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The Pro Cycling Thread (Part 2) |
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#326 |
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Dagenham, Essex.
Posts: 940
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Chris Froome and Sir Dave Brailsford press conference.
Full transcript.... http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013...nce?CMP=twt_gu |
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#327 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Mars
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Quote:
I seem to think that next year is the cut of point for people who ride the road - like Brad and Cav - for deciding if they want to return to ride the track for the 2016 Olympics? I seem to remember hearing (but may well have dreamt it!) during the London Games that track riders can cross over to the road without any trouble, but if road riders want to race track they have to have been doing it for 2 years under the regulations?
Which could be interesting if true, bearing in mind the road race route is not Cav-friendly and an Olympic gold is the big one missing from his trophy cabinet. |
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#328 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13,160
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Quote:
Ah, cool - thank you.So I didn't dream it <hurrah> as such - but it's a Team GB thing not a UCI/IOC thing. |
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#329 |
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,804
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Quote:
I'm not going to spend my life thinking ''what if'', i want to enjoy this time cos it may never come again.
If the worst comes to the worst and the bubble bursts i will be ready for the upset but let's wait and see what happens. Quote:
Totally agree - my big heros are Kelly, Indurain and Pantani - so well used to feet of clay.
I can see why people ask questions - and they should - but the answers are going to be the same for a doped rider pretending to be clean and a clean rider asserting he is clean. I don't usually bother posting when the thread turns to the doping issue a) I'm bored stiff of it b) I don't really care Fact is that I'm massively enjoying this Tour...........if, in a few months time, we get a shock revelation that Froome or anyone else failed a dope test, I'll just temporarily shrug my shoulders and not give it much of a second thought. They can't get into my brain and take away the enjoyment I'm having now..............so what happens in 6 months time is irrelevant to my current enjoyment Don't get me wrong - I'd rather the riders were all clean, but I'm not going to lose any sleep wondering about it |
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#330 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,336
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Is it just me or are there about 27 different lists of the fastest climbs up Ventoux? Every forum or comment section I look has a different one!
I get the suspicion thing with cycling fans completely. But let's be honest, the fact it's a British team and rider blazing a trail must be absolutely galling for traditional fans on the continent and makes the accusations that much more vicious. |
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#331 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13,160
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Quote:
Is it just me or are there about 27 different lists of the fastest climbs up Ventoux? Every forum or comment section I look has a different one!
I get the suspicion thing with cycling fans completely. But let's be honest, the fact it's a British team and rider blazing a trail must be absolutely galling for traditional fans on the continent and makes the accusations that much more vicious. I've read that many items, power ratios and wind speeds that my head is spinning - not that I'm good with that anyway ... |
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#332 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 7,910
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Quote:
Is it just me or are there about 27 different lists of the fastest climbs up Ventoux? Every forum or comment section I look has a different one!
I get the suspicion thing with cycling fans completely. But let's be honest, the fact it's a British team and rider blazing a trail must be absolutely galling for traditional fans on the continent and makes the accusations that much more vicious. |
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#333 |
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK
Posts: 14,274
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I just checked the map. The road up Mont Ventoux is a through road, so the summit can be approached from either direction. I've no idea if the Tour always uses the same direction. If not, that might explain some of the discrepencies maybe?
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#334 |
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,789
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I think the tour always uses the route from Bedoin to the top, though I could be wrong.
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#335 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 12,792
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Quote:
You don't read "The Clinic" then.
Quote:
Oh and he obliterated his GC rivals in the TT a few days previously. Just a few seconds behind the World TT Champion.
Where was he 2-3 years ago? No, I can't see why anyone would have any doubts. And I do hope you can grasp the simple concept that people have to start somewhere - every single successful sportsperson was once a nobody. Never mind that a couple of years ago Froome was riding high in the Vuelta, and before that riding regularly at altitude in the Kenyan mountains. Funny how he's a good climber... |
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#336 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,916
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Really enjoyed this year's Tour up to now. There's been genuine competition in the sprint finishes, with Cav not having it all his own way.
Froome has obviously done a great job. It's great to see the Yellow Jersey take two serious mountain stages. Despite the lead of over 4 minutes, you can't help wondering whether Sky can find a way of throwing it all away. I'm certainly not counting any chickens. |
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#337 |
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,804
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Quote:
Froome has obviously done a great job. It's great to see the Yellow Jersey take two serious mountain stages. Despite the lead of over 4 minutes, you can't help wondering whether Sky can find a way of throwing it all away. I'm certainly not counting any chickens.
