"PRO" Cycling Discussion

[KWalker]

I looked it up once and it took a lot of time, but I recall that Froome has actually been consistently good against the clock minus a few occasions where he had some terribly dumb crashes.

[mdeth1313]

Tony Martin is a beast on a time trial like the one today. How Froome was able to only lose 10 seconds to him is amazing, and very suspicious.

Yes, Froome is a good TT rider, but he shouldn't be that good.

Oh come now, "The yellow jersey gives you wings."

[KWalker]

Don't fukk with the Dutch, just ask Tommy Voelker about Alpe d'Huez 2011. But I guess he got spit instead of piss.

Edit-Cav's problem is that he's never been great at super high speed sprints. His ace up the sleeve is his acceleration, that's why Petacchi also got a few over him in his day.

I think his consistent wins on the Champs might suggest otherwise...

[ultyguy]

He's had an enormously good lead out every single time there. But yes, he's normally quite unbeatable, but in a pure drag race, the big German boys run him close or even faster.

[euan]

the thing is, he was at least consistant going into those wins. this year unless he wins all the remaining sprint stages he shouldn't be the favourite for Paris. With a sorted train Lotto and Griepel would be the favourites.

[micky]

I looked it up once and it took a lot of time, but I recall that Froome has actually been consistently good against the clock minus a few occasions where he had some terribly dumb crashes.

I took a quick look myself and yes he had some good TT but he totally changed his performances in the 2nd year with Sky at Vuelta.
Before that he wasn't even close to top guys like Martin.

[micky]

wow, Kwiatkowski did rock that one out! he's definitely going to wear white again

He's a monster, a sort of new Sagan.

[Epic-o]

New single chainring TT group on Contador?

He was using a FD to mask it

EDIT: photo deleted due to size (next page provides better pics)

[Liggero]

Froome was first in all intermediate times, he just decided to let go a little bit, not to win, not to be so suspicious.

Froome is clearly doped. Crystal clear. You can not be the best Pantani up hill, and the best ever Cancellara at the TT, at the same time...

Team sky was perfectly fine on sunday, again, they decided to stay back not to be so suspicious. Remember:

-Armstrong-Hincapie
-Riis-Ulrich
-Wiggins-Froome.

this year, they decided it was much better to avoid that Froome-Porte situation. Much better to leave just Froome at the podium.

[wingguy]

the thing is, he was at least consistant going into those wins. this year unless he wins all the remaining sprint stages he shouldn't be the favourite for Paris. With a sorted train Lotto and Griepel would be the favourites.

I don't think so. Cavendish has shown throughout his career that he holds his speed through a 3 week race better than any other sprinter. If there are now a few guys nudging level as the best 'fresh' sprinters in the peloton, I'd be very surprised if Cav wasn't still easily the best 'tired' sprinter.

[ultyguy]

Winguy, agreed.

[petepeterson]

I didn't find it that suprising given that Froome was very close to Martin in the olympic TT.

I'd like to see those past results as it interesting to look at his improvement and I can't see any TT results prior to signing with SKY. His progression starting at the 2011 vuelta is insane.... prior to that year he had a 36th in the Giro and 84th in the tour. He wasn't even close in the young rider's competitions.

And regarding TT's he was second in the Brit Champs in 2010 but look at the field he was behind in 2010 Commonwealth games. He's now considerably smashing millar, durbo, et al.

1 David Millar (Scotland) 0:47:19
2 Alex Dowsett (England) 0:00:55
3 Luke Durbridge (Australia) 0:01:01
4 Michael Hutchinson (Northern Ireland) 0:02:14
5 Christopher Froome (England) 0:02:20
6 Rohan Dennis (Australia) 0:03:03
7 Zachary Bell (Canada) 0:03:17
8 Jack Bauer (New Zealand) 0:03:30
9 Jesse Sergent (New Zealand) 0:04:15
10 Ryan Roth (Canada) 0:04:51

[KWalker]

Marvellous for Martin to show how weak the Garmin team is

Since this is directed at me and you seemingly can't read clear English, I never said the riders on the team were weak, I said that they were not a threat to Sky or any team with GC ambitions. I quoted Vaughters as saying that they would give Sky a run for their money as my reference. Is this clear enough? Even when I broke down each rider I said Martin was a great rider, but my point was that they wouldn't have a team capable of, like Vaughters said, giving Sky any trouble in the GC battle.

Anything else you need me to clarify for you or is being smug more fun?

Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) potential threat depending on recovery from his crash. Strong ride this year, but not as snappy as Froome, Contador, or the Rodriguez although he could take a stage win or get in a risky break
Daniel Martin (IRL) same as Hesjedal

Less than a minute off the podium

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 36:59:18
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:25
3 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:01:44

...

8 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp 0:02:28

Your words, in "clear English", chief.

Back at ya with some fine results, Dan Martin is definitely going to TT his way onto the podium:

12 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:02:08 Good ride, props to a youngster for doing this well after suffering in the mountains so far.
62 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp 0:03:36
110 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:04:35
136 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp 0:05:02

Talansky with a good TT, but not sitting well enough to make a great GC appearance. Martin could get lucky in the mountains, but I doubt anyone will let him off his leash. Hardly the results of a team that is going to give Sky "a run for their money":

13 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp 05:48:00
24 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:13:11
41 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp 0:32:38
60 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:46:27
98 David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Sharp 1:12:50
122 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-Sharp 1:28:08

[jmilliron]

His results will look better after Froome gets busted.

[deek]

New single chainring TT group on Contador?

He was using a FD to mask it

[img]snip[/img]

You're right, only one front shifter. I don't think it's very likely that SRAM is coming out with some sort of sequential shifter...

Here is a non-gigantic and blurry photo:


Still has the FD, probably as a chain guide of sorts: