'd contend that the Vuelta often is tougher.

[wiicrackpot]

I'd contend that the Vuelta often is tougher.
More so this year Harry, the TDF will always be the glamour tour and the Vuelta is the purists tour.

After watching the highlights, you're left to wonder how do you recover from that level of exertion and hurt in your whole body,
half an hour on a spin bike post stage finish can only do so much, i won't be surprised if they're wired up to machines like 'Maria' in Metropolis LOL!!!.:lol:

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

On that very issue I've been out on a killer training ride through the Yorkshire Dales. 120 very hard and hilly miles but nothing like the Vuelta. The thought of getting on a bike in the morning and doing the same is frightening. Pro cyclists are superhuman.

[MikeMusic]

Definitely Mike.

Is it my imagination or is this years Vuelta waaayy...harder than the TDF?, the brutality of each stage seems to get worse. :stalks:

Not if you are a mountain climber, but even they struggled on some
This year seemed too focussed on the mountains and I see it as 2nd division compared to the TdF - through watching it, seeing who is in it and the way they put it together. Think the TdF will always be the big tour with so many different nationalities. Giro the same.
I disagreed when the TdF took out time bonuses, but I have to agree it is better without. Think the time bonuses get in the way now. Where they put the
intermediate sprints in the Vuelta is very odd.
Points for green same in mountains and flat ? not sure, probably not a good idea.
The route was a little odd, broken up and very northern based, probably to get the mountains in