Beginners and Beyond

The 100th Tour de France...... (Read 107 times)

Brrrrrrr


Uffda

    I've been watching for the past week every evening.

     

    It was exciting to see that teams were aggressive last night. Like others have had, it had almost been a processional up to this point aside from the time trials. I couldn't believe that people were caught essentially sleeping at the wheel, and missed Quickstep making a move and ended up minutes behind. Also, last night is the first time I've seen so many blow outs of tires, and of course that affected Vendevelde.

    - Andrew

    redrum


    Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

      I really hate when I type, leave the page, come back & page reloads and all I typed is gone!  Angry

       

      Anywhoooo........Longer story shorter.......Another great race today.  Still more spent effort unexpectedly!  Saxo followed their game plan.

       

      Tomorrow will be interesting on Mont Ventoux!!  We'll see if the climbers want to do battle!

       Randy


      Hip Redux

        Julien Simon is on my fantasty team!  So close.

         

        Brrrrrrr


        Uffda


          Tomorrow will be interesting on Mont Ventoux!!  We'll see if the climbers want to do battle!

           

          I should be able to watch that one in the AM. It sounds fun!

          - Andrew

          redrum


          Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

            Sick!  Froome just fired the cannon of doom for the rest of the riders today!

             

            Quintana.....dropped!

            Contadork.....dropped!

             

            NOBODY had anything for him today!

             

            I misunderstood immediately after the race as Phil was saying that nothing changed in the top 5 but he just meant that "places" didn't change.  I just about flipped wondering why Froome wasn't adding time on the field.  Anyway, Froome literally stood on the podium for....

             

            Stage win

            Yellow jersey

            AND Polka dot jersey

             

            That was a Herculean effort!

             

            Congrats to Froome!  I still hope these somebody else in the field that can tighten things up.  I don't want a foregone conclusion just yet.

             Randy

            Love the Half


              Holy shit what a dominating performance.  I honestly can't see a performance like that and not think PED's.  I don't think anyone will challenge Froome but the rest of the podium is still very much up for grabs.

              Short term goal: 17:59 5K

              Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

              Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

              Ric-G


                Holy shit what a dominating performance.  I honestly can't see a performance like that and not think PED's.  I don't think anyone will challenge Froome but the rest of the podium is still very much up for grabs.

                 

                 

                Yes thats what i think too ...hope its not a snoozefest going forward ...

                marathon pr - 3:16

                catwhoorg


                Labrat

                  Holy shit what a dominating performance.  I honestly can't see a performance like that and not think PED's.  I don't think anyone will challenge Froome but the rest of the podium is still very much up for grabs.

                   

                  I certainly understand that position, he was close to one of the times Lance posted for the full ascent, but context is important

                   

                  The first estimates I saw of the power from the point that Porte dropped off however are believable: under 6w/Kg for the last ~20 mins.

                   

                  When Lance posted his time, he was going hard and pretty much alone from the base of the mountain, Froome was drafting for over half the ascent. The wind is always a tricky variable in comparing different years.

                   

                  So yeah, be skeptical, but don't rule out the fact that the field is slower than in the EPO era, and so its is possible to ride away from them clean.

                  5K  20:23  (Vdot 48.7)   9/9/17

                  10K  44:06  (Vdot 46.3)  3/11/17

                  HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17

                  FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18

                   


                  Hip Redux

                    Richie Porte needs to get MVP for Team Sky.   Hole Lee Crap.

                     

                    Froome was awesome yesterday.  I don't understand how he kept such a high cadence up that mountain!    But I think 4 minutes is way too much time - I doubt there will be any real contenders unless there's some sort of crash or incident that Froome gets caught in.

                     

                    catwhoorg


                    Labrat

                      Porte gets the team behind him for next years Giro.

                       

                      I think that's actually the key portion of Sky's approach, hire and convince someone who on their own could podium in a grand tour to support their main guy.

                       

                      (Uran for 2011 where Wiggo crashed out, Froome 2012 and Porte 2013, though obviously Froome did podium in 2012)

                       

                      I actually said a couple of years ago, the biggest challenge to Sky is keeping everyone happy enough to stay. With Wiggo, Froome, Porte, Henao and Uran, they have too many leaders.

                      (Uran is rumoured to have signed for another team already, and Wiggo is probably past his best, so at least thats down to 3. Kennaugh however is on his way up, as was expected. When Brailsford made his 'British winner in 5 years' comment in 2009, he was eying Kennaugh)

                      5K  20:23  (Vdot 48.7)   9/9/17

                      10K  44:06  (Vdot 46.3)  3/11/17

                      HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17

                      FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18

                       


                      Hip Redux

                        Good points. It certainly has worked for them.

                         

                        Zelanie


                          I think timing more than anything was what Froome got right yesterday.  He timed his run perfectly.  There was too much climb left for Contador to even try to rally, but not so much time left that he would have tired himself being out on his own, since he didn't know if Quintana was going to be able to hang with him.  I'd say he had the best sense of what he was physically capable of on yesterday's ride, and used that to his advantage.

                          redrum


                          Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

                            Whew!  Froome laying the smacketh down on Contadork's candy ass!!!

                             

                            Contador comes in with the best time and probably thinks that surely he's finally got this stage and Froome comes in behind him and knocks 9 seconds off Contadork's time.  Contadork could only shake his head.  What if he could have just had some Clenbuterol? Wink

                             

                            Ah well.  I can't see anybody beating Froome now.  Today just went to show how badly Froome wants that yellow jersey.

                             Randy

                            Love the Half


                              There is no way Froome gets caught unless he wrecks or has some other kind of wild incident.  I think the Tour is mostly over.  Contador and Kreuziger are only about 20 seconds apart but they are teammates and they're two minutes ahead of Mollema.  I'd really be looking forward to the battle for 2nd and 3rd if the guys sitting there came from different teams.  Alas.

                              Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                              Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                              Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).


                              Hip Redux

                                Holy cow, watching Peraud hit the pavement with a broken collar bone... ouch.