"PRO" Cycling Discussion

[MarkGiardini]

Have any of the riders in the peleton publicly, or collectively said anything or insinuated anything along the lines of what many on here are thinking?
The reason I ask, is cos during the Giro, several of the riders (well pretty much all the peleton if you read CN) were quoted as being certain that Di Luca and Santambroggio were doping, and that this was the general consensus of the group during the entire 3 weeks, and I am just wondering if there's any whispers in this tour?

[DanW]

I wonder what Oleg would have tweeted if Contador put in the same performance as Froome?

[Kermithimself]

I wonder what Oleg would have tweeted if Contador put in the same performance as Froome?

He would probably say that he took Contador out for a steak the previous night.

[MikeyT]

Completely understand each of your points. It just seems strange that no other pro team is doing the same thing or doing the same thing to the same extent.

The Contador comparison is difficult because it isn't a like for like comparison. What we're seeing now isn't what we would expect to see two or three years ago. Sixth was still a good result don't get me wrong!

[MattSoutherden]

Re. Tinkov:

What's the saying; He who who lives in glass houses?

[me]

I don't follow twitter, but I must ask: has there been a twitter-spat between Tinkoff and Froome's Girlfriend yet?

Haha, wait for it...

[si1ver]

SKY is running the systematic doping regime for sure . They are after yearly glory but not making the LA mistake of being the same doped rider every year . It was Wiggo then Froome. Next Riche will take the leader position and dope his way to Paris in 2014 ?

[ultyguy]

My theory is that SKY is not running systematic doping. I actually believe Wiggins was clean. He smashed the TT's and climbed ok in a non-mountainous Tour against a weak field (sh!t, TJ was 5th) with a monstorously strong team. I think Froome has gotten too big for Brailsford to take down, 'too big to fail' if you like, but he's obvioulsy found some designer drug. And it will probably, in highsight, shed some light on the rift between Froome and Wiggins.

[Kermithimself]

Danish sportsprofessor, and bike rider, Lars Nybo is questioning the performance of Froome. Not so much the fact that he rides fast, but the fact that there's a difference of 5.3% down to the closest competitor. At the Olympic 100 meter run it was 1.2% from 1st to 2nd, in the marathon it was 0.34% and triathlon it was 0.16%. The "normal" range is from 0-2%, so a 5.3% is huge.

[russianbear]

French radio coverage was essentially calling him Rasmussen for all intensive purposes.

The saying is "intents and purposes".

I really don't think Oleg Tinkoff gives a shit about libel, how would damages be enforced even if a multi millionaire lost?

[dereksmalls]

I want to know what gearing the top guys were using today.

[DanW]

I agree with ultyguy more than the comments suggesting systematic doping across the whole team.

As I have said before, Froome seems like the most ruthlessly ambitious guy in SKY (just a meaningless opinion based on some of his comments and behaviour last year) so if anything I would be worried about Froome eating steak by himself rather than the team having steak parties I don't believe Wiggins or Brailsford are stupid or desperate enough to dope but I wonder if they have doubts about Froome too?

[HillRPete]

Why are people just looking at Froome and screaming doping? Where are the Schlecks, Evans that were supposed to be podium contenders (ok Valverde was unlucky)? Their place is being taken by the Kreuzigers and Fuglsangs, who are deluxe domestiques normally.

Kreuziger (solid performance!) three seconds behind his Captain after 2 weeks? Hopefully nobody is suggesting Contador is in top form, but when people cry foul over Froome dropping them, it seems many do.

Glad to see Rodriguez going strong. Hope he can do something in the last week.

[MattSoutherden]

Danish sportsprofessor, and bike rider, Lars Nybo is questioning the performance of Froome. Not so much the fact that he rides fast, but the fact that there's a difference of 5.3% down to the closest competitor. At the Olympic 100 meter run it was 1.2% from 1st to 2nd, in the marathon it was 0.34% and triathlon it was 0.16%. The "normal" range is from 0-2%, so a 5.3% is huge.

Um-wat?

He was 29 seconds faster than Quintana up Ventoux, which equates to just under 1% for the climb. Overall in the tour, he is 0.1% ahead of Mollema in total GC time.

[MattSoutherden]

I want to know what gearing the top guys were using today.

Nothing out of the ordinary I don't think. For the EuroSport Ride program, Sean Kelly rode with a 39/25 (he swapped wheels at Reynard for a 28). He was saying that to race up it they would probably be 21/23 most of the time.