Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[Pompey Wolf]

Yeah agreed, which also makes it easier for Sky to control/shut down, especially when they bring such a strong squad to the race, as they always do. Though interesting to see what Movistar do with the Quintana, Valverde, Landa triumvirate. Think there’s a Roubaix stage as well quite early on which should liven things up.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I know there is some Brittany stuff as I have an investment in property bond that owns a nice manoir near Quimper (cheers mum and dad for that inheritance) and they have e-mailed me about the tour going pretty close. So I am guessing Mur De Bretagne is going to be on the schedule. But that is a poncheur's finish rather than a GC scrap.

 

[machin05]

I have an investment in property bond that owns a nice manoir near Quimper

Possibly the most middle class thing said on this forum.....?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

We have gins and tonic there and everything. And play crocquet

 

[Tredman]

Petanque surely.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

That's on the front courtyard. Crocquet has the rear lawn near the swimming pool and herb garden.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Unbelievable scenes. An 80km solo effort. A privilege to watch.

 

[Tony Towner]

The Bespoke show on R5 is although not sceptical individually is of the view that however it looks on the day it'll never get the credit the (if clean) performance deserves.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

But they love Yates who has served a ban

 

[Tony Towner]

In fairness that was a Dr. cock up beyond his control. If you believe in TUE exemptions

 

[Pompey Wolf]

I don’t want to start a boring drug discussion but the reality is it’s hard to feel totally comfortable with anything Froome does 100%. I personally didn’t really know how to feel about today to be honest.

 

[nimrod]

I don’t want to start a boring drug discussion but the reality is it’s hard to feel totally comfortable with anything Froome does 100%. I personally didn’t really know how to feel about today to be honest.

lol, i think if you're objective it's impossible to be comfortable about any great cycling performance these days, particularly from froomey. it was a great performance and we all know he has it in him. quite where he gets it from is the big question. it wasn't quite a floyd landis today so i'm erring on the positive (for now)! great stage anyhow.

 

[Johnny75]

Reading and watching some of the reaction of the riders and yesterday's ride from Froome has been met with some scepticism.

Gearge Bennett on being told about Froome's performance, 'Bullshit, he's done a Landis'. His team quickly put out a tweet saying this was more in respect for Froome's ride not the American's pharmaceutical performance.

Plenty of journalists and riders with interesting tweets and some decrying the state of cycling currently. Watching the highlights after watching the race yesterday and you can see the strain on all the other riders but Froome looks as fresh as a daisy and even the commentators say he must tire at some point as 5 riders working tiger should catch a lone escapee.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

They didn't work together though. Pinot and Doumoulin did, but Carapaz and Lopez were having their own white jersey fight and didn't contribute at all.

 

[machin05]

Dumoulin was left to do all the work really. He was on the front practically the entire time until they dropped him at the end.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It reminded me of a brilliant lone breakaway by Claudio Chiapucci years ago on a TDF stage that finished in Sestriere. That was equally epic.

 

[Johnny75]

Dumoulin was left to do all the work really. He was on the front practically the entire time until they dropped him at the end.

As I delved into the writings a bit more it led me to Strava and the riders data. Ryan Mullen put out 300w average for 6 hours and finished 45 minutes behind Froome. The data is phenomenal.

No doubt it was an amazing ride and George Bennett did clarify his statement saying it's nothing to do with drugs. As Nimrod said you'd have to be incredibly myopic not to consider Froome could be chemically enhanced.

 

[machin05]

As I delved into the writings a bit more it led me to Strava and the riders data. Ryan Mullen put out 300w average for 6 hours and finished 45 minutes behind Froome. The data is phenomenal.

No doubt it was an amazing ride and George Bennett did clarify his statement saying it's nothing to do with drugs. As Nimrod said you'd have to be incredibly myopic not to consider Froome could be chemically enhanced.

Every time they popped up the data overlays on screen Froome was holding 350w with atomic precision. He's just brilliant at riding to power.

They said on Eurosport just now that he made up most of his advantage on the descents. That's not power coming into play - that's technique and bravery. Plus it doesn't matter how many are in the chasing bunch when you're at terminal velocity.

It was tactically brilliant and executed absolutely perfectly.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I am expected no fireworks today. Sky will dominate the GC group.

 

[Johnny75]

No doubt it was a brilliant ride and I was a Froome fan, I'm just not so sure now. It just looked too good to be true yesterday and when other riders doubt a performance you have to at least consider it may not be fair. Especially in the light of recent history.