It could happen that Froome gets a relatively easy ride from here on in as riders in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th are battling each other for the podium |
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#338 |
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Join Date: May 2008
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I think Ten Dam and Kreuzinger will be making a play for the podium - and L'Alpe d'huez is the Dutch Mountain.
Quintana will probably make a play for the KoM jersey - he's only 16 points adrift. |
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#339 |
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 422
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Froome struggled for a few years because of illness... He's cured... low and behold he is unbeatable....
Sure I've heard that before somewhere... |
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#340 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Mars
Posts: 6,393
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Tour de France 2013: Team Sky fuelled to perfection by top dietician...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013...-sky-dietician |
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#341 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 12,792
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Quote:
I'm wondering whether the other GC contenders might have been reviewing their position over the rest day and concluded that they should now try and defend their GC position rather than attack Froome...........particularly the guys in and around the podium places
It could happen that Froome gets a relatively easy ride from here on in as riders in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th are battling each other for the podium Quote:
Froome struggled for a few years because of illness... He's cured... low and behold he is unbeatable....
Sure I've heard that before somewhere... |
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#342 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Dagenham, Essex.
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Quote:
I'm wondering whether the other GC contenders might have been reviewing their position over the rest day and concluded that they should now try and defend their GC position rather than attack Froome...........particularly the guys in and around the podium places
It could happen that Froome gets a relatively easy ride from here on in as riders in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th are battling each other for the podium Tomorrow might be Cannondale Vs Orica. Nasty climb at the end... Sagan stage win i think! |
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#343 |
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Join Date: May 2007
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Quote:
Froome struggled for a few years because of illness... He's cured... low and behold he is unbeatable....
Sure I've heard that before somewhere... ![]() http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froo...itic-infection |
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#344 |
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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Quote:
Or that could mean not an easy ride at all for Froome - if any of his nearest rivals attack, even if their aim is just to gain time on each other rather than him, he'll still have to go with them - his lead certainly isn't insurmountable, and infighting among the rest of the top 10 on GC could still hurt him. He can't even really afford to let Quintana disappear on a mountain again, there are enough of them left to allow Quintana to make up ground significantly if he's not challenged.
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#345 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,336
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Quote:
Froome struggled for a few years because of illness... He's cured... low and behold he is unbeatable....
Sure I've heard that before somewhere... |
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#346 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 12,247
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Having just seen the highlights programme from today (well the "rest" day!) it seems the press were really out to question Froome and Team Sky but when the presenter showed the French papers only one had a negative headline...
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#347 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Quote:
I was thinking that if there are attacks from the GC boys the other teams will chase them down to defend their position...........or will help setting the pace on the climbs etc
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#348 |
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Mars
Posts: 6,393
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Sky will have to be very tactically astute as well as physically able this week. They will have many split second decisions to make and will have to get them mostly right. They have enough buffer to not go with everything but surely won't want to just limit losses either (at least CF won't)? they will be just as motivated to put the race out of sight (hopefully) rather than only riding defensive. Should be fun either way. Have more faith in them (and mainly Froome) after yesterday, but this race and their form has swung back and forth a few times already, we could be in for many more fireworks yet (hopefully). I can't see all the others just resting up for positions but they may be forced too. I don't think they will totally give in to the pack though and surrender without any fight, how that affects CF who knows. I do want to see more of a battle, so long as he comes through in the end ofc
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#349 |
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Dagenham, Essex.
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Nothing like an co-sponsor losing the plot. Quote:
Oleg Tinkov @olegtinkov 2m
As I said Oleg Tinkov and @tcsbank can be ONLY #1. Rest is secondary. #Russia #1 #Win #TdF #killSKY |
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#350 |
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Join Date: May 2007
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Quote:
True, but the other teams don't necessarily have strength in depth on the climbs either - everyone else will be wary of Quintana on the climbs, and attempt to go with him as he's very close to everyone except Froome on GC, and if they all go, then Froome has to go too, or he risks dropping too much time. It certainly won't be a comfortable week, unless he obliterates the field in the TT. Part of me thinks he might have one eye on winning the double Alpe d'Huez anyway though, and has no intention of just doing the necessary and no more!
He may, and others take little nips here and there, but Chris looks so strong, i can't see him losing. Could be all over after the ITT on Wednesday. The only thing that can stop him winning imho is crashing out. |
